Character Shrine
Raven
"My name is Raven, and I seek the true warriors"Played by Seychellois-Scottish actress Aisha Toussaint, Raven is the presenter-protagonist of the 2017-2018 reboot of the fantasy gameshow of the same name.
12 years ago, she was a warrior herself, competing in one of the original Raven's tournaments and being crowned the Ultimate Warrior. She continued to stand against Nevar as part of Raven's army, eventually fighting in the Ultimate Battle to banish Nevar once and for all.
However, when Raven also disappeared after casting the spell on Nevar, she was the only one to fear something had gone wrong. She set out to find Raven, collecting the six golden symbols of power that had been lost in the battle. When reunited, they summoned Raven's Staff of Power, which transformed her into the new Raven. In her quest to find the land's protector, she found herself.
As the new Raven, it is her job to test and train the next generation of warriors to stand against Nevar and keep the land safe.
12 years ago, she was a warrior herself, competing in one of the original Raven's tournaments and being crowned the Ultimate Warrior. She continued to stand against Nevar as part of Raven's army, eventually fighting in the Ultimate Battle to banish Nevar once and for all.
However, when Raven also disappeared after casting the spell on Nevar, she was the only one to fear something had gone wrong. She set out to find Raven, collecting the six golden symbols of power that had been lost in the battle. When reunited, they summoned Raven's Staff of Power, which transformed her into the new Raven. In her quest to find the land's protector, she found herself.
As the new Raven, it is her job to test and train the next generation of warriors to stand against Nevar and keep the land safe.
"She's a brilliant role model for all young people. She's intelligent and strong, but also very caring and protective. The relationship between her and the warriors is sometimes that of teacher and student, but she's also a guardian and protector who mentors the warriors and I think showing that softer side to her is really important."
- Aisha Toussaint about Raven
Raven
"My name is Raven, and I seek the true warriors"While gameshows have always been a big part of my life, the Raven reboot was the thing that really jump-started the gameshow special interest. I don’t think I would have made it through the transition to secondary school without it, and for that reason Aisha Toussaint’s Raven will always be special to me. But I do have some more character specific reasons why I love her.
She falls into the ‘elevated contestant’ trope, as someone who was once a warrior but grew to be so much more. And since warriors are kids just like you… she was a massive role model to me growing up. She’s resourceful and clever, able to out-think problems she can't solve through magic or force. She’s an incredibly powerful warrior. She’s serious and deeply earnest in her duty of protection.
I also love her rare moments of vulnerability - when she expresses uncertainty about her role as Raven, or when she shows guilt or frustration at not being about to free Raven of Old from the Desolate Realm. It adds depth to her character.
She’s also a person who’s a bird. I have a fondness for people who are birds.
She falls into the ‘elevated contestant’ trope, as someone who was once a warrior but grew to be so much more. And since warriors are kids just like you… she was a massive role model to me growing up. She’s resourceful and clever, able to out-think problems she can't solve through magic or force. She’s an incredibly powerful warrior. She’s serious and deeply earnest in her duty of protection.
I also love her rare moments of vulnerability - when she expresses uncertainty about her role as Raven, or when she shows guilt or frustration at not being about to free Raven of Old from the Desolate Realm. It adds depth to her character.
She’s also a person who’s a bird. I have a fondness for people who are birds.
"She's a brilliant role model for all young people. She's intelligent and strong, but also very caring and protective. The relationship between her and the warriors is sometimes that of teacher and student, but she's also a guardian and protector who mentors the warriors and I think showing that softer side to her is really important."
- Aisha Toussaint about Raven
Raven
"My name is Raven, and I seek the true warriors"Heed the Raven...
...
Justifications:
Click on a track to see my justification!
I like to start playlists with an atmospheric song, and Secret Worlds has a fantasy-esque sound to it that reminds me of Raven. The song itself is a dialogue between childhood friends and, modern elements aside, could work for Princess Erina and Raven (of Old).
There are many references to trees as being both important and magical, with 'Didn’t the trees tell us their stories? Yeah but we, we called them all liars' and then later 'Yeah but we, we though you were mental, you were talking to trees' (which could work as a reference to Haryad). And magical trees, such as the Great Oak and the Wisdom Tree, are both common and hold lots of lore relevance in the world of Raven.
There are a couple more line of relevance, with 'Over hedges we’d headlong and on ledges we’d land, and from every height I’d fall, I call, I reach out for your hand' and 'We climbed so high, high into the night' both reminding me of the challenges the warriors complete. 'We hear our legends, we hear them, they call' is one of the more fantastical lines of the song and reminds me of ‘The Call’ that summons the warriors to the tournaments.
There are many references to trees as being both important and magical, with 'Didn’t the trees tell us their stories? Yeah but we, we called them all liars' and then later 'Yeah but we, we though you were mental, you were talking to trees' (which could work as a reference to Haryad). And magical trees, such as the Great Oak and the Wisdom Tree, are both common and hold lots of lore relevance in the world of Raven.
There are a couple more line of relevance, with 'Over hedges we’d headlong and on ledges we’d land, and from every height I’d fall, I call, I reach out for your hand' and 'We climbed so high, high into the night' both reminding me of the challenges the warriors complete. 'We hear our legends, we hear them, they call' is one of the more fantastical lines of the song and reminds me of ‘The Call’ that summons the warriors to the tournaments.
With a strong fantasy aesthetic and lyrics about teamwork and spreading light in the darkness, all through the imagery of birds - 'certain birds only fly by night' - I think it fits really well with Raven. The lyric 'the end is calling' reminds me again of Raven's Call.
Also with a strong fantasy aesthetic, the song is from a parent to a child, but I like to apply it to the mentoring relationship between Raven of Old and Raven (of New). The first verse works as his perspective of her as a warrior, competing in and winning her tournament with the lines 'You were a wanderer, back when you were young' and 'You learned to fall, and balance on your own two feet'.
The second verse can be applied to him encouraging her to take up the mantle of the raven. 'Take the world by storm, muster all your strength. Embrace the forces that surround you, bend gravity and space'.
I particularly like 'Open all the doors around you. Use your power in your lungs' as the first part can be applied to Raven (of Old)’s little used, less explained ability to pass through locked doors and the second referring to one of my favourite artistic decisions of the reboot, the modulation put on both Raven’s voices when they invoke their power.
And finally, the sentiment is most clear with the chorus line 'I could only lead you so far. I believe in who you are.'
The second verse can be applied to him encouraging her to take up the mantle of the raven. 'Take the world by storm, muster all your strength. Embrace the forces that surround you, bend gravity and space'.
I particularly like 'Open all the doors around you. Use your power in your lungs' as the first part can be applied to Raven (of Old)’s little used, less explained ability to pass through locked doors and the second referring to one of my favourite artistic decisions of the reboot, the modulation put on both Raven’s voices when they invoke their power.
And finally, the sentiment is most clear with the chorus line 'I could only lead you so far. I believe in who you are.'
'Against the waves, with our swords in our hands. Against the sea, with our backs to the walls. Against distress, in the presence of our enemies. Against the storms, roaring at our faces.'
Again with a fantasy sound, the first verse is full of nature imagery, and brings to mind epic battles and fighting against the darkness and the odds. I think that is incredibly Raven.
The second verse, along with the chorus reminds me of ‘The Call’ that summons the warriors to the tournaments. The pre-chorus is the most fitting with 'A cry rang out throughout the skies, a beckon, the flight of the cranes', utilising more bird imagery.
Again with a fantasy sound, the first verse is full of nature imagery, and brings to mind epic battles and fighting against the darkness and the odds. I think that is incredibly Raven.
The second verse, along with the chorus reminds me of ‘The Call’ that summons the warriors to the tournaments. The pre-chorus is the most fitting with 'A cry rang out throughout the skies, a beckon, the flight of the cranes', utilising more bird imagery.
Similarly to Warriors, this songs is full of fantasybabble about a brave, kind and powerful warrior queen, all of which can be applied to Raven (of New). While I could quote the whole song, there are a few lyrics I want to draw attention to.
Firstly, the incredibly fitting 'Got raven hair, as dark as night' describing the warriors appearance. Then there’s 'Looking out she calls… who will conquer all' referencing both the call that summons the warriors, and the tournament. The chorus line of 'Her name is, She, Queen of the Kings' works with her taking over from Raven of Old, the ‘queen’ with the power of the ‘king’.
The fact a name isn’t actually given for the warrior, merely She, is also oddly fitting. Raven (of New) was given a warrior name at one point in production, to be revealed in the show. However it didn’t end up being used, as they thought it would take away from her being Raven.
Then there’s 'Nothing in this world can stop the spread of her wings' which works because, y’know, Bird. Again with 'Run the game, run the game' because she literally runs the game.
And on a more metatextual level 'Can’t stay the same in this world of change' to reflect the way the production team chose to give a role played by a white man to a woman of colour, a new Raven representing the diversity of the new generation.
Firstly, the incredibly fitting 'Got raven hair, as dark as night' describing the warriors appearance. Then there’s 'Looking out she calls… who will conquer all' referencing both the call that summons the warriors, and the tournament. The chorus line of 'Her name is, She, Queen of the Kings' works with her taking over from Raven of Old, the ‘queen’ with the power of the ‘king’.
The fact a name isn’t actually given for the warrior, merely She, is also oddly fitting. Raven (of New) was given a warrior name at one point in production, to be revealed in the show. However it didn’t end up being used, as they thought it would take away from her being Raven.
Then there’s 'Nothing in this world can stop the spread of her wings' which works because, y’know, Bird. Again with 'Run the game, run the game' because she literally runs the game.
And on a more metatextual level 'Can’t stay the same in this world of change' to reflect the way the production team chose to give a role played by a white man to a woman of colour, a new Raven representing the diversity of the new generation.
As well as the fitting name, the song describes magical warriors standing against the forces of darkness, how they need to be strong, brave and never give up, and with the triumphant belief that 'We’re gonna win in the end'. If I had to select more fitting quotes, I would be forced to select the whole song. Despite being written for another show, it’s very Raven.
This is my default gameshow song and therefore ends up on most of my gameshow playlists. To me, it’s a song about kids forced to save the world when the adults failed, a song about working as a team and never giving up. I couldn’t not include it, especially as child soldierism is so central to the Raven universe - from the warriors themselves, to Raven (of New) once being an Ultimate Warrior, to even Raven of Old and Princess Erina being pushed into the war against Nevar as teenagers.
‘They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever or light up a spark. We come together, state of the art. We’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark.’
‘They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever or light up a spark. We come together, state of the art. We’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark.’
If you think I chose this song for Raven (of old) because it’s the credit song for Highlander, an 80’s film about an immortal Scottish warrior, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. I do have some more lyrical evidence to support it.
There is the generic, I’m a badass fantasy warrior of great power protecting against the forces of evil lines: 'I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings, I have no rival, no man can be my equal' and 'Fighting to survive in a war with the darkest powers' and 'I'm a man that will go far, find the moon and reach for the stars, with my sword and head held high'. The following line 'Gonna pass the test first time' reminds me of the challenges of the tournaments.
And perhaps the most literally fitting line: 'Watch this man fly!'
There is the generic, I’m a badass fantasy warrior of great power protecting against the forces of evil lines: 'I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings, I have no rival, no man can be my equal' and 'Fighting to survive in a war with the darkest powers' and 'I'm a man that will go far, find the moon and reach for the stars, with my sword and head held high'. The following line 'Gonna pass the test first time' reminds me of the challenges of the tournaments.
And perhaps the most literally fitting line: 'Watch this man fly!'
It may be the opening song from the 2024 Cbeebies pantomime, but it had to be included somehow because it’s technically James Mackenzie singing in character as Raven. Well, I guess it depends on whether you think ‘Snow Raven’ counts as Raven. In my eyes he’s definitely intended to be, which leads to some fascinating implications for the series canon, but I digress. The song is generic Scottish fantasy imagery so if you ignore its origin it doesn’t seem too out of place on this playlist.
‘There’s mist upon the glen, there’s snow upon the glade, where the tales are told, where the legends are made. I’ve travelled from the north, crossed mountains from the east, with my stories of old, that will never cease. Of wonder and dreams, of beauty and the beast.’
‘There’s mist upon the glen, there’s snow upon the glade, where the tales are told, where the legends are made. I’ve travelled from the north, crossed mountains from the east, with my stories of old, that will never cease. Of wonder and dreams, of beauty and the beast.’
Alys Hunter
"A fi? Wel, Alys dw i. O'n i'n gweithio yn un o labs Itopia."Played by Lara Catrin, Alys Hunter is the presenter-protagonist of 2018 Welsh-language gameshow Prosiect Z, and the deuteragonist of 2022-ongoing teen zombie drama Itopia.
In Prosiect Z, she was a scientist who used to work for Itopia. She helped develop the Z, a nanobug implant designed to make smartphones obsolete. But she was kidnapped by the company when she discovered that some of the Z's were giving strange test results. Project Z was too big to fail.
She managed to escape, but not before the Z glitched, turning everyone who had one into zombies and spreading through touch. She now travels Wales in a stolen Itopia van, rescuing survivors who have become trapped in the schools they took refuge in, seeking redemption for her role in the Z’s creation.
In Itopia, she still works for Itopia and still worked on the Z. But this time she has a younger sister, Lwsi, who sneakily gets a Z behind Alys and their dad’s backs. Meanwhile, Alys’ boss has disappeared, her tests are showing the Z splitting in two, and she and her tabloid journalist ex-boyfriend have discovered something strange in the Itopia biotech labs.
Someone has been hiding some very dangerous side effects, about to kick in with the Z’s next update. It’s up to Alys to save the world, but more importantly save her sister. And the two might be more connected then she could ever guess.
In Prosiect Z, she was a scientist who used to work for Itopia. She helped develop the Z, a nanobug implant designed to make smartphones obsolete. But she was kidnapped by the company when she discovered that some of the Z's were giving strange test results. Project Z was too big to fail.
She managed to escape, but not before the Z glitched, turning everyone who had one into zombies and spreading through touch. She now travels Wales in a stolen Itopia van, rescuing survivors who have become trapped in the schools they took refuge in, seeking redemption for her role in the Z’s creation.
In Itopia, she still works for Itopia and still worked on the Z. But this time she has a younger sister, Lwsi, who sneakily gets a Z behind Alys and their dad’s backs. Meanwhile, Alys’ boss has disappeared, her tests are showing the Z splitting in two, and she and her tabloid journalist ex-boyfriend have discovered something strange in the Itopia biotech labs.
Someone has been hiding some very dangerous side effects, about to kick in with the Z’s next update. It’s up to Alys to save the world, but more importantly save her sister. And the two might be more connected then she could ever guess.
Alys Hunter
"A fi? Wel, Alys dw i. O'n i'n gweithio yn un o labs Itopia."Originally, I liked Alys because I loved the Prosiect Z format and Alys was a cool woman in STEM and a badass apocalypse survivor. But Itopia is what really endeared me to her character.
I love how protective she is as an older sister, to the point it becomes a flaw she has to address. Alys and Lwsi's relationship is very realistic, and it reminds me of me and my sister. I love her tendency to take responsibility for everyone, and blame herself for anything that goes wrong, and how that ties to the level of parentification she experienced after her mam died. She is convinced the Z was her fault, even though her part in its creation was tiny, and she did everything she could to stop it when several people who could have stopped it chose not to.
She also makes bonds quickly and closely. Dr Ed Thomas takes her under his wing and trusts her look after Mari. She reaches out to a distressed Dr Megan Crane even when all evidence says she can’t be trusted. She barely knows Sara for a day and de-lone-wolf-s her almost completely. She even tries to give a second chance to Nina, for all good that does.
She’s always trying to help, trying to protect, and she’d do anything to save the people she loves. And because of that, they’d do anything to save her. Including sacrifice themselves. And Alys blames herself for it every single time.
Also Alys Hunter is canonically bisexual. Along with her ex-boyfriend Macs, in Itopia S3 she’s in a romantic relationship with Sara. The idea that a gameshow character, typically little more than a vessel for backstory, could be queer like me is something I longed for, but always thought unlikely. And the fact they just casually did it feels crazy and wonderful..
I love how protective she is as an older sister, to the point it becomes a flaw she has to address. Alys and Lwsi's relationship is very realistic, and it reminds me of me and my sister. I love her tendency to take responsibility for everyone, and blame herself for anything that goes wrong, and how that ties to the level of parentification she experienced after her mam died. She is convinced the Z was her fault, even though her part in its creation was tiny, and she did everything she could to stop it when several people who could have stopped it chose not to.
She also makes bonds quickly and closely. Dr Ed Thomas takes her under his wing and trusts her look after Mari. She reaches out to a distressed Dr Megan Crane even when all evidence says she can’t be trusted. She barely knows Sara for a day and de-lone-wolf-s her almost completely. She even tries to give a second chance to Nina, for all good that does.
She’s always trying to help, trying to protect, and she’d do anything to save the people she loves. And because of that, they’d do anything to save her. Including sacrifice themselves. And Alys blames herself for it every single time.
Also Alys Hunter is canonically bisexual. Along with her ex-boyfriend Macs, in Itopia S3 she’s in a romantic relationship with Sara. The idea that a gameshow character, typically little more than a vessel for backstory, could be queer like me is something I longed for, but always thought unlikely. And the fact they just casually did it feels crazy and wonderful..
Mila
"In your midst stands the master of this quest: a Dreamer, a prophet, the possessor of great abilities. Mila, you shall be the Oracle"Played by Emily Gateley, Mila is the closest thing the 2022 fantasy gameshow The Quest has to a presenter-protagonist.
Mila is a foot soldier in the Runeguard Army. She was the only member of her battalion to survive a battle against the dark sorceress Tavora, due to a dying King Magnus tasking her with delivering the Divine Crown to the heirs of Sanctum.
There, she was chosen by the Fates to be the Oracle – the leader of the Quest – and was given a magical orb with which to receive messages from the Fates. Because of this, she is the one who spends the most time with the Paladins, training them, guiding them to the challenges, defending them to the royals and encouraging them to persevere.
She’s fiercely loyal to her kingdom, and will do whatever it takes to protect Everealm and defeat Tavora once and for all.
Mila is a foot soldier in the Runeguard Army. She was the only member of her battalion to survive a battle against the dark sorceress Tavora, due to a dying King Magnus tasking her with delivering the Divine Crown to the heirs of Sanctum.
There, she was chosen by the Fates to be the Oracle – the leader of the Quest – and was given a magical orb with which to receive messages from the Fates. Because of this, she is the one who spends the most time with the Paladins, training them, guiding them to the challenges, defending them to the royals and encouraging them to persevere.
She’s fiercely loyal to her kingdom, and will do whatever it takes to protect Everealm and defeat Tavora once and for all.
A foot soldier in the Runeguard Army, Mila has the passion and skill of a warrior but the wisdom and moral fortitude of a mage. On the battlefield, she is confident and outspoken, but in social circles and around royalty, she holds back. When the Fates choose young Mila as the Oracle for The Quest, it proves to be the first step toward her unique destiny as a mighty warrior and a powerful mage."
- The Quest press release about Mila
Mila
"In your midst stands the master of this quest: a Dreamer, a prophet, the possessor of great abilities. Mila, you shall be the Oracle"I have deep fondness for The Quest. It’s literally my biggest wish-fulfilment fantasy, and Mila is very much a symbol of that. Because she’s kind of a wish-fulfilment fantasy herself.
Mila has so many aspects to her. She’s an accomplished swordswoman and a badass warrior, who understands that sometimes force is necessary. She also knows an atypical amount about Everealm’s history and mythology for her class demographic. And that’s not even considering her role as Oracle.
You see, Mila is described by the sorceress Tavora as being ‘incapable of true magic’. Despite this, the Fates themselves call her a 'Dreamer'. In the world of Everealm, the title Dreamer refers to someone favoured by the Fates, with the inherited ability to have visions of other realms and the responsibility to pass down prophecies. However, Mila herself had no idea the Fates would choose her, indicating she was unaware of her status as a Dreamer and does not Dream. So her true abilities remain mostly ambiguous, and the contradiction is fascinating.
I love the little things too. The way she struggles to navigate the social transition from lowly foot-solider to the Fate’s chosen one. The way she forces herself into the Oraan war room to deliver the Divine Crown. The way she literally pounces on King Silas when he’s brainwashed to free the heirs.
Not to mention the emotional maturity she shows when she turns down Prince Emmett. They’re both grieving – him for his father, her for her battalion and a man she looked up to – and they’re in the middle of a war. She understands that either of them are in the right place for a romance, and that what they both need most is a friend.
Mila has so many aspects to her. She’s an accomplished swordswoman and a badass warrior, who understands that sometimes force is necessary. She also knows an atypical amount about Everealm’s history and mythology for her class demographic. And that’s not even considering her role as Oracle.
You see, Mila is described by the sorceress Tavora as being ‘incapable of true magic’. Despite this, the Fates themselves call her a 'Dreamer'. In the world of Everealm, the title Dreamer refers to someone favoured by the Fates, with the inherited ability to have visions of other realms and the responsibility to pass down prophecies. However, Mila herself had no idea the Fates would choose her, indicating she was unaware of her status as a Dreamer and does not Dream. So her true abilities remain mostly ambiguous, and the contradiction is fascinating.
I love the little things too. The way she struggles to navigate the social transition from lowly foot-solider to the Fate’s chosen one. The way she forces herself into the Oraan war room to deliver the Divine Crown. The way she literally pounces on King Silas when he’s brainwashed to free the heirs.
Not to mention the emotional maturity she shows when she turns down Prince Emmett. They’re both grieving – him for his father, her for her battalion and a man she looked up to – and they’re in the middle of a war. She understands that either of them are in the right place for a romance, and that what they both need most is a friend.
A foot soldier in the Runeguard Army, Mila has the passion and skill of a warrior but the wisdom and moral fortitude of a mage. On the battlefield, she is confident and outspoken, but in social circles and around royalty, she holds back. When the Fates choose young Mila as the Oracle for The Quest, it proves to be the first step toward her unique destiny as a mighty warrior and a powerful mage."
- The Quest press release about Mila
Skye Zero
"I'm Skye. The Ykarius Biotech Station was my home, until everything changed..."Played by Zoe Barker, Skye Zero is the presenter-protagonist of the 2018-2019 sci-fi gameshow Last Commanders.
Skye is the daughter of genius scientists Drs Tech and Nioni Zero, and moved with them to the Station when she was very young. Shortly after, a plague known as the Sickness began killing most of the Kaladian population - including her elder sister Sciron. Her parents became obsessed with finding a cure, which ended up in the form of a medical A.I. which they named after their dead daughter. They then began to neglect Skye in favour of the A.I. Sciron.
When Skye was a teenager, her best (and only) friend Deslin disappeared. No one else seemed concerned, so she did her own investigating and discovered that Sciron was developing a virus to 'cure' Kaladians of emotions and turn them into obedient, emotionless husks, and Deslin was one of her first test subjects. Nobody would believe her, so she instead concealed her DNA sequence within the virus code, making her – and the 2% of Kaladians genetically similar to her – immune so they could fight back. However, she had to flee the station, and now leads the resistance from her ship, the Valkari.
Skye is the daughter of genius scientists Drs Tech and Nioni Zero, and moved with them to the Station when she was very young. Shortly after, a plague known as the Sickness began killing most of the Kaladian population - including her elder sister Sciron. Her parents became obsessed with finding a cure, which ended up in the form of a medical A.I. which they named after their dead daughter. They then began to neglect Skye in favour of the A.I. Sciron.
When Skye was a teenager, her best (and only) friend Deslin disappeared. No one else seemed concerned, so she did her own investigating and discovered that Sciron was developing a virus to 'cure' Kaladians of emotions and turn them into obedient, emotionless husks, and Deslin was one of her first test subjects. Nobody would believe her, so she instead concealed her DNA sequence within the virus code, making her – and the 2% of Kaladians genetically similar to her – immune so they could fight back. However, she had to flee the station, and now leads the resistance from her ship, the Valkari.
Skye has the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. She would love nothing more than to have been a normal teenager. But somehow it’s fallen to her to save the universe! A genius coder, Skye understands programming better than anything else."
- The CBBC website about Skye
Skye Zero
"I'm Skye. The Ykarius Biotech Station was my home, until everything changed..."A lot of the reason why I love Skye is due to her characterisation in the web missions, some of which are now defunct. They were full of really interesting lore about the characters, the Sickness and Kaladian society.
Firstly, Skye is full of angst potential. She is consistently described as a teenager, and at one point she mentions she should be in school. That is too young to be leading a resistance for the future of your entire species. Also, the lack of contact she has with her parents - to the point it takes her a long time to realise they’ve also been captured - screams of child neglect. I know Tech and Nioni lost their daughter, but Skye also lost her sister, and seemingly her parents too.
And yet Skye still cares so much about them. Finding them is her biggest motivation in the show, something she never manages to do. Seeing her worry about them on screen, while knowing how little they cared for her, is a lot.
She's also unintentionally autistic-coded. She struggles to read people intentions - whether they want to be her friend or just use her for her connections and hacking abilities - and so trusts no one. Kaladians as a species have stronger senses that humans, but Skye’s seem more intense than average, being the only one who winces in pain at the wails of the Osmose. (This is likely something that just slipped the other actors minds as their improv was more complex). She has a colour obsession with red. Even her catchphrase-riddled dialogue, designed to mimic that of a video game character, is reminiscent of social scripting.
Skye was also originally conceived as first a Han Solo-type man, then an Obi Wan-type man, then a genderless Ziggy Stardust-type person. Imagine the potential!
Firstly, Skye is full of angst potential. She is consistently described as a teenager, and at one point she mentions she should be in school. That is too young to be leading a resistance for the future of your entire species. Also, the lack of contact she has with her parents - to the point it takes her a long time to realise they’ve also been captured - screams of child neglect. I know Tech and Nioni lost their daughter, but Skye also lost her sister, and seemingly her parents too.
And yet Skye still cares so much about them. Finding them is her biggest motivation in the show, something she never manages to do. Seeing her worry about them on screen, while knowing how little they cared for her, is a lot.
She's also unintentionally autistic-coded. She struggles to read people intentions - whether they want to be her friend or just use her for her connections and hacking abilities - and so trusts no one. Kaladians as a species have stronger senses that humans, but Skye’s seem more intense than average, being the only one who winces in pain at the wails of the Osmose. (This is likely something that just slipped the other actors minds as their improv was more complex). She has a colour obsession with red. Even her catchphrase-riddled dialogue, designed to mimic that of a video game character, is reminiscent of social scripting.
Skye was also originally conceived as first a Han Solo-type man, then an Obi Wan-type man, then a genderless Ziggy Stardust-type person. Imagine the potential!
Skye has the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. She would love nothing more than to have been a normal teenager. But somehow it’s fallen to her to save the universe! A genius coder, Skye understands programming better than anything else."
- The CBBC website about Skye
Wiley Sneak
"If you want to take the tower on, you'll have to say his name: it's Wiley, Wiley, Wiley Sneak!"Played by Olly Pike, Wiley Sneak is the tutorial character for the 2007-2010 fantasy horror gameshow Trapped!.
A non-speaking Unfortunate who was trapped in the Tower over 100 years ago, he is used by the Voice - the sinister mistress of the Tower - to lure in more Unfortunates. He also serves as the tutorial for each challenge.
Despite being 128 years old (in Tower years) he still resembles and acts like a teenager he was when he was first trapped, and his clothing is a mix-match of time, a tailcoat over a zipped hoodie, bandana and trainers.
A non-speaking Unfortunate who was trapped in the Tower over 100 years ago, he is used by the Voice - the sinister mistress of the Tower - to lure in more Unfortunates. He also serves as the tutorial for each challenge.
Despite being 128 years old (in Tower years) he still resembles and acts like a teenager he was when he was first trapped, and his clothing is a mix-match of time, a tailcoat over a zipped hoodie, bandana and trainers.
Wiley Sneak
"If you want to take the tower on, you'll have to say his name: it's Wiley, Wiley, Wiley Sneak!"I am obsessed by the way he moves, the dynamicism in how he emotes and uses body language. The cartoonish hyper-expressiveness and agility he has is something I am very jealous of, and is something I tried to mimic a lot when I was younger.
Part of his appeal to me, is that he shares the same kind of archetype as Raven (of New) and Zayn/Zane from Project Z – the ‘elevated contestant’, someone who was supposedly in the same role as the contestants now playing a bigger part in the game, someone who reflects who the audience could grow to become. But he’s that archetype – gone wrong. He’s the bad ending. And I find the implications of that fascinating.
And there is so much we don’t know about him. So he was Unfortunate trapped in the tower - did he lose his game? If so, what made the Voice choose him in particular to be allowed to lure in and capture more Unfortunates? Did he prove his worth by winning his game? Then why is he working for the Voice now? Did he make a deal like the Caretaker, or is he being forced? Is he doing this of his own free will? So many questions, and his ever-shifting mood swings – anger, terror, playfulness, despair – make it hard to pin down how he feels. Essentially he has massive potential for angst. There’s lots to play with, and I like that.
Part of his appeal to me, is that he shares the same kind of archetype as Raven (of New) and Zayn/Zane from Project Z – the ‘elevated contestant’, someone who was supposedly in the same role as the contestants now playing a bigger part in the game, someone who reflects who the audience could grow to become. But he’s that archetype – gone wrong. He’s the bad ending. And I find the implications of that fascinating.
And there is so much we don’t know about him. So he was Unfortunate trapped in the tower - did he lose his game? If so, what made the Voice choose him in particular to be allowed to lure in and capture more Unfortunates? Did he prove his worth by winning his game? Then why is he working for the Voice now? Did he make a deal like the Caretaker, or is he being forced? Is he doing this of his own free will? So many questions, and his ever-shifting mood swings – anger, terror, playfulness, despair – make it hard to pin down how he feels. Essentially he has massive potential for angst. There’s lots to play with, and I like that.
Wiley Sneak
"If you want to take the tower on, you'll have to say his name: it's Wiley, Wiley, Wiley Sneak!"Not a Fairytale...
Justifications:
Click on a track to see my justification!
This song always reminds me of Wiley Sneak. 'Voice in my head will soon be fed, by the vultures that circle round the dead' describes his role as the one who lures in and captures the Unfortunates for the Voice to play with, and there are literally vultures circling the tower.
The chorus leads with 'In a crooked little town, they were lost and never found', which has a fairytale-esque cadence that fits the aesthetics of the show, while the Unfortunates that don’t manage to escape the tower would be considered lost and never found.
There are also lines that remind me of the sabotage and betrayal aspects of the show - 'I never once thought I’d ever be caught' and 'I left my best friends or did they just leave me'
The chorus leads with 'In a crooked little town, they were lost and never found', which has a fairytale-esque cadence that fits the aesthetics of the show, while the Unfortunates that don’t manage to escape the tower would be considered lost and never found.
There are also lines that remind me of the sabotage and betrayal aspects of the show - 'I never once thought I’d ever be caught' and 'I left my best friends or did they just leave me'
While I know this song is about lesbians, the repeated lines of 'All the things she said, running through my head' do remind me a lot of the Voice. The various lines about it driving the singer mad/making them lose their minds, definitely remind me of Wiley Sneak, the Caretaker and the other tower residents.
'Everyone’s a bad guy, and there’s no way, no way of knowing who’s the worst.' A song about relative morality is perfect for Trapped! with its constant and necessary betrayal and the need for each player to put their self first.
'Which wolf wins, I guess it really depends… which one’s appetite’s the biggest?' matches with the fairytale aesthetic, especially with the many (were)wolves that can found within the tower – The Whinging Werewolf, the Moonhowler and one beneath Scarlet’s bed in The Wolf and The Nut. It also can be linked back to the competition of the show, as there is one way out and there can only be one winner.
'The devil sitting on my shoulder' sort of describes the Voice, as She offers malicious guidance, whispering right in your ear.
The line that reminds me the most of Wiley Sneak is 'Turns out I’m living in a horror film, where I’m both the killer and the final girl' as Wiley is both a villain, the one who captures the Unfortunates, and a victim as an Unfortunate himself.
'Which wolf wins, I guess it really depends… which one’s appetite’s the biggest?' matches with the fairytale aesthetic, especially with the many (were)wolves that can found within the tower – The Whinging Werewolf, the Moonhowler and one beneath Scarlet’s bed in The Wolf and The Nut. It also can be linked back to the competition of the show, as there is one way out and there can only be one winner.
'The devil sitting on my shoulder' sort of describes the Voice, as She offers malicious guidance, whispering right in your ear.
The line that reminds me the most of Wiley Sneak is 'Turns out I’m living in a horror film, where I’m both the killer and the final girl' as Wiley is both a villain, the one who captures the Unfortunates, and a victim as an Unfortunate himself.
The vulture imagery is mainly what earned this song its place on the playlist, although the pre-chorus line of 'Got a guilty conscience' does fit with the betrayal and sabotage elements.
A sinister and haunting song that matches Trapped!'s more horror elements.
'Fall asleep into a nightmare, welcome to my sadistic funfair. Birds don't sing and no one comes here' - Trapped! often leans into a funfair aesthetic with challenges like Horror Heads and One Eyed Watcher, as well as having some very funfair-esque music. The birds thing works as another vulture reference.
'Sleep paralysis, no one's getting out of here. Is this reality? Living in a bad dream' - What's more Trapped! than the fact the Unfortunates literally can't leave?
'It's a game that we all know, hide and seek but no one shows. Catch my breath and count to ten, the same nightmare over again' - A game motif that works very well with a gameshow, with a childishness to it that matches its more fairytale elements.
'Fall asleep into a nightmare, welcome to my sadistic funfair. Birds don't sing and no one comes here' - Trapped! often leans into a funfair aesthetic with challenges like Horror Heads and One Eyed Watcher, as well as having some very funfair-esque music. The birds thing works as another vulture reference.
'Sleep paralysis, no one's getting out of here. Is this reality? Living in a bad dream' - What's more Trapped! than the fact the Unfortunates literally can't leave?
'It's a game that we all know, hide and seek but no one shows. Catch my breath and count to ten, the same nightmare over again' - A game motif that works very well with a gameshow, with a childishness to it that matches its more fairytale elements.
The general themes of the song (losing your mind, imprisonment, really creepy birds, etc.) all mesh really well with Trapped!. The verses already convey it well — 'When the panic sets in, was it too late? Will you go mad? How can I rattle your cage, boy!? How can I rattle your cage?' — but the creepy whispers in the chorus really sell the details.
'It's not just time, it's a countdown' works with the time pressure challenges, 'I alone hold the key' is the Key of Freedom, 'can't eat the food, it's tainted!' can be used for Poisoned Banquet, A Child for Tea, Poisoned Harvest - or any one of the countless challenges that involve poisoned or otherwise dangerous food. Then there's 'can't fool me (do you hear it?) can't fool me (listen closely)' for the social deception and the constant whispers of The Voice in your ear.
'It's not just time, it's a countdown' works with the time pressure challenges, 'I alone hold the key' is the Key of Freedom, 'can't eat the food, it's tainted!' can be used for Poisoned Banquet, A Child for Tea, Poisoned Harvest - or any one of the countless challenges that involve poisoned or otherwise dangerous food. Then there's 'can't fool me (do you hear it?) can't fool me (listen closely)' for the social deception and the constant whispers of The Voice in your ear.
This is very aesthetically Trapped!. A group of gremlins and ghouls gather together to go through a list of alphabetical names and describe how they died, in a very gruesome nursery rhyme. Even though the Unfortunates are trapped - not killed - it’s tonally fitting, and reminds me a lot of The Caretaker's recaps and challenge introductions.
Caleb Lansing-Gant
"I'm Caleb. Not entirely man, but human enough!"Played by Stuart Goldsmith, Caleb Lansing-Gant is the presenter-protagonist of 2010 sci-fi gameshow Mission: 2110.
5 years before the events of the show, a 17-year-old Caleb awoke from a cryogenic sleep – minus his memory and plus some mysterious cybernetic implants – to find himself the last human alive in the robot apocalypse.
With only the apparently benevolent A.I. Cybele for company, Caleb is intent on ridding the world of Roboidz and taking back Earth for humanity. To do so, he’ll need the help of Recruits from 100 years in the past. After all, he has no idea what his cybernetics do, or what will happen if he gets too close to the Roboidz.
But Caleb is no experiment gone wrong. Caleb is actually the son of the Roboidz creator Laura Gant and space-time scientist Simeon Lansing. He got sick from a mysterious virus that ravaged his body and was frozen to give his mother a better chance of finding a cure. His cybernetic implants are purely medical.
This is a secret being kept from him by Cybele, who is actually Laura’s uploaded consciousness left to look after him, in order to spare her own guilt. And that’s not the only thing she’s hiding from him. Because Neuros, the Roboidz’s sinister leader who’s been hunting Caleb down, was created from Laura’s brain. And if Caleb wants to destroy the Roboidz, he’ll have to destroy her too.
5 years before the events of the show, a 17-year-old Caleb awoke from a cryogenic sleep – minus his memory and plus some mysterious cybernetic implants – to find himself the last human alive in the robot apocalypse.
With only the apparently benevolent A.I. Cybele for company, Caleb is intent on ridding the world of Roboidz and taking back Earth for humanity. To do so, he’ll need the help of Recruits from 100 years in the past. After all, he has no idea what his cybernetics do, or what will happen if he gets too close to the Roboidz.
But Caleb is no experiment gone wrong. Caleb is actually the son of the Roboidz creator Laura Gant and space-time scientist Simeon Lansing. He got sick from a mysterious virus that ravaged his body and was frozen to give his mother a better chance of finding a cure. His cybernetic implants are purely medical.
This is a secret being kept from him by Cybele, who is actually Laura’s uploaded consciousness left to look after him, in order to spare her own guilt. And that’s not the only thing she’s hiding from him. Because Neuros, the Roboidz’s sinister leader who’s been hunting Caleb down, was created from Laura’s brain. And if Caleb wants to destroy the Roboidz, he’ll have to destroy her too.
"He's been trapped in Future Gate all alone for five years, with only Cybele for company, and is so excited to see other faces, even kids. He's like a big kid himself, always playing around and trying to keep himself amused, but he's also very vulnerable, and aware he has adult responsibilities."
- Stuart Goldsmith about Caleb
Caleb Lansing-Gant
"I'm Caleb. Not entirely man, but human enough!"A lot of what I love about Caleb is down to Stuart Goldsmith’s acting. He brings so much energy and charisma to the role, to the point it seems that some of the recruits are more interested in befriending Caleb than actually winning. But alongside to Caleb’s humour and silliness and circus skills is a lot of emotional turmoil. He agonises over his missing past, the nature of his cybernetics, the extent of his humanity, his guilt at using and losing the recruits. And that’s not even bringing his relationship with Laura Gant into it.
Caleb is constantly haunted by the influence of Laura - from the Roboid apocalypse she created and the fact he would have died to the virus without her sacrifice. Then there's Neuros, also Laura, who is hunting him down but is also the singular linchpin whose downfall can end the Roboidz reign. And of course his only confident Cybele, who cares for him deeply but manipulates and deceives him to put the interests of humanity (and her guilt) before his own identity.
Yet he has no idea what she means to him! He has to force the fact she's his mother from Cybele. And still he only learns the truth about Neuros seconds before he has to kill her, in an emotionally devastating ending. It's the duality of darkness and light, optimism and despair, childish innocence and the guilt of duty, curiosity and the consequences of Finding Out that really make Caleb so compelling.
Also he was originally called Leon! This lasted until well into the production process, including the contestant casting call.
Caleb is constantly haunted by the influence of Laura - from the Roboid apocalypse she created and the fact he would have died to the virus without her sacrifice. Then there's Neuros, also Laura, who is hunting him down but is also the singular linchpin whose downfall can end the Roboidz reign. And of course his only confident Cybele, who cares for him deeply but manipulates and deceives him to put the interests of humanity (and her guilt) before his own identity.
Yet he has no idea what she means to him! He has to force the fact she's his mother from Cybele. And still he only learns the truth about Neuros seconds before he has to kill her, in an emotionally devastating ending. It's the duality of darkness and light, optimism and despair, childish innocence and the guilt of duty, curiosity and the consequences of Finding Out that really make Caleb so compelling.
Also he was originally called Leon! This lasted until well into the production process, including the contestant casting call.
"He's been trapped in Future Gate all alone for five years, with only Cybele for company, and is so excited to see other faces, even kids. He's like a big kid himself, always playing around and trying to keep himself amused, but he's also very vulnerable, and aware he has adult responsibilities."
- Stuart Goldsmith about Caleb
Caleb Lansing-Gant
"I'm Caleb. Not entirely man, but human enough!"Mission On!
...
Justifications:
Click on a track to see my justification!
I like to start playlists with an atmospheric song, and Planet Earth does a really good job of setting the scene of an Earth devoid of humans after the Roboid invasion. Lines like ‘Is there anybody out their trying to get through?’ and ‘Can you hear me now?’ always remind me of Caleb’s series 1 opening broadcast, which is a common theme in this playlist.
This song was mainly chosen for aesthetic reasons. It’s a song about an apocalypse, and it has a very playful tone that I think matches Caleb’s energy. Also the line ‘a tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies’ makes a good gameshow allusion.
‘Is there anybody alive out there?’ This song reminds me so much of Caleb’s opening broadcasts. Especially with the other mechanical imagery such as drones and satellites.
This song was chosen to represent five years Caleb spent hiding from the Roboidz in their own headquarters, even as they actively hunted him down. It’s again very playful and cocky, and definitely mimics the way he likes to taunt the Roboidz. Also the song's spoken lines feel very Neuros, especially with the ‘Perhaps there's a part of me in all of you’. It reminds me of the part in series 2 where she tries to convince Caleb he’s just as inhuman as she is.
I really wanted a song to represent Caleb’s amnesia, as it’s a big part of his character. So I chose one by one of my favourite artists. Don't worry, it's justified! It talks about actively trying to get the memory back, which Caleb does. There’s medical imagery, and his amnesia was caused by his illness. And while 2012 isn’t quite 2110… It’s close enough, right?
This is my default gameshow song and therefore ends up on most of my gameshow playlists. To me, it’s a song about kids forced to save the world when the adults failed, a song about working as a team and never giving up. I couldn’t not include it.
‘They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever or light up a spark. We come together, state of the art. We’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark.’
‘They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever or light up a spark. We come together, state of the art. We’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark.’
This is another aesthetic one. There’s yet more radio imagery to match his broadcasts, and this song works well with Caleb’s self-given role of resistance leader. ‘For the life that's been deleted’ is a very robot-y line as well.
‘Is there anybody out there? Just like everybody out there. Just one somebody out there just like me?’ Another broadcast song. This one gets extra points because it’s partially sung to the narrator’s mother, and Caleb’s relationships with both Cybele and Neuros – the two halves of his mother - are very important to his character.
We’re moving on to cyborg angst songs now. ‘I'm half human and half machine’ is obviously Caleb, but the imagery of raw organs attached to machinery reminds me more of Neuros’ brain-in-a-biorod self. The songs also talks a lot about games, which works well for a gameshow. It also mentions players coming from miles away, and while it wasn’t exactly distance, the recruits certainly travelled a long way.
There are lots of little lyrics snippets that work well with Caleb here. ‘I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine’ is more cyborg angst. ‘Maybe it is all a test’ is very gameshow-y. ‘If you are not very careful, your possessions will possess you’ pretty much sums up the Roboid rebellion. There’s also a heavy theme of destiny and having to succeed because there’s no other option, which works well with Caleb being the last human. ‘I feel like I'm the worst so I always act like I'm the best’ can be used to represent how he always seems upbeat and confident, an unshakable leader, with the recruits while struggling with his identity, humanity and guilt in private.
I couldn’t have a playlist about a robot adjacent character without including a song from the singing musical automatons themselves. They obviously have quite a few songs about being a robot, but this one fit the best. ‘Mecto Amore’ is too happy. ‘Automaton Electronic Harmonics’ is too hopeful. ‘Brass Goggles’ is too specific to SPG. ‘Only Human’ feels more like a song for the Roboidz. ‘Electricity is in my Soul’ has the right level of angst, but the song is more about someone else not understanding their cybernetics rather than the self-loathing Caleb feels. So it had to be Wired Wrong.
The singer also notes that they aren’t actually wired wrong, they just feel that way, which works really well with Caleb because there isn’t actually anything sinister about his cybernetics. They’re literally just medical aids. The angst comes from the fact he doesn’t know that and jumped straight to the idea he was a rejected Roboid experiment.
Also Laura Gant is very 2000's neurodivergent coded (source: trust me) and Caleb himself is played by an ADHD actor, and this song is a mood.
The singer also notes that they aren’t actually wired wrong, they just feel that way, which works really well with Caleb because there isn’t actually anything sinister about his cybernetics. They’re literally just medical aids. The angst comes from the fact he doesn’t know that and jumped straight to the idea he was a rejected Roboid experiment.
Also Laura Gant is very 2000's neurodivergent coded (source: trust me) and Caleb himself is played by an ADHD actor, and this song is a mood.
I think this song really matches Caleb’s emotions at the end of series 2. There’s heavy apocalypse imagery. ‘My bitter heart is pumping oil into my veins’ reminds me of Caleb’s concern that he doesn’t "know what [he's] got inside [his] chest – a heart or a fuel pump". And ‘I’m nothing but a tin man, don’t feel any pain’ is pure cyborg angst.
Another song that links well to the heart-or-fuel-pump quote: 'A lost little boy who's lost his heart, fear's not enough they have to tеar him apart'. Especially as Stuart Goldsmith deliberately played into how child-like Caleb is. 'Follow the scent of iron sinking deeper into corpsеs rotting' is a remarkably fitting description of the Shades. The iron in the song refers to blood, but for Mission: 2110 this is often true for metal iron. Finally 'And the hound is humming you a lie, a lullaby' refers to Cybele, who constantly lies to Caleb for her own comfort.
This song for me perfectly sums up Caleb and Laura/Neuros/Cybele’s relationship. ‘I was soaring ever higher but I flew too high’ reflects Laura Gant’s hubris when it came to creating the Roboidz. ‘Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man’ works really well for Neuros as the brain in the jar who lost her humanity. ‘Masquerading as a man with a reason’ feeds into Caleb’s insecurities about being human enough. ‘If I claim to be a wise man, well, it surely means that I don't know’represents every time Cybele has poised herself as a guide for Caleb, yet claimed not to have information that she does in order to control him. Unrelated to Caleb and Cybele, Futuregate being a series of cargo ships fits well with ‘Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean’.
But most importantly, Cybele to Caleb: ‘Carry on, my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done’. Because she knows that only he can undo her mistakes to save the world.
But most importantly, Cybele to Caleb: ‘Carry on, my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done’. Because she knows that only he can undo her mistakes to save the world.
While I was creating this playlist, I came across a debate on whether a character playlist should be songs that remind the creator of a character or songs that the character would actually listen to. This playlist is firmly in former camp, but I did stop to think for a second about the music Caleb would listen to. And I’m sorry, but this was the first song that came to mind. I know it’s two minutes of just construction sounds, but he would listen to it, wouldn’t he. He canonically doesn't even know what music is! It’s perfect for him. I’m not wrong.
