OVA
Description
Alexander Gustav Newton serves as the senior supervisor of U-NASA's Bugs 2 project, placing him in a position of significant authority over the mission to Mars. He is an elderly man with long hair and a beard, and notable scarring or unusual tissue around his eyes, though the exact cause of this feature is not explained within the story.
Newton presents himself with a demeanor that is often perceived as arrogant and superior. He appears to hold himself above others and displays a chilling lack of overt emotion, even in the face of personal tragedy. When his grandson, George Smiles, is killed during the Bugs 1 mission, Newton shows little to no reaction, accepting the death with a cold and analytical resolve, praising George for sending back a Terraformar head in his final moments rather than mourning the loss.
His motivations are deeply rooted in a grand, almost transhumanist vision for humanity. He sees the Terraformar threat not just as an obstacle, but as a catalyst for human evolution. Upon receiving the Terraformar head, he comments that it will discredit creationism and allow humanity to surpass itself. He is driven by the goal of ensuring that future generations, his children and grandchildren, can one day stand on Martian soil, and he views the sacrifices of the Bugs 1 crew as an inheritance for the next mission.
In the story, Newton is a key figure in the command center on Earth, observing the Bugs 2 mission through internal cameras and making critical strategic decisions. He is responsible for the design of the Bugs Procedure for the second mission, having chosen different insects for each crew member to maximize their combat abilities. He breaks radio silence to inform the crew about the pyramids on Mars, revealing they were likely built by the Terraformars, and orders them to destroy any DNA-filled eggs left behind by the cockroaches. He also engages in philosophical discussions with Dr. Honda, explaining his theory that humanity's universal disgust for cockroaches is a form of homologous hatred, as they represent the faces of humanity's primitive ancestors.
Newton has key relationships with several individuals. He is the grandfather of Joseph Newton and the late George Smiles. He is a superior to M. K. Davis, whom he removes from command of the Bugs 1 mission to take over supervision himself. He frequently communicates with Dr. Honda, discussing the mission's progress and the ethical implications of their work, though he dismisses Honda's concerns about sending a crew into an impossible battle.
While Newton does not undergo significant personal development within the scope of the Bugs 2 mission, his role as an observer and commentator highlights the central themes of the series. He is a proponent of using evolution as a weapon, and he watches with detached interest as both humans and Terraformars continue to adapt. His belief in humanity's ability to overcome its ancestors is a driving force behind the mission's continuation despite mounting casualties.
Although Newton is never seen fighting and does not display any insect-based abilities like the field operatives, he possesses the inherent traits of the Newton clan. These include a remarkable physical conditioning that allows for full recovery with only a few seconds of sleep in a twenty-four-hour period, the ability to selectively rest certain parts of his body, and an extremely fast reaction time of 0.1 seconds. He is also highly intelligent and calculating, traits he shares with his grandson Joseph, who has an IQ of 186. His physical and mental conditioning comes from mandatory proprioceptive perception and vestibular enhancement training undertaken by his clan from childhood. Later in the story, it is suggested that Newton may be deceased or has lost his influence, as he is referred to as one who demanded power but could not find it in time.
Newton presents himself with a demeanor that is often perceived as arrogant and superior. He appears to hold himself above others and displays a chilling lack of overt emotion, even in the face of personal tragedy. When his grandson, George Smiles, is killed during the Bugs 1 mission, Newton shows little to no reaction, accepting the death with a cold and analytical resolve, praising George for sending back a Terraformar head in his final moments rather than mourning the loss.
His motivations are deeply rooted in a grand, almost transhumanist vision for humanity. He sees the Terraformar threat not just as an obstacle, but as a catalyst for human evolution. Upon receiving the Terraformar head, he comments that it will discredit creationism and allow humanity to surpass itself. He is driven by the goal of ensuring that future generations, his children and grandchildren, can one day stand on Martian soil, and he views the sacrifices of the Bugs 1 crew as an inheritance for the next mission.
In the story, Newton is a key figure in the command center on Earth, observing the Bugs 2 mission through internal cameras and making critical strategic decisions. He is responsible for the design of the Bugs Procedure for the second mission, having chosen different insects for each crew member to maximize their combat abilities. He breaks radio silence to inform the crew about the pyramids on Mars, revealing they were likely built by the Terraformars, and orders them to destroy any DNA-filled eggs left behind by the cockroaches. He also engages in philosophical discussions with Dr. Honda, explaining his theory that humanity's universal disgust for cockroaches is a form of homologous hatred, as they represent the faces of humanity's primitive ancestors.
Newton has key relationships with several individuals. He is the grandfather of Joseph Newton and the late George Smiles. He is a superior to M. K. Davis, whom he removes from command of the Bugs 1 mission to take over supervision himself. He frequently communicates with Dr. Honda, discussing the mission's progress and the ethical implications of their work, though he dismisses Honda's concerns about sending a crew into an impossible battle.
While Newton does not undergo significant personal development within the scope of the Bugs 2 mission, his role as an observer and commentator highlights the central themes of the series. He is a proponent of using evolution as a weapon, and he watches with detached interest as both humans and Terraformars continue to adapt. His belief in humanity's ability to overcome its ancestors is a driving force behind the mission's continuation despite mounting casualties.
Although Newton is never seen fighting and does not display any insect-based abilities like the field operatives, he possesses the inherent traits of the Newton clan. These include a remarkable physical conditioning that allows for full recovery with only a few seconds of sleep in a twenty-four-hour period, the ability to selectively rest certain parts of his body, and an extremely fast reaction time of 0.1 seconds. He is also highly intelligent and calculating, traits he shares with his grandson Joseph, who has an IQ of 186. His physical and mental conditioning comes from mandatory proprioceptive perception and vestibular enhancement training undertaken by his clan from childhood. Later in the story, it is suggested that Newton may be deceased or has lost his influence, as he is referred to as one who demanded power but could not find it in time.