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Alex Rider (character)

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Alex Rider
Alex Rider character
File:AlexRider.jpg
Alex Rider, as portrayed by Alex Pettyfer in the film Stormbreaker.
First appearanceStormbreaker
Last appearanceCrocodile Tears
Created byAnthony Horowitz
Portrayed byAlex Pettyfer
In-universe information
AliasFelix Lester, Alex Friend, Alex Gardiner, Federico Casali, Abdul Hassan
GenderMale
OccupationStudent/spy for MI6
FamilyJohn Rider (father; deceased), Helen Beckett (mother; deceased)
RelativesIan Rider
(uncle; deceased)

Alex Rider is a fictional character, and the protagonist and title character of the popular Alex Rider novel series by British author Anthony Horowitz. He has also been featured in three short stories written by Horowitz based in the same canon as the series; Secret Weapon, Christmas at Gunpoint and Alex Rider: Incident in Nice.

Alex is a young agent for MI6, the British international intelligence service. At no more than fourteen years of age, Alex was forced into this occupation after MI6 noticed Alex's many talents. He has not only worked for MI6 but also the CIA, Scorpia and, in Snakehead, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service.

In the film the film adaption of Stormbreaker, Alex Rider was portrayed by Alex Pettyfer.

Life

Alex Rider was born in East London, England, to John Rider, an MI6 agent, and Helen Beckett, a nurse working in radiology.

When Alex was a baby, his mother and father were killed in an aeroplane "accident" due to a bomb being planted on the plane. Alex later finds out that his godfather, Ash, was responsible for the explosion, planting the bomb on orders from Julia Rothman of Scorpia. Fortunately, Alex was not on the plane; he had an ear infection and stayed behind with a nanny. Alex's paternal uncle, Ian Rider, raised Alex after his parents died.

Ian and Alex had a very good relationship. Ian often took Alex around the world to educate him about other cultures, and to help him learn other languages. Alex has lived abroad in the Americas and Europe, once spending the best part of a year living in Barcelona, Spain, and he has also stayed in the Marais district of Paris, France.[1] Ian Rider was later murdered by Yassen Gregorovich, an assassin, and it was revealed to Alex that his uncle and father were both spies, and that Ian had been training Alex his entire life to become a spy himself. After Ian's death, Alex breaks into his old office at MI6's headquarters and discovers many photos of himself, which he finds strange, as he never thought of his uncle as a sentimental man.

After Alex's uncle dies, Ian's housekeeper and Alex's best friend (now his new guardian), Jack Starbright, takes care of him. Alex lives with Jack in Chelsea, London, where he has lived for most of his life.[2] He attends Brookland Comprehensive School and is now in year 10.

Before Alex became involved with MI6, he wanted to be a professional football player, but now is unsure of what he wants to do when he finishes school. Alex once joked that he wanted to be a train driver. He has stated that he is not interested in becoming a full-time MI6 agent.

Talents

Alex is fluent in several languages, having travelled and lived abroad for a short time with his uncle. In addition his native English, he speaks fluent French, Spanish, and German. Alex also speaks a few basic phrases of Italian, but is not fluent.[3] In the film adaption of Stormbreaker, he speaks fluent Japanese, although this is not mentioned in the novels.

Alex is skilled in many activities, including extreme sports - martial arts (Alex is a black belt in karate), scuba diving, abseiling, mountain climbing, hiking, rifle shooting, surfing and snowboarding.[4] He also plays tennis, snooker, football, basketball and poker.

Alex's athletic talents greatly assist him during his missions many times: for example, in Stormbreaker, he rides a four-wheeler to elude guards; in Point Blanc he snowboards down a mountain on an ironing board to escape Point Blanc Academy, in Skeleton Key he scuba dives into Skeleton Key, in Scorpia he BASE jumps into a factory, in Ark Angel he walks between two apartment buildings on a tightrope and in Snakehead, he kayaks down a river on a makeshift kayak

As the series progresses, Alex becomes more skilled at spying. In the novel Eagle Strike, he pursues Damian Cray alone after MI6 refuse to investigate him.

Physical appearance

Alex Rider is described as a strikingly good-looking 14-year-old boy, with fair hair, and a handsome, slender face that "would attract plenty of girls". He has serious dark-brown eyes and a slightly hard, narrow mouth. Alex is well-built and slim, and has a tan. He is also mentioned to have a birthmark on his left shoulder. He is very fit, being described as having "the body of an athlete." Alex is 5' 7" tall and weighs 140 lbs although this conflicts with the data presented in the film. He sometimes wears casual clothing (such as jeans, T-shirts), but mostly wears sportier clothing such as tracksuits. Alex is occasionally described as wearing a wooden bead necklace.

In the later novels, even though Alex stays fourteen he is described as looking older - due to the emotional and physical stress he endures because of his missions. Also, his injuries gradually accumulate. After the novel Scorpia, he has a bullet wound, as well as several scars and bruises from previous assignments.

Relationships

Jack Starbright

Alex's closest friend is Jack Starbright. With his uncle having been away on missions for MI6 much of the time, Alex has spent a lot of time with Jack. Alex met Jack when she came from America to study law in London, and being employed by his uncle as a housekeeper and babysitter for Alex, who was seven years old at the time. She has known Alex for seven years. After Ian died, Jack became Alex's guardian. Even though it was originally her job to care for Alex, they have grown attached and their relationship has become very personal. However, as Alex's MI6 life starts to take a toll on him, it also places somewhat of a strain on their relationship - Jack is always very worried and upset that Alex's life is constantly being put in danger. In Scorpia she hires a tutor to help Alex catch up on the schooling he has missed.

Sabina Pleasure

Sabina serves as Alex's principle love interest throughout the series. The two first met while working as volunteers at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and they quickly became good friends. Sabina soon became suspicious when Alex had to leave the Championships early, and more so when Sabina saved Alex's life, and Alex then disappears on a mission for several weeks. Alex's constant disappearances place a real difficulty on their relationship, and when Sabina finally finds out the truth about Alex, things turn out differently for them. Alex's relationship with Sabina becomes a romance during their first holiday in Cornwall, when the two share a kiss one night. The next day they went out for a surfing trip, when Alex is knocked out by a massive wave and Sabina gives him CPR. Sabina soon leaves Britain to live in America, although she does send him a card when Alex is later in the hospital. She shows up at the end of Snakehead to have dinner with him. She then invites him to celebrate New Year with her family in Scotland, where the plot of Crocodile Tears begins.

Mrs. Jones

An assistant to Alan Blunt, Alex first met Mrs. Jones when she briefed him for his first mission. Mrs. Jones is very sympathetic to Alex, and offers reassurance when Alex is uneasy about what is required to do for his missions. Mrs. Jones shows great concern for Alex's situation - often protesting that he is not be used again, but all the while admitting that he is useful to MI6. She shows signs of great attachment to Alex, of an almost motherly kind. Mrs. Jones also has hinted that she has had children (at least two) and that they were taken from her, which could contribute to why she has so much sympathy for Alex. Once Alex had almost shot her on purpose.

Yassen Gregorovich

Alex first met the Russian contract killer who killed his uncle on Herod Sayle's ground during his mission in Stormbreaker. At the time, Alex originally vows to kill him. Later, during the events of Eagle Strike, it is revealed that Gregorovich worked with Alex's father John 15 years prior. When Gregorovich's friend captures Alex, Gregorovich is able to arrange for Alex to do bullfighting instead of being shot directly, leading to Alex being able to escape. At the end of the novel, when Damian Cray (the man who hired Gregorovich) orders him to kill Alex, he refuses and is shot and killed. Before dying, Gregorovich tells Alex that he worked with his father and to go to Venice and find Scorpia to find his destiny. The upcoming book Yassen is expected to deal with his character in more detail.

Appearances

Novels

Graphic novels

Supplementary books

  • Alex Rider: The Gadgets (October 17, 2005) (mentioned only)

Short stories

Films

  • Stormbreaker (July 21, 2006) (Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker in North America)

Video Games

  • Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (September 25, 2006)

Film

In the 2006 Stormbreaker film directed by Geoffrey Sax, Alex Rider is played by Alex Pettyfer, a rising British actor. Pettyfer was chosen from 500 hopefuls for the role of Alex.[6][7]

Anthony Horowitz, who was the screenwriter for the film as well as the author of the novels, recommended Pettyfer to play Alex Rider after seeing him in Tom Brown's Schooldays. Horowitz gave Pettyfer intense guidance on becoming the character of Alex Rider, expressing him and bringing his athletic talents, intellect and charm to the screen.

The role of Alex Rider was said to be the most physically demanding ever taken by a child actor. Pettyfer undertook martial arts training with Hong Kong martial arts choreographer Donnie Yen,[8] as well as horseback riding.[6] Pettyfer did most of his own stunts in the film, and underwent major physical preparation for the role.[7]

Pettyfer was fifteen years old at the time of the film's shooting, a year older than his character. He is not expected to reprise his role in any future Alex Rider films, because he is now too old.[9]

References

  1. ^ http://www.alexrider.com/Alex-Rider/Who-is-Alex-Rider/Holiday-Destinations
  2. ^ http://www.alexrider.com/Alex-Rider/Who-is-Alex-Rider/Alexs-home
  3. ^ http://www.alexrider.com/Alex-Rider/Skills/Languages
  4. ^ http://www.alexrider.com/alex-rider/Skills
  5. ^ http://anthonyhorowitz.com/newscentre/alexrider/a-brief-blog-before-the-long-hot-summer/116/
  6. ^ a b http://movies.about.com/od/stormbreaker/a/stormap100106.htm
  7. ^ a b http://www.agirlsworld.com/rachel/hangin-with/alexpettyfer.html
  8. ^ http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEbhnbecuWfXee
  9. ^ http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20457262-5003420,00.html
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2000). Stormbreaker. p. 240.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2002). Point Blanc. p. 274.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2002). Skeleton Key. p. 288.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2003). Alex Rider: Secret Weapon.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2003). Eagle Strike. p. 240.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2005). Scorpia. p. 312.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2006). Ark Angel. p. 326.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2007). Snakehead. p. 398.
  • Horowitz, Anthony (2009). Crocodile Tears. p. 407.

External links

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