It’s been, um, 30 years since I last saw Speed Racer, so my memories may be way off here. But IIRC, there was a mysterious “Racer X” who showed up in most episodes.
My question: is it just my imagination, or was Racer X at one time
…almost always introduced by a narrator as Speed Racer’s older brother who ran away from home years ago.
Evidently: Rex & Pops had a bit of a disagreement over optimum valve clearance in a 487ci given an iflated compression ratio due to a high-end aftermarket turbo thruster…or something.
Rex Racer = Racer X {Comic Book Guy}Stupidest secret identity name ever. {/Comic Book Guy} :rolleyes:
BTW: Rex knew since he mentions it at least once during each of his apperances. :rolleyes:
[spoiler]It was my understanding that Rex “Racer X” Racer was employed by a clandestine crime-fighting organization of some type. When Speed and Racer X crosse paths, Speed and the gang would often find themselves assisting Rex in his crime-fighting tasks. I’m hazy on the details of the episode, but the ending of one adventure has stuck with me for a generation or more:
(Speed and Racer X have succeeded in dispatching the bad guys. Racer X has thanked Speed for his help, and is turning to leave)
Speed: Racer X?
(Racer X pauses and regards his brother)
Speed: Are you my brother, Rex Racer?
(Racer X knocks out Speed with a single punch to the jaw, and makes good his escape)
Couldn’t get that kind of drama on Gigantor.
[/spoiler]
There was a flashback about why Racer X left home. He wanted to race, but Pops thought he didn’t have enough experience yet. Racer X almost won a race, but spun out at the last minute. Racer X thought he should have won, but Pops said something to the effect of: “If you had more experience ah you would have more control uh and you would have been able to control the car better hah and wouldn’t have spun out and then you would have won the race because you would have more experience huh.” So Racer X said to hell with you old man and took off. At least that’s how I remember it.
To answer the question of whether Speed ever found out:
Yes, Speed figures it out on his own, then Rex confirms it. Racer X decides to retire from racing (to persue world peace), and tells an “unconscious” Speed the truth, adding that he’ll always be near if Speed is in trouble, leaving his mask behind. After Rex walks away, Speed tells the mask he’ll become the best racer he can be so that he’ll be pround of his younger brother. It seems that [gasp] Speed wasn’t unconscious and heard everything Rex said!