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For the character, see Lord British (character).

Lord British (ロードブリティッシュ Rōdo Buritisshu?), also known as Lord. B or Road British (the latter as a result of romanization), is a recurring spaceship fighter appearing in the Gradius series. It made its debut in the arcade version of Salamander (1986), acting as the designed fighter ship for Player 2. It features red streaks instead of characteristic blue ones from Vic Viper, and it's in the shape of a jet.

History[]

Salamander/Life Force[]

Somewhere away from planet Gradius, another benevolent planet called Latis was at a state of beauty with sparkling blue oceans. However, for years an ancient prophecy spelling potential doom has haunted its inhabitants: that light-years away, a giant dragon born from the sea of flames (an unnamed star) would consume the planet into eternal darkness.

This prophecy seemingly came true when the Bacterian Empire, under the guise of the Salamander Army, invaded the planet and overwhelmed the Latis Army. Unwilling to face defeat, the prince of Latis took charge of the fight and flew the starfighter Lord British straight into the heart of the enemy's mother star alongside the Gradius Empire's Vic Viper.

Both ships tracked down and destroyed numerous enemy commanders, including the Brain Golem, Tetran and Death, before locating and destroying the Zelos Force. In doing so, both the Vic Viper and Lord British saved planet Latis from an impending doom and drove the Bacterians away.

Gradius Gaiden[]

Years later, Lord British, alongside the Vic Viper, the Jade Knight and the Falchion Beta, were summoned to destroy an unknown enemy luring within the unknown and dangerous Black Nebula. With an updated set of weapons, Lord British and the other fighters were able to track down the source and destroy it while narrowly escaping destruction, saving Gradius in the process and bringing an end to the Bacterian Empire once more.

Arsenal[]

Since Lord British debuted in Salamander, all of the new weapons (including the Tailgun, despite not being in Salamander) in that game were instantly attributed to it (despite also being available to Vic Viper at that time and with the weapon set being used by it in later games).

Lord british ripple

Ripple Laser

In Gradius Gaiden, where Vic Viper was limited to the Standard Type 1 weapon set, Lord British gained the Disruptor, its exclusive replacement for Vic Viper's Laser (the Ripple Laser is now the Double). The Disruptor is a unique red/orange laser which shoots out in a pulse-like manner, with each beam reaching the length of the screen. Its main disadvantage is its low firing rate, as enemies may be able to sneak up on Lord British when it has finished firing the Disruptor.

Weapon sets[]

Salamander[]

  • S = Speed Up
  • M = Missile
  • D = Ripple Laser
  • L = Laser
  • O = Multiple
  • ? = Force Field

Life Force[]

  • S = Hyper Speed
  • M = Destruct Missile
  • D = Pulse Laser
  • L = Laser
  • O = Multiple
  • ? = Shield

Gradius Gaiden[]

  • S = Speed Up
  • M = 2-Way Missile
  • D = Ripple Laser
  • L = Disruptor
  • O = Option
  • ? = Force Field

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • When the Disruptor is leveled up, it resembles Death MK II's laser, although smaller, thinner and reddish.
  • The ship is named after the brave prince of Latis, who piloted the ship by himself and defeated the Salamander Army along with Vic Viper from planet Gradius. This wasn't changed in the Salamander anime, whereas many other background settings in the original video game got slightly changed in the anime trilogy.
  • Lord British and the other Gradius Gaiden's ships have a kind of hyper-driver system than allows them to travel faster than light to escape the black hole in Stage 7.
  • A sentient version of Lord British joined Takosuke's star team in Gokujō Parodius!
  • The ship's name is a reference to the character Lord British from the Ultima series of western role playing games, who in turn is a reference to Richard Garriott, an influential programmer and designer for said series.
Salamander
Characters and ships Vic ViperLord British (Lord British)• Saber Tiger and Thrasher (Iggy Rock and Zowie Scott) • Van Landroth FrehleyLars XVIIISuper CobraGalaxyPurple EmperorRed Devil
Salamander stages Bionic GermMeteorite SpaceBurning ChaosVolcano AreaSalamander Planetoid
Salamander (MSX) stages Top Flight Speed to LatisConduct to Space Station ZotSet the Crush Blow System - Planet EioneusSet the Crush Blow System - Planet LaviniaSet the Crush Blow System - Planet KierkeWrath of VenomCrush Salamander
Life Force-only stages Organic Speed ZoneTemple Zone
Salamander 2 stages Sub-life SpaceProminence FortressBio HazardHuge BattleshipAsteroidDoom Fortress
Salamander bosses GolemTetranIntruderFortress ValisDeathBig Core X3Jumping MoaiZelos Force
Port exclusive bosses ZylomGawGigaTutankhamonDead EndEnigmaTrue VenomMetal SlaveZelos Barrier
Salamander 2 bosses BiterHydraAbadonTenny RopPlate CoreCerberusDoom
Gradius Gaiden
Ships Vic ViperLord BritishJade KnightFalchion β
Stages Beyond the White StormRequiem for RevengersInto the Crystal CageRuins of SilenceOrganic FortressGreen InfernoOn the Event HorizonFormidable GuardiansFate...
Bosses Blizzard CrawlerGraveNobilShining CoreMoai DimensionMad SkinStinger KidHunter FangGiga's RoseKrakenLaser TetranDeathDoubleParasite CoreTriple CoreDeltatryJuggler CoreNeo Big CoreHeaven's GateBoost CoreGunner WallHeavy DuckerSolO.V.U.M.
Solar Assault
Ships Vic ViperLord BritishAlpinia
Stages The River StyxFierce BlazeCurseAbyssal ForestSpeed DemonSolar Assault
Bosses Big Core MK IIntruderTutankhamonDinosaurBig Core MK IICrab
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