TV-Series
Description
Captain Gould is the captain of the Ulysses, a powerful nuclear submarine, and serves as a central figure in the conflict that drives the story. He is a former officer in the United States Navy who now operates as a renegade commander, having broken away from the New United Nations to pursue his own vision of world peace. His physical appearance is striking and unsettling, marked by severe scars that cover much of his body, including the right side of his face where he has lost the use of one eye. He has grey hair and grey eyes, typically wears a beard, and his appearance alone conveys the toll that past violence has taken on him.
The origin of Gould’s scars and his radical turn against diplomacy lies in a traumatic past event. He was once a collaborator with Aoi, the secretary-general of the New United Nations, and shared her belief that peace could be achieved through political means. However, during a peace ceremony, a devastating attack occurred in which Gould lost all of his men. He himself was gravely wounded in the same incident. This event shattered his faith in diplomatic solutions, which he came to see as a failed and fragile path to peace. The ideals he once shared with Aoi were replaced by a hardened conviction that only overwhelming military force can truly unite the fractured world.
Despite his intimidating, battle-scarred exterior and brutal methods, Gould possesses a complex personality that is not without warmth. He is a determined and effective military leader whose actions, though severe, are often shown to be calculated and successful in their immediate goals. He can be frightening, yet those who come to know him find that he is also a gentle and surprisingly rational man at heart. This jovial and kind-hearted side, which seems to contradict his ruthless reputation, is presented as a deliberate and genuine part of his character. He is not a man who enjoys cruelty for its own sake, but one who believes that the ends of a unified world justify the harshness of his means.
Gould’s primary motivation is to forcibly unite the surviving nations of the world. He believes that because political negotiations have failed to create a stable global order, the only remaining option is to impose peace through the threat of his submarine’s overwhelming military might. To this end, he has declared war on the New United Nations, making him the primary antagonist to Aoi’s diplomatic faction. His first major act is a direct attack on the city of Yabitsu during a New UN summit, a calculated strike meant to send a clear message of his intentions and power.
His key relationships are defined by the schism caused by his actions. He was once a close friend and ally of Aoi, but their partnership has become a severe point of contention as they now stand on opposite sides of an ideological war over how to achieve peace. On his ship, he is a father figure to Teen, the twin brother of the young protagonist Keel. Gould rescued Teen as a child and raised him as a soldier, and Teen serves as a loyal lieutenant on the Ulysses, tasked with delivering declarations of war. When Keel and his friend Isla come aboard the Ulysses, they find the fearsome captain to be a surprisingly protective and rational presence, taking them under his wing. The character Josie, a quiet and beautiful young deputy officer, also serves as his trusted second-in-command, holding a firm belief in his cause.
Throughout the narrative, Gould’s character serves as the philosophical and military counterweight to the New UN. His actions force other characters, particularly Keel, to confront difficult questions about the nature of peace and the price of security. While his methods may seem brutal, there are moments where his perspective is validated, creating a moral ambiguity where it is not always clear who is right or wrong. As a submarine commander, his notable ability lies in his strategic and tactical use of his vessel, the Ulysses, which he deploys with decisive force to challenge the entire naval power of the New United Nations. His character is not one of static villainy, but of a man shaped by trauma who genuinely believes his path of military unification is the only way to prevent future suffering.
The origin of Gould’s scars and his radical turn against diplomacy lies in a traumatic past event. He was once a collaborator with Aoi, the secretary-general of the New United Nations, and shared her belief that peace could be achieved through political means. However, during a peace ceremony, a devastating attack occurred in which Gould lost all of his men. He himself was gravely wounded in the same incident. This event shattered his faith in diplomatic solutions, which he came to see as a failed and fragile path to peace. The ideals he once shared with Aoi were replaced by a hardened conviction that only overwhelming military force can truly unite the fractured world.
Despite his intimidating, battle-scarred exterior and brutal methods, Gould possesses a complex personality that is not without warmth. He is a determined and effective military leader whose actions, though severe, are often shown to be calculated and successful in their immediate goals. He can be frightening, yet those who come to know him find that he is also a gentle and surprisingly rational man at heart. This jovial and kind-hearted side, which seems to contradict his ruthless reputation, is presented as a deliberate and genuine part of his character. He is not a man who enjoys cruelty for its own sake, but one who believes that the ends of a unified world justify the harshness of his means.
Gould’s primary motivation is to forcibly unite the surviving nations of the world. He believes that because political negotiations have failed to create a stable global order, the only remaining option is to impose peace through the threat of his submarine’s overwhelming military might. To this end, he has declared war on the New United Nations, making him the primary antagonist to Aoi’s diplomatic faction. His first major act is a direct attack on the city of Yabitsu during a New UN summit, a calculated strike meant to send a clear message of his intentions and power.
His key relationships are defined by the schism caused by his actions. He was once a close friend and ally of Aoi, but their partnership has become a severe point of contention as they now stand on opposite sides of an ideological war over how to achieve peace. On his ship, he is a father figure to Teen, the twin brother of the young protagonist Keel. Gould rescued Teen as a child and raised him as a soldier, and Teen serves as a loyal lieutenant on the Ulysses, tasked with delivering declarations of war. When Keel and his friend Isla come aboard the Ulysses, they find the fearsome captain to be a surprisingly protective and rational presence, taking them under his wing. The character Josie, a quiet and beautiful young deputy officer, also serves as his trusted second-in-command, holding a firm belief in his cause.
Throughout the narrative, Gould’s character serves as the philosophical and military counterweight to the New UN. His actions force other characters, particularly Keel, to confront difficult questions about the nature of peace and the price of security. While his methods may seem brutal, there are moments where his perspective is validated, creating a moral ambiguity where it is not always clear who is right or wrong. As a submarine commander, his notable ability lies in his strategic and tactical use of his vessel, the Ulysses, which he deploys with decisive force to challenge the entire naval power of the New United Nations. His character is not one of static villainy, but of a man shaped by trauma who genuinely believes his path of military unification is the only way to prevent future suffering.