Robby Jackson (Tom Clancy)
Encyclopedia
Robert Jefferson "Robby" Jackson is a fictional character in Tom Clancy
's Jack Ryan novels.
, Alabama, became the 46th President of the United States in the fictional Jack Ryan universe. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2001 as successor to Jack Ryan.
while he was still a Lieutenant Commander, and recovering from an injury that had left him grounded from being a Navy pilot. During his six month recovery, Lt. Commander Jackson was assigned by the Navy to be an instructor at Annapolis
in the engineering department. Robby and Jack befriended one another during a kendo
match while Robby was still in a cast from his flight accident. The friendship would blossom and endure for years to come, to the point Jack would consider Robby "closer than a brother ever could have been".
Robby came to his friend's aid when he needed emotional support when terrorists of the rogue Irish Ulster Liberation Army targeted Cathy and Sally, as well as Jack himself, for death for Jack's interference in the attempted assassination of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and kidnap of their infant child. Robby never left his friend's side, and ultimately things came to a head when terrorists attacked Jack's house, when Robby, his wife Sissy, and the Prince and Princess were visiting Jack for a barbecue
. Robby, Jack and the Prince worked together to eliminate the terrorists once and for all.
In The Hunt for Red October
, Robby now piloted an F-14 Tomcat
with VF-41 "The Black Aces" aboard the . During this latest tour of duty, a Yak-38 Forger from the Kiev sends an AA-2 Atoll missile that detonates dangerously close to Robby's plane. While his RIO was severely wounded, Robby made it back without further complications.
, Robby has now begun serving stints at The Pentagon
. Partially through Robby, Ryan learns about the CIA operations in Colombia and when he attempts to fix it, Robby provides transportation.
In The Sum of All Fears
, Robby is the CAG aboard the . It is mentioned that he had served in the Gulf War.
In Debt of Honor
, Robby has now risen to the rank of Rear Admiral, and serves as Operations Officer ("J-3") for the Joint Chiefs
, and briefly takes command of a Carrier Task Force, led by the , during the Second War with Japan.
In Executive Orders
, Robby returned to his role as "J-3", though with Ryan's ascendancy to the Presidency (following Torijiro Sato's suicide attack that effectively wiped out the entire government), Robby was promoted to the Pentagon's Director of Operations, with the rank of Vice Admiral. Robby would remain a stalwart friend and advisor to President Ryan through the coming troubles, with Ryan (jokingly) insisting at one point that Robby stop calling him "sir" or he would have him demoted.
In The Bear and the Dragon
Robby had retired from the Navy, and Ryan, wanting someone he can trust as his right-hand and successor for when he retires, nominates Robby to become Vice President of the United States, a position he accepts.
After serving out the remainder of Ryan's term, Robby campaigned for his own re-election. Eventually the election whittled down to Robby and Ed Kealty
; Ryan's political nemesis, as the only major candidates left standing. Ryan and Robby met six days before the election, and it was confirmed Robby was comfortably ahead in the polls and all-but-guaranteed to win.
However, this would be the last time they ever spoke to each-other – while travelling in Mississippi on October 6, 2004, Jackson would be assassinated via gunshot by Duane Farmer, a 67-year-old "redneck" Ku Klux Klan
member. Farmer was immediately tackled and beaten into submission by another spectator before Robby's Secret Service detail intervened and arrested Farmer.
With Robby's sudden death, and no time to re-set the election with a new candidate, Kealty won the election and became the President by forfeit.
Farmer was immediately tried, and sentenced to death. He is currently awaiting execution on Mississippi's Death Row. There is a rumor that President Kealty is planning a blanket commutation of all death sentences in America – something Ryan has promised to make sure would have suicidal political consequences for Kealty.
The population mourned Robby's death, believing Farmer's actions were "disgusting and criminal". The Navy held a memorial service, shown on national television, at the Naval Academy, where Ryan and Robby first met. Robby's funeral was held at his father's – Reverend Hosiah Jackson's – church; with Father Hosiah, despite his sadness, preaching forgiveness at his son's funeral.
Robby's friends from the extended Ryan family were devastated at his death, but none more so than Jack Ryan himself. Ryan had a complete emotional meltdown from which he never truly recovered. This was shown, as he was so angry at Farmer he felt he could kill him himself (he regularly entertains ideas of brutally murdering him personally), and so sad over Robby's death he publicly broke down at the memorial service and wept for his friend.
Ultimately, the bitterness of Robby's death, and on a larger scale the inadequate leadership and gross mismanagement of the Kealty administration, would lead Jack to announce his candidacy for a second term as President.
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
's Jack Ryan novels.
History
Robbie Jackson, who hails from BirminghamBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama, became the 46th President of the United States in the fictional Jack Ryan universe. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2001 as successor to Jack Ryan.
Meeting Jack Ryan
Robby first met Jack RyanJack Ryan (Tom Clancy)
John Patrick "Jack" Ryan, Sr. is a fictional character created by Tom Clancy who appears in many of his novels.-Backstory:Born in 1950, Ryan's background is established in Patriot Games and Red Rabbit. His father was Emmet William Ryan , a police homicide lieutenant in Baltimore, and World War II...
while he was still a Lieutenant Commander, and recovering from an injury that had left him grounded from being a Navy pilot. During his six month recovery, Lt. Commander Jackson was assigned by the Navy to be an instructor at Annapolis
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in the engineering department. Robby and Jack befriended one another during a kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
match while Robby was still in a cast from his flight accident. The friendship would blossom and endure for years to come, to the point Jack would consider Robby "closer than a brother ever could have been".
Further adventures
In Patriot GamesPatriot Games
Patriot Games is a novel by Tom Clancy. It is chronologically the first book focusing on CIA analyst Jack Ryan, the main character in almost all of Clancy's novels. It is the indirect sequel to Without Remorse...
Robby came to his friend's aid when he needed emotional support when terrorists of the rogue Irish Ulster Liberation Army targeted Cathy and Sally, as well as Jack himself, for death for Jack's interference in the attempted assassination of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and kidnap of their infant child. Robby never left his friend's side, and ultimately things came to a head when terrorists attacked Jack's house, when Robby, his wife Sissy, and the Prince and Princess were visiting Jack for a barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
. Robby, Jack and the Prince worked together to eliminate the terrorists once and for all.
In The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October is a 1984 novel by Tom Clancy. The story follows the intertwined adventures of Soviet submarine captain Marko Aleksandrovich Ramius and CIA analyst Jack Ryan.The novel was originally published by the U.S...
, Robby now piloted an F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
with VF-41 "The Black Aces" aboard the . During this latest tour of duty, a Yak-38 Forger from the Kiev sends an AA-2 Atoll missile that detonates dangerously close to Robby's plane. While his RIO was severely wounded, Robby made it back without further complications.
Rise
In Clear and Present DangerClear and Present Danger
Clear and Present Danger is a novel by Tom Clancy, written in 1989, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe. In the novel, Jack Ryan is thrown into the position of CIA Acting Deputy Director and discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues who are conducting a covert war...
, Robby has now begun serving stints at The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. Partially through Robby, Ryan learns about the CIA operations in Colombia and when he attempts to fix it, Robby provides transportation.
In The Sum of All Fears
The Sum of All Fears
The Sum of All Fears is the best-selling thriller novel by Dan Fogelman and Tom Clancy, and part of the Jack Ryan series. It was the fourth book of the series to be turned into a film. An interesting historical note is that this book was released just days before the Moscow uprising in 1991, which...
, Robby is the CAG aboard the . It is mentioned that he had served in the Gulf War.
In Debt of Honor
Debt of Honor
Debt of Honor is a novel by Tom Clancy. It is a continuation of the series featuring his character Jack Ryan. In this installment, Ryan has become the National Security Advisor when the Japanese government goes to war with the United States...
, Robby has now risen to the rank of Rear Admiral, and serves as Operations Officer ("J-3") for the Joint Chiefs
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
, and briefly takes command of a Carrier Task Force, led by the , during the Second War with Japan.
In Executive Orders
Executive Orders
Executive Orders is a political and military thriller novel by Tom Clancy. It was published in 1996, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe.-Plot summary:...
, Robby returned to his role as "J-3", though with Ryan's ascendancy to the Presidency (following Torijiro Sato's suicide attack that effectively wiped out the entire government), Robby was promoted to the Pentagon's Director of Operations, with the rank of Vice Admiral. Robby would remain a stalwart friend and advisor to President Ryan through the coming troubles, with Ryan (jokingly) insisting at one point that Robby stop calling him "sir" or he would have him demoted.
In The Bear and the Dragon
The Bear and the Dragon
The Bear and the Dragon is a political thriller novel by Tom Clancy featuring Jack Ryan. It was published in 2000.-Plot introduction:In the book Jack Ryan is President of the United States. After Russia discovers oil fields rivaling those of the Persian Gulf in Siberia and gold deposits just as...
Robby had retired from the Navy, and Ryan, wanting someone he can trust as his right-hand and successor for when he retires, nominates Robby to become Vice President of the United States, a position he accepts.
Assassination
As explained in The Teeth of the Tiger and Dead or Alive, Robby did indeed succeed Ryan as President of the United States after Ryan retired, with Ryan believing he could leave the country in Robby's capable hands. Many correctly believed Robby would be a great President and worthy successor to Ryan.After serving out the remainder of Ryan's term, Robby campaigned for his own re-election. Eventually the election whittled down to Robby and Ed Kealty
Ed Kealty
In the Jack Ryan series of novels by Tom Clancy, Edward "Ed" Kealty was Roger Durling's Vice President.In the novel Debt of Honor, Kealty was serving as a Senator from New England, before being appointed Vice-President following the resignation of President J. Robert Fowler ...
; Ryan's political nemesis, as the only major candidates left standing. Ryan and Robby met six days before the election, and it was confirmed Robby was comfortably ahead in the polls and all-but-guaranteed to win.
However, this would be the last time they ever spoke to each-other – while travelling in Mississippi on October 6, 2004, Jackson would be assassinated via gunshot by Duane Farmer, a 67-year-old "redneck" Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
member. Farmer was immediately tackled and beaten into submission by another spectator before Robby's Secret Service detail intervened and arrested Farmer.
With Robby's sudden death, and no time to re-set the election with a new candidate, Kealty won the election and became the President by forfeit.
Legacy
Robby is immediately survived by his wife, Sissy (the two never had children, due to Sissy's medical condition), who still often visits the Ryan family.Farmer was immediately tried, and sentenced to death. He is currently awaiting execution on Mississippi's Death Row. There is a rumor that President Kealty is planning a blanket commutation of all death sentences in America – something Ryan has promised to make sure would have suicidal political consequences for Kealty.
The population mourned Robby's death, believing Farmer's actions were "disgusting and criminal". The Navy held a memorial service, shown on national television, at the Naval Academy, where Ryan and Robby first met. Robby's funeral was held at his father's – Reverend Hosiah Jackson's – church; with Father Hosiah, despite his sadness, preaching forgiveness at his son's funeral.
Robby's friends from the extended Ryan family were devastated at his death, but none more so than Jack Ryan himself. Ryan had a complete emotional meltdown from which he never truly recovered. This was shown, as he was so angry at Farmer he felt he could kill him himself (he regularly entertains ideas of brutally murdering him personally), and so sad over Robby's death he publicly broke down at the memorial service and wept for his friend.
Ultimately, the bitterness of Robby's death, and on a larger scale the inadequate leadership and gross mismanagement of the Kealty administration, would lead Jack to announce his candidacy for a second term as President.