Treble Cross
Encyclopedia
"Treble Cross" is the 21st episode of the Supermarionation
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
and directed by Alan Perry.
In this episode, Captain Black
engineers the death of a test pilot
as part of a plot to obliterate the world capital
, Futura City, but it is discovered that his victim has in fact been revived in hospital.
test pilot
Major Gravener is en route to Slaton Airbase when Captain Black
, at the wheel of a truck, extends a beam with false headlamp
s in front of the oncoming vehicle to dazzle Gravener's driver, Harris. Fearing a collision with another vehicle, Harris swerves the car into a lake and both men appear to drown. Doctors Mitchell and Baxter pass the accident scene in their vehicle and notice the clinically dead Gravener in the water, transporting him to Slaton Hospital and eventually reviving
him with the assistance of a stasis
and recovery unit. Meanwhile, a Mysteron
reconstruction of Gravener commandeers an XK-107 bomber, armed with a nuclear
warhead
, out of Slaton Airbase. However, when it is reported that this version of the Major is an impostor of the man at Slaton Hospital, the runway
is blocked and the reconstruction killed when the XK-107 crashes and explodes. On Cloudbase
, the attempted lift-off of the XK-107 is connected to the latest Mysteron threat to destroy Earth's capital
, Futura City.
Briefed by Captains Scarlet
and Blue
, the human Gravener departs Slaton Airbase in another XK-107 to impersonate his Mysteron double. As hoped, Captain Black contacts the plane in his disembodied voice, ordering Gravener to land and rendezvous with him at the disused Weston Airstrip, 30 miles outside Futura City. While Spectrum ground forces and the Angels converge on this location, Scarlet speculates that Gravener's reconstruction was to fly the XK-107 as a decoy, while the nuclear warhead was to be transported into Futura City across land and detonated, obliterating Earth's capital. When the Spectrum forces, including Scarlet and Blue in a Spectrum Saloon
, arrive at Weston Airstrip, all of Black's attempts to escape in his vehicle are thwarted, and Gravener's landing
forces him to swerve into a bunker
. However, Scarlet, Blue and Gravener are shocked to find that it was a dead Mysteron reconstruction of Harris that was driving Black's truck. Although the Mysterons could not distinguish between the human Gravener and their reconstruction, Black's "sixth sense" has enabled him to evade Spectrum once again.
. A flashback
to the episode "Manhunt" is used to portray Spectrum ground forces converging on Weston Airstrip. Tony Barwick
includes a reference to the date "July 10", his birthday, as with the episodes "Winged Assassin
", "Crater 101
" and "Flight to Atlantica
".
notes that other Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons scripts by Tony Barwick
such as "Big Ben Strikes Again
" and "Expo 2068
" also showcase the dangers of nuclear technology
, concluding that "Treble Cross" is an example episode using this "favourite device
" of Barwick.
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 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...
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
and directed by Alan Perry.
In this episode, 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...
engineers the death of a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
as part of a plot to obliterate the world capital
World government in science fiction
In both science fiction and utopian/dystopian fiction, authors have made frequent use of the age-old idea of a global state and, accordingly, of world government.- Overview :...
, Futura City, but it is discovered that his victim has in fact been revived in hospital.
Plot
World Air ForceAir force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
Major Gravener is en route to Slaton Airbase when 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...
, at the wheel of a truck, extends a beam with false headlamp
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s in front of the oncoming vehicle to dazzle Gravener's driver, Harris. Fearing a collision with another vehicle, Harris swerves the car into a lake and both men appear to drown. Doctors Mitchell and Baxter pass the accident scene in their vehicle and notice the clinically dead Gravener in the water, transporting him to Slaton Hospital and eventually reviving
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
him with the assistance of a stasis
Stasis (medicine)
In medicine, stasis is the state in which the normal flow of a body liquid stops, for example the flow of blood through vessels or of intestinal contents through the digestive tract....
and recovery unit. Meanwhile, a 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...
reconstruction of Gravener commandeers an XK-107 bomber, armed with a nuclear
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
, out of Slaton Airbase. However, when it is reported that this version of the Major is an impostor of the man at Slaton Hospital, the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
is blocked and the reconstruction killed when the XK-107 crashes and explodes. On 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:...
, the attempted lift-off of the XK-107 is connected to the latest Mysteron threat to destroy Earth's capital
World government in science fiction
In both science fiction and utopian/dystopian fiction, authors have made frequent use of the age-old idea of a global state and, accordingly, of world government.- Overview :...
, Futura City.
Briefed by 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 Blue
Captain Blue (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Blue is a character in the 1967 Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is a senior officer of the Spectrum organisation and a close friend of Captain Scarlet....
, the human Gravener departs Slaton Airbase in another XK-107 to impersonate his Mysteron double. As hoped, Captain Black contacts the plane in his disembodied voice, ordering Gravener to land and rendezvous with him at the disused Weston Airstrip, 30 miles outside Futura City. While Spectrum ground forces and the Angels converge on this location, Scarlet speculates that Gravener's reconstruction was to fly the XK-107 as a decoy, while the nuclear warhead was to be transported into Futura City across land and detonated, obliterating Earth's capital. When the Spectrum forces, including Scarlet and Blue in a Spectrum Saloon
Spectrum Saloon Car (SSC)
The Spectrum Patrol Car or Spectrum Saloon Car is a fictional vehicle that appears in Gerry Anderson's science-fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and in revamped form in the remake series Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the...
, arrive at Weston Airstrip, all of Black's attempts to escape in his vehicle are thwarted, and Gravener's landing
Landing
thumb|A [[Mute Swan]] alighting. Note the ruffled feathers on top of the wings indicate that the swan is flying at the [[Stall |stall]]ing speed...
forces him to swerve into a bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
. However, Scarlet, Blue and Gravener are shocked to find that it was a dead Mysteron reconstruction of Harris that was driving Black's truck. Although the Mysterons could not distinguish between the human Gravener and their reconstruction, Black's "sixth sense" has enabled him to evade Spectrum once again.
Production
"Treble Cross" marks the second occasion in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons when Spectrum just fail to capture Captain BlackCaptain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet and recurring Mysteron agent in the 1960s British supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet...
. A flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
to the episode "Manhunt" is used to portray Spectrum ground forces converging on Weston Airstrip. Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
includes a reference to the date "July 10", his birthday, as with the episodes "Winged Assassin
Winged Assassin
"Winged Assassin" is the second episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands. It was written by Tony Barwick and directed by David Lane...
", "Crater 101
Crater 101
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Ken Turner....
" and "Flight to Atlantica
Flight to Atlantica
"Flight to Atlantica" is the 30th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Leo Eaton....
".
Reception
Historian Nicholas J. CullNicholas J. Cull
Professor Nicholas J. Cull is a historian and the director of the Master's in Public Diplomacy program at the University of Southern California.-Biography:...
notes that other Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons scripts by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
such as "Big Ben Strikes Again
Big Ben Strikes Again
"Big Ben Strikes Again" is the third episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, written by Tony Barwick and directed by Brian Burgess...
" and "Expo 2068
Expo 2068
"Expo 2068" is the 25th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Shane Rimmer and directed by Leo Eaton...
" also showcase the dangers of nuclear technology
Nuclear technology
Nuclear technology is technology that involves the reactions of atomic nuclei. Among the notable nuclear technologies are nuclear power, nuclear medicine, and nuclear weapons...
, concluding that "Treble Cross" is an example episode using this "favourite device
Literary technique
A literary technique is any element or the entirety of elements a writer intentionally uses in the structure of their work...
" of Barwick.
External links
- "Treble Cross" at Fanderson.org.ukFandersonFanderson is the official appreciation society for the works of Gerry Anderson. It is a not-for-profit organisation endorsed by Anderson Entertainment Ltd, Gerry Anderson Productions plc and ITC Entertainment Group Ltd...
- "Treble Cross" at CliveBanks.co.uk
- "Treble Cross" at TheVervoid.com