Spike Spiegel
Spike Spiegel is a male anime and manga character who features in Cowboy Bebop.
Contents |
Biography
Spike Spiegel (Japanese: スパイク・スピーゲル, Hepburn: Supaiku Supīgeru)
Little about his past is known, but at some point when he was younger he joined the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate.
The criminal organization becomes a kind of family for Spike and, thanks to his skills, he manages to become, in a short time, one of the top men, even being considered by many in the Red Dragon to someday be the leader. He loses his right eye in an unknown accident, which occurred in a mission on behalf of the Red Dragon, after which he was implanted an artificial eye. He was partnered and became friends with a man named Vicious, though the exact circumstances and how far they go back are unknown. After joining the Red Dragon, Spike meets a woman named Julia during a pool game. It is implied that he falls in love with her at first sight. Spike and Vicious also shared history and are shown to have fought and worked together in the past, possibly at one point being good friends. However, both become candidates for a possible successor to Mao as the leader of the organization. While Vicious is ambitious, selfish, ruthless, and willing to do anything to get the leadership role, Spike instead finds no interest in the opportunity. The difference of opinion between the two gives rise to a great mutual hatred, as well as a strong rivalry. Yet this is not the only reason the two have to hate each other, as both desired the same woman. At about this time, Spike was involved in a shooting, plausibly not with the police but with assassins working for Vicious. He survives and is rescued and nursed back to health by Julia where the two became lovers.
During an accident he lost one of his eyes and had it replaced with a cybernetic one. Since then he's been seeing the past in one eye, and the present in the other. Spike and Vicious were obviously both being groomed for leadership positions when Spike met and fell for Vicious's girlfriend, Julia. Going behind Vicious's back, the two had an affair and Spike began plotting to fake his death and run off with her. Vicious learned of the plot and ordered Julia to kill Spike, but she chose to run instead. When Julia did not show up at the meeting place, Spike left.
Later on Spike met and teamed up with an ex-cop named Jet Black, and for three years the two were bounty hunters, bought an old fishing ship and named it The Bebop, and traveled the solar system hoping to get rich. During their travels they were joined by Faye Valentine, a Data Dog named Ein, and a hacker named Ed.
Spike and Jet set out to Tijuana in pursuit of Asimov Solensan, a former Syndicate member on the run with his wife, Katerina Solensan. Asimov and Katerina are selling Red Eye, which Asimov takes to gain an edge on the many bounty hunters and Syndicate members trying to do him in. Spike consults Laughing Bull, a Native American spiritual guide, on where he can find the couple. Laughing Bull gives him the information he seeks, but warns Spike that he will meet a woman, he will be hunted by this woman, and then death. Spike sighs, replying that he was already killed by a woman once before. In his pursuit of Asimov, Spike engages Katerina in conversation and discovers that the couple plans to escape to Mars in hopes of starting a new life. Seeing himself and his dreams of Julia in the couple, Spike is horrified to witness the grim end that ultimately befalls the pair. While hunting an animal thief, Jet and Spike meet Ein, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Unbeknownst to either Spike or Jet, Ein is a data dog with human intelligence. Jet decided to take Ein in. An appearance by Charlie Parker in a dream convinced Jet to try his luck at a casino. It was there that the two bounty hunters came to meet Faye Valentine. Faye becomes the self-invited third member of the crew of the Bebop. Initially, both men don't agree on having a woman on board, especially an opportunist like Faye. Over time, however, they become a close and functional team. A bounty is put on Mao Yenrai, Spike's former mentor and benefactor at the Red Dragon caused Spike to once again visit his past. He reaches out to Annie, a shop owner and Syndicate associate, for information. Annie having believed Spike dead for years is shocked and briefly angered to find him alive and well. In the meantime, Faye decides to try to catch Mao Yenrai alone, unaware that he has already been killed by Vicious. She falls into a trap and is used by Vicious as a pawn to attract Spike. Arriving at the appointment in exchange for the life of Faye, Spike faces off against the assassins of the Red Dragon before confronting Vicious himself. The two rivals greet each other with clear antagonism. Vicious is more propitious and manages to push Spike through a stain glass window, but Spike throws a grenade towards Vicious.
Eventually Vicious used Faye to lure Spike into a trap, in which Spike was nearly killed. With the rest of the crew, Spike formed an unspoken friendship (though one none would ever admit to) and an uneasy partnership in the case of Faye.
Eventually, Spike again found Julia at the same time that Vicious succeeded in his coup and took control of the syndicate. Julia was later killed in a firefight, and Spike knew what he had to do. He returned to the Bebop for a last meal with Jet and exchanged final words with Faye before flying off alone to Red Dragon headquarters, fighting his way through the entire skyscraper. Battered, beaten, and shot, he and Vicious had their final duel. During which, he tells Vicious that Julia is dead. In the end, as he killed Vicious, his enemy's katana sliced open his midsection. Spike died moments after Vicious did, and is presumed to have found peace in his last moments.
Overview
Personality and attributes
Spike was a nonchalant, indifferent, and lazy character. He passes the vast majority of his time on the Bebop lounging, watching TV, or sleeping. On a few rare occasions, he is also seen practicing Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts practice he's very skilled in, being among other things passionate about Bruce Lee and his philosophies. He is a hardened smoker, shown with a cigarette in his mouth in practically every shot. Although he rarely acknowledges it, Spike has very little patience. He repeatedly states he hates dogs, children, and women with attitudes, and is anything but happy when each one of the three joins the Bebop. On the other hand, as the series progressed, he warmed up to Edward, Ein, and Faye, all three of which fall in the category of the three things he particularly hates. He also claims to dislike cats. Spike is rarely seen excited about something and, even less frequently, says he likes something.
In his own words, Spike Spiegel was "just a humble bounty hunter."
Powers and abilities
Spike has many talents and abilities, including very sharp eyesight, abnormally acute perception, and extraordinary luck. It's implied he has little trouble recovering from even fatal injuries after a few days and usually has strong endurance against pain during fights.
Notes
- Spike Spiegel was created by Hajime Yatate and Toshihiro Kawamoto where he featured in the setting of the Cowboy Bebop universe.
In other media
Television
- In Cowboy Bebop, Spike Spiegel appeared in the setting of the live-action Netflix television series where he was portrayed by actor John Cho.
Video games
Comic Books
Appearances
- Cowboy Bebop:
