“ If we have to give these bastards our lives...then we give them hell before we do.
”― Captain Mifune during the Battle of Zion[src]
Captain Mifune was the head of Zion's Armored Personnel Unit (APU) Corp.
History
Reloaded
Upon the Nebuchadnezzar's return to Zion and following Morpheus' disobedience of Commander Lock's orders, Mifune was placed in charge of escorting Morpheus back to the Commander. Describing his role as simply a keeper of peace, he immediately corrects a soldier who starts to state Commander Lock's "demands" and instead tactfully states that the Commander "requests" Morpheus' immediate counsel.
Revolutions
During the battle of Zion, Mifune initially frowns upon Kid's involvement as an ammunitions runner, thinking that Kid was too young to assist the APU squadron in a battle. However, Kid was able to convince the Captain, arguing that the Machines did not discriminate based on the age of their enemy. Mifune, approving of Kid's stance, allows him to serve and starts treating him as a soldier.
He then leads his APU's into battle against the Sentinels and boosted the morale of his troops by saying,
“ If it's our time to die, it's our time. All I ask is, if we have to give these bastards our lives, we give 'em hell before we do!"
”
Mifune was one of the 13 last APUs left standing during the battle. Resigned to his fate that he would die defending the Dock, Mifune is determined to kill as many Sentinels as he could before the end. Quickly firing one round after another into the swarm of Sentinels, Mifune eventually asks for a reload and Kid answers the call. Unfortunately, one of the cases gets stuck during the reload and outlook starts looking bleak. Hastily, Kid climbs atop the APU's back and fixes the error after which Mifune fires one final round into the Sentinels. However, the Sentinels' numbers prove to be too much to the seasoned veteran and they overwhelm the Captain, flaying him alive.
Horribly-mutilated, Mifune tells Kid to open the gate to allow the Mjolnir ("Hammer") to enter. Kid then takes off on Captain Mifune's APU and continues to the gate while the Captain continues to cling to life.
Kid then tells Mifune that he might not be able to complete the Captain's request because he never finished the training exercises. But Mifune, with his dying breaths, reassures Kid by saying that he never completed his training either before finally succumbing to his wounds.
Still using Mifune's APU, Kid reaches the counterweights to Gate 3 and, after being helped and saved by Zee, manages to open the gate.
Behind the Scenes
- He was portrayed by Nathaniel Lees
- It is considered that the character of Captain Mifune is in reference to late Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, to whom Lees shares a striking resemblance
- Mifune is also the original family name of Speed Racer, which would receive a film adaptation directed by the Wachowskis