The Untold Dark Secrets of Cowboy Bebop's Post-Apocalyptic Earth

Summary

Life on Earth in Cowboy Bebop is post-apocalyptic, with decay and sadness. It is not a preferred place to live compared to other planets.

The Earth was decimated by the catastrophic gate incident, triggering a widespread exodus to alternate planets. This event sparked the revival of a lawless frontier akin to the Wild West, wherein bounty hunters emerged as prominent figures.

Additionally, this calamity severed humanity's connection to its historical roots and widened the gap between the affluent and the impoverished, creating an underprivileged class yearning for a brighter existence. Nevertheless, amidst this bleak outlook, humanity exhibits resilience in its efforts to rebuild and recover.

The series Cowboy Bebop depicts a bleak portrayal of life on Earth, which is revealed to be in a post-apocalyptic state. However, the primary hub of human civilization is not Earth, but rather a terraformed Mars. The crew of the Bebop frequently ventures to Mars, as well as other worlds such as Ganymede, the moons of Jupiter, and Titan, a moon of Saturn. Surprisingly, there are even inhabitants living on Venus, despite its current inhospitable conditions. This begs the question: what led Earth to deteriorate to such an extent that people are willing to risk living on an unforgiving planet like Venus?

Cowboy Bebop's Gate Disaster Destroyed Earth

Earth's current state in Cowboy Bebop is a result of the gate disaster, also known as the gate incident. By utilizing the Astral Gates, ships are able to travel rapidly across the solar system, shortening lengthy trips into mere hours. The first gate was constructed in 2022, half a century before the series takes place, but it was unfortunately destroyed in an accident. This event led to a disastrous explosion that devastated a significant portion of the Moon and caused the fragments to plummet to Earth, resulting in the death of billions. Even in the present day of the series, the remaining debris continues to fall unpredictably, with Ed's father being depicted as a scientist monitoring these impacts. As a result of Earth's dire condition, individuals hastily left the planet, seeking refuge wherever they could. Only the impoverished population remained on Earth, lacking the resources to rebuild.

Furthermore, the gate disaster had other repercussions. Fragments of lunar debris near the gate absorbed hyperspace energy, giving rise to sunstones, which play a role in Jet's troubling episode, "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui." Exposure to this hyperspace energy also led to certain individuals, like Wen in "Sympathy for the Devil," ceasing to age. Additionally, numerous items and technologies from the 20th century, once easily accessible, have now become scarce and nearly nonexistent.

Setting the Stage for Cowboy Bebop

The gate disaster in Cowboy Bebop not only impacted the series, but also set the stage for the entire storyline. This event caused a significant influx of people to the unsettled worlds, reminiscent of the Wild West era and resulting in the resurgence of terms like "cowboy." This disaster severed humanity's connection to its history, creating a permanent divide between the rich and the poor. Consequently, it gave rise to an underprivileged class that was eager to leave Earth and pursue a better life, even if it meant resorting to criminal activities, ultimately leading to an abundance of bounties. Nevertheless, even in Cowboy Bebop's bleak portrayal of the future, humanity demonstrated the resilience to recover from the brink of destruction.