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Tron Tron Uprising

Beck’s Beginning

Tron UprisingFollowing the fall of Tron and Flynn, Clu begins to take over the entire Grid. A mechanic program, Beck, watches as one of his friends is derezzed for merely questioning the legality of Clu’s coup, and takes action: altering his appearance to look like Tron, he destroys a huge statue of Clu, drawing the attention of one of Clu’s generals, Tesler. As striking any blow for freedom is considered an act of terrorism under Clu’s regime, Beck’s career choices rapidly narrow. He’s capture by Tesler’s lieutenant, Paige, but manages to escape, landing in the middle of nowhere – but not alone. Beck is interrogated by another program who wants to know why he has chosen to impersonate Tron. And Beck’s interrogator has reason to ask, since he is Tron.

written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
directed by Charlie Bean
music by Joseph Trapanese

Tron UprisingCast: Elijah Wood (Beck), Bruce Boxleitner (Tron), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Paige), Mandy Moore (Mara), Nate Corddry (Zed), Lance Henriksen (Tesler), Reginald VelJohnson (Able), Paul Reubens (Pavel), Tricia Helfer (voice of the Grid), Charlie Bean (additional voices), Elizabeth Ho (additional voices), Meeghan Holloway (additional voices), Sam Riegel (additional voices), Keith Silverstein (additional voices), Fred Tatascione (additional voices), Keone Young (additional voices)

Notes: Originally broadcast in 10 mini-episodes, Beck’s Beginning garnered enough interest to be edited together to serve as a “prelude” to the series proper. Tron is shown to be in an extremely damaged state here, a condition that will presumably worsen until he becomes Rinzler (this animated series takes place Tron Uprisingbefore Tron Legacy). Bruce Boxleitner is the only cast member to have appeared in the live-action Tron franchise, starring as Tron (and his real-world alter ego Alan Bradley) in 1982’s Tron and 2010’s Tron Legacy. Elijah Wood is best known as Frodo Baggins from the 21st century big-screen Lord Of The Rings trilogy as well as the two Hobbit movies. Mandy Moore was the voice of Rapunzel in Disney’s all-CG movie Tangled, and has had recurring roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, and Entourage, all while maintaining her career as a recording artist. Wood and Moore co-starred in 2002’s All I Want. Lance Henriksen’s genre resume could almost fill a book, with big-screen appearances in Aliens and several of its sequels, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, The Terminator, and The Right Stuff, and countless TV roles (including a three-year stint as star of the X-Files spinoff Millennium). Reginald VelJohnson will forever be known as Urkel’s dad from Family Matters, just as Paul Reubens will forever be associated with the character Tron Uprisingof Pee-Wee Herman. Tricia Helfer probably needs no introduction to genre audiences after starring as Number Six in the 21st century reboot of Battlestar Galactica. Director Charlie Bean worked on Batman: The Animated Series, Samurai Jack, Powerpuff Girls, Hercules & Xena: The Animated Movie and early episodes of Ren & Stimpy. Joseph Trapanese assisted Daft Punk on their soundtrack for Tron Legacy and takes over music duties here.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Tron Tron Uprising

The Renegade, Part 1

Tron UprisingSecurity has tightened across the Grid after Beck’s acts of rebellion in the guise of Tron, ironically making it harder for Beck to sneak away for further training at Tron’s secret hideout. Spotted as he leaves, Beck tries to evade the Recognizers and hides inside what appears to be a cargo container, only to discover that its cargo consists of fellow programs being taken to fight on the Grid. En route to battle, Beck discovers that some of his fellow prisoners regard Tron as a hero – and others see him as a nuisance.

Tron Uprisingstory by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
written by Kamran Pasha, Adam Nussdorf & Bill Wolkoff
directed by Charlie Bean
music by Joseph Trapanese

Cast: Elijah Wood (Beck), Bruce Boxleitner (Tron), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Paige), Mandy Moore (Mara), Nate Corddry (Zed), Lance Henriksen (Tesler), Reginald VelJohnson (Able), Paul Reubens (Pavel), Lance Reddick (Cutler), Kate Mara (Perl), Ben Schwartz (Rilo), Tricia Helfer (voice of the Grid), Charlie Bean (additional voices), Elizabeth Ho (additional voices), Meeghan Holloway (additional voices), Sam Riegel (additional voices), Keith Silverstein (additional voices)

Tron UprisingNotes: Storyboard artist Ricardo Delgado has been either an illustrator or storyboarder for numerous productions, from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to seaQuest DSV to Avatar: The Last Airbender to Star Wars: Clone Wars. His movie credits include Apollo 13, WALL-E, Star Trek: First Contact, Men In Black, The Matrix Reloaded, The Incredibles, and Wreck-It Ralph. A Bit, similar to the one first seen in 1982’s Tron, appears in this episode; also seen here is the ENCOM 786 Light Cycle, later seen to be in Flynn’s possession in Tron Legacy.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Tron Tron Uprising

The Renegade, Part 2

Tron UprisingBeck and Cutler refuse to fight each other, so Tesler encircles them with a force field that will contract until they’re both crushed. They begin fighting, but Cutler forfeits, and is sentenced to derezzing by Tesler. In the guise of Tron, Beck breaks Cutler out, but Paige, Tesler’s most fiercely devoted underling, is not far behind. Elsewhere on the grid, Zed has to ask for help in recovering the stolen ENCOM 786 light cycle.

Tron Uprisingstory by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
written by Kamran Pasha, Adam Nussdorf & Bill Wolkoff
directed by Charlie Bean
music by Joseph Trapanese

Cast: Elijah Wood (Beck), Bruce Boxleitner (Tron), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Paige), Mandy Moore (Mara), Nate Corddry (Zed), Lance Henriksen (Tesler), Reginald VelJohnson (Able), Paul Reubens (Pavel), Lance Reddick (Cutler), Kate Mara (Perl), Ben Schwartz (Rilo), Tricia Helfer (voice of the Grid), Charlie Bean (additional voices), Elizabeth Ho (additional voices), Meeghan Holloway (additional voices), Sam Riegel (additional voices), Keith Silverstein (additional voices)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Tron Tron Uprising

Blackout

Tron UprisingTron is unsatisfied with Beck’s training; the younger program is too cocky and careless in Tron’s simulated freedom-fighting scenarios. A sudden blackout, affecting the entire Grid, catches their attention. Tessler is overseeing a drilling project to tap directly into the energy that powers the entire Grid. Tron knows that this dangerous operation has to be stopped, so training time is over for Beck: he must become the Renegade in a real crisis. But Beck can’t trust anyone, not even his own friends, with his secret identity – not even when he needs their help to survive.

Tron Uprisingwritten by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
directed by Charlie Bean
music by Joseph Trapanese

Cast: Elijah Wood (Beck), Bruce Boxleitner (Tron), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Paige), Mandy Moore (Mara), Nate Corddry (Zed), Lance Henriksen (Tesler), Reginald VelJohnson (Able), Paul Reubens (Pavel), Donald Faison (Bartik), Paul Scheer (Hopper), David Arquette (Link), Tricia Helfer (voice of the Grid), Charlie Bean (additional voices), Elizabeth Ho (additional voices), Meeghan Holloway (additional voices), Sam Riegel (additional voices), Keith Silverstein (additional voices)

LogBook entry by Earl Green