Jonathan Wolfe (Robotech)

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Colonel Jonathan Wolff is a fictional character in the Robotech Universe. He had a memorable one time appearance as a guest character in the 1985 series during the New Generation segment episode Eulogy. He would have returned as a regular character in the aborted prequel series Robotech II: The Sentinels which was later realized as a comic book series and a series of novels by Jack McKinney. In his animated appearances, including the produced Sentinels animation, Colonel Wolff was voiced by Tom Wyner.

Jonathan Wolff was a handsome, dashing, heroic figure during his youth. He became a close ally and friend of Max Sterling and Rick Hunter during the reconstruction period and Malcontent Uprisings which followed the end of the First Robotech War. Originally a major, Wolff was commander one of the original veritech hovertank companies, his team was dubbed the Wolffpack. During the Malcontent Uprising period, Wolff separated from his wife Catherine who did not understand his dedication to his duty. Catherine took their son, Johnny, with her.

Wolff joined Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes, the Sterlings, Dr. Emil Lang, and General T.R. Edwards in the Robotech Expeditionary Force whose mission was to seek out the homeworld of the Robotech Masters and establish peaceful relations. Colonel Wolff brought along his Wolfpack hovertank company which would engage in numerous ground missions on various planets. Wolff, like many of the REF, would join the ranks of the alien Sentinels in their quest to liberate various planets from Invid domination.

Colonel Wolff became infatuated with Lynn Minmei whom he rescued after her attempt to stowaway aboard the SDF-3. Later, Minmei was drugged and brainwashed by T.R. Edwards in an attempt to discredit Wolff and confess her love for Edwards whom in reality, she hated. Wolff, heartbroken, eventually chose to separate himself from the war. Some accounts state that he volunteered to return to Earth in order to gauge their readiness against the Invid. Eventually, Colonel Wolff did return to Earth to begin fighting the Invid there.

[edit] Fallen Hero

Scott Bernard's band of freedom fighters eventually encounters an older, somber Colonel Wolff in a town that seems overly cheerful. Scott is initially enthusiastic as he remembers Colonel Wolff from the REF. The town regards Colonel Wolff as their hero, and that he protects the town from the Invid. Wolff, at this time, is visibly an alcoholic and displays none of the "ladies man" attributes for which he was legendary. Wolff recruits Scott for what seems to be a reconnaissance mission when the truth is revealed to Rand, one of Scotts friends. Rand accidentally sees Wolff being handed protoculture canisters by an Invid enforcer in what is obviously a secret deal. Rand eventually learns that the deal was for Wolff to use his reputation to attract soldiers from out of town and recruit these men for guerilla action against the Invid. The men were to be killed by the Invid who would let Wolff go, and allow him to return to town with the illusion that he singlehandedly saved the town from Invid. the Invid would continue to supply him with protoculture so that he could maintain the charade. All of this was to ensure the survival of Catherine and Johnny, who at this time were in an Invid slave camp. Scott survives the deception but initially disbelieves Rand until Wolff confesses. Regretful, Wolff decides to pilot a veritech in a genuine attempt to destroy the Invid who have been extorting this town, even though he knows that it will probably mean the destruction of the town and the death of his loved ones. Wolff is mortally wounded and dies in Scott's arms.

[edit] Notes

In the Robotech episode Eulogy, Scott recalls that he was a member of Wolff's Wolfpack. The timeline for the Sentinel's series suggests that Scott would have been too young to be an active soldier during the time of Wolff's missions.

The backstory given in the Malcontent Uprisings comics suggests that while Wolff had a long history of womanizing, he was faithful to his wife. She left him because she felt his dedication to the service was greater than his dedication to his family.It is possible that Wolff gained his womanizing reputation only after his separation.

In the Jack McKinney novel, Before the Invid Storm, Colonel Wolff arrived on Earth shortly after the end of the Second Robotech War. Dana Sterling and other former members of the 15th Tactical Armored Corps acquire Wolff's spaceship and use it to rendezvous with the Robotech Expeditionary Force.

In the Robotech: Love & War comics, Colonel Wolff seems to be part of the REF's effort to relieve the Army of the Southern Cross as the Invid arrive on Earth. He wishes Dana and the 15th Tactical Armored Corps, along with the fleet joining them, Godspeed in their rendezvous with the REF and return to Earth. Wolff is also prominent in the story of Max, rescuing Max during the original Zentraedi attack on Macross Island, as well as training Max when he joins the RDF.