Mysteron
Encyclopedia
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 bass voice of their human convert, Captain Black
.
Hostilities between Earth
and the Mysterons began following a Zero-X
expedition on Mars
led by Captain Black of Earth security organisation, Spectrum. The purpose of the mission had been to locate the source of radio signals that Spectrum had detected emanating from the planet. Following the transmissions, the party discovered an alien complex on the surface. After mistaking an alien camera for a weapons placement, Captain Black feared an attack and, in violation of his orders, launched an assault on the complex that destroyed it completely. However, the city was almost immediately rebuilt before their eyes as a blue beam of light passed over the ruins.
Identifying themselves as the Mysterons, the aliens claimed to have discovered the secret of traversing matter. Mysterons have the ability to change matter with some sort of teleportation technology, and the ability to heal any physical injury. They proved to have the ability to re-create an exact likeness of an object or person; a power they could exercise only after the original object had been destroyed or after the original person had been killed. Devoting themselves to retaliation for the unprovoked attack on their complex, retaliation they declare "will be slow, but nonetheless effective," they take over Captain Black and send him back to Earth under their control, making him instrumental in avenging the Mysterons by recruiting other persons and objects in a similar fashion. But their attempt to assassinate the World President, for which purpose they re-create Captain Scarlet himself, fails when his likeness is shot, and killed, in a fall during his unsuccessful attempt to kidnap the World President, and regains the normal personality of the original Captain Scarlet (how this happens is never explained in the series canon
). The merciless Mysterons themselves are never actually seen on screen. They broadcast their threats by radio, often disguising their intentions with word play
, and they are only represented visually by twin rings of green light, suggestive of eyes, that they project onto the scenes of destructions and killings from which likenesses emerge.
Anderson initially intended the Mysterons to be more conventional Martians, then chose to make them invisible aliens during production so the series would not feel dated. The TV Century 21 comic book depicted the Mysterons as both energy beings and computers. The energy beings explanation is favoured by most fans today.
, reveals a great deal about the Mysterons as they exist in the version of the new series. They live in a city on Mars that is normally hidden from view. The city appeared on the surface of Mars for the first time in 2068, during the ill-fated mission commanded by Captain Black (Instrument of Destruction part 1). They are categorically stated to be energy beings, with one shown in the original episode actually transforming into their trademark 'green rings', and are to some extent 'individuals' as we understand it; There is a dissenting faction in the "Mysteron consciousness" (as a member of the faction put it) that believes that, given time, humans will outgrow their destructive impulses and become more like the Mysterons themselves. Unfortunately for the series' protagonists, this group has virtually no influence, and their only agent dispatched to Earth was quickly decorporalised and remanded into Mysteron custody by the majority group's primary agent, Captain Black
.
The Mysterons were first discovered by Spectrum captains Scarlet
and Black whilst they were investigating the source of mysterious signals coming from Mars. They appear as a pair of green rings, however, it is not known whether this is the result of technology.
The Mysterons claim to be peaceful beings, but are currently waging a war of nerves against the people of Earth following Captain Black's unfortunate actions resulting in the total destruction of the Mysteron city.
The Mysterons possess the ability to reconstruct exact replicas of objects or persons. It is due to this remarkable ability that they were able to recreate their city following Black's attack. They also employ this power from time to time during the 'Mysteronisation' process, which renders the reconstruct (dubbed 'replicant' by Spectrum) with the power of retrometabolisation - the replicant is able to heal completely from almost any injury, including fatal ones. The only known survivor of the process is Captain Scarlet, who retains his retrometabolism and is virtually indestructible, an ability which is a great asset in his work.
Mysterons are also able to control the minds of their human victims, whether the subject has been replicated or not. Mysterons make use of hypnosis for short-term control, as demonstrated by the replicant of Commander Lewis on Doctor Gold (The Homecoming). For more lasting agents, they use the reconstruction process which leaves them in total control of the body.
The Mysteronisation process alters the replicants at the sub-atomic level and subtly alters their genetic code. It is this alteration of DNA that leaves them vulnerable to detection, and all Spectrum personnel are subject to DNA checks regularly. There is no known test that can be performed in the field at this time.
, who voiced Green and saw the series as having positive multicultural value, has also noted the allegorical nature of Captain Scarlet. Christian symbolism is heavily implied, with Colonel White as God
, Captain Black as the Devil, Captain Scarlet
as Christ
, Cloudbase
as Heaven, and characters codenamed "the Angels", but Grant also mentions the idea of Lieutenant Green as an African trickster hero. On dualism, he suggests that, "the 'darkness
' of the Mysteron
s is most easily seen as the psychological rift—the struggle of 'good' and 'evil' — of the Western world
as personified by Colonel White and his team. Dark and light
are but aspects of each other. Incidentally, green is the colour of nature that can heal that rift."
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...
, which appear in the 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...
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...
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...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
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 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....
, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep bass voice of their human convert, Captain Black
Captain 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...
.
Hostilities between Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and the Mysterons began following a Zero-X
Zero-X
The Zero-X is a fictitious Earth spacecraft that appeared in two of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation productions...
expedition 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...
led by Captain Black of Earth security organisation, Spectrum. The purpose of the mission had been to locate the source of radio signals that Spectrum had detected emanating from the planet. Following the transmissions, the party discovered an alien complex on the surface. After mistaking an alien camera for a weapons placement, Captain Black feared an attack and, in violation of his orders, launched an assault on the complex that destroyed it completely. However, the city was almost immediately rebuilt before their eyes as a blue beam of light passed over the ruins.
Identifying themselves as the Mysterons, the aliens claimed to have discovered the secret of traversing matter. Mysterons have the ability to change matter with some sort of teleportation technology, and the ability to heal any physical injury. They proved to have the ability to re-create an exact likeness of an object or person; a power they could exercise only after the original object had been destroyed or after the original person had been killed. Devoting themselves to retaliation for the unprovoked attack on their complex, retaliation they declare "will be slow, but nonetheless effective," they take over Captain Black and send him back to Earth under their control, making him instrumental in avenging the Mysterons by recruiting other persons and objects in a similar fashion. But their attempt to assassinate the World President, for which purpose they re-create Captain Scarlet himself, fails when his likeness is shot, and killed, in a fall during his unsuccessful attempt to kidnap the World President, and regains the normal personality of the original Captain Scarlet (how this happens is never explained in the series canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
). The merciless Mysterons themselves are never actually seen on screen. They broadcast their threats by radio, often disguising their intentions with word play
Word play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
, and they are only represented visually by twin rings of green light, suggestive of eyes, that they project onto the scenes of destructions and killings from which likenesses emerge.
Anderson initially intended the Mysterons to be more conventional Martians, then chose to make them invisible aliens during production so the series would not feel dated. The TV Century 21 comic book depicted the Mysterons as both energy beings and computers. The energy beings explanation is favoured by most fans today.
New Captain Scarlet
The last episode of the reimagined series, Gerry Anderson's New Captain ScarletGerry 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....
, reveals a great deal about the Mysterons as they exist in the version of the new series. They live in a city on Mars that is normally hidden from view. The city appeared on the surface of Mars for the first time in 2068, during the ill-fated mission commanded by Captain Black (Instrument of Destruction part 1). They are categorically stated to be energy beings, with one shown in the original episode actually transforming into their trademark 'green rings', and are to some extent 'individuals' as we understand it; There is a dissenting faction in the "Mysteron consciousness" (as a member of the faction put it) that believes that, given time, humans will outgrow their destructive impulses and become more like the Mysterons themselves. Unfortunately for the series' protagonists, this group has virtually no influence, and their only agent dispatched to Earth was quickly decorporalised and remanded into Mysteron custody by the majority group's primary agent, Captain Black
Captain 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...
.
The Mysterons were first discovered by Spectrum captains 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....
and Black whilst they were investigating the source of mysterious signals coming from Mars. They appear as a pair of green rings, however, it is not known whether this is the result of technology.
The Mysterons claim to be peaceful beings, but are currently waging a war of nerves against the people of Earth following Captain Black's unfortunate actions resulting in the total destruction of the Mysteron city.
The Mysterons possess the ability to reconstruct exact replicas of objects or persons. It is due to this remarkable ability that they were able to recreate their city following Black's attack. They also employ this power from time to time during the 'Mysteronisation' process, which renders the reconstruct (dubbed 'replicant' by Spectrum) with the power of retrometabolisation - the replicant is able to heal completely from almost any injury, including fatal ones. The only known survivor of the process is Captain Scarlet, who retains his retrometabolism and is virtually indestructible, an ability which is a great asset in his work.
Mysterons are also able to control the minds of their human victims, whether the subject has been replicated or not. Mysterons make use of hypnosis for short-term control, as demonstrated by the replicant of Commander Lewis on Doctor Gold (The Homecoming). For more lasting agents, they use the reconstruction process which leaves them in total control of the body.
The Mysteronisation process alters the replicants at the sub-atomic level and subtly alters their genetic code. It is this alteration of DNA that leaves them vulnerable to detection, and all Spectrum personnel are subject to DNA checks regularly. There is no known test that can be performed in the field at this time.
Analysis
Guyanese actor Cy GrantCy Grant
Cy Grant was a Guyanese actor, singer, writer and poet, who in the 1950s became the first black person to appear regularly on British television...
, who voiced Green and saw the series as having positive multicultural value, has also noted the allegorical nature of Captain Scarlet. Christian symbolism is heavily implied, with Colonel White as God
God in Christianity
In Christianity, God is the eternal being that created and preserves the universe. God is believed by most Christians to be immanent , while others believe the plan of redemption show he will be immanent later...
, Captain Black as the Devil, 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....
as Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, Cloudbase
Cloudbase
Cloudbase is the fictional skyborne headquarters of international security organisation Spectrum, from Gerry Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
as Heaven, and characters codenamed "the Angels", but Grant also mentions the idea of Lieutenant Green as an African trickster hero. On dualism, he suggests that, "the 'darkness
Darkness
Darkness, in contrast with brightness, is a relative absence of visible light. It is the appearance of black in a color space. When light is not present, rod and cone cells within the eye are not stimulated. This lack of stimulation means photoreceptor cells are unable to distinguish color...
' of the 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...
s is most easily seen as the psychological rift—the struggle of 'good' and 'evil' — of the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
as personified by Colonel White and his team. Dark and light
Light (theology)
In theology, light or divine light is a term used to refer to an aspect of divine presence, specifically an unknown and mysterious ability of God, angels, or human beings to express themselves communicatively through spiritual means, rather than through physical capacities...
are but aspects of each other. Incidentally, green is the colour of nature that can heal that rift."