The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of the work might consist solely of the title character's name – such as Michael Collins or Othello – or be a longer phrase or sentence – such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . The title character is commonly – but not necessarily – the protagonist of the story. Narrative works routinely do not have a title character and there is some ambiguity in what qualifies as one.
56-530: Angus " Mac " MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series MacGyver . He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series . Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot . In both portrayals MacGyver is shown to possess a genius -level intellect , proficiency in multiple languages, superb engineering skills, excellent knowledge of applied physics , military training in bomb disposal techniques, and
112-600: A HALO jump ) and HAHO (high altitude – high opening). In the HALO technique, the parachutist opens the parachute at a low altitude after free-falling for a period of time, while in the HAHO technique, the parachutist opens the parachute at a high altitude just a few seconds after jumping from the aircraft. Although HALO techniques were first developed in the 1960s for military use, in recent years HALO parachute designs have been more widely used in non-military applications, including as
168-545: A Jeep Wrangler beginning with Season 2, but in Season 5 he began driving his grandfather Harry's "classic" 1946 Chevrolet pickup truck. MacGyver is proficient in Russian , German , French , Italian , Spanish , and American Sign Language , and knows how to use International maritime signal flags and Morse code . He is an avid outdoorsman with skills that include skiing and outdoor survival. Despite an acute fear of heights, he
224-414: A compass or GPS device for guidance while flying for 30 or more miles (50 kilometers). The jumper must use way points and terrain features to navigate to their desired landing zone and correct their course to account for changes in wind speed and direction. If deploying as a team, the team will form up in a stack while airborne with their parachutes. Usually, the jumper in the lowest position will set
280-630: A farmer in Minnesota. At about 12 years of age, MacGyver had a traumatic experience of the accidental shooting death of a friend by a bullet from a falling gun. MacGyver is a lifelong player of ice hockey , having played in his local hockey leagues and coached for a minor league team; he is also a supporter of the Calgary Flames and believed he could have made the NHL. He met Jack Dalton while in high school. MacGyver went to Western Tech where he graduated with
336-429: A gun . MacGyver is a non-violent problem solver and typically eschews the use of guns. His violent actions are performed in self-defense , and he takes non-fatal action when possible. MacGyver is depicted as an ally to social and environmental causes. He aids vulnerable populations throughout the series. During vineyard worker strikes, MacGyver assists Latino protesters against vineyard owners. MacGyver appears to have
392-524: A dual degree in chemistry and physics . After graduating from college he turned down an offer to work at the nearby nuclear power plant and it is later revealed that he briefly served during the Vietnam War in a bomb-defusing team. Five years before the start of the series, MacGyver worked as a "Hell Fighter," fighting oil well fires in Sumatra , Indonesia. Sometime during this time MacGyver's mother died of
448-409: A fatal climbing accident. MacGyver's most-used item is his Swiss Army knife . He usually carries a roll of duct tape in his back pocket, flattened out to make it fit. Other items he often has on hand are: an ID card, a Timex Camper watch, strike-anywhere matches , a few paper clips, chewing gum, and a flashlight. He also has a toolbox in his Jeep . MacGyver initially used a Jeep Cherokee and then
504-568: A field agent at the DXS. In the first episode of Season 2, Thornton takes a job as Director of Operations at the Phoenix Foundation , and MacGyver follows, where he is hired as a "sort of troubleshooter." He is assigned to a variety of tasks, usually field operations such as conducting environmental surveys and testing security systems. In the fifth season, Harry dies of a heart attack, at which point MacGyver believes he has no remaining relatives. In
560-405: A form of skydiving . In military operations, HALO is also used for delivering equipment, supplies, or personnel, while HAHO is generally used exclusively for personnel. In typical HALO/HAHO insertions the troops jump from altitudes between 15,000 and 35,000 feet (4,600 and 10,700 m). Military parachutists will often reach a terminal velocity of 126 mph (203 km/h), allowing for
616-624: A jump time under two minutes. The origins of the HALO technique date to 1951 during the Korean War . John K. Singlaub , CIA deputy chief of station in Seoul wanted to use bomber aircraft for agent drops in CIA covert-action operations. Singlaub used an air force B-26 out of a FOB on Yeongheungdo Island and re-rigged the bomb bay as a jump platform. After he conducted a series of proof of concept test jumps, Singlaub borrowed an air force L-19 Bird Dog and made
SECTION 10
#1732855152878672-409: A jumper being more susceptible to hypoxia. In addition, problems with the oxygen bottle and during the changeover from the pre-breather to the oxygen bottle can result in the return of nitrogen to the jumper's bloodstream and, therefore, an increased likelihood of decompression sickness A jumper suffering from hypoxia may lose consciousness and therefore be unable to open the parachute. Another risk
728-475: A pre-breathing period (30–45 minutes) prior to jump where the jumper breathes 100% oxygen in order to flush nitrogen from their bloodstream. Also, a HAHO jumper will employ an oxygen bottle during the jump. Danger can come from medical conditions affecting the jumper. Other factors increasing risk include tobacco smoking, alcohol and drug use (including antihistamines , sedatives , and analgesics ), anemia , carbon monoxide , fatigue and anxiety can all lead to
784-474: A preference for non-lethal resolutions to conflicts. MacGyver works for the fictional Phoenix Foundation in Los Angeles , which in the original series was an independent think tank , and in the 2016 reboot is a clandestine government organization using the cover of a think tank. In addition to his scientific knowledge and inventive use of common items, he always carries a Swiss Army knife and refuses to carry
840-590: A resourceful U.S. operative who works for the Phoenix Foundation, a covert U.S. government agency operating under the guise of a think tank. Trained as an EOD technician for the Army, Mac prefers to use non-lethal means to stop his enemies, and refuses to carry a gun, though if necessary he will resort to lethal measures. He is never without his trusty Swiss Army knife and uses anything in his environment to his advantage. While not an expert in biology or medicine, MacGyver
896-509: A ruthless treasure hunter. Soon thereafter ( MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday ), he investigates the murder of a friend in Britain, and eventually traces it to an unscrupulous businessman who sells nuclear arms research for profit. No mention in either special is made of Pete Thornton, Jack Dalton, MacGyver's son Sean or any of the show's other regulars. The term "MacGyver" has now become part of the colloquial American English lexicon. When one "MacGyvers"
952-563: A series of high altitude low-opening test jumps over the Han River . In 1960, the United States Air Force began conducting experiments that followed earlier work by Colonel John Stapp in the late 1940s through early 1950s on survivability for pilots ejecting at high altitude. Stapp, a research biophysicist and medical doctor, used himself in rocket sled tests to study the effects of very high g-forces . Stapp also solved many of
1008-401: A solution to a problem, one finds a simple yet elegant solution using existing resources. This is in contrast to a kludge , or a Rube Goldberg , which is generally complicated and problematic. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of Angus "Mac" MacGyver in the 2016 reboot of the series. MacGyver has a genius-level intellect and a particular ability for adaptation and improvisation. He is
1064-505: A stroke while he was in Afghanistan on assignment, though no specifics are given other than it being after Christmas. Eventually he moved to Los Angeles where he held numerous jobs until he accidentally meets Peter Thornton, an agent at the Department of External Services (DXS). When MacGyver saves Thornton's life using a paper clip , a wrench and shoelaces , MacGyver is offered a job as
1120-426: A strong connection with children, filling the role of "big brother" at the series' inception. MacGyver demonstrates his allegiance to children by assisting a mountain excursion for delinquent youths. MacGyver also conducts hearing research at a school for deaf children. In regard to the environment, MacGyver strives to protect endangered species such as eagles, the black rhino , and wolves. At an unspecificed date during
1176-415: A think tank. Eventually, Jack Dalton left his position with the CIA and became MacGyver's partner at DXS; by the time of the series pilot, they had spent three years as partners at DXS. After DXS's original, unnamed cover is blown a new cover is needed which will allow for a transition of the organization's assets so its work can continue. MacGyver suggests the name " Phoenix ", after the mythological bird that
SECTION 20
#17328551528781232-439: Is cut free and rolls out of the plane as a result of gravity. The load then proceeds to fall under canopy to a designated drop zone. In a typical HALO exercise, the parachutist will jump from the aircraft, free-fall for a period of time at terminal velocity , and open their parachute at an altitude as low as 3,000 feet (910 m) AGL depending on the mission. The combination of high downward speed, minimal forward airspeed, and
1288-582: Is first seen as January 23, 1951 but was then revised in season 2 as March 23, 1952, the date which continued to be used for the rest of the series. (However, in Series 6 Episode 12 Jerico Games , he looks at a 1968 high school yearbook when he was supposedly 18.) He was raised in Mission City, Minnesota . MacGyver was in the Cub Scouts . A Den Mother by the name of Mrs. Fryfogel taught him "backwoods common sense" and
1344-447: Is from the low ambient temperatures prevalent at higher altitudes. At an altitude of 35,000 feet (11,000 m), the jumper faces temperatures of −45 °C (−49 °F), and can experience frostbite . However, HAHO jumpers generally wear polypropylene knit undergarments and other warm clothing under a windproof shell to prevent this. HALO carries the additional risk that if the parachute fails to deploy or lines become tangled, there
1400-408: Is her knight in shining armor . The title character need not be the subject of the title in a strict grammatical sense: Uncle Tom is considered the title character of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Lee Marvin is often described as playing the title character in the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance , as his character (Liberty Valance) is named in the title, even though the grammatical subject of
1456-528: Is less time to resort to the reserve (back-up parachute) or untangle the lines. A retrospective study pinpointed 134 parachutists with 141 injuries. All these injuries were a result of members in HALO training. The most common injuries found were fractures, which accounted for 35% of the total injuries. Muscle sprains accounted for 34.7% of injuries. Other proportionally higher injuries were dislocations at 9.9%, contusions at 7.8%, and cuts and lacerations at 4.9%. The article also noted that two deaths occurred while
1512-459: Is observed by MacGyver's nemesis Murdoc . MacGyver demonstrates mood congruence , exhibiting grief in tragedy, fear in peril, and pain in suffering. This stands in contrast to exaggeratedly macho or stoic action heroes. MacGyver is introspective, and takes responsibility for personal losses and tragedies. He experiences guilt when duty prevents him from attending his mother's death and funeral. He experiences depression when his best friend suffers
1568-506: Is on good terms with his past romantic acquaintances. MacGyver's first name was originally intended to be Stacey, as seen in a press release from Paramount. However, it was never confirmed in any episode, and remained a mystery until the seventh season; whenever he is asked about it, he says he dislikes his first name and quickly changes the subject. His grandfather, Harry Jackson, calls him "Bud" or "Buddy". Most of his friends and colleagues call him by his last name MacGyver or simply "Mac". In
1624-467: Is one of the most dangerous and physically demanding skills in special operations. MFF operations are typically done under the cover of darkness, so as to hide the operator's presence from opposing forces. The transition into being military free-fall certified starts with successfully completing the static-line certification at Fort Moore , Georgia . The military free-fall course is instructed at Yuma Proving Ground and spans four weeks. The first week of
1680-450: Is proficient in multiple languages, including Italian, German and Mandarin. He also knows Morse code . He is shown to be charming, personable, and with an easy ability to make and keep friends. MacGyver shows flashes of intense anger when his friends are threatened or when his father, who disappeared from MacGyver's life at the age of 10, is mentioned. MacGyver was raised primarily in Mission City, California. His mother died when MacGyver
1736-512: Is reborn by rising from its own ashes, and the organization begins using the cover-name of the "Phoenix Foundation". Title character Examples in various media include Figaro in the opera The Marriage of Figaro , Giselle in the ballet of the same name , the Doctor in the TV series Doctor Who , Dr. Gregory House of the TV series House , Harry Potter in the series of novels and films , and Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet in
MacGyver - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-447: Is shown to be an efficient field medic and knowledgeable in crime scene techniques and DNA sequencing procedures. He is afraid of heights, though is able to overcome his fear to finish his missions. Though not an expert fighter, he is shown to be able to temporarily hold off multiple enemies in hand-to-hand combat, typically long enough for him to figure out a way to end the conflict using his adaptation and improvisational skills. He
1848-538: Is skilled at mountain/rock climbing, hang gliding, and parachuting - static line, ripcord and high-altitude military parachuting . His other hobbies include ice hockey and racing, and he has shown interest in painting and guitar. His haircut is a mullet , in a clean-cut, lightly gelled variation on the classic hairstyle. While never being in a long-term on-screen relationship, he has relationships with several women in individual episodes and several past long-term relationships are mentioned, from which he has one child. He
1904-409: Is used to airdrop supplies, equipment, or personnel at high altitudes, where aircraft can fly above surface-to-air missile (SAM) engagement levels through enemy skies without posing a threat to the transport or load. In the event that anti-aircraft cannons are active near the drop zone, the HALO technique also minimizes the parachutist's exposure to flak. For military cargo airdrops, the rigged load
1960-596: The Earth 's surface. Kittinger's friend and United States Naval Parachute Test Jumper Joe Crotwell was also among the consultants and test jumpers of the original program. The first time the technique was used for combat was during the Vietnam War in Laos by members of MACV-SOG Recon Team Florida. SEAL Teams of the United States Navy expanded the HALO technique to include delivery of boats and other large items. The technique
2016-666: The James Bond novels and films The Man with the Golden Gun and Dr. No ,. The protagonist and antagonist can arguably both be title characters, as in the films Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster or Smokey and the Bandit . In the novel and TV series Shogun , the feudal lord Toranaga is the title character, but the protagonist is John Blackthorne . In the 2003 revival of August Wilson 's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom , Whoopi Goldberg had
2072-567: The film of the same name , or Thomas More in the play A Man for All Seasons . Although it is common for the title character to be the protagonist, it is not unusual for the principal antagonist or a key secondary character to be named in the title instead. Examples of titular antagonists include Sauron in the book and film series The Lord of the Rings , Count Dracula in Bram Stoker 's Dracula , or Francisco Scaramanga and Julius No in
2128-455: The Army because he wanted to make an actual difference in people's lives rather than thinking about theoretical problems, being trained as an EOD technician and spending three years in Afghanistan. In the Army he met Jack Dalton, who was a Delta Force soldier. After leaving the Army, MacGyver was hired by the Department of External Services, a government clandestine operation using the guise of
2184-482: The Desert , or the imaginary 6-foot rabbit Harvey in the play and film of the same name . The general noun phrase "title character" can be replaced with a descriptive noun or phrase which is then further described using the adjective "titular". For example, the title character of Dracula can be referred to as the book's "titular vampire", the title character of Hamlet is the "titular prince of Denmark" , and
2240-399: The character followed, both occurring and released in 1994, two years after the series ended. In the first one ( MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis ), MacGyver teams up with his former college archaeology instructor, Professor Atticus ( Brian Blessed ), to help him prove his theories about ancient Atlantis while dodging the bullets of genocidal Yugoslav troops, a Greek revolutionary and
2296-440: The course students will learn how to stabilize their body in flight in a specially constructed vertical wind tunnel. All types of parachuting techniques are dangerous, but HALO/HAHO carry special risks. At high altitudes (greater than 22,000 feet or 6,700 metres), the partial pressure of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere is low. Oxygen is required for human respiration and lack of pressure can lead to hypoxia . Rapid ascent in
MacGyver - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-415: The covert nature of an operation may be compromised by the loud noise of parachutes opening at low altitude. HAHO jumps also allow a longer travel distance due to increased under-canopy time, allowing travelling distances of more than 40 miles (64 km). In a typical HAHO exercise, the jumper will jump from the aircraft and deploy the parachute immediately after exiting the aircraft. The jumper will use
2408-472: The final season, his first name is canonically revealed to be Angus when, while knocked unconscious and hallucinating, he meets a 7th-century man named Ian M'Iver ("son of Ingmarr") whose son has the same first name. This revelation is repeated in the series finale, which introduces MacGyver's son as having the middle name Angus, as well as on the packaging of the MacGyver DVD season sets. MacGyver's birthdate
2464-561: The jump aircraft without flushing sufficient nitrogen from the bloodstream and other body tissues can lead to decompression sickness , also known as caisson disease or "the bends". Since altitude decompression is a form of decompression from saturation, the risk of decompression sickness remains in slow tissues. A longer period of oxygen prebreathing or altitude acclimatisation is necessary to eliminate risk completely. The procedures used for preparation for extravehicular activity in space suits are relevant. A typical HAHO exercise will require
2520-545: The motto "Be prepared." At the age of 7, his grandmother Celia Jackson and father James MacGyver ( Martin Milner ) were killed in a car accident in which they both drowned, and MacGyver grew up with his mother, Ellen MacGyver. His grandfather, Harry Jackson ( John Anderson ) acted as his father, but moved away when MacGyver was 16, working for a time in Alaska while sending money to MacGyver and his mother, and eventually settled down as
2576-543: The play An Ideal Husband , which ostensibly refers to the character Sir Robert Chiltern. A title character is typically fictional, such as Alice in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , Robinson Crusoe in the book of the same name or Jean-Luc Picard in the TV series Star Trek: Picard ; but can be a non-fictional dramatization, such as Annie Oakley in the musical Annie Get Your Gun , Erin Brockovich in
2632-712: The play Romeo and Juliet . There is no formal, prescriptive definition of a title character or title role , but there are general standards accepted by tradition. The title character need not be literally named in the title, but may be referred to by some other identifying word or phrase, such as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit , Simba in The Lion King , Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender , Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland or more vaguely, as in
2688-418: The problems of high-altitude flight in his earliest work for the U.S. Air Force and subjected himself to exposure to altitudes of up to 45,000 feet (14,000 m). He later helped develop pressure suits and ejection seats , which have been used in jets ever since. As part of the experiments, on August 16, 1960, Colonel Joseph Kittinger performed the first high-altitude jump at 19.5 miles (31.4 km) above
2744-557: The second to last episode of the show, it is revealed that MacGyver has a son, Sean "Sam" Angus Malloy. Sean's mother is the photojournalist Kate Malloy who MacGyver had met after college. Kate had been murdered in China several years prior to MacGyver meeting their son for the first time. After discovering and reuniting with Sean, MacGyver decides to resign from the Foundation in order to spend time with his son. Two television specials featuring
2800-451: The series, MacGyver begins practicing vegetarianism . MacGyver is persistent and spontaneous. He employs improvisation to evade anticipatory countermeasures, and his plans are difficult to thwart on account of their unpredictability. This constant spontaneity challenges MacGyver as well as his adversaries. Because MacGyver continues to operate in this manner, it is assumed the tactical advantage of spontaneity outweighs its disadvantages. This
2856-463: The title character of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the "titular wizard". High-altitude military parachuting High-altitude military parachuting , or military free fall ( MFF ), is a method of delivering military personnel , military equipment , and other military supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. Two techniques are used: HALO (high altitude – low opening, often called
SECTION 50
#17328551528782912-452: The title is the person who shot him. The concept of title character may be interpreted to include unseen characters , such as Godot in Waiting for Godot , Rebecca de Winter in the 1938 novel Rebecca , or Jason Bourne in the 2012 film The Bourne Legacy . Status as the title character has been attributed to named objects, such as the bus in the film and musical Priscilla, Queen of
2968-474: The title role of Ma Rainey, but the lead was Charles S. Dutton as Levee. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , the Wizard of Oz is the title character, but is a minor supporting character. In the musical Bye Bye Birdie , Conrad Birdie is the title character, while Albert Peterson is the protagonist. In the video game The Legend of Zelda , the title character Princess Zelda is the damsel in distress and Link
3024-698: The travel course and act as a guide for the other team members. HAHO insertions (excluding training) are intended to be executed at night. Whilst in the British Special Forces ( 22 SAS ), due to his extensive skydiving background, Charles "Nish" Bruce was pivotal in the original trials and development of the HAHO tactic now routinely used as a conflict insert for special forces. In the United States, military personnel who intend to participate in high-altitude military operations must undergo intense training with strict rules and regulations. Military free-fall
3080-510: The use of only small amounts of metal helps to defeat radar and reduces the amount of time a parachute might be visible to ground observers, enabling a stealthy insertion. The HAHO technique is used to airdrop personnel at high altitudes when aircraft are unable to fly above enemy skies without posing a threat to the jumpers. In addition, HAHO parachute jumps are employed in the covert insertion of military personnel (generally special operations forces ) into enemy territory, in circumstances where
3136-487: Was 5, and his father disappeared from MacGyver's life when MacGyver was 10. After his father's disappearance, MacGyver was raised by his grandfather. MacGyver met his best friend Wilt Bozer in the fifth grade, and both graduated from Mission City High School. Bozer and MacGyver are roommates when the series begins, although Bozer initially believes that MacGyver works as an IT expert. MacGyver spent two years at MIT studying physics, though did not graduate. He left MIT to join
#877122