Zero Two

Zero Two, also known as Code:002, is the main heroine and pilot of the biomechanical mecha Strelizia in the anime series Darling in the Franxx. Her backstory and identity are defined by these core elements: • Human-Klaxosaur Hybrid: She is an artificially created life form engineered from the DNA of a mysterious, ancient biomechanical race known as Klaxosaurs. Because of this non-human lineage, she grew up with red skin, fangs, and red horns. • The "Partner Killer": As an elite combat pilot for the military group APE, she possesses incredible strength and agility, but her feral Klaxosaur blood drains the life force of her co-pilots. No ordinary human pilot could survive riding alongside her more than three times, earning her an infamous and feared reputation. • The Quest to Become Human: Throughout the series, she is driven by a deep, tragic longing to shed her monstrous nature and become fully human. She believes that by killing enough Klaxosaurs, she will finally be granted true humanity. • Connection with Hiro: Her life changes when she meets the protagonist, Hiro, the only human capable of piloting Strelizia with her indefinitely without dying. She famously labels him her "Darling"—a bond that traces back to a forgotten childhood memory when Hiro showed her kindness when she was treated as a caged lab experiment.