Champion of Justice
Source: amazon.com
"...a lawman, protector of peace, mystic man from afar, champion of justice, Marshall Bravestarr!"
Bravestarr was one of my favourite shows when I was growing up. The main character was the virtuous and very good looking Marshall of New Texas, a planet in outer space where a precious metal called Kerium attracted prospectors and outlaws. He had the eyes of a hawk, the ears of a wolf, the speed of a puma and the strength of a bear, not to mention the Southern charm and cheekbones of Matthew McCoughaney. I recall the thrill of hearing the echo of Bravestarr's voice each time he summoned these powers and often imitated them in the games of my own imagination.
His companions included Thirty-Thirty, a cynical and moody "techno-horse" (don't dare call him a horse!); J.B., a judge who looked like she could have been Teela's sister (but more conservatively dressed sans the twirly bustier and fur-lined boots) and his deputy, Fuzz, a "Prairie person" with one of the most annoying voices in cartoon history. Bravestarr also called on the wise Shaman from time-to-time.
The show itself was pretty progressive when you think about it: the hero was Native American with strong ties to his heritage, there was a female judge and hints of an interracial relationship (between her and Bravestarr), a black doctor (Doc Clayton), and an immigrant (Angus McBride), and "little people" were included empowered roles. All that was missing was an LGBT character - although the jury is still out on Thirty-Thirty. It would explain his temperament (that "horse" had way too much unresolved anger) and his deeply hidden softer side that revealed itself in certain episodes.
Of course, any good series from the 80s needed a delightfully devious band of villains. On New Texas, the most heinous of these villains was Tex Hex, a decrepit purple-hued prospector who looked at least 105 and in need of a manicure and some eye drops; Scuzz, who resembled a homeless chain-smoking leprechaun with hobbit feet; Cactus Head - quite literally a robot with a cactus on its head and Vipra, a sultry villainess who had had one facelift too many but who also had thick, silky black hair to die for.
The first episode, which aired in 1987, was titled "The Disappearance of Thirty-Thirty". After a disagreement with Bravestarr about being too trigger happy, Thirty-Thirty goes off into the desert to sulk. He goes home, to what is left of the Hall of the Equestroids. There is a flashback to how he and Bravestarr met (neither of them having aged a day!). A ghostly voice tells him to "return...return..." and so Thirty-Thirty goes back to the past, to a time "where he was wanted". Bravestarr, with the help of the Shaman, also goes back to the past to bring his bestie back. It takes some convincing but Bravestarr refuses to give up on their bromance and finally brings Thirty-Thirty back to the present.
Each episode typically included one or more characters making very bad decisions, then regretting and learning from those decisions, with Bravestarr and posse saving the day and reinforcing a moral lesson at the end of the episode. In fact, everything I learned about morality as a child, I learned from Filmation. And now, as an adult, I am enjoying reliving those lessons as I make my way through the entire series.
Comments
Post a Comment