| {{{tab1}}} |
Striker Eureka is an Australian Mark-5 Jaeger designed to defend the coastline of Australia from the Kaiju. It was the first and only Mark-5 Jaeger in service and the last Jaeger to be constructed before its destruction in 2025.
History
Early Combat History
Constructed five years before the closure of the Jaeger Program, Striker Eureka was launched on November 2, 2019. Piloted by the father and son team, Hercules and Chuck Hansen, Striker Eureka is the strongest, quickest Jaeger currently in the field of combat against the Kaiju. It is the first and only Mark-5 series Jaeger, holding the best stats of all currently deployed Jaegers.
The Australian division of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps invested a reported $100 billion dollars into the construction of Striker Eureka.
Striker Eureka is accredited with over nine kills prior to 2025, either solo or accompanied with another Jaeger team. The Jaeger is sent to some number of locations across the Pacific Rim. The Mark-5 Jaeger is at its most active during the year 2024, combating the likes of six Kaiju in Los Angeles, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Mexico.[4]
Of the nine deployments, Striker's first mission and Jaeger team deployment is in Hawaii alongside the Mark-1 Jaeger, Coyote Tango, now piloted by the Tunari Brothers (Gunnar and Vic), to fight the Kaiju, Ceramander.[4]
Following the deterioration of the Defense Corps' defense against the Kaiju, Striker Eureka is the last Jaeger active among the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.[note 1] In 2024, the United Nations chose to cut funding for the Jaeger Program and disband its pilots. Striker Eureka and the Hansens are retired early on[5]as they are no longer needed.[3]
Mutavore Incident
On January 1, 2025[6], Sydney is attacked by a Category IV Kaiju, Mutavore. The Kaiju effortlessly breaks through the Anti-Kaiju Wall and invades the city. Striker is immediately deployed and engages Mutavore close-range in the city as civilians rush to escape the streets turned battlefield. Striker throws the Kaiju against a building where it grapples with the Jaeger, trying to bite at its Conn-Pod. Striker breaks free and using its Anti-Kaiju Missiles, kills the Kaiju.[3]
Despite its apparent necessity in Australia, the United Nations have Striker relocated to Hong Kong's Shatterdome with Crimson Typhoon, Cherno Alpha and Gipsy Danger where it would continue its service for the last eight months of funding available to Marshal Stacker Pentecost. The Marshal's intention is to use Striker as the carrier for the thermonuclear bomb for Operation Pitfall; Crimson, Cherno and Gipsy Danger would act as its protection and provide the time necessary to bomb the Breach connecting Earth to the Anteverse.[3]
Hong Kong Incident
Striker Eureka rushes to Cherno Alpha's assistance.
As the remainder of the Defense Corps prepares for Operation Pitfall, the occurrence of a Double Event changes the circumstances of all four Jaegers. Crimson Typhoon, Cherno Alpha and Striker Eureka are deployed in the Victoria Harbour where Otachi emerges and attacks Crimson Typhoon and Cherno Alpha.[3]
Striker is ordered to remain out of the battle and defend the coastline, its necessity to the mission to destroy the breach out in the Pacific hindering its ability to be an active participant.
The unexpected arrival of Leatherback, the second Category IV, follows the destruction of Crimson Typhoon and the deaths of its pilots. Cherno Alpha is double teamed by Otachi and Leatherback, prompting the Hansens to disobey Pentecost's orders and engage the enemy, but they fail to save Cherno Alpha from being destroyed. They attack Otachi, gaining the advantage without much trouble. However, as it prepares to finish the Kaiju with its missiles, Leatherback attacks from behind and disables Striker Eureka with an EMP burst.[3]
Trapped inside, the Hansens are forced to evacuate while Leatherback circles Striker Eureka. The Hansens escape the Conn-Pod, but Herc injures his arm when he is flung into one of the Conn-Pod's walls when Leatherback brushes the Jaeger. On top of Striker's head, they threaten Leatherback and fire flares into two of its left eyes to divert its attention from the city. Provoked, Leatherback prepares to smash Striker Eureka when Gipsy Danger arrives on the scene in time to save it and its pilots from destruction.[7] Gipsy Danger manages to single-handedly kill both Leatherback and Otachi in separate engagements.
Operation Pitfall
Striker Eureka after being attacked by Slattern.
On January 12, 2025, Striker Eureka is repaired and prepped for the mission to the portal. With Herc injured, Pentecost takes his place as Chuck's co-pilot. Gipsy Danger and Striker are airlifted to the breach's location and dropped down into the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean - the Challenger Deep. Striker then prepares to deliver the payload, but both Jaegers are stopped by Scunner, Raiju and Slattern. With the arrival of the Category V Kaiju, the other Kaiju attempt to separate Gipsy from Striker in an ambush.[3]
Slattern attacks Striker with its three crowned tails, damaging its primary weapon, the missile launcher, and throwing it against an ocean wall. Raiju and Scunner cripple Gipsy Danger, preventing it from assisting the downed Jaeger. As Striker Eureka recovers from the first attack, Slattern tackles the Jaeger and uses its environment to cause further damage. Despite being one third the size of Slattern, Striker Eureka cuts Slattern's throat and nearly amputates both its front arms with its Sting Blades.
In the battle against Slattern, Striker and the payload release are further damaged, preventing the pilots from deploying the bomb. Pentecost and Chuck are unable to fire the payload manually. Deciding to take out the remaining Kaiju, Scunner and Slattern, Pentecost urges Gipsy Danger to reach the portal and use its nuclear reactor to destroy it. Striker Eureka then arms the nuclear payload to buy Mako and Raleigh time. The subsequent explosion of the Jaeger manages to kill Scunner, at the cost of its pilots, but it only severely wounds Slattern.[3]
Features
Striker Eureka in the Hong Kong Shatterdome.
The strongest and fastest of the Jaegers, Striker Eureka's fighting style is akin to that of a dirty boxer or brutal brawler.[2] Said style stems primarily from its pilots, Chuck and Herc Hansen's fighting style. Striker Eureka's speed and agility allow it to combat and kill Kaiju far quicker than the previous Jaeger series produced[2], its T-16 Angel Wings acting as stabilizers to maintain aerodynamic balance during the turbulence of burst combat.
Striker Eureka's 4.211 "Brass Knuckles" are a temperature-resistant brass-steel compound cast around the joints of each finger extension, adding greatly to the impact potential of each punch. In turn, they're backed by a pair of twin retractable Assault Mount 3.25 "Sting-Blades" laced with carbon nanotubes that channel thermal energy at temperatures over three-hundred degrees Fahrenheit, capable of wounding and cauterizing Kaiju in close combat.
Striker's six-barreled WMB2x90 Anti-Kaiju Missile chest launcher is equipped with eighteen individual K-Stunner warheads that kill Kaiju with a direct hit[8]. Striker Eureka contains a TY escape pod in the back of its Conn-Pod, allowing pilots to eject in the face of defeat; and an escape hatch at the top of its head akin to that of Coyote Tango. Lastly, the 90ER11 amber platinum visor is equipped with advanced photochromic displays, allowing four planes of situational awareness.[2]
Kaiju Killed
- The following is roster of named Kaiju defeated by Striker Eureka, assisted or on its own.
| Kaiju | Date | Location | Jaeger Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramander | 10/9/2021 | Hawaii | Coyote Tango |
| Spinejackal | 1/31/2022 | Melbourne, Australia | Solo |
| Taurax | 7/24/2022 | Mindanao, Philippines | Solo |
| Insurrector | 7/5/2024 | Los Angeles | Solo |
| Bonesquid | 7/30/2024 | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | Solo |
| Hound | 8/28/2024 | Auckland, New Zealand | Solo |
| Rachnid | 9/25/2024 | Brisbane, Australia | Solo |
| KC-24 | 10/4/2024 | Kuching, Malaysia | Solo |
| Fiend | 10/31/2024 | Acapulco, Mexico | Solo |
| Mutavore | 1/1/2025[note 2] | Sydney, Australia | Solo |
| Scunner | 1/12/2025 | Challenger Deep, Marianas Trench | Gipsy Danger |
Trivia
- Striker Eureka was initially chosen to be the "Hero Jaeger" of the film, but Guillermo del Toro thought its appearance was "too cold" and "arrogant".[2]
- Striker Eureka's body language is modeled after Oakland Raider's Cornerback, Lester Hayes.[2]
- According to Gullermo del Toro Strike Eureka was "re-colored and colored from gray to cameo green and earth tones" with the Australian outback in mind.[2]
- Striker Eureka's name is likely a reference to the Eureka Rebellion, an Australian miners' revolt against colonial authorities sometimes associated with the birth of democracy in Australia.
- Striker Eureka's K-Stunner missiles were developed from Newt's research allowing the warheads to penetrate Kaiju hide.[9]
- By the end of the film, Striker Eureka has a total of eleven kills with the death of Scunner at the hands of the thermonuclear bomb.[3]
- It is possible that Striker Eureka never fully-activated the Sting-Blades in the film as sea waters didn't vaporize when the jager used the blades against Slattern.
- Striker Eureka is a downloadable playable character in Pacific Rim: The Video Game.[10]
- NECA's Pacific Rim Series Two includes a Striker Eureka action figure.
- NECA's tagline for Striker Eureka is "Scrapping Soldier".[11]
- Striker Eureka is the only Jaeger that fought a Kaiju during a daytime sequence in the film.
Gallery
|
An image gallery is available for Striker Eureka (Jaeger)
|
Notes
- ↑ Screencap: "[...]arise immediately about the decommission of the Striker Eureka, the last active Jaeger in Anzac"
- ↑ Striker Eureka's combat dossier states that Mutavore's attack takes place December 27, 2024.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Striker Eureka Blueprints
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Info taken from Pacific Rim: Man, Machines & Monsters, page 65
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 As mentioned by Chuck Hansen in Pacific Rim Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "pacificrim" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Combat Dossier: Striker Eureka
- ↑ December 31, 2024
- ↑ See: Mutavore Talk page
- ↑ Gipsy Danger vs. Leatherback
- ↑ Jaeger Designer
- ↑ Pacific Rim: The Official Movie Novelization
- ↑ Pacific Rim: The Video Game US Trailer
- ↑ NECA: Striker Eureka tagline
| |||||||||||||||||||||||