SilverHawks

In the year 2839, the notorious criminal Mon*Star escaped from Penal Planet 10 located in the Limbo Galaxy, one hundred light years from Earth. With him, he freed a mob of the most ruthless criminals in the galaxy to assist in his quest for galactic domination. He then set up a nearly indestructible fortress on the Brimstar planet as his base of operations.

Upon learning of Mon*Star’s escape, the law enforcement officer who put him away — a cybernetically enhanced human originally from Earth named Stargazer — transmitted back to Earth in a plea for help. Responding to the call, Earth authorities assembled a group of volunteers who they cybernetically enhanced with partial metal bodies. Given the name SilverHawks, the team’s enhancements allowed them to withstand the journey to the Limbo Galaxy, and outfitted them with weaponry — such as lasers and jet propulsion systems — to aid in their battle when they arrived.

Head of Federal Interplanetary Force H, Jonathan Quick, was promoted leader of the SilverHawks and given the name Quicksilver. Tough as nails twins Emily and Will Hart — designated Steelheart and Steelwill — were technicians and designers who could telepathically communicate with one another. Guitar picking ace pilot Bluegrass flew the team’s cutting edge spaceship, the Mirage. He was the only member not enhanced with the self-propulsion systems that allowed the other members to navigate through space without the assistance of a ship. He did, however, have a funky futuristic guitar on which he played sonic notes to physically wallop his foes. The final member of the team was a mathematical genius from the planet of the Mimes called the Copper Kidd. He spoke in a highly synthesized voice that made him difficult to understand.

In the Limbo galaxy, Stargazer directed the SilverHawks from the team’s orbiting headquarters, Hawk Haven — a giant structure in the shape of a hawk, built on an asteroid. He added to the team’s number by giving Quicksilver an enhanced, partially metal bird, called Tallyhawk, he used mainly for reconnaissance and surveillance. Quicksilver commanded Tallyhawk by means of a control panel he wore on his forearm. Additional members later joined the party: Hotwing preferred the mystic power of magic over muscle; Flashback traveled back in time in order to save the SilverHawks; and Moonstryker was an expert marksman. An alien space cabbie named Seymour was another character whose occupation led to his frequent, albeit unintentional, involvement in the SilverHawks’ affairs. Being a working stiff, he had to take whatever fares he could get.

Dealing with Mon*Star was no easy task, made worse by the rays of the Moonstar, which Mon*Star used to transform his shape and increase his power. The process also transformed a giant squid-like creature called Sky-Runner into a battle vehicle for the tyrant. Mon*Star’s group of miscreant misfits were never far from the action. Mo-Lec-U-Lar was a master of disguise who could assume any form. Melodia was the mistress of evil notes — her musical power had shattering consequences. Sentient robot Buzz-Saw came equipped with spinning circular saw blades he fired as deadly projectiles. Mumbo-Jumbo was the minotaur-esque strong man of the mob. Hardware (who looked like a prototypical Rankin/Bass rendered goblin) was Mon*Star’s weapons man. Windhammer used a giant tuning fork to create cosmic storms. The appropriately named Yessman was a sniveling sycophant who agreed to anything Mon*Star said and generally kissed his master’s backside. The ruthless robot Pokerface was in charge of all Mon*Star’s gambling operations, and the juvenile delinquent Timestopper could make time stand still for periods of one minute.

Each episode ended with a short segment in which Bluegrass quizzed the Copper Kidd with questions about the Solar System. Perhaps the segment was meant to offset the liberties taken by the production staff in ignoring the inhospitable (and therefore creatively stifling) properties of space in the series. Much of the action took place in the depths of space, and characters had no trouble living or speaking outside of the protective shelter of their space vehicles, many of which weren’t even enclosed. It’s possible that space in the Limbo Galaxy had some type of atmosphere, because a good many outposts were set on exposed asteroids as well. Regardless, the end segment provided some real knowledge that had a good chance of being remembered because it was delivered as part of an entertaining format.