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Duc[note 1][6] Jessop is the husband of Kaori Jessop. He was a Ranger in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps and one of the pilots of Tacit Ronin before his death in 2016.

Biography

Early Life

Duc was born in Australia and is the son of Darwin Jessop, an Australian citizen.[6] At an undetermined point in time, Duc lost his right leg and it was substituted with an prosthetic limb[1] that used a "synthax skin layer" that mimicked real skin[7] and could be updated.[1]

Pan Pacific Defense Corps.

Meeting Kaori

Duc meets Kaori Koyamada during a Kaiju attack off the coastline of city, following a synthax refitting for his right leg on a aircraft carrier. Determined to help, Duc disobeys orders from his commanding officer, Chowder, and joins him in a PPDC submersible in an attempt to kill the Kaiju before it can reach the surface.[7]

Down below, Duc and Chowder realize that Thunderhead is attacking another PPDC submersible and tries to hail it. Neither understand Japanese, they use their submersible to distract Thunderhead long enough to fire on the ballasts of Kaori's submersible and force it to surface. They follow the vehicle up the surface and Duc takes it upon himself check for survivors.[7]

When Kaori emerges from the submersible, he is immediately attracted to her and greets her. Kaori punches him, knocking him out for a few moments. When Duc recovers, he demands to know why he was hit, but he can't understand her response. Thunderhead surfaces from the deep as Brawler Yukon is dropped into the combat zone.[7]

When Thunderhead smashes Brawler Yukon against a nearby bridge, a part of the bridge is destroyed and its pillar is damaged severely. Despite the fact that they cannot understand each other, Duc, Chowder and Kaori pilot the submersible toward the bridge and use its lifeboats to keep the bridge's pillar from crumbling.[2]

Becoming Co-Pilots

Some time later, Duc joins the Jaeger Academy to become a Ranger. Following a series of tests, he proves Drift compatible with Kaori Koyamada, with whom he still does not speak the language of and dislikes because of their previous encounter. Despite their discord, the academy pairs the two together as potential co-pilots.[2]

The two fail to connect in their first attempts, constantly at odds. For reasons unexplained, Kaori begins speaking English and Duc speculates that at some point "everything was stripped away" and allowed her to do so. Even then, the two do not appear to get along, Kaori attacking Duc immediately after he calls her an "asshole" shortly after admitting his poor conduct around her.[2]

At an undetermined point, Duc and Kaori fall in love and are subsequently married. They are later assigned to Tacit Ronin. Their initial base of defense is at the Tokyo Shatterdome with three more Ranger teams (Coyote Tango, Echo Saber, and Victory Alpha) among the Shatterdome's Strike Group.[5][6][1]

Tales From The Drift

June 21, 2016

Duc and Kaori are sent out to Tokyo Bay from the Tokyo Shatterdome against the Kaiju Itak with Coyote Tango. During the battle, Itak manages to damage their Jaeger's armor, triggering a radiation leak inside the Conn-Pod that shuts down the ventilation system. Overwhelmed by the radiation trapped inside their Conn-Pod, are rendered unconscious when Itak attacks Tacit Ronin and the two are shaken lose from their harnesses.[7]

Duc regains consciousnesses moments after Kaori. Once power is restored to the Jaeger they attempt to contact LOCCENT Mission Control, but are knocked around by Itak's continued assault. The radiation build-up in the Conn-Pod overwhelms them again, leaving them open to attack.[7]

The pilots of Coyote Tango intervene, distracting Itak long enough for the couple to recover. Duc is slapped back into consciousness by Kaori and resumes the fight with her. Duc maintains consciousness long enough to help Koari kill Itak then blacks out.[2]

July 5, 2016

Following their battle with Itak, Duc and Kaori are hospitalized for injuries sustained during the battle. Duc dreams of walking with Kaori what appears to be a garden in Japan. When he wakes, he tells Kaori that he may have been drifting or dreaming and begins to complain about being kept for any further observation by the hospital.[1]

Kaori begins to assure him their stay is only for a few more days when Stacker Pentecost arrives with Mako Mori in tow. Pentecost explains to Duc that he and Kaori have been retired from active duty on account of the neural damage sustained during the systems overload in Tacit Ronin during their Drift. When Kaori leaves the room with Mako, Duc tries to argue that they're fit enough to continue piloting, but Pentecost makes it clear that the PPDC is concerned about protecting the Jaeger, not its pilots.[1]

When the Category II Kaiju Ragnarok emerges from the Breach in Tokyo Bay, the two can only watch as Victory Alpha fights and loses to the Kaiju. Duc and Kaori decide to volunteer to pilot Tacit Ronin one more time to protect the city in the absence of backup or other Jaegers. Reluctantly, Marshal Hikai sends the two out in Tacit Ronin.[1]

Connected to Tacit Ronin, Duc and Kaori combat Ragnarok. While the two are able to maim the Kaiju, Ragnarok causes considerable damage to Tacit Ronin, causing yet another radiation leak that puts Duc and Kaori's lives at risk. Duc struggles to keep fighting with Kaori on her level as they begin to succumb to their injuries. Before they die, Duc and Kaori kill Ragnarok, splitting the Kaiju in half.[8]

Funeral

Following their deaths, Kaori and and Duc are presumably buried in the Pan Pacific Memorial Cemetery. Pentecost eulogizes their service to the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. and their lives. On the coffins of Duc and Kaori lay two red blossoming lotus.[8]

Known Inconsistencies

Trivia

  • In the original script for Pacific Rim, Duc is 23 years old and was Korean-Australian.[10]
  • In the original script of Pacific Rimm, Duc and Kaori are a well-adjusted couple. In Tales From The Drift, Kaori and Duc are given Raleigh and Mako's subplot from the script, wherein they two meet as untested partners who do not get along nor speak each other's language.[10]
  • Duc prefers that his name be pronounced "Duke".[6]

Gallery

Pan Pacific Defense Corps Logo An image gallery is available for
Duc Jessop

Notes

  1. Pronounced "Duke".
  2. Travis Beacham: "Duc is born in Darwin to an Australian father and a Vietnamese mother. Ever since he was a child, he insisted on pronouncing his name “duke.”"

References

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