# Captain Spade — Facing the Flag character guide > Captain Spade in Facing the Flag by Jules Verne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Spade, Thomas Roch **First appearance:** 0000-i-healthful-house ## Who they are The Ebba's silent, iron-willed commander, whose unerring seamanship and uncanny signalling apparatus make him Ker Karraje's most trusted hand. ## Relationships ### [Thomas Roch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/characters/thomas_roch) _professional_ Captain Spade is a pirate officer tasked with transporting and securing Thomas Roch. ## In the story ### [Healthful House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/i-healthful-house) A French inventor of genius, now mentally unstable, confined to Pavilion No. 17 at Healthful House. He is obsessed with his fulgurator invention and guards its secret even in his madness. ### [Count d'Artigas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/ii-count-d-artigas) Accompanies the Count, examines the park and paths around Pavilion No. 17, and exchanges meaningful glances with the Count. ### [Count d'Artigas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/ii-count-d-artigas) The mad French inventor, obsessed with his fulgurator, refuses to sell his secret for less than billions and exhibits signs of an impending fit. ### [III: Kidnapped](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/iii-kidnapped) Leads the kidnapping operation, having stolen the key and unbolted the door earlier. ### [III: Kidnapped](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/iii-kidnapped) The target of the kidnapping; is incapacitated by a fit and lies on a sofa in the pavilion. ### [The Schooner Ebba](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/iv-the-schooner-ebba) Commands the Ebba; assists the boarding officers in their search and later retrieves a buoy that tows the schooner. ### [The Schooner Ebba](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/iv-the-schooner-ebba) The missing inventor; the search of the Ebba fails to locate him. ### [V: Where Am I?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/v-where-am-i) Fellow captive; Simon deduces he was also kidnapped, likely for his fulgurator secret. ### [On Deck](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/vi-on-deck) The inventor, visibly mad; fails to recognize Simon Hart, becomes agitated by the ship's movement, and suffers a violent fit. ### [On Deck](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/vi-on-deck) Captain of the Ebba; watches Thomas Roch closely and orders sailors to restrain him during his fit. ### [Two Days at Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/vii-two-days-at-sea) Commands the Ebba; orders Hart away from the bows and later orders him below; maneuvers the schooner to avoid a warship and approach a merchantman. ### [Two Days at Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/vii-two-days-at-sea) The kidnapped inventor; suffers a fit and is attended by Hart; his fulgurator is the likely motive for the kidnapping. ### [Back Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/viii-back-cup) Goes forward with d'Artigas and Serko to maneuver the schooner and retrieve the buoy marking the submerged entrance. ### [Back Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/viii-back-cup) Mentioned as being placed in a similar compartment to Hart during the transfer into the tug. ### [Inside Back Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/ix-inside-back-cup) Present with Count d'Artigas and Serko. ### [X: Ker Karraje](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/x-ker-karraje) Accompanies Ker Karraje when he confronts Simon Hart. ### [X: Ker Karraje](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/x-ker-karraje) Mentioned as the inventor of the fulgurator, which Ker Karraje seeks to obtain. ### [XI: Five Weeks in Back Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xi-five-weeks-in-back-cup) His mental condition improves; he is kept away from Hart and is being courted by Serko to reveal his fulgurator formula. ### [XI: Five Weeks in Back Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xi-five-weeks-in-back-cup) Departs with Ker Karraje and Serko on the tug, likely for a piracy expedition or to fetch materials. ### [Engineer Serko's Advice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xii-engineer-serko-s-advice) Works in his laboratory preparing the explosive; has not yet revealed the deflagrator's secret. ### [God Be with It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xiii-god-be-with-it) Works in his laboratory; his fulgurator is used to blast the tunnel. ### [Battle Between the Sword and the Tug](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xiv-battle-between-the-sword-and-the-tug) The inventor; is rescued from captivity but remains bound during the escape attempt. ### [XV: Expectation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xv-expectation) Survived the collision and has returned to work in his laboratory; his fulgurator engines are being installed for defense. ### [XV: Expectation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xv-expectation) Mentioned as conferring with Serko about the defensive situation and the possibility of abandoning Back Cup. ### [Only a Few More Hours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xvi-only-a-few-more-hours) Remains deluded, believing he is the rightful owner of Back Cup and its treasures, refusing to accept that he is a prisoner of pirates. ### [One Against Five](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xvii-one-against-five) Initially launches engines to destroy a cruiser; refuses to fire on the French ship upon seeing the tricolor; crushes the phial and flees into the passage. ### [One Against Five](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xvii-one-against-five) Among the pirates threatening Roch; present at the trestle during the attack. ### [On Board the Tonnant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/chapters/xviii-on-board-the-tonnant) Moved by the sight of the tricolor flag, he deliberately caused the explosion that destroyed Back Cup, himself, and Ker Karraje's pirates. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/characters/captain_spade - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/facing_the_flag_se/characters