Red vs. Blue
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Red vs. Blue, (often styled as redvsblue and often abbreviated as RvB), is an ongoing long running set of comedic American Rooster Teeth Machinima/CGI animated science fiction video TV Web series military Work Com set against the background of the Halo game series originally created by Burnie Burns of Rooster Teeth Productions.
The show is distributed through Rooster Teeth's website, as well as on DVD, Blu-ray, and more recently syndicated on the El Rey Network, Netflix and its own YouTube channel. The series story centers on two opposing teams of soldiers/simulation troopers fighting a civil war in the middle of a desolate box canyon (Blood Gulch), in a parody of first-person shooter (FPS) games, military life, and science fiction films. In the distant future, two groups of soldiers in the future pointlessly defend and battle for control of the least desirable piece of real estate in the known universe: a pointless box canyon in the middle of nowhere on a pointless planet.
Its creators, Rooster Teeth Productions, helped spark the whole Machinima explosion and went on to establish themselves as Big Name Fans in the Halo community to the point of doing actual work for Bungie Studios, as well as making their videos available for purchase on Xbox Live. Having started in April 2003 and still being an ongoing work, this series is not only the longest-running episodic web series of all time, but the longest-running American sci-fi series of all time.note Credit must also be given to its legacy: the series basically kickstarted the video game Machinima industry and was heavily influential in the development of both serialized internet fiction and internet comedy series as a whole.
Initially intended to be a short series of six to eight episodes, the project quickly and unexpectedly achieved significant popularity following its Internet premiere on April 1, 2003. Rooster Teeth therefore decided to continue the story. The fifth and final season of the original Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles series ended with episode 100, released on June 28, 2007. The Recollections Trilogy, consisting of three mini-series—Out of Mind, Recovery One, and Relocated—and the full-length Reconstruction, Recreation and Revelation series have extended the plot. Red vs. Blue: The Project Freelancer Saga, consisting of two full seasons and two mini-series, has revealed the story behind the mysterious Project Freelancer and its effect on the Reds and Blues, as well as following the Reds and Blues as they attempt to take down the Director of the Project. The series consists of fifteen seasons and five mini-series. Red vs. Blue is the longest running episodic web series and second longest running web series of all time.
Red vs. Blue emerged from Burnie Burns' voice-over-enhanced gameplay videos of Bungie Studios' FPS video game Halo: Combat Evolved. The series is primarily produced using the machinima technique of synchronizing video footage from a game to pre-recorded dialogue and other audio. Footage is mostly from the multiplayer modes of Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3, on the Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. Minute sections of the series were also achieved using the Microsoft PC version of the same game.
The series has been generally well-received. Praised for its originality, the series has won four awards at film festivals held by the Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences. It has also won the award for "Best Animated Web Series" from the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV). It also won a 2013 Webby Award for Animation, as well as nominated in 2014. It has been credited with bringing new popularity to machinima, helping it to gain more mainstream exposure, and attracting more people to the art form. Graham Leggat, former director of communications for Lincoln Center's film society, described Red vs. Blue as "truly as sophisticated as Samuel Beckett".[2] Rooster Teeth has created episodes, some under commission from Microsoft, for special events. Red vs. Blue content was also included with the Legendary Edition of Halo 3.
Both within the Machinima community and among film critics, Red vs. Blue has been generally well-received. Praised for its originality, the series has won four awards at film festivals held by the Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences. It has been credited with bringing new popularity to machinima, helping it to gain more mainstream exposure, and attracting more people to the art form. Graham Leggat, former director of communications for Lincoln Center's film society, described Red vs. Blue as "truly as sophisticated as Samuel Beckett". While special videos continue to be released online, the completed series is also available on DVD and Blu-Ray, making the series one of the first commercially released and successful machinima products. Rooster Teeth has created videos, some under commission from Microsoft, for special events, and Red vs. Blue content is included with the Legendary Edition of Halo 3.
Distribution[edit | edit source]
Internet[edit | edit source]
The Internet is Red vs. Blue's largest audience. It can be viewed on RoosterTeeth.com, YouTube and more recently, the first 13 seasons were added to Netflix .
DVD[edit | edit source]
Physical copies of the first 5 seasons of Red vs. Blue can be found in many video stores. Every season up to the 14th can be bought from the RTstore and Amazon however. Physical copies can also be bought from conventions featuring Rooster Teeth.
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
Beginning as a simple comedy series, Red vs. Blue follows two opposing military installations locked in eternal war in a box canyon - the Reds and the Blues. When the Blue team hire a freelance agent to give them an advantage, things get a bit more complicated. As the running jokes and many characters begin to pile up, so starts a story that quickly develops a surprising amount of emotional depth, while never forgetting its comedic roots.
The first story arc, The Blood Gulch Chronicles, ran for five seasons with a total of 100 episodes (plus a 5 episode short miniseries named "Out of Mind"). It consisted of Seasons 1-5, from April 1, 2003 - June 28, 2007. The first two seasons, and half of the third, are filmed in Halo, while the remaining seasons are filmed in Halo 2. After the Halo event of 2552, there is a brief but violent period of civil war among the humans. Two armies on opposite sides of a canyon, the Reds and Blues, fight in the most worthless piece of real estate in the galaxy. The first five seasons of Red vs. Blue, with the official collection's name coming from the fact that they take place in the Blood Gulch level of the Halo series. The collection contains 100 episodes, as well as one Mini Series, "Out of Mind".
The second story arc, The Recollection Trilogy, a trilogy spanning Seasons 6 to 8 (each given a unique title beginning with "Re": "Reconstruction" (Season 6), "Recreation" (Season 7) and "Revelation" (Season 8) and two miniseries ("Recovery One" and "Relocated"). Season 8 marks the introduction of high-budget CGI-rendered scenes in addition to the traditional Machinima-styled Halo 3 scenes. In Red vs. Blue: Recollection Trilogy (2008-2010), Agent Washington is tasked with trying to discover who or what is hunting the Freelancers. He has reassembled the infamous Blood Gulch teams for information on the A.I.s, and he learns that one of them is the key. The collection of Seasons 6 to 8 of Red vs. Blue, in which the series takes a more serious tone, focusing on Project Freelancer and The Director, while still being as hilarious as ever. The collection contains 58 episodes in total, as well as two miniseries, "Recovery One" and "Relocated".
The third story arc, The Project Freelancer Saga, comprises Seasons 9 and 10, is equally divided between a prequel storyline fully animated in CGI, and the continuation of the present-day storyline. Season 9 is filmed in Halo: Reach and Season 10 is filmed in Halo 3. The collection of seasons 9 and 10 of Red vs. Blue. This series cuts between two concurrent storylines - a Prequel to the whole series based around Project Freelancer created entirely in CGI, and the continuing adventures of the Blood Gulch crew and Agent Washington, as well as Church's experiences inside the Epsilon Unit. In Red vs. Blue: Season 9 (2011), The beginning of the end of Project Freelancer is revealed, while Epsilon relives his Blood Gulch memories in search of Tex. In Red vs. Blue: Season 10 (2012), The Fall of Project Freelancer is unveiled, while Agent Carolina assembles The Reds and Blues on her mission to assassinate The Director and end Project Freelancer once and for all.
The fourth story arc, The Chorus Trilogy, spans Seasons 11-13, and starts out as a Breather Episode, intended to bring the series back to its more comedic roots... for a while. It uses Halo 4 assets. The collection of seasons 11, 12, and 13 of Red vs. Blue, in which the series takes the Blood Gulch crew to a seemingly deserted planet. However, there might be more going on on this planet than they think.
The fourteenth season (Red vs. Blue: Season 14) consists mostly of vignettes, rather than directly continuing Season 13's story. As this season is an Anthology, it uses multiple games and animation styles depending on the story. The 14th season of Red vs. Blue. Unlike others, this is not part of a story arc, but rather is an Anthology consisting of single or multi-episode stories.
A 15th seasonpicks up 10 months after Season 13 left off. The Reds and Blues have become notorious criminals, and one reporter, Dylan Andrews, is dead-set on finding out what caused this change in their behavior. It's filmed using Halo 5: Guardians, with CGI and footage from other games mixed in. Notably, it's the first Red vs Blue season (not counting Season 14's Anthology) to be completely stand-alone, and not have a multi-season story arc/"saga" coming off of it.
Seasons 1-13 are also available on Netflix and DVD (Netflix UK does not have Seasons 1-5), and Seasons 1, 2, 9 and 10 on Amazon Prime. The series made a televised debut on the El Rey Network late 2015. As of Season 15, episodes will be released to Rooster Teeth FIRST members one week before the public.
Cast and Characters[edit | edit source]
To see a list of all the characters and people who worked on the series: click here.
The Blood Gulch Chronicles[edit | edit source]
The Blood Gulch Chronicles are referring the first 5 seasons and the first mini-series of Red vs. Blue, from April 1, 2003 till June 28, 2007. The first five seasons of Red vs. Blue, with the official collection's name coming from the fact that they take place in the Blood Gulch level of the Halo series. The collection contains 100 episodes, as well as one Mini Series, "Out of Mind". In near future, ten soldiers battle for control of the most worthless spot in the galaxy - a box canyon in the middle of nowhere. Red vs. Blue documents the story of these two armies as they wage a war they really don't understand - or want to fight in the first place. The first saga of RvB, this saga shows the "war" between Reds and Blues, the arrival of the first Freelancers, and the rise and fall of a rogue A.I. After the Halo event of 2552, there is a brief but violent period of civil war among the humans. Two armies on opposite sides of a canyon, the Reds and Blues, fight in the most worthless piece of real estate in the galaxy.
Season 1[edit | edit source]
Season 2[edit | edit source]
Season 2: When a mild-mannered medical officer finds himself deployed to the most worthless stretch of land in the entire galaxy, the last things he expects to find are his first patients dead, a poltergeist haunting a robot, a 200-ton tank in the center of a love triangle, and an evil strain of artificial intelligence attempting to enslave all of humanity. Welcome to Blood Gulch.
Season 3[edit | edit source]
Season 3: At the end of season 2, Doc is possessed by the AI known as O' Malley, which formally resided in both Tex (season 1) and Caboose (season 2). Realizing that O' Malley could destroy them, the Reds and the Blues decide to team up in an attempt to destroy him. However, when they tamper with the teleporters, they end up in different places, leaving people alone with their once sworn enemies. Red vs. Blue Season 3 is even funnier than ever as new maps are introduced to the story line, and don't forget about the twist ending.
Season 4[edit | edit source]
Season 4. The Great Destroyer has arrived. The Blues confront the Great Destroyer who informs them that Tucker must go on a quest. Meanwhile the Reds return to Blood Gulch where Sarge questions Simmons' sanity after Simmons sees a familiar tank.
Miniseries: Out of Mind[edit | edit source]
Tex recruits a fellow freelancer, York, to seek the evil Wyoming.
Season 5[edit | edit source]
Three new arrivals -- a mysterious stranger, a half-alien child, and a crashed ship -- keep the Red and Blue armies on their toes as they fight, bicker and argue for control of the universe's most worthless piece of real estate: a box canyon in the middle of nowhere. Together they discover a hidden world that could finally answer the question, "Why are we here?"
The Recollections Trilogy[edit | edit source]
The Recollections Trilogy is the second saga in the main series that includes the sequel series: Reconstruction, Recreation, and Revelation. It also includes two mini-series: Recovery One and Relocated. Picking up where the Blood Gulch Chronicles ended, this trilogy tells the tale of another new Freelancer, the Reds, and the Blues teaming up to face a dangerous new enemy.
Mini-Series: Recovery One[edit | edit source]
Agent Washington is sent after deceased Freelancers.
Reconstruction[edit | edit source]
Agent Washington investigates an attack on an outpost by a mysterious entity known only as the "Meta", which has also been killing members of Project Freelancer and stealing their partner AIs and their armor upgrades. While pursuing the Meta and soon joined by the Reds and Blues, Washington will uncover a conspiracy and dark secrets about the true purpose of Project Freelancer.
Mini-Series: Relocated[edit | edit source]
Following the events of the previous season, the Reds and Caboose are given new bases in Valhalla.
Recreation[edit | edit source]
Buried beneath the sand is the answer to a mystery more dangerous than anyone could possibly understand. It's the perfect mission for a bunch of ragtag soldiers who don't know what they're doing anyway.
Revelation[edit | edit source]
As former alliances are betrayed and friends become enemies, the Reds and Blues find themselves in an impossible predicament; in order to save the universe this time, they can't be totally incompetent. While on the run, the two teams must find a way to put aside their past differences and figure out the mystery behind Project Freelancer once and for all.
The Project Freelancer Saga[edit | edit source]
This saga reveals what Project Freelancer is and what became of it, and the final destruction of the program. This saga focuses on two separate story lines. During Season 9, the story follows the origins of Project Freelancer, as well as the events taking place inside the Epsilon Unit. In Season 10, the story follows the Reds and Blues after they rescue Epsilon from the storage unit, as they team up with Agent Carolina to take down the Director of Project Freelancer. Season Ten also wraps up the events of the Project Freelancer backstory, chronicling the Freelancer Break-In as well as the beginning of Agent Maine's rampage. As well as the two main seasons, there are also two mini-series that take place within the Epsilon Unit; MIA and When There's a Will, There's a Wall.
Season 9[edit | edit source]
The present storyline follows Epsilon Church as he relives memories from Blood Gulch in the AI Capture Unit from Season 8, but tries to fix them when the Reds and Blues aren't acting like themselves. The past storyline is set before the start of The Blood Gulch Chronicles, following the agents of Project Freelancer in their peak against a rogue UNSC faction.
MIA[edit | edit source]
Epsilon-Grif disappears, leading the Reds to start a search for him.
When There's a Will, There's a Wall[edit | edit source]
While the -Blues receive a Pelican, Epsilon-Sarge decides to destroy the wall behind the Red base.
Season 10[edit | edit source]
The past storyline will show the conclusion of Project Freelancers' quest to defeat a rogue Insurrection group and the lost of complete trust between the Freelancer agents and AIs. The present storyline picks up right where Season 9 left off, as Epsilon Church joins the Reds and Blues on Agent Carolina's quest for vengeance against the Director of Project Freelancer.
Chorus Trilogy[edit | edit source]
Season 11[edit | edit source]
Season 11 of Red vs. Blue marks the beginning of a new saga. We follow the Red and Blue teams as they struggle to find their way after crash-landing on the planet Chorus, caught in the midst of a civil war.
Season 12[edit | edit source]
Season 12 furthers the plot of Season 11, following the story of Tucker, Caboose, Grif, and Simmons as they work to free their teammates from the Federal Army of Chorus, however they find things are not as they seem.
Season 13[edit | edit source]
The Reds and Blues must convince both of the Chorus armies to join forces or suffer complete annihilation at the hands of a bloodthirsty war lord.
Season 14[edit | edit source]
An anthology with events all across the Red vs Blue timeline and canonicity, in various formats - 2D animation, cel-shaded 3D animation, stop-motion, live-action, and of course, machinima.
Season 15[edit | edit source]
A series of violent attacks across human space has people demanding answers. Who are these Reds and Blues? And why are they so bloody ruthless? One reporter sets out to uncover the truth, determined to find out why the once beloved Reds and Blues have turned so malicious, taking her on a galaxy-spanning adventure filled with many twists and turns.
