Rooster Teeth's gen: Lock

I presume the nanotechnology is responsible for that. Can’t drop a nuke if nanotech clouds dismantle it while it’s in orbit.

Yes, but why can't the Union nuke the Polity if that's the case? They'd have a nuclear monopoly. Also, ICBMs aren't the only delivery system, there's also IRBMs that can be launched from a truck and SLBMs from a submarine, as well as bombs deployed from an airplane.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Jan 26th 2019 at 10:23:17 AM

The fact that he wasn’t in the opening made it clear he was either failing whatever test was planned, or he was dying.

He is in the opening, after the main pilot cast is shown off and the scary Union mech but before the characters Gray, Miles and Chad play. Which is weird if he's dead as of episode 2 and makes no further appearances.

I get a very Full Metal Panic feel from the super prototypes. They have a face that's reminiscent of the Arbalest and they can damn sure move like the Laevateinn. But otherwise, I'm like it a lot.

I have just realized that Julian inadvertently survived because of nanomachines, son!

It's possible the next story thread might be trying to find out what happened to the real Sinclair. To be honest, it kinda sounds like the most pertinent thing right now anyway.

"So, one of our once-in-a-million candidates has gone missing, a spy managed to figure out who they were, and they attempted to replace them." "Well, I guess that's it then." "Ye-WHAT, ARE YOU CRAZY?! GET ON THAT IMMEDIATELY!"

But they could go with something else, like maybe "Sinclair"'s death will start some anti-nanomachine workings plot. Or the next episode could just cool things over since the new recruits just arrived. Who knows.

Right, there has to be a leak somewhere so the Union knew Sinclair was tapped as a candidate for a secret weapon, but the part about gen:lock wasn't passed on so they had no idea it would kill their spy.

EDIT: Also I liked the reference to playing Rainbow Six Siege, someone did the math and if Ubisoft is still supporting it then they would be up to about 444 operators by 2068. I'm going to guess the team behind the show are big fans of the game.

Edited by Shaoken on Jan 27th 2019 at 8:20:30 PM

They are indeed. Miles has talked about playing Siege with a bunch of the other RT animation guys several times.

But yeah, the Union obviously knew at least about what gen:LOCK was, but not what it truly involved from a technical standpoint.

Edited by theLibrarian on Jan 27th 2019 at 12:48:44 PM

I really hope the next episode starts giving us some worldbuilding, like who are the factions beyond “good guy team” and “bad guy team”? I noticed during the attack on NY the family where the father pulled out his phone indicating they were working for the Union and thus were protected from the nanomachines; they way his wife looked at him when he did that seemed to suggest she didn’t know he was a spy.

Also thought for a second that show was about to do the ME 3 thing where the child gets on the last transport only for it to be shot down.

Was it confirmed if Chase’s family made it out or not?

Edited by TheAirman on Jan 27th 2019 at 2:51:42 PM

I don't believe his family has been mentioned since the time skip.

Miranda's being cross and trying to keep away from Julian because she just really doesn't want to have to tell him his family is supppppppeeeeeerrrrrrr ded

I saw and enjoyed the first two episodes and am awaiting to see more. Jordan seems a bit stiff in his voice acting but I assume he'll improve if/when they start giving Julian more emotional material. The mech designs are nice and the animation is well done.

Well now that the weekend hype has died down and the show has a mostly positive reception apparently, it’s time to ask some questions -

1. We will be getting some motivation about the Union and their goals by the end of the season, right? So far they’re a vague nebulous army that seems to originate in Europe or Asia. We don’t know anything about their political hierarchy or leadership, whether it’s totalitarians, a US take on the Zabis, or just a union of disgruntled gamers.

2. The American track record with mecha is...terrible. The only really commercially successful example from the West outside of Transformers was directed by a Mexican director. Everything else has flopped with merchandise, flopped in ratings, or just tried to forget they were about mecha. For better or for worse, gen:Lock is going to be viewed with a very cynical lens if only because it feels like every single mecha show the US makes has the same problem, the mecha become a storytelling obstacle rather than a tool.

3. How long is this supposed to run for? I know Rooster Teeth stuff generally doesn’t have a set timeframe, but a story like this usually runs for what, 52 episodes? So 4 seasons? Have they said either way?

4. Are we getting merchandise for this? You would think toy Holons are an easy item to want. Admittedly it might be a while before something as big as BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is justified.

5. This will be on something besides the Rooster Teeth website and VRV, right? RWBY seasons hit Crunchyroll after they finish and air on You Tube with a delay. Not getting to platforms like that would be dumb.

Edited by Beatman1 on Jan 28th 2019 at 10:32:32 AM

There is a DC Comics series in the work, so some merchandising at least.

America doesn't do well with mecha stuff because America doesn't make mecha stuff.

And considering how long RWBY's gone, this could go for a pretty long time.

Also, I imagine that the Union is from Asia or something around there, because the name is grandiose enough that it seems to be like nations that come from there. And the motivations of the Union are apparently just the general nebulous concept of "Order", because they see the wide variety of cultures and diversity as "chaos."

I'd rather they avoid playing into orientalist stereotypes.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Jan 28th 2019 at 5:32:52 AM

Funny, I originally had the impression that the Polity was meant to represent a united world government, with the Union not representing one nation (since the Holon pilots come from all over). That always seems a bit safer when you use a future version of the real world as a setting.

I'm quite happy we didn't have a Spock's Brain scenario, which I was dreading when I saw the blue line across his skull during the lecture reveal, which was then followed up by a joke about drinking with Chase's 'tank'.

It's too early for me say what I think of the show yet. I'm already liking the doctor and the Union defector. I like the dynamic between the doctor and Chase. I liked the way they introduced the consequences of not being compatible with Holon, and I did like the Smoke.

I also liked the way technology was introduced during the family scene at the start of the pilot episode, and I am interested in finding out what's up with Mum and Dri because Mum clearly knew what she was doing when she ordered Dri to come with her when the attack started.

I notice the Union's full name is Union of the Fourth. That is my hook to keep watching the show until I decide how much I like it — because I want to know what that name means — not only what is the Union, but what it's 'the Fourth' of.

I am really hoping 'the Fourth' is not a Reich reference cliché, but I am wondering if it's going to be some kind of twist on the US Independence Day.

Edited by Wyldchyld on Jan 28th 2019 at 10:43:24 AM

Some people speculate it’s a reference to the Strauss-Howe generational theory, which is about the progression and collapse of societies.

Yeah, a Brain in a Jar would be rather stupid. A purely digital mind OTOH...

As far as the Union goes, apparently the full on name is "The Great Union of the Fourth Turning Republics". That's not a reference to literal Nazis, but the fourth turning and Strauss–Howe generational theory is an idea that in the present is largely espoused by/associated with modern fascists and reactionaries, particular the former Trump Administration advisor Steven Bannon. OTOH, the extreme anti-individualism that's suggested by what we've seen of the Union is more associated with communism than fascism.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Jan 28th 2019 at 5:47:23 AM

Thanks for that. I haven't heard of that theory, so I'm going to read up on that.

There's apparently also a map of global union controlled territory, and all of it is either in modern superpowers (USA and China) or in low lying areas likely to be devastated by climate change. I've heard a theory that the union originated from people frustrated by democratic governments failure to act in the face of major crises who embraced a radically collectivist ideology, and probably use some sort of brainwashing technology to maintain control over their population and soldiers.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Jan 28th 2019 at 5:55:11 AM

Gotta say that I like Maisie's character, from what little I've seen of her, and she's doing great as a voice actor. Gonna need some subtitles for if she gets too Scottish, though.

And David Tennant. David Tennant David Tennant David Tennant. David.

Tennant.

I had some confusion with the family scene. Are they actually able to eat food through holograms?

No.