Gyro Captain & Jedediah

[scfc68]

I know it's an old topic for many - but I've never known for sure, and although fairly uninteresting characters to me, Uncle's timeline has piqued my curiousity

Are they one and the same, categorically

[seriz]

Again ?

Jedediah and the gyrocopter pilot are two different characters. It's so obvious that I never understood why people never stop arguing about that.
The Gyrocopter was the chief of the northern tribe, had children with the blonde girl.
Max doesn't recognize Jedediah as an old mate.
2 different characters, one actor...
I know it's quite complicate for some people...
But nobody asked about Max Fairchild, same character ?

[BRC1974]

I know the novel isn't necessarily canon but when Max gets ambushed at the start he can hear Jedediah's yodelling laugh echoing over the desert as he drives away with the camels. During Thunderdome he hears the laugh again and gets a good look at Jedediah's face this time. That's why he recognises him at the end in the cave.

[Taipan]

Or maybe Auntie told Max who brought the Camel Wagon as part of the deal? Pure speculation.
One thing's for sure, Jedediah recognizes Max as he walks by, not sure why he's happy about it since Max would probably kill him right there on the spot for stealing his stuff.

[Anklecranker]

Two different characters for sure. I remember an article from about 1985 where Miller states the characters are different. It seems confusing because both used flying machines and its plausible that his son was from the girlfriend in MM2.

Side note.....Arkie Whiteley was hot.

[Artemis Flow]

I'm straining my memory but doesn't Max say in BTD " Hes got a plane " or He can fly " or similar , without him actually seeing Jebediah's plane ?
They kind of look at each other at one stage and the look is " I know you but will keep mum for now ..."

[OzRedMonkey]

And when Fury Road comes out it will happen all over again. Someone will ask "are Immortan Joe and Toecutter the same person?"

Someone will speculate, just you wait and see...

[MachRider]

They're obviously not the same character, except there are some obvious clues they might be.
I think Mel is the main culprit here, the way he acted in that "You, you got a plane here!" scene. He obviously loves to mindf*ck the audience.

And on that note, I think that maybe both Gyro and Jedediah could actually be Roger Murtaugh.
Proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiDlQgW1wO0

[HUMVEE Driver]

I think they ARE the same.

1. When Max first comes into Bartertown, Gyro recognizes him, and smiles because he recognizes him. "There's that old survivor Max, ha! he's still alive! I knew he'd turn up someday!" If he had never seen Max before, why would he even give the guy a second glance? Or if he somehow recognized Max as the guy he just robbed, wouldn't he be a little worried, and, um, not smiling?

2. Gyro cheers for Max to live in Thunderdome, because they are old pals. If Gyro recognized Max as the guy he stole from, why would he plead for Max to be allowed to live? If Max wants his stuff back bad enough to fight Blaster to the death, he's certainly coming after the thief next. It's in Gyro's best interests to see Max dead.

3. Max says he knows Gyro when he sees him at the end. It all comes together for Max in that moment, Gyro's MO as a thief etc. So Max says "YOU!!!" because he recognizes him.

4. Gyro is not the type to grow old and stay with a pretty girl to the end of his days. He had a kid with her and took off. Or, she died and he left with his son.

Reading the book, they ARE two different people. Watching the movie, they are the same character.

[Tyderium]

I agree, in the movie they appear to be the same person.
When he was knocked off the camel train Max never saw what hit him.
From the way the incident is shot in the film at least, there is no way he could have known who stole his vehicle and belongings.
And, although in Barter Town Jebediah follows Max's progress with interest, Max never has any interaction or appears even to lay eyes on him in return.
Yet, there is such an emphatic recognition from Max when they come face to face later on during the final chase.

It has to be more than coincidence that the same actor plays a pilot in both films. Spence even plays it identical to the character traits of the Gyro Captain.
If it is supposed to be a different character they certainly haven't tried too hard to make a distinction.
Thunderdome was a blockbuster set up for a wider audience but the little scene in Jebediah's cave was surely Miller's nod to the fan base of Road Warrior.