.gif)
Captain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Encyclopedia
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet
and recurring Mysteron
agent in the 1960s British
supermarionation
science fiction
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
. "Captain Black" is a code name; his real name is never revealed in the series, although subsequent publications have given this as Conrad Turner. His transformation from human to Mysteron
agent occurs on Mars
in the first episodes of both the original and new series; "The Mysterons
" and "Instrument of Destruction Part 1" respectively.
was like the earlier recurring villain from Thunderbirds, The Hood
.
mission to Mars, in order to investigate mysterious radio signals detected by Spectrum. Until then, planet earth was aware only of rock snakes (featured in Thunderbirds Are GO
) inhabiting the planet. Consequently, Black was shocked to find an alien city on the Martian plains. When the complex turned scanning apparatus onto his Martian Exploration Vehicle (MEV), Black misinterpreted this as a weapons system and, believing the city to be hostile, ordered his subordinates to launch an attack on the complex. When the Mysterons reconstructed their city and threatened to assassinate the World President, they seized control over Black's mind. After Zero X returns to Earth, he disappears, and thereafter is the instrument of the Mysterons' campaign of vengeance against Earth for what they saw as unwarranted aggression.
Through Captain Black, the Mysterons relay instructions to other agents on Earth and compel him to undertake acts of terrorism and murder through their disembodied voice. However, even under the influence of the Mysterons, Black is not completely devoid of humanity. For example, after becoming a radioactive hotspot in the episode "Manhunt", he captures Symphony Angel while hiding from Spectrum and subjects her to lethal radiation inside an atomic centre, but desists before she is killed and allows her to escape. While Spectrum agents chase after an SPV
, which they believe contains Black but is actually being driven (badly) by Symphony, he decontaminates himself inside the atomic plant and thus avoids Spectrum's attempts to detain him.
Text features in TV Century 21
and related publications stated that Black, as Conrad Turner, was born in Manchester
(though he had a North American accent in the show) and lost his parents as an infant during a limited nuclear war. He was raised by distant relatives who provided little emotional support, causing him to be cold and reclusive. He joined the Royal Air Force
and fought in a British civil war at age 19, and after the country joined the World Government he became famous for his work in the World Army/Air Force and later as a Fireball XL3
pilot in the World Space Patrol. He was Spectrum's first agent and oversaw Cloudbase's construction.
In the episode "Treble Cross
", an Air Force test pilot unexpectedly survives an assassination attempt by the Mysterons and helps Spectrum in another effort to catch Captain Black. However, he is not deceived when the human pilot replaces his own Mysteron duplicate and evades Spectrum for a second time, suggesting that the Mysterons have equipped him with a "sixth sense
" which can warn him of danger.
Black can also teleport if under threat of capture. This occurs in the episodes "The Heart of New York
", "Model Spy
" and "Inferno".
The character is only seen wearing his Spectrum uniform in the pilot episode "The Mysterons
" and in the second opening sequence for each episode thereafter, symbolically standing in a graveyard at night. In all other episodes that Black appears, he is wearing civilian clothing.
. For example, his last name is Lefkon, as shown on his gravestone in the first episode. Before his Mysteronisation he is shown as a much more sympathetic character
, and his destruction of the Mysteron city now seems far more reasonable as his vehicle's equipment actually identifies the Mysteron probe as a weapon. In contrast, after Mysteronisation he is an almost stereotypical villain, taking pleasure in the acts of murder that he commits. At one point, he even leaves Captain Scarlet
chained up in front of his latest doomsday device, complete with digital countdown. However, on occasions (for example in the episode 'Best of Enemies') Scarlet has been able to educe Black's original personality, and may have been close to being able to break the Mysteron conditioning.
In 'Dominion', the final episode of the series, Black is knocked unconscious in an attempt to destroy a nuclear facility. When he regains consciousness, he claims to have escaped the Mysterons control, and asks Scarlet to return with him to Mars to launch an attack on the Mysteron city. Although the attack is successful, the Mysterons regain control of Black. The final image of the series is of Black looking at Scarlet's departing ship, then walking away. Two green rings follow him, catch up and Black vanishes.
The voice of the new Black is the same as before Mysteronisation, save when the Mysterons take direct control of his body.
Promotional materials said Conrad Lefkon was born in Brooklyn and was the son of a local crimelord, and joined the army to escape the "family business". However, in the show he had an English accent.
debate for its use of the codenames "White" to designate the head of Spectrum, Colonel White
, and "Black" in reference to the villainous Captain Black. Gerry Anderson
defended his series against the accusations of racism and political incorrectness by reminding critics that Lieutenant Green
, Melody Angel and Harmony Angel are heroic characters despite being of either African or Asian descent.
Captain Scarlet (character)
Captain Scarlet is the fictional main character in Gerry Anderson's British Supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet....
and recurring Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
agent in the 1960s British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
supermarionation
Supermarionation
Supermarionation is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet is a United Kingdom-produced computer-generated imagery action-adventure TV series which debuted in February 2005 as part of the Ministry of Mayhem on ITV....
. "Captain Black" is a code name; his real name is never revealed in the series, although subsequent publications have given this as Conrad Turner. His transformation from human to Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
agent occurs on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
in the first episodes of both the original and new series; "The Mysterons
The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)
"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first officially broadcast in the UK on ATV Midlands on , although it had been granted an unscheduled test transmission for the London area on...
" and "Instrument of Destruction Part 1" respectively.
Conception
While discussing his approach to writing episodes in a 1986 interview, he drew parallels between the premise and characters of Captain Scarlet and those of Thunderbirds, suggesting, for example, that the Spectrum Organisation was similar to International Rescue and that the character of Captain BlackCaptain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet and recurring Mysteron agent in the 1960s British supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet...
was like the earlier recurring villain from Thunderbirds, The Hood
The Hood (Thunderbirds)
The Hood is the main villain and adversary of International Rescue in the Thunderbirds TV series.-TV series:The Hood's precise origins are unknown but it is thought to have been based loosely on Wayne Pembridge...
.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Black was seconded to lead a Zero-XZero-X
The Zero-X is a fictitious Earth spacecraft that appeared in two of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation productions...
mission to Mars, in order to investigate mysterious radio signals detected by Spectrum. Until then, planet earth was aware only of rock snakes (featured in Thunderbirds Are GO
Thunderbirds Are GO
Thunderbirds Are Go is a 1966 British science-fiction film based on Thunderbirds, a 1960s television series starring marionette puppets and featuring scale model effects in a filming process dubbed "Supermarionation"...
) inhabiting the planet. Consequently, Black was shocked to find an alien city on the Martian plains. When the complex turned scanning apparatus onto his Martian Exploration Vehicle (MEV), Black misinterpreted this as a weapons system and, believing the city to be hostile, ordered his subordinates to launch an attack on the complex. When the Mysterons reconstructed their city and threatened to assassinate the World President, they seized control over Black's mind. After Zero X returns to Earth, he disappears, and thereafter is the instrument of the Mysterons' campaign of vengeance against Earth for what they saw as unwarranted aggression.
Through Captain Black, the Mysterons relay instructions to other agents on Earth and compel him to undertake acts of terrorism and murder through their disembodied voice. However, even under the influence of the Mysterons, Black is not completely devoid of humanity. For example, after becoming a radioactive hotspot in the episode "Manhunt", he captures Symphony Angel while hiding from Spectrum and subjects her to lethal radiation inside an atomic centre, but desists before she is killed and allows her to escape. While Spectrum agents chase after an SPV
Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
The Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle is a fictional pursuit and attack vehicle from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
, which they believe contains Black but is actually being driven (badly) by Symphony, he decontaminates himself inside the atomic plant and thus avoids Spectrum's attempts to detain him.
Text features in TV Century 21
TV Century 21
TV Century 21, also known as TV 21, was a weekly British children's comic of the 1960s and early 1970s. It promoted the many television science-fiction puppet series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Century 21 Productions...
and related publications stated that Black, as Conrad Turner, was born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(though he had a North American accent in the show) and lost his parents as an infant during a limited nuclear war. He was raised by distant relatives who provided little emotional support, causing him to be cold and reclusive. He joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and fought in a British civil war at age 19, and after the country joined the World Government he became famous for his work in the World Army/Air Force and later as a Fireball XL3
Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol...
pilot in the World Space Patrol. He was Spectrum's first agent and oversaw Cloudbase's construction.
In the episode "Treble Cross
Treble Cross
"Treble Cross" is the 21st episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Alan Perry....
", an Air Force test pilot unexpectedly survives an assassination attempt by the Mysterons and helps Spectrum in another effort to catch Captain Black. However, he is not deceived when the human pilot replaces his own Mysteron duplicate and evades Spectrum for a second time, suggesting that the Mysterons have equipped him with a "sixth sense
Extra-sensory perception
Extrasensory perception involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind. The term was coined by Frederic Myers, and adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities such as telepathy, clairaudience, and...
" which can warn him of danger.
Black can also teleport if under threat of capture. This occurs in the episodes "The Heart of New York
The Heart of New York
"The Heart of New York" is the 11th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Alan Perry...
", "Model Spy
Model Spy
"Model Spy" is the 14th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Bill Hedley and directed by Ken Turner....
" and "Inferno".
The character is only seen wearing his Spectrum uniform in the pilot episode "The Mysterons
The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)
"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first officially broadcast in the UK on ATV Midlands on , although it had been granted an unscheduled test transmission for the London area on...
" and in the second opening sequence for each episode thereafter, symbolically standing in a graveyard at night. In all other episodes that Black appears, he is wearing civilian clothing.
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
There are several differences between the original Captain Black and that of the new seriesGerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet is a United Kingdom-produced computer-generated imagery action-adventure TV series which debuted in February 2005 as part of the Ministry of Mayhem on ITV....
. For example, his last name is Lefkon, as shown on his gravestone in the first episode. Before his Mysteronisation he is shown as a much more sympathetic character
Sympathetic character
A sympathetic character is a fictional character in a story with whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, if not necessarily admire. Protagonists, almost by definition, fit into the category of sympathetic character; so, however, do many supporting characters and even...
, and his destruction of the Mysteron city now seems far more reasonable as his vehicle's equipment actually identifies the Mysteron probe as a weapon. In contrast, after Mysteronisation he is an almost stereotypical villain, taking pleasure in the acts of murder that he commits. At one point, he even leaves Captain Scarlet
Captain Scarlet (character)
Captain Scarlet is the fictional main character in Gerry Anderson's British Supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet....
chained up in front of his latest doomsday device, complete with digital countdown. However, on occasions (for example in the episode 'Best of Enemies') Scarlet has been able to educe Black's original personality, and may have been close to being able to break the Mysteron conditioning.
In 'Dominion', the final episode of the series, Black is knocked unconscious in an attempt to destroy a nuclear facility. When he regains consciousness, he claims to have escaped the Mysterons control, and asks Scarlet to return with him to Mars to launch an attack on the Mysteron city. Although the attack is successful, the Mysterons regain control of Black. The final image of the series is of Black looking at Scarlet's departing ship, then walking away. Two green rings follow him, catch up and Black vanishes.
The voice of the new Black is the same as before Mysteronisation, save when the Mysterons take direct control of his body.
Promotional materials said Conrad Lefkon was born in Brooklyn and was the son of a local crimelord, and joined the army to escape the "family business". However, in the show he had an English accent.
Reception
During its repeat run in the UK in 1993, Captain Scarlet became involved in the black-and-white dualismBlack-and-white dualism
The colors White and Black are widely used to depict opposites. Visually, white and black offer the highest possible contrast. In western culture, white and black traditionally symbolize the dichotomy of good and evil, metaphorically related to light and darkness and day and night.The dichotomy of...
debate for its use of the codenames "White" to designate the head of Spectrum, Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
, and "Black" in reference to the villainous Captain Black. Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
defended his series against the accusations of racism and political incorrectness by reminding critics that Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green is the assistant of Colonel White in the Supermarionation television series series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is of Trinidadian origin, and as well as being the only non-white male on Cloudbase, he is the only officer to hold the rank of lieutenant...
, Melody Angel and Harmony Angel are heroic characters despite being of either African or Asian descent.