Rambo: The Force of Freedom facts for kids

Rambo: The Force of Freedom (also known as Rambo) is an animated TV show from 1986. It is based on the famous character John Rambo from David Morrell's book First Blood and the movies First Blood (1982) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).

The show was created for television by Michael Chain, who was the head writer. It also had a line of toys that went along with it. The series had 65 episodes and was made by Ruby-Spears Enterprises. It first aired on April 14, 1986, as a short five-part story. Then, in September, it became a daily cartoon. The show did not get a second season.

What the Show is About

In Rambo: The Force of Freedom, John Rambo leads a special team called "The Force of Freedom." They fight against a bad organization named S.A.V.A.G.E. (Specialist-Administrators of Vengeance, Anarchy and Global Extortion). This group, led by General Warhawk, causes trouble all over the world. Rambo and his team work to stop them, often at the request of Colonel Trautman.

Meet the Characters

The Force of Freedom Team

The Force of Freedom is a group of heroes who travel the world to stop S.A.V.A.G.E. Here are some of the main members:

• John Rambo (voiced by Neil Ross) - He is the main hero of the show. Rambo leads the Force of Freedom on their missions. When he's not fighting bad guys, he often helps animals or teaches kids survival skills.
• Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - He is the leader who gives the team their missions. Colonel Trautman sometimes joins Rambo on his adventures.
• Edward "Turbo" Hayes (voiced by James Avery) - Turbo is a skilled mechanical engineer and race car driver. He is also a First Lieutenant who trained at the US Air Force Academy.
• Katherine Anne "K.A.T." Taylor (voiced by Mona Marshall) - K.A.T. is a military woman who is great at disguises, gymnastics, and martial arts. She seems to like Rambo. Her character is based on Co-Bao from Rambo: First Blood Part II.
• White Dragon (voiced by Robert Ito) - A good ninja and the twin brother of Black Dragon. He also created a ninja training program for the U.S. military.
• T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson (voiced by George DiCenzo) - A former football player who helps Rambo. He joined the team when Mad Dog's gang was forcing older people out of their homes.
• Chief (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - A Native American friend of Rambo. He joined the Force of Freedom after saving his friends from S.A.V.A.G.E. in a swamp.

The S.A.V.A.G.E. Villains

S.A.V.A.G.E. stands for Specialist-Administrators of Vengeance, Anarchy and Global Extortion. Their goal is to take over the world, which puts them against the Force of Freedom. Here are some of their key members:

• General Warhawk (voiced by Michael Ansara) - He is the main villain and leader of S.A.V.A.G.E. General Warhawk used to be an army captain who got into trouble for misusing government secrets. After that, he started S.A.V.A.G.E.
• Sergeant Havoc (voiced by Peter Cullen) - General Warhawk's second-in-command and strongest helper. He is as strong as Rambo. Sergeant Havoc was once a military trainer but joined S.A.V.A.G.E. after being removed from his job for bad behavior.
• Gripper (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - A mercenary with a metal right hand and an eyepatch. He was part of the French Foreign Legion but was dismissed for not following rules.
• Nomad (voiced by Edmund Gilbert) - A Middle-Eastern S.A.V.A.G.E. member who wears a burnoose. He leads a group of outcasts and thieves.
• Mad Dog (voiced by Frank Welker) - The leader of a biker gang and a S.A.V.A.G.E. member. He has a mohawk and a S.A.V.A.G.E. tattoo. He was not fit for military service and has a criminal record.
  • Animal (voiced by Frank Welker) - A member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
  • Jerkface (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - Another member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
  • Razor (voiced by Peter Cullen) - Also a member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
• Black Dragon (voiced by Robert Ito) - A rogue ninja and White Dragon's twin brother. He is known as a great assassin and works for anyone who pays him, often S.A.V.A.G.E. His main goal is to defeat White Dragon and Rambo.
• Snakebite (voiced by Peter Cullen) - A S.A.V.A.G.E. member from the Okeefenokee Swamp. He loves wild animals like snakes and rats, which he carries with him.
• Dr. Hyde (voiced by Edmund Gilbert) - A cybernetic mad scientist in S.A.V.A.G.E. His head is inside a dome-shaped helmet.
  • X-Ray (voiced by James Avery) - Dr. Hyde's cybernetic helper.
  • Max (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - Dr. Hyde's android helper.

S.A.V.A.G.E. also had other villains who appeared in only one or a few episodes, helping General Warhawk with his plans.

Episodes of Rambo

The series had 65 episodes in total. It started with a five-part miniseries, and then continued as a daily show. Each episode showed Rambo and the Force of Freedom stopping S.A.V.A.G.E.'s evil plans around the world.

The Miniseries

The first five episodes were a miniseries about S.A.V.A.G.E. trying to take over a country called Tierra Libre. Rambo and his team had to stop them from stealing warplanes, kidnapping people, and using old battleships for their plans.

• First Strike (April 14, 1986): S.A.V.A.G.E. tries to conquer Tierra Libre.
• The Angel of Destruction (April 15, 1986): S.A.V.A.G.E. steals a warplane called the Spectre.
• Battlefield Bronx (April 16, 1986): General Warhawk sends Mad Dog to kidnap the President's daughter.
• Raise the Yamato (April 17, 1986): General Warhawk tries to use a sunken battleship to take over Tierra Libre.
• The Taking of Tierra Libre (April 18, 1986): Rambo and the Force of Freedom fight to free Tierra Libre from S.A.V.A.G.E.

Regular Series Adventures

After the miniseries, the show continued with 60 more episodes, each featuring a new mission for Rambo and his team. They faced S.A.V.A.G.E. in many different places, from stealing gold to controlling minds and even trying to take over space.

• Subterranean Holdup (September 15, 1986): S.A.V.A.G.E. tries to steal gold from a bank.
• Trouble in Tibet (September 16, 1986): General Warhawk captures a young monk in Tibet.
• S.A.V.A.G.E. Island (September 17, 1986): Gripper steals a missile to threaten countries.
• Deadly Keep (September 19, 1986): A scientist is kidnapped to help General Warhawk with a dangerous energy plan.
• Raid on Las Vegas (September 24, 1986): General Warhawk plans to rob casinos in Las Vegas.
• Enter the Black Dragon (October 10, 1986): General Warhawk hires the ninja assassin Black Dragon to fight Rambo.
• When S.A.V.A.G.E. Stole Santa (November 14, 1986): S.A.V.A.G.E. tries to force a toy maker to create weapons.
• Robot Raid (November 21, 1986): Rambo's team protects a girl from Dr. Hyde and his robots.
• Monster Island (December 9, 1986): The team finds an island with strange hybrid animals created by Dr. Hyde.
• S.A.V.A.G.E. Space (December 15, 1986): Mad Dog's gang takes over a space shuttle to destroy satellites.
• Horror of the Highlands (December 18, 1986): General Warhawk uses a fake Loch Ness Monster to cause trouble in Scotland.

Who Voiced the Characters

Many talented voice actors brought the characters to life:

• Neil Ross was the voice of John Rambo.
• Michael Ansara voiced the main villain, General Warhawk.
• James Avery voiced Edward "Turbo" Hayes and X-Ray.
• Peter Cullen was the voice for Sergeant Havoc, Razor, Snakebite, and others.
• George DiCenzo voiced T.D. Jackson.
• Edmund Gilbert voiced Nomad, Dr. Hyde, and President Ramón.
• Robert Ito voiced both Black Dragon and White Dragon.
• Mona Marshall voiced Katherine "Kat" Taylor and other characters.
• Alan Oppenheimer voiced Colonel Samuel Trautman, Chief, and the Count.
• Lennie Weinrib voiced Gripper, Jerkface, Max, and Admiral Nomak.
• Frank Welker voiced Mad Dog, Animal, and Mephisto.

Music in the Show

The music for the show used parts of Jerry Goldsmith's scores from the First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II movies. The opening and closing themes were even taken from the movie trailers. New music was also added by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy.

See also

In Spanish: Rambo (serie animada) para niños