I was flabbergasted when I first found out that Shaun Prendergast was the voice of Zak as well as Sunshine - the two characters so sound completely different you'd have believed they were voiced by seperate people! Hats off to Shaun and his talent!
I remember MikeD57s suggesting that Shaun Prendergast might have voiced Percy if the classic series had a voice cast. I also remember seeing a post on the Thomas wiki’s forums one time where someone suggested that Shaun could voice Neil in the revival era and use his Zak voice for him.
The TUGS Audio Productions episode "Mutiny" gives an insight as to what the Z-Stacks looked like under Zak's leadership whilst Zorran is in for repairs and its quite interesting. While Zak doesn't struggle with his engine he ends up being done in by Zorran's intelligence.
Heyyy! 2 for 2! Another great video essay C&A. If I were to write a Zac story, it would centre fully around the Z stacks - no Star Tug would get a line in the episode. In it, we see Zac's lust for power grow strong. Zorran has an important job, but Zac sees his chance to out shine his colleage. Something happens - either by accident or design, and Zorran get's damaged. Zac gets full credit for a job well done and Zorran is disgraced in the eyes of Captain Zero. While Zorran is away for repairs at Lucky's Yard - Zac is given leadership of the Stacks. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. The constant pressure from Captain Zero is too much for Zac, and Zip and Zug's stupidity drives him crazy. Zebedee is the only one he can trust, but he's run ragged trying to do the extra work. Just as Zac is about to lose his last nerve, Zorran returns and sets everything straight and regains his spot as Number 1 in Captain Zero's eyes. Zac is now disgraced and the status quo returns.
I think that if Zak got a spotlight episode, it would show his nasty character on full display and perhaps plot schemes himself to do whatever it takes by any means necessarily even if other tugs get hurt or something. You never know.
With the way Zak sees himself as a possible leader for the Z-Stacks, I’d say he’s a bit similar to Starscream from Transformers in that regard since Starscream wishes to be the leader of the Decepticons instead of Megatron. Either way, it probably would’ve been nice to see a bit more of Zak in order to expand on his character, but I do find it okay that he wasn’t fleshed out much.
I think an idea for Zaks episode would be where Zak meets Cuba himself and realises he could get good money from him and tells Zero but cuba threatens him so he tries to report him anyways but cuba than smashes him into the rocks and he kind of sinks below and Boomer comes around and sees him (idk how boomer does but I’ll figure it out) and than says”Well Well Well look who’s sunk now *laughs*”
I'd like to think that Zak had a very shady history, along the lines of what Captain Zero was up to before the events of the show with Johnny Cuba. Hell, maybe he was originally a sort of hired gun or thug that fell into favor with Captain Zero. He does seem the type to have no qualms with committing horrendous acts if it lines his pocketbook. Shame this show was ultimately cancelled, I would've loved to see more of him
Funny you should ask what kind of storylines we'd like to have seen Zak in. I did a rewrite of "Treasure Hunt" a while back; it was set in World War II and renamed "Black Market", which I'm sure was what Captain Zero was implying by "treasure". It was similar to the original, but with Zak in the main role, and had him being a misogynistic bully to my Tugs fancharacter Violet of the Spectrum Fleet, even to the point of threatening her into helping him find the missing cargo. As per my own interpretation of the series as being set in Brendam instead of a fictional U.S. port, it was the intervention of Ten-Cents, Sunshine and Edward the Blue Engine that ultimately lands Zak in disgrace.
TheLOKRailfanDA did a good Zak story called "Leader" that used his faulty engine and desire to lead his fleet, as well as showing growth in Zebedee since High Winds.
I think an episode of him finding out how zebedee helped the stars in high winds and he trying to call zebedee out for it in front of captain zero but for him only for him to be lectured about common sense by zorrain and see him drift away from those two and interact with zip and zug who show him how being always antagonistic to a group of tugs isn’t always the best option but Zak doesn’t see it and decides to try blowing up the star fleet at night with munitions but zebedee stops him saying that he can’t continue down this path but Zak still doesn’t make amends and he gets sent away up river
I still can’t hear Zaks voice when he does Sunshine at least that’s what I heard he voiced sunshine too also he’s kind of like Sidious I mean both don’t really have a moral compass plus both are rude to basically everyone and I guess parts of him are kind of like D10 (Magic Railroad version) also he kind of has a nickname for Zebedee when in high tide he says “ZEB!”
Zak is my favourite Z Stack for how mysterious he is. If the show continued, I’m sure we would have learned more about him, man sometimes I really want to go to other worlds to see how things are different.
i believe I've already shared my story on the tugs profile episode for Zac but ill say it again cause why not this time ive refined the story (still working some things out). in this story Zac wants to prove hes a better fit to be leader then zorran, working his absolute hardest even helping the Star tugs, going as far to risk his engine hauling 6 barges of muntions, this of course goes poorly with his engine giving out and one of the barges gets loose and runs down the current eventually running a ground causing an explosion (cause its tugs there has to be an explosion lol) as a result they almost lost there munitions contract, zero is disappointed in him, zac then asks why zorran is leader, zero then explains they zorran thinks before going something, unlike you hes got common sense it seems, zac is then towed off to lucky's very humbled and very annoyed.
I honestly don’t mind that Zak didn’t get much screen time it’s all right not every character needs potential and I think Zak is OK the way he is he did serve his purpose, and that was enough
It's Al Capone!
I was flabbergasted when I first found out that Shaun Prendergast was the voice of Zak as well as Sunshine - the two characters so sound completely different you'd have believed they were voiced by seperate people! Hats off to Shaun and his talent!
Agreed! Tugs gad such a talented cast of voice actors!
I remember MikeD57s suggesting that Shaun Prendergast might have voiced Percy if the classic series had a voice cast. I also remember seeing a post on the Thomas wiki’s forums one time where someone suggested that Shaun could voice Neil in the revival era and use his Zak voice for him.
The TUGS Audio Productions episode "Mutiny" gives an insight as to what the Z-Stacks looked like under Zak's leadership whilst Zorran is in for repairs and its quite interesting. While Zak doesn't struggle with his engine he ends up being done in by Zorran's intelligence.
I'll be sure to check it out!
7:40 What about when he and Zebedee forgot to fill up on water because they were in a rush?
7:12 Nice of Zack to offer to help Boomer sink. Very kind and thoughtful
Heyyy! 2 for 2! Another great video essay C&A.
If I were to write a Zac story, it would centre fully around the Z stacks - no Star Tug would get a line in the episode. In it, we see Zac's lust for power grow strong. Zorran has an important job, but Zac sees his chance to out shine his colleage. Something happens - either by accident or design, and Zorran get's damaged. Zac gets full credit for a job well done and Zorran is disgraced in the eyes of Captain Zero. While Zorran is away for repairs at Lucky's Yard - Zac is given leadership of the Stacks. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. The constant pressure from Captain Zero is too much for Zac, and Zip and Zug's stupidity drives him crazy. Zebedee is the only one he can trust, but he's run ragged trying to do the extra work. Just as Zac is about to lose his last nerve, Zorran returns and sets everything straight and regains his spot as Number 1 in Captain Zero's eyes. Zac is now disgraced and the status quo returns.
Thanks, dude! Love your pitch!
Yay! Another Z Stack spotlight! Wonderful stuff!
Glad you enjoyed! 😊
Gruff bombastic video
I feel like Zak is really underrated, he’s a good character and I wish he got a spotlight like zebedee
Agreed. It would have been really cool to see!
I think that if Zak got a spotlight episode, it would show his nasty character on full display and perhaps plot schemes himself to do whatever it takes by any means necessarily even if other tugs get hurt or something. You never know.
8:32 - 8:38 "Yeah, Zak should be in more episodes, see?"
Second-in-command, wants to be leader, utterly hopeless in leader role
So he's just Starscream :P
Glad to see you back.
I never watched Tugs growing up, but I watched it on RUclips a lot because of the Thomas parodies back in elementary school
His voice sounds like he smoked so much
I could definitely see him with a cigar in his mouth if the characters were human 🤣
With the way Zak sees himself as a possible leader for the Z-Stacks, I’d say he’s a bit similar to Starscream from Transformers in that regard since Starscream wishes to be the leader of the Decepticons instead of Megatron.
Either way, it probably would’ve been nice to see a bit more of Zak in order to expand on his character, but I do find it okay that he wasn’t fleshed out much.
I think an idea for Zaks episode would be where Zak meets Cuba himself and realises he could get good money from him and tells Zero but cuba threatens him so he tries to report him anyways but cuba than smashes him into the rocks and he kind of sinks below and Boomer comes around and sees him (idk how boomer does but I’ll figure it out) and than says”Well Well Well look who’s sunk now *laughs*”
Oh so that where the story ideas came from
I'd like to think that Zak had a very shady history, along the lines of what Captain Zero was up to before the events of the show with Johnny Cuba. Hell, maybe he was originally a sort of hired gun or thug that fell into favor with Captain Zero. He does seem the type to have no qualms with committing horrendous acts if it lines his pocketbook. Shame this show was ultimately cancelled, I would've loved to see more of him
Funny you should ask what kind of storylines we'd like to have seen Zak in. I did a rewrite of "Treasure Hunt" a while back; it was set in World War II and renamed "Black Market", which I'm sure was what Captain Zero was implying by "treasure". It was similar to the original, but with Zak in the main role, and had him being a misogynistic bully to my Tugs fancharacter Violet of the Spectrum Fleet, even to the point of threatening her into helping him find the missing cargo. As per my own interpretation of the series as being set in Brendam instead of a fictional U.S. port, it was the intervention of Ten-Cents, Sunshine and Edward the Blue Engine that ultimately lands Zak in disgrace.
Love this concept 👌
TheLOKRailfanDA did a good Zak story called "Leader" that used his faulty engine and desire to lead his fleet, as well as showing growth in Zebedee since High Winds.
Yay my favourite Z Stack. Love the gruff Zak and his model rocks in my opinion 😅
It’s Al Caboat
Hey Cinder guess what I finally got my books published about my custom tugs!
Congrats! That's awesome!
@@cindersandashesuk5744 thx your one of my inspirations mainly ur character profiles
8:32 WHAT?!? I was joking when I said that!
🤣
I think an episode of him finding out how zebedee helped the stars in high winds and he trying to call zebedee out for it in front of captain zero but for him only for him to be lectured about common sense by zorrain and see him drift away from those two and interact with zip and zug who show him how being always antagonistic to a group of tugs isn’t always the best option but Zak doesn’t see it and decides to try blowing up the star fleet at night with munitions but zebedee stops him saying that he can’t continue down this path but Zak still doesn’t make amends and he gets sent away up river
Finally Zak gets love he’s awesome
He sure is!
I still can’t hear Zaks voice when he does Sunshine at least that’s what I heard he voiced sunshine too also he’s kind of like Sidious I mean both don’t really have a moral compass plus both are rude to basically everyone and I guess parts of him are kind of like D10 (Magic Railroad version) also he kind of has a nickname for Zebedee when in high tide he says “ZEB!”
His name is Zak, and not Cody.
Reference to another show
Zak is my favourite Z Stack for how mysterious he is. If the show continued, I’m sure we would have learned more about him, man sometimes I really want to go to other worlds to see how things are different.
Me too! So many fictional worlds seem so much more interesting than our real one 🤣
I know my common for Zak didn’t make it, but I just want to say, if Zorran is Megatron, then Zak is Starscream.
Edward G Robinson if he was a harbor tug.
Zak to me is like Dodoria from DBZ both grunt and gruff in their appearance and do the bosses dirty work.
there should have been a tugs episode about zak which will be similar to high winds but different
i believe I've already shared my story on the tugs profile episode for Zac but ill say it again cause why not this time ive refined the story (still working some things out). in this story Zac wants to prove hes a better fit to be leader then zorran, working his absolute hardest even helping the Star tugs, going as far to risk his engine hauling 6 barges of muntions, this of course goes poorly with his engine giving out and one of the barges gets loose and runs down the current eventually running a ground causing an explosion (cause its tugs there has to be an explosion lol) as a result they almost lost there munitions contract, zero is disappointed in him, zac then asks why zorran is leader, zero then explains they zorran thinks before going something, unlike you hes got common sense it seems, zac is then towed off to lucky's very humbled and very annoyed.
Zak is Zorran's second in command or Zebedee
I honestly don’t mind that Zak didn’t get much screen time it’s all right not every character needs potential and I think Zak is OK the way he is he did serve his purpose, and that was enough
me to