Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths and Legends

Did You Know?

• The series was the first project for Bohbot Kids Network, a syndication package that aimed to have the look and feel of a network block similar to Fox Kids.
• Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman wrote the original pilot under the title The Roswell Conspiracies, but the script was rejected, though some of his concepts were incorporated into the final series.
• The series also aired on the Sci-Fi Channel from August 27, 1999 through November 26, 1999 as part of a dual distribution deal.

Overview

The Roswell incident is portrayed in the series as a man-made distraction, set up by humans to divert attention from the truth that aliens had already landed long ago. The UFO was a prop, the alien body a dummy, and the witnesses and Air Force investigators were plants. The entire shadow world around Area 51 was a smokescreen hiding the fact that aliens have been attacking, assimilating, and destroying humans for ages. These attacks appear in human legend and folklore as vampires, werewolves, banshees, manitou, and evil spirits.

The attacks seemed to diminish during the Industrial Age but have recently increased. The story follows Nick Logan, a bounty hunter who is tapped to hunt what he thinks is a regular bounty but soon finds himself involved with a very unusual girl. He discovers that aliens are among us and that he may play a part in protecting Earth. Nick was raised and trained by a stepfather in the know, and he is one of the few humans born with an innate ability to see through alien deceptions, as most aliens can morph into human form.

He later learns his father and grandfather shared this ability. Nick teams with Sh'lainn Blaze, a rogue Banshee who wants to bridge humans and her species. The Banshee have not fared well in an age of cold iron, and Sh'lainn suspects they are plotting a final solution. Together they become agents under James Rinaker, executive officer of the Global Alliance, an international agency that keeps the secret and prevents aggressive aliens from hunting humans.

Characters

Nick Logan, voiced by Alex Zahara, is a former bounty hunter turned Global Alliance agent in the Detection Unit. His father Walter disappeared during an alien encounter at Roswell, and his grandfather was an original Alliance member. Nick was raised by his stepfather, whose playtime was secret training to fight aliens. Nick can see through alien illusions and is a rogue who seldom follows procedure.

He spends most of the series searching for his kidnapped stepfather and information about his real father's disappearance. Sh'lainn Blaze, voiced by Janyse Jaud, is a rebellious Banshee who landed in the British Isles around 527 BC. She can predict death, levitate, and emit energy streams. Targeted by Queen Mab, she becomes Nick's partner in the Detection Unit.

Over the series, Nick and Sh'lainn develop a relationship, and she forms a psychic bond with him by bringing his lost memories to the surface. James Rinaker, voiced by L. Harvey Gold, is the head of the Global Alliance who staged the Roswell Incident. He is committed to protecting humans and preserving secrecy at any cost. He makes alliances with enemies to weaken other foes.

It is later revealed that he is actually a Shadoen double agent named Wraith, who killed the real Rinaker in 1946 and replicated his DNA. Wraith assumes command of the second Shadoen Multitude and is killed when the fleet is wiped out by an EMP bomb.

Alien races

The Aesiri, also known as Viking gods, come from a gravity-heavy planet via a comet. Their bodies withstand more punishment than other species, and they are sadistic and psychopathic. They cannot shapeshift but can project mental holograms. Two Aesiri, Odin and Loki, were held in the Alliance facility at Bikini Atoll; they escaped and planned to use a Frost Giant to start Ragnarök but perished when the giant fell into lava.

The Argonian are yellow, bulbous humanoids with red antennae from the planet Argonius, conquered by the Shadoen. They have flight, enhanced strength, and heat vision but are susceptible to Argonium. They use advanced technology that allows shapeshifting like Vampires. The Banshee are female humanoid teleporters who live in harmony with Earth but are poisoned by electronics.

They can predict death, fire energy bursts, fly, and produce piercing shrieks. They have lifespans of hundreds or thousands of years and have been on Earth since landing in Ireland around 527 BC. They are in constant warfare with the Vampire Empire. A banshee can initiate a deep mind probe that forms a permanent bond, considered the banshee version of marriage.

Sh'lainn and Nick form this bond. A Banshee who spends too much time around technology contracts the Iron Death, which makes her transform technology into organic material. An Ur stone can counter this sickness. A Banshee is weakened in space because her power is drawn from Earth.

Other media

In June 1999, Bohbot Entertainment entered a deal with Red Storm Entertainment to produce video games based on the series. In April 2000, Red Storm worked with three developers: Red Lemon Studios for the PlayStation version, Crawfish Interactive for the Game Boy Color version, and Climax Studios for the Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast versions. The Dreamcast version was intended to have over 26 levels in 6 locations and a story with voice actors from the show, using a cel-shaded art style similar to Jet Set Radio.

It was slated for a November 2000 release and was demoed at E3 2000. The Nintendo 64 version faced challenges with collision detection and AI, and Red Storm had doubts about its market viability after being acquired by Ubisoft, due to the show's lack of impact in the United States and the Nintendo 64 being at the end of its lifespan. In March 2001, the Dreamcast version was cancelled, while the PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions were still slated.

The PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions were released on July 13, 2001 by Ubi Soft, one year after the series ended. The Game Boy Color version gives players control of Nick Logan and has five locations, ten levels, seven driving games, and five boss battles. Another game was released in 2006 with twenty levels and said to be more plot-driven.