Music:
Member Since: 29/01/2007
Band Members: Star Sheriffs
Saber Rider
The title character in the American version of the series, Saber Rider was the captain of the Ramrod Equalizer Unit. He was a young man, yet was described as "legendary" for his skills and marksmanship. Saber Rider hailed from the Scottish Highlands, and was an expert with both swords and horses. He was generally depicted as being a gentleman with a cool head for tactics and decisions.
Saber often rode a robotic horse named Steed, which had high-powered thrusters and the ability to fly, run, and function in space. However, it was not capable of long space travels, so Steed was kept stored in Ramrod's cargo bay, being used mainly to travel down to planets from orbit or utilized on the planet's surface. Steed was almost sentient in nature (Saber once jokingly told someone to give him a sugar cube) and was capable of recognizing his master's voice and working independently when Saber was in danger.
Fireball
Fireball once was a Formula One driver and the youngest champion of all time. Fireball serves as the pilot of the Ramrod Unit and also controls the chest cannons and heavy weaponry located in Ramrod's chest region. He drives a race car he calls Red Fury Racer/Turbo, which is armed with an extensive arsenal of weapons. He has a somewhat quick temper and at one time boasted of his perfect memory.
His crush on fellow Star Sheriff April Eagle was reciprocated towards the end of the series.
During the course of the series he discovers that his father was a fighter pilot who fought alongside King Jaray of the Legendary Kingdom of Jarr when the Outriders first attacked fifteen years ago. Sacrificing himself, his father sent his ship into Nemesis's command ship, robbing Nemesis of his body and sending them both into the Outrider dimension where he is still lost to this day.
Colt
Colt was introduced in the series as a bounty hunter on the trail of Vanquo, an Outrider spy. He holds an almost infallible accuracy with firearms and serves as the gunner on board Ramrod, controlling the six-iron while Fireball controls the chest cannons. His character is depicted as somewhat of a loner, but also as an outrageous flirt, making passes (mostly unsuccessful) at nearly every woman he meets.
His parents were attacked and presumably killed by attacking Outriders right after Colt left to join a traveling rodeo. This event prompted him to become a bounty hunter.
For personal transportation and solo battles he uses a blue and white one-man spaceship named Bronco Buster.
April Eagle
April Eagle is the daughter of Commander Eagle, and the engineer who designed and was in charge of Project Ramrod. She was trained at Cavalry Command under General Whitehawk. Before joining the Star Sheriffs she was a professional tennis player. In early episodes of the series, April had an unrequited crush on Saber Rider, which may explain why in the WEP produced episodes, April has a robotic horse named Nova with the abilities of Saber's Steed.
Commander Eagle
April's father, Commander Eagle, is the leader of Cavalry Command which includes all of the fleets and armies that protect the United Star Systems - including the special forces unit known as the Star Sheriffs.
Eagle takes his responsibilities seriously, but underneath has a warm heart and caring nature. Commander Eagle loves his daughter and passionately supports project Ramrod.
Ramrod
Ramrod (voiced by Peter Cullen [who voiced Optimus Prime in the 80s cartoon series "Transformers"] )was developed by April Eagle as the technological "miracle weapon", with which mankind could oppose the Outriders. Although it can be flown by one person, the ship is designed to be operated by four people, each sitting in separate units that control specific functions: navigation (April), gunner unit (Colt), pilot (Fireball) and the commander/tactician (Saber). Once the transformation sequence is initiated the ship transforms into an enormous combat robot the Star Sheriffs sometimes refer to as the "Big Sheriff".
The battle conversion to robot form is used mainly when the Star Sheriffs encounter the Outrider's form of giant robot, which is known as a Renegade or Desperado Unit.
A highlight of every episode is Ramrod's transformation from an airborne battleship into a giant robot. When the Ramrod Equalizer Unit undergoes the "Challenge Phase" it calls out its rallying cry in a heavy Western drawl, "Head 'em up, move 'em out. Power stride and ready to ride!" The Ramrod vehicle will transform into a giant robot packing an oversized six-shooter at the hip, and appears to be wearing a cowboy hat and a cape. In "Maverick Quick-draw" mode, an array of assorted cannons will be deployed at Ramrod's chest, delivering the final blow to send an Outrider "Desperado Unit" back to the Vapor Zone.
Outrider
Outriders are humanoids who come from another dimension called the Vapor Zone. They have no need of oxygen but require great quantities of water. They have also mastered the ability to disguise themselves as human beings, to the point where even a medical examination will not reveal their true identities.
Their personal existence is bleak, as is their home dimension, and they have squandered all the resources on their home planet, forcing them to move to an artificial planet. It is often said that Outriders do not know how to have fun, but in truth, they are just like human beings. It is due to their leader Nemesis's inability to enjoy himself that they are said to be unable to enjoy themselves. They want to be able to conquer mankind and control the universe unhindered, thinking the human dimension has much more to offer than their own. When an Outrider is shot or wounded, they do not die, but rather "dimension jump," a process where they vanish and return to their home dimension to reform, leaving behind no trace save for a wisp of poisonous-green gas and a smudge where they stood. A self-initiated dimension jump leaves no trace.In the Japanese version, green gas does not mean Outriders teleport, but actually means they have died.
Following the most important representatives from this race
Nemesis
A huge, darkly clad and masked being, Nemesis is the evil genius in charge of the renegade Outriders. He created the Vapor Trail that allows the Outriders to cross from their dimension into the human dimension and he is the mastermind behind their insidious schemes. In the last episodes of the series it is revealed Nemesis is a cyborg, and his consciousness also existed as the Nth Degree, a powerful computer on the Outrider's artificial homeworld.
Saber Rider is the only member of the Star Sheriffs to meet Nemesis one-on-one. In the episode "Stampede," the two faced each other in a laser sword duel after Saber crossed into the Vapor Zone in the wake of an Outrider ship travelling along the Vapor Trail. When Saber Rider was on the verge of winning the duel, Nemesis saved himself by emptying the oxygen from the chamber where they were fighting (Outriders do not need oxygen), rendering Saber Rider unconscious.
Jesse Blue
A somewhat unusual looking character with blue-green hair and a sarcastic streak, Jesse Blue was a promising cadet at Cavalry Command until he fell in love with April Eagle during a training exercise. When April rejected his advances and inadvertently embarrassed him in front of the other cadets, he turned against the Star Sheriffs and cultivated a personal grudge against Saber Rider, thinking it was April's affection for Saber Rider that made her refuse his love.
Jesse planted a bomb on board Ramrod in an attempt to kill Saber Rider, but when he learned April was on board at the time it would detonate, he panicked and confessed what he'd done to Saber. While it was too late to stop the bomb from exploding, Saber was able to reach Ramrod in time to prevent the ship from being destroyed.
Jesse Blue escaped while Saber Rider was thus occupied and became a fugitive, turning his back on Cavalry Command and joining forces with the Outriders. He became obsessed with defeating the Star Sheriffs and conquering the New Frontier.
Gattler
Gattler wears a foreboding fanged space mask, which when removed reveals his form as a glowering, dark villain. Heavy handed with a heart of stone, Gattler answers only to Nemesis.
Vanquo
Vanquo is a ghostly Outrider with vacant eyes and a long pale face - he is a sinister character with a chilling laugh. Dressed in a serape and sombrero he is an incredibly fast draw.
Vanquo ultimately had a strange fate for an Outrider: he became human. He was confronted by Saber Rider in the Vapor Zone shortly after Saber's duel with Nemesis in "Stampede". Vanquo presented a rather piteous figure, abandoned by Nemesis and knowing he was defeated, he was at Saber's mercy.
Saber Rider reasoned if he shot Vanquo inside the Vapor Zone he wouldn't be able to dimension jump and reform anew since he was already in his own dimension. This meant shooting Vanquo would make him a solid being. Saber consoled Vanquo by telling him he might like being a human. And when the deed was done, Vanquo looked down at his new human body and said in somewhat teary happiness "I think I might."
Vanqou was last seen doing what it always looked like he'd been dressed for: being a cowboy.
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Record Label: Unsigned
