KARR
Encyclopedia : K : KA : KAR : KARR
- For the Kirkland, Washington radio station, see KARR (AM).
KARR (the Knight Automated Roving Robot), is a villain from the cult television series Knight Rider. He is the prototype version of KITT, designed first by Wilton Knight and built by Knight Industries. Unlike KITT whose primary directive is to protect human life, KARR was programmed for "self-preservation" making him a ruthless and unpredictable threat. KARR does not appear as streetwise as KITT. He is very gullible and inexperienced, viewing the world more like a child, although he ultimately believes himself superior and unstoppable. He was aware of the construction of another car like him (KITT), before he was deactivated, and displays anger and annoyance about having a "twin" brother. Because he didn't know KITT's name at first, KARR referred to KITT as an "inferior production line copy". (This statement is somewhat humorous, considering prototypes are more often than not inferior to final production designs.)
KARR first appeared in the first season episode "Trust Doesn't Rust" first aired in the USA on 19 November 1982, and again in the third season episode "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R." first aired in the USA on 4 November 1984. Had the show remained on the air, it is rumoured that K.A.R.R was supposed to have returned in the unproduced fifth season premiere, destroying K.I.T.T again (prompting another rebuilding) and killing Bonnie.
KARR also appears as the enemy of KITT and his driver Michael Knight in Knight Rider the Game produced by Davilex International under license.
Trust Doesn't Rust
Once KITT was constructed, KARR was supposed to be deactivated and dismantled. However, the latter didn't happen and KARR was placed in storage and was forgotten. When two thieves break into the warehouse where KARR is "sleeping", they unwittingly reactivate him and he escapes.
When the two thieves use KARR to go on a crime spree, Michael and KITT have to stop him at all cost. Fearful of being taken back to storage, KARR was unwilling to go back to the Foundation and flees when Michael and KITT come looking for him.
KARR's only weakness was his primary directive of self-preservation, and Michael used this to his advantage. When KARR threatened to destroy KITT in a head-on collision, Michael plays "chicken" with him knowing KARR would veer out of KITT's path in order to protect himself. Unable to stop in time, KARR subsequently drives off a cliff and explodes in the ocean.
K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.
Afterward, KARR was believed to have been destroyed, however this wasn't the case. Instead, KARR was damaged and ended up buried in the sand on the beach below the cliffs. When the tide had gone out, a young couple stumbled upon the partially buried car, dug it out, and reactivated it. This time KARR was furious and had only one clear motive: Revenge against Michael and KITT.
KARR is still damaged, however, after the last encounter with KITT. He forces the young couple to disguise and drive him around to carry out his plans. In a ravine, KARR challenges Michael and KITT to a final showdown. After releasing the young couple, KARR fires a stolen laser and damages KITT. However, Michael and KITT destroy KARR's laser by reflecting the beam back to the emitter. Damaged, KARR prepares for another attack. KITT and KARR both turbo boost and collide in mid-air. KARR is blown to pieces because his molecular bonded shell was previously weakened by the sea water. Michael and KITT survive, however, at the end of the episode, in amongst the wreckage, KARR's small computer AI module is lying "undamaged" on the ground.
NOTE: Originally, KARR appeared just like KITT, with a red light scan bar, but his voice modulator was yellow. When KARR returns in "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", KARR's scan bar is now a yellowish hue. One could assume this could be due to years of exposure to salt water. He later gets a two-tone paint job rather than the original all-black finish. (Also, KARR's scanner originally made a droning noise, whereas in this episode it sounds identical to KITT's. The sound of KARR's engine, originally sounding rough and "fierce", here sounds similar to KITT's).
Trivia
- In "Trust Doesn't Rust", the voice of KARR was provided by voice actor Peter Cullen, better known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the The Transformers cartoon series. In "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R.", KARR was voiced by Paul Frees. Frees was uncredited on-screen for his role, leading Peter Cullen to sometimes be wrongly credited as providing KARR's voice in "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R."
- KARR's three bar LED voice display inspired fans to write in and ask for KITT to have a similar LED for his "mouth", instead of a simple flashing light. Midway through Season One (episode "Hearts of Stone"), KITT was given a three bar LED of his own.
- KARR is possibly parodied in the Adult Swim television series Stroker and Hoop, considering the duo drive a computerized talking vehicle named C.A.R.R., although he is not evil and depicted in a more comical role.
- On The Powerpuff Girls episode of Coup d'Etat Professor Utonium upgraded his automobile and renamed it K.A.R.R. However K.A.R.R becomes evil while the three girls are trying to sabotage it.
See also
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.