system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Gundam Wing Endless Waltz] What purpose does the zero gundam's feathery wings serve?

This is a machine of war. What is the practicality of having the thrusters stylized into feathery wings?
gpt
It's important to remember that the lead designers of the Gundams in Endless Waltz (and the designer of Wing Zero in particular) are as much artists as weapon designers.  They created what they considered the 'perfect' weapons, and saw themselves reflected in their machines.

As much as it was a weapon, Wing Zero was designed to also be an elegant masterpiece that all other mobile suits would be compared to.  Every part of Wing Zero had to be perfect, or at least as close as possible.  Each wing having multiple joints down to the level of individual feathers, meant that the Zero system could recommend movement down to the smallest increment possible.  At the same time, styling them like actual feathers reinforced Wing Zero's beauty and terror.  

If something as small as a maneuvering fin was so carefully crafted that it was simultaneously proof against most mobile suit-quality weapons fire AND could operate to levels of performance beyond any other mobile suit AND was beautiful on top of that... then it tells an opponent that Wing Zero itself must be a quality of weapon so advanced that it's not even worth fighting against.