Captain Scarlet (character) facts for kids

Captain Scarlet is a brave hero from two exciting TV shows: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet. He is the main character in these British science-fiction series. In the original show, he is a special agent for an organization called Spectrum. He fights against mysterious aliens known as the Mysterons.

Captain Scarlet's Story in the Original Show

In the original Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons series, Captain Scarlet is a top agent for Spectrum. His boss, Colonel White, trusts him a lot. Scarlet often takes on the most dangerous and important missions.

He works closely with his friend, Captain Blue. They go on most missions together. Captain Scarlet is also friendly with all the other Spectrum agents. The show even hints that he has a special connection with Destiny Angel.

How Captain Scarlet Became Indestructible

In the very first episode, Captain Scarlet was killed in a car crash. This crash was caused by the Mysterons. Another officer, Captain Brown, also died. The Mysterons then rebuilt perfect copies of both men. They wanted these copies to assassinate the World President.

The Captain Brown copy was turned into a walking bomb. When that plan failed, the Captain Scarlet copy kidnapped the President. He took him to the top of a tall car park tower in London. Captain Blue shot the Captain Scarlet copy, and he fell a long way.

But something amazing happened! Captain Scarlet came back to life. The fall broke the Mysterons' control over him. He became his old self again. The Mysterons' power made him almost impossible to kill. He can heal from injuries very quickly. This makes him virtually indestructible.

Captain Scarlet's Special Abilities

Captain Scarlet's body was rebuilt by the Mysterons. Because of this, he has some unique traits. He is not harmed by X-rays. However, he is vulnerable to electricity.

He also has a "sixth sense" for Mysterons. When they are near, he feels sick and gets a headache. But this sense doesn't always detect all Mysterons. Even though Captain Scarlet "dies" many times in the show, he always comes back to life.

What is Captain Scarlet Like?

Captain Scarlet puppet at the National Media Museum

Captain Scarlet is one of the most detailed characters in the series. His real name is Paul Metcalfe. He has black hair and blue eyes. He speaks with a Mid-Atlantic accent. He was born in Winchester, England, on December 17, 2036.

He is a skilled pilot and can drive almost any vehicle. He is a qualified astronaut too. Captain Scarlet is a dependable hero who always tries to get the job done. He also has a funny, sarcastic side. He often uses his wit when talking with other Spectrum agents.

He is good with many types of weapons. Captain Scarlet does not have a clear love interest in the show. However, some fans think he might like Rhapsody Angel.

Captain Scarlet and Captain Blue are very close friends. Captain Blue cares about him a lot. Captain Scarlet trusts Captain Blue completely. Even when Captain Scarlet was controlled by the Mysterons, Captain Blue was ready to use force against him. This shows how professional they both are.

Captain Scarlet in the New Series

In Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, Paul Metcalfe was born in Winchester, England. His mother was a British astrophysicist. His father was an American pilot who later joined the International Space Agency. When Paul was ten, he watched his father walk on Mars. He decided he wanted to follow in his footsteps.

He studied astrophysics at MIT. Then he joined the US Air Force. But global terrorist wars broke out, and both his parents died. This changed his path. He joined the US Special Forces. He led a special unit that fought all over the world. His best friend, Lieutenant Conrad Lefkon, was his second-in-command.

After the wars, Spectrum was created. Paul was a clear choice for the new organization. He took the codename "Captain Scarlet." His friend Lefkon also joined as "Captain Black."

How Captain Scarlet Became Indestructible in the New Series

Captain Scarlet became Spectrum's special weapon against the Mysterons. The Mysterons themselves created this weapon. They killed Scarlet and Captain Black during a mission on Mars. They had found the Mysterons' city. Captain Black fired a shot at it, thinking they were under attack. The city rebuilt itself, and the two men were killed trying to escape.

The Mysterons then rebuilt Scarlet as an invincible human copy. They wanted him to infiltrate Earth and lead their war. While under Mysteron control, Scarlet tried to destroy Skybase. But Captain Blue stopped him. Scarlet fell through a plasma stream and was killed.

However, he recovered later in the sickbay. Everyone was amazed. He revealed that he was free from the Mysterons' control. His human mind had survived and taken back his body. The power surge only harmed him temporarily. He was restored to life by a special Mysteron process. This process makes him virtually "indestructible."

New Captain Scarlet's Powers and Feelings

Because of his "retrometabolism" power, Scarlet can survive and heal from any injury. Even very serious ones. But his recovery is not instant. In some episodes, he feels sick when a Mysteron is nearby.

In the first two episodes, Scarlet also shared a kind of telepathic link with Captain Black. Colonel White saw this as an advantage in the war. In one episode, the Mysterons could talk to Scarlet, but no one else could hear them. It's unclear if this was because he was on their home planet.

Captain Scarlet is a very dedicated Spectrum officer. He is a soldier on the front lines of Earth's defense. But he is also troubled by what he has become. He is not fully human. He is fearless and wants to save humanity. But he feels uneasy about his growing feelings for Destiny Angel. She was the girlfriend of his late friend, Captain Black.

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