TV-Series
Description
Dan Dastun serves as the head of the Military Police in Paradigm City and holds the rank of Colonel, having been promoted from Major. He is a former superior officer and commander to Roger Smith, the city's professional Negotiator. Even after Roger left the force, the two maintain a connection, both professionally and personally, occasionally sharing drinks at Roger's residence.
Described by Roger as a hard-nosed cop, Dastun is defined by his immense pride in the Military Police. He is completely devoted to the force and believes its duty is paramount to the city's survival. This devotion manifests as a hot-headed and cynical demeanor. He resents when the public or the powerful refer to his organization as mere "watchdogs" or "lapdogs" for the ruling Paradigm Corporation, and he holds a particular disdain for corporate executives, especially Alex Rosewater, whom he views as uncaring towards the citizens.
Dastun's primary motivation is to protect Paradigm City through proper, official channels. This creates a central conflict in his character. He expresses frequent irritation every time the giant robot Big O appears to handle a crisis. On the surface, this seems like a dislike for a vigilante acting outside the law. However, he later reveals the true source of his frustration: the Military Police are simply unable to protect the city from frequent Megadeus attacks. He feels that Big O's interventions rob his men and his institution of their purpose, highlighting a deep-seated sense of powerlessness.
As the story progresses, Dastun begins to come to terms with this harsh reality. He is one of the very few people who knows that Roger Smith is the pilot of Big O, and despite their professional friction, he holds Roger in high regard. This relationship is tested during the second season as he witnesses the deaths of his men and grapples with his own inability to match the scale of the threats. One of his most notable personal experiences involves a recurring memory from his childhood of a film titled "Winter Night Phantom." He becomes entangled in a real-life reenactment of the movie's tragic ending, shooting a woman named Sybil Rowan on a pier. This inexplicable event, which later leads to a vision of his own childhood self with Rowan, adds a layer of mysterious existential confusion to his development.
In a culmination of his arc, Dastun ultimately rebels against the Paradigm Corporation and Alex Rosewater. He removes his own military police badge, an act of defiance, and rallies his remaining men to support Big O against the rogue Megadeus Big Fau, choosing to believe in the protector who has consistently saved the city even at the cost of his own pride. While Dastun possesses no superhuman abilities, his notable strengths are his leadership, his unwavering sense of duty, his experience as a military investigator, and his courage as a Badass Normal who stands his ground in a world of giant robots.
Described by Roger as a hard-nosed cop, Dastun is defined by his immense pride in the Military Police. He is completely devoted to the force and believes its duty is paramount to the city's survival. This devotion manifests as a hot-headed and cynical demeanor. He resents when the public or the powerful refer to his organization as mere "watchdogs" or "lapdogs" for the ruling Paradigm Corporation, and he holds a particular disdain for corporate executives, especially Alex Rosewater, whom he views as uncaring towards the citizens.
Dastun's primary motivation is to protect Paradigm City through proper, official channels. This creates a central conflict in his character. He expresses frequent irritation every time the giant robot Big O appears to handle a crisis. On the surface, this seems like a dislike for a vigilante acting outside the law. However, he later reveals the true source of his frustration: the Military Police are simply unable to protect the city from frequent Megadeus attacks. He feels that Big O's interventions rob his men and his institution of their purpose, highlighting a deep-seated sense of powerlessness.
As the story progresses, Dastun begins to come to terms with this harsh reality. He is one of the very few people who knows that Roger Smith is the pilot of Big O, and despite their professional friction, he holds Roger in high regard. This relationship is tested during the second season as he witnesses the deaths of his men and grapples with his own inability to match the scale of the threats. One of his most notable personal experiences involves a recurring memory from his childhood of a film titled "Winter Night Phantom." He becomes entangled in a real-life reenactment of the movie's tragic ending, shooting a woman named Sybil Rowan on a pier. This inexplicable event, which later leads to a vision of his own childhood self with Rowan, adds a layer of mysterious existential confusion to his development.
In a culmination of his arc, Dastun ultimately rebels against the Paradigm Corporation and Alex Rosewater. He removes his own military police badge, an act of defiance, and rallies his remaining men to support Big O against the rogue Megadeus Big Fau, choosing to believe in the protector who has consistently saved the city even at the cost of his own pride. While Dastun possesses no superhuman abilities, his notable strengths are his leadership, his unwavering sense of duty, his experience as a military investigator, and his courage as a Badass Normal who stands his ground in a world of giant robots.