Saazbaum

Count Saazbaum (ザーツバルム 伯爵) is the antagonist of ALDNOAH.ZERO. He holds the title of Count as a member of the Orbital Knights. He pilots the Martian Kataphrakt Dioscuria, and its successor Dioscuria II.

Personality & Character
At first, Saazbaum appeared to be a blood thirsty individual who sought the destruction and end of all the Terrans. When Count Cruhteo begins to believe in Slaine Troyard's words that some of the Orbital Knights were involved with the assassination attempt, Count Saazbaum swiftly leads his own Kataphrakt and brings down the destruction of Cruhteo and his Landing Castle, Slaine. Saazbaum was the one who planned the assassination of Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia to ignite the sparks of war, and it is later revealed that his true objective is not just take over the Earth, but to take vengeance against the Royal Family.

History
Saazbaum was sent to Tanegashima in his Dioscuria during the First Earth-Mars War with his fiancé, Orlane, who piloted the Deucalion. But when Heavens Fall occurred, she lost her life; Saazbaum had escaped death thanks to Dr. Troyard. Saazbaum blames this loss on the royal family and thus secretly plotted to kill Princess Asseylum on her goodwil visit to Earth, this would provide Vers with a motive to invade Earth and carry out the agenda. After Slaine Troyard talks to Emperor Rayregalia Vers Rayvers and informs him that Princess Asseylum still being alive, Saazbaum appears, manipulating the Emperor to resume the war with Earth. Saazbaum attacks Castle Cruhteo with the Dioscuria to take Slaine, but after finding him he kills Cruhteo. Commandeering Castle Cruhteo, he launches an attack on U.F.E. HQ. He returned to the Vers Empire with Slaine and the injured Princess. According Mazuurek, Saazbaum was celebrated as a hero for rescuing Asseylum from the Earth Forces. After adopting Slaine as his son and heir, Count Saazbaum was killed by Slaine, when he was hit by a high-speed debris cluster that was supposedly planned to be used on Inaho.

Relationships
Apparently Saazbaum's friend. Although Saazbaum does not seem to have a high opinion of him, remarking that he was unworthy of piloting the Tharsis. He was more than willing to launch a meteor bombardment near Cruhteo's landing castle and directly attacking his castle with the Dioscuria when Cruhteo was about to kill Slaine. Also he had no problem killing him when he got in his way, and showed no kind of remorse after brutally murdering him.
 * Cruhteo

A subordinate of Saazbaum's. Saazbaum did not appear to be particularly saddened by his death.
 * Trillram

Saazabaum holds an intense hatred towards Princess Asseylum, since she is a member of the Royal Family, whom he blames for the death of his Viscountess Orlane.
 * Asseylum Vers Allusia

Saazbaum treats Slaine respectfully because Slaine's father once saved his life, and prevented Cruhteo from executing him on numerous occasions. Saazbaum trusts and respects Slaine enough to tell him his personal motivations. He reveals the retrieved Tharsis to him before telling him he is free to choose to flee or join his forces. This indicates Saazbaum either trusts Slaine to the extent that he was willing to give him a powerful Kataphrakt, or he was confident he could persuade Slaine to help his cause. Later he makes Slaine his vassal and adopts him as his son.
 * Slaine Troyard

Saazbaum was betrothed to Viscountess Orlane.
 * Orlane

Saazbaum had first gotten an insight on Inaho's philosophical viewpoint about war as he eavesdropped the Japanese youth's conversation with Asseylum. As Inaho had declared in how he is not interested in human emotions, thus leading him to never hate anyone just because they are Martian, Saazbaum had declared that he will hate Inaho because of his lack of understanding for the Martians' hatred towards the Terrans. Saazbaum acknowledges Inaho's courage as a "Terran warrior." Although he expressed the usual Martian superiority complex when facing Inaho in combat and became frustrated when Inaho was getting the better of him. He also expressed frustration to Inaho due to the Terran's lack of appreciation of the twisted nature of Martian beliefs, as well as how actually difficult it is to survive on Mars.
 * Inaho Kaizuka

Quotes
"Our Princess Asseylum's heartfelt wish for peace has been mercilessly crushed by a violent act of the treacherous terrans! We Subjects of the Vers Empire must resolutely bring down the hammer of righteousness in response to this atrocity commited by Old Humanity!" - Saazbaum's declaration of war.

"So I wouldn't hate anyone just because they're martian." - "Oh? I would gladly hate a terran for that fact alone" - Inaho and Saazbaum exchanging opinions about racial tolerance.

"Saazbaum of the Vers Orbital Knights' 37 clans has arrived. Please make your peace, your highness" - Saazbaum's way of greeting Asseylum Vers Allusia.

"You saved me, Slaine... Well done." - Saazbaum, moments before getting shot by Slaine.

"Not too shabby" - Saazbaums' last words.

Trivia

 * Count Saazbaum is much like Lord Ezelcant of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Both are officials of Empires formed by Martian colonists who seek to conquer Earth. Saazbaum covets Earth's resources and believes Martians are superior whereas Ezelcant believes Martians are entitled to the rich Earth as they abandoned the colonists.