The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)

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“The Mysterons”
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 1
Written by Gerry Anderson
Sylvia Anderson
Directed by Desmond Saunders
Production no. 1
Original airdate September 29, 1967
Episode chronology
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– "Winged Assassin"
List of Captain Scarlet episodes

"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on September 29, 1967 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and directed by Desmond Saunders.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

After their Martian complex is attacked by Captain Black, the Mysterons declare a "war of nerves" on Earth, with their first threat being to assassinate the World President.

[edit] Plot

In the year 2068, the crew of the Zero-X, commanded by Spectrum officer Captain Black, are investigating the surface of Mars in their Martian Exploration Vehicle (MEV) to uncover the source of unidentified signals. Having found nothing, they are about to return to Earth when suddenly they succeed in their objective: the source is a city belonging to the Mysterons, an alien race. The Mysterons rotate their external video monitors to inspect the MEV, but Black thinks that these are weapons and orders his men to attack and destroy the complex. However, the Mysterons use their powers of retrometabolism to reconstruct their city, then declare war on Earth for the unprovoked attack. Taking control of Black's mind, they announce that their first act of retaliation will be to assassinate the World President. Black mysteriously goes missing when the Zero-X returns to Earth.

Protection is organised for the World President at the Spectrum Maximum Security Building in New York City, but the officers in charge of the operation, Captains Scarlet and Brown, are killed when the Mysterons engineer the crash of their Spectrum Saloon. The men are then duplicated by the Mysterons to carry out their threat. As a first assassination attempt, the reconstruction of Brown explodes after escorting the President to the Maximum Security Building, but the target survives by escaping through an emergency door before the detonation.

Colonel White, unaware of the car crash and the Mysterons' abilities, assumes that Brown was simply a traitor and was carrying a bomb on his person (Captain Black was another loyal officer and his disappearance was also out of character). Trusting Scarlet, he orders him to fly the President to a second Maximum Security Building in London. However, when the body of the original Brown is discovered, White realises that his officer was copied by the Mysterons and deduces that Scarlet might have suffered the same fate. Scarlet ignores White's order to return his Spectrum Jet to Cloudbase and ejects himself and the President over the English countryside. Holding the President hostage, he then sets off towards London in a stolen car.

While Captain Blue pursues Scarlet in an SPV, the Spectrum Angels destroy a bridge to restrict Scarlet's route. This forces him to drive to a dead end at the top of the London Car-Vu, an 800-foot-tall car parking tower. Mentally reminded by the Mysteronised Captain Black that the President must be kept alive, Scarlet waits to be picked up by Spectrum Helicopter A42, which has been hijacked by the Mysterons and fires on Blue when he reaches the scene. Destiny Angel shoots down the helicopter, only for it to crash into the Car-Vu, severely damaging the tower. Scarlet, who refuses to surrender despite his hopeless position, is shot by Blue and falls from the structure to his death. Using a jet pack, Blue then lifts the President to safety before the Car-Vu collapses.

Later, the reconstruction of Scarlet comes back to life, no longer under Mysteron control and now apparently "indestructible".

[edit] Cast

[edit] Regular voice cast

[edit] Guest voice cast

In speaking order:

  • Lieutenant Dean — Charles Tingwell
  • Captain Black (original) — Jeremy Wilkin
  • Captain Brown — Charles Tingwell
  • World President — Paul Maxwell
  • Radio (voice) — Jeremy Wilkin
  • Spectrum Headquarters, London (voice) — Charles Tingwell
  • Petrol Pump Attendant — Jeremy Wilkin
  • Helicopter A42 Pilot (voice) — Charles Tingwell

[edit] Notes

  • Although the episode title is not featured on-screen, "The Mysterons" is generally accepted to be the proper title for this episode.
  • Footage from "The Mysterons" was re-edited and included in the Captain Scarlet compilation movie Captain Scarlet vs the Mysterons.
  • No explanation is given as to how Captain Scarlet is free of Mysteron control and why he is the only Mysteron agent who repeatedly returns to life. One explanation may be that the Mysterons originally intended their reconstructions to be impervious to harm but changed their minds after the personality of Captain Scarlet reasserted itself. New reconstructions are considered "disposable".

[edit] External links

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