Red vs. Blue: Animated was a planned 13-episode animated television series based on Red vs. Blue. It was intended to air on American networks Comedy Central and G4 between April and July 2010[1], but was ultimately canceled before production. The project was publicly revealed during Penny Arcade Expo 2008, where Rooster Teeth, in collaboration with Humouring the Fates, showcased the first and only preview of the series.
Overview[]
Red vs. Blue: Animated was originally conceived as a direct continuation of The Blood Gulch Chronicles, with the series focusing on the adventures of Church, Grif, Simmons, Sarge, Tex, Tucker, Caboose, Donut, Doc, and Agent Washington.
The show was planned to retain the original voice cast, but would have also introduced new characters, and would have been more action-packed than the first saga, similar to the Recollection.
According to Humouring the Fates, Red vs. Blue: Animated would have been the first installment of Microsoft's Game Studio's animated Halo brand.[2]
Fate[]
- Main article: Room Zero
Though the pilot was well-received, Red vs. Blue: Animated ultimately never aired on television. According to Burnie Burns, this was due to several mitigating factors, with Geoff Ramsey noting much of it came down to the company working under someone else's deadline: "We're just too lazy to work on it. We like our own schedule; we just can't work with someone else's timeframe." Ultimately, the company chose to focus on the original machinima-based series. While the animated series never came to be, several ideas originally created for the project were later reused in the Recollection, particularly following the introduction of original animation in Season 8. The preview was later included on the Reconstruction DVD.
The footage was later reused for the first episode of Season 14, Room Zero.
Characters[]
Grif, Simmons, and Church in the PAX 2008 preview
Red Team[]
Blue Team[]
Other[]
- Grunts
- Jackals
- Brutes
Plot[]
According to Burns, the series would have opened with Sarge and Tex conducting scout missions against an unknown enemy (later revealed to be the Covenant). The two are then caught off guard and captured, prompting a rescue attempt. In the pilot episode shown at PAX 2008, Church, Grif, and Simmons infiltrate a Covenant prison camp in an effort to rescue them. The trio quickly underestimates the difficulty of the mission.
PAX 2008 Preview[]
After entering a heavily fortified Covenant base filled with enemy soldiers, Church, Grif, and Simmons locate Sarge and Tex on one of the upper floors. They debate whether to clear the building room by room or ascend a large shaft, both of which are loaded with guards. While Church and Simmons attempt to devise a way through the stronghold, Grif accidentally opens a door, releasing a swarm of Grunts and forcing the team in a firefight. Using a base map and a modified rocket launcher, the group improvises a plan in which Church ties himself to the rocket shell. Simmons launches and guides him up the shaft, but Grunts attack Simmons and Grif mid-launch, causing Church swerve out of control before he ultimately bursts through the roof of the base and into the air.
Transcript[]
We see the exterior of a Covenant base. We then fade to a ventilation shaft where we hear Grif and Simmons' voices arguing...
Grif (V.O.): I think we're going the wrong way.
Church (V.O.): How would you know? You've never even been here before.
Grif (V.O.): You've never been here before, either.
Church (V.O.): Well, I'm not the one telling people they're going the wrong way.
Grif (V.O.): Shut up.
Church (V.O.): You shut up.
Grif (V.O.): Let's all shut up. How about that?
We then see Church, Simmons and Grif in all their animated glory. Simmons is seen holding a Windows tablet.
Church: Simmons, what does that thing say? Where are they holding Sarge and Tex prisoner?
Simmons' device shows a long illuminated hallway, with sergeant and cowboy hat icons next to the 'prison'.
Simmons: Says here section 1,157.
Church: What section are we in now?
The tablet pans out to show multiple rooms around their area.
Simmons: Umm, section 0.
Grif: Aw, crap. That's like a million sections away!
Church: We have to fight our way through this whole place? They'll be dead by then!
Simmons: Maybe not. You see this?
Simmons points, and the camera spins quickly to show a holographic, circular tunnel.
Simmons: It says that access tunnel cuts right into the mountain. It looks like a pretty straight run... but it's loaded with guards.
Church: How long is it?
Simmons: Uh... whoa, almost a kilometer.
Grif: So, our choice is, a bunch of small rooms filled with a ton of enemies, or one long room filled with a ton of enemies. Or we could give up! I say we give up.
Church takes the tablet from Simmons as he looks at Grif, and Church begins typing on it.
Simmons: Grif, we can't stop now! We're only in the first room!
Grif: No, according to what you said, we're not even in the first room! We're in room 0. But it's okay Simmons, we did our best. No one could possibly ask any more of us.
Church: I got an idea. Simmons...
Church and Simmons can be heard secretly whispering a plan to each other while Grif watches suspiciously.
Grif: Hey, what are you guys talking about? That doesn't sound like surrendering. Let me see.
Grif approaches them, but Simmons raises a hand quickly to stop him.
Simmons: Get away Grif, we're working here!
Church: Yeah, c'mon! Beat it!
Grif starts to walk over to a door, with a holographic lock.
Grif: Whatever. I don't wanna see anyways.
He begins impersonating Simmons.
Grif: 'Oh look at me, I'm Simmons! I have a computer and I don't have to show it to anybody! I just got to push all the buttons!'
While saying this, Grif randomly starts pushing buttons on the lock, and the door opens, revealing a room filled with Grunts, who look up at him.
Grif: Ummm...
Church (off-screen, faintly): What is that noise?
Grif: How do I shut this door?
The Grunts pick up their weapons. The scene cuts to Simmons, Grif and Church running down the hall, and getting behind cover.
Simmons: Run!
Grif: Aaaah!
Simmons: Where the fuck did they come from!?
The three of them start firing at the Grunts.
Church: WHAT THE HELL!
Simmons: They're blocking our way to the access tunnel!
Church: AW, COME ON! Simmons, rocket launcher, now!
Simmons: Comin' up!
Simmons pulls out the Rocket Launcher. Cuts to Grif looking at his gun.
Grif: You're not gonna kill them all with that!
Cuts to Church placing a rope in the Rocket Launcher's barrel.
Church: We don't need to! This is a guided rocket!
The camera pans out to reveal Grif and Church firing at the Grunts.
Church: Aim for the tunnel, Simmons!
Simmons: I'm on it!
Simmons steps out from his cover, with the Rocket Launcher.
Simmons: Fire in the hole!
Simmons fires the rocket, it sailing past the Grunts and into the tunnel. We see the pile of rope beginning to get shorter and shorter as it travels through the tunnel.
Church: Alright. Use the map to guide me. Don't let me hit anything!
We see Church now with the rope tied around his waist.
Church: And, you know, explode.
Grif: What the hell are you doing?!
Church: I, uh, I'm suddenly having second thoughts.
Grif: You had a first thought?
Church: Yeah. Hey Grif? In case I forget to say it later: ow.
Church is pulled viciously away toward the access tunnel, hitting a Grunt on the way, whilst screaming.
Grif: Ha, ha, ha! Yes! Finally a stupid plan where someone's gonna get killed and it's not me!
Cut to the access tunnel, where we see the rocket fly past, and Church close behind, still screaming. Cut back to Simmons and Grif, where a Grunt is seen almost running out of ammo for his pistol.
Grif: Oh my God, there's like a million of these things!
Simmons: Well, fuckin' shoot them then!
A Jackal is seen standing guard outside of the exit of the entrance tunnel. The rocket flies past it, with the Jackal slowly looking at the rope. Church exits and smashes the Jackal into the ground.
Church: Look out-! Ah-oww-ow!
Cut back to Simmons, who is seen guiding the rocket by using the launcher, whilst Church yells at them over the COMS.
Church: Hey, what are you guys doing back there!? Just guide the rocket! Stop goofing around!
The Grunts finally run out of ammo, and drop the guns, running towards Simmons and Grif.
Grunt 1: Get em'!
Grunt 2: Hoo-rah!
Grif: Uh, Simmons? They're getting closer!
Simmons: Shut up, I need to concentrate!
A Grunt launches himself at Grif, pummeling him to the ground.
Grif: Oww! Help! Get them off me!
Simmons: Help yourself, they aren't that tough!
A Grunt punches Simmons right in the groin, and knocks his tablet away.
Simmons: Ah! Son of a bitch!
Church: Whatever your doing back there, stop doing it! Or do it straighter! Please!
Simmons is trying to knock the Grunts away with his Rocket Launcher.
Simmons: Take that, you little bastards!
A Grunt dives on Simmons, making him fall to the ground. Cut to Church, as the rocket flies into a large tunnel that goes straight up, filled with Covenant soldiers. Two Jackals watch as the rocket goes past them, and then Church goes past. The Jackals and many other Covenant soldiers start shooting at Church.
Church: Uhh, okay guys? Yeah, that's too high. Guys? That's too high, guys! Guys?!
Cut briefly back to Grif, with a Grunt jumping up and down on him.
Grif: Ow! Ow! Ow!
Grunt 1: Get some, bitch!
Church is seen looking up at the top of the building, where he'll blast through.
Church: Oh, man... this is gonna...
Cut back to the outside of the base, right as Church blasts through the top.
Church: Huuuuuuuurt!
End.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- When Simmons reports the location where Tex and Sarge are being held, the symbols next to the red square on the schematic depict a cowboy hat and a sergeantās patch, with the cowboy hat symbolizing Tex (as Agent Texas, with cowboys commonly associated with the state), and the sergeantās patch representing Sarge.
- The tablet Simmons uses to display the base schematics to Church and Grif features the Microsoft Windows Vista logo.
- The opening shots of the short depict a crashed Warthog in the background. This is likely how either Sarge and Tex, or the rest of the group, arrived at the base.
- In this short, the Grunts are portrayed as unusually aggressive and out of character compared to their typically cowardly behavior in the games. They charge at Grif and Simmons, with one shouting "Ooh-rah!" and another yelling "Get some, bitch!". However, given the trioās lack of combat skills, the Grunts may have correctly identified them as easy targets.
- In Grifball: Expansion 3, the side screens of the UNSN newsroom display clips from the short.
- This short is often compared to Halo: Legends, a collection of anime-style shorts set within the Halo franchise.
- Despite being a poor shot, Church manages to kill several Covenant using his SMGs, likely due to sheer luck rather than skill.
References[]
Video[]
