Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
Encyclopedia
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles was a CGI
animated television series based on both the novel
by Robert A. Heinlein
and the 1997 film adaptation
directed by Paul Verhoeven (who served as executive producer for the series). It follows the exploits of the Mobile Infantry
squad "Razak's Roughnecks" during the SICON–Bugs War, between a newly united humanity and an extraterrestrial
race, the "Bugs" (also sometimes referred to as Arachnids, although this is a misnomer, as the aliens are not related to Earth arachnid
s). The show focuses mainly on the missions in which the squad participates, rather than addressing the larger war.
The show tried to be true to an adult-oriented science fiction franchise without being too violent, mature or controversial for the age group that typically watches Saturday morning cartoons. As a result it was watched by neither group and low ratings caused it to be repeatedly canceled and sold off. The series aired for one season on BKN
beginning in August 1999 and in syndication in the United States
and Canada
. It was later picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel
in the US
, and Teletoon in Canada
. The entire series is available to be streamed on Netflix
and Crackle
in the US, along with several Minisodes
. Despite its short run, the series was critically acclaimed by its fans and has since retained a cult following
.
The show combines elements of Paul Verhoeven's film and the original novel, such as the extraterrestrial race known as the Skinnies, powered armor suits, and drop pods. The series also adds some original elements (e.g., the war starts on Pluto
), while omitting the political aspects of the original work and the film.
The main story focuses on a group of troopers known as Alpha Team - otherwise known as Razak's Roughnecks - who are headed back to Pluto after Operation Pest Control.
After destroying Bug City on Pluto, SICON soon discovers that the Bugs are not native to Pluto after seeing a giant Transport Bug. They track it to the planet Hydora, which orbits a star in the Constellation Virgo, and encounter a Brain Bug, an intelligent Bug that controls the other castes so they won't go insane and destroy each other. Worse, the Bugs are planning to take control of the entire universe and won't stop until the human race is extinct.
SICON attempts to set up a base on the planet Tophet, inhabited by a species nicknamed Skinnies. The Skinnies, however, have been enslaved by the Bugs to mine Xylon, a precious mineral used for Transport Bugs. The Mobile Infantry are able to destroy the Control Bugs controlling the Skinnies and free Tophet, but the victory costs them their comrade Carl Jenkins, who has been put into a state of mental trauma. The Skinnies soon enlist in SICON to fight the Bugs, mainly due to their lack of interstellar technology.
SICON soon discovers the existence of the Bug homeworld Klendathu. They attempt to destroy the Bug Queen but she escapes, headed for Earth. Her Transport Bug is destroyed before she reaches the human homeworld, but she nevertheless makes it to Earth. With numerous battles on the home front, and the arrival of Bug reinforcements, the battle has only just begun.
", usually with five episodes each. Each campaign takes place at a different location. In the DVD release, each campaign is on a single disk.
With some exceptions, each episode covers a specific mission within the larger campaign.
and ended its intended run of a single season with a cliffhanger
instead of a proper series finale
.
Though originally planned to be made with 2-D animation, Sony contracted Foundation Imaging
to produce the episodes with 3-D computer animation. Since Foundation was unable to keep up with the production schedule, Flat Earth Productions
were involved with creating episodes 12 and 13, Hyper Image with 20 to 22, and Rainbow Studios with 23 to 25.
The series was to end with a titanic battle (on a larger scale than any previous episode) against the Bug forces on Earth, but production was halted before this story arc was fully developed. Of the 40 episodes originally scheduled, only 36 were completed due to the production problems. Each week was to be a separate campaign with five daily episodes.
In the Homefront Campaign only five of the planned episodes were completed, with the last three episodes ("Gates of Hell", "Circle of the Damned" and "Final Inferno") left incomplete, along with "Homefront", a key episode in the campaign, showing the destruction of Buenos Aires, which later episodes make reference to. Summaries of two of these episodes are available at the TrooperPX website.
The missing episodes had their dialogue recorded and some of their animatics completed. Fans were hoping that this existing material could be used to complete the series, or that the footage and audio would be included in the series' DVD release, but this did not happen. Some of that material has been leaked online since then. A version of the lost episodes was performed once in 2000 as an audio play at the annual Gathering of the Gargoyles fan convention.
In order to fulfill Sony's 40-episode order, four clip show
s were produced, reusing footage from previous episodes along with a minimum of new material. "Pluto and Beyond" and "Propaganda Machine" can be thought of as coming near the beginning of the Tophet Campaign, as they summarize the events of that the preceding Pluto Campaign and a few Tophet events, without adding new material. In "Marooned", one of the main characters becomes lost alone in space and has flashbacks about events from the Pluto through Zephyr Campaigns (in no particular order); it appears intended to take place in the midst of the Klendathu Campaign. "Court-Martial of Lt. Razak" also takes place during the Klendathu Campaign (specifically, day 165), with various characters giving testimony (shown as previous-episode flashbacks from the entire series); of the four clip shows, it is the only one to introduce significant plot points. All four have been released on DVD.
are:
, the Pluto Campaign was released on DVD
. Based on sales, the other arcs were released on DVD
. However, these subsequent DVDs were released in order of popularity, not in chronological order. The last DVD released was called "Trackers", containing an episode bridging the gaps between the Klendathu Campaign and Homefront Campaign DVDs, and the four clip show episodes. Unlike the other DVDs, "Trackers" did not have any cast or crew commentaries.
All the DVDs were re-released as a 4-disc Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles – The Complete Campaigns box set, which consists of stripped down versions of the individual DVD releases, removing the cast and crew commentaries (and in the UK
edition the Tesca Campaign is listed as volume 2, instead of volume 4 as it should be).
Given the success of the earlier DVDs, it was hoped that the sales would encourage Sony
to produce a final direct-to-DVD movie to complete the original Homefront Campaign story arc, but there have been no new announcements regarding the Roughneck series. Also, the original production company, Foundation Imaging, has since gone out of business, so prospects of a final DVD movie are perhaps slim.
While the series ends on a cliffhanger
, the writer of the final story arc outlined his plan for the final three episodes on the crew commentary of the Homefront Campaign DVD (not included on the box set version).
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
animated television series based on both the novel
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
by Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
and the 1997 film adaptation
Starship Troopers (film)
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
directed by Paul Verhoeven (who served as executive producer for the series). It follows the exploits of the Mobile Infantry
Mobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)
The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship...
squad "Razak's Roughnecks" during the SICON–Bugs War, between a newly united humanity and an extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
race, the "Bugs" (also sometimes referred to as Arachnids, although this is a misnomer, as the aliens are not related to Earth arachnid
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
s). The show focuses mainly on the missions in which the squad participates, rather than addressing the larger war.
The show tried to be true to an adult-oriented science fiction franchise without being too violent, mature or controversial for the age group that typically watches Saturday morning cartoons. As a result it was watched by neither group and low ratings caused it to be repeatedly canceled and sold off. The series aired for one season on BKN
BKN
Bohbot Kids Network was a syndicated animation block created and distributed by Bohbot Entertainment, an animation production company founded by Allen J...
beginning in August 1999 and in syndication in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was later picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Teletoon in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The entire series is available to be streamed on Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
and Crackle
Crackle
Crackle is a digital network and studio, featuring commercially supported streaming video content in Flash Video format. It is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and its content consists primarily of Sony's library of films and television shows...
in the US, along with several Minisodes
The Minisode Network
The Minisode Network is a Sony Pictures Television internet television network launched in June 2007. The term minisode is a portmanteau of "mini" and "episode." Unlike webisodes, which are initially broadcast on the internet, minisodes are condensed versions of previously broadcast, full length,...
. Despite its short run, the series was critically acclaimed by its fans and has since retained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
.
The show combines elements of Paul Verhoeven's film and the original novel, such as the extraterrestrial race known as the Skinnies, powered armor suits, and drop pods. The series also adds some original elements (e.g., the war starts on Pluto
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
), while omitting the political aspects of the original work and the film.
Plotline
When the Mobile Infantry defeats an infestation of Bugs on Pluto, the world is united as the Strategically Integrated Coalition of Nations (SICON) and declares war on the insectoids.The main story focuses on a group of troopers known as Alpha Team - otherwise known as Razak's Roughnecks - who are headed back to Pluto after Operation Pest Control.
After destroying Bug City on Pluto, SICON soon discovers that the Bugs are not native to Pluto after seeing a giant Transport Bug. They track it to the planet Hydora, which orbits a star in the Constellation Virgo, and encounter a Brain Bug, an intelligent Bug that controls the other castes so they won't go insane and destroy each other. Worse, the Bugs are planning to take control of the entire universe and won't stop until the human race is extinct.
SICON attempts to set up a base on the planet Tophet, inhabited by a species nicknamed Skinnies. The Skinnies, however, have been enslaved by the Bugs to mine Xylon, a precious mineral used for Transport Bugs. The Mobile Infantry are able to destroy the Control Bugs controlling the Skinnies and free Tophet, but the victory costs them their comrade Carl Jenkins, who has been put into a state of mental trauma. The Skinnies soon enlist in SICON to fight the Bugs, mainly due to their lack of interstellar technology.
SICON soon discovers the existence of the Bug homeworld Klendathu. They attempt to destroy the Bug Queen but she escapes, headed for Earth. Her Transport Bug is destroyed before she reaches the human homeworld, but she nevertheless makes it to Earth. With numerous battles on the home front, and the arrival of Bug reinforcements, the battle has only just begun.
Campaigns
The series is divided into story arcs or "campaignsMilitary campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
", usually with five episodes each. Each campaign takes place at a different location. In the DVD release, each campaign is on a single disk.
- The Pluto Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on the dark and frigid planet Pluto.
- The Hydora Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on Hydora which is almost entirely covered by water.
- The Tophet Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on Tophet, a desert planet which is home to the Skinnies.
- The Tesca Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on the jungle moon of Tesca Nemerosa.
- The Zephyr Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on a frozen asteroid.
- The Klendathu Campaign (5 episodes) Takes place on the Bugs' home world Klendathu.
- Trackers (5 episodes) 1st takes place on the journey from Klendathu to Earth. 2nd and 3rd are episode recap. 4th is Rico floating through space, pretty much a recap. 5th is an investigation on Razak, more recap.
- The Homefront Campaign (5 episodes; 4 others planned but never completed) Takes place on Earth.
With some exceptions, each episode covers a specific mission within the larger campaign.
Production
The show was produced by Columbia Tristar and Sony Pictures for daily television syndicationTelevision syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
and ended its intended run of a single season with a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
instead of a proper series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
.
Though originally planned to be made with 2-D animation, Sony contracted Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging was a CGI visual effects studio, computer animation studio, and post-production editing facility that pioneered digital imaging for television programming using Newtek's LightWave 3D on Commodore Amiga based Video Toaster workstations. Founded by Paul Beigle-Bryant and Ron...
to produce the episodes with 3-D computer animation. Since Foundation was unable to keep up with the production schedule, Flat Earth Productions
Flat Earth Productions
Flat Earth Productions is a special effects company created in 1995 to provide the effects to the television series Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It later went on to provide the effects for Blade, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and Dungeons and Dragons.-Reference:*...
were involved with creating episodes 12 and 13, Hyper Image with 20 to 22, and Rainbow Studios with 23 to 25.
The series was to end with a titanic battle (on a larger scale than any previous episode) against the Bug forces on Earth, but production was halted before this story arc was fully developed. Of the 40 episodes originally scheduled, only 36 were completed due to the production problems. Each week was to be a separate campaign with five daily episodes.
In the Homefront Campaign only five of the planned episodes were completed, with the last three episodes ("Gates of Hell", "Circle of the Damned" and "Final Inferno") left incomplete, along with "Homefront", a key episode in the campaign, showing the destruction of Buenos Aires, which later episodes make reference to. Summaries of two of these episodes are available at the TrooperPX website.
The missing episodes had their dialogue recorded and some of their animatics completed. Fans were hoping that this existing material could be used to complete the series, or that the footage and audio would be included in the series' DVD release, but this did not happen. Some of that material has been leaked online since then. A version of the lost episodes was performed once in 2000 as an audio play at the annual Gathering of the Gargoyles fan convention.
In order to fulfill Sony's 40-episode order, four clip show
Clip show
A clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicted with a clip of the event presented as a flashback. ...
s were produced, reusing footage from previous episodes along with a minimum of new material. "Pluto and Beyond" and "Propaganda Machine" can be thought of as coming near the beginning of the Tophet Campaign, as they summarize the events of that the preceding Pluto Campaign and a few Tophet events, without adding new material. In "Marooned", one of the main characters becomes lost alone in space and has flashbacks about events from the Pluto through Zephyr Campaigns (in no particular order); it appears intended to take place in the midst of the Klendathu Campaign. "Court-Martial of Lt. Razak" also takes place during the Klendathu Campaign (specifically, day 165), with various characters giving testimony (shown as previous-episode flashbacks from the entire series); of the four clip shows, it is the only one to introduce significant plot points. All four have been released on DVD.
Problems
Several fan sites have bemoaned production and distribution problems that prevented the series from finding an audience before it was canceled. Among the issues cited by Glen Oliver of Ain't It Cool NewsAin't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
are:
- The series was sold to syndication to air five episodes per week before there were enough episodes to accommodate this schedule. This resulted in a few episodes being repeatedly rerun, alienating viewers.
- Individual stations syndicating the show aired new episodes as they were completed, interrupting presently airing story arcs.
- The series was sold to the Sci-Fi Channel without proper authorization. This soured relations between Sony and the Sci-Fi Channel to the point that the cable channel lost the rights to air the show.
- One of the two effects companies working on the show was fired from the project after a few episodes, exacerbating an already overly ambitious production schedule.
- "Flashback" or "clip show" episodes were added to fill gaps created by the inability to meet the production schedule.
- Bohbot Kids Network aired the series between 5 and 6 AM. The Sci-Fi Channel aired the series at 7:30 AM. These are hardly desirable time slots for the target audience.
Fan campaign and DVD releases
With a fan campaign begun by the now defunct Roughneck Chronicles websiteWebsite
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, the Pluto Campaign was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Based on sales, the other arcs were released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. However, these subsequent DVDs were released in order of popularity, not in chronological order. The last DVD released was called "Trackers", containing an episode bridging the gaps between the Klendathu Campaign and Homefront Campaign DVDs, and the four clip show episodes. Unlike the other DVDs, "Trackers" did not have any cast or crew commentaries.
All the DVDs were re-released as a 4-disc Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles – The Complete Campaigns box set, which consists of stripped down versions of the individual DVD releases, removing the cast and crew commentaries (and in the UK
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...
edition the Tesca Campaign is listed as volume 2, instead of volume 4 as it should be).
Given the success of the earlier DVDs, it was hoped that the sales would encourage Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
to produce a final direct-to-DVD movie to complete the original Homefront Campaign story arc, but there have been no new announcements regarding the Roughneck series. Also, the original production company, Foundation Imaging, has since gone out of business, so prospects of a final DVD movie are perhaps slim.
While the series ends on a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
, the writer of the final story arc outlined his plan for the final three episodes on the crew commentary of the Homefront Campaign DVD (not included on the box set version).
Alpha Team a.k.a. Razak's Roughnecks (later Rico's Roughnecks)
- Lieutenant Jean Razak (voiced by Jamie Hanes) – The leader of the Roughnecks, Razak is a seasoned veteran who has been decorated ten times for meritorious service. He is described as having "broken the mold" of trooper officer behavior. Razak's left arm is a mechanical prosthetic, the legacy of his first command where the entire squad was ambushed and only he survived. He later dies a heroic death to save Rico in the Homefront Campaign.
- Sergeant Francis Brutto (voiced by David DeLuiseDavid DeLuiseDavid Dominick DeLuise is an American actor and director.-Career:DeLuise was born in 1971 in Los Angeles, California. He is the youngest son of actor and comedian Dom DeLuise and actress Carol Arthur , and the brother of actor, writer, director Peter DeLuise and actor Michael DeLuise.His first...
) – A somewhat ruthless taskmaster, Brutto is very outspoken and aggressive. Originally something of an antagonist for the rest of the squad, he eventually becomes easier to get along with during the Hydora Campaign. His son, Max, is 17 and an All-Star Fullback. Brutto is crippled before the Klendathu Campaign, and afterwards his son (who apparently joined the Mobile InfantryMobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship...
in the aftermath of the PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
Campaign) is assigned to the Roughnecks. Like all the Roughnecks, Brutto originally was distrustful of T'Phai, but eventually became one of his best friends, prompting Higgins to remark, "Are those two actually bonding?" This bond extends to the point that when his son joins the Roughnecks he wants T'Phai to look out for his son. - Corporal Richard "Doc" LeCroix (voiced by James HoranJames Horan (actor)James Horan is an American character actor who has appeared in many television programs and films. He has starred in several soap operas, including Guiding Light as Det...
) – The team's medical officer, Doc is laid-back and patient. He and Goss act as the comic reliefComic reliefComic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
of the show at times, playing off each other's jokes amidst a folly of Bug drones. Doc is the assigned pilot for the "King Kong" cargo Marauder exoskeletonExoskeletonAn exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
. - Corporal Jeff "Goss" Gossard (voiced by Bill FagerbakkeBill FagerbakkeWilliam Mark "Bill" Fagerbakke is an American actor and voice actor. He is well-known for his long-running-roles as Patrick Star in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants and "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach....
) – An ambitious Roughneck who wants a distinguished career. The elder of two siblings, Goss is a technological master, adept with any form of machinery. He invented the "TALC Box", which was intended to translate Bug shrieking into human language, but used to translate for Skinnies instead. Goss is the assigned pilot for the Long-Range aka "Duck" Marauder. He had a short relationship with Dizzy following the PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
Campaign, but broke up with her because he knows that Dizzy still loves Rico. - Private/Corporal/Sergeant/Lieutenant Juan "Johnny" Rico (voiced by Rino RomanoRino RomanoRino Romano is a Canadian voice actor who has portrayed Batman in the animated series The Batman, Spider-Man in Spider-Man Unlimited, and Tuxedo Mask in the English dub of the anime Sailor Moon...
) – The main focus of the series, Rico is a good soldier but a little distrustful of technologyTechnologyTechnology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
("I couldn't stand being in one of those tin cans") and a bit over-reliant on his instincts. He is best friends with Carl Jenkins and Dizzy Flores, and carries a torch for Carmen Ibanez for most of the series but eventually admits he is in love with Dizzy. Rico is the last of the Roughnecks to accept T'Phai. He is promoted first to Corporal during the Zephyr Campaign, then to Sergeant in the Klendathu Campaign as a result of Brutto's paralysis, and finally to Lieutenant during the Homefront Campaign, carrying on Razak's legacy. - Private Isabel "Dizzy" Flores (voiced by E. G. Daily) – An old friend of Rico's from high school, Dizzy has a crush on him which is unrequited for most of the series; she figures they will sort out their relationship problems after their tour of duty. She had a relationship with Goss in an attempt to make Rico jealous which ended in the Tesca Campaign, but started having an affair with Zander Barcalow for the rest of the Tesca Campaign and the entire Zephyr Campaign, which was shattered as Barcalow became a Bug/Human hybrid during the Klendathu Campaign. She eventually redeems Barcalow in the Klendathu Campaign. In the Homefront campaign, Rico eventually admits being in love with her, but Dizzy rejects him by threatening to file sexual harassmentSexual harassmentSexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
charges. She calls herself a "jinx" as an excuse for not accepting the relationship. Despite being defensive, Dizzy still harbors feelings for Rico. Dizzy is claustrophobicClaustrophobiaClaustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
, but lied about it to be accepted into the Mobile InfantryMobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship...
; her phobia was later remedied by Jenkins, who used his psychic powers to give her something akin to a very strong post-hypnotic suggestionPost-hypnotic suggestionA Post-hypnotic suggestion is a behavior or thinking pattern that presumably will manifest after a subject has come out of the so-called "hypnotic state" .According to a psychologist at the University of New South Wales:...
. - Lieutenant/Ensign Carmen Ibanez (voiced by Tish Hicks) – A pilot in the SICON fleet. Rico joined the military just because Carmen said that she wanted to be a pilot, and Rico blindly attempts to follow her. Carmen is smart, calm, and rarely lets her emotions get in the way of her tasks. Whenever a drop ship she's piloting is crash-landed due to whatever circumstances, she often helps the Roughnecks carry out their missions. While reminiscing about the past, Carmen admits that she had a big crush on Rico during the sixth grade, but didn't tell him. It is not clear if she feels the same way about Rico after Dizzy tells Carmen that she's the reason Rico enlisted. She is apparently demoted to Ensign either for crashing the ship in the Zephyr Campaign or for insubordination in the first episode of the Klendathu Campaign.
- Lieutenant/Major Zander Barcalow (voiced by Nicholas GuestNicholas GuestNicholas Haden-Guest is an American actor. He primarily works as a voice actor, but is best known for a TV role, as the principal in the NBC teen sitcom, USA High.-Personal life:...
) – A former footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in high school, Barcalow joined the SICON fleet as a pilot and was ranked Major at the start of the PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
Campaign. He started off as Carmen's flight instructor in a drop ship. Other than transporting troops, Barcalow occasionally flies the air fighters to provide air support for the Mobile Infantry. His personality is pompous and arrogant, which may have led to his constant interchange between Major and Lieutenant ranks. During the Tesca Campaign, Barcalow started a relationship with Dizzy Flores, which lasted until the end of the Zephyr Campaign, during which he was captured by the Bugs and became infected with an unknown virusVirusA virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
, which gave him a Jekyll and Hyde complex. Things went worse during the Klendathu Campaign when Barcalow mutated into a Bug and nearly had the Valley Forge crash on Klendathu. He later died a noble death saving the Roughnecks after Dizzy reminded him "to play on her team." - Special Operations Tactician Carl Jenkins (voiced by Rider StrongRider StrongRider King Strong is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Shawn Hunter on the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World.-Early life:...
) – A psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
friend of Rico's and Dizzy's from high school, the other Roughnecks avoid Jenkins because his telepathicTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
powers worry them. He destroys the Hydoran Brain Bug with a Mind-Bomb but suffers mental trauma in the process. Jenkins grows weaker and his powers become less stable during the Tophet Campaign, when T'Phai's Control Bug breaks loose and it attempts to attach to Jenkins. He destroys it with a telekinetic blast, but falls into a coma and is spirited away by Military intelligenceMilitary intelligenceMilitary intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
. Jenkins returns later on in the series, the mental experimentation performed on him by Military intelligenceMilitary intelligenceMilitary intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
neurosurgeons has increased his powers but made him cold and harsh. What was left of his old self was rekindled when Rico saved him during the Klendathu Campaign. - Private Robert "Paperboy" Higgins (voiced by Alexander PolinskyAlexander PolinskyAlexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
) – A FedNet reporter assigned to the Roughnecks, Higgins is something of the trademark outsider. His inexperience and degree of military incompetence makes him something of a liability on occasion. Higgins usually shoots with a cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
instead of a gun. He is able to stay in the squad only because Rico gave him training. Higgins is the narratorNarratorA narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
for the series. - Private "Colonel" T'Phai (voiced by Steve StaleySteve StaleySteve Staley is a voice actor who is also known as Steve Cannon. He is represented by Arlene Thornton & Associates.When he is not working in the booth, he teaches a voice acting class at Kalmenson & Kalmenson in Burbank, California....
) – The former military leader of the Skinnies, T'Phai was an enemy for most of the Tophet Campaign under the influence of a Control Bug. He was indirectly responsible for Jenkins' extended medical leave, which didn't help matters when he was assigned to the Roughnecks during the Tesca Campaign. Not accepted initially, T'Phai receives the acceptance of all Roughnecks but Rico in the end of the first episode, not receiving Rico's approval until the end of the second episode. His rank is Private within the Mobile InfantryMobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship...
, but he is still referred to as Colonel (his Skinnie rank) by the Roughnecks. T'Phai is considered a father figure since he had a wife, who was also in the military, and two children. He believes in fighting a war so that his children would not have to share his fate.
SICON
- Commander Marlow (voiced by Thomas WagnerThomas WagnerThomas Wagner is an Austrian football striker currently playing for SV Rohrbrunn. He spent his mainly professional career with SV Mattersburg.-External links:* at transfermarkt.de...
) – Commanding officer of the Valley Forge, the starship to which Alpha Squad is initially assigned. Old-school fleet officer who was looking forward to retirement before the Bug War began. - General Miriam Redwing (voiced by Irene BedardIrene BedardIrene Bedard is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Native American characters in a variety of films. Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska...
) – Former flame of Lt. Jean Razak, and friend of Sgt. Charlie Zim; now a General at SICON Headquarters. A compassionate yet stern career officer. - Sky Marshal Sanchez (voiced by R. Lee ErmeyR. Lee ErmeyRonald Lee Ermey is a retired United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor.Ermey has often played the roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in...
) – Top military brass of the SICON Forces. Has demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice civilian lives if he believes it will help achieve victory. Note that the Sky Marshal in the novel was female, unusual for a 1950s SF novel. - Lt. Earl Walker – Intelligence officer who has an uneasy relationship with Razak and the Roughnecks. Seems to value intelligence data more than the human beings under his command who have to collect it. At one point, Walker was willing to ensure that Razak's military career would end during General Miriam Redwing's supposed disappearance being unaware of Redwing and Razak's sting operation against a mole within the SICON ranks. During the Homefront campaign, Walker and Razak along with their squads managed to put aside their differences and befriended each other. Walker is not seen after Razak's death except for taking command of his squad fighting elsewhere during the conflict.
- C.H.A.S. (Cybernetic Humanoid Assault System) – A prototype combat robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
with state-of-the-art weaponry, armor and AI. CHAS joined the Roughnecks for a single mission during the Tophet Campaign, at the end of which he sacrificed himself to save Higgins and the rest of the squad. Audio commentary by the production crew has stated that the C.H.A.S. units cost a lot of production resources. Although they do appear later as bridge guards and combat but are easily dispatched by the Zander bug - Drill Instructor\Sergeant Charlie Zim – (voiced by Clancy BrownClancy BrownClarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
) Rico's and Flores' Drill instructor, who joins the Roughnecks during the final stages of the Homefront campaign. Revealed to Rico that due machinations between him and Razak guided him to his potential as they recognized something great in him. Zim is the only character in the series that is voiced by the original filmStarship Troopers (film)Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
actor.
Introduced in the Pluto campaign
- Warrior Bugs – The bulk of the Bug armies, they are about the size of large horses and scuttle around on four spindly legs. They attack with two spiked razor limbs and their razor-edged mandibles which can bite a person in half if they get close enough. Warrior Bugs are relatively weak against standard-issue weaponry, but they make up for this with large numbers. These Bugs have also proven to be able to climb up walls and dig underground.
- Sentry Bugs – Bugs the size of dogs. they resemble fleaFleaFlea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood...
s and can crawl up and down walls. The Sentry Bugs are early warning systems and play other support roles, usually being found in or near nests. They have very little offensive capability but they have sharp teeth that can bite through steel cable and inflict nasty wounds. - Tanker Bugs – These are the tanks of the Bug army, they are the size of houses and breathe fire as their main offensive weapon. Although they don't move quickly, their ability to tunnel underground allows them to pop up unexpectedly in the middle of a battle. Their armored exoskeleton makes them impervious to everything except high explosives such as mini-nukes and plasma rockets.
- Plasma Bugs – The Bug artillery, they are bigger than the Tanker Bugs, and have the rather nasty ability to fire huge, volatile globs of plasmaPlasma (physics)In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
from their rear ends at airborne or distant targets. One of the roughneck missions was to attempt to capture a baby one alive so researchers could find out how this plasma is generated. - Hoppers – Acting as air support, they are about the size of Warrior Bugs and resemble mosquitoMosquitoMosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
es with razor wings. They can bring down a light aircraft by grappling onto it, but their primary mode of attack is to simply ram their targets at high speed. Impervious to light weapons, they are vulnerable to explosive shells and "lizard lines". Hoppers are attracted to laserLaserA laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
emissions like mosquitoes to a bug zapperBug zapperA bug zapper, or more formally an electrical discharge insect control system is a device that attracts and kills flying insects that are attracted by light. A light source attracts insects to an electrical grid, where they are electrocuted by touching two wires with a high voltage between them...
. - Transport Bugs - Creatures used for interstellar transport, they are fueled by waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and can make planetary landings. The first one spotted was delivering eggs to PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
, disproving the idea that the Bugs are native to the solar system.
Introduced in the Hydora campaign
- Kamikaze Ripplers – Flying Bugs that are similar to Hoppers except they can also shoot spikes from their mouths and can swim underwater. Later in the campaign the spikes exude a corrosive venom which burns flesh and destroys equipment.
- "Momma" Rippler – A large Bug seen guarding a nest of Rippler eggs and thought to be their source.
- Water Tigers – About the same size as warriors but much fatter, this pale species can swim quickly in water and is rarely seen on land. They have a venom that causes paralysis, and they use it to capture their prey alive to store in their larder.
- Brain Bugs – Moving, telepathicTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
nodes, these are the generals of the bug army, coordinating all Bug activity through some sort of telepathic mind control. They are large and almost too fat to move by themselves. Brain Bugs have slight offensive capabilities by using a psychic attack to stun humans. They have a slit-like mouth with a spike/sucker organ that extends from the mouth to pierce an enemy's skull and extract its brainBrainThe brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
to add the gained information to the hive mindGroup mind (science fiction)A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
collective. - Chariot Bugs a.k.a. Minion Bugs – About the size of Sentry Bugs and bearing a resemblance to common roachesCockroachCockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
, these Bugs accompany and serve the Brain Bugs. When needed, the Brain Bugs can lie on top of them to be moved about.
Introduced in the Tophet campaign
- Blister Bugs – Slightly larger than a Warrior Bug. They carry a large supply of corrosive liquid which can be used to attack directly or dissolve walls and equipment.
- Blaster Bugs – Resembling Blisters, they absorb heat from the surrounding environment and focus it into a wave of heat energy capable of burning through power suits or melting rock..
- Control Bugs – Small Bugs, roughly the size of human hands. They seize control of a host by attaching themselves to the spinal cord, becoming a telepathic conduit for Brain Bugs. The range of their telepathic abilities has never been tested in the field. While having very little offensive capability on their own, they are very agile and difficult to hit with weapons. They are first encountered on Tophet, controlling the Skinnies.
Introduced in the Tesca campaign
- Jungle Spiders – Though looking more like crabCrabTrue crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s than actual spiderSpiderSpiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, Spider Bugs are eight-eyed and eight-legged with web-spinningSpider webA spider web, spiderweb, spider's web or cobweb is a device built by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets....
capabilities. Smaller specimens are the size of Warrior Bugs and join them as shock troops. Larger ones capture enemies for "interrogation" by Brain Bugs or as DNA samples for Nurser Bugs. - Nurser Bugs – Help care for Bug eggs until they hatch. They create new varieties of Bug by injecting DNA extracted from other species into Bug embryos. With no fighting capability, they are only seen in nests where eggs are being incubated.
- Tanker Worms – Used to dig small tunnels for Control Bugs. They have no offensive capabilities but their ability to dig silently allows the Control Bugs to launch surprise attacks.
Introduced in the Zephyr campaign
- Firefries – Small Bugs similar to firefliesFireflyLampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies...
, but actually on fire. As they age, firefries grow to the size of warrior bugs, lose the ability to fly, and spit fire like a flamethrower. - Ice Bugs – Bugs the size of a large asteroid, found covered in ice and floating in space for eons. If one makes contact with Firefries they begin a symbiotic relationship where the Firefries feed on the Ice Bug while the Ice Bug uses the Firefries for energy.
Introduced in the Klendathu campaign
- Zander Bug – Major Zander after being transformed into a humanoid Bug. He has become bigger and Bug-like, but has kept his human intelligence.
- Nurser Spider – Similar to Nurser Bugs in that they can manipulate the DNA of Bug larvae, but resembling spiders. The Zander Bug uses them to create impostor bugs.
- Impostor Bugs – Bugs designed to infiltrate SICON by disguising themselves in mobile infantry power suits.
- Queen Bug – The master and leader of the entire Bug race. She is a huge Bug that can lay thousands of Bug eggs per day.
- Royal Guard Bug - A special type of warrior Bug that guards the Queen and her eggs.
- Super Transport Bugs - Nearly ten times the size of regular Transport Bugs, Super Transports are used to carry the Queen and a small army across star systems. During the episode Trackers there are many Super Transports used as decoys.
Other alien creatures
- Skinnies - Roughly humanoid but very thin, this civilization is native to Tophet and enslaved by the bug army. Their weapons fire a stream of liquid that engulfs and then crushes the target. First encountered on Tophet.
- Sparky - Squirrel like native of Tophet, it's friendly and has the ability to generate an electric field.
- Seal Shark - Resembles a seal except for a jaw full of shark-like teeth. A voracious predator, it will attack humans and bugs alike. Native of Tesca Nemerosa.
- Razorback Croc - Very similar to crocodiles except they are much larger and have a dorsal ridge. Native of Tesca Nemerosa.
- Raptor Bird - Pterodactyl like creature the size of a human. Native of Tesca Nemerosa.
- Space Leech - A parasitic creature that feeds on Ice Bugs and will aggressively attack both Firefries and humans. They produce a chemical which is toxic to the bug army. Seen during the Zephyr Campaign.
Technologies
In the show, there are various technologies used by SICON and the Skinnes:- StarshipStarshipA starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s - Small city-like vessel that troopers consider their home-away-from home. They are equipped with hyperspace drives, subspace communicators, missiles, lasers and ballistics, including sensors that can detect movement of other crafts in other systems. - Dropship - A small type of ship that can drop and pickup troopers on planets. They are equipped with guns at the cockpit.
- Marauder - A mechaMechaA mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
-like exoskeleton that stands 10 ft. tall, walks faster than a human. Marauders are piloted by a single soldier and offer more fire-power and augmented physical strength, at the cost of a limited power supply. There are two kinds, the "Duck" and the "Ape". - Morita Smart Rifle - The standard issue weapon for all SICON troopers. Capable of fully automatic fire or single-round fire.
- Shock Stick - A staff weapon capable of delivering a powerful, usually non-lethal electric shock. Many troopers carry shock sticks as a back-up weapon for their rifles.
- Fighter - A small, short-ranged craft armed with missiles and machine guns used primarily for air-to-air combat to provide cover for ground troops. Crewed by one or two people. Capable of operating in space or planetary atmosphere.
- Bomber - Similar to the fighter, but with explosive payloads instead of weapons. Used to destroy large groups of ground-based enemies or enemy strongholds.
- Troop Transport - A six wheeled transport used by troopers.
- Flatbed - This is only shown on Pluto. It is in the remains of an older station on Pluto from before operation Pest Control.
- Drop suit - A heavily armored suit that is capable of keeping the occupant alive while being dropped to a planet's surface from orbit.
- Skimmer - A hovering transport, this is capable of going on both water and land and was even shown to have flight abilities. Having no personal offensive capabilities, it relies on personnel to fire from the open deck of the ship.
- Jet ski/Raft - A single-person transport used in water.
- WASP flier - A one-manned flying unit. A pumped up jet pack. It is capable of low level flight. Razak attempts to strap two others to it, but it is unable to hold the weight.
- Submersible - Similar to the troop transport, but for under water instead of over land.
- Power Suit - Standard-issue armor for S.I.C.O.N. soldiers. Has an air-tight seal, a self-contained air recycling system, radio, and floatation device. M.I. troopers (as opposed to fleet pilots) also have jet-packs for short flights and a flip-down visor with zoom, thermal imaging, and assisted-targeting.
- Grappling gun - Also known as Lizard Lines. These guns fire drills with lines attached to them, and are capable of carrying great amounts of weight. Two are capable of carrying a Marauder and two power suits soldiers.
- Rocket Launcher - Packing more fire-power than the rifles, the shoulder-mounted rocket launchers have a five-rocket magazine, each capable of destroying man-sized targets while injuring or destroying enemies close to the primary target. Rockets can be substituted for small nuclear missiles capable of destroying plasma bugs and wounding other large enemies.
Deviations from the book
- Whereas Johnny Rico is an Asian FilipinoFilipino peopleThe Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
in the original novel, Rico is portrayed as an Argentinian Latin American living in Buenos Aires in Roughnecks. (In the first movieStarship Troopers (film)Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
and the Japanese OVA seriesStarship Troopers (OVA)is a six part anime OVA produced by Sunrise/Bandai Visual and released in 1988. It is based on the book Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein that was published in 1959.-Production:...
, Rico is an Argentinian of European descent). - Private Jenkins, Rico's squad mate, and Carl, Rico's friend, are two different people in the book, but are conflated in the movie which the series follows. Psychics ("Special Talents") are present in the novel, but their abilities are not specified; in the novel, Rico initially believes they merely have superhuman hearing when they detect bugs. In the series, Carl is alive and is a "talent" attached to the squad. In the book, Carl dies during a bug raid station at the beginning of the war.
- Dizzy Flores in the book is a man. In the film and the animated series, the character was changed to a woman. In addition, Flores is wounded during the raid depicted in the book's first chapter, and dies on the recovery ship shortly after the squad is evacuated.
- Navy pilots are seen wearing tight bodysuit versions of the M.I. armor. No such armor is mentioned in the book.
- In the series, the Marauder is a large humanoid mech-typeMechaA mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
vehicle manned by one trooper as a fire support and gunnery platform. It comes in two forms: chicken walkerChicken walkerA chicken walker is a fictional type of bipedal robot or mecha, distinguished by its rear-facing knee joint. This type of articulation resembles a bird's legs, hence the name. However, birds actually have forward-facing knees; they are digitigrade, and what most call the "knee" is actually the...
"Duck" marauders which are gun platforms; and ape-like "Ape" marauders which have close combat abilities. The Trooper remains in his standard combat suit while he mans the Marauder. The standard power suit appears to be only an armored environmental protection suit with electronics and jump jets which can be stripped down in hospitable environments to conserve weight and mobility, though the standard suit, without power, is too heavy for a person to move in. In the book, the Marauder is the name of the standard armor worn by the majority of troopers which is a highly mobile, heavily armored, powered, strength-amplifying exoskeleton with several weapons and jump jets. - In the series, small troop carriers launch from the main ship and proceed to the upper atmosphere, where they launch the troopers from tubes. Troopers drop in large armors worn over the standard suit instead of the book's capsules. In the book, the capsules are launched from the main ship in orbit and require no small troop carrier to drop, only a pickup ship.
- In the series, Razak's Roughnecks is a squadSquadIn military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
. In the book, Rasczak's Roughnecks is a platoonPlatoonA platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
-sized unit sometimes deployed as a companyCompany (military unit)A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
. - In the book MI is armed with two versions of flame throwers. A small flamer is attached to the arm of every suit for use as a close quarters weapon. The second is a larger rifle like version for heavy duty work. In the series, however, the only flamethrowers are large two-handed rifle-like devices used as a squad support weapon.
- The name of the organizational government was changed from the Federation in the book to S.I.C.O.N
- The Mobile Infantry in the book didn't take women, in the movie and the series they do.
- In the series and the film, Razak/Rasczak taught Dizzy and Rico. In the book their instructor in "History and Moral Philosophy" is retired Lt. Col. Jean V. Dubois.
- In the book there are not so many different types of bugs; just warrior, worker, queen and the brain castes.
External links
- TrooperPX.Com - photos, concept artwork.
- Roughnecks: STC Archive - photos, episode guide, fan fiction.
- Roughnecks Junkies - fan group for the series.
- "Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles" debacle - A summary on Ain't It Cool NewsAin't It Cool NewsAin't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
of production schedule and distribution problems