OVA
Description
Colonel Millard Johnson is a high-ranking officer within the UN Spacy who serves as the base commander and chief supervisor of Project Super Nova, the top-secret next-generation variable fighter development program taking place at the New Edwards Flight Center on the planet Eden in the year 2040. A seasoned veteran with a long history of military service, Johnson was once a member of the legendary Skull Squadron. His extensive active-duty career came with a price, as he sustained a serious injury to his left foot during an accident in a test flight, an event that ultimately forced him into a primarily administrative and supervisory role. Despite his desk-bound position, he remains a figure of significant authority and charisma, known to carry a riding crop or baton as a personal affectation that adds to his commanding presence.
His personality is characterized by a weathered, pragmatic wisdom born from years of experience as a frontline pilot. Johnson is a composed and level-headed individual, often acting as a mediator and a voice of reason amidst the volatile rivalry between the program's two ace test pilots, Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman. He frequently finds himself trying to control their dangerous feud, often counseling the reckless Isamu with well-intentioned words of advice that the young hotshot pilot typically finds infuriating. Johnson possesses a unique understanding of pilot psychology, recognizing the fine line between bravery and insubordination. In a notable moment, after Isamu steals a YF-19 prototype, Johnson reveals that he used to do the same thing in his youth, and his own superiors covered for him, demonstrating his ability to empathize with the impulsive drive of a gifted pilot.
Johnson's core motivation is rooted in a profound philosophical opposition to the UN Spacy's long-term strategic goal of replacing manned fighter craft with unmanned AI-controlled drones, such as the X-9 Ghost. While he acknowledges that removing human pilots from combat would save lives, he harbors a deep fear of the consequences. He argues that wars fought only by machines, akin to a game of battleship, remove the moral and human cost that serves as a critical check on aggression. He believes that a nation or entity that possesses such a weapon could attempt to annex any space colony with impunity, leading to unchecked chaos and conflict. It is his conviction that those who make war must be willing to physically bear the responsibility for their actions. To uphold this ideal, he is willing to use his authority to cover the reckless excesses of the YF-19 and YF-21 pilots, pushing them to demonstrate the irreplaceable value of a human pilot's spirit and ingenuity in the hopes of influencing the government to revise its policies.
Within the story, Johnson acts as the central authority figure shepherding Project Super Nova. His primary relationship is with the two rival pilots, Isamu and Guld, whose past personal conflicts threaten to derail the military project. He also has a connection to the program's test pilot, Lucy MacMillan, and the gifted but eccentric computer engineer, Yang Neumann. His role is less about direct action and more about strategic oversight, damage control, and moral guidance. The character undergoes subtle development through his decisions to protect the pilots under his command. By choosing to cover for Isamu and Guld, he moves from being a simple administrator enforcing rules to an active participant in the fight for the future of military aviation, betting everything on the talent of his unruly pilots to prove a point. His position is ultimately validated by the events of the Sharon Apple incident, which demonstrate the grave dangers of uncontrolled AI and affirm his belief in the necessity of a human element in combat.
Johnson's notable abilities are not those of a front-line fighter pilot in his current state. Instead, his expertise lies in leadership, strategic management, and a sharp, analytical mind capable of navigating both military bureaucracy and the chaotic impulses of his subordinates. His true strength is his deep practical knowledge of aerial combat from his days in Skull Squadron, which gives him the credibility to mentor and, when necessary, judge the actions of his pilots. He is a skilled manipulator of men and situations, using dialogue and ruses to motivate his personnel and force them to push their limits. Colonel Millard Johnson ultimately represents the bridge between the old guard of manned space combat and the uncertain technological future, embodying the veteran wisdom that seeks to preserve the human spirit at the heart of war.
His personality is characterized by a weathered, pragmatic wisdom born from years of experience as a frontline pilot. Johnson is a composed and level-headed individual, often acting as a mediator and a voice of reason amidst the volatile rivalry between the program's two ace test pilots, Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman. He frequently finds himself trying to control their dangerous feud, often counseling the reckless Isamu with well-intentioned words of advice that the young hotshot pilot typically finds infuriating. Johnson possesses a unique understanding of pilot psychology, recognizing the fine line between bravery and insubordination. In a notable moment, after Isamu steals a YF-19 prototype, Johnson reveals that he used to do the same thing in his youth, and his own superiors covered for him, demonstrating his ability to empathize with the impulsive drive of a gifted pilot.
Johnson's core motivation is rooted in a profound philosophical opposition to the UN Spacy's long-term strategic goal of replacing manned fighter craft with unmanned AI-controlled drones, such as the X-9 Ghost. While he acknowledges that removing human pilots from combat would save lives, he harbors a deep fear of the consequences. He argues that wars fought only by machines, akin to a game of battleship, remove the moral and human cost that serves as a critical check on aggression. He believes that a nation or entity that possesses such a weapon could attempt to annex any space colony with impunity, leading to unchecked chaos and conflict. It is his conviction that those who make war must be willing to physically bear the responsibility for their actions. To uphold this ideal, he is willing to use his authority to cover the reckless excesses of the YF-19 and YF-21 pilots, pushing them to demonstrate the irreplaceable value of a human pilot's spirit and ingenuity in the hopes of influencing the government to revise its policies.
Within the story, Johnson acts as the central authority figure shepherding Project Super Nova. His primary relationship is with the two rival pilots, Isamu and Guld, whose past personal conflicts threaten to derail the military project. He also has a connection to the program's test pilot, Lucy MacMillan, and the gifted but eccentric computer engineer, Yang Neumann. His role is less about direct action and more about strategic oversight, damage control, and moral guidance. The character undergoes subtle development through his decisions to protect the pilots under his command. By choosing to cover for Isamu and Guld, he moves from being a simple administrator enforcing rules to an active participant in the fight for the future of military aviation, betting everything on the talent of his unruly pilots to prove a point. His position is ultimately validated by the events of the Sharon Apple incident, which demonstrate the grave dangers of uncontrolled AI and affirm his belief in the necessity of a human element in combat.
Johnson's notable abilities are not those of a front-line fighter pilot in his current state. Instead, his expertise lies in leadership, strategic management, and a sharp, analytical mind capable of navigating both military bureaucracy and the chaotic impulses of his subordinates. His true strength is his deep practical knowledge of aerial combat from his days in Skull Squadron, which gives him the credibility to mentor and, when necessary, judge the actions of his pilots. He is a skilled manipulator of men and situations, using dialogue and ruses to motivate his personnel and force them to push their limits. Colonel Millard Johnson ultimately represents the bridge between the old guard of manned space combat and the uncertain technological future, embodying the veteran wisdom that seeks to preserve the human spirit at the heart of war.