B. A. Baracus
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| The A-Team character | |
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| Bosco "B.A." Baracus | |
|---|---|
| Military rank: | Sergeant First Class |
| Decorations: | Parachutist Badge |
| Played by: | Mr. T |
| Key episode(s): | "Black Day at Bad Rock" (season 1) |
Sergeant Bosco "B.A." Baracus is a fictional character in the 1980s action/adventure television series, The A-Team played by Mr. T. B.A. Baracus appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. He is arguably the breakout character of the series and has become a cult icon worldwide. The rumored A Team movie scheduled for 2009 has Ice Cube appearing in the part and being an Iraq war vet.
[edit] Fictional character biography
The A-Team is a group of ex-United States Army Special Forces who were wrongly convicted of a crime during the Vietnam War. Managing to escape from the military police, they fled to Los Angeles where, as fugitives, the A-Team work as soldiers of fortune, using their military training to fight oppression or injustice. B.A., along with Hannibal Smith, Templeton "Faceman" Peck, and H. M. Murdock make up the A-Team.
In the pilot episode ("Mexican Slayride: Part 1"), B.A. is described as follows by a reporter colleague of Amy Allen: "Bosco Baracus. Known as B.A. for 'bad attitude.' The man is a mechanical genius. He also has one of the worst conduct records in the army. He likes to slug officers." A rough-and-tough fighter, the character of B.A. Baracus is basically that of the public persona of Mr. T himself. He is known for his trademark mohawk hairstyle (which according to the show, is not Mohawk but rather an African symbol), and his gold jewelry.
While the other members of the team regularly resort to disguises, scams and subterfuge to achieve their goals, B.A.'s distinctive appearance and confrontational attitude usually lead to a more direct approach to problems, which often involve either his skills at hand to hand combat, or his mechanical talents.
He is a highly-skilled mechanic and has an amazing talent for making impressive machinery out of just about any ordinary parts that they have available to them. Hannibal once said to B.A., "With a pair of pliers and a little time, you could fix anything but dinner." He is also an excellent fighter and is invaluable in hand-to-hand combat. Because of his massive size and strength, he has a unique fighting tactic, which involves grabbing his opponents, lifting them over his head, and hurling them in the air. He is easily angered to the point of rage, and often greets people with a growl or a snarl. He is most often upset by Murdock and frequently addresses him with the phrase "You crazy fool!" Despite his reputed attitude, he is a nice guy at heart. He has a special fondness for children, occasionally working at a youth center teaching sports to the kids.
A teetotaler, B.A. never touches alcohol, preferring milk instead. He suffers an intense fear of flying ("I ain't gittin' on no plane!"), especially when the plane in question is flown by Murdock. This difficulty is often overcome by other members of the team drugging him, knocking him unconscious, or, as in one episode, hypnotizing him, so he can be transported without objection. However, in one episode, he is on a plane pretending to be a maintenance technician with Murdock when the plane suddenly takes off. He immediately falls into a catatonic state while Murdock tries to revive him. Furthermore, in two episodes "The Sound of Thunder" and "Quarterback Sneak" B.A. hops onto a helicopter which is piloted by Murdock (Although he is said to have gone catatonic during the plane ride in "The Sound of Thunder"). Perhaps one could say in dire situations, B.A. is willing to fly, and indeed he voluntarily boards an airplane to travel to Chicago when his mother is in danger, although Hannibal drugs him aboard the plane anyway.
As revealed in a few episodes, B.A. and Murdock share the same blood type—AB negative, the rarest type. This was a plot device for finding one of them urgently when a transfusion was needed for the other. However, in reality, an AB negative recipient can accept blood from any negative donor, so all this would have been unnecessary in real life.
B.A. drives a customized 1983 GMC van, painted black and grey with a red stripe, black and red rims, and a rooftop spoiler. B.A. is extremely protective of his van, and becomes furious if it gets the smallest scratch. He refuses to let anyone else drive it, with the notable exception of episode 12 of the third season, Hot Styles, in which B.A. mysteriously only appears for a few seconds.
[edit] The meaning of "B.A."
As revealed in the pilot episode, the "B" in B.A. stands for Bosco, however it is never explained what the "A" stands for. In recent years, many sources have listed B.A.'s middle name to be "Albert" — however, this was never mentioned in the series or any of the publicity that went with it. When asked what the "B.A." stood for, the standard reply is "Bad Attitude". B.A.'s childhood nickname was "Scooter", which he detested.
[edit] Character's name in other countries
- In Latinamerican Spanish-speaking countries, he is known as "Mario Baracus," while in Spain, he is M.A., for Mala Actitud, a literal translation of the original
- Italy - his moniker is P.E. for 'Pessimo Elemento' (roughly assimilable to 'Bad Guy');
- Russia - he is known as D.N., Durnoi Nrav - the Russian equivalent of "Bad Attitude"
- France - he is referred to as Barracuda
- Japan - Kong (コング)
- Hungary - Rosszfiú (translates as 'Bad Guy')
