Dr. Tony Grant is one of the two scientists who traveled to Mars aboard the Zero X Mark II spacecraft in Thunderbirds Are Go, alongside Ray Pierce.
Two years prior to the mission to Mars, Dr. Grant was part of the first attempt at launching Zero X. However, the original flight was unintentionally sabotaged by the Hood, who had snuck onboard in order to take photographs of the spaceship's inner workings. After the villain's foot got caught in the hydraulic trim control, the spacecraft was unable to sustain its altitude and began to descend towards the ocean before even leaving Earth.
He returns to the project after approval was given for a second launch once Earth had reached an optimal launch position in its orbit. However, this time around he almost misses the launch, having been kidnapped by the Hood, who takes his place in order to once more attempt to once more discover the craft's secrets - leaving the real Dr. Grant in the nearby missile store. However, the ruse is discovered as the night before, Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward had gifted the crew with tracking devices disguised as good luck charms, allowing the real Tony Grant to be located and returned to his rightful place.
After a succesful take-off and six weeks in space, the Zero X reaches Mars and the detachable Martian Excursion Vehicle lands on the planet below, with Dr. Grant on board. He comments that he believes the atmosphere could be breathable, but likely too thin to sustain life - although only soil samples can confirm if the planet has indeed harboured life before. Curious about the coiled rocks that are the dormant Rock Snakes, Tony posits that the formations are cooled magma that has erupted out from the planet's core after meteorite damage, but is equally baffled as Dr Pierce as to how they came to be shaped like a coil. Their queries are soon answered, however, as they go to break one up to collect samples - only for it to uncoil and fire back at the MEV. Under attack, the astronauts make a hasty getaway from the planet and return to Earth. Upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, Zero X develops an electrical fault which prevents one of the lifting bodies from properly attaching, as well as disabling the emergency escape unit. Once more rapidly descending towards Earth, and this time with no means of escape, International Rescue race to repair the ship's circuity before the ship meets its fiery end.
Although a third Zero X was built for the Zero X comic series, Tony Grant would never appear in the series, despite surviving the Mark II's crash along with the rest of the crew.
Trivia[]
- The Tony Grant puppet appeared briefly at Harman's Christmas party in the episode Give or Take a Million.
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