Matt Jackson (マット・ジャクスン, Matto Jakusun) is a primary character featured in Say Hi to Virginia. He is a technician and the first-in-command to the cargo ship, the Derringer. Bored to death by the long journey, he secretly sets up a pair of bombs aboard the ship to create a life-or-death scenario for the crew, in which he shows off his prowess as a decisive leader.
Appearance
Matt Jackson is a middle-aged man who often dresses in casual attire. He is seen wearing an open jacket over his uniform sweatshirt as well as cargo pants. Matt Jackson sports a neatly trimmed mustache and full head of light hair accompanied by a pair of dark bushy eye-brows. While contacting Hiroshi as the bomber, Matt uses face-masking technology to hide his identity, leaving only a silhouette with white eyes and a piercing white grin.
Personality
At first glance, Matt is a grumbly man who tends to spend his time lazing around the Derringer in his boredom. He is also easily irritated, as displayed when Bonnie fails to immediately lower the temperature of his room.[1] However, when the situation calls for it, Matt can turn into a stoic and commanding leader, worthy of earning his title of captain. Notably, Matt entertains no superstitious beliefs.[2]
While posing as an anonymous bomber, Matt displays a drastically different personality from his usual self to avoid suspicion. As the bomber, Matt displays a playful and sadistic personality, jovially threatening Hiroshi's life and gloating about the Derringer's impending destruction with a wide grin on his face.[3] Matt also takes pride in the bombs he creates, as he later pretends to deduce from Virginia's shell being made of transparent glass.[4] After Virginia is defused, Matt even goes so far as to ask Hiroshi to thank him for creating an exciting incident during the long journey.[5]
Abilities
Technological Engineering
One of Matt's roles aboard the Derringer is to serve as the cargo ship's technician. He is extremely familiar with the technology aboard the Derringer and is able to easily able to interact with many of the functions of the ship, including Bonnie. While working with Hiroshi to disarm Virginia, Matt is able to determine the best plan of action and guide Clyde through the process.
Matt is also capable of building and planting several bombs aboard the ship without Hiroshi's knowledge, and possesses the technical skill to fake a transmission from an unknown source while masking his face and voice.[6]
Leadership
Matt Jackson is able to quickly make decisions and issue instructions to his crew, his former position in the Armed Forces lending itself to his seniority. As the ship's first-in-command, he makes sure to log their travels in a journal.[7]
History
Prior to serving aboard the Derringer, Matt spent an undisclosed amount of time as a member of the Armed Forces. Aboard the Derringer, Matt Jackson fulfills the role of the captain and first-in-command, as well as a technician. Bored out of his mind by the journey, Matt has the idea to liven up the journey by placing bombs near the escape pods and the engine. He then sends a transmission to his own ship for Hiroshi to pick up.
While playing darts in his room and complaining about the air conditioning, Matt is contacted by Hiroshi about the transmission, but seemingly disregards the message in his irritation. When Hiroshi attempts to contact the sender, Matt responds and announces his plans, using face and voice-masking technology to hide his identity. After introducing Hiroshi to the second bomb, which he dubs Virginia, Matt is caught off-guard by the first bomb's explosion and thrown to the ground, ending transmission in the process. Afterward, Hiroshi and Matt meet and find Virginia, an extremely elaborate device encased in a transparent dome. Hiroshi almost touches the bomb, but Matt stops him, stating that Bonnie has detected rings of vacuum barriers that will trigger the bomb if breached by any person or object, including air.
Matt and Hiroshi devise a plan: while the human crew takes shelter in the cockpit, the block with the bomb is sealed and drained of its air. Afterward, Clyde is sent into the block to carefully disarm the bomb. The two crew members watch closely as Clyde's small appendices extend through the barrier and cut a hole in the bomb's dome. When a rolling glass cutter threatens to touch the barrier, Clyde attaches it to its leg with magnetic force. Another problem suddenly appears: turning the block into a vacuum has damaged some water pipes, and the resulting burst of water could set off the bomb. Jackson and Clyde push forward and barely manage to disarm the bomb before the water touches it.
After taking some time to relax in the living room, Matt decides to go back to his room, supposedly to take a nap. Shortly afterward, Matt calls Hiroshi again as the anonymous bomber. Claiming that Hiroshi should be grateful for the break in the monotony of the journey, Matt reveals that he is aboard the Derringer and plans to hunt Hiroshi for sport, practicing his aim with throwing knives while doing so.
Gallery
Matt on the cover of the one-shot
Matt Jackson's introduction
A photo of Matt from his time in the Armed Forces
Matt instructing Clyde on how to defuse Virginia
Matt urges Clyde to cut Virginia's fuse
Matt declining Hiroshi's tea offering
References
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.6
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.18
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.9
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.14
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.29
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.32
- ↑ Say Hi to Virginia, p.7