ROJ Episode 2 Notes

RETURN OF JETMAN

"Generation Conflict"
(Episode 2)
Production Notes
by Christopher Elam
© 2003-2010 Christopher Elam

 

These notes are based on material originally posted on January 14, 2003 on the now-defunct OWARI Message Board (formerly http://pub14.ezboard.com/bowari, currently http://owari.yuku.com/).

Episode 2 - "Generation Conflict" (a title rather obviously referring to the battle between the two generations, both in combat and in their private lives) wrapped principal writing on June 23, 2002. An earlier version of this story, written by Lewis Smith and edited by the present author, appeared in OWARI #3 (Nov. 1996).

The series begins to find its feet somewhat in this installment, which focuses on character interaction between the new Jetman team as well as the main plot of the conflict with their predecessors. We also meet Green Wyvern, a character who will have a major impact in stories to come.

• The training room sequence is influenced by the "Danger Room" from classic era X-MEN comics (think 1960s-early 1980s).
  
  
  
• According to published material, the ages stated for the original Jetman are accurate, since this story takes place 25 years after the TV series. I think their current occupations should be relatively unsurprising.
  
  
  
• The mystery woman obviously plays a big part in the story, seeing as how she will become Green Wyvern. Her background will become clearer in later stories.
  
  
  
• The alien craft had shown no signs of getting anywhere near it and had no exterior weapons to boot. - my attempt to justify why the alien ship wouldn't attack Earth's defense satellite. I sort of like the idea of aliens who are not entirely well-prepared for an all-out invasion.
  
  
  
• The sequence with Gohan and Reiko in Shinjuku is intended to add a bit of personal tension to the inevitable showdown, and illustrates our first hint that not everything is always sweetness and light between our heroes and their parents.
  
  
  
• Her eyes almost seemed to radiate shafts of broken glass. - paraphrased lyric quote from Pink Floyd's "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" off the 1977 album ANIMALS. Courtesy of Lewis Smith!
  
  
  
• It would be a shame if you were late for your own funeral! - paraphrased from Vincent Price's narration to the trailer for the original HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959).
  
  
  
• Not only are the original Jetmen in recreations of their old uniforms, they are using recreations of their old weapons. Please note the "Bringer Sword" and "Bird Blaster" from the TV show.
  
  
  
• Jet Phoenix, for his own reasons, desperately wants to tackle the fake Black Condor, but Green Wyvern wants to fight him instead. Why? Simply put, she is his counterpart on Lord Xenotos' Jetman team and takes that rather personally.
  
  
  
• The fake Black Condor wasn't always part of the story. I added him in during a revision to the original incarnation of this tale in 1995. At first, he was a humanoid who believed he WAS Black Condor and comically tackled Green Wyvern when she attacked her "allies." Not a bad scene, but for dramatic purposes, "Black Condor" became the timebomb robot instead. Thanks to that little twist, Green Wyvern learns she can't trust Lord Xenotos.
  
  
  
• Jet Phoenix's "injury" during this sequence will have repercussions through the entire series.
  
  
  
• Switching opponents to gain victory is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but I hope I gave a slightly novel twist as to why it might be necessary.
  
  
  
• Dragon Wyvern (originally Jet Wyvern) is one of those mecha that can convert into a robot on its own. The name's redundant, but still sounds pretty cool to me. My dubbing the robot mode "God Wyvern" was one of my first tangible contributions to ROJ way back when. The idea came from the manga/anime series GOD MARS, of all things.
  
  
  
• Well yes, I needed a good reason for Green Wyvern to hightail it away from the fight while still maintaining her aura of invincibility (for now, anyway). That's why she leaves Jetman behind so she can possibly take another crack at them in the future.
  
  
  
• Mrs. Satsuki Oishi - Satsuki was Raita Oishi's childhood friend, as shown in CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN episode 9. She returns in the final episode with Raita at Ryu and Kaori's wedding. It's never explicitly stated that they are romantically involved, but that seems a pretty fair guess (especially since they are running a farm together).
  
  
  
• The mystery of Jet Phoenix - solved? I had dropped a few clues here and there throughout the first two parts as to his identity, such as certain gestures he made. This sequence is very telling, and seems to reveal his identity to the reader. Of course, if Jet Phoenix is who we think, the question then becomes how that's possible.
  
  
  
• Actually, Jet Phoenix's identity was originally intended to be a mystery throughout the series. The problem arose in that there were just not that many suspects. At one point, Lewis and I were even going to change his identity entirely just to be difficult. Ultimately, I decided to let the reader in on it early on and then take that plotline in a somewhat different direction - especially since the characters in the story still don't know. I regret the loss of the mystery, but perhaps the plot that arises in its place will compensate.
  

 

© Christopher Elam.