KARR (Knight Rider)
Encyclopedia
KARR is the name of a fictional, automated, prototype
vehicle featured as a major antagonist
in two episodes of the television series Knight Rider and was part of a multi-episode story arc in the 2008 revived series
.
, originally designed by Wilton Knight and built by his company Knight Industries. Upon completion of the vehicle, KARR's CPU was installed and activated. However, a programming error made the computer unstable and potentially dangerous. The project was put on hold and KARR was placed in storage until a solution could be found.
Unlike KITT, whose primary directive is to protect human life, KARR was programmed for self-preservation, making him a ruthless and unpredictable threat. He does not appear as streetwise as KITT, being very naive and inexperienced and having a child-like perception of the world. This has occasionally allowed people to take advantage of his remarkable capabilities for their own gain. Despite this, he does ultimately consider himself superior (always referring to KITT as "the inferior production model") as well as unstoppable, and due to his programming the villains don't usually get very far. KARR demonstrates a complete lack of respect or loyalty, going so far as to on one occasion eject its driver to reduce weight and increase its odds of escape.
KARR first appeared in the Season One episode "Trust Doesn't Rust" aired on NBC on November 19, 1982, where he seemingly met his demise at the end. However, he was so popular with viewers that he was brought back again in the Season Three episode "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", aired on NBC on November 4, 1984.
When the two thieves realize how useful the vehicle could be, they use KARR to go on a crime spree. Michael and KITT are then sent to recover KARR before anyone is hurt. Fearful of being taken back to storage and certain deactivation, KARR refuses to go back to the Foundation and he flees when Michael and KITT come looking for him.
KARR's only weakness is his primary directive of self-preservation and Michael used this to his advantage. When KARR threatens to destroy KITT in a head-on collision, Michael plays chicken
with him, on a hunch that KARR will veer out of KITT's path in order to protect himself. KARR indeed swerves out of the way, but unable to stop in time, he drives off a cliff and seemingly explodes in the ocean (using footage of the climactic scene from the 1977 film The Car
, footage that was also used for KITT on a couple of other occasions)
Trust Doesn't Rust was also printed in book form, written by Roger Hill and Glen A. Larson
, expanding upon the original television episode.
KARR was still damaged after the last encounter with KITT and forced his new driver, John, to disguise him and then drive him around to carry out his plans. In a ravine, KARR challenges Michael and KITT to a final showdown. After releasing the young couple, KARR fires a stolen laser and damages KITT. However, Michael and KITT destroy KARR's laser by reflecting the beam back to the emitter. Damaged, KARR prepares for another attack. KITT and KARR both turbo boost and collide in mid-air. KARR is blown to pieces, but Michael and KITT survive the impact. At the end of the episode, however, KARR's motherboard — i.e. KARR himself — can be seen lying undamaged on the ground amongst the wreckage, its LEDs still blinking. Also, it was in best interest of KARR to colide with KITT in TURBO-BOOST mode, because once in mid-air, even if the self-preservation program had kicked in, and swerved the front-wheels, it´s was then impossible to steer in the air!
KARR later gets a two-tone paint job incorporating a silver lower body into his familiar all-black finish. KARR's scanner originally made a droning noise, but in the comeback episode it sounds similar to KITT's but with a slight reverb
audio effect added to it. The sound of KARR's engine, originally sounding rough and "fierce", here sounds similar to KITT's, again effected by a reverb. KARR's voice was also different. In "Trust Doesn't Rust," KARR had no license plates. In KARR's second appearance, he had a California license plate that read "KARR".
KARR's personality is different in the comeback episode. His child-like perceptions are diminished into a more devious personality, completely cold and bent on revenge. His self-preservation directive is no longer in play when KARR is close to exploding after receiving severe damage; he willingly turbo-jumps into a mid-air collision with KITT hoping that his own destruction would also spell his counterpart's. Even KARR's modus operandi
is different; serviceful enough in the first episode, he aims to actually make use of other persons, anyone, to serve his own needs. One explanation of this change could be as a result of the damage he received after falling over the cliff at the end of "Trust Doesn't Rust", which further malfunctioned his programming. Indeed, KITT himself is seen to malfunction and suffer change of personality as a result of damage in several other episodes.
In "Trust Doesn't Rust" and the 2008 series, the voice of KARR was provided by voice actor Peter Cullen
, better known as the voice of Optimus Prime
in the Transformers
cartoon series. In "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R.", KARR was voiced by Paul Frees
, best known as the voice of Boris Badenov
in the popular series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
and as the voice of Ludwig Von Drake
in the popular anthology series, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. Frees was uncredited on-screen for his role, leading Cullen to sometimes be wrongly credited as providing KARR's voice in "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R." Peter Cullen reprised his role as the voice of KARR in the 2009 Knight Rider episode, "Knight to King's Pawn."
series episode "Knight of the Living Dead", and is said to be a prototype of KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). The KARR acronym now stands for "Knight Auto-cybernetic Roving Robotic exoskeleton" and instead of an automobile, a schematic display shows a humanoid-looking robot with wheeled legs that converts into an ambiguous off-road vehicle. When KARR finally appears in the episode "Knight to King's Pawn", he takes a form similar to KITT as a 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR, but has an amber-colored scanner. Similar to the original character, this KARR had an AI that was programmed for self-preservation, and he was deactivated and placed in storage after he reprogrammed himself and killed seven people.
In the episode, a spy infiltrates the SSC and activates a self-destruct program within KITT, placed there secretly by Dr. Graiman. In order to save KITT's operating system (which is given priority over his memories), Michael and Sarah transmit the files to the back-up computer at the headquarters, but the transmission is also intercepted by an unknown third party. It is stated that KITT, KARR and the base back-up computer are the only systems able to run the program, and leaves Dr. Graiman with only one conclusion: KARR is still out there, and someone is trying to reactivate him.
KARR returns in the episode "Knight to King's Pawn", with Peter Cullen reprising his vocal role. A pre-recorded message from Dr. Graiman reveals that Mike was KARR's driver and his memories were erased after KARR became uncontrollable. He says that he knew of and opposed Alex Torres and the NSA's plans to reactivate KARR, as they wrongfully believe KITT's artificial intelligence will overwrite KARR's programming flaws. During the dismantling of the SSC (FLAG's control centre), KITT's A.I. chip is removed and delivered by Torres to the NSA, where it is installed into KARR. Mike vows to end this once and for all, and infiltrates Area 51 to rescue KITT, using another chip built by Billy. KARR activates himself, viewing the re-activated KITT as a threat that must be terminated. Alex states that he is now in charge and KARR must take his orders; KARR agrees, but then merges Alex with him as a driver to seek out Mike.
KARR seems to believe that it is his destiny to merge with Mike as before, and comes after KITT to destroy him and get Mike back. Despite KITT lacking his transformation protocols and weapons, Mike takes him into battle anyway. Using a grappling hook, Mike and KITT pull out KARR's chest plate, freeing Alex, and Turbo Boost through his body, destroying him in a manner similar to the destruction of KARR in the original series. Given the short nature of the battle and the ambiguity of KARR's fate, it is possible that the new KARR might return yet again, although in the following episode entitled "Exit Light, Enter Knight" Mike is told that the KARR project has been permanently abandoned. Strangely, despite KARR's acronym being "Knight Auto-Cybernetic Roving Robotic-Exoskeleton" in "Knight of the Living Dead", in "Knight to King's Pawn" Billy refers to him using the original "Knight Automated Roving Robot".
KARR is once again similar to KITT, also a GT500KR. The main difference once again is that KARR has a yellow scanner again, and that the scanner noise is lower in sound, and has more of an echo. The sound difference is especially notable when KITT is racing toward KARR while KARR is still in Mustang mode.
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
vehicle featured as a major antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in two episodes of the television series Knight Rider and was part of a multi-episode story arc in the 2008 revived series
Knight Rider (2008 TV series)
Knight Rider was a 2008 series that follows the 1982 TV series of the same title and the 2008 television movie. The series stars Justin Bruening as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight. The series also stars Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Traceur's former girlfriend and love interest....
.
Origin and background
KARR is the prototype version of KITTKITT
KITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...
, originally designed by Wilton Knight and built by his company Knight Industries. Upon completion of the vehicle, KARR's CPU was installed and activated. However, a programming error made the computer unstable and potentially dangerous. The project was put on hold and KARR was placed in storage until a solution could be found.
Unlike KITT, whose primary directive is to protect human life, KARR was programmed for self-preservation, making him a ruthless and unpredictable threat. He does not appear as streetwise as KITT, being very naive and inexperienced and having a child-like perception of the world. This has occasionally allowed people to take advantage of his remarkable capabilities for their own gain. Despite this, he does ultimately consider himself superior (always referring to KITT as "the inferior production model") as well as unstoppable, and due to his programming the villains don't usually get very far. KARR demonstrates a complete lack of respect or loyalty, going so far as to on one occasion eject its driver to reduce weight and increase its odds of escape.
KARR first appeared in the Season One episode "Trust Doesn't Rust" aired on NBC on November 19, 1982, where he seemingly met his demise at the end. However, he was so popular with viewers that he was brought back again in the Season Three episode "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", aired on NBC on November 4, 1984.
"Trust Doesn't Rust"
Once KITT was constructed, it was presumed that his prototype KARR had been deactivated and dismantled. However, the latter did not occur and KARR was placed in storage and forgotten following the death of Wilton Knight. When two thieves break into the warehouse where KARR is "sleeping", they unwittingly reactivate him, and he escapes.When the two thieves realize how useful the vehicle could be, they use KARR to go on a crime spree. Michael and KITT are then sent to recover KARR before anyone is hurt. Fearful of being taken back to storage and certain deactivation, KARR refuses to go back to the Foundation and he flees when Michael and KITT come looking for him.
KARR's only weakness is his primary directive of self-preservation and Michael used this to his advantage. When KARR threatens to destroy KITT in a head-on collision, Michael plays chicken
Chicken (game)
The game of chicken, also known as the hawk-dove or snowdrift game, is an influential model of conflict for two players in game theory...
with him, on a hunch that KARR will veer out of KITT's path in order to protect himself. KARR indeed swerves out of the way, but unable to stop in time, he drives off a cliff and seemingly explodes in the ocean (using footage of the climactic scene from the 1977 film The Car
The Car
The Car is a 1977 thriller/horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, and Ronny Cox, and tells the story of a mysterious car which goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the...
, footage that was also used for KITT on a couple of other occasions)
Trust Doesn't Rust was also printed in book form, written by Roger Hill and Glen A. Larson
Glen A. Larson
Glen Albert Larson is an American television producer and writer best known as the creator of Battlestar Galactica, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.-Career:...
, expanding upon the original television episode.
"K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R."
KARR was only believed to have been destroyed. He was damaged and ended up buried in the sand on the beach below the cliffs. When the tide had gone out, a young couple, John and Mandy, stumbled upon the partially buried car, dug him out, and reactivated him. This time, KARR was furious and had only one clear motive: revenge against Michael and KITT.KARR was still damaged after the last encounter with KITT and forced his new driver, John, to disguise him and then drive him around to carry out his plans. In a ravine, KARR challenges Michael and KITT to a final showdown. After releasing the young couple, KARR fires a stolen laser and damages KITT. However, Michael and KITT destroy KARR's laser by reflecting the beam back to the emitter. Damaged, KARR prepares for another attack. KITT and KARR both turbo boost and collide in mid-air. KARR is blown to pieces, but Michael and KITT survive the impact. At the end of the episode, however, KARR's motherboard — i.e. KARR himself — can be seen lying undamaged on the ground amongst the wreckage, its LEDs still blinking. Also, it was in best interest of KARR to colide with KITT in TURBO-BOOST mode, because once in mid-air, even if the self-preservation program had kicked in, and swerved the front-wheels, it´s was then impossible to steer in the air!
Production changes
Originally, KARR appeared identical to KITT, with a red light scan bar, and the only physical difference was a greenish-yellow LED voice modulator on his dash (KARR's voice modulator is the prototype to the one seen on KITT from the mid first season onwards). When KARR returns in "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", KARR's scan bar is now amber.KARR later gets a two-tone paint job incorporating a silver lower body into his familiar all-black finish. KARR's scanner originally made a droning noise, but in the comeback episode it sounds similar to KITT's but with a slight reverb
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
audio effect added to it. The sound of KARR's engine, originally sounding rough and "fierce", here sounds similar to KITT's, again effected by a reverb. KARR's voice was also different. In "Trust Doesn't Rust," KARR had no license plates. In KARR's second appearance, he had a California license plate that read "KARR".
KARR's personality is different in the comeback episode. His child-like perceptions are diminished into a more devious personality, completely cold and bent on revenge. His self-preservation directive is no longer in play when KARR is close to exploding after receiving severe damage; he willingly turbo-jumps into a mid-air collision with KITT hoping that his own destruction would also spell his counterpart's. Even KARR's modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
is different; serviceful enough in the first episode, he aims to actually make use of other persons, anyone, to serve his own needs. One explanation of this change could be as a result of the damage he received after falling over the cliff at the end of "Trust Doesn't Rust", which further malfunctioned his programming. Indeed, KITT himself is seen to malfunction and suffer change of personality as a result of damage in several other episodes.
In "Trust Doesn't Rust" and the 2008 series, the voice of KARR was provided by voice actor Peter Cullen
Peter Cullen
Peter Claver Cullen is a Canadian voice actor, known as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise, Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the original Transformers series, and the narrator in both of the original American Voltron series...
, better known as the voice of Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
in the Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
cartoon series. In "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R.", KARR was voiced by Paul Frees
Paul Frees
Paul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:He was born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago...
, best known as the voice of Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov is a fictional character in the 1960s animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle for short. He is voiced by Paul Frees....
in the popular series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959 to June 28, 1964 on the ABC and NBC television networks...
and as the voice of Ludwig Von Drake
Ludwig Von Drake
Professor Ludwig von Drake is one of Walt Disney's cartoon and comic book characters. He was first introduced on September 24, 1961, as the presenter in the cartoon An Adventure in Color, part of the first show of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on NBC...
in the popular anthology series, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. Frees was uncredited on-screen for his role, leading Cullen to sometimes be wrongly credited as providing KARR's voice in "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R." Peter Cullen reprised his role as the voice of KARR in the 2009 Knight Rider episode, "Knight to King's Pawn."
KARR in Knight Rider 2008
KARR is mentioned in the new Knight RiderKnight Rider (2008 TV series)
Knight Rider was a 2008 series that follows the 1982 TV series of the same title and the 2008 television movie. The series stars Justin Bruening as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight. The series also stars Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Traceur's former girlfriend and love interest....
series episode "Knight of the Living Dead", and is said to be a prototype of KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). The KARR acronym now stands for "Knight Auto-cybernetic Roving Robotic exoskeleton" and instead of an automobile, a schematic display shows a humanoid-looking robot with wheeled legs that converts into an ambiguous off-road vehicle. When KARR finally appears in the episode "Knight to King's Pawn", he takes a form similar to KITT as a 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR, but has an amber-colored scanner. Similar to the original character, this KARR had an AI that was programmed for self-preservation, and he was deactivated and placed in storage after he reprogrammed himself and killed seven people.
In the episode, a spy infiltrates the SSC and activates a self-destruct program within KITT, placed there secretly by Dr. Graiman. In order to save KITT's operating system (which is given priority over his memories), Michael and Sarah transmit the files to the back-up computer at the headquarters, but the transmission is also intercepted by an unknown third party. It is stated that KITT, KARR and the base back-up computer are the only systems able to run the program, and leaves Dr. Graiman with only one conclusion: KARR is still out there, and someone is trying to reactivate him.
KARR returns in the episode "Knight to King's Pawn", with Peter Cullen reprising his vocal role. A pre-recorded message from Dr. Graiman reveals that Mike was KARR's driver and his memories were erased after KARR became uncontrollable. He says that he knew of and opposed Alex Torres and the NSA's plans to reactivate KARR, as they wrongfully believe KITT's artificial intelligence will overwrite KARR's programming flaws. During the dismantling of the SSC (FLAG's control centre), KITT's A.I. chip is removed and delivered by Torres to the NSA, where it is installed into KARR. Mike vows to end this once and for all, and infiltrates Area 51 to rescue KITT, using another chip built by Billy. KARR activates himself, viewing the re-activated KITT as a threat that must be terminated. Alex states that he is now in charge and KARR must take his orders; KARR agrees, but then merges Alex with him as a driver to seek out Mike.
KARR seems to believe that it is his destiny to merge with Mike as before, and comes after KITT to destroy him and get Mike back. Despite KITT lacking his transformation protocols and weapons, Mike takes him into battle anyway. Using a grappling hook, Mike and KITT pull out KARR's chest plate, freeing Alex, and Turbo Boost through his body, destroying him in a manner similar to the destruction of KARR in the original series. Given the short nature of the battle and the ambiguity of KARR's fate, it is possible that the new KARR might return yet again, although in the following episode entitled "Exit Light, Enter Knight" Mike is told that the KARR project has been permanently abandoned. Strangely, despite KARR's acronym being "Knight Auto-Cybernetic Roving Robotic-Exoskeleton" in "Knight of the Living Dead", in "Knight to King's Pawn" Billy refers to him using the original "Knight Automated Roving Robot".
KARR is once again similar to KITT, also a GT500KR. The main difference once again is that KARR has a yellow scanner again, and that the scanner noise is lower in sound, and has more of an echo. The sound difference is especially notable when KITT is racing toward KARR while KARR is still in Mustang mode.
In popular culture
- KARR is parodied in the Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
television series Stroker and HoopStroker and HoopStroker and Hoop is an American Flash animated television series on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. The series is a parody of buddy cop films and television series such as Starsky and Hutch, and features the voices of Jon Glaser as Stroker and Timothy "Speed" Levitch as...
, considering the duo drive a computerized talking vehicle named C.A.R.R., although he is not evil and depicted in a more comical role. - On The Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
episode of Coup d'État, Professor Utonium upgraded his automobile and renamed it K.A.R.R. However, K.A.R.R. wants the professor for himself, and the girls try to destroy him as he takes the professor hostage in his compartment and turns into a huge battlerobot.