I recently started watching Aeon Flux so I don't know too much yet, but I'd like clarification on something: Trevor is the head of state over Bregna, right? In one episode, I can't recall which one, it seems like he secretly distributes a lethal virus (always is he up to something!), only to in public release the vaccine. Then in one of the last scenes, a guy pays for a porno-magazine (starring Aeon) with currency having Trevor's face on it. Of course, the face of a person on a bill represents the head of a nation/state.

Am I right on this?

-- Alex (alextahir@hotmail.com), November 29, 2002

Answers

The episode you refer to could be early in Trevor's career. I notice the guys from the 'club' are missing in later episodes whereas Trevor answers to no one.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), June 23, 2003.

Your refering to the rather long season 1 short which shows what is, in my opinion, the rise of Trevor to the position of political power. Prior to this episode, he was most likely a scientest and growing polititian, by no means as strong as a dictator, yet still a powerful figure in the nation. With the virus plot, Trevor is interestingly declared a hero for he is thr creator of the vaccien as well. His reward is perhaps being elected to the position of chairman. In a plitical system the chairman is only the head of the political party, not nessisarally the "elected" leader of the nation. Thus the placement of his head on the currency. I appologize for my rambling, you'll probably get a better answer from a more experianced writer and fan of the show

-- Steven Michalkow (smichalkow@hotmail.com), December 01, 2002.

Well, your interpretation pretty much correlates with my own. It's very interesting, and I wonder if Peter Chung had any certain political "events" in mind when he made it this way for Trevor? Why do you assume Trevor was some sort of scientist before this, though?

Alex

-- Alex (alextahir@hotmail.com), December 02, 2002.

I think he is a scientist due to the fact that he is the creator of the vaccine and do to his scientific interest laiter in the series. thank you for asking though. As to any spicific even in history that inspiered it i cannot say, it quite possible has or could happen. What do you see Trevor as?

-- Steven (smichalkow@hotmail.com), December 02, 2002.

What do I think Trevor was before? Some high-level politician, for sure, since he seemed to be a good friend of the fat president (in Pilot, I believe), before he killed him with the virus. Scientist? Maybe... Come to think of it, he is referred to "Dr. Goodchild" in some episodes, so sure. Then again, in other episodes he's just an evil guy! :)

Alex

-- Alex (alextahir@hotmail.com), December 03, 2002.

Evil? Misguided, perhaps. His plots are always for the bettering of the whole, often at the expense of the few. Did he engineer the virus? Perhaps. He definitely created the cure. At the very least, the previous leader wasn't a nice person, since both Aeon and Trevor seem intent on killing him (and we all know what impeccable judges of taste *they are*). The reward for the very talented Trevor's work was popular support at the polls and a shiny new statue.

skye

-- skye (skyknyt@aol.com), December 20, 2002.

The materials in the Herodotus File suggest very strongly that Trevor has a firm background as a researcher of some note. I think the chronology below works:

Season 1 shorts: Goodchild rises to political prominence through 'inventing' the plague vaccine.

During season 2 we see Trevor on various private missions to consolidate his power. (And live in closets to suck eggs...)

Season 3 opens with Utopia or Deuteronopia, in which Trevor coordinates the abduction of Bregna's elected president. I visualize the Breen power structure as a bit like the English system, in which the PM is elected by the legislature. This is leavened with a head of state elected popularly (Clavius). In UoD, Trevor circumvents the popular vote by declaring something like a 'state of emergency' which, of course, will last as long as he needs it. As long as the crisis is on, Trevor fills the roles of both head of the legislature (Chairman) and of de-facto president (head of state).

All just my opinion, of course, but I find it a welcome thread of continuity in the profoundly non-linear plot of Aeon Flux

-- Charles Martin (bebop432@earthlink.net), March 06, 2003.

I dont believe that Trevor ever rises to the state of a dictator. In the first episode Trevor kills a high ranking offical in the Monican govt and invents the cure for the plague. It is at this point that he accends to what I believe to be the head of the scietific wing of the government and since Monican society is ruled by science and industry he is essentially a dictator, however he does have superiors, in Thanatophobia one of his military superiors talks about how the other member down at the "club" are becoming displeased with his progress. As well in the final episode Chronophasia he is refered to a chairman, which would indicate that he is almost a dictator but could still be removed by the members at the "club."

-- Dan (danwrk@hotmail.com), June 17, 2003.