Preview
Aeon Flux
Aeon Flux is a sexy-mercenary animated fiction character in a reality-bending series aired on MTV. In 1991, it debuted as part of MTV’s “Liquid Television” as an experimental animation show and turned up in a six-part serial of wordless cartoon shorts, followed in 1992 by five individual short episodes. Aeon Flux was created by visionary Peter Chung, a Korean American animator, who also created the “Matriculated” segment from “The Animatrix”.
Then in 1995, MTV launched a 10 half-hour episodes for Aeon Flux, and at this time she has her lines to say. Each of these episodes, ended with Aeon Flux being killed, with continuity being rebooted in the following episode, almost like a video game in some contexts. 10 years later, "Aeon Flux", was launched, but this time a live action feature-length film starred by Charlize Theron, and was released in late 2005.
Aeon Flux Background
The animated series is the story of a heroine,
Aeon Flux and her adventures as an independent secret agent of the Monican Republic who has the uncanny ability of
dying and then coming back to life. Set in a futuristic universe where mutants,
clones and robots exist. Aeon’s mission is to infiltrate the strongholds of the
neighboring country of Bregna, which is led by a charismatic dictator, Trevor
Goodchild, who is her main enemy and lover. The Monican Republic
represents a dynamic anarchist society, while Bregna embodies a centralized,
scientifically planned state. In the story Aeon’s character reflects as the
self-directed agent from Monica and, Trevor as the technocratic leader of
Bregna.
When the animation was originally created, Aeon herself was silent, an occasional moan, groan or sigh, the TV series added new elements giving that much needed dialog and shedding evil light onto an already unimaginable world. The cartoon version made Aeon spending most of her time fighting, shooting, running, dying and having sex (also used as a weapon). As the creator, Chung describes Aeon Flux as a freedom fighter and a criminal, agent provocateur, living in an alternate present. The character is somewhat amoral because she would only do something she wanted to. She was not motivated by power, money, goodness or anything. She had her own reasons and would often make her missions in different direction with unplanned results, not always bad, but seldom what was being aimed at as a successful ending.
The animation from Japan and graphic novels from Europe are one of those big influential factors of Aeon Flux. The creator made the story of Aeon as a sophisticated storytelling for adults. The visual style was also influenced by figurative paintings and drawings of the Austrian artist Egon Schiele.
Charlize Theron as Aeon Flux
CHARLIZE THERON plays a highly skilled and proficient assassin who's sent in to
kill Trevor, but can't due to conflicting emotions and fractured memories that
cloud her judgment. As she fights off and seemingly kills many government types
and even battles some of her former allies, she tries to figure out the truth
and then set matters straight.
Movie Plot Synopsis
When government agents murder Aeon Flux family, the heroine
swears revenge, but before she can complete her mission, she uncovers
secrets that change everything. A highly trained soldier on the
front lines of a war against the perfect society, she is
one of the few to suspect that this life is hiding a perfect lie.
It's the year 2415, and more than 400 years after a virus killed off nearly everyone on the planet, except for one walled, protected city- state, Bregna, ruled by a congress of scientists. Run by Trevor Goodchild and his advisory council that includes his younger brother Oren, the city-state seems idyllic, but unrest is underfoot.
Prompting the Monican rebellion leader, The Handler to send her best assassin, Aeon Flux in an underground rebellion against the dictatorial leaders of Bregna. It was the mission she has been waiting for on her entire life, yet Aeon can't manage to complete the job as she experiences a range of emotions and fractured memories that cloud her judgment upon meeting the Trevor. She uncovers a world of secrets, which makes her question everything she thought she knew.
After she's captured, Trevor doesn't have her killed, thus raising the suspicions of Oren and the other council members who soon plot a coup against him. As Aeon tries to figure out what's going on, she must not only contend with Trevor and his powerful assistant Freya, but also Oren who's been ordered along with others by The Handler to take out the operative who they believe has failed her mission.
Aeon Flux Costume
Aeon Flux is an assassin whose futuristic
espionage adventures set records for cartoon body counts. Long-legged, wasp-waisted
and spidery, she wears an exotic costume which has skimpy chastity belt,
disregarding its traditional purpose in the extreme. With overtones of
fetishism and sado-masochism.
In the movie starred by Charlize Theron, Aeon Flux wears leather straps and wedged heels that left little to the imagination, added with futuristic gadgets and weapons. She was the ultimate spy and terrorist agent.
Superskills, abilities and weapons used
Aeon was a master sneaker, highly skilled in
various forms of combat, assassination, acrobatics, as well as being an
excellent burglar and accomplished at bypassing security devices. She also used
her sexuality as just one weapon in her arsenal.
Aeon's cat like instincts and inquisitiveness count for nothing as she watches the goings on below her while falling to her death. She also has various weapons and gadgets like handguns, machine guns, knives and explosives as she used to threaten, wound or kill others.
Aeon Flux in other media
Film
The movie is entitled “AEON FLUX”, which was released in the United States on December 2, 2005. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures and Lakeshore Entertainment. The film is a loose adaptation of the animated science fiction television series “Aeon Flux”, which was created by animator Peter Chung. The film was directed by Karyn Kusama, which stars Charlize Theron as the title character.
Movie Category: Action
Film Length: 1 hour and
33 minutes
Classification: PG-13
VHS & DVD Release
· Aeon
Flux: The Complete Animated Collection
The original, 1995 animated Aeon Flux MTV TV series is also available as a DVD box set by MTV Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. It was released a month before the premiere of the movie with Charlize Theron in 2005.
Supervised by series creator himself, Peter Chung, "Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection" contains every animated short from the MTV series “Liquid Television”, featuring the female character, as well as 10 full-length episodes from the "Aeon Flux" television series. Also included are two featurettes, a sneak peek at the animation process and footage from Chung's other works in animation/commercials.
Books
· Aeon Flux: the Herodotus File
The book is a graphic novel by Mark Mars and Eric Singer. It is based on MTV’s animated adventure show Aeon Flux, created by Peter Chung. Using letters, memos, newspaper clippings, etc. the book follows Chairman Goodchild's urge to know her lover from the inside out. Her being the enigmatic Aeon Flux.
The book does a superb job of weaving in enough information so readers get a complete understanding of Aeon Flux's environment, while still leaving the mystery of this woman intact. Still, the book manages to capture much of the essence of the television version of Aeon, giving the novel the same feel as watching the show -- or vice versa. And readers will still be left with more questions than answers, true to the typical Aeon formula.
· The Sanctuary City of Bregna, Many Days After Tomorrow
The book is a graphic novel by Mike Kennedy and Timothy Green II. It is an action-adventure, science fiction book based upon the film versions of the characters Aeon Flux. Published by Dark Horse on May 17, 2006.
Comics
· Aeon Flux #1 - #4
Also by Mike Kennedy and Timothy Green II, Dark Horse published a four-issue miniseries based upon the film versions of the characters. Although the characters and situations were based on the newer movie versions, the penciling technique deliberately emulated Peter Chung's unique style from the TV series. The comics were released in 2005 to associate with the movie, “Aeon Flux”.
Video Games
The Majesco Games and developer Terminal Reality have released a videogame adaptation on Xbox and PlayStation 2 on November 15, 2005. This video game version draws influence from both the movie and the classic animated series of Aeon Flux. Charlize Theron herself provides the voice and likeness of her character on video games.
Comic Appearance
Photoshoot Appearance
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