Rambo: The Force of Freedom

Rambo: The Force of Freedom (also known simply as Rambo) is a 1986 American animated series based on the character of John Rambo from David Morrell's book First Blood and the subsequent films First Blood (1982) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).[1] This series was adapted for television by story editor/head writer Michael Chain and also spawned a toy line.[2]

Rambo: The Force of Freedom
GenreAction-adventure
Based onFirst Blood by David Morrell
Written byhead writer/story editor Michael Chain
asst. story editor Jack Bornoff
Directed byJohn Kimball
Charles A. Nichols
Voices ofNeil Ross
Alan Oppenheimer
Michael Ansara
Lennie Weinrib
Peter Cullen
Mona Marshall
James Avery
Frank Welker
Edmund Gilbert
Robert Ito
George DiCenzo
Narrated byDon LaFontaine (Opening Narration)
Opening themeJerry Goldsmith
Ending themeJerry Goldsmith
ComposersHaim Saban
Shuki Levy
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes65
Production
Executive producersJoe Ruby
Ken Spears
ProducersWalt Kubiak
Cos Anzilotti
Running time25 minutes
Production companiesRuby-Spears Enterprises
Carolco Pictures
Release
Original networkFirst-run syndication
Original releaseSeptember 15 (1986-09-15) –
December 26, 1986 (1986-12-26)

The series ran for 65 episodes and was produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises. It debuted on April 14, 1986 as a five-part miniseries and was renewed in September as a daily cartoon.

Production

The series cost more than $15 million.[3] Many reviewers have noted that Rambo: The Force of Freedom was obviously inspired by the success of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983–86), Sergio Pereira of Comic Book Resources noting the similarities between S.A.V.A.G.E. and COBRA, and between Colonel Trautman and General Hawk.[4][5]

Plot

"LaFontaine: Rambo! Anywhere and everywhere, the S.A.V.A.G.E. forces of General Warhawk threaten the peace-loving people of the world, there's only one man to call!

[Trautman: Get me Rambo!]

LaFontaine: ...From the canyons of skyscrapers, to the canyons of remote mountain peaks, liberty's champion is unstoppable. Rambo! Helped by the mechanical genius known as Turbo and the master of disguises named Kat, the honor bound protectors of the innocent! Rambo, the Force of Freedom!"

- opening narration, read by Don LaFontaine

On Colonel Trautman's request, John Rambo leads a special unit called "The Force of Freedom" all over the globe with their goal against the paramilitary terrorist organization S.A.V.A.G.E. (Specialist-Administrators of Vengeance, Anarchy and Global Extortion) led by the nefarious General Warhawk.[6]

Characters
Main article: List of Rambo characters

Force of Freedom

The Force of Freedom is a team commanded by Colonel Trautman and led by Rambo that goes around the world fighting the forces of S.A.V.A.G.E. Among the core members of the Force of Freedom are:

  • John Rambo (voiced by Neil Ross) - The main protagonist of the series. He leads the Force of Freedom in fighting S.A.V.A.G.E. when called in by Colonel Samuel Trautman. When not on missions, Rambo would either be shown tending to an animal or helping kids with their survival training.
  • Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - He serves as the group's commanding officer. He would often call in Rambo during his break time. Colonel Trautman would sometimes accompany Rambo on his missions.
  • Edward "Turbo" Hayes (voiced by James Avery) - An African-American mechanical engineer and race car driver. According to his toy bio, Turbo is also a First Lieutenant who graduated from the US Air Force Academy.
  • Katherine Anne "K.A.T." Taylor (voiced by Mona Marshall) - An Asian-American military woman who was a master of disguises, gymnastics, and martial arts alike. K.A.T. seemed to have a crush on Rambo. She is based on Co-Bao from Rambo: First Blood Part II.
  • White Dragon (voiced by Robert Ito) - A heroic ninja who is Black Dragon's twin brother. According to his toy bio, White Dragon had also developed a ninja training program for the U.S. military forces.
  • T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson (voiced by George DiCenzo) - A former football player and ally of Rambo. He joined the Force of Freedom at the time when Mad Dog's gang forces elderly couples out of their homes as part of General Warhawk's plot to dig into a military base and steal a top secret new supertank in "Blockbuster".
  • Chief (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - A Native American ally of Rambo. He joined the Force of Freedom after he rescued his friends in the swamp and from S.A.V.A.G.E. following the plane crash and helped prevent General Warhawk from burying the gold in the sacred grounds on Spirit Island (where the graves of Chief's forefathers are located) in "Skyjacked Gold".

S.A.V.A.G.E.

S.A.V.A.G.E. stands for Specialist-Administrators of Vengeance, Anarchy and Global Extortion. Their goal of world domination leads them into conflict with the Force of Freedom, especially Rambo. In addition to a substantial number of soldiers, among the core members of S.A.V.A.G.E. are:

  • General Warhawk (voiced by Michael Ansara) - The leader of S.A.V.A.G.E. wearing reflective sunglasses who serves as the primary villain of the series. General Warhawk was previously a European army captain (possibly West Germany) who was convicted of selling state secrets and deported for his coup. He then organized and built S.A.V.A.G.E. General Warhawk is based on Lt. Col. Pudovsky from Rambo: First Blood Part II and his charisma is based on Adolf Hitler.
  • Sergeant Havoc (voiced by Peter Cullen) - General Warhawk's second-in-command and top enforcer. He has strength that rivals Rambo's strength. Sergeant Havoc was previously a drill sergeant for the free world. After being court-martialed for espionage, he joined up with S.A.V.A.G.E. His physique is based on the physique of Sgt. Yushin from Rambo: First Blood Part II.
  • Gripper (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - A European mercenary and member of S.A.V.A.G.E with a metal right hand (hence the name) that wears an eyepatch. He was a former member of the French Foreign Legion until he was dismissed after failing to recognize the surrender flag and joined S.A.V.A.G.E.
  • Nomad (voiced by Edmund Gilbert) - A burnoose-wearing Middle-Eastern member of S.A.V.A.G.E. He was a wandering nomadic warrior that calls no country his home. Nomad leads a group of outcasts which consists of cutthroats and thieves. Like Mad Dog, in one episode "The Taking of Tierra Libre", he was called "Omar" by Rambo, but in all subsequent episodes, he was renamed Nomad.
  • Mad Dog (voiced by Frank Welker) - The leader of an unnamed biker gang and member of S.A.V.A.G.E. who sports a mohawk and a S.A.V.A.G.E. logo tattoo on his chest. He is first called Spike in the episode "Battlefield Bronx," but renamed Mad Dog in all subsequent episodes. According to his toy bio, Mad Dog was found unfit for military services and has an extended criminal record for theft, reckless driving, and arson.
    • Animal (voiced by Frank Welker) - Member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
    • Jerkface (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - Member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
    • Razor (voiced by Peter Cullen) - Member of Mad Dog's biker gang.
  • Black Dragon (voiced by Robert Ito) - A rogue ninja who is the twin brother of White Dragon. He is known as the greatest assassin that ever lived. Black Dragon would sell his service to any group that would pay his fee with his recurring clients being S.A.V.A.G.E. He sometimes has other ninjas under his command when assisting S.A.V.A.G.E. in some of their plots. Although Black Dragon's ultimate goal is to kill White Dragon primarily, he also considers Rambo as a worthy opponent.
  • Snakebite (voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross) - A member of S.A.V.A.G.E. who was born and raised in the Okeefenokee Swamp and likes wild animals like venomous snakes, insects, and black rats which he carries in his Beast Pack.
  • Dr. Hyde (voiced by Edmund Gilbert) - A cybernetic mad scientist and member of S.A.V.A.G.E. whose head is in a dome-shaped helmet. According to General Warhawk in the episode "Robot Raid", he and X-Ray were thought to be long dead, but became mad geniuses.
    • X-Ray (voiced by James Avery) - Dr. Hyde's cybernetic henchman. Along with Dr. Hyde, he was also thought to be long dead and became a mad genius in his own right.
    • Max (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - Dr. Hyde's android henchman and enforcer who was created by Dr. Hyde and X-Ray.

There were also some one-shot characters who were members of S.A.V.A.G.E. that appeared in one episode where a few of them appeared more than once. The following are listed in order of appearance:

  • Admiral Nomak (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - An admiral who assisted General Warhawk twice. First, he helped General Warhawk in "Raise the Yamato" in a plot to raise the Yamato Battleship in order to take over Tierra Libre. He then appears in "Pirate Peril" along with Captain Scar assisting General Warhawk in a plot to raise the French submarine Liberte off the coast of Hong Kong. Afterwards, both he and Captain Scar were captured by Rambo.
  • Count (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - A descendant of Vlad III the Impaler who worked with General Warhawk on two occasions. The first time was when it involved capturing Nobel Prize–winning physicist Herbert Kengsington in "Deadly Keep." The second time was when he helped General Warhawk in a plot to capture the President of the United States in "Return of the Count." It was later revealed that after he was locked up in a closet, that he got captured by Rambo.
  • Rama (voiced by Dale Ishimoto) - The leader of the Cult of the Cobra. He only appeared in "Cult of the Cobra" where he and his group helped General Warhawk in halting the food shipments to the Indian Province of Assam in a plot to force the people of Assam to make General Warhawk their dictator.
  • Pandora (voiced by Mona Marshall) - A female panther trainer working for General Warhawk. She only appears in "Raid on Las Vegas" where she assisted in a plot to rob the Las Vegas casinos. Unfortunately for her, she, along with Pandora were arrested and captured by the authorities under the supervision of Rambo and the Force of Freedom.
  • Sheik Hassat (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) - A sheik who assisted General Warhawk in a plot to blow up the shipping businesses on the Suez Canal.
  • Mike Flynn (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) - An old friend of Rambo's who ended up stealing the XK-7 fighter jet and used it to assist General Warhawk in enslaving the Zimboli people to mine diamonds for him. He would later be court-martialed for treason.
  • Varinia (voiced by Mona Marshall) - A female operative of S.A.V.A.G.E. Only appearing in "Fire in the Sky", she assisted General Warhawk, Sergeant Havoc, Gripper, and Nomad in stealing a nuclear-armed submarine called the USS Typhoon and plans to auction it to any terrorist that is interested in it.
  • Captain Scar (voiced by Peter Cullen) - A pirate captain who assisted General Warhawk and Admiral Nomak in a plot to raise the French submarine Liberte off the coast of Hong Kong. He too, along with Nomak, were also captured by Rambo.
  • Mephisto (voiced by Frank Welker) - A magician who assisted General Warhawk in a plot to steal the Washington Monument. He was captured when Rambo figured out Mephisto's illusion trick into where the Washington Monument was.
  • Mombo Igthayan (voiced by Mona Marshall) - A Haitian Voodoo magician who assisted General Warhawk in a plot to enslave the Haitians and mine the island.
  • Dr. Blackburn (voiced by Peter Cullen) - A scientist who assisted General Warhawk in a plot to use a mind-control box on a killer whale named Korac and attack the NORAD Bases.
  • Iron Mask (voiced by Peter Cullen) - A criminal in an iron mask who assisted General Warhawk in a plot to locate an old war plane containing a fortune of gold. He was later revealed by Rambo to be the crooked Major Murphy on behalf of General Warhawk, who took over a military base in Munich during the Oktoberfest.

Episodes

Miniseries
No. Title Script Original air date
1"First Strike"Mike ChainApril 14, 1986 (1986-04-14)
S.A.V.A.G.E. arrives in the country of Tierra Libre in a plot to conquer it. It is up to Rambo to stop S.A.V.A.G.E. from rolling his forces from the bridge at the river of "Rio Hondo".
2"The Angel of Destruction"Barbara ChainApril 15, 1986 (1986-04-15)
A warplane called the Spectre gets stolen by S.A.V.A.G.E. in their plot to take over Tierra Libre. It is up to Rambo to stop S.A.V.A.G.E. and reclaim the Spectre from General Warhawk's Headquarters at the "Rainbow Peak" mountains.
3"Battlefield Bronx"Rowby GorenApril 16, 1986 (1986-04-16)
General Warhawk sends Mad Dog (once called "Spike") to capture President Ramon's daughter Estrella during his visit to the United Nations and convince him to surrender Tierra Libre to him. It is up to Rambo to rescue the President's daughter from Mad Dog's outpost in the Bronx.
4"Raise the Yamato"Jack BornoffApril 17, 1986 (1986-04-17)
General Warhawk and his ally Admiral Nomak raise the battleship Yamato in his latest plot to take over Tierra Libre. It is up to Rambo to stop S.A.V.A.G.E. from sailing it to the Tierra Libre Harbor.
5"The Taking of Tierra Libre"Jack BornoffApril 18, 1986 (1986-04-18)
S.A.V.A.G.E. plots to dispose of Rambo and Colonel Trautman so that they would be out of the way for them to take over Tierra Libre. It is up to Rambo and the Force of Freedom to liberate Tierra Libre from S.A.V.A.G.E.'s hostile takeover.

Regular series
No. Title Script Original air date
6"Subterranean Holdup"Jack BornoffSeptember 15, 1986 (1986-09-15)
General Warhawk's latest plan is to steal the solid gold plates from Chicago's Federal Reserve Bank to print out U.S. currency so he could print his own money. It is up to Rambo to prevent S.A.V.A.G.E. from stealing the solid gold plates.
7"Trouble in Tibet"Steve HayesSeptember 16, 1986 (1986-09-16)
General Warhawk and Sergeant Havoc capture a young monk who would become the next Dalai Lama and gains control of a small village in Tibet.
8"S.A.V.A.G.E. Island"Rowby GorenSeptember 17, 1986 (1986-09-17)
Gripper steals the Pandora Missile that was meant for the Carlaya Islands in order for S.A.V.A.G.E. to force Carlaya's Indonesian neighbors to surrender.
9"General Warhawk's Curse"Sheryl ScarboroughSeptember 18, 1986 (1986-09-18)
Under the orders of General Warhawk, Sergeant Havoc, Gripper, Nomad and an ally named Bashir take advantage of three countries by passing off fake curses in S.A.V.A.G.E.'s plot to steal the artifacts in the ruins.
10"Deadly Keep"Matt UitzSeptember 19, 1986 (1986-09-19)
Nobel Prize–winning physicist Dr. Herbert Kensington is kidnapped by the Count (a descendant of Vlad III the Impaler) and plans to hand him over to S.A.V.A.G.E. in the Moldavian Mountains. General Warhawk plans to use Herbert in a plot to use neutron fusion energy for world domination.
11"Beneath the Streets"Bob ForwardSeptember 22, 1986 (1986-09-22)
Mad Dog enters the sewers beneath the Special Forces building and places a bomb there while encountering Rambo's war buddy nicknamed "Wrongway." Upon rescuing Wrongway, Rambo ends up stumbling upon Mad Dog and General Warhawk's plot to plant a bomb underneath the White House unaware that the bomb that Mad Dog had already planted was underneath the Special Forces building as well.
12"Cult of the Cobra"Matt UitzSeptember 23, 1986 (1986-09-23)
General Warhawk teams up with the Cult of the Cobra and its leader Rama to halt the food shipments to the Indian province of Assam in a plot to force the people of Assam to make him their dictator.
13"Raid on Las Vegas"Matt UitzSeptember 24, 1986 (1986-09-24)
General Warhawk plans to blow up Boulder Dam as a diversion so that he can rob the casino money in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is up to Rambo and the Force of Freedom to stop General Warhawk, Nomad, Mad Dog, Black Dragon, and a female panther trainer operative named Pandora from robbing the casinos.
14"The Lost City of Acra"Barbara ChainSeptember 25, 1986 (1986-09-25)
General Warhawk locates the lost city of Acra in India and leads his soldiers into rounding up the Bindus in a plot to force them to dig up its treasures.
15"Guns Over the Suez"Jack BornoffSeptember 26, 1986 (1986-09-26)
General Warhawk sets his sights on the Suez Canal and threatens to blow up all shipping on the Suez Canal unless his is paid $1,000,000. Now Rambo must locate the special gun that will help General Warhawk blow up all the shipping on the Suez Canal and defeat General Warhawk and his ally Sheik Hassat.
16"Exercise in Terror"Barbara ChainOctober 6, 1986 (1986-10-06)
S.A.V.A.G.E. does three terrorist attacks in order to gain money for General Warhawk to start an international terrorist training camp. First, General Warhawk has Sergeant Havoc, Nomad, Gripper, and Mad Dog hold a teacher and her students for ransom in the Statue of Liberty, threaten to blow up the Eiffel Tower, and finally plans to set up his headquarters in Bagdinia.
17"The Doomsday Machine"Steve HayesOctober 7, 1986 (1986-10-07)
Rambo's old friend Mike Flynn steals the XK-7 fighter jet and uses it to help General Warhawk in enslaving the Zimboli to mine diamonds for him.
18"Disaster in Delgado"Rowby GorenOctober 8, 1986 (1986-10-08)
S.A.V.A.G.E. has been intercepting transports for relief supplies bound for the country of Delgado which has been torn apart by natural disasters. It is up to Rambo and the Force of Freedom to get the supplies to Delgado and drive S.A.V.A.G.E. away.
19"Fire in the Sky"Chris A. Weber and Karen E. WilsonOctober 9, 1986 (1986-10-09)
Under orders of General Warhawk, Sergeant Havoc, Gripper, Nomad, and a female operative named Varinia steal a submarine called the USS Typhoon and plan to auction it to any terrorist that is interested in it.
20"Enter the Black Dragon"Jack BornoffOctober 10, 1986 (1986-10-10)
When S.A.V.A.G.E. attacks a foreign base only to end up being thwarted by Rambo and the Force of Freedom, General Warhawk calls in a ninja assassin called Black Dragon to take Rambo down.
21"Reign of the Boy King"Barbara ChainOctober 13, 1986 (1986-10-13)
The boy king Alexander of Morovia has been kidnapped by Sergeant Havoc and Gripper allowing Alexander's uncle Black Duke Lucan to succeed him allowing S.A.V.A.G.E. to build a base in Morovia. It is up to Rambo to rescue King Alexander and overthrow Black Duke Lucan.
22"Rambo and the White Rhino"Steve HayesOctober 14, 1986 (1986-10-14)
S.A.V.A.G.E. steals a sacred white rhinoceros named Mabuto from the African country of Namboola in order to set up its neighboring country of Ombasi for stealing their white rhinoceros. General Warhawk uses the approaching war as a diversion to mine platinum in Namboola's sacred burial grounds.
23"Pirate Peril"Steve HayesOctober 15, 1986 (1986-10-15)

General Warhawk and Admiral Nomak team up with Captain Scar and his pirates in a plot to raise the sunken Liberte submarine off the coast of Hong Kong.

Note: This was the second appearance of Admiral Nomak since the Tierra Libre episode "Raise the Yamato".
24"Mephisto's Magic"Rowby GorenOctober 16, 1986 (1986-10-16)
When Rambo and his team stop General Warhawk's plot to steal the Liberty Bell, General Stedring insists to Colonel Trautman that his army be used next time. This problem comes into conflict when General Warhawk and his magician ally Mephisto successfully steal the Washington Monument.
25"The Halley Microbe"Jack BornoffOctober 17, 1986 (1986-10-17)
Kat's scientific brother David is investigating the ion trail left by Halley's Comet and a space probe sent to gather samples left by the comet is targeted by S.A.V.A.G.E. who plan to use the alien microbe samples which turns anyone exposed to them into raving lunatics.
26"Death Merchant"Matt UitzOctober 20, 1986 (1986-10-20)
When Rambo's team captures the Death Merchant from his own fortified mansion, the train they are carrying him on is intercepted by S.A.V.A.G.E. who plan to use Death Merchant's services in a plot to rob the treasures of King Tut, even supplying S.A.V.A.G.E. with new weapons to combat the Force of Freedom, especially Rambo.
27"Return of the Count"Matt UitzOctober 21, 1986 (1986-10-21)
On Halloween, the Count resurfaces and captures a boy named Danny. Even when Rambo escapes his trap and rescues Danny, he discovers that the Count is collaborating with General Warhawk to capture the President of the United States.
28"Night of the Voodoo Moon"Dan DiStefanoOctober 22, 1986 (1986-10-22)
Rambo, Kat, and Turbo investigate Haiti when a scientist named Dr. Stark goes missing. They discover that General Warhawk has allied with a Haitian Voodoo magician named Mombo Igthayan in a plot to enslave the islanders and mine the island.
29"Lagoon of Death"Dan DiStefanoOctober 23, 1986 (1986-10-23)
While vacationing in Venice, Rambo and the Force of Freedom discover that General Warhawk, Sergeant Havoc, Gripper, and Mad Dog are forcing the monks at a monastery to use their special ceramic to make nosecones for S.A.V.A.G.E.'s missiles.
30"Snow Kill"Dan DiStefanoOctober 24, 1986 (1986-10-24)
While out testing the survival equipment in Utah, Colonel Trautman ends up stumbling upon Gripper attacking a nearby town and ends up captured as well. General Warhawk uses the Earth-Eater machine to go through a gold mine and take over the Warton Missile Complex and threatens to launch an attack from the missile base to all of North America if his demands aren't met.
31"Terror Beneath the Sea"Steve HayesOctober 27, 1986 (1986-10-27)
While out inspecting a base in the Arctic Circle, Colonel Trautman is told by the Eskimo's Chief Molok that a Killer whale named Korac keeps attacking their village. Colonel Trautman and a security captain are then captured by Gripper. When Rambo, Kat and Turbo come to the rescue, they discover that General Warhawk and his ally Dr. Blackburn are using a mind-control box on Korac in a plot to attack the NORAD Bases.
32"Swamp Monster"Jack BornoffOctober 28, 1986 (1986-10-28)
Rambo and Turbo come to the aid of Turbo's uncle Oliver when a swamp monster terrorizes the local town. Rambo discovers that the so-called "swamp monster" is a disguised vehicle piloted by Sergeant Havoc as part of General Warhawk's plot to build a communication center that will enable S.A.V.A.G.E. to control the defense satellites.
33"Freedom Dancer"Barbara ChainOctober 29, 1986 (1986-10-29)
While in England, General Warhawk sends S.A.V.A.G.E. to steal the world's fastest race horse named Freedom Dancer who is owned by Colonel Trautman's friend Winslow and his daughter Sarah. While on a mission to rescue Freedom Dancer, Rambo discovers that General Warhawk has done it on behalf of an Arab horse owner named Al Rasheed in order to remove it from the competition in return for General Warhawk's fighter jets.
34"Texas Inferno"Rowby GorenOctober 30, 1986 (1986-10-30)
Rambo's old friend Lucky calls upon Rambo when his oil drilling platform keeps exploding. What Rambo is unaware of, was that Lucky's partner Jake is in league with Nomad in a S.A.V.A.G.E. plot to work on a warhead that will help them in world domination.
35"The Iron Mask"Matt UitzOctober 31, 1986 (1986-10-31)
While attending Oktoberfest in Munich, Rambo's team discover a scheme by General Warhawk and his ally Iron Mask to steal a recently located old warplane containing a fortune of gold. During the stay, Rambo encounters a boy named Hors who got amnesia when he learns of S.A.V.A.G.E.'s plot and Iron Mask's true identity.
36"Children for Peace"Matt UitzNovember 3, 1986 (1986-11-03)
The Force of Freedom (including Rambo, Colonel Trautman, Kat, White Dragon, and Turbo) is providing security for the Children's Peace Conference in Sydney. General Warhawk sends S.A.V.A.G.E. in a plan to capture the children.
37"S.A.V.A.G.E. Rustlers"Rowby GorenNovember 4, 1986 (1986-11-04)
Rambo's team helps a rancher named Shane Dobbs whose cattle have been stolen by Mad Dog. They soon discover that S.A.V.A.G.E. is in an alliance with an outlaw scientist named Dr. Gore to slip a belligerence formula into the beef which will cause all humans and animals to act very mean including the US Army soldiers which will cause a lot of chaos.
38"Mind Control"Matt UitzNovember 5, 1986 (1986-11-05)
S.A.V.A.G.E.'s scientist Professor Larson brainwashes three brilliant scientists, Dr. Paulson, Dr. James, and Kat's college friend Lisa, using a mind-controlled remote device in order to obtain the plans for a special laser that will help General Warhawk shoot down a passing satellite.
39"Vote of Terror"Rowby GorenNovember 6, 1986 (1986-11-06)
Kai Moon's President Wang is forced by S.A.V.A.G.E. to read a letter of resignation days before his reelection. The Force of Freedom ends up coming to the country's aid when S.A.V.A.G.E. does various attacks to discourage President Wang and get General Warhawk's friend Mr. Leong elected.
40"Target, Supertanker"Steve HayesNovember 7, 1986 (1986-11-07)
S.A.V.A.G.E. hijacks a supertanker and anchor it off the coast of Hawaii. General Warhawk plans to scuttle the tanker causing an ecological disaster if his demands for a warship aren't met.
41"Enter the White Dragon"Jack BornoffNovember 10, 1986 (1986-11-10)
In this episode, it shows how Rambo met White Dragon at the time when General Warhawk has Black Dragon (White Dragon's twin brother) steal priceless samurai swords from Ishikawa Electronic Co.
42"Skyjacked Gold"Steve HayesNovember 11, 1986 (1986-11-11)
When his team ends up captured by S.A.V.A.G.E. when they end up skyjacking a shipment of government gold heading to the Denver Mint following a plane crash in the swamp, Rambo befriends a helpful Indian named Chief who helps rescue his friends. Once that is done, the group must now prevent General Warhawk from burying the gold in the sacred grounds on Spirit Island (where the graves of Chief's forefathers are located).
43"Attack on El Dorado"Steve HayesNovember 12, 1986 (1986-11-12)
S.A.V.A.G.E. invades El Dorado near Tartatinga and plots to take it over which includes stealing all of the Inca's gold. It is up to Rambo, Kat and Turbo to liberate El Dorado and drive off S.A.V.A.G.E.
44"The Ninja Dog"Jack BornoffNovember 13, 1986 (1986-11-13)
While Rambo's team provides security for Senator Thorne during his trip to Japan to meet with President Fujita, a prototype chip for an American defense project is stolen by the science team leader Dr. Hiro Gosho who places the chip in the collar of the senator's dog Peewee allowing General Warhawk to send Gripper and Black Dragon to abduct Peewee and obtain the chip.
45"When S.A.V.A.G.E. Stole Santa"Sheryl ScarboroughNovember 14, 1986 (1986-11-14)
During Christmas in Colorado, Rambo and Turbo rescue a kid when visiting Rambo's old friend Kris Kaufman who is a former rocket scientist turned toy maker for an orphanage that goes around his village on Christmas dressed as Santa Claus. At the same time, General Warhawk, Sergeant Havoc, and Gripper have plans for Kris to make weapons for S.A.V.A.G.E.
46"Blockbuster"Steve HayesNovember 17, 1986 (1986-11-17)
Rambo, Kat, and Turbo are joined by Rambo's old friend T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson at the time when Mad Dog's biker gang forces elderly couples out of their homes as part of General Warhawk's plot to dig into a military base and steal a top secret new supertank.
47"Supertrooper"Jack BornoffNovember 18, 1986 (1986-11-18)
General Warhawk steals a WWII vintage U-Boat No.505 from the Museum of Science and Industry. In the submarine, there is a map showing the location of a German Supertrooper developed during the war by combining the cells of mean men and vicious animals. This process was created by an Egyptian scientist and Dr. Jamal.
48"Warhawk's Fortress"Matt UitzNovember 19, 1986 (1986-11-19)
Following some security guards stopping a thief from stealing the plans to some prototype combat vehicles, Rambo, Kat, Turbo, T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson, and White Dragon go undercover where three accidents that Rambo survives are discovered to be the work of the plant's foreman Mr. Dirkson who is allied with General Warhawk in a plot to steal the prototypes.
49"The Konichi"Jack BornoffNovember 20, 1986 (1986-11-20)
Rambo's team is sent to guard the plans for a new medical laser that are being transported from Cleveland to St. Louis by train. When Turbo encounters a female doctor named Dr. Omi Ikawa when she treats his sprained ankle following an accident, Black Dragon appears and identifies Omi as the last of the Konichi Ninja Clan. Black Dragon also states that her supervisor Dr. Nori Yamata was the last living ninja of another clan that dishonored the Konichi.
50"Robot Raid"Jack BornoffNovember 21, 1986 (1986-11-21)
A girl named Jennifer (who will soon be the leader of a major defense company) is targeted by S.A.V.A.G.E. when her uncle Merick (the current president of the company) wants to stop the transition. She escapes S.A.V.A.G.E.'s soldiers and runs into Rambo's team who protect her from the attacks of S.A.V.A.G.E.'s mad scientist Dr. Hyde, his cybernetic henchmen X-Ray, and their android Max.
51"Alphas, Arms, and Ambush: Part 1"Mike ChainNovember 24, 1986 (1986-11-24)
Rambo's team is enlisted to help General Stedring's Alpha Force guard a ship loaded with NATO military supplies bound for Europe. Meanwhile, General Warhawk's men attack and capture a remote NATO base in Norway.
52"Alphas, Arms, and Ambush: Part 2"Mike ChainNovember 25, 1986 (1986-11-25)
After evading a missile launched at their helicopter by Black Dragon, Rambo's team and the Alpha Force work to prevent General Warhawk from auctioning the NATO military supplies to the other terrorists and rescue Colonel Trautman, General Stedring, and the Alphas.
53"Crash"Dick SebastNovember 26, 1986 (1986-11-26)
When a plane carrying a doctor and his patient Nicky (who is in need of a kidney operation) crashes near Rambo's mountain cabin, Rambo must get them to the hospital before S.A.V.A.G.E. gets to them first.
54"Mirage"Barbara ChainNovember 27, 1986 (1986-11-27)
The Force of Freedom end up springing to action when General Warhawk kidnaps the Vice President of the United States and half of the Cabinet when their plane ends up disappearing over the China Seas.
55"Blind Luck"Mike ChainNovember 28, 1986 (1986-11-28)
Rambo ends up blinded during his fight on an aircraft carrier against Max as his friends are captured by General Warhawk's men. With help from a blind girl named Stacy and regaining his sight following a fight with Mad Dog's biker gang, Rambo ends up turning the tables against S.A.V.A.G.E.
56"Turbo's Dilemma"Matt UitzDecember 1, 1986 (1986-12-01)
Black Dragon targets a new synthetic fuel at INT Laboratories which is guarded by Rambo, Kat, Turbo and T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson. At the same time, Turbo finds out that his mother has been captured by a motorcycle gang.
57"Masquerade"Barbara ChainDecember 2, 1986 (1986-12-02)
General Warhawk and S.A.V.A.G.E. plan to capture General Bernard who is the leader of the Starfire Defense Team. Rambo, the Force of Freedom, and Colonel Trautman use a General Bernard lookalike named Corporal Justin Wilbur in order to fool S.A.V.A.G.E. into thinking that he is General Bernard.
58"Just Say No"Barbara ChainDecember 8, 1986 (1986-12-08)
Rambo visits his old friend Chopper and learns that his teenage son Johnny is involved in a drug gang who are allied with General Warhawk in a plot to smuggle cocaine called "Crack."
59"Monster Island"Steve HayesDecember 9, 1986 (1986-12-09)
Rambo, Kat, Turbo, T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson, and Chief investigate a sea monster in the Gulf of Alaska and come across an island filled with strange hybrid animals (like crocodile/condor hybrids, giraffe/deer hybrids, etc.). Rambo discovers that the strange hybrid animals are the work of Dr. Hyde and his animal cell-splicing knowledge as part of General Warhawk's latest plot for world domination.
60"Quarterback Sneak"Mike ChainDecember 10, 1986 (1986-12-10)
Rambo and T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson play football...for freedom! Whilst going undercover on a professional team playing an exhibition game in a communist country of Talinia, the guys save a scientist named Professor Ivanovich and his daughter Tanya when he is targeted by General Warhawk and Talinian Secret Police leader Zared who plan to extract the formula for a proton bomb from Professor Ivanovich.
61"Sepulcher of Power"Jack BornoffDecember 11, 1986 (1986-12-11)
Max steals some ancient Mayan tablets (which will lead whoever possesses them to the Mayan Sepulcher) from Dr. Ramirez in the middle of the night in his office. S.A.V.A.G.E. plans to steal the Mayan Sepulcher and use to unite the Mayans and make General Warhawk their leader. It is up to the Force of Freedom to prevent S.A.V.A.G.E. from reaching the Mayan Sepulcher first.
62"The Twin Within"Steve HayesDecember 12, 1986 (1986-12-12)
Black Dragon takes the place of his twin brother White Dragon in order to infiltrate the Force of Freedom and relay information of the radioactive material and a supertank to General Warhawk.
63"S.A.V.A.G.E. Space"Matt UitzDecember 15, 1986 (1986-12-15)
Mad Dog and his biker gang hijack the space shuttle Xenon which is also a laser-defense space station. General Warhawk plans to use Xenon to blow up satellites if his demands aren't met. It is up to the Force of Freedom to prevent S.A.V.A.G.E. from using the Xenon to destroy the satellites.
64"Change of Face"Jack BornoffDecember 17, 1986 (1986-12-17)
Dr. Hyde creates a robot shapeshifter that can replicate anyone like Senator Thorne and the President.
65"Horror of the Highlands"Barbara ChainDecember 18, 1986 (1986-12-18)
T.D. "Touchdown" Jackson visits his Uncle George in Scotland. When a remote-controlled submarine version of the Loch Ness Monster operated by General Warhawk terrorizes Loch Ness, T.D. calls in the rest of the Force of Freedom to help stop General Warhawk and his mechanical Loch Ness Monster.

Cast and crew

Principal cast
  • Neil Ross - John Rambo
  • Michael Ansara - General Warhawk
  • James Avery - Edward "Turbo" Hayes, X-Ray
  • Peter Cullen - Sergeant Havoc, Razor, Captain Scar (in "Pirate Peril"), Dr. Blackburn (in "Terror Beneath the Sea"), Uncle George (in "Horror in the Highlands")
  • George DiCenzo - T.D. Jackson
  • Edmund Gilbert - Nomad, Dr. Hyde, President Ramón ("Tierra Libre" miniseries), Major Gómez (in "The Taking of Tierra Libre")
  • Robert Ito - Black Dragon, White Dragon, Dr. David Taylor (in "The Halley Microbe")
  • Mona Marshall - Katherine "Kat" Taylor, Estrella ("Tierra Libre" miniseries), Pandora (in "Raid on Las Vegas"), Varinia (in "Fire in the Sky"), Mombo Igthayan (in "Night of the Voodoo Moon")
  • Alan Oppenheimer - Colonel Samuel Trautman, Chief, Count (in "Deadly Keep," "Return of the Count"), Mike Flynn (in "The Doomsday Machine")
  • Lennie Weinrib - Gripper, Jerkface, Max, Admiral Nomak (in "Raise the Yamato," "Pirate Peril"), Sheik Hassat (in "Guns over the Suez"), General Stedring (in "Mephisto's Magic," "Alphas, Arms and Ambush")
  • Frank Welker - Mad Dog, Animal, Mephisto (in "Mephisto's Magic"), Supertrooper (in "Supertrooper")

Additional voices
  • Michael Bell - General Ranjid (in "The Lost City of Acra")
  • Dale Ishimoto - Rama (in "Cult of the Cobra"), Major Sing (in "Cult of the Cobra")
  • Russi Taylor - Bobby (in "Exercise in Terror"), Teacher (in "Exercise in Terror)
  • Susan Blu - Stacy (in "Blind Luck"; uncredited)
  • Phil Clarke - Professor Ivanovich (in "Quarterback Sneak"; uncredited)
  • Dick Gautier - Tommy (in "Quarterback Sneak"; uncredited), Premier Motoff (in "Quarterback Sneak"; uncredited)
  • Dana Hill - Johnny (in "Just Say No"; uncredited)
  • Keye Luke - President Wang (in "Vote of Terror"; uncredited)
  • Robert Ridgely - Alpha Leader (in "Alphas, Arms and Ambush"; uncredited)
  • Stanley Ralph Ross - Snakebite (uncredited), Dr. Monk (in "Mirage"; uncredited)
  • John Stephenson - Doctor (in "Crash"; uncredited)
  • Janet Waldo - Danny (in "Return of the Count"; uncredited), Cathy (in "Return of the Count"; uncredited)

Crew
  • Jack Bornoff - Assistant Story Editor
  • Michael Chain - Head Writer
  • Michael Hack - Voice Director
  • David Morrell - Creator, Writer

Music

Jerry Goldsmith's scores for First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II were licensed for use in the series and tracked throughout (mostly from Rambo: First Blood Part II), with his music for the film's trailer for Rambo: First Blood Part II, used as the opening and closing themes. It was supplemented by original music composed by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, who received an "additional music by" credit.

Release

Home media

Lionsgate Home Entertainment (which also owns the DVD rights to the Rambo films) has released the entire series on DVD in Region 1 in 6 volume sets.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date
Volume 1: A World of Trouble 11 June 14, 2005
Volume 2: Enter The Dragon 11 June 14, 2005
Volume 3: S.A.V.A.G.E. Island 10 September 13, 2005
Volume 4: Up In Arms 11 September 13, 2005
Volume 5: Snow Raid 11 December 13, 2005
Volume 6: Face of Freedom 11 December 13, 2005

Reception

Controversy

Rambo: The Force of Freedom was the first animated series to be adapted from an R-rated film series.[7]

Fictional countries and back-stories are featured, some of them echoing historical or current events. In order to meet Federal Communications Commission decency standards and make the series viewable for children, the violence level was significantly reduced compared to the films.

The cartoon generated a mild controversy at the production studio, with writers wondering how they could present a child-friendly main character who was created as a troubled Vietnam War veteran suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While some have alleged that the show used child psychologists who recommended that the cartoon not make any references to Vietnam, POWs, or Rambo's experiences in 1982's First Blood and 1985's Rambo: First Blood Part II, the show's head writer, Michael Chain, denies this and instead states that his previous experience in producing children's programming led him to make sure that Rambo would not "have an adverse effect on the psyche of children".[8] Sylvester Stallone was annoyed and embarrassed that the Rambo character was used as a cartoon character.[9]

Other media

Toys

A Rambo action figure line was produced Coleco as a tie-in to the animated series.[10][11][12] The first series released in 1986 consisted of eleven 6.25" figures (including two Rambo figures), plus a few playsets and vehicles. The second series, released in 1987, consisted of seven additional figures and a few more playsets, was only partially released in the United States.

Books

There have been literature based on Rambo: The Force of Freedom and book adaptations of select episodes from the series. A book and tape set adapting the original five-part episode miniseries titled Rambo: The Rescue was published by Kid Stuff Records in 1987. Another full series of five book and tape sets were published by Rainbow Communications Ltd. from 1985 to 1986, as part of its "Rainbow Theatre" product line; the four books adapted the episodes "Guns Over the Suez", "The Lost City of Arca", "Pirates Peril" and "Alphas, Arms and Ambush".

Two more book series were published in the United Kingdom through World Distributors from 1986 to 1987; the "Little Owl Superstars" series consisted of four installments "The Wolves of Daemon", "Nightstrike", "Sea of Flames" and "The Mask of Mardar" while the "Mini World" line also ran for four stories "Operation Suicide", "Sergeant Havoc's Challenge", "Skyjack" and "Curse of Karmoun". Two annuals, one for 1987 and another for 1988, a mini coloring book and an activity book round the World Distributors product range.

Four volumes of coloring and activity books also based on the series were published by Modern Publishing in 1986.

References
  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 488–489. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 651–652. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. "Toy companies defend shows as entertainment". Hartford Courant. October 12, 1987. p. 196. Retrieved March 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Pereira, Sergio (January 18, 2018). "15 Secrets About The Rambo Cartoon You Never Knew Existed". CBR.
  5. Elhefnawy, N. (2020:97). Paramilitary Action-Adventure Fiction: A History. Independently Published.
  6. "15 Secrets About The Rambo Cartoon You Never Knew Existed". CBR. January 18, 2018.
  7. Collins, Glenn (1985-12-12). "CONTROVERSY ABOUT TOYS, TV VIOLENCE". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  8. Chernov, Matthew (4 May 2015). "10 Secrets From the Cast & Crew of the '80s Rambo Cartoon". Topless Robot. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  9. "Stallon wields a pen with Ramboian Power". Chicago Tribune. 18 May 1986.
  10. "Buyers Have an Early Adventure in Toyland : Industry Show Previews Talking Teddy Bears, Cuddly Dolls, More Rambos - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1986-02-21. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  11. "Rambo by Coleco". Action Figure Archive.
  12. "Rambo toy catalog by Coleco". 15 February 2015.
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