Johnny Cuba

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"I'll break your stack for this one! THEY CAN'T HOLD JOHNNY CUBA!!!"

— Johnny Cuba, High Winds

Johnny Cuba is a notorious and violent steam freighter of criminal intents. His strong accent indicates that he is from Australia. He only appears in High Winds.

Biography

TUGS

Long ago, Johnny Cuba was a good friend to Captain Zero, that is, until something happened that ruined their friendship and Captain Zero had since forbidden his tugs from ever having anything to do with him again.

Johnny had arrived in Bigg City Port to make plans with fellow criminal friends during a period of strong and troublesome tempest weather. He threatened Zebedee and manipulated him into helping him into the port unnoticed.

Johnny sent Zebedee on an errand to steal a barge of coal for him, and threatened to sink him if he landed either of them in trouble. Due to Johnny and Captain Zero's feud that occurred in the past, Zebedee was placed in an awkward and dangerous situation, until Hercules discovered Johnny's hideout in an abandoned dock. He attempted to escape, but Zebedee stuck up the courage to ram him against the quayside, handling him to the authorities.

He later appears in one of the stories of the TUGS 1989 Annual, The Missing Barge, waiting for goods in the estuary, but Sunshine gives the crates to the Customs Launch. While Sunshine receives praise, the tanker that contained his goods was arrested. It was also in the story that Captain Star had warned Sunshine about Johnny Cuba before, hinting that even Captain Star is aware of the tramper's notorious and criminal behavior.

It is a mystery where Johnny Cuba comes from. The Board Game states that Johnny Cuba comes from Cuba, after his surname, though in the television series, he speaks with an accent reflecting that of Australia.

Personality

Johnny Cuba is a notorious and violent criminal. He is feared by most of the tugs including the Z-Stacks. He threatened Zebedee with sinking him if he did not help with his criminal practices. He also tried to escape Hercules until Zebedee stopped him. He was trapped and then locked up. Despite his notorious persona in the TV series, in the Buzz Book, Nothing to Declare, it was shown that Johnny Cuba had a good and patriotic streak in him as he stopped a submarine from foiling Bluenose's inspection and the arrival of the top secret navy vessels.

Audio Files

Johnny's whistle is Warrior's at a lower pitch.

Appearances

Episodes

High Winds

Faceless Model

Books and Annuals

Trivia

In Salty's Lighthouse, he was named Steamer and was a friendly character, who disliked being lonely.
He was probably named after Cuba, an island country in North America.
His model makes numerous cameos in TUGS itself as a prop, but without a face mask, hat, and side shelters.
His smokestack and superstructure were reused from Old Rusty and in turn came from Izzy Gomez's faceless variant.
Despite his cameo appearances, his whistle sound can be heard in various episodes.
- In Quarantine, it is used by a steam schooner.
- In High Tide, his faceless model emits his whistle despite technically being a different entity.
He has only one face mask, along with Sea Rogue's Uncle, Frank and Eddie, Old Rusty, Burke and Blair.
Johnny Cuba has his name painted over on his bow. This is likely a ploy so he isn't recognised by port authorities.