From the Mighty Max cartoon series, episode "Souls of Talon".

Talon is a creature that is a prisoner in the Astral Plane. He looks like a giant, smoky, green skull held in the air by a giant raven. During one of his exploits, Max was transported to the Astral Plane where Talon took his cap. The cap was the only way to escape the the Astral Plane. Max escaped when the guardian of the portal out of the Astral Plane recognized him as the Capbearer. Max, Virgil, and Norman managed to kill Talon by destroying Talon's source of power, which looked like a golden compact disc. Also, Max, Virgil, and Norman freed Talon's stolen souls by shattering Talon's eyes.

Talon died in the Astral Plane, but was later brought back to life by Skullmaster. This resurrection occurred in the episode "Armageddon" where Skullmaster's evil was at its height, and Virgil hid Max in the Astral Plane to protect "the Mighty One".

compiled overview of the 35ton Talon 'Mech, from various BattleTech novels and game sourcebooks:



Fast, well armed, and heaviliy armored, the Talon was designed to complement the SLDF's Mongoose light command 'Mech. Though the Talon weighs ten tons more than the Mongoose, it is just as fast as the smaller 'Mech. After witnessing the Talon's impressive combat trials in the fall of 2669, the Star League High Command ordered the 'Mech into full-scale production. In may of 2670, the Talon reached the first frontline light 'Mech companies.

With a top speed of more than 130 kph, the Talon is one of the fastest of the Star League-era 'Mechs, surpassed only by the Hussar and the Hermes. To achieve this speed, the design team used a Vox 280 XL engine, one of the most efficient fusion plants produced. To help the Talon withstand combat, the design team gave it the maximum armor protection possible for its chassis. In addition, the Talon carries three impressive weapons.

The 'Mech's primary weapon is an extended-range PPC, which gives the Talon excellent striking power at all ranges. Rounding out the Talon's weapons are two medium lasers. Because all its weapons are energy based, the Talon can remain in the feild for extended periods of time without needing ammunition reloads. This capability makes the Talon a valuable asset of any light 'Mech company.

During the First Succession War many of the Houses formed raiding companies of combined Mongoose/Talon lances consisting of one Mongoose and three Talons. The Talons provided long-range fire support with their PPCs while the Mongoose advanced, sweeping the surrounding areas with its Beagle active probe in search of camouflaged enemy positions. If the Mongoose ran into something it could not handle, it would speed away under the covering fire of the Talon.

Unfortunately, missions like this were extremely dangerous even when everything went according to plan. Once things fell apart, the lance commander's 'Mech was invariably the first to fall, depriving the unit of its leader at the time they needed him most.

As the meat grinder of the Succession Wars progressed, more and more Talon/Mongoose raiding companies were lost. In 2815 the last Talon production facility vanished in a thermonuclear fireball, and by 2830 the last known Talon had been cannibalized for parts.

In 3056 Blackstone opened a new Talon production line, though the company has yet to begin full-scale production they recently announced plans to produce at least two runs of the Talon.

Eighteen Talons currently help patrol the Jade Falcon-Lyran Alliance border. The 'Mechs have yet to see combat, but that could change soon.



Note: Information used here was the domain of FASA before they split the rights between Wizkids LLC and Microsoft (table-top gaming and video games respectively). Copyright of the fluff text is in limbo, but names of persons, places, & things are without any doubt the property of Wizkids LLC. Use of any terms here related to the BattleTech trademark are not meant as a challenge to Wizkids LLC's rights.
Talon also happens to be an inverted coaster built at Dorney Park at Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001. Talon is the 8th of the currently residing nine roller coasters and is the fourth roller coaster to arrive at Dorney Park since Cedar Fair bought the amusement park. Talon is the second roller coaster in the purported Birds of Prey Bolliger and Mabillard inverted coaster trilogy with Raptor at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio being the first and a rumored Falcon at Valleyfair! in Shakopee, Minnesota or Golden Eagle at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri being the third roller coaster to complete the trilogy. However, Talon is the last addition to the rumored Birds of Prey trilogy for now. This inverted coaster has its tubular track filled with sand to make the ride quieter. This was done in accomodation of noise ordinance restrictions in Allentown. Talon is the most expensive roller coaster in Dorney Park at a cost of 13 million US Dollars whereas Steel Force cost 10 million US Dollars. Talon remains as being the only non sit-down roller coaster (until 2005) at Dorney Park especially since it is an inverted coaster, in which the restraint goes over the shoulder and one's legs dangle below the seat. Talon features a vertical loop, zero G roll, immelmann turn and corkscrew element.

Statistics:

  • Length of Track: 3110 feet
  • Length of Ride: ~2:33
  • Top Speed: 58 mph
  • Capacity: 1200 riders per hour
  • Height: 135 feet
  • Trains: 2 with 8 rows. 4 persons per row.
Sources: www.dorneypark.com; www.rcdb.com; www.coasterbuzz.com

Tal"on (?), n. [F., heel, spur, LL. talo, fr. L. talus the ankle, heel.]

1.

The claw of a predaceous bird or animal, especially the claw of a bird of prey.

Bacon.

2. Zool.

One of certain small prominences on the hind part of the face of an elephant's tooth.

3. Arch.

A kind of molding, concave at the bottom and convex at the top; -- usually called an ogee.

⇒ When the concave part is at the top, it is called an inverted talon.

4.

The shoulder of the bolt of a lock on which the key acts to shoot the bolt.

Knight.

 

© Webster 1913.

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