Infiltration Unit Zeta

Also called Zee by Ro Rowan, Zeta is the titular character of The Zeta Project and its Batman Beyond pilot episode. He was played by Gary Cole in the pilot and Diedrich Bader in both seasons of The Zeta Project. Eli Marienthal and Scott Marquette provided the voice of his younger disguise, "Kid Zee," in seasons one and two respectively.



Official Bios
His full name is Infiltration Unit Zeta. He has a high-endurance metal frame, that was built to carry an array of weapons and tools. He can project a hologram around himself and alter his voice, allowing him to become anyone. He was created to fight our country's enemies - to mimic people, infiltrate their ranks, and... well, you can fill in the ending. But something happened that his keepers never expected:

He learned the value of human life. And when ordered to harm a man he believed was innocent, Zeta refused. Instead he threw away his weapons, and ran from his programmed destiny.

Ever since, the government agents that controlled Zeta have been after him, convinced that he's been reprogrammed by terrorists. Led by the obsessed hunter, Agent Bennet, their plan is to wipe Zeta's memory clean, reprogram him from scratch, and send him back out as the mindless machine he was meant to be.

At the same time that Zeta runs from Agent Bennet, he searches for the scientist who created him: Doctor Eli Selig, former head of the Infiltration Unit Program. Zeta hopes that as his creator, Selig will believe that his change of heart is real, and convince the agents to drop their pursuit. But Selig himself is a man on the move, and Zeta hasn't found him yet.

Created in a lab just over a year ago, Zeta is like a child in a grown-up's body. He was programmed to mimic people with uncanny accuracy, but back in his government days, he was only copying real people who he could study and memorize. Nowadays, Zeta's making everything up for himself, and he's not as good at "playing human" as he used to be. A little Mr. Spock, a little Jeff Bridges' Starman, he's learning about human behavior from scratch -- curious, but confused when people don't seem to make sense.

Why do we play sports? Even stranger, why do we watch sports? How do you know when someone's flirting? And why do people put their pets in little outfits? Zeta doesn�t always know the right response in a social situation either, and his attempts to blend in can sometimes have comic results. Fortunately, Ro is there to cover for his mistakes, and coach him as best as she can.

Still, this power of mimicry is Zeta's primary strength. His on-board holographic emitter allows him to change his appearance at will. Beneath the hologram, his metal frame is able to lengthen, shorten, widen or contract, to accommodate a wide range of body types -- male, female, adult or child, with a height range of roughly four to seven feet. (Of course, knowing what a woman looks like, and knowing how a woman moves, are two different things. Let's just say Zeta has a lot to learn.)

Within limits, Zeta can even project his hologram into shapes that don't exactly match his humanoid form. For example, in Batman Beyond, Zeta projects a twisted, broken version of himself around his frame, to give Bennet the impression that he's been destroyed. In the pilot, we'll see him mimic an old man, and project his hologram out from one hand to create the illusion of a cane.

What Zeta can't do is become something completely unlike his form, like a chair or an extension of a wall. As a rule, if a shape is humanoid enough to logically contain his frame (like say, a statue or a large mammal), then Zeta can become it.

In general, Zeta's "default" guise will be that of a tall, handsome male in his early twenties, which Ro nicknames "Zee." It's an appearance she helps him choose, advising that it's just the right age: Old enough that legally you can do what you want, yet young enough that kids still trust you. In this guise, Zeta is able to pose as Ro's older brother, and the two can skirt any questions about her being a minor on her own.

Although Zeta is stronger than an average human, and his metal frame can take a beating, he's far from invulnerable. Sometimes, like the rest of us, all he can do is run and hope to leap clear of a blast in time. To frame his strength between some known superheroes, he's about twice a Batman Beyond cybersuit, and nowhere near a Superman.

Of course, Zeta's robotic design gives him other advantages. He's faster than a human, both in running speed and reflexes. His "eyes" and "ears" are more sensitive, picking up wavelengths outside human perception. And to a limited degree, he's self-repairing. If he sustains a minor injury, like circuitry damage, mini-robotic tools can extend from compartments on his arms and perform basic electronic work. But he can't grow a new limb if one's shattered, or synthesize new materials that he wouldn't have on board.

Lastly, Zeta is a veritable Swiss Army knife of tools. Originally designed to carry a whole arsenal of laser-guns, he's discarded these, and now carries only those tools he considers peaceful. Among the handy devices he's got built into his body are:


 * A cred-card that slides out of his palm. In this world, cash no longer exists, and all currency transfers are done through "units" carried on these cards. Because Zeta is a walking computer, he has the ability to perpetually charge his cred, making him an unlimited source of money. (These creds are not traceable; this isn't analogous to using a credit card today. It's more like a long-distance phone card, or the fare cards used in some cities' public transportation systems. You charge them up with units, and then spend them like cash.)
 * A laser-cutting tool, that can also be used within close range to "fire" a shot.
 * A computer-interface cable, that can be used to patch into virtually any computer-operated machine -- from a video-phone to a vehicle, to the mainframe running a building's security system.
 * And of course, a plethora of drills, saws, cutters, welders.... This robot was built to get in and out of anywhere, and if it makes sense in the context of a story to have him whip out a new previously-unseen device, we're open to it.

Kid's WB
What does it mean to be human? For most of us, that's a question on a philosophy quiz. For Zeta, it's a matter of life or death.

Infiltration Unit Zeta is a synthoid, created by the U.S. government, to be the perfect assassin. He can project a hologram around his body, and alter his voice to become an exact double of any human being. This allows Zeta to do his assigned job easily and efficiently.

But something has happened to Zeta that his creators never expected. The synthoid has developed a conscience, and has learned the value of human life. When he was ordered to harm a man he believed was innocent, Zeta refused. Instead, he threw away his weapons, and ran away from his programmed destiny. Ever since, government agents have been after him, convinced that he's been reprogrammed by terrorists. Led by Agent Bennet, their plan is to wipe Zeta's memory clean, reprogram him from scratch, and send him back out as the mindless machine he was meant to be.

So Zeta's on the run now. His only hope for redemption is to locate his creator, and hope that he can clear his name.

His full name is Infiltration Unit Zeta. He has a high-endurance metal frame, that was built to carry an array of weapons and tools. He can project a hologram around himself and alter his voice, allowing him to become anyone. He was created to fight our country's enemies - to mimic people, infiltrate their ranks, and... well, you can fill in the ending. But something happened that his keepers never expected:

He learned the value of human life. And when ordered to harm a man he believed was innocent, Zeta refused. Instead he threw away his weapons, and ran from his programmed destiny.

Ever since, the government agents that controlled Zeta have been after him, convinced that he's been reprogrammed by terrorists. Led by the obsessed hunter, Agent Bennet, their plan is to wipe Zeta's memory clean, reprogram him from scratch, and send him back out as the mindless machine he was meant to be.

Batman Beyond
What does it mean to be human? For most of us, that's a question on a philosophy quiz. For Zeta, it's a matter of life or death.

Zeta is a robot, designed by dark forces within the U.S. government and given the power to change its voice and appearance at will to become an exact double of any human being. That skill allows Zeta to do its assigned job easily and efficiently: to kill any enemies of the government.

But along the way, the robot has developed a conscience. So Zeta's on the run now. It's only hope for redemption is to locate its creator, Dr. Selig. But when Zeta kidnaps and impersonates Max, Batman's best friend, the winged one goes after Zeta, believing the robot to be a threat to mankind. Will Batman realize his mistake in time?

YTV
Zeta is an infiltration unit that was created by the government to fight enemies. Zeta was built with an array of weapons along with a morphing device that allows himself to disguise himself as anyone. Zeta was not just a mindless machine and soon discovered that he no longer wanted to destroy people and so he fled. Government agents are now after him to erase his memory, because they think he's been reprogrammed by terrorists. Zeta is now searching for his maker, Dr. Selig, to prove that he can think like a human and not a threat to the government. He usually disguises himself as a young man named Zee.

Personality


Zeta was a darker character in the pilot episode, more likely to resort to his original programming if needed. His personality and appearance were changed significantly for the spinoff series.

While Zeta was built to mimic his human targets, he has very little knowledge of what it means to be human, and Ro must frequently help him blend in or enlighten him on aspects of humanity that he doesn't understand. He is naive and trusting, as evidenced by his attempt to speak to Agent Bennett in the first episode, and his later willingness to trust Mad Stan simply because "he seemed so cheerful." Zeta is especially childlike while in his "Kid Zee" disguise.

Zeta is also highly idealistic. He believes that the government's use of synthoids to replace and kill suspected terrorists, innocent or guilty, is inherently wrong. He went out of his way to prevent IU7 from assassinating Roland DeFlores, in spite of the fact that DeFlores was a known arms dealer. On several occasions, Zeta put his own safety and freedom in jeopardy for the sake of doing the right thing, whether it was keeping Doctor Selig alive or turning himself in when he accidently implicated someone else in a crime.

Zeta has resorted to his original programming on only a few ocassions. He seems willing to use violence, or the threat of violence, in order to frighten others into reforming or giving him information. He relapsed completely when the NSA attempted to erase his memories in order to study his conscience module. Ro was able to reawaken his memories before he could hurt someone.

Technology
Zeta is a US Infiltration Unit, a government synthoid built from high-endurance titanium alloy, equipped with holomorphic projectors that allow him to take on the appearance of any person and almost any object. Zeta was built with a plethora of tools and weapons to assist him in his missions.
 * Olfactory sensors:  Zeta does not have a physical nose; his olfactory sensors are located at the top of his head.
 * Vision:  Zeta has magnified vision, allowing him to see things far away.  He is also capable of seeing through holographic disguises.  Zeta's vision is indicated by a green tint, a circular frame, and a number of readouts.
 * Telescoping limbs:  His arms and legs extend for a greater range of movement.
 * Tools:  Small tools such as screwdrivers and cameras are stored in the tips of Zeta's fingers.  His fingers are also able to sharpen, as seen in "Wired, part 2."  Small laser tools are located at various points on Zeta's body for small repairs, and he carries a larger laser cutting tool where his guns used to be stored.
 * Weapons:  Zeta threw away the majority of his weapons in the pilot episode.  However, he still has a laser cutting tool, spinning saw blades in his wrists, and laser guns under the green panels on his forearms.
 * Interface cable:  Allows Zeta to connect to any computer or electronic device.
 * Light and heat source:  Zeta's chest is hinged and opens to reveal a heater (seen in "Absolute Zero") and a light source ("The River Rising.")
 * Cred card:  Zeta is equipped with an unlimited and untraceable built-in cred card, allowing him to generate as much money as he needs.
 * Conscience module:  Found when Bennett captured Zeta in "Wired, part 2," the true purpose of the extra circuit module in Zeta's head was unknown until "The Hologram Man."

Concept
Zeta was pitched as a robotic version of Richard Kimble from The Fugitive. He was originally intended to be a darker character than in Batman Beyond and would have struggled more with his original violent programming, but Warner Brothers wanted a more kid-friendly series.

Zeta was designed by Ovi Nedelcu. For more concept art, see the gallery.

Trivia

 * Zeta is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet.  Zeta is succeeded by Infiltration Unit Seven.  Therefore, Zeta can also be considered Infiltration Unit Six.
 * In his human disguise, Zee sometimes uses the surname Smith.
 * Canadian network YTV once stated that Zeta could not holomorph into anything non-humanoid.

Inconsistencies
Zeta's Batman Beyond design was changed drastically between the pilot and first episode, most notably the addition of a more humanoid head in place of the former horseshoe shape. While the real-world explanation is that the network wanted Zeta to be more kid-friendly and relatable, no explanation was given for the change within the show itself. The issue was made increasingly problematic by the revelation of an extra circuit module in Zeta's head, as well as pre-Batman Beyond flashbacks that feature the newer design.

Quotes
"Replacing him required that I lived with his family. I watched them experience life. I saw his daughter ride a bicycle for the first time. I could not deprive her father of seeing her grow just because he knew I existed."  (Batman Beyond: "Zeta")

"I decide who I want to be."  (Batman Beyond: "Zeta")

"My name is Zeta.  I was built as a weapon to destroy, but I will not destroy anymore."  (The Zeta Project opening credits)