Kevin Flynn

“

Greetings, Program!

”

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Kevin Flynn
Biographical information
Status
Physical description
Gender	Male
Other information
Functions	Hacker/Programmer (former ENCOM programmer), Arcade Owner, Video game designer
Programs	Clu
Allies	Tron, Ram, Yori, Alan Bradley, Lora Baines, Dumont, Crom, Bit, Quorra
Out of universe information
Actor	Jeff Bridges
Appearances	Tron, Tron Legacy, mentioned in Tron 2.0 and Ghost in the Machine
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Kevin Flynn was a computer programmer who in 1982, created some best-selling video games for the company ENCOM, including Space Paranoids, Matrix Blaster, Vice Squad and Lightcycles. During the development of his games, the code he had written was stolen by another ENCOM programmer named Ed Dillinger and Flynn was fired. In order to get the evidence needed to prove that he created the games, he hacked into the ENCOM mainframe with help of Tron programmer Alan Bradley and Flynn's ex-girlfriend Lora Baines. While hacking into the system, Dillinger's administrative program, Master Control Program discovered his presence and digitized him into the computer via a digitizing laser gun located behind the terminal he was using. Flynn became the first human to set foot inside cyberspace and met programs, Tron, Ram, Yori as well as Sark and the MCP itself. Through the help of Tron and Ram, Flynn destroyed the MCP and got his evidence back. In 1983, Dillinger was fired from his position as Executive VP and Flynn was rehired.

During his time as the VP of Creative Development, he created Tron, an arcade game based on his experience inside the computer with Tron. ENCOM experiences enormous success as the largest video game company in the world. Meanwhile, Flynn married Jordan Canas and had a son named Sam. However, in 1985, Flynn's wife passed away and he began to focus all of his efforts on creating "a digital frontier that will reshape the human condition."

In 1989, Flynn was on the verge of new discovery when he disappeared mysteriously and left behind Sam and his fortune. It wasn't until 2010 that Sam got a tip that led him to his father.

Biography

Background

Flynn's hometown is Paramus, New Jersey, where he was born around in the early 1950s. In 1980, Flynn got his doctorate from CalTech and joined Encom. He eventually became a lead software engineer created the games he is most famous for: Space Paranoids, Matrix Blaster, Vice Squad and Lightcycles. In 1981, he bought Flynn's Arcade and filled it with bunches of arcade classics, including his own games. However, a competing Encom programmer Ed Dillinger used the secret functions he embedded into the Encom mainframe administrative program, Master Control Program and stole Flynn's code for his video games and claimed the games as his own creations. Dillinger gets promoted while Flynn is fired from Encom.

Tron

After being fired by Dillinger, Flynn tried to hack into the Encom mainframe via his terminal at his arcade. He used his best program, Clu, to obtain the evidence but was caught by the MCP. Due to Flynn's actions, Dillinger, who was worried that Flynn would find the stolen evidence, decided to enforce additional security by shutting down all access from the mainframe, including access for the Encom programmers working on their programs. Among those affected was Alan Bradley, who was as a result barred from working on his security program, Tron.

Unable to find incriminating evidence about the plagiarism personally, Flynn got help from his former lover Lora and Alan (Laura's new boyfriend), who decided to help Flynn get direct access to computer systems that may hold the incriminating evidence. Their plan was to have Flynn forge a Group 6 access so that Alan could gain access to Tron again. Then Alan would command Tron to shut down the MCP, which would gain access to Flynn's stolen file.

Lora took Flynn to her terminal, which was located in the Laser Bay laboratory of the Encom building. Lora was working on an experimental laser technology that transported matter via a laser. Kevin Flynn accessed the terminal, but almost immediately the MCP noticed his actions and prepared to fire the laser at Flynn to stop him from getting his file. Flynn was hit by the laser, digitally stored and taken into cyberspace. Sark was informed by the MCP about Flynn's true nature and tasked to kill him in the games.

Shortly after Flynn was digitized, he met Ram, a program who explained the rules of the Master Control Program to him, including that they were forced to play video games. At first, Flynn didn't realize that the games he was going to play were life or death "gladiator" games until he had to fight a fellow conscript, Crom, in a ring game. When Flynn refused to kill Crom, Sark cold-bloodely eliminated the unlucky program personally, and Flynn, Ram and Tron were sent to the Game Grid to play a lightcycle game. Flynn, having written the lightcycle game program, managed to prevail and escaped through a crack in the Game Grid wall, caused by one of Sark's gladiators having crashed and the MCP having drained virtually all energy within the computer world into himself. leaving the Game Grid structure weakened.

During his adventures in the computer world, Flynn gradually discovered that as a User he possessed god-like powers in the computer dimension, enabling him to manipulate its physical laws at will; he managed to reactivate a wrecked Recognizer, redirected an energy transport beam after it had been sabotaged by the MCP, and even saved Yori, Sark's ship and himself from being derezzed after Sark had departed for the MCP. Using his still rudimentary understanding of his new-found power, Flynn engaged the Master Control Program in person, diverting its attention long enough for Tron to disable the MCP permanently. Its destruction freed Flynn from cyberspace, and he was fully restored in the real world and able to access the incriminating evidence he needed to prove that Dillinger stole his video games. After Dillinger was deposed, Flynn was promoted to the post of Encom's CEO and appointed Alan and Lora to the firm's board of directors.

1989

Kevin's goodbyes to Sam before he disappears.

At around the late 1980s, Flynn became distant, despite his job, his friends and his son, always talking about his dreams of being back inside the world of computers. Eventually, in 1989 he disappeared, in turn resigning his job at ENCOM to his best friend, Alan.

Tron Legacy

Flynn, 20 years after he Disappeared to cyberspace.

he seems to be meditating and around him are various objects found in the real world, such as candles and metal bowls.

Trivia

• According to the 4th draft of the script for Tron, Flynn's hometown is Paramus, New Jersey.
• While his age is unknown, it's safe to assume that Flynn is currently in his late 50s/early 60s (assuming he's the same age group as Jeff Bridges).

Gallery

Tron

Flynn rezzing in.

Flynn driving a yellow Lightcycle

Ram, Flynn and Tron discuss their next move.

Ram, Tron and Flynn just escaped from the Game Grid.

Flynn hacking at his terminal at Flynn's Arcade.

Tron Legacy

Flynn overlooking the city from his quarters.

Flynn publicity shot from his book.