Line #122 Characters/TheZetaProject


1	A list of ''Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse'' characters who first became prominent in ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject'', a spin-off of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''.
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3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	[[folder: Infiltration Unit Zeta]]
6	->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/GaryCole (''Batman Beyond'': "Zeta"), Creator/DiedrichBader (''The Zeta Project'' and onwards)
7	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' \| ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject''
8
9	-->''"''I'' decide who I want to be."''
10
11	The main protagonist. Zeta was designed by the government to be a spy and assassin robot, but developed a conscience after realizing his latest target was innocent. After going rogue, he becomes a fugitive hunted by the National Security Agency.
12	----
13	* ActualPacifist: Would only use force to save human life, and only when it was the only option available. He refused to use guns to any degree and though it's implied he was strong enough to kill people, he never did much more than knock them out, if that.
14	* AffectionateNickname: "Zee", by Ro.
15	* AIIsACrapshoot: Was programmed to be heartless, emotionless, and a hitman. He ends up becoming a sweet, gentle, loving soul who's a rare male version of FriendToAllLivingThings (although this is sort of the best possible scenario you can have when your A.I. goes awry). [[spoiler:Turns out his creator secretly gave him a MoralityChip in defiance of government orders.]]
16	* AllLovingHero: He was somehow able to defy his homicidal programming to become a peace-loving NiceGuy.
17	* AmnesiacDissonance: Zeta - Memories = Murderous Kill-Bot.
18	* BadassLongcoat: He wears a long purple coat when using his hologram powers to disguise himself as a human.
19	* BadassPacifist: Despite being designed and programmed to be an assassin-bot, he refuses to carry weapons, or ever attack or harm a human being. He faces down an impressive number of foes, including those more than willing to use deadly force on him, his ActionGirl companion, or bystanders, without ever once violating this (excluding the rare occasions where he is under the robot equivalent of MindControl). This is the result of his character development in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', where he started out willing to use force against his enemies.
20	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In his debut appearance, he was TheStoic, a DeadpanSnarker, and only concerned about others if they were his responsibility. In subsequent appearances, he is kind akin to an innocent child.
21	* ChildrenAreInnocent: Though adult in appearance, he hasn't lived long enough to get jokes, slang, or innuendo, and seems to take people at their word most of the time. He's also a terrible judge of character due to believing the best of people. When he's shape-shifted into child form, even the other kids find him ultra-naive.
22	* DeadpanSnarker: In his initial appearance in "Zeta".
23	-->'''Max:''' [[SarcasmMode Am I glad you're back]]. I couldn't live another second without your ''charming'' [[TheQuietOne repartee]].\
24	'''Zeta:''' [[NoSenseOfHumor I must remember to practice sarcasm.]]
25	* DeadPersonImpersonation: Was programmed to be this way, but his A.I. eventually evolved into an actual personality and he decided he no longer wanted to continue killing and imitating his victims.
26	* DoesNotLikeGuns: Or any kind of weapons or violence, really.
27	* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: In his original debut on ''Batman Beyond'', he had a horseshoe-shaped head as opposed to the more human-shaped one of his own show and subsuqent appearances on ''Beyond''.
28	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: He was also generally much more cynical and much less childlike in a way pure CharacterDevelopment doesn't ''quite'' explain, but [[BroadStrokes whatever]].
29	* FriendToAllLivingThings: Even cockroaches. Ro was squicked; squick is a human concept Zeta didn't comprehend.
30	* HeelFaceTurn: Designed by US government scientists to be a ruthless killing machine, until he gradually [[TookALevelInKindness develops a moral conscience]] and [[TheAtoner quits being their assassin]]. This was spurred by Zeta's realization that the latest target on his hit list was actually an innocent man.
31	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Trusts everyone inherently and believes everyone is good deep down. He also can't seem to gauge when people are lying to him, no matter how obvious it is.
32	* IAmNotAGun: Or in his words, he doesn't wish to destroy anymore. In addition, his statement that "''I'' decide who I want to be." could count as this.
33	* InnocentInnuendo: Anything that he says that sounds even remotely suggestive is this. He really, really doesn't get it. Special mention goes to kissing a complete stranger and not knowing why Ro was upset.
34	* {{Leitmotif}}: In ''Batman Beyond'', intimidating metal chimes play whenever he shows up or he's the center of a scene.
35	* LiteralMinded / SarcasmBlind: Much to [[DeadpanSnarker Ro]]'s frustration. [[SeriesContinuityError This is in spite of him understanding Max's sarcastic remarks to him back in Gotham, however]], though Max could've been the one time he understood it, since he did say he wanted to practice it.
36	* LoveRedeems: The creator has admitted it comes across as ambiguously pseudo-romantic, but it was intended as platonic. It's more his love for the child of the man he's impersonating than the wife that makes him begin to change anyway.
37	* NaiveEverygirl: A male version.
38	* NiceGuy: He's a very kind, strictly pacifistic AllLovingHero. Not bad for a machine designed to be a ruthless killer.
39	* NotHelpingYourCase: He's accused of being re-programmed by a terrorist, and no matter what he does the NSA always make it out to be a crime. During most of the series, he was pursuing his creator so he can convince them that he's good, but his actions are taken as an assassination attempt when he accidentally set off the cryogenic chamber, almost killing him. The poor guy just can't win.
40	* RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Played with. He's fairly stoic and has some trouble with understanding humans, but it's clear that he really does care for other living beings and tries to empathize with them.
41	* RuleOfPerception: Since ''The Zeta Project'' was made LighterAndSofter from ''Batman Beyond'' to appeal more to children, his head was changed to a humanoid version presumably because of this. This isn't explained in-universe, though it can be assumed that either it was {{retcon}}ned away or he got a hold of a new head after the events of "Zeta".
42	* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Literally has no reason whatsoever to be as moral and kind as he is other than free will. His morality and heroism are self-enforced standards and as such he cannot be bought off, bribed or threatened.
43	* ShoutOut: In "Zeta", one of the NSA agents calls him [[Film/TheWizardOfOz "Tin Man"]], which fits rather well for Zeta, considering his entire character arc started when he figuratively got a heart. And then he spends the entirety of ''The Zeta Project'' travelling the land with a lost girl despite the odds being stacked against them...
44	* TheStoic: When he originally appeared in ''Batman Beyond''. Downplayed in subsequent appearances in favor of ChildrenAreInnocent[=/=]InnocentInnuendo.
45	* TechnicalPacifist: Zeta strongly abhors the concept of killing anyone, as well as violence in general. Though of course, [[BewareTheNiceOnes when pushed into it]], he will do what it takes to defend himself and other people, while still trying to minimize any harm he causes.
46	* ThouShaltNotKill: "I was built as a weapon to destroy, but I will not destroy anymore."
47	* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: A peaceful example.
48	* WideEyedIdealist: Naive and kind, always taking people at their word, a terrible of judge of character who thinks the best of everyone and generally easily manipulated. It's due to being so young and having no knowledge of the world beforehand, and to be fair, his friends do try to help him get better about this.
49	* WhyAmITicking: In a crossover episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', Mad Stan puts a bomb on an oblivious Zeta and sets him loose in Gotham.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder: Rosalie "Ro" Rowan]]
53	->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JulieNathanson
54	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject'' \| ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''
55
56	The {{deuteragonist}}. She's a teenage runaway who escaped from the foster system and befriends Zeta, helping him evade the NSA at every turn.
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58	* ActionGirl[=/=]CuteBruiser: She's not really a fighter, but sometimes had her moments of bravery.
59	* AlliterativeName: Both her names start with R.
60	* CloserToEarth: Though the implication is more humans versus robots than women versus men.
61	* DeadpanSnarker: Constantly.
62	* ForgottenChildhoodFriend: [[spoiler:Her brother.]]
63	%%* HiddenDepths
64	* LimitedWardrobe: Ro is seen with the same pair of clothes for season 1. However, in season 2 she changed her clothes more often.
65	* NiceGirl: She's mostly this as she's very kindhearted, loving and curious.
66	* NotHelpingYourCase: She's a runaway minor who has a criminal record.
67	* ParentalAbandonment: Her search for her family is one of the main storylines.
68	* ProperlyParanoid: In contrast to Zeta's blind trust of everyone, she trusts no one until they prove themselves.
69	%%* {{Tomboy}}
70	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Chocolate and the disgusting mixed drink Zeta gives her early on become regular staples; the first is played for humor, the second is less often mentioned.
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder: Agent James Bennett]]
74	->'''Voiced by:''' Joe Spano (''Batman Beyond'': "Zeta"), Creator/KurtwoodSmith (''The Zeta Project'')
75	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' \| ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject''
76
77	An NSA officer who leads the manhunt against Zeta.
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79	* BystanderSyndrome: His response to Batman's plea for help.
80	%%* DeadpanSnarker
81	* DependingOnTheWriter: Sometimes he's willing to let a known terrorist (Mad Stan from WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond) run around without diverting his considerable resources to stopping him and saving lives simply because [[BystanderSyndrome it's not his problem]]. Other times he berates West for opening fire in a crowded place, seems genuinely concerned for those around him and goes out of his way to keep people safe. He also varies from being all business to somewhat friendly towards Lee.
82	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Sometimes. He seems to dislike firing in public or on civilians. This cannot be said of all Agents. See DependingOnTheWriter above for details.
83	* GenerationXerox: His son is a visually identical but highly different personality-wise. Refreshingly, this isn't an issue.
84	* InspectorJavert: Even though he begins to understand that Zeta isn't as dangerous as he seems. The back cover blurb on the DVD broaches the topic directly: "Just who is the real danger to humanity?"
85	* MoralityPet: His wife and son.
86	* NotHelpingYourCase: When he tries to convince his superiors in season 2 he hasn't [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope gone insane on this mission]], the fact one of his own Agents left the NSA over his behavior is pointed out. He counters he hasn't had a bad call on his record other than [[WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond Gotham]], which is not a good incident to bring up since he nearly got part of the city blown up during that incident. [[IdiotHero Agent West]] facepalms audibly in the background.
87	* PapaWolf: He loves his son. His son is why he takes work so seriously. Therefore his son comes before work and he will pull an EnemyMine to keep his son safe.
88	* ParentsAsPeople: He's an absentee parent, but only because his job's pay is directly in proportion to how many assignments he takes. He and his son have issues about this and resolve it as best they can. His SanitySlippage actually regresses when he's allowed some normal family time.
89	* PerpetualFrowner: The only time he smiles in the series is at his son.
90	* SanitySlippage: Over the course of the series, he begins becoming more confrontational, emotional and callous, leading to more questionable actions. Highlighted by the Mad Stan incident.
91	* TheStoic: He's a reserved man.
92	** NotSoStoic: He begins to grow increasingly frustrated as the series goes on.
93	* SurroundedByIdiots: How he views West and some of the NSA, though not Agents Lee or Rush.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder: Agent Orin West]]
97	->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/MichaelRosenbaum
98	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject'' \| ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''
99
100	A bumbling NSA agent who keeps accidentally hindering his team's efforts at catching Zeta.
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102	%%* ArtisticAge
103	* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: He and Agent Lee have this dynamic. "I have to go save my partner," "Don't touch her!" etc.
104	* BigEater: Other Agents are satisfied with designated meal times and servings. West is never capable of turning down food, even if he just ate.
105	* BerserkButton: Don't threaten Agent Lee.
106	* ButtMonkey: West regularly makes mistakes, to the point that Bennet actively asks where West is when computer glitches begin happening. At one point, the entire NSA team runs over him after he's squashed by a piece of rubble without moving to help him up.
107	* EmbarrassingFirstName: According to the credit, it's Orin. No one ever mentions this due to the Agents being on a LastNameBasis with each other
108	* FieryRedhead: Say what you will, he's a red-haired guy quick to leap into action. Not that he tends to do well.
109	* LetsGetDangerous: He ''can'' be serious and competent, in a pinch.
110	* TheLoad: Seen as this by his comrades.
111	* NotHelpingYourCase: When he's right about where Zeta is at one point, he points out the other times he found Zeta... which everyone knows were either accidents or Agent Lee doing the legwork.
112	* PluckyComicRelief: Many of the shows jokes tend to be at his expense.
113	* RecklessSidekick: To Lee and Bennett.
114	* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Most notably in "Westbound".
115	* SmallNameBigEgo: West is an overcopetnet bumbler.
116	[[/folder]]
117
118	[[folder: Agent Marcia Lee]]
119	->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/LaurenTom
120	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject'' \| ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''
121
122	West's more competent and level-headed female partner.
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124	* ActionGirl: In contrast to her wimpy partner, Lee was able to hold off a mercenary ''with her hands tied together''.
125	* AllAsiansKnowMartialArts: Averted. Her fighting style is identical to every other Agent we see in the series. Agent Rush actually has the most kungfu-esque moves out of all the Agents, and she's black.
126	* ArtisticAge
127	* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Platonic example with West. As much as she mocks him, she fights fiercely to rescue him twice in Season 1 alone.
128	-->'''Agent Lee''': I gotta go save my partner.
129	* TheCommissionerGordon: Developed into this after Zeta saved her life at great personal risk to himself. Unfortunately, she's not in as much power as most examples, so actually helping him out is hard.
130	* DarkActionGirl: Before her HeelFaceTurn
131	* DeadpanSnarker: Usually involving West.
132	* EqualOpportunityEvil: The she's Chinese, a woman, and ''not'' trained in a stereotypical branch of Hollywood kung fu. FlawlessToken may be at work as she's the OnlySaneMan.
133	* HeelFaceTurn: Gradually comes to realize Zeta isn't evil. This leads to [[spoiler:her turning Bennett in during the second season after his SanitySlippage becomes too extreme.]]
134	* LampshadeHanging: Frequently.
135	* LastNameBasis: It's apparently just Lee, even to her friends.
136	* NotHelpingYourCase: Goes back and forth: initially she gets this when trying to explain Zeta isn't evil, but she tries that exactly once and then turn to the much more provable and equally true objection to her superiors that Bennett is becoming unstable. When she feels it isn't taken seriously, she quits, an act extreme enough to prompt investigation into Bennett's behavior. But she can't get Zeta's case heard afterwards when she's viewed as a MoodSwinger who turned on her boss, and any response she has damages her case.
137	* OddFriendship: Goofy, cocky West and calm, snarky Lee.
138	* OnlySaneWoman: In the NSA.
139	%%* ReasonableAuthorityFigure
140	* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Which frequently brings her into conflict with Bennett. Eventually, [[spoiler:she seeks reassignment due to her belief that Zeta is not a threat to anyone.]]
141	* VagueAge: As per usual with the NSA Agents, we have no clue how old she is.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder: Bucky Buenaventura]]
145	->'''Voiced by:''' Ulysses Cuadra (Season 1), Blayn Barbosa (Season 2)
146	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject''
147
148	A teenage boy genius and inventor. Initially an evil little brat who tried to hack Zeta for revenge against a lab partner. Though he later becomes an ally of Zeta and Ro.
149	----
150	* AmbiguouslyBrown: His skin color is a bit hard to make out.
151	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: A rude and selfish boy who nonetheless softens up eventually.
152	%%* ManipulativeBastard
153	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Doesn't think of Zeta as a person at first.
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder: Dr. Eli Selig]]
157	->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/GeorgeSegal, later Hal Linden
158	->'''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject''
159
160	The elusive scientist who was in charge of the project that created Zeta and other Infiltration Units. Zeta is trying to find him in hopes of clearing his name.
161	----
162	* BunnyEarsLawyer: His former colleague Dr. Boyle claims that Selig "doesn't know what time it is" but the man is a pretty good inventor.
163	* CoolOldGuy: Selig is visibly aged man who is friendly to Zeta and Ro when he assumes they're merely workers and gave Zeta a conscience in the first place.
164	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Several of the other scientists on his team (who it's likely although not confirmed that he picked to work with) turn out to be willing to commit crimes to finance their research or be susceptible to being threatened by Brother's Day. Dr. Tannor, who Selig co-funded a scientific institute with, is a complete fraud. And he's willing to engage in casual conversation with two random workers who turn out to be infiltrators (although that might be justified if he somehow had a feeling of the innocence in Zeta and Ro).
165	* TheLeader: To the other Zeta project scientists (Marcus Edmund, Myrell, Nelson Arroyo, Thomas Boyle, and an unnamed woman seen only in a group photo). He did a lot of the initial design work and programing.
166	* LivingMacGuffin: Dr. Arroyo (correctly) tells Zeta that as his programmer, Selig is the one who could prove that he hasn't been corrupted by terrorists and Zeta spends most of the series trying to find him for this purpose.
167	* ReluctantMadScientist: Admits that he never had much stomach for making weapons. He made Zeta less dangerous than he could have, and while several of his colleagues quit work for the government once Zeta was done, Selig remained behind, but focused on creating a newer kind of synthoid, apparently with less destructive capabilities.
168	* UncertainDoom: His aircraft is shot down and crashes into the sea in the season 2 finale. He's presumed dead, but the synthoid bodyguard accompanying him was shown to have survived and might have been able to save Selig as well.

Context Characters / TheZetaProject