Guillermo del Toro’s monster versus mecha science-fiction movie was a smash hit in 2013.  Fans of the unique and bold director were expecting a fun and colorful ride, not unlike his most famous franchise Hell Boy. What they got was no surprise: flawed and diverse characters, an engaging storyline, and a giant helping of heart! Plus we got colossal battles between mecha robots and fish aliens. How could it get any better than that? Still, there are some gaps in the story that only the graphic novel can fill. Here are 10 facts that the movie didn’t reveal to viewers.

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10 Stacker Pentecost’s Sister

One of the most important characters in the Pacific Rim franchise is Marshall Pentecost. He is the giver of epic speeches, the moral and unwavering compass, and the keeper of the doomsday clock. However, what many fans don’t know is that Stacker, while always a military man with strong convictions, was inspired to greatness by the bravery and untimely death of his sister, Luna Pentecost. Luna was a pilot who fought in the Kaiju pre-Jaeger program. She intended to be a part of the Jaeger program with her friend Tamsin before she died. Stacker took her place as Tamsin’s co-pilot.

9 Dr. Caitlin Lightcap

Pacific Rim Uprising Titan Redeemer Jaeger

Dr. Caitlin Lightcap wasn’t shown or mentioned in the movie at all, which was really a shame because she was such an instrumental part of the Jaeger program. In fact, she was the brilliant mind behind The Drift technology that allowed Jaeger Pilots to meld minds and control their giant machines. Not only this, but she was also one of the first Jaeger pilots ever, alongside her drift partner Sergio. Their victory against the Kaiju Karloff proved the Jaeger program’s effectiveness and placed it as the primary mode of defense. Afterward, she continued to research and document the side effects of Drifting.

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8 Hermann Gottlieb’s Father

Dr. Lars Gottlieb is another central figure in Pacific Rim lore, which makes it a shame that he wasn’t featured in the movie either. Like Dr. Caitlin Lightcap is the mother of Drifting Technology, he is basically the father of the Jaeger program, building off of the idea given by James Schoenfeld. Sadly, as the Kaiju come more frequently and prove their ability to adapt and learn the maneuvers of Jaegers, Dr. Gottlieb decides to side with The Wall of Life program proposed by The United Nations. This puts him at odds with his son Hermman who believes in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps (PPDC).

7 Chuck Hansen’s mother

Chuck Hansen is not an instantly likable character as he’s brash and arrogant, pitting him squarely against the stoic Mako Mori and the humbled Raleigh Becket. But why is he so angry all the time? Some allusions to his tragic backstory were cut from the movie, but thankfully the graphic novels fill it in. When the Kaiju Trespasser hit, Chuck’s father only had time to reach him and evacuate. His mother died in that battle and left him with a bad case of survivor’s guilt. After that, he was basically “raised in a cockpit.” No wonder he had such bad manners.

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6 Tango Tasmania

Tango Tasmania is the unofficial first-ever Jaeger created; a Mark-1 to be specific, constructed alongside Romeo Blue in a factory in Anchorage, Alaska. The reason it is unofficial is that this Mark-1 is exclusive to the Pacific Rim novelization. It isn’t mentioned in the movie at all and is even discredited by the co-writer of the film, Travis Beacham. But it cannot be denied that the name and story are down in writing, canon or not. This Jaeger was destroyed at some point in the timeline by an unknown Kaiju and shares a label with the famous Jaeger Coyote Tango.

5 Shatterdomes

While the audience is introduced to the concept of a shatterdome when Stacker Pentecost gives a gruff, “Welcome to the Shatterdome!” there really isn’t any further explanation of what exactly a shatterdome is, what is done there, or how it came to be. We’re not even sure how many there were before the PPDC was shut down. Originally there were eight, all stationed strategically near Kaiju breach points in major cities. A shatterdome is where Jaegers are stationed, deployed and cared for. It’s also where scientific research and military strategy of the PPDC is done. Hong Kong was the last.

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4 Tamsin Sevier

The moment when Raleigh is in Mako’s memories and he sees Stacker emerge from Coyote Tango like a sun-kissed messiah is breath-taking, moving, and explains a lot about the older man’s relationship with his adoptive daughter. However, it leaves out a key detail: inside that Jaeger was an unconscious Tamsin Sevier, Stacker’s co-pilot and friend. Due to being exposed to the radiation of Coyotes reactor, Tamsin contracts cancer much like what Stacker is revealed to have in the movie. She is too weak to finish the fight against Onibaba, but it cannot be overlooked that she played a huge part in rescuing Mako Mori.

3 Yancy and Raleigh’s Fight

While the Becket brothers were in the PPDC program training to be Jaeger pilots, they both got a little carried away with the fame and rock-star status that comes with being a hero. A Jaeger Fly, or groupie, got both brother’s attention. She gave Raleigh her number but pursued and went on a date with Yancy. When the brothers got into the cockpit, Raleigh saw what happened through The Drift in Yancy’s mind. This betrayal eventually escalated into a physical fight. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for them to make up, especially after a verbal dressing down from Stacker.

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2 The Jaeger’s Purpose

Although Jaeger’s are majorly destructive machines, they were designed to be a deterrent, believe it or not. The idea was to deter and eventually completely remove the use of nuclear weapons against the Kaiju threat. That is why, when Gypsy Danger is introduced as being analog, or nuclear, meaning sustained by her own power source, it was something that made the Jaeger unique and wound up being a saving grace. When the operation to close The Breach began to go south, Gypsy’s nuclear core became the only viable option for defeating The Precursors. Gypsy Danger’s “heart” saved the entire planet!

1 The Jaeger’s Origin

Interestingly enough, the concept of a Jaeger came from a child. When James Schoenfeld saw his son playing with a robot toy and pitting it against a monster, a lightbulb went off in his head. He then pitched this idea to Dr. Caitlin Lightcap, who he knew was practiced in the brain to machine technology, and to Dr. Lars Gottlieb, who became the chief inventor and father of the PPDC Jaeger Pilot Program. Because of a child playing make-believe, these great people worked to create something that would give planet Earth a fighting chance against the Kaiju threat. That’s simply terrific!

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