The 1980s were the era when cartoons and their associated toys reached their full potential. Top-notch animated series with accompanying toys? Every admirer adored the concept. The Centurions is one of these animations.
The Centurions, or The Centurions: Power Xtreme, was a toy brand and animated series that debuted in 1986. It is set in the twenty-first century and follows the exploits of a group of highly capable individuals as they attempt to fight the evil cyborg Doc Terror and his helper, Hacker. Doug Wildey (Johnny Quest), Gil Kane (Spiderman, Iron Fist), and Jack Kirby collaborated on the series’ design and concept (our very own comic book god).
Michael Reeves, Marc Scott Zicree, Larry DiTillio, and Gerry Conway were among the guests. However, even the show’s outstanding artists could not keep it on the air for more than 65 episodes. ‘Man and Machine! Power Xtreme!’ says the tagline. For the 1980s, The Centurions was seen as a game-changing series. Let us learn more about the characters and why this show is such a masterpiece from the 1980s.
What makes The Centurions such an iconic 80s show?
The Centurions was produced by Ruby-Spears and lasted about 65 episodes. The heroes of the show, The Centurions, initially consisted of 3 members, with an addition of 2 more members; later, bringing the total up to 5 highly skilled individuals who used Exo frames to combine with high-tech weapons systems and armors, the likes of which would make any hero jealous.
The show focused on the team and battles with the cyborgs Doc Terror and Hacker. The presentation focused on futuristic themes, especially for a show based in the 80s when animation was still developing. The ill effects of rapid technological advancement and the relationship between humans and machines were depicted splendidly.
The Centurions wasn’t the only show in the 80s that was made to push a toy line, where there were convenient name drops for the various weapons used by our heroes, which were also available as toy add-ons. Hence, kids knew precisely which toys to go to after. The animation isn’t too great, which isn’t a surprise for a show based in the 80s, though the production and design team did an excellent job with the character design (shoutout to Jack Kirby and Gil Kane) and developed them to be eye-catching. The villains looked fantastic, and we even got some cyborg dinosaurs. The show features some well-animated and choreographed action scenes which the kids loved (adults too, cartoons are for everyone).
The show tells the tale of The Centurions, who operate out of their base called Centrum in New York and a space station called Sky Vault. Their nemesis Doc Terror and his lackey Hacker run out of Dominion’s command and try to destroy the world through various schemes.
Hacker used to be a small-time crook rescued by Doc Terror from jail and turned into a cyborg because he believed machines were superior. Hacker was also the reason behind Doc Terror’s transformation into a cyborg, caused by an accident initiated by Hacker on learning that he could not be transformed into a human again. Hacker’s character is basically what you would call ‘All muscle, no brain.’
Doc Terror is also aided by his daughter Amber sometimes. The Centurions are called upon every time Doc Terror initiates one of his ‘destroy the world’ schemes. The assault weapons systems used by every team member are beamed down from the Sky Vault, which the heroes then put on by forming an X with their bodies and shouting ‘Power Xtreme,’ and yes, that’s as cheesy as you can think.
One thing about The Centurions is that although the names of the villains are painfully obvious and show a rather lazy decision, the terms of the superheroes are equally badass. Max Ray, Jake Rockwell, Ace McCloud, Rex Charger, and John Thunder are pretty dope names. Let’s not forget Crystal Kane, the manager/ team runner of The Centurions and can also be considered the token female lead, and often found in the company of Shadow (Jake’s dog) and Lucy, an orangutan. Although, it is to be noted that there were no Crystal Kane or Amber toys in circulation. Shadow or Lucy didn’t get any figurines either.
The show featured top-notch action, weapons with cool nicknames, innovative scenes, and heavy plots. It introduced artificial intelligence and genetics, like when Doc Terror and Hacker’s cyborgs united and formed Uniborg, also showcasing the dangers of unprecedented technological growth.
It was pretty ahead as some episodes showed the Centurions battling environmental crises or artificial extreme climate events. But even among all these dark events, the Centurions were shown to have basic human activities like watching baseball or ogling beautiful girls. The series finale was entirely open-ended and left it up to the viewers on what conclusion they wanted to draw, which was a pretty good opportunity for the advent of a second season, had there been one.
Although the show consists of various silly puns, stale humor, and questionable physics, it holds a special place in the hearts of the fans for its incorporation of real-world themes and issues coupled with futuristic heroes and weapons. It was also a part of Cartoon Network’s early staples when they were getting into the business and did garner some popularity among the 90s youth, but it wasn’t enough for a revival.
The Centurions: The Team
The Centurions initially consisted of 3 members. Subsequently, they introduced 2 more members later in the series. So, let’s dive right into the stories and abilities of our heroes.
Max Ray
Max is the rather spectacular mustache-sporting leader of the Centurions. He is the Brilliant Sea Operations expert of the team and wears a green exo-frame. His assault weapons systems are most effective for sea operations: Cruiser, Tidal Blast, Depth Charger, etc.
Max Ray is said to be modeled after Tom Selleck, the lead of Magnum PI. His character card mentions that he regularly swims from California to Hawaii and back for exercise, which is quite a dedication. He can even travel on a whale, which is pretty cool, and he should have probably adopted that as his sole travel mode.
Jack Rockwell
Jack is the Rugged Land Operations Specialist of the team. He wears a yellow exo-frame, and his assault weapons systems are best suited for land operations, like- Fireforce, Wild Weasel, Hornet, etc. He also has a dog named Shadow, who also helps the Centurions and sports the exo-frame that allows him to launch missiles. Jack is known for his brute force and street smartness. He also likes to drive turbo-crash cars in demolition derbies.
Ace McCloud
Ace is the Daring Air Operations Expert on the team. He sports a blue exo-frame, and his assault weapons systems are equipped for air or space operations, which were Sky Knight, Skybolt, Aero-Sault, and more. His weapons system- Skynight, turned his Exo frame into a fighter jet, which was probably one of the most incredible things in the series. He is known to be a womanizer and is often linked with many females, although he seems to have a significant attraction to Crystal Kane. He also loves to fly and takes every opportunity to show off his skills.
Rex Charger
Rex is one of the new additions to the Centurions, introduced later in the show. He is an Expert Energy Programmer. He is a billionaire and an expert in alternative energy. He sports a glow-in-the-dark exo-frame, and his assault weapons systems help him redirect energy to his weapons, like- Electro Charger and Gatling Guard. He also wore a splendid beard.
John Thunder
John is the other recruit alongside Rex. He is the Specialist Infiltration Commander of the team and specializes in covert operations. He sports a dark blue exo-frame, and his assault weapons systems are the smallest due to his role as an infiltrator. He also uses non-cybernetic weapons like a Vibro knife for self-defense and electromagnetic gloves, which aid in scaling walls. He is of Native American descent and a direct descendant of Geronimo. John is one of the era’s better-written token minority characters.
Rex Charger and John Thunder were introduced much later in the show and were supposed to be a part of the following line of toys for the show had there been a second season, which unfortunately did not come true.
There are also a few instances where it might look like the men have some superhuman abilities, like when Jake talks and breathes in space without a helmet or when Max can shout Power Xtreme in the depths of the ocean and not get crushed by the pressure, or when Ace shouts Power Xtreme in space, also without a helmet. Was this just an oversight by the creators or an actual hint towards them possessing some sort of superpowers? Will we never know?
The Centurions: Comic Series
DC Comics published a four-issue mini-series based on the show in 1987. Every issue had a different story, instead of one story told throughout 4 points. It was written by Bob Rozakis, who gave the Centurions a good background history and painted their characters more realistically.
The comic’s first issue finds The Centurions locked in a battle with Doc Terror’s Doom Drones, who had invaded an Eskimo village in search of recruits. Amid the action, Ace gets a little out of control and enters a fighting frenzy, refusing to stop, so Max steps in, drenches him in water, and Ace gets frozen like a popsicle. But the only reason Ace was blocked was that some Eskimos had already been turned into cyborgs and were stationed right behind the doom drones, and the attacks would have harmed them.
The Centurions then decide to take one of the Eskimos up to the Sky Vault so the scientists can attempt to convert him back. Soon enough, they receive a message broadcast from Doc Terror, threatening them that if the World Council does not meet his demands, he will unleash an electromagnetic pulse that would destroy all the computers and, in turn, cripple the civilization.
Doc Terror launches 3 missiles toward 3 different cities, and the trio of heroes is deployed to stop them. Ace and Jack quickly realize that the rockets they came across were fake attacks. They quickly head to help out Max, but as it turns out, his adversary rocket was phony too. Max quickly realizes Doc Terror’s plan with his superior intellect and throws out the Eskimo they had bought, the actual bomb Doc had planted to blow up Sky Vault and create the electromagnetic pulse. Hence, Max foiled Doc Terror’s scheme.
Issue #2 of the comic shows us Ace and Max at the Bermuda Triangle, famed for countless disappearances and a significant cause of mystery baffling everyone. Max enters the whirlpool to rescue people and comes across a cyborg whale. Max is transported inside the whale by Crystal, where he discovers Doc Terror and Hacker and engages them in battle, but they manage to escape from him.
Later on, a reporter named Miss Burger arrives at the Sky Vault to interview the team but is soon revealed to be Doc Terror’s daughter, Amber, in disguise. She has secretly shut down Sky Vault’s defenses as Doc Terror launches Strafer planes at the station from Earth. Amber escapes and teleports home, but Crystal has already tweaked the location, and Amber gets stuck outside Doc Terror’s lair in the freezing weather of the Arctic. Ace flies out into space to destroy the planes.
The third issue has the heroes trying to save the island of Fuhiti from a dangerous volcanic explosion. But the volcano explodes, injuring the trio and landing them in a hospital. Even though they seemed all right, they quickly realized that they could not hear anything when they woke up. Crystal then informs them that the sound of the explosion had rendered them deaf, but it was only temporary.
Because of this, the trio had to be put out of commission till their hearing returned, but of course, Doc Terror catches wind of the news and launches another one of his hair-brained world destruction schemes. He sends a subsonic signal to enslave everyone in the Centurions’ New York base. Thankfully, their deafness allowed the Centurions to escape from the signal’s effects, but it also prevented them access to their Exo frames as Crystal was also affected. They somehow salvage extra Exo frames from the base but are attacked by the controlled crew on the ground.
Ace then finds Doc Terror and drenches him with his weapons system, effectively knocking him out. The Centurions then pack Doc Terror and Hacker into a box and ship them out to be delivered “anywhere on earth,” as the box reads. When later, a revived Crystal tells them to return to the sickbay, they pretend to be deaf again (which works like a charm).
The 4th and final issue has Doc Terror attacking the headquarters of the World Council in New York City but is quickly stopped by the Centurions. Ace comes back to Sky vault and flirts with Crystal again, but this time she teases back, which usually never happens.
While the guys are out doing different missions, we find out it’s not Crystal, but Doc Terror’s daughter in disguise yet again, and the tasks were from Doc Terror to force the Centurions out of Sky Vault. When they beam back, they are met with Crystal and soldiers pointing weapons at them. It turns out the meteors Ace destroyed as a part of his mission were actually for research purposes and chunks of them landed on Earth, causing significant damage.
These disturbances also caused communications problems throughout the globe, and it seemed like the Centurions had chosen the criminal path. Fake Crystal sends the team to stop cyborg insects (the cyborg variations are endless), which are just holographs. The genuine Crystal and the president saw everything unfolding on the beach and wanted to send in the new Centurions, but they were still under training.
So Crystal puts on an Exo frame herself and transports herself to the beach. When she turns down another kiss, ace realizes it’s the real Crystal, and the trio jumps out of their Exo frames. Amber teleports them back, but the structures are booby-trapped and explode to destroy the fake Sky Vault created by Doc Terror. He flees to his lair in the Arctic, while the Centurions and Crystal are shown to be chilling at the beach.
According to DC editor Jonathan Peterson, he was approached for the comic mini-series before the animated series had even come out and was initially intended to be a 3-issue series. The series also does not feature Rex Charger or John Thunder.
Interesting Facts about the Series
Telecast in the UK
The series was broadcasted in the UK as a part of ‘Get Fresh,’ which was a Saturday Morning kid’s children’s TV show.
Max Ray and his resemblance to other famous men
Max Ray resembles Tom Selleck, who played the role of Thomas Magnum, the protagonist of Magnum PI (1980), but he also bore a resemblance to Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Mark Spitz.
In the case of the sibling
Had the series run its course into another season, the creators had planned to introduce another character named Vic, who would be the sibling of Centurion Ace and a space specialist.
Names of the heroes
There were many alternatives taken into consideration while naming the original trio. For Max Ray, some of the names considered were Max Proteus, Jack Finn, Sharky Finn, etc. We could have called Jack Rockwell something like Terry North, Nat Stone, and Butch Moran. Ace McCloud could have been called Harrison McCloud, Bert Sky, Anthony Flyte, etc. Most of these names are plays on the elements the trio was specialized in. There were also different options considered for the title of Doc Terror, like Krusher (not the KFC drink) and Head-Splitter.
Messed-up Order
The five-part mini-series, which showcased the introduction of Rex and John into the team, were broadcasted much later after the show had already aired all the other episodes featuring them.
Famous collaborators
Barbara Hambly, who wrote Bride of the Rat God and contributed to the Star Trek Universe, wrote one episode titled ‘Traitors Three.’
Gerry Conway, writer of Spiderman (After Stan Lee) and creator of characters like the Punisher, wrote 9 episodes of the series and his then-wife, Carla.
Alternate Storylines
The Centurions went through an extensive development phase uncovered by fans and former Kenner employees. The earlier two versions were much darker and edgier than the final version and were said to be set in a dystopian world.
One of the earlier concepts was named “Ring of Fire,” which was named after a zone in the Pacific Ocean consisting of many volcanoes. The plot has these volcanoes erupt, and the area around the Rockies turns into a wasteland. Dr. Sevarodd Rom, whose regenics research led him to survive a fatal plane crash by merging himself with Syntax, a supercomputer, establishes his base in the area and tries to destroy all life forms. The opposing trio- a tech team consisting of Case Kittredge (Army), Jim Earhart (Air Force), and Dixon Brown (Navy) have abilities developed by exoskeleton implants based on Rom’s research.
The second alternative concept, named “United We Stand,” consisted of the premise that a villain named Half Mad tries to steal a supercomputer Syntax so that he can rule the world and reshape it according to his will by starting to dupe the World Computer Banks and initiating a World War. The 21st Centurions consists of Max, Jake, and Ace being appointed by the world forces to fight against Half Mad and his forces. This concept resulted in a similar scenario to the final idea of the show.
Kenner’s lazy initiative
After canceling the Centurions toy line, Kenner reused the names of many weapon assault systems for the last line of vehicles from the MASK series, which was another series broadcasted during the 80s.
It is also noted that Jake’s Fireforce weapons system is not associated with the Fire Force anime or manga.
A future for The Centurions
With many live-action adaptations and revamps of older shows happening everywhere, some fans hope to see a comeback for The Centurions. But unlike many of the 80s franchises, only a few remember the glory of the Centurions. Honestly, the Centurions could easily be revamped into a successful movie/series franchise with the correct direction and budget.
The premise leaves many scopes to explore, and it would be a delight to witness the over-the-top military action and splendid character design enhanced by modern technology. The themes explored in the show, like those of the dependence of humans on technology and machine, are, as we all know, highly relevant in today’s scenario.
The series has potential for revival and elevation in animated and live-action forms. Even those unaware of its 80s glory will enjoy the show’s sci-fi, futuristic, action-heavy premise. So, we can hope that some director decides to take up the project and give the Centurions a new era they genuinely deserve. Ramen Toys has also done a 2021 revival of the toys titled 80s commanders consisting of Max, Jake, and Ace.
Even though the show featured everything an action fanatic loves, complete with top-of-the-line toys and figurines, it was not enough to keep the show on the air for more than a single season. Ironically, one of the causes of its downfall was the portrayal of realistic aspects of science, which didn’t sit well with the audience because they just wanted entertainment and not a science lecture. It remains a fond memory for those who still remember the show, consisting of daily after-school episodes and begging your parents to get your favorite toys and providing a sense of nostalgia we love.