Storm Hawks
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| Storm Hawks | |
|---|---|
 A promotional image for Storm Hawks. |
|
| Genre | Animation / Action |
| Created by | Asaph Fipke |
| Voices of | Samuel Vincent Matt Hill Colin Murdock Chiara Zanni Scott McNeil Lenore Zann Cathy Weseluck Nicole Oliver |
| Country of origin |  Canada United States |
| No. of episodes | 26 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Asaph Fipke Ken Faier |
| Producer(s) | Nerd Corps Entertainment |
| Running time | 22 minutes approx. |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Cartoon Network, YTV |
| Original run | May 25, 2007 – Present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Storm Hawks is an animated television series created by Asaph "Ace" Fipke and made by Nerd Corps Entertainment in conjunction with Cartoon Network and YTV. It premiered on Cartoon Network on May 25, 2007. It started to air on YTV in September 2007. It started to air on Cartoon Network in the UK in 6 August 2007. In Poland it started to air on Cartoon Network on 10 November 2007. Internationally, it first aired on ABC1 in Australia on 26 February 2008 and on Hero in the Philippines on March 12, 2008.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Storm Hawks is set in a fictional world called Atmos, a largely mountainous world consisting of scattered masses known as terras. Because of the geography, travel is largely dependent on flight. The technology of Atmos is based around energy-generating crystals, used to power the various devices in the series. Patrolling the skies of Atmos are the Sky Knights, groups of warriors who pilot motorcycle-like vehicles that can semi-transform into flying machines. These warriors are loosely managed by the Sky Council.
In the backstory of the series, an evil overlord named Master Cyclonis threatened Atmos. The original Storm Hawks led the Sky Knights in a war against them, but were betrayed by one of their own, the Dark Ace. Despite this, the attack was apparently successful, though the Storm Hawks did not survive. Years later, the main characters of the series stumble upon the wreckage of the Storm Hawks' carrier, the Condor, and unofficially take on the Storm Hawks name in the hopes of becoming Sky Knights themselves, despite not being old enough to even legally fly the vehicle.[1] Their youth defeats their ambition, however, as neither friend nor foe take them seriously because of it.
This changes when they are brought into conflict with a new Master Cyclonis, one no older than they are but still just as dangerous. Among her followers are the Dark Ace, now famous for his betrayal and unmatched skill; Snipe, a mace-wielding strong man with a fondness for smashing things; and Snipe's sister Ravess, an archer who brings a violin-playing henchman into battle for theme music. By managing to foil Cyclonis' plan, they are recognized by their peers.
The latter story focuses on the Storm Hawks' continuing mission to protect Atmos from the Cyclonian threat, but in turn put themselves in extreme danger by doing so.
[edit] Characters
The Storm Hawks squadron consists of six members:
- Aerrow — The daring leader and Sky Knight of the squadron, Aerrow is a mature, good-natured 14 year old with a tousled mop of bright red hair and green eyes. Despite his youth, he's one of the most talented Sky Knights in the Atmos.
- Radarr — Aerrow's close friend and co-pilot, Radarr is a vaguely rabbit/lemur-like creature of indeterminate origin who hates being called a "pet." Radarr has scruffy blue fur and yellow eyes.
- Finn — A wiry, wise-cracking doofus, Finn is a sharpshooter, and he and Junko are always getting into trouble together, becoming the comic relief pair of the show. With spiky blond hair and blue eyes, Finn seems perpetually on a sugar rush, though he always tries to act cool. His personality takes from both a stereotypical surfer and skater.
- Junko — A tough burly character who has a big heart, Junko is the muscle of the group, in charge of "flight engineering and heavy ballistics." He is of a race of warriors called Wallops. He has a horn on his nose a slope of dark grey hair and grey eyes.
- Piper — In charge of tactics, navigation, and crystals, Piper also has excellent combat abilities, and knows nearly everything about Atmos, other Sky Knights, and the inhabitants of Atmos. She has spiky midnight blue hair and orange eyes
- Stork — The carrier pilot and gadget specialist with crippling (though often warranted) paranoia and severe pessimism, Stork is a slim, green-skinned member of a species called "Merbs." Though he appears menacing at first, he is quickly revealed to be easily frightened and meek, though he consistently performs his expected duties. He has stated that he is only a member of the Storm Hawks until "something better comes along," but is loyal regardless. He has jet black hair and yellow eyes with dots for pupils.
[edit] Locations
Scattered about the world of Atmos are terras, the few spots of land available.
[edit] Crystals
For just about every mechanical device in the Storm Hawks universe, a crystal of one type or another is required to power it. Where weapons are concerned, crystals come in a wide variety of forms, each providing different effects. All crystals begin as raw stone, but are refined into usable forms.[2]
- Aurora Stone — A crystal capable of generating power far beyond that of any other, this stone is stolen in the first episode to power Master Cyclonis' Storm Engine and destroyed in the same episode.
- Blazer Crystals — Gives weapons fire properties.
- Blizzard Crystals — When used with weapons, creates streams of ice which the user can control.
- Blocking Crystals — Temporarily suspends the effects of other crystals.
- Chroma Crystals — Can change hair and clothes until contact is lost.
- Cloaking Crystals — Causes invisibility or disguises as long as crystal is intact.
- Cloning Crystal — A rare artifact that creates clones of its holder when exposed to sunlight. The clones produced by this crystal are linked, and feel one another's pain simultaneously. With each use the crystal deteriorates, until it eventually shatters. Its clones are erased by exposure to energy from Lunar Crystals, as moonlight is on the opposite frequency of sunlight.
- Cooking Crystals — Used for food cooking or as a makeshift explosive in large quantities.
- Drizzle Crystals — Create clouds in open air or gallons of water in confined spaces.
- Engine Crystals — Generic crystals used to power carriers and skimmers.
- Energizer Crystals — Increases the power of any crystal it touches.
- Enhancer Crystals — Special stones designed by Master Cyclonis to enhance the user's abilities and weapons by a factor of a hundred.
- Eruption Crystals — Causes objects to explode.
- Fathom Crystal - Highly powerful crystal used by captain Scabulous to power his twin cutlases
- Firebolt Crystals — Firebolt crystals are the Cyclonian equivalent to striker crystals, mass-produced by the empire for use in Cyclonian weapons. Their effectiveness varies based on how well-refined they are, the higher-grade versions being capable of forming destructive thunderclouds from the energy release.
- Floater Crystals — Causes objects to hover.
- Frost Crystals — Called 'Icers', these allow weapons to fire freezing energy blasts.
- Furnace Crystals — Low heat generation; comparable to campfires.
- Fuel Crystals — Low grade, moderately volatile crystals used to power smaller vehicles.
- Geyser Crystals — On impact, large eruptions of water.
- Hanzo Crystals - one of several basic weapons crystal, used in Starling's nunchucks
- Helix Stone - Seen in the episode Siren's Song, as part of an illusion created for Piper by the Siren. The actual existence of such a crystal remains to be seen. Its shape is similar to an Infinity Crystal, though colored differently.
- Hypnosis Crystals — Sleep inducers.
- Infinity Stone — Seen in the episode Siren's Song, as part of an illusion created for Piper by the Siren. According to Piper, only one such stone has ever been found.
- Leech Crystals — Leech crystals (or "leechers") drain energy from other crystals, exploding after draining a certain amount.
- Levitation Crystals — Like floaters, though more powerful and easier to use.
- Lunar Crystals — Counterpart to Solaris crystals; store moonlight.
- Messenger Crystals — Stores and replays messages.
- Nimbus Crystals — Weapon crystal, level 9 nimbus crystals power Junco's knuckle busters.
- Nitro Crystals — Increase a vehicle's speed ten-fold for a few seconds. Only good once.
- Oblivion Crystals — Sends target to another dimension. For some reason, they don't work if the target is or was once close to the user, namely if the two were once friends. Master Cyclonis attempts to use an Oblivion Crystal on Piper in one episode, but is foiled by their former friendship, causing a fight.
- Oracle Stone — The Oracle Stone, possessed by its namesake spirit, shows the user the future. Aerrow frees the Oracle to avert an unpleasant future, thereby rendering the stone useless.
- Paralyzer Stones — Stuns target.
- Phoenix Crystals — Intense fire generation. They also attract the large, fast phoenix itself, which guards the crystals jealously.
- Raw Crystals — Unrefined crystals in their natural state after being mined.
- Rainbow Smoke Crystals — Multi-colored smoke effect, usually for entertainment.
- Scalus Crystal - Medium-grade weapons crystal, favorite of the raptors.
- Shield Crystals — Creates energy shields of varying intensity and color for use on carrier ships.
- Slime Crystals — Goo producers, disastrous when combined with an eruption stone
- Solaris Crystals — Sunlight to power.
- Striker Crystals — Striker crystals are the basic weapons crystals, seen in many colors.
- Swarm Crystals — Converts objects into angry insects.
- Timepulse — Located at the heart of the complicated clockworks in the massive Timepulse Tower on Terra Glockenchime, the Timepulse crystal emits a steady pulse which airships rely on for navigation.
- Velocity Crystals — Vehicle speed increase.
- Weather Crystals — Weather crystals are elemental weapons crystals, giving appropriate properties based on the type.
- Windstone Crystals — Wind generation; combined with weaponry they can create tornadoes.
[edit] MMORPG Game
According to the official Storm Hawks website, a MMORPG is being developed by Bitcasters utilizing BigWorld Technology, a middleware game engine.
[edit] References
- ^ Ryan Ball (July 2007). "Riders on the Storm". Animation Magazine.
- ^ Crystals page at stormhawks.com
[edit] External links
