Codename: Vulture
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| Codename: Vulture | |
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 Awriɣ Rabus as "Waraz Zadiya, the Vulture," in the 1979 film Codename: Vulture III | |
| Created by | Kassu Farra and Takensust Sadri |
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Codename: Vulture (Takelat: ⵉⵙⵎⵦⴼⴰⵔ: ⵜⴰⵎⴷⴰ; Ismeffar: Tamda) is a Talaharan media franchise developed by Kassu Farra and Takensust Sadri over a series of seven novels written and set during the 1930s and 1940s. Following the exploits of the eponymous protagonist, a member of the fictitious "Section Zero" of the Special Intelligence Division, the franchise has expanded from the original print series to several comic book runs, nine feature films, and several other media entries.
The protagonist, Waraz Zadiya, is introduced in the first novel as a new agent in Section Zero, tasked with preventing the capitalist rulers of the fictional country of Tamaria from manufacturing a global famine to drive up food prices. Initially planned as a single novella, the story exploded in popularity across Talahara and was soon serialized by several newspapers and magazines for broader consumption. The series' creator, Kassu Farra, began to develop a sequel with the assistance of Takensust Sadri. Sadri ultimately developed the character of Zadiya from a stern and practical professional to a sardonic and suave secret agent who tended to test the limits of his orders.
After Farra passed away in 1948, the franchise ended until Sadri partnered with Metira Akel from the Lithograph-Printers Syndicate to create a comic book series, continuing the adventures of Zadiya. This was followed up by a film adaptation of the first novel in 1970 in which famous actor Asifa Ra'ad portrayed the protagonist. From 1975 to 1984, Awriɣ Rabus took on the role of Zadiya in four feature films. This portrayal is widely considered the iconic iteration of the character. Following Rabus's retirement, Tinitran Atala portrayed the character in two further films in 1988 and 1990. The character was portrayed again by Vermina Vaziri in 2008's Special Agent Vulture and by Thinzerth Seraha in the 2019 reimagining of the series, Day of the Vulture.
Origins
Inspiration
Characters
Waraz Zadiya
Born in 1900, Waraz "Raz" Zadiya is the eponymous principal character of the franchise, adopting the codename "Vulture" at the beginning of the first novel in 1934. Initially portrayed as a gruff professional in the first novel, future installments introduced his penchant for sarcasm, independence, and signature one-liners; typically some form of morbid humour. In terms of appearance, Zadiya is described as tall and broad-shouldered with sharp features and an impressive mustache. In foreign markets, his red, felt, tassel-less tarbuš is also considered an iconic element of his appearance. His surname is traditionally Kel Hadar, but he is noted as being of mixed Kel Aman, Kel Hadar, and possibly Jewish descent. In addition to his military training, Zadiya has notable abilities in hand-to-hand combat, ciphers, and a nearly eidetic memory.
Zadiya is a dedicated socialist and internationalist. Throughout the run of the original novels, Zadiya espouses a number of pro-statist political comments, though the iteration seen in the comics from the 1950s and 1960s is perhaps more politically anarchist. Across all iterations, Zadiya is generally skeptical and frequently questions his orders, generally taking a roundabout way to accomplish his missions. In terms of relationships, he is described as having few friends or familial connections outside of work. He generally has positive relationships with the bureau staff and a number of minor characters at Section Zero. His relationship with Chief Zero, the head of Section Zero, is generally the most tumultuous. While some fans and analysts describe their relationship as occasionally paternal, Zadiya and the Chief are frequently at odds regarding Zadiya's methods and opposition to the Chief's authority. Zadiya also has a long-term relationship with Terminat "Minat" Tazgwaɣt, a technology specialist in Section Zero. Tazgwaɣt was introduced in 1938 in Codename: Vulture and the Blue Menace, providing Zadiya with a concealable camera and radio transmitter. Throughout the rest of the series and each of the films, Tazgwaɣt provides Zadiya with numerous esoteric gadgets which frequently prove essential to him accomplishing his missions. Despite romantic tension in the early novels, Zadiya's and Tazgwaɣt's relationship remains platonic. In Codename: Vulture in the Desert and Codename: Vulture Strikes Back, Tazgwaɣt is promoted to field agent and provided with the codename "Eagle".
Little is known of Zadiya's life prior to his assignment to Section Zero. In the first three novels, Zadiya and other characters noted distinguished service in "the war". The rest of the novels and the early cinematic adaptations scarcely touched on his background. The 1984-1985 run of the comic series Codename: Vulture: Origins visited Zadiya's life as a young man enlisting with the Army Corps in 1918 and serving during the Annexation of Amara. The comic further details Zadiya's involvement as a foreign volunteer in the Ottonian Civil War, after which he began working in military intelligence. The series culminates in a difficult assignment that proves to be his ultimate test. After completing the assignment, he is inducted into Section Zero and provided with his new codename.
