Captain Scarlet
- You may be looking for the in-universe TV series or the real-world series.
Captain Scarlet was the codename of Spectrum agent Paul Metcalfe, (PROSE: Marineville Ablaze) also spelled Paul Metcalf. (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In!) Owing to his death and resurrection at the hands of the Mysterons, he was totally indestructible which him a major asset for Earth throughout the Mysteron War. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons)
Varying accounts dated Spectrum's founding and the commencement of the conflict with the Mysterons to either the 2060s (COMIC: SPECTRUM et al.) or the 2080s. (PROSE: 'Jinx Ship' Blasts Off For Mars et al.) According to some other accounts, he was fictional and the eponymous character of Captain Scarlet. (TV: Death in Heaven)
Biography
Before the Mysteron War
Captain Scarlet visited the Bank of Britain, where his brother Ronald Metcalfe worked as an employee, with Captains Grey and Magenta on several occasions. This later allowed Ronald to identify two would-be bank robbers as impostors when they falsely claimed to be Magenta and Grey. (PROSE: Marineville Ablaze)
In Pete Tracker's article about Spectrum, published on the front page of TV Century 21 on 23 September 2067, Scarlet was mentioned in a list of personnel. (PROSE: SPECTRUM is Green)
The Mysteron War
Death and Mysteronisation
As detailed in Spectrum file CS/M/1/67, Captain Scarlet's "first brush" with the Mysterons came when he was killed in a motor accident. The Mysterons brought him back to life, (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons [+]Loading...["Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (short story)"]) at which point he was made indestructible (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In! [+]Loading...["Traitor Black Gives In! (comic story)"]) as part of a process called Mysteronisation. (PROSE: Scarlet Kidnapped! [+]Loading...["Scarlet Kidnapped! (short story)"])
Under the control of the Mysterons, Scarlet attempted to assassinate the World President. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons) This led to a battle with Spectrum forces (PROSE: Marineville Ablaze) atop London Car-Vue (PROSE: Scarlet Kidnapped!, Marineville Ablaze) during which Scarlet was fatally shot by Captain Blue, (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) causing him to fall eight hundred feet. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) The Car-Vue was also destroyed in the stand-off. (PROSE: Marineville Ablaze)
Following this, Captain Scarlet had a "dramatic" revival, (PROSE: Scarlet Kidnapped!) with the fall breaking the Mysteron spell and putting him back under Spectrum's control. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) Doctor Fawn examined Scarlet's body in the immediate aftermath of the incident, somewhat dumbfoundedly reporting to Colonel White that his patient was getting well again in spite of the fact he should have been dead. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"])
On 30 September 2067, Pete Tracker relayed these happenings to readers in an article for the front page of TV Century 21. He heavily doubted Spectrum's story but ended by saying "events will prove who is right". (PROSE: Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons)
Earliest threats
Needs info from Interplanetary Rescue.
In 2067, Captain Scarlet was responsible for saving London from a Mysteron threat. Using Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle 7 he transported a H-bomb two hundred miles west of Land's End, where he allowed the bomb to detonate with no threat to life, destroying the SPV while he ejected.
Later, he was aboard Cloudbase delivering his report to Colonel White about the incident when the Mysterons announced their intention to destroy Unity City. He and Blue were sent to defend the city, with Blue assigned field commander. En route they observed an Angel aircraft returning. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) The front page of TV Century 21 on its 7 October edition declared in capital letters that if rumours an Angel craft was in Mysteron hands proved to be true "THEN THE EARTH IS IN DEADLY DANGER — AND ONLY CAPTAIN SCARLET CAN SAVE US!", with a picture of Scarlet accompanying the article. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet Our Only Hope) Scarlet initially believed the Angel must have run into a problem but he became nauseous as it came closer. Recognising the Mysteron presence, he ejected Blue from their craft and used it to ram the Mysteronised Angel in mid-air. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) TV21's front page for 14 October reported on this, describing Scarlet's actions as "20 seconds of skill and daring" and featuring a picture of him alongside Captain Blue. (PROSE: Indestructible)
Scarlet's remains were picked from the sea and returned to Cloudbase whereupon Doctor Fawn estimated he would be fully recovered in just four hours. Due to being placed in a purified atmosphere Scarlet was unaffected by the D17 poison gas which Captain Black employed to incapacitate Cloudbase's personnel. He woke up to find Fawn unconscious and Cloudbase moving, heading to Cloudbase Control to find the automatic pilot active. At that point he saw Black land an aircraft on Cloudbase and quietly observed as he attempted to alter its course. Scarlet almost landed a blow on Black while he was busy but was suddenly overcome by the Mysteron presence which allowed Black to fight back, fusing Cloudbase's automatic pilot in the process and sending it spinning out of control. Scarlet successfully improvised a solution to keep Cloudbase at a stable level and then chased after Black, who was attempting to escape in his aircraft. He managed to catch up but the ensuing scuffle resulted in the craft leaving Cloudbase without operational engines. While Black safely ejected, Scarlet was left to go down with the craft, crashing off the coast of Fiji. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) TV21's special correspondent at Unity City published an article for the front page on 4 November which conveyed that rumours spreading in World Government circles suggested Scarlet was dead, though the authorities were decrying the idea as "alarmist nonsense" while other official statements denied knowledge of trouble on Cloudbase. (PROSE: Is Scarlet Dead?)
Scarlet's lifeless body was recovered by a local group of fishermen, who believed his spirit had passed to the Great One. Their Chief elected to give him the funeral of a "true warrior" which involved Scarlet embarking on "the journey of fire". He came to his senses during the funeral and emerged from the flames, leading the Fijians to believe he was the Great One incarnate. Black intervened and claimed he was an evil spirit, resulting in the Chief seeking the "judgement of the clawed ones" to determine which Captain was truly sent from the Great One. Restrained on the beach, Scarlet successfully convinced Black to use microphone to contact Spectrum to save them both from being overcome by the approaching horde of crabs. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) An article for TV21's front page on 18 November affirmed that Scarlet was alive, explaining that according to unofficial reports Black had contacted Colonel White by radio and asked for help as well as claiming to have Scarlet with him. (PROSE: Thunderbirds Fail) Destiny came to their aid and released Scarlet, with Scarlet deciding to the same for Black albeit only while they kept him covered. As they waited for Cloudbase fly overhead, the Mysterons activated Black's audio-field which produced a high frequency noise and incapacitated everyone on the beach, allowing Black to carry Scarlet into the sea without resistance.
Black then arranged for a Mysteron agent in Marineville to escort them to the Southern Californian Research Station using Stingray. From there Black and the unconscious Scarlet boarded the Alpha Centauri Space Probe and were able to blast off owing to the assistance of a Mysteron agent working at the Research Station. Black enacted a course change to Mars, intent on bringing Scarlet back under Mysteron control. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"]) TV21's front page for the 25 November edition was dedicated to the news that Scarlet, described as "Spectrum's major weapon in the fight against the Mysterons", had been kidnapped by Black and was currently held captive as the Space Probe headed towards the Mysteron City. (PROSE: Scarlet Kidnapped!) The Probe was pursued and destroyed by a squad of World Space Patrol ships, with the body of a barely-alive Scarlet recovered by the crew of Fireball XL2. (COMIC: We Will Destroy Unity City [+]Loading...["We Will Destroy Unity City (comic story)"])
Continued battles
Needs info from Where is Scarlet?, We Will Destroy Earth's Communications, Martian Menace and Indestructible Army!.
A brief reprieve
In 2068, after weeks of investigation, Captain Scarlet managed to track down Lim-Po, the Mysteron who was controlling Chinese agents. However, Lim-Po circled around and was about to attack Scarlet with a knife until Captain Black shot Lim-Po with a rifle. Scarlet questioned why Black chose to save him, asking if the Mysterons had finished with him, though Black claimed he spoke in riddles. Scarlet proceeded to take Black to Cloudbase so Doctor Fawn could run some tests of him, all of which ultimately indicated that Black was once again fit for active service. In a meeting with Colonel White and Captain Blue, Scarlet said it was the time for them to take the initiative and destroy the Mysteron City with an electrode cannon mounted on a spaceship, a mission so dangerous only he should be aboard. This plan was approved and Scarlet attended the testing of the weapon at Fort Johnson and later took off from Helsinki. Upon reaching Mars, the Mysterons claimed their power was dying and asked Scarlet to spare them so they could die quietly but he refused, noting he "must make certain" as Earth had been tricked by them in the past.
Six months past with no sign of Mysteron activity, prompting World President T.J. Younger to disband Spectrum at the final celebration of humanity's victory in the Mysteron War. Metcalf and Svenson, formely Scarlet and Blue respectively, chose to stick together and join the World Space Patrol, where Commander Zero had promised them a new XL craft. They met with Zero in Space City before attending the organisation's training school. They passed far quicker than their classmates, in only a month, were promoted to Colonels and granted command of Fireball XL19. Their first trip was to Sector 58 and the Galaxy Andromeda and was set to last a year.
Sometime later, it became clear that the Mysterons' defeat had been a ruse and that they posed an imminent threat to Earth. Spectrum was reformed, leading to Steve Zodiac and Robert the Robot being sent to speedily retrieve Metcalf and Svenson in the experimental time-space ship T-S. With Scarlet determining that the only place to deal with the Mysterons was their own city, he, Blue and Zodiac flew directly to Mars in the T-S. Scarlet opted to complete the rest of the journey to the Mysteron City alone by Space Bug once there. He confronted the Mysterons, telling them to hold their fire as he could not be destroyed. The Mysterons attempted to claim the same of themselves, but Scarlet stated their indestructibility depended on their retrometabolism ray and assured them that he would be willing to die with them if it meant securing Earth's safety. Conceding the defeat, the Mysterons agreed to Scarlet's demand to release their power over Earth's cities while he left Mars with his people. As he departed, the Mysterons warned him not to come back and they threatened they would be prepared next time too. Back on Cloudbase, the Mysterons reiterated their position that they would continue to seek vengeance while Scarlet mulled over the fact that wrecking their city could never work again. (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In!)
Further struggles
Needs info from A New Threat!, Mysteron Threat to Destroy World Leaders — Spectrum Red Alert!, Spectrum Top Security File No. CZ6PA, Captain Scarlet, Collision Course Threat! and their cover stories.
The War begins anew
2069
Needs info from Spectrum News Flash: Scarlet in Pursuit of Mysteron Agent, Mysteron Alert! and Stingray Strikes Back!.
In late 2069, the Mysteron agent Tansi Trefoil attempted to destroy the Unity City games but was foiled by Scarlet. She later escaped from Cloudbase and, on 4 October, it was reported that Spectrum forces all around the world were continuing to search without success for Scarlet, who had failed to contact Cloudbase following his disappearance while pursuing Trefoil. She was the first Mysteron agent known to have retro-metabolised after the failure of their mission, spawning fears that he might have also reverted to Mysteron control. (PROSE: Zodiac Death Sentence!)
The 2080s and beyond
Needs info from Thunderbirds Ready for Action! and Showdown in Space!.
According to the accounts which dated Spectrum's creation and the beginning of the Mysteron War to the 2080s, the first Mysteron threat to Unity City occurred much later in the conflict (PROSE: Rogues Gallery) when compared to the 2060s accounts, which presented it as one of the first acts. (PROSE: SPECTRUM is Green, Captain Scarlet Our Only Hope et al.) These accounts instead posited that the attempted destruction of Unity City happened around a year or two into the War. (PROSE: Thunderbirds Ready for Action!, Send For Stingray!)
In August 2088, Kylie Walker of Action 21 reported that Captain Scarlet was missing and presumed dead following a "spectacular mid-air crash". Eyewitnesses saw Scarlet's jet deliberately turn into one of Spectrum's own Angel aircraft just seconds before the crash, leaving no chance of survivors. (PROSE: Captain Scarlet in Death Crash!) Soon after, however, he was confirmed to be alive. (PROSE: Zero X: Four Crew Missing) In July 2089, Walker stated that Spectrum wanted help to locate Scarlet, who was being held prisoner by the Mysterons beneath the South Pacific. (PROSE: Send For Stingray!)
By one account, the indestructible Captain eventually grew to hate his immortality. In 2096 the aliens, by then code-named the "Myloki", tried to retrieve him so they could sever their ties with his reality. The Second Doctor convinced him to go and try to find some happiness. By this account his real name was Grant Matthews. (PROSE: The Indestructible Man)
Undated events
Captain Scarlet visited Maruthea for Bonjaxx's birthday party. As the Seventh Doctor walked past him, he was sitting next to the Hulk. (COMIC: Party Animals)
As fiction
According to some accounts, Captain Scarlet was a fictional character from the TV series Captain Scarlet. (TV: Death in Heaven) The Tenth Doctor once noted that Captain Scarlet was the only person who was indestructible, but quickly added that he didn't think he was real. (PROSE: The Pirate Loop)
When Captain Palmer introduced himself, Claire Aldwych said she didn't care if he was Captain Scarlet. (PROSE: The Shadow in the Glass) Rhys Williams (AUDIO: The Dead Line) and later Johnson referred to Jack Harkness as Captain Scarlet. (TV: Children of Earth[which?])
Bernice Summerfield referred to the Doctor's Agent Scarlet antidote as Captain Scarlet. (PROSE: Eternity Weeps)
Behind the scenes
Captain Scarlet was the principal character of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, a TV series created by Sylvia and Gerry Anderson and produced by Century 21 Productions.
- The "About the Authors" section of Short Trips: Christmas Around the World refers to writer William Potter as "putting words into the mouths of", among others, Captain Scarlet. This is in reference to New Captain Scarlet, a magazine published by GE Fabbri between October 2005 and February 2006.
- The Indestructible Man has a number of pastiche versions of Gerry Anderson characters such as Scarlet. The title character, Captain Grant Matthews (Scarlet), was reconstructed by the Myloki (Mysterons) so that he couldn't die. As a member of the organisation PRISM (Spectrum), the colour-coded officer's uniform assigned to him was scarlet. The war with the Myloki is started by Captain Karl Taylor (Captain Black) who is recreated as a Myloki agent.
