Light Cycle

The Light Cycle is a type of fictional motorcycle featured in the Tron franchise. First introduced in the film Tron, they are used as part of a deadly virtual game conducted by the villainous Master Control Program. In it, players must ride around an arena without crashing into each other, the outer walls, or the light trails left behind by the vehicles. Subsequent generations of Light Cycles appeared in later works of media. Light Cycles became well-known in popular culture as one of the first mainstream cinematic appearances of a sports bike, and have been called symbols of futurism and posthumanism.[1] Additionally, the first Light Cycle sequence was known as a pioneering moment in computer graphics that inspired later works.

Light Cycle
Tron vehicle
Light Cycle (1st generation)
First appearanceTron
Created bySyd Mead
General characteristics
Population volume1

Characteristics
Example of light trails created by two Light Cycles

Light Cycles are virtual motorcycles that materialize from thin air, starting with the handlebars. They are neon-colored and move at extreme levels of speed.[1] They are only able to turn at right angles, creating blocky trails of color. The arena in which they are used features a white grid on black ground, marking the distance the Light Cycles travel.[2]

Development

Light Cycles were designed by artist Syd Mead. They were initially rendered digitally.[1] The Light Cycle sequence in Tron was developed by MAGi in Westchester County, New York. It takes place over a length of about three minutes, which is interspersed with one minute of live-action footage.[3]

For Tron: Legacy, the Light Cycle was redesigned by Daniel Simon.[4] Five prop Light Cycles were built in real life,[1] with four of them being destroyed post-production. The final one was purchased by Xiao Yu, a collector based in Nanjing, China, however, he was told by the authorities that it was not street-legal.[5]

Reception

Light Cycles have been called representative of male power in the original Tron, in which it is only men that ride them, while the only female character, Lora, does not get the ability to. The speed of the Light Cycles showed male dominance and control over technology, representing the means to "escape".[1]

Legacy

The Light Cycle sequence inspired John Lasseter, who was then working at Disney, to enter computer animation; he went on to direct Toy Story, crediting its creation to Tron.[3]

References
  1. Miyake, Esperanza (2018). The Gendered Motorcycle: Representations in Society, Media and Popular Culture. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-83860-937-5. OCLC 1090540642.
  2. Curtis, Scott (2019). Animation. Alla Gadassik, Andrew Johnston, Bob Rehak, Kevin Sandler, Susan Ohmer. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813572789.
  3. Smith, Alvy Ray (2021). A Biography of the Pixel. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. p. 407. ISBN 978-0-262-54245-6. OCLC 1163953124.
  4. "Out of this world". Wired UK. 2011-10-01. ISSN 1357-0978. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  5. Westbrook, Caroline (2014-07-25). "This man owns a real life Tron light cycle". Metro. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
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