There are plenty of lovable faces inCowboy Bebop, but there’s one who’s more essential to the plot than any other. Aboard theBebop, reckless renegade Spike Spiegel is the star in a series of timeless escapades. Other characters like the femme fatale Faye Valentine and the wayward child Ed gradually join the gang, rounding out the cast while expanding onCowboy Bebop’s biggest themes.
Although the entireCowboy Bebopcast is essential to its bounty-hunting exploits, there’s one character who is drastically underappreciated. That character isJet Black, captain of theBebopand, alongside Spike, among the first characters fans see.
Jet has a compelling backstory that perfectly articulatesCowboy Bebop’s central message, and he’s also the fatherly glue aboard theBebop.All the way to his crucial part in its famous finale, Jet is the force making theBebopfeel like home.
“Loneliness and Redemption”: Cowboy Bebop Has One Secret That Makes It the Best Anime Ever
Cowboy Bebop’s incredible and long-lasting success owes much to the philosophical themes that the anime shows through its main characters.
Jet’s Backstory ConnectsCowboy Bebop’s Themes and World
Jet Demonstrates The Link Flawlessly
Cowboy Bebophas profound meditations at its core, and Jet embodies most of them. Jet used to work for the Inter Solar System Police (ISSP), but eventually became fed up with its corruption. The pivotal moment in his decision to leave the ISSP was his betrayal by his partner Alisa. The following confrontation would lead to Jet losing his arm, having it replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic. He then decides to go into bounty-hunting. From the first episode, “Asteroid Blues”,his critical role is illustrated, already exemplifying the effortless way he acts as a guidepost for Spike and, later, the others.
Beboptakes place in a miserable universewhere corruption, alienation, and the resulting ennui run deep. Dreary and isolated, Jet’s unshakable sense of justice survives the confrontation with Alisa and the ISSP. In so doing, he drives home one ofBebop’s biggest ideas: adaptability in the face of changing circumstances.
In a world where the faces and institutions seem familiar and unchanging, a hiccup in their perception can be deeply unsettling. Nonetheless, despite how it impacts him, Jet stands by his principles. He carries forward his sense of justice into his bounty-hunting work. Jet’s story shows that there are few, if any, “legitimate” institutions or causes inCowboy Bebop’s world. Nonetheless,he keeps moving forward, choosing the things he wants to keep (like his ideals) and abandon (like his tenure at the ISSP).
Jet Is The Underappreciated Glue For The Series
There Would Be NoCowboy BebopWithout Jet
It’s hard to understate Jet’s role aboard theBebop. In an obvious way, he serves as its mechanic and cleaner. His expertise from the police force also comes into play, helping the crew to locate different bounties before anybody else.
To call Jet theBebop’s captain, though, says more than most viewers realize. He serves as a father figure to Faye and Ed, and is a mentor and guide for the entireBebop crew. For instance, in episode 5, “Sympathy for the Devil”,he disagrees with Spike’s approach but, in the end, is warm and supportive. He also pulls a clutch intervention, briskly managing the consequences of Spike’s recklessness.
In other words, Jet “steers the ship straight” in more ways than one. Yes, logistically, he keeps theBebopintact. However, he’s also the most responsible member of the crew. In a story where the question is about living life despite instability, isolation, and aimlessness, Jet’s clearheaded grasp of his ideals and role aboard theBebopkeeps everybody alive. Every character plays a part in the series, but without Jet,Cowboy Bebopwould have been dead in the water.
Cowboy Bebop
Cast
Cowboy Bebop is a 1998 animated series set in 2071, where humanity has colonized the Solar System following a catastrophic event. As crime surges, bounty hunters known as “Cowboys” are employed by the Inter Solar System Police to capture criminals in exchange for rewards.
