Ray Lovelock, once a decorated U.N. Spacy fighter pilot, fought alongside his closest comrade Stephan in relentless campaigns against rogue Zentradi forces. Haunted by guilt over withdrawing from a romance with Akiko to push her toward Stephan, Ray’s world shattered when Stephan died in combat. Plunging into alcoholism, he abandoned his military legacy, drifting through the galaxy in self-imposed exile. His path shifted upon meeting Basara Nekki, an orphan carrying an acoustic guitar. Basara’s unshakable belief in music’s power reignited Ray’s will to recover, forging an unbreakable bond as the pilot became the boy’s guardian. Though severe injuries later drove Ray to push Basara away, the youth’s steadfast loyalty anchored their connection.

Years later, working as a construction laborer, Ray reunited with a teenage Basara and proposed forming a band, birthing Fire Bomber. As keyboardist, Ray leveraged his military network to secure Basara a custom VF-19 Excalibur fighter for experimental sound warfare research. Akiko’s return as the band’s manager rekindled unresolved tensions, yet Ray’s grounded pragmatism steadied the group, balancing Basara’s idealism with veteran insight. When the Protodeviln threatened the galaxy, Ray’s tactical expertise earned him command of the Sound Force unit, piloting a keytar-shaped VF-17 Nightmare with drummer Veffidas Feaze as his rear-seat counterpart.

Dramatized accounts of Ray’s past featured in a pseudo-documentary, chronicling his first encounter with Basara and their rocky partnership. Later flashbacks revealed formative moments, including Basara’s childhood attempt to “move a mountain with his song.” Expanded media explored Ray’s youth with Stephan and Akiko, underscoring his choice to sacrifice his own happiness for their union despite lingering heartache.