Char's actions in Char's Counterattack make 100% sense for his character - and that's without any post-movie revisionist explanations. You can watch MSG, MSZG, and CCA and everything about his character makes perfect sense https://twitter.com/Gunpla_Overlord/status/1311653260059570176

Let's make this into a thread. Char is a selfish character. He is the son of Zeon Zum Deikun, making him an inheritor of his father's will. But instead of taking his father's place, he focuses solely on revenge.

Char kills Garma just to spite Degwin - Garma was too young when Char's father died to be involved. This is a selfish decision, and kind of stupid... he has to rely on Kycilia to get back into the Zeon military.

Eventually, Char manages to kill Kycilia, but at this point, Zeon is dead. The war is over. His actions are purely for himself; he just wants the satisfaction of killing her.

Char then runs to Axis, where the regent of the Zabi family falls in love with him. But he rejects her, largely due to still being obsessed with Lalah Sune. Instead of using this opportunity to reform Zeon into something his father would be proud of, he runs to the AEUG.

He joins the AEUG just to kill people. He just wants to fight again as an ace pilot. He has to be pressured into using his identity to help the AEUG by Amuro Ray, Hayato, Kai, and even Kamille. He refuses to live up to his responsibilities.

When Haman returns with Axis, Char's lack of responsibility catches up to the entire Earth Sphere. Neo-Zeon wages a war of anger and vengeance that doubles down on the One Year War's colony drop. All because he wouldn't take the reins.

But Char shouldn't have to be with Haman if he detests her, right? Perhaps Char is above manipulating women. No, he only refuses to manipulate women when it's selfless. In CCA, he manipulates Nanai and Quess - alongside all of Neo-Zeon - so he can have a final fight with Amuro.

Char is an emotional, selfish man. He doesn't want to take up the responsiblities of his late father, and so he instead seeks pointless catharsis (revenge, merely fighting for the AEUG instead of leading it until the later part of Zeta Gundam, and arranging a battle with Amuro)

While this thread is a criticism of Char as a character, consider it praise for Tomino's writing. Char Aznable is well written in MSG, MSZG, and CCA. His character's flaws stay with him to the end. Tomino's skill is reflected in how much we can talk about his character.