The Centurions (1985-1987) was a syndicated 30 minute science-fiction cartoon produced by Ruby Spears. The series began in 1985 as a five-part miniseries and was followed in 1986/87 with a 60 episode series. There was also a line of tie-in toys made by Kenner and a comic produced by DC Comics.
Premise
In the near future, an evil genius, the cyborg Doc Terror, seeks to conquer the earth; he is assisted by Hacker, the cyborg sidekick and an army of Doom Drones. There were two types of drones: Traumatizers, the most commonly seen drones, were walking robots with several guns, while the Strafer was a flying robot with a phallic main gun, and multiple other guns. Dr Terror and Hacker were able to fly by swapping their purely robot half for a Strafer drone missing one set of wings.
At each turn their evil plans are thwarted by the heroic Centurions. The Centurions are a team of men dressed in specially created exo-frames that allow them (upon shouting "Power Extreme") to fuse with 'incredible' assualt weapon systems, becoming what the show calls man and machine, Power Xtreme! The end result is a weapons platform somewhere between a hard-suit and a mecha. Originally there were three centurions:
- Max Ray - 'Brilliant' Sea Operations Commander
- Jake Rockwell - 'Rugged' Land Operations Specialist
- Ace McCloud - 'Daring' Air Operations Expert
The Centurions are based on an orbiting space station called Sky Vault where the token (but very smart) female, Crystal Kane, uses a transporter (similar to the transporters in Star Trek) to send the Centurions, and the requested weapon systems, to where they were needed. To stop Crystal getting lonely, she is kept company by Shadow the dog and Lucy the orangutan. Crystal plays a similar part in the Centurions' adventures to the operators of the Matrix, suggesting tactics and sending equipment as required.
Later in the series, two more Centurions were added to break the monotony and perhaps add some racial diversity. These were: Rex Charger, the African American energy expert, and Johnny Nightwolf, the American Indian infiltration expert. Another bad guy was added in the form of Doc Terror's non-cyborg daughter, Amber.
Assault Weapon Systems
Each of the centurions were specialised for a particular domain, originally land, sea or air/space. They all had multiple weapon systems that could be 'charged' to their exoframes. Typically each started out with the basic system and later in an episode would upgrade to a larger and more powerful system. The exoframes must act as a kind of exoskeleton, because no matter how large the system got, the Centurions never seemed to get weighed down by the equipment. They also never seem to take the suits off.
- Ace McCloud (Aerospace)
- Sky Knight – the basic air system; small, lightly armed jet pack like air assault system with arm missiles and a chest mounted bomb
- Orbital Interceptor – non-atmospheric craft and featured several missiles and guns; usually used for space missions, but was used underwater on at least one episode.
- Sky Bolt – a heavily armed fighter-jet, and carried missiles, bombs and guns.
- Max Ray (Sea)
- Cruiser – the basic sea system; a SCUBA system with a gun and missile.
- Tidal Blast – a larger undersea system with two large torpedoes and shoulder-mounted grapple
- Depth Charger – a self contained submersible with torpedoes, periscope and depth-charge/mine
- Sea Bat – a surface system with guns and missiles
- Jake Rockwell (Land)
- Fireforce – the basic system; a gattling gun and shoulder-mounted bazooka
- Detonator – a larger walker, with freeze-rays and missiles
- Wild Weasel – a gun equiped human-motorcycle that could move in a prone or standing position
- Hornet – a helicopter with guns and missiles
- Swingshot – a tracked gun platform.
On rare occasions, one of the centurions might use anothers weapon system. The results were usually comical as they were unfamiliar with controlling the weapon system.
The three main Centurions and all their weapon systems, along with Dr Terror, Hacker, Strafer and Traumatizer were available as toys. There was also a wind-up power pack meant to add "power to all centurions heroes and hero assault weapons systems."
Themes
As well as the adventure side of the show, the series considered various science-fiction themes. In particular, the fusion or relationship between humans and technology was a focus throughout the show's run. A number of episodes also revolved around ecological themes, mainly involving Dr Terror's attempts to extort money from the governments of the world by threatening to destroy some aspect of the environment.
The Cartoon
Opening Titles Voice-Over
In the near future Doc Terror and his cyborg companion Hacker, unleash their forces to conquer earth.
Only one force can stop this evil: a handful of brave men; in specially created exoframes they can be transported anywhere to fuse with incredible assult weapons. Beamed down from the space station Sky Vault, becoming man and machine,
Power Xtreme!
Max Ray: Brilliant Sea Operations Commander.
Jake Rockwell: Rugged Land Operations Specialist.
Ace McCloud: Daring Air Operations Expert.
Whatever the challenge, they are ready:
Centurions
Power Extreme!
Voice Acting Credits
- Ace McCloud: Neil Ross
- Amber: Jennifer Darling
- Crystal Kane: Diane Pershing
- Doc Terror: Ron Feinberg
- Hacker: Edmund Gilbert
- Jake Rockwell: Vince Edwards
- Johnny Nightwolf:
- Max Ray: Pat Fraley
- Narrator: Bill Woodson
- Rex Charger: Bob Ridgely
Episode Guide
5-Part Mini-Series (Apr 1986)
- #01 The Sky Is on Fire
- #02 Battle Beneath the Sea
- #03 An Alien Affair
- #04 Found, One Lost World
- #05 Sand Doom
1st Season (Fall 1986-Fall 1987)
- #06 Whalesong
- #07 Tornado of Terror
- #08 Denver Is Down
- #09 Micro Menace
- #10 Attack of the Plant-borgs
- #11 Battle Beneath the Ice
- #12 Operation Starfall
- #13 Let the Games Begin
- #14 Firebird
- #15 Cold Calculations
- #16 Return of Captain Steele
- #17 Three Strikes and You're Dead
- #18 Double Agent
- #19 Child's Play
- #20 Terror On Ice
- #21 That Old Black Magic
- #22 Max Ray: Traitor
- #23 Crack the World
- #24 Incredible Shrinking Centurions
- #25 Live At Five
- #26 The Mummy's Curse
- #27 Counterclock Crisis
- #28 Zombie Master
- #29 Malfunction
- #30 Broken Beams
- #31 The Chameleon's Sting
- #32 Film At Eleven
- #33 Hacker Must Be Destroyed
- #34 Showdown At Skystalk
- #35 The Warrior
- #36 Return of Cassandra
- #37 Night On Terror Mountain
- #38 Merlin
- #39 The Monsters From Below
- #40 The Road Devils
- #41 Zone Dancer
- #42 Firecracker
- #43 Traitors Three
- #44 You Only Love Twice
- #45 Sungrazer
- #46 Novice
- #47 Breakout
- #48 Atlantis Adventure Part 1
- #49 Atlantis Adventure Part 2
- #50 Ghost Warrior
- #51 Let the Lightning Fall
- #52 Cyborg Centurion
- #53 Day of the Animals
- #54 To Dare Dominion Part 1
- #55 To Dare Dominion Part 2
- #56 Hole In the Ocean Part 1
- #57 Hole In the Ocean Part 2
- #58 The Better Half Part 1
- #59 The Better Half Part 2
- #60 Revenge
- #61 Man Or Machine Part 1
- #62 Man Or Machine Part 2
- #63 Man Or Machine Part 3
- #64 Man Or Machine Part 4
- #65 Man Or Machine Part 5
Bibliography