The ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam is the titular mobile suit of the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. A high-performance general-purpose MS commissioned by ZAFT Chairman Gilbert Durandal, who demanded that it be furnished with the most advanced technology available at the time, including Junius Treaty-prohibited technologies. It was designed to handle any battle situation with a single set of diverse armament based on combat data from the ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam and its pilot Shinn Asuka, a concept that was initially tested on the ZGMF-X56S/ Destiny Impulse.

• It has two beam boomerangs that doubled as beam sabers, a pair of palm beam cannons, and a massive beam sword for close combat.
• It was outfitted with a long-range beam cannon and a beam rifle for distance combat.
• It was outfitted with a tiny physical shield as well as two beam shield generators for protection.
• Outfitted with a conventional set of head-mounted CIWS.