Virtual Dark Fortress
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The Virtual Dark Fortress was the secondary base of Grimlord , the main villain of Saban's VR Troopers, created with the activation of an energy prism containing a download of Tyler Steele 's knowledge of Virtual Reality. The Fortress takes the form of an orbiting station, the exterior of which is borrowed from Space Sheriff Shaider of Japan, from which all Japanese footage for VR Troopers is taken. The interior however, is distinctly American, right down to using actors for this footage this time instead of dubbing Japanese footage of the various mutants that inhabited its' predecessor, the Virtual Dungeon. Grimlord has fierce new soldiers awaiting his command.
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[edit] Access
After Karl Ziktor turns into Grimlord, he teleports to the Virtual Dark Fortress where his servants say "Hail Grimlord! Lord and Ruler of all Reality."
[edit] Occupants
General Ivar and Col. Icebot still remain affiliated with Grimlord and communicate with him through a holographic video screen much like they did in the Virtual Dungeon since they're not inhabitants of the Virtual Dark Fortress. The Virtual Dark Fortress inhabitants and newest henchmen to Grimlord are:
[edit] Despera
- Played/Voiced by Kristin Norton
An advisor and strategist to Grimlord. She is extremely beautiful, attired in elegant white robes, and a horned, immensely large oval shaped headdress. She is quick to temper and is an immensely powerful warrioress. She is the sister of the once-used Desponda. Ryan once clashed with Despera, who battled him through various dimensions. In our dimension, Despera could float and blast lasers/purple electricity from the sphere on her staff. In another dimension, Despera seemed to turn invisible and attacked by throwing her staff around like a spear. Ryan also encountered another dimension, while involved in a battle with her, that was like a giant, slowly revolving crystal ball. Ryan escaped this dimension by blasting the crystal ball walls a few times with his laser pistol. Ryan defeated Despera in battle, by tricking her into zapping a trap wall in the temple containing Grimlord's secret identity. She was struck in the shoulder by an arrow, and after removing the arrow, promptly retreated in an angry fashion. Destroyed at the end of the series when the Troopers make the Fortress self-destruct.
[edit] Doom Master
- Played/Voiced by T.J. Storm
A field operative who resembles a British soldier. Doom Master commands the Vixens and often the Ultra-Skugs personally when the battles require his attention. He is a proud, yet easily irritated warrior who often gets into arguments with the more rational Despera, who is quick to temper when he provokes her. He is also a rival of the mutant known as Arachnobot, whom he destroyed before Arachnobot could destroy Ryan Steele, since he didn't want to be outdone (and replaced) by the mutant. Destroyed at the end of the series when the Troopers make the Fortress self-destruct.
[edit] The Vixens
- Played/Voiced by Corinne Chooey (Black Vixen), Mariah Shirley (Purple Vixen), Amy Tan (Pink Vixen)
A team of breath-taking and deadly beauties trained in the most vicious and dangerous arts of combat. They are commanded by Doom Master. Destroyed at the end of the series when the Troopers make the Fortress self-destruct.
[edit] Oraclon
An oracle of data and information. Oraclon gives Grimlord more information on aspects of the Virtual Realm even he has no prior experience with in any way. Oraclon can create monsters for Grimlord to use against the Troopers. He can also be a devastating warrior in his own right. In the episode "Into Oraclon's Web", Oraclon left the Fortress and took on Ryan Steele himself. He is little more than a giant circular head installed in the walls of the Fortress. In battle, he sprouts tentacles, and even a tiny body with legs, to give him mobility. Ryan was able to blast and destroy his tentacled body, thus Oraclon resulted in battling and moving around by floating. Ryan discovered Oraclon's only weakness was the area of space between his three eyes. Using his "Laser Saber" command, Ryan plunged it into that weak spot (his third eye) which destroyed him. Oraclon is the only member of the Fortress crew to have been killed in battle, before the finale. Although a line dropped by Grimlord at the end of that particular episode demands that he'd be rebuilt immediately...which he is. Destroyed again at the end of the series when the Troopers make the Fortress self-destruct.
[edit] Knighttime
- Played by Paul Brewster, Voiced by Wendee Lee
An old friend of Grimlord's. Knighttime is an androgynous humanoid with long robes that had the ability to control dreams, much like the Dream Master and speaks telepathically. Knighttime once battled JB in Crossworld City and was revealed to be able to shoot glowing, laser-like projectiles from his mouth. Knighttime put the Troopers into a deep sleep where they dreamt about an apocolyptic version of Cross World City, under Grimlord's totalitarian rule. JB and Kaitlin fought old foes Shoulderbot and Laserbot while Ryan fought a monster that appeared as a giant pair of boot-covered feet. To wake up, the Troopers had to regain control of their dreams and defeat Knighttime. Knighttime appeared once again and sent the Troopers back in time via a time machine. Knighttime was called upon again, this time as temporary leader of Grimlord's army while Ziktor had plans in our reality. Even later, Knighttime was eventually destroyed by Fanbot after betraying Grimlord by both freezing time with his time machine (against Grimlord's permission), and building the scrap-piled robot Conatron to attack General Ivar, the Skugs, and eventually Grimlord.
NOTE: While Knighttime looked and clearly sounded female, it was said on the show that Knighttime was a male. In the Japanese counterpart series, Knighttime was also an androgynous effeminant male.
[edit] Desponda
- Played by Machiko Soga (Japan), Voiced by Andrea Harmon.
Despera's sister. A powerful warrioress that Grimlord hired once to destroy the Troopers and control his Air Castle. She succeeded in capturing Kaitlin and JB aboard the Air Castle and seemed to have several forms. JB managed to destroy her with his Laser Lance as well as permanently destroy Grimlord's Air Castle. After Kaitlin and JB escaped the ship and ruining Despera's evil plan, Grimlord vowed never to use another of his allies' relatives to help him again.
[edit] Ultra Skugs
An "upgraded" form of Skug. They begin as regular Skugs in traditional Trooper battles, but can transform to this form of drastically different warriors by posing towards one another in a fighting stance. They are significantly more difficult in this form, however they could still be eliminated the same way as the regular Skugs (that is, by knocking them against one another). Destroyed at the end of the series when the Troopers make the Fortress self-destruct.
[edit] Grimstars
The Grimstars are flying battleships that are designed to look like miniature versions of the Virtual Dark Fortress. The Grimstars are equipped with wheels and also seem to resemble mini-carriages. The Grimstars are often accompanied by a giant rolling robot with a spiked head and a frowning faceplate, called Gargantus. Gargantus was first seen in an image that Grimlord shows to Tyler Steele before he upgrades to the Virtual Dark Fortress.
[edit] Other Mutants and Cyborgs
[edit] Trivia
- To maintain a link to Grimlord, an American costume was created for the character and he could now move freely around the Virtual Dark Fortress as opposed to just sitting on a throne giving orders as depicted through the Japanese footage.
- The character Desponda was actually the main villain of Spielban, the source footage of JB and Kaitlin's suits (in which they were originally known as Spielban and Lady Helen, respectively). She was known as Queen Pandora. Ironically, she was played by the late Machiko Soga, who would play the role of Witch Bandora in Kyouryuu Sentai ZyuRanger six years later (which was later adapted into Rita Repulsa for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers).
- In the Japanese equivalent of this show Shaider, Oraclon's Japanese equivalent is the main villain on the ship called Great Emperor Kubilai. Kubilai's separate body was adapted for Hydrabot. Also, Despera's Japanese equivalent is male and second-in-command on the ship. Doom Master and Arachnobot are not just rivals in the Japanese version, but bickering brothers as well.
