Juan Rico
Encyclopedia
Juan "Johnnie" or "Johnny" Rico is the protagonist of Robert A. Heinlein
's 1958 science-fiction
novel Starship Troopers
. He also appears in the films Starship Troopers
(1997) and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008), and in the television series Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
.
family who joined the Terran Mobile Infantry almost on impulse and over his parents' objections. He was sent to Camp Arthur Currie
on the Canadian prairie for basic training
and graduated as one of 187 remaining recruits, from an original class of 2,009 enlistees. He was assigned as a private
in "Willie's Wildcats" (Company
K , Third Regiment
, First Mobile Infantry Division
), aboard the transport Valley Forge
. His first exposure to battle was during the disastrous "Operation Bughouse", where 80% of the Wildcats were killed, most of them during the collision of the Valley Forge with another ship during the combat drop. He was then transferred to "Rasczak's Roughnecks" aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young, where he was promoted to corporal
and survived several successful battles. He later entered Officer Candidate School
(OCS) at the encouragement of his friend Ace, eventually being commissioned as a second lieutenant
after successfully commanding a platoon as a temporary third lieutenant in "Operation Royalty". At the end of the novel Rico is commanding his own platoon ("Rico's Roughnecks") back on the Rodger Young, with his father, Emilio Rico, as his platoon sergeant.
(1997
) and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008
), "John" Rico is played by Casper Van Dien
. In Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, which takes place eleven years after the first film, Rico is a colonel
. Rico does not command the Roughnecks but rather the military post on the frontier planet Roku San. At the end of the film, Rico is offered a promotion to general
and command of the Marauder Program by the new Sky Marshal, Admiral
Enolo Phid. In the Starship Troopers computer game (2005), which takes place eight years after the first film, Rico is a general. Also in the film John Rico is made to be an Argentine
from Buenos Aires
.
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's 1958 science-fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
. He also appears in the films Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers (film)
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
(1997) and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008), and in the television series Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles was a CGI animated television series based on both the novel by Robert A. Heinlein and the 1997 film adaptation directed by Paul Verhoeven...
.
Biography
In Starship Troopers, Rico was the son of a wealthy FilipinoFilipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
family who joined the Terran Mobile Infantry almost on impulse and over his parents' objections. He was sent to Camp Arthur Currie
Arthur Currie
Sir Arthur William Currie GCMG, KCB , was a Canadian general during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-war militia gunner before rising through the ranks to become the first Canadian commander of the four divisions of the...
on the Canadian prairie for basic training
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
and graduated as one of 187 remaining recruits, from an original class of 2,009 enlistees. He was assigned as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in "Willie's Wildcats" (Company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
K , Third Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, First Mobile Infantry Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
), aboard the transport Valley Forge
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
. His first exposure to battle was during the disastrous "Operation Bughouse", where 80% of the Wildcats were killed, most of them during the collision of the Valley Forge with another ship during the combat drop. He was then transferred to "Rasczak's Roughnecks" aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young, where he was promoted to corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
and survived several successful battles. He later entered Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country....
(OCS) at the encouragement of his friend Ace, eventually being commissioned as a second lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
after successfully commanding a platoon as a temporary third lieutenant in "Operation Royalty". At the end of the novel Rico is commanding his own platoon ("Rico's Roughnecks") back on the Rodger Young, with his father, Emilio Rico, as his platoon sergeant.
Adaptations
In the films Starship TroopersStarship Troopers (film)
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
(1997
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
) and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
), "John" Rico is played by Casper Van Dien
Casper Van Dien
-Early life:Van Dien was born and grew up in Milton, Florida, the son of Diane , a retired nursery school teacher, and Casper Robert Van Dien, Sr., a retired U.S. Navy Commander and fighter pilot. There is a long military tradition in Van Dien's family. Aside from his father, his grandfather was a...
. In Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, which takes place eleven years after the first film, Rico is a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. Rico does not command the Roughnecks but rather the military post on the frontier planet Roku San. At the end of the film, Rico is offered a promotion to general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and command of the Marauder Program by the new Sky Marshal, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Enolo Phid. In the Starship Troopers computer game (2005), which takes place eight years after the first film, Rico is a general. Also in the film John Rico is made to be an Argentine
Argentine people
Argentines are the citizens of Argentina, or their descendants abroad. Argentina is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnic backgrounds. According to the , Argentina had a population of 36,260,130 inhabitants, of which 1,527,320, or 4.2%, were born...
from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.