Terrahawks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terrahawks
Genre	Science fiction (alien invasion), action, adventure, children's television
Created by	Gerry Anderson Christopher Burr
Written by	Gerry Anderson Tony Barwick Donald James Trevor Lansdowne
Directed by	Tony Bell Tony Lenny Alan Pattillo Desmond Saunders
Voices of	Denise Bryer Windsor Davies Jeremy Hitchen Anne Ridler Ben Stevens
Composer(s)	Richard Harvey Lionel Robinson Gerry Anderson Christopher Burr
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	39 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Gerry Anderson Christopher Burr
Editor(s)	Tony Lenny
Camera setup	Single
Running time	25 mins approx.
Production company(s)	Anderson Burr Pictures
Release
Original network	LWT
Picture format	Film (16 and 35 mm)
Audio format	Mono
Original release	3 October 1983 (1983-10-03) – 26 July 1986 (1986-07-26)

Terrahawks is a British science fiction TV show from the 1980s. It was created by Gerry Anderson and Christopher Burr. This series was special because it was Gerry Anderson's first show in over ten years to use puppets for its characters. It was also his last puppet show. Anderson was famous for other puppet shows like Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

The story of Terrahawks takes place in the year 2020. It follows a special team called the Terrahawks. Their job is to protect Earth from aliens and robots led by a villain named Zelda. Just like Anderson's other puppet shows, Terrahawks features lots of cool futuristic vehicles and advanced technology in every episode.

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Protecting Earth: The Terrahawks' Mission

The story begins in 2020. An alien force has destroyed NASA's base on Mars. This means Earth is now in danger. To protect our planet, a small, secret group called The Terrahawks is formed.

Their hidden base, called Hawknest, is located in South America. From there, they create amazing weapons and prepare for battles. These battles are against the alien invaders.

Terrahawks was different from Gerry Anderson's earlier shows. It had a lot of humor and funny moments. But it also had exciting dangers and action. The team of characters, each with their own vehicle, was similar to Thunderbirds. The idea of aliens invading Earth was like Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

Terrahawks: Audio Adventures

In 2014, it was announced that Terrahawks would return! It came back as a series of audio dramas. These are like radio plays with a full cast. Many of the original voice actors returned for these new stories.

The audio series was made by Anderson Entertainment and Big Finish Productions. The first new series came out in April 2015. It had eight episodes. Some original actors were replaced because they had passed away or retired. For example, Beth Chalmers took over the voice of Kate Kestrel. Jeremy Hitchen voiced Sergeant Major Zero.

More audio series were released in 2016 and 2017. You can find free sample episodes on the Big Finish website.

Meet the Terrahawks Team

The Terrahawks, also known as the Earth Defence Squadron, are a special team. They are Earth's first line of defense against alien attacks.

The Human Team Members

• Doctor "Tiger" Ninestein: He is the pilot of the Terrahawk and the leader of the team. His real first name is unknown. He's called "Tiger" because he's the ninth clone created by Dr. Gerhard Stein. He's a bit quick to attack aliens. When not fighting, he often tries to beat his high score on a video game. His catchphrases include "Expect the unexpected" and "Flaming thunderbolts!" If he is defeated, another clone can replace him quickly.
• Captain Mary Falconer: She pilots the Battlehawk. Mary is Ninestein's second-in-command. She helps balance his aggressive ideas with her care for life. She was voiced by Denise Bryer.
• Captain Kate Kestrel: Her real name is Katherine Westley. She pilots the Hawkwing fighter jet. Kate is also a famous pop singer around the world. Her singing voice was provided by Moya Griffiths. Beth Chalmers voices Kate in the audio shows.
• Lieutenant Hawkeye: His real name is Hedley Howard Henderson III. He is the gunner for the Hawkwing. After an accident, his eyes were replaced with special computers. These computers make his targeting skills amazing. When given an order, he always says "aye-aye" as a play on his name. He was voiced by Jeremy Hitchen.
• Lieutenant Hiro: He commands the Spacehawk. Hiro loves flowers and even reads poetry to them. He has a strong Japanese accent, which sometimes leads to funny moments. Jeremy Hitchen also voiced Hiro.
• Colonel Johnson: He is the head of WASA (World Aeronautics & Space Administration). He is supposed to be a co-director of the Terrahawks. But Ninestein often ignores his orders. Jeremy Hitchen also voiced Colonel Johnson.

The Zeroids: Robot Defenders

Sergeant Major Zero action figure by Bandai

• Zeroids: These are round robots that work on the ground. They also provide firepower for the Spacehawk. Two Zeroids act as leaders and have human-like thoughts. This often annoys Ninestein, who thinks robots should just follow orders.
  • Sergeant Major Zero: He commands the Zeroids on Earth. He was voiced by Windsor Davies. His battle cry is "GERONIMO!!!"
  • Space Sergeant 101: He leads the Zeroids on the Spacehawk. He was voiced by Ben Stevens. Zero and 101 often argue about who is in charge of the Spacehawk.
• Other Zeroids have unique personalities. For example, Dix-Huit speaks French. 55 bobs up and down. 21 stutters, and 66 has a Scottish accent. These accents really bother Dr. Ninestein! Zeroids can also become very heavy, allowing them to perform powerful body-crash moves.

Terrahawks Vehicles and Equipment

The Terrahawks use many cool vehicles to protect Earth:

• Terrahawk – This is Dr. Ninestein's personal flying command center. It can separate from the Battlehawk.
• Battlehawk – A large carrier aircraft. It carries Zeroids, the Battletank, and other gear.
• Hawkwing – A fighter jet. It has a top wing that can be released as a flying bomb.
• Treehawk – A spaceship that can go from Earth to orbit in one stage. It transports team members like Lieutenant Hiro.
• Spacehawk – An orbital battle station. It's usually commanded by Lieutenant Hiro. It's the first line of defense in space.
• Overlander – A three-part land vehicle for moving goods. It often gets hijacked and destroyed.
• Battletank – A tank operated by two Megazoids. It's used for big battles and dropped from the Battlehawk.
• Spacetank – A tank made for working in space. It appeared in only one episode.
• Hudson – Ninestein's special Rolls-Royce car. It has artificial intelligence and can change its color. Ninestein loves it.
• Hawkhead – A small two-seater spacecraft kept in the Spacehawk's hangar.
• MEV – A spacecraft on the Spacehawk. It has tracks for moving on different surfaces and a grappling arm with a cannon.
• Groundhawk – A vehicle used for bomb disposal and demolition.

Meet the Aliens: Zelda and Her Family

The main villains are robots (androids) from the planet Guk. They rebelled against their creators. Zelda and her group look like old, wise citizens of their planet. Zelda wants to conquer Earth to make it a home for her robot family. They only need small amounts of minerals to survive each month.

Zelda's Family and Cubes

• Zelda: She is the main villain. Zelda is wicked and always planning to take over Earth. She can teleport her servants and change the size of her ships. Dr. Ninestein often says, "Zelda reclaims her own," when she teleports a defeated minion away. She calls humans "Earth-scum" or "Earth-wretches." She believes humans are evil and she is saving the universe from them. Denise Bryer provided her voice.
• Cy-star: Pronounced "Si-ster." She is Zelda's "sister." Cy-star is not very smart but is always cheerful and hopeful. Her hair sometimes slides around her head when she gets excited. Her catchphrases are "I don't understand" and "WONNNNNNDERFUL!" She gives birth to It-star later in the series.
• Yung-Star: He is Zelda's "son." Like his "aunt," he isn't very smart. He's also lazy, greedy, and a bit of a coward. He loves eating "granite crunchies," which are rocks in a green goo. Ben Stevens voiced him.
• It-Star: Also called "Goybirl" or "Birlgoy." This is a "baby" android born to Cy-Star. It-Star has two minds and voices: a young girl's voice when innocent, and a male voice with a German accent when plotting. The plotting personality is very clever and mean.
• Cubes: These are the aliens' version of the Zeroids. They can combine to form large things like guns or force fields. Each side of a Cube has a different mark for its function. Cy-Star keeps one Cube named Pluto as a pet.

Zelda's Monsters

Zelda has many monster servants. They are outcasts from other worlds. She keeps them frozen until she needs them.

• Sram: A lizard-like beast with a powerful roar. His roar can shatter mountains. His blood is very poisonous to humans.
• The Sporilla: A very strong beast that Zelda controls. It's a 7-foot tall metal-eating space gorilla. After its control device is destroyed, it becomes friendly.
• MOID: The Master Of Infinite Disguise. He is a skeleton-like alien who can look like anyone. He seems to regret working for Zelda and doesn't want to harm anyone. He appears to have feelings for Kate Kestrel.
• Yuri: A creature that looks like a teddy bear. The aliens find him scary. He can control metal with his mind. Zelda sometimes calls him "the furry Napoleon."
• Lord Tempo: The master of time. Tempo can travel through time and change how fast time flows in a small area.
• Tamura: A good and honorable space Samurai. He has a powerful spaceship called the "Ishimo." He tries to help settle the fight between Zelda and the Terrahawks.
• The Krell: A hairy creature with an eyestalk that shoots a powerful laser beam.
• Cyclops: A black and red crawling creature with one giant eye. It absorbs metal.
• Captain Goat: A space pirate who commanded a pirate radio ship.
• Cold Finger: An alien who is an expert at using water and ice as weapons. His ship was made of ice.

Terrahawks: Other Adventures

Comics and Video Games

Terrahawks was also turned into a comic strip. It appeared in Look-In magazine.

A video game called Attack of the Timelord! was released in 1982. For its UK release in 1984, it was renamed Gerry Anderson's Terrahawks. It was one of the first video games to be linked to a TV show.

Zeroids Vs Cubes Web Series

In 2014, an animated spin-off web series was announced. It was called Zeroids Vs Cubes. It came out on YouTube in 2015. Jeremy Hitchen and Robbie Stevens returned to voice Sergeant Major Zero and Space Sergeant 101. However, only one episode was released.

Zeroids Vs Cubes Episode

Kate Kestrel And The Terrahawks Revival

In 2019, Anderson Entertainment announced a new Terrahawks revival. It is titled Kate Kestrel And The Terrahawks. It is being made with Tiny Giant. Jamie Anderson and Stu Gamble are executive producers. Mark Hoffmeier is the showrunner.