Mariemaia Khushranada was simply a seven year old child caught in a confusing web of lies and misunderstandings; however, her actions appear to be far more mature and intellectual than her age would suggest. In fact, many individuals believe that the seven year old leader lacks the authenticity she would have emitted had she been a few years older. Nevertheless, Mariemaia's age remains crucial to the narration. Recall that the vast majority of the characters in Gundam Wing were very young. Even if this was not the case, Mariemaia's age gave the story a unique twist. Introducing a new character in his or her twenties would seem far too similar to the series. In addition, her youth embellished her innocence. Endless Waltz would not have received the praise it has been given if Mariemaia had appeared older.      Although a few members of the Rommerfeller Foundation were well over the age of thirty, most of the characters in Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz were under the age of twenty-one. In fact, the main characters, the five Gundam pilots, were only either sixteen or seventeen in the movie. Now consider the age of Mariemaia's antagonist. Relena Darlian was only fifteen when she became the queen of the world. Reminiscing on that early time, it is doubtful that any individual is able to declare, without uncertainty, that they could have possessed the maturity that that position required at the age of fifteen. The era in which this movie takes place most definitely promotes the teenage years as the prime years of a person's life. True, Mariemaia has not reached this phase in her life; still, she was not as momentously young when placed in perspective to the surrounding characters.      Granted, Mariemaia was the daughter of the main rival in the series, even so, Mariemaia's age gave the movie a unique, refreshing twist to the story. Had Mariemaia been twenty, she would be nothing more than a continuation of Treize's character. After all, both she and her father were aristocrats who destroyed the progressive peace that proceeded their campaigns. Endless Waltz would have inherited the same fate as other sequels that were not distinctive enough to grasp an audience's attention. Even the meaning of Mariemaia's articulate dialogue is altered when her age is put into consideration. Notice that her speeches are inspiring, yet lack corroboration. For example, Mariemaia confidently stated that "history is like an endless waltz. The triple measure of war, peace, and revolution continues forever...this will change with my crowning ceremony." Please note that she never explains how or why she intends to end humankind's lust for war. Despite her impressive vocabulary, her words mirror the ignorance of a young child.      Despite her maturity, Mariemaia still possesses all of the dreams, insecurities, and fears of a seven year old child--to an extent anyway. Her juvenility creates a more innocent impression on the audience. If the producers had portrayed Mariemaia as an adult, or even as an adolescent, she would be deprived of a valid excuse for her reckless behavior. Also, her age permits her to recover from the deceit she was subjected to during her youth.      In conclusion, I fully support the producer's decision to present Mariemaia as a young girl. A seven year old leader is not as exaggerated when contemplating the ages of the other characters around her. It also differentiates the plot of the movie from the plot of the series. Remember that with her young age came vulnerability; this vulnerability allowed the audience to forgive Mariemaia's callous conduct and approve of her happy ending.