While thoughtfully admiring the scholarship of
P_I above, and despite wishing fervantly that I could follow in his noble and high-minded brainsteps, I nevertheless find myself unable to resist the temptation of the more recently (in)famous. That said, I have attempted to limit the
pop-nature of my team.
The Custodial Asskickers, 2002
- Buckaroo Banzai: Despite his recent and technological bent, Dr. Banzai has all of the requisite traits to be named team leader. He is experienced in this role, being the founder and generalissimo (not to mention resident physician, marksmanship instructor, zen master and wicked syncopated jazz-monger) of the Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information. An accident involving the Jet Car, poorly-tuned Electro-Nuclear Carburetion and a minor singularity have forced him into the past, where he must confront Ninpo Xan (the ancestor of Hanoi Xan) to prevent the latter's efforts at world domination.
- R. Crusoe: Master of endurance and survival, Mr. Crusoe is the (if I may be forgiven a pop reference) original MacGyver. Rarely has such an ingenius inventor and adapter been found; it was he who devised the lashed-pole and coconut oil-powered barge with which the Jet Car was removed from its South Seas island resting place followiing Dr. Banzai's mishap.
- Professor Arronax: Although not blessed with the genius of his mentor Nemo or the trials of his colleage Crusoe, the Professor brings a keen eye for detail and a locktrap memory to the table. This is a man who's seen things you people wouldn't believe; and unlike most others who've gone through that, he made extensive mental notes. Plus, he's a dab hand with a revolver just in case. He, too, had washed up on Dr. Banzai's destination island whilst attempting to ascertain the final fate of the Nautilus.
- Number 6:Despite a strange, narcissistic yet fiercely-held belief that the entirety of reality is somehow constructed to thwart him, Number 6 seems to find his associates men of good character - "Not warders," as his highest praise is wont to run. While he can accept Dr. Banzai's technological achievements, he remains unconvinced of the chronospatially-displaced origins of their colleagues. In any case, despite the team having exceptional willpower, Number 6 is better able than the others to direct his against a chosen target or circumstance. He will not, however, divulge to anyone his given name.
- Prospero: The team philosopher, Prospero (who phased into reality immediately in front of the Jet Car as the last vestiges of the Oscillation Overthruster-induced chronoslip faded) is furious at having his chances of returning home to rule dashed. However, his mastery over the ethereal is more than enough to compensate for his occasional dark mutterings.
- Henry V: The warrior king typically provides the straight combat expertise as well as any command presence needed to rally localand/or green troops. Thought fallen in battle, it turned out he was betrayed by those closest to him. Led by his uncle the Duke of Exeter, they overpowered him during a battle and secreted him away by sea; it was their hope that in so doing they might preserve their beloved liege's life and legacy. As Exeter had observed, the wars that brought about Henry's supposed end arose more from the need of various factions internal and external to test themselves against this upstart, once-delinquent ruler than from actual grievance. Although what happened to him is unclear (as he won't say), he was found by Dr. Banzai residing on Crusoe's island. Crusoe himself was at a loss to explain it, but repeated references to a 'deep cave' have surfaced.