The ExoSquad FAQ (v. 1.06)
The questions are derived from e-mail that I have received as well as
general questions that I think might be important. The questions start
with the basic, and progress to the specific. They answer questions
about not only the series, but the page as well.
I have no connection with Universal, so the answers are not guaranteed
accurate. Most of the answers were written by me, but there are
exceptions, and credit is given where credit is due. I hope you find
this informative.
Do you have any questions? Do you have more accurate answers? Mail me, Patrick
Danner.
Q: What is ExoSquad?
A: ExoSquad is a cartoon television series created in the US to emulate the
Japanese animation (anime) science-fiction epic style. It chronicled a
future war between humans and their genetically engineered creations, Neo
sapiens.
If you are unfamiliar with the show, you may wish to read about The
Rise of the Neo sapien Empire. I am currently working on continuing
the above page to include a story outline of the entire series, as well as
episode
summaries so that newcomers can become informed.
Any assistance from seasoned ExoFans would be appreciated.
Q: Where can I watch ExoSquad?
A: It had been televised on the cable network USA at 10:30 AM ET on Sundays and
11:30 AM ET on Saturdays, but it is apparently now off the air. However, most of
the first season episodes have been released on video.
Q: Is there a FAQ?
A: There is now. I don't know of the existence of any others, which is
why this one was created.
Q: Do you know where I can mail-order the ExoSquad toys? Do you sell the
toys?
A: There is, to my knowledge, no way of acquiring ExoSquad toys other
than going to the store and buying them. I have e-mailed Playmates Toys,
Inc. (the people who make the toys) and the response was that they do not
fill mail-orders.I do NOT sell the toys myself. There is no way to
acquire them through me. Please don't ask.
Q: How was the series supposed to end?
A: It seemed that an alien race was going to invade the solar system,
arriving in response to the alien transmitter that resulted in the
destruction of Mars. Since it was foreshadowed by Simbacca's video trading
card (Winfield's paraphrased narration: "I have joined with a man who
was once my enemy... perhaps someday we will join with the Neo sapiens
against an even greater enemy.") and the World Council's decision after
the war to support Marsala's plan to create a brood of Neo sapiens that
could procreate, I think that Terrans and Neo sapiens would have joined
forces to attempt to repulse any incursion. The last episode (that I saw)
had Marsh running into some alien craft on the edge of the solar system.
Since I lack inside information, all I can do is speculate. It would be
impossible to predict the means by which this threat would be overcome. I am
accepting fan-fiction from other ExoSquad fans, so that they may present
their theories, and you can be entertained by the stories based on
them.
Q: Will the series ever be continued?
A: According to Playmates Toys Inc., who manufacture the ExoSquad toys, a
full-length, feature film is in development. This had been rumored for
some time, and will be good to see it come about.
I have also heard rumors that the series might be continued in some altered
form, perhaps as soon as early summer, 1996. I've not heard this one as
often as the rumor about the movie, which may mean it is less accurate.
Q: Do you have any more pictures?
A: All the pictures that I have are available at the web site. I do add
new pictures occasionally, though.
Q: How did Nara Burns get the strange telekinetic powers (i.e., her
glowing green hand) that allowed her to kill Phaeton in Fall of the Neo
Sapien Empire Part 5?
A: The most likely explanation revolves around the events in "Dark River."
In that episode Nara is injected with a formula created by Dr. Ketzer,
and supposedly no cure existed. The formula was designed to restructure the
genetics of a human being to improve his or her physical capabilites. It
may be that her telekinetic powers originated from this event.
The big problem is that "Dark River" seemed to be the first episode in a
miniseries, as it ended on a cliffhanger. No episodes resolving the
situation set up by "Dark River" were ever shown. So perhaps this was
supposed to be better clarified, but for whatever reason it never
happened. The fact that "Dark River" was televised regardless of the
failure to complete production on any intended followup episodes may
lend credence to this theory, as the episode was deemed too important to
not show, despite of its lack of resolution.
The other possibility that I have considered is that Nara is an alien of
some sort. When Phaeton realizes what she is doing to him I believe he
exlaims, "You aren't human!" and her response is, "My parents were, my
brother was." This may indicate that she thinks of herself as not human.
It may be that the intention was to make Nara a member of the alien race
that invaded the solar system in "Beyond Chaos." Had the show continued,
she could have played a role similar to what Marsala had, fighting
alongside humans against his own race. It would have made the dynamics of
the group interesting.
Q: Is it true that Alec DeLeon is alive again?
How?
A: Alec has indeed been brought back to life. The rebirth of DeLeon
began, not with his death, but with an e-frame enhancement performed by
Professor Algernon. DeLeon's cyberlink with his e-frame was greater than
before, allowing him quicker reflexes as well as an enhanced perception
of his surroundings. As Algernon said, ""More precisely, it is
your mind. It joins its own perceptions and insights with those of the
pilot."
When DeLeon died on the moon, the black box to his e-frame (which, as we
saw when they thought Torres was killed, contains the memories of the
pilot; "Heart of Mars") was given to Maggie Weston. When the final
assault on Earth was to begin, Weston gave the black box to Algernon for
safekeeping ("Fifth Column"). Algernon
took this opportunity to create a Neo sapien (or perhaps Neo mega) body that
looked exactly
like DeLeon (probably using the procedure through which Phaeton recreated
Noretti; "Under the Skin"), and Algernon infused it with the copy of Alec's
mind as stored in the black box ("Beyond Chaos").
Unanswered questions (more than just "Was his entire mind successfully
transferred?") regarding the procedure remain. If the procedure was the
same as that which recreated Noretti, Alec is essentially a Neo sapien;
he would not need sleep, much food, and his brain function would resemble
a Neo. Another question deals with the fact that Neo sapiens were not
given the ability to reproduce, though the technology to grow a Neo that
can procreate exists. Because Weston's interest in Alec was more than
professional (and the feeling was mutual), how Alec was reconstructed is
something that must be considered in this regard. When the improvements
were first introduced ("Trial by Combat"), Weston was able to succeed
against Alec because, as she said, "I know him better than the e-frame
does." Once she overcomes the initial reaction to having Alec back, will
she notice that it isn't truly him, or was there enough time before his
death for the e-frame to get to know him better? As I tried to
show throughout my explanation, there were events
that foreshadowed his return. So DeLeon is indeed back, though the fact
that it was in the last episode made it somewhat pointless, though I
would imagine that he'll be back for the movie, should one ever
happen.
Q: How is the name of the jumpship often used by Avery Butler's
company spelled?
A: The name of the jumpship is Arnhem, not Arnheim. It has been viewed
onscreen for scene establishment (e.g. "Jumptoop Arnhem in Earth orbit").
The longer answer (in case you care) is as follows:
The name of the Dutch city is
most often spelled Arnhem. (Arnhem was the site of an important
strategic encounter during the close of World War II. August of 1944 was
a good month for the Allies, who had overcome the Mortain
Counteroffensive to regain most of France. But as they approached
Germany's borders resistance stiffened. In late September a British
airborne division was dropped behind German lines across the Rhine near
Arnhem. The operation incurred heavy casualties: of
the 10,000 troops landed, more than 1,000 were killed and at least 6,400
were taken prisoner. The Allied offensive ground to a temporary halt.
The use of paratroopers at this battle is most likely the reason why the
name is used for a jumpship, which deploys jumptroops in a manner
similar to paratroopers.)
Another one of the reasons for believing it to be spelled Arnhem is that
it is most often pronounced (as I recall) AR-nem, rather than arn-HYME
(long i). The latter pronunciation would be associated with the spelling
that I doubt.
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pdanner@force.stwing.upenn.edu