Simmons (Red vs. Blue)
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| Simmons | |
|---|---|
| Voice actor(s) | Gustavo Sorola |
| First episode | 1 |
| Affiliation | Red Team |
| Armor color(s) | Maroon Blue with Maroon trim (episodes 64–73) |
| Full name | Private First Class Dick Simmons |
Private First Class Dick Simmons is a main fictional character in the machinima comic science fiction video series Red vs. Blue. He is voiced by Gustavo Sorola, co-creator of the series. Simmons is the second-in-command of the Red Team, a position strengthened by his sycophantic demeanour to his superior, Sarge. Along with Grif, Simmons is one of the first characters to ever appear in Red vs. Blue; the pair debuted at the start of episode 1.
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[edit] Character overview
Simmons acts as the straight man of the Red Team, usually acting rationally and thinking level-headedly. When one of the other members of the Red Team concocts an implausible theory or plan, Simmons denounces the suggestion and gives a more logical statement; after one such situation, Sarge and Grif comment that he has no imagination. Nonetheless, Simmons is often looked to to solve problems. Sarge once labelled him as the "unofficial science officer", which Simmons reasoned as meaning he was smart. Simmons is extremely devoted to this image, doing whatever possible to appear intelligent to his teammates. He once claimed he could multiply any two large numbers in his head, and when Grif attempted to test this theory, Simmons gave a false answer in a credible manner, which convinced his teammates. When Church told him the other Reds all laughed at him and claimed he wasn't as smart as he pretended to be (see below), Simmons was distraught.
However, when circumstances fail to work in his favor, Simmons tends to break down and behave irrationally. This is best evidenced in Season Four, when Simmons was demoted for claiming that Sheila, the Blue Team's tank, was still roaming Blood Gulch. His position was filled by Donut, who, in a radio conversation, unwittingly rubbed Simmons' nose in the fact that he, Donut, now had Simmons' job. In an abrupt fury, Simmons painted his armor mostly blue, attacked the Red Base with Sheila in tow, and captured Grif. Sarge and Donut's rescue attempt and execution of Simmons was interrupted by the timely arrival of Church, the Blue Team's self-appointed leader, who saved Simmons and sent the Reds back to their base. Church, pretending not to recognize Simmons, then gave him an orientation on the Red Team's members and gave a scathing opinion of Simmons. Simmons' reaction of running back to the base to cry shows he is also very self-conscious. Despite the attempt on his life, Simmons still remains loyal to Sarge and the Red Team. During the events of Sarge's "death", Simmons helps convince Sarge that he is truly dead, so that he could take command of Red Team. Later on a "rescue mission" to save Sarge, it is revealed that he has an extreme fear of snakes.
[edit] Role in the plot
Simmons is first introduced with Grif at the beginning of Episode One, being the first character to speak in the series proper. Throughout Season One and the first half of Season Two, he acts as a supporting character rather than a focal member of the plot. This changes in Episode 30, when Simmons is selected by Sarge to be turned into a cyborg so the Reds will have someone with mechanical abilities. Following the operation, Simmons is referred to as Simmons 2.0, although this eventually stopped occurring in Season Three. Simmons's left-over body parts are then used to save Grif's life, the latter having been run over by Sheila. Simmons expressed his displeasure at having his organs harvested by Grif after it became apparent that Grif was abusing them as he had done to his own by smoking, drinking and over-eating.
Simmons was instrumental in regrouping the Red/Blue Alliance in Season Three; after a malfunctioning teleporter separated the teams, Simmons, who had been transported to a facility filled with teleporters, managed to find Sarge and Caboose, the Blue Team rookie and transport them to his location, saving them from some bizarrely homicidal characters called the Grunts. After the Alliance had to use the teleporters again to get to Sidewinder, Simmons had to reprogram a teleporter in the facility while simultaneously directing Donut, still in Blood Gulch, to do the same. According to Rooster Teeth, there was supposed to be a trait involved with his cyborg status that allowed him to manipulate teleporters, seen in the above instances and also to transport the Grunts to Sidewinder; however, this trait was eventually left out for pacing reasons.[1]
After being blasted into the future and the Red Team's re-entry of Blood Gulch, Simmons is exiled from the Red Team by Sarge after claiming Sheila is still inhabiting the canyon (see above). This leads to Simmons' breakdown and subsequent spying on Church, who allows the ruse to continue so he can abuse Simmons and order him around. After Church accidentally makes contact with Vic Jr., a descendant of their contact, Vic, Simmons returns to the Red Team to give them the information he'd learned, changing back into his maroon armor. Before he is allowed to officially rejoin the team, Sarge and Grif hold a mock trial in which they force him to pay a fine for them to split, on the grounds of treason and insubordination. On a few occasions since then, Sarge refers to Simmons as a traitor. In season five, after burying Sarge, he realizes that there is a giant cavern under Blood Gulch. He and Grif jump down into the cavern, and Simmons uses his radio to contact Sarge. After reuniting, he helps advance a plan to take over the Blue base and discovers the computer equipment under the cavern is being used to monitor both teams. In episode 100, Simmons is briefly taken over by the sinister AI, O'Malley, but he is chased out after Simmons is beaten up by Tex. In the canon ending, after the (supposed) death of Tex, the soldiers return to their bases, and Simmons and Grif spy on the Blues in a manner almost identical to how the Blues spied on them in Season One, right down to the dialogue. Sarge then orders them to come and inspect the new vehicle he had built, which Simmons wants to name.
After the conclusion of the Blood Gulch Chronicles, Simmons is transferred out of Blood Gulch to another location, like much of the main cast. His current whereabouts are unknown.
[edit] Themes
[edit] Ethnicity
A recurring theme of Simmons's character is his ethnic background. Somehow, Grif comes to the conclusion that Simmons is "of a Latino persuasion", apparently because he thinks that Simmons is a Hispanic name. This exchange coincides with Lopez, the Red Team's robot, having gained the ability to speak, but only in Spanish owing to a damaged voice card; Grif believes that Simmons should know the language and thus should be able to translate. Simmons, however, maintains that his background is Dutch-Irish, but Grif does not believe him, and sometimes makes slurs on Simmons's ethnicity when Lopez is mentioned. Not mentioned throughout Season Three, the joke was revived in Episode 63, when Donut, acting as a telephone operator, gave instructions in Spanish, and then said "for unconfirmed Dutch-Irish, press one too, as in also". The whole issue is an in-joke based on the Mexican ethnicity of Simmons' voice actor, Gustavo Sorola.[2] However, in episode 99, Simmons calls the Wyoming clones "crackers" and "honky motherfuckers", prompting Grif to ask why Simmons is using such a slur if he's Dutch-Irish. Simmons simply replies "Fuck that shit! Shut up and drive, bitch!" and continues shooting.
[edit] Relationships with other characters
Simmons's main characterisation is brought out through his interaction with his teammates, particularly Sarge. A compulsive sycophant, he supports Sarge almost entirely whole-heartedly, despite the latter's psychopathic and frequently delusional leadership. Rooster Teeth notes that this was not an initial plan for Simmons; they never intended to have a character act as Sarge's right-hand man. But, because of the relationship shared between Sarge and Grif and the hatred that the former had for the latter, Simmons's relationship with Sarge was naturally formed.[3] Initially, he would only decry Sarge's plans if they involved dying for foolish reasons, and even then, he would do so in a subtle manner. He has referred to Sarge as his father figure, and claims he relies on Sarge for "love and support". As a result, Grif frequently calls Simmons a "kiss-ass". Sarge has, on occasion, acknowledged that all Simmons does is act slavishly to him, but does not mind. Simmons is only frowned upon by Sarge when he outright claims Sarge is wrong, as in the situation where Simmons insisted Sheila had driven past. Deprived of Sarge's support, Simmons slowly breaks down, and eventually mutinies (his character profile hints at this outcome).[4] Despite his overwhelming loyalty to Sarge, it is revealed in Season Five that Simmons has lofty ambitions as Sarge's replacement and was quick to bury and take over Sarge's position.
At the end of the series, Simmons is briefly infected by O'Malley, and reveals his dreams to become in charge of Red Team. During his temporary rise in ego as a result of the infection, the motive behind his entire personality and relationship with Sarge so far is shown to be trying to get "people [to] kiss my ass now."
Simmons outranks Grif and shares Sarge's dislike of him, and thus talks down to and openly expresses his displeasure of him, yet the pair have a love-hate relationship, and spend much of their time bickering and chatting with each other, with Simmons reacting to the various outrageous statements that Grif makes. When Simmons becomes an outcast for seeing Sheila, he takes it very hard. Grif tries to convince him to come back to the base, but he is reluctant at first because he believes Grif is merely telling him what he wants to hear. Grif acknowledges this and convinces Simmons that nothing has changed, leading Simmons to say "Ah, good ol' Grif."
[edit] Filming and voice acting
Because Simmons's maroon armour color is similar to the standard issue red that Sarge wears, the producers have used Simmons more flexibly than the other characters. While filming with the original Halo, characters of two different colors were unable to board the same vehicle at once. Taking advantage of this, the producers would sometimes film Simmons in red armour so he and Sarge could both sit in their car, the Warthog, as from a distance, the difference in color is difficult to distinguish.[2][5]
For some deleted scenes in season 2, as Simmons was getting prepared for his cyborg operation, the script required the character to be drunk; finding no alternative, Gus Sorola decided to get drunk himself.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Rooster Teeth Productions (2005). Audio commentary. In Red vs. Blue: Season Three [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.
- ^ a b Rooster Teeth Productions (2003). Audio commentary. In Red vs. Blue: Season One [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.
- ^ Rooster Teeth Productions (2006). Audio commentary. In Red vs. Blue: Season Four [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.
- ^ Rooster Teeth Productions (2006). Character profiles. In Red vs. Blue Season Four [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.
- ^ a b Rooster Teeth Productions (2004). Audio commentary. In Red vs. Blue Season Two [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.
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