Cale Tucker

Cale Tucker is one of the main protagonists of Titan AE. His character was voiced by Matt Damon as an adult, and by Alex D. Linz as a child. He is one of the many surviving humans left after the destruction of Earth, and along with Akima Kunimoto, the creators of the New Earth.

Background

Early Life

Cale Tucker was born on planet Earth in 3023 AD, to the scientist Sam Tucker and an unknown mother. Little is known about Cale's life on Earth except for the fact he developed a genius-level skill for electronics and mechanics at an early age, often building gadgets and toys with his father.

In 3028, Cale was living with his father in Pierce, Colorado. One morning he was playing with one of his creations in a nearby lake when his father Sam called him over. Unbeknownst to Cale, this day was to become the last day of Earth. Cale and Sam, together with the Vusstran scientist Tek and Joseph Korso, moved to the local spaceport during the emergency Earth evacuation. Before leaving Earth, Sam announces to Cale that he has to leave in a different ship. A teary-eyed Cale is left with Sam's golden ring, and a promise their separation be temporary. In fact, this would be the very last time Cale would see his father, but Sam will come back to him like he always does.

Cale leaves the Earth in the shuttle with Tek and a group of Earth evacuees, only mere minutes before the planet is destroyed by the Drej mothership, Alahenena.

After Earth - Growing up with Tek

(Most of this continuity is derived from the Titan AE prequel books)

Cale spent much of his youth living in the care of Tek and his family on the planet Vusstra. He lived on the planet for ten years, developing an affinity with the Vusstrans and rarely encountering any Earth humans and enjoying a brother-sisterly relationship with Tek's pod-daugther Iji. Cale also learnt from Tek about the importance of solidarity - the value of banding together with other Humans in order to survive in the universe.

Despite keeping a positive and confident attitude after the destruction of Earth, Cale still longed for the return of his father ten years after their separation. In a fit of angst toward his father not fulfilling his promise of returning, Cale threw Sam's golden ring into a mud pit on Vusstra, only to realise he'd lost his only connection to his father and quickly dove in to retrieve it, but not before a native packrodent took the ring for its nest hoard.

In 3038 (10 AE), after spotting a Drej scout ship through Tek's telescope, Cale begins to question his safety on Vusstra. Some time later, Cale goes along with Tek on a reconnaisance mission to the Qu'ut system, to learn more about the Spiral Arm's common enemy, and to collect information to further Tek's restoration program for Vusstra. The trio made a stopover at the salvage station Tau-14 in order to trade Tek's rustic Ale Keg transport for a more worthy spacecraft capable of long-distance travel.

While Cale explored the enormous salvage station, he encountered a group of thuggish humans (the first group of humans Cale had seen in a long time), who arrogantly taunted Cale for his appearance and demeanor. Through the intervention of Iji, the group of thugs recognised Cale as the son of Sam Tucker, and then proceeded to violently beat Cale for being the son of someone who (apparently) made a false promise of hope for the human race. The leader of the bullies, Klegg, then threw Iji into an emergency airlock, threatening to jettison her into space. Out of desperation, Cale bartered Sam's ring for Iji's life.

"Victory Through Perseverance"

A bloodied and battered Cale travelled with Tek and Iji to the Qu'ut system, landing on the star system's only remaining planet, Qu'ut Minor. Upon landing, the trio were surrounded by the remaining factions of the diminished Qu'utian civilisation. Thinking quickly, Cale introduced himself as a Human, and told the Qu'utians about the recent, similar fate of Earth. Recognising the commonality between their respective races, the Qu'utians took the trio into an underground metropolis. Guided through the city by the Qu'utian shaman Nikla, Cale learns that the Qu'utians have hidden their metropolis in order to create a facade of defeat and broken spirit to the Drej, so that they wouldn't be attacked again. Cale marvelled at the Qu'utians sense of selflessness and perseverance after their encounter with the Drej, a stark contrast to humankind's response to their attack.

The mark of Qu'ut, "Victory through Perseverance" Fan-made. Credit to artist: Knews2mi

The following day, Cale met with the Qu'utian leader Rontlyn. Finding him to be a kindred spirit to the Qu'utian race, Rontlyn offered Cale to be branded with the mark of Qu'ut - a sword surrounded by a circle of wire. This mark was known as the Qu'utchaa, and symbolised the Qu'utian's motto, "Victory Through Persistance". Cale accepted Rontlyn's offer on the condition he use it as a reminder never to lose his Human spirit in the wake of the Drej, and took the tattoo on his right shoulder. This observation of the Qu'utian's determination and the establishment of trust from the Qu'utians would also have a lasting effect on Cale's perspective of humanity.

However, this moment of captivation would be abruptly interrupted as a group of Drej Stingers are detected by the Qu'utian radars. Although the Drej make a quick attack on the ruins of several cities above ground, the secret of the subterranean metropolis is not discovered. While Tek makes a plan to leave Qu'ut, Iji accidentally lets slip of Cale's encounter with the bullies on Tau-14, and the loss of Sam's ring to Klegg. A shocked Tek informs Cale of the ring's importance to the fate of humanity, and upon hearing this, Rontlyn implores that Cale must go and retrieve it.

New Marrakech

Cale recalls that Klegg was bound for the drifter colony New Marrakech, orbiting the Solbrecht star system. After Tek's Epsilon Z craft is badly damaged in an encounter with a Drej scout ship, the trio land on the drifter colony. Cale finds Klegg and is taken away to his home base by his gang. With newfound courage after the Qu'ut encounter, Cale manages to convince Klegg into a one-on-one challenge, which leads to a zero-gravity fight between the two. After Klegg arrogantly exclaims his lack of regard for rules in a fair fight, Cale throws some hot pepper powder in Klegg's face, leading to his defeat. It is at this point when one of Klegg's cohorts announces the Drej have begun a full-scale attack on New Marrakech. In the confusion that ensues, Klegg tries to escape from Cale with the ring despite having lost the fight, but Cale manages to chase him into the colony's mosque. With the help of Iji, Cale manages to overpower Klegg and retrieve Sam's ring.

While Cale and Iji run back to Tek's craft, Cale encounters an old man watching the Drej attack from the deck. The man tells Cale that all hope for humanity is lost, and shows his contentment to watch the Drej finish the last remains of humanity off. This, coupled with the neglect and disrepair of the colony's facilities, as well as the encounters with Klegg, had a profound effect on Cale's perception of humanity. From here on out, Cale began to see humans as hopeless, defeatist creatures in comparison to the strong and dedicated attitudes of the Qu'utians after their encounter with the Drej. Cale began to develop a somewhat misanthropic attitude towards other human beings.

Life on Tau-14 and meeting Joseph Korso

After the success of Tek's planetary rejuvenation project on Vusstra, Cale and Tek packed up once more and flew back to Tau-14. Despite Cale's protests, Tek believed Cale needed more interaction with his own species. Cale lived on the salvage station with Tek for five years, working as a scrap collector. This did nothing to counteract Cale's attitude, however. Over time, Cale grew bored of living with other humans on Tau-14, often pushing past his human co-workers in queues to the ship's airlocks, or openly mocking them in general.

(Prequel continuity ends here)

In 3043 (15 AE), nineteen-year-old Cale tried to bypass a queue into Tau-14 during a lunch break, but ended up crashing his speeder into the window of a large ship. Here he awkwardly meets Akima Kunimoto for the first time. Cale's antics weren't also a nuisance to the Human workers of the salvage station, however. After having lunch with Tek, Cale was cornered in the station's dormitory level by Firrikash and Po, two burly aliens who had clashed with Cale previously. The aliens begin to beat up Cale, but are interrupted by the intervention of Joseph Korso, who had entered Tau-14 with Akima. Corso ties up Firrikash and Po, but Cale scoffs back at Korso's assistance. Cale's first impression of Korso is another "loser" Human, but learns through Tek that he was a dear friend of Sam. Korso also shows Cale the significance of Sam's golden ring, activating the genetically-encoded star map.

Cale also learns from Korso that he is wanted by the Drej. The Drej enter Tau-14's mess hall and try to hunt Cale down. Cale tries to convince Tek to escape Tau-14 with him and Korso, but Tek sees it more beneficial if Cale goes without him. Cale and Tek exchange a quick goodbye, before he and Korso narrowly escape Tau-14. During the chase, Cale gets shot at by the Drej in the arm and leg, burning both limbs. Cale and Korso manage to outrun the Drej and make it to the Valkyrie via a smaller craft, but are forced to spacewalk to the ship without suits when the craft's windshield breaks open in vacuum. As soon as the two make it to the safety of the Valkyrie, Cale passes out and is sent to the medical bay.

Aboard the Valkyrie and Drej Abduction

Several hours later, Cale woke up in the Valkyrie's medical bay, his wounds being tended to by Akima and Preed. Cale later got to meet the rest of the ship's crew, fixing Gune's holographic star map and (in a deleted scene), Korso's "green drink" dispenser. Cale learned that the star map generated by Sam Tucker's ring would lead the Valkyrie crew to the Titan, his father's project that he had managed to hide from the Drej after the destruction of Earth. Still wary of his fellow Human crewmates, Cale reluctantly agreed to help Korso and the crew find the Titan, but claimed he would abandon Korso's mission should things go awry. Cale's first meeting with Akima was not exactly friendly, with Akima initially writing him off due to his disliking of "drifter colony bums".

Cale, with the Valkyrie crew, fly to the swampy world of Sesharrim, a checkpoint in Sam's ring map. Here Cale meets the leader of the Gaoul, the bat-like race that dwell on the planet. Cale learns from the Gaoul leader to point his hand up toward the Sesharrim moon, which makes the map's compass needle point toward the Andali Nebula.

However, this encounter is cut short by yet another Drej encounter. While trying to return to the Valkyrie with Korso and Stith, Cale and Akima are both abducted by one of the Drej Stinger ships. When Cale and Akima are both taken to the Drej mothership, Cale is put into a forcefield where the Drej project a copy of Sam's ring map. Akima is jettisoned into space via a capsule, while Cale is sent into the Drej's detention facility. Using Cale's knowledge of electronics, Cale manages to short-circuit the holographic forcefield of the detention cell, allowing him to escape. Cale then commandeers one of the Drej Stingers, and leaves the mothership disguised as one of the scout group headed for the Andali Nebula. Cale signals to the crew of the Valkyrie by hacking into their navigation system. Upon entering the ship, he is warmly greeted by a rescued Akima. Although happy to be alive after his narrow escape, Cale is upset that the Drej have copied the ring map and may get to the Titan first. It's also around this time when Cale begins to develop more of a kinship around his fellow Humans.

New Bangkok

After settling back in on the Valkyrie, Korso lets Cale take the ship on a joyride through a nebula cloud after encountering a flock of Wake Angels. Cale thanks Korso for coming to find him, and expresses that despite all of his angst, he still misses his father. That evening, Cale has a nightmare about being exterminated by the Drej. He wakes up to find the ship has docked with the drifter colony New Bangkok. While gathering some materials with Akima to trade on the New Bangkok, he and Akima overhear Korso's conversation with the Drej Queen of his intentions to betray the Titan to the Drej along with Preed. Korso tells Cale that his dad hide his ship and then the Drej toutrued and killed him for not telling where the ship is all because his couldn't face the truth. Cale tries to fight Korso, but is overpowered. He and Akima escape the Valkyrie and board the New Bangkok, but not before Akima gets shot in the shoulder by Preed's gun. Cale helps Akima get medical attention with the help of the locals.

While Akima is being tended to, Cale encounters a group of young boys playing soccer on the surface of New Bangkok. The eldest boy tells Cale that his younger brother learnt how to play soccer from his dad, who lived on Earth. A treasured photo of their father playing soccer in an Earth field encourages the boys to imagine the Earth landscape while playing. Cale notices a greater sense of determination and enthusiasm in this younger crowd on New Bangkok, and begins to understand that maybe Humans do deserve a second chance after all.

After Akima recovers from her ordeal, Cale tells her of his plan to get to the Titan before Korso or the Drej, and picks out a discarded spacecraft called the Phoenix. With the help of the colony's inhabitants, Cale and Akima rebuild the Phoenix and fly from New Bangkok, bound for the Andali Nebula.

Finding the Titan

Cale and Akima fly the Phoenix to the ice fields of Tigrin, located in the Andali Nebula. They are seen and followed by the Valkyrie, but manage to evade them by taking advantage of the reflective surfaces of the icy asteroids. They soon find the Titan, covered by a thick shield of ice and dock with it.

Upon boarding the Titan, Cale discovers Sam's ring to be the activator of the ship's systems. He is greeted by a holographic message of his now-deceased father Sam, who apologises to Cale for not keeping his promise of coming back to see him. Cale also learns from the message of the Titan's secret function, to build a new Earth. However, although Sam's ring activated the Titan's systems, there wasn't enough fuel in the ship to begin the terraforming process.

Cale, Stith and Akima are then ambushed by Korso and Preed, also having docked with the Titan. A fight ensues after Preed announces his betrayal to Korso. After Korso kills Preed by snapping his neck, another fight between Cale and Korso occurs, with Korso falling over the railings of the Titan's control deck. Cale, in an act of good faith, tries to pull Korso back up to the deck, but Korso slips his grasp and falls. With the Drej mothership Alahenena approaching, Cale decides to take advantage of the Drej's energy to fuel the Titan. While rerouting the power feed, Cale discovers one of the conduits to be malfunctioning, and goes out to the Titan's exterior to try and activate the conduit manually. Outside, Cale gets chased by a Drej Stinger, which gets gunned down by Gune in the Valkyrie. However, the fallen Drej Stinger ship pins Cale against the wall of the Titan's exterior. Here, Cale sees Korso approach him with his gun, having survived the fall from the previous fight. With nowhere to run, Cale is ready to accept his fate when he finds himself free of the Drej ship. A repentant Korso had blasted the ship away, and assists Cale in manually fixing the conduit.

With the conduit beyond repair, even with Cale's help, Korso tells Cale to leave him to fix it. Cale tries to protest, but is insisted by Korso to go and start the Titan's engines. While Alahenena prepares its major weapon to destroy the Titan, Cale races back into the control deck, almost getting shot down by a Stinger, and places Sam's ring into the computer systems just as the Drej fire their weapon. The Titan's power intake saps all of the energy from the Drej's weapon fire, thus taking all of the mothership's energy and disintegrating it. Cale, Stith and Akima then watch as the Titan builds a new planet from the asteroids of Tigrin.

New Earth

In 16 AE, Cale and Akima left the Titan to land on the now-hospitable New Earth. Akima asks Cale if he's thought of a name for the new world, to which he jokingly answers "Bob". With their enemies now vanquished, Cale and Akima rejoice in their new home with a long kiss, and wave goodbye to Gune and Stith, flying off into the distance.

Cale and Akima began a relationship together, and also helped to rebuild society after the arrival of the Human population as they flew to the New Earth from their drifter colonies.