Everyone's Favourite Centurion

Jake Rockwell.

Land Specialist.

OK, so this guy is suppose to be a specialist on the land? Sounds like a farmer or some geologist, doesn't it? I suppose that this follows from "Air Specialist" for Ace and "Sea Specialist" for Max, although, they could have picked better descriptions for all three.

So, what does he do? Well, I'm not sure, but if I had the box, I'm sure it'll say that he runs cross country across the Sahara in under an hour and he jogs from New York to Los Angeles - and back - before breakfast every day and has climbed Everest 10 times or something like that. Probably something as ridiculous, if not more ridiculous as that.

Jake has dark hair, brown eyes and a rather angular face. One might think he might have some American Indian blood, although ethnically, I suppose you can say he's Caucasian, particularly Southern USA. He's always shown to be the tallest of the trio of original Centurions (Ace and Max being the other two) in the cartoons, although that might be more due to the fact that he's more often than not pictured in between those two and probably a little in front and the perspective thing makes him taller.

In the cartoons, Jake also had a pet dog named Shadow. Shadow looks almost like an arctic wolf with grey fur. The cartoons also gave Shadow an exo-frame, to enable Crystal to transport (aka beam) him. This exo-frame is little more than a saddle, complete with dual missile launchers, one on each side.

Jake had the widest array of assault weapons systems available.

Fireforce is basically a collection of weapons and artillery. From the hand mounted dual guns to the rotating machine gun mounted on Jake's chest to the bazooka on his back that launches the plasma missile, Fireforce is, pardon the pun, a force to be reckon with. It was also one of the most utilised assault weapon system in the cartoons, probably pipping out Ace's Skynight!

Jake's heavy duty arsenal is called Detonator. This cross between radar post and howitzer has a freeze ray in front and huge radar targeted missiles in the rear. It looks as solid as a tank, and thanks to the leg-like base, is probably mobile.

The intermediate assault weapon system for Jake isn't exactly what one would associate with Jake's speciality. Hornet is a helicopter, armed with sidewinder missile and yet another freeze ray mounted on Jake's chest. Jake must really like cooling things down. One has to wonder why Jake got a helicopter, when this is so much more Ace's department than Jake's.

Unlike the other two original Centurions, Jake had a fourth assault weapons system. Yes, a fourth. Wild Weasel is probably one of the most fun assault weapons system of the lot. Depending on where you mount the front wheel, the whole contraption can be made into a armourised motorcycle, or an upright, but mobile fighting force.

Jake received more assault weapons systems with the second series of toys. Slingshot is an upgraded Fireforce - armed to the teeth, with the stability of Detonator. Small yet powerful. Awesome Auger had a drill bit (or an auger) in the front or a tank like assault weapons system, complete with tire treads, and is useful for drilling through rocks and mountainsides. Land Laser is the small accessory pack with yet more missiles and guns.

So, why is Jake the favoured Centurion? Well, the reasons are clear by far. Toy-wise, Jake always had one more assault weapon system than either Ace of Max - Wild Weasel in series one, Awesome Auger in series two. Don't get me wrong, both of these assault weapons systems are great, but Kenner should have at least ensured that in series one, Hornet was made an assault weapons system for Ace and in series two, a Fathom Fan should have been produced for Max to even things out. As it stands, Jake had two more assault weapons systems than Ace or Max.

The allotment of Hornet to Jake can also be taken to prove that Jake is the favoured Centurion. Ace had purely air-based, and in the case of Orbital Interceptor, space-based assault weapons systems, Max had water-based assault weapons systems which makes him useless during a land skirmish, far from any body of water. Jake had the advantages of some of the best land assault weapon systems, which is to be expected, since he is the land specialist, but in addition, he has an airborne assault weapons system in the form of Hornet. How unfair is that?

In the cartoon series, Jake too, seems to be favoured. I've already mentioned that he's always in the centre of the trio, which makes him look taller. He's the only Centurion, barring Crystal - who isn't exactly a Centurion, with a pet. Hmm… see what I mean?

Nevertheless, Jake is always portrayed as a great guy in the cartoons. The toys of Jake and his assault weapons systems are some of the more interesting items in the entire Centurions line. I guess he may be the favoured Centurion, but because of the bias from Kenner (the toymakers) and Hanna Barbara (the cartoon makers), I'm sorry to say he isn't mine.

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