 Jessie Bannon |
 Jonny Quest |
 Hadji Singh |
 Race Bannon |
 Dr Benton Quest |
 Bandit |
 Jeremiah Surd |
 Ezekiel Rage |
The Zin Dynasty | |
 Dr Zin |
 Anaya and Melana Zin |
Perhaps as a result of his extensive travels with his father, Jonny has an uncanny ability to turn up right in the middle of the action - or to get it going once he gets there. His capacity as a "weirdness magnet" manifests itself in dreams (The Ballad of Belle Bonnet) and his knack of being chosen to perform certain duties (Ndovu's Last Journey, The Alchemist). As a rule, Jonny disdains guns and other weapons, electing to use his wits - and his feet! - to get him out of the jams he invariably finds himself in.
Despite - or perhaps because of - his exotic upbringing, Jonny has a good head on his shoulders, and a particularly well-developed sense of responsibility, although he tends to be impatient and even reckless. Insatiably curious, he's a little remiss of book learning, preferring to get his hands dirty in the pursuit of the answers to his questions. One never knows exactly what's going on under that dirty-blond mop, but there's no doubt that Jonny's heart is in the right place.
Like all teenagers, Jonny possesses unshakeable faith in his own immortality, but he is not so confident about his father's. A loyal and compassionate young man, Jonny's concern for the welfare of others sometimes causes him to disregard his own safety. There's little doubt that he'll grow up to be a fine man - if he stays alive long enough to get out of his teens.
Thoughtful and scholarly beyond her 15 years, Jessie copes admirably with being the only female in a male-dominated environment. Her eagerness to participate in and sometimes initiate the Quest team's often rigorous activities does not in any way diminish her femininity. Her slender frame belies a toughness to rival that of the males, and she has a fiery temperament to match her red hair and green eyes. She gamely rappels down mountains, busts broncos, and full-body-tackles adversaries, while remaining every inch a lady.
Most of the time, Jessie lives with her father at the Quest compound. She occasionally spends time with her mother, Estella Velasquez, a South American archaelogist.
Hadji specializes in computer programming and general electronic know-how, and is an able backup for any situation. He seems to have a slight problem with heights, but has never let this get in the way of helping his friends and family when they need him.
It's hard to ruffle Hadji, and as Jonny and Jessie's best friend, Hadji provides the calm voice of reason as any big brother would. Hadji's maturity and intelligence sometimes make him seem twice his 16 years, but his youthful enthusiasm shines through. Hadji wears the turban as a reminder of his cultural roots, and adheres strongly to his religious beliefs that promote non-violence and the search for inner peace. He's a student of yogin, and teaches Jonny useful maneuvers such as escaping bonds and breath control. In addition, he has a wise saying to defuse every occasion.
Hadji, who is of East Indian descent, was adopted by Dr Quest as a young child during one of the Quests' early expeditions to India. Until recently, Hadji's parentage was a mystery; he knew only that he was raised by Pasha the peddlar.
Hadji is actually the Sultan of Bangalore, the successor to his late father Sultan Haresh, and inherited his psychic powers (and the phrase "Sim, sim, salabim!") from his mother Leela. Haresh's brother Deepak hired Pasha to kill the crown prince, but Pasha took pity on the then-four-year-old Hadji and kidnapped him instead. Knowing that both their lives were in danger, Pasha moved Hadji from city to city, teaching him every trick and skill he knew. Haresh died shortly after Hadji's disappearance, and Deepak seized power. Deepak's son Vikram later got rid of his own father and ascended to the throne.
Leela never stopped looking for Hadji after he disappeared; her psychic powers led her to Pasha, but he was always one step ahead of her. Now that mother and son have been reunited, Hadji has stayed on in Bangalore to learn to rule his country. (All this was revealed in the episode Bloodlines.)
Like father, like son - looking at Benton Quest, one immediately knows where his son gets it from. Even at 50, Benton is as agile and adventurous as any man half his age. Benton's curiosity, intelligence and thirst for knowledge have all rubbed off on Jonny. Although Jonny is often more reckless than Benton would prefer, the senior Quest is clearly proud of his son.
Race can drive or pilot anything with - and without! - an engine, and has an extensive knowledge of weapons and security intelligence. During his years as a government agent, he constructed quite an elaborate network of contacts around the world - many of whom owe him favors that he collects on from time to time.
A devoted father to Jessie, Race is fiercely protective of both his daughter and the Quest family. Despite his gruff exterior and cynical outlook on life, he is an idealist at heart. Race remains on civil terms with his ex-wife and Jessie's mother, South American archaeologist Estella Velasquez.
Race is also flight, driving and boating instructor to Jonny and Jessie - which can sometimes be more perilous than any situation to which he accompanies the Quests.
Although he has given up his government commission, Race is occasionally called upon by his former employers to carry out missions that require his specialized expertise. Nevertheless, his allegiances lie first with the Quests.
As far as Bandit is concerned, Jonny is the center of the universe. Although Bandit is also fond of Jessie, Hadji, Dr Quest and Race, the little dog's first loyalty is to Jonny.
Years later, Surd's nerve gas once again threatened Chicago, and Race was requested to stem the threat. While searching for Surd's files, Jonny, Jessie and Hadji discovered that Surd was still alive in a mental asylum, but completely paralyzed. They offered him the run of Questworld in exchange for his help in neutralizing the nerve gas threat. But then Surd escaped from Questworld, hooked up with his former terrorist associates, and stole the portable Questworld system (Escape to Questworld).
As a result, the only authority Rage obeys now is what he calls the Book of Rage - a beautifully bound book whose only content is a photograph of his wife and daughter. Horribly scarred physically and emotionally, Rage both prophesies and attempts to bring about the end of the world.
The original Book of Rage was destroyed in Rage's failed attempt to hold the world hostage with nerve gas (Ezekiel Rage). However, Rage has managed to assemble a number of followers of his apocalyptic vision, some of whom are in high places. Rage's intelligence background left him a motherlode of classified information, which he draws on to carry out his apocalyptic plans.
Rage is haunted by the memory of his daughter Carla, and more than once has mistaken Jessie for the little girl (Ezekiel Rage, Future Rage).
Rage was presumed dead after his latest attempt to destroy the world (Rage's Burning Wheel). However, he re-emerged in Future Rage and appears to have been bionically augmented.
Zin was last seen trapped under a heavy statue in an underground chamber that was rapidly filling with sand, but like all legendary villains, he has nine lives. And even if those run out, his name will live on...
The twin daughters of Dr Zin, Anaya (left) and Melana (right) are beautiful, smart -- and dangerous. They have been trained in the sciences and martial arts, but their deadliest weapon is their charm. Anaya once managed to wheedle her way into Hadji's heart, and although he now knows her for what she really is, it's clear that he still has a soft spot for her. If the feeling is mutual, Anaya isn't telling -- but she does take great pleasure in taunting him.
Anaya and Melana are almost as competent as their father. The key word here is "almost". So far, they haven't been able to complete a mission on their own without having Daddy pull their fat out of the fire. Bad news for feminists, but good news for the rest of the world.
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest and all characters, logos, and likenesses therein, are trademarks of and copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc., and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., a Turner company, and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by their use on this page. I and this page are in no way affiliated with, approved of or endorsed by Hanna Barbera or Turner Productions. This page is created by a fan for other fans out of love and respect for the show, and is strictly a non-profit endeavor.
The Quest Team
Jonny Quest
voice: J.D. Roth/Quinton Flynn
That kid could jump in a lake and come out dry. -- Race
Okay, so maybe Jonny Quest is not a typical teenager. After all, how many 14-year-olds have a father who's a renowned explorer/scientist and get to travel around the world, explore fantastic VR landscapes, and drive a 4x4 on a regular basis?
Jessie Bannon
voice: Jessie P. Douglas/Jennifer Hale
You know, she's pretty cool. -- Jonny
Jessie Bannon is daddy's little girl, but she's definitely no spoiled brat - Race Bannon has taken pains to teach her everything she needs to know to survive in any environment. Brilliant and resourceful, she also has a special inclination towards computers and communications equipment, which she manipulates with ease.
Hadji Singh
voice: Michael Benyaer/Rob Paulsen
(with thanks to Monique Thomas)
Hadji is Dr. Quest's adopted son, and also his assistant. He accompanies his mentor on all of his scientific excursions.
Dr Benton Quest
voice: George Segal/Don Messick/John DeLancie
Benton Quest is a world-renowned phenomenologist, archaeologist, scientist and explorer whose daily commute ranges from 2 to 2000 miles. He has spent most of his life researching strange phenomena all around the world, and now is frequently commissioned as a consultant in such matters by individuals, institutions and governments alike. This has helped him build a personal fortune that allows him to pursue his own interests.
Race Bannon
voice: Robert Patrick/Sonny Van Dusen/Robert Forsythe
You know my dad -- he'd rather go trying than not try at all. -- Jessie
Roger "Race" Bannon used to be a highly-placed government agent, but gave it up when his orders began to clash with his principles. He has been serving as Dr Quest's bodyguard and Operations Manager for several years and has come to regard the Quest family as his extended family.
Bandit
voice: Frank Welker
He's not such a stupid mutt after all. -- Jessie
Bandit is a feisty little bull terrier with black mask-like markings on his face - hence his name. Bandit is not terribly intelligent, but he gets by. Jonny has trained Bandit in the basics of obedience, which comes in handy at times. Bandit is no Lassie, but he does his share of going for help and attacking those who threaten his beloved master and his friends.
Recurring Villains
Jeremiah Surd
voice: Frank Welker
Jeremiah Surd is a brilliant but insane scientist who, in 1978, threatened Washington DC with a deadly nerve gas. Race Bannon was in charge of the team assigned to stop Surd. The resulting confrontation ended with Surd shot and presumed dead.
Surd has since then had access to Questworld, and a certain amount of control over the program; he has at times turned Questworld against its creators. Surd frequently disrupts the Quest team's forays into Questworld, as well as twisting the system to his own needs (Besieged in Paradise). Due to his paralysis, Surd himself is a major threat only in virtual reality. He depends on his terrorist cohorts, led by his former paramour Julia, to assist him in the real world. This deadly combination makes Surd a formidable enemy on all fronts.
Ezekiel Rage
voice: Michael Bell
Ezekiel Rage was a government agent on assignment in Panagua when his mission went tragically wrong, resulting in the deaths of his wife and daughter after his superiors ignored his call for help.(Ezekiel Rage)
The Zin Dynasty
Dr Zin
voice: Clyde Kusatsu
Dr Zin has been a long-time enemy of the Quests. No one knows exactly who he is, where he comes from, or what his doctorate is in -- but everyone knows that he wants to take over the world. (He's not shy about telling everybody who'll listen, and those who'd rather not.) Armed with a brilliant mind and seemingly bottomless pockets, Dr Zin is almost Dr Quest's evil twin.
Anaya and Melana Zin
voices: June Angela (Anaya) and Lucy Alexis Liu (Melana)
It's said that the female is the more deadly of the species, and the Zin twins are no exception.
This page is always being updated. Your comments are appreciated.
Disclaimer
Created October 23 1996
A WinnieWorks Production
