Aquila

"Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat"
Aquila's opening theme (Translation: "A man can fly where he will, if he rides on the back of an eagle.")

A children’s TV show based off the book of the same name. Lasted from December, 1997 to December, 1998. A total 13 episodes in two seasons.

The show focuses on Tom Baxter (Ben Brooks) and Geoff Reynolds (Craig Vye), two school boys, who find a strange alien space ship, the titled Aquila, buried underground. Along with the craft they find the body of Roman Centurion who was the craft's previous owner. Upon discovery the boys fiddle around with the coloured controls which immediately respond so the boys think it’s a great idea to steal the greatest scientific/historical discovery of all time for fun because, well who wouldn’t?

At the start everything is in Latin (which the boys originally think is an alien language) and they need to hide a car-sized, bright red alien spaceship nearby. They later learn that they can change the language of the craft to English and it has a cloaking device so that’s two problems solved. Naturally however the boys still managed to get into trouble every week with a cliff hanger at the end of each episode. The series ends with a massive cliff hanger where they find a “Battle Cruiser” on a visit to space.

Tropes used in Aquila include:
  • Aliens Speaking English - Every language ever created and going to be created, apparently.
  • Ancient Astronauts - Aquila originally crashed on Earth at some point thousands of years ago and was found by a Roman centurion, who used it to explore the world and build up an unprecedented collection of ancient treasures.
  • Awkward Father-Son Bonding Activity
  • Cool Old Lady - Mrs. Murray is a mild example. What does she do when she finds out her next door neighbours have been hiding a space ship? Have a go at flying it, of course.
  • Double Aesop - most episodes feature either an Aesop learned by one boy applying to the other, or one learned by their parents that also applies to the boys.
  • Frickin' Laser Beams
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar - after Pam's boyfriend buys her an expensive diamond ring, the scene ends with Pam saying "I'm going to have to reward you for this. Something... fun" very suggestively and beginning to lean down...
  • Half Truth
  • Hidden in Plain Sight - For most of the first series, Aquila is hidden in Tom's garage, with full permission from his mother... because she thinks it's a toy.
  • Imported Alien Phlebotinum
  • In Working Order
  • It's for a Book
  • Ominous Latin Chanting - the opening credits, which feature the chant "Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat" - "A man can fly where he will, if he rides on the back of an eagle."
  • Phlebotinum Breakdown
  • Secret Keeper - Mrs. Murray in the second season.
  • Super-Powered Robot Meter Maids - justified. Aquila may seem to have an oddly wide range of functions, considering that it's apparently just an escape pod, but as a military life-raft intended to protect a user in the vacuum of space and help them sneak home through occupied enemy territory, it needs to be rather a cut above your usual capsule. Of course, it could always be the captain's....
  • The Tell - One of the protagonists' mothers realises he's upset when he begins sorting his rock collection.
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