- ”I used to be the best. Maybe I can be again.”
- —Vert Wheeler
Josef "Vert" Wheeler is a former World Race driver (also winner) and the main character of Acceleracers. He currently races for the Teku, and the current Acceleracer. He is voiced by Andrew Francis.
Appearance[]
Vert is a young white man with spiky Yellow hair, blue eyes, and a goatee. He wears a dark blue tanktop, a white jacket with blue highlights, all branded with Teku logos. He wears dark blue cargo pants with light blue highlights and white shoes.
Personality[]
A prominent skateboarder and surfer before he became a racer, Vert is often very cocky and overzealous. He is a skilled driver, winning the World Race and the Ultimate Race although doubting himself in between.
Despite his cockiness and overzealousness, he actually has a sense of selflessness, shown when he tried to rescue Kadeem when he fell over the edge during the race in the Storm Realm.
Descriptions[]
- “The winner of the first World Race two years ago, Vert Wheeler is out to prove that he’s good, not just lucky. Vert also believes he has the driving skills needed to be a great Teku team leader.” - Meet the Drivers v2
- “It’s been two years since Vert Wheeler won the World Race, and he’s no longer the young and naive kid that he used to be. He may be all grown up, but he still has a lot to learn. Vert is out prove that his earlier victory wasn’t a fluke, and he’s hungry for the next win. Because Vert feels that his driving abilities qualify him for the role of Teku leader, there is often a bit of tension between him and Nolo.” - Meet the Drivers v1
- “Vert is one of the finest all-around surfer/skaters in the world. Now he's turning auto racing into an extreme sport.” - World Race Interactive Garage
- “Vert is one of the finest all-around surfer-skaters in the world. Now he must prove himself on a racetrack that's a lot like the tubes and half-pipes he's always known. Does he have what it takes to lead the Wave Rippers to victory? He's betting his life on it!” - Comic 1/35 The Right Choice[1]
History[]
World Race[]
The Ring of Fire[]
At the beginning of the film, Vert is seen skating with his best friend and rival, Alec Wood. After Wood fell off from his skateboard, Vert told him to try surfing. Alec had a tough time choosing what he wanted to do. After the conversation, Vert headed back to his home to ask his father to take his car for a drive but his father refused because he was heading to work. The conversation between Vert and his father became and argument. His father told Vert that if he wants to drop him off at the DMV. (resolution needed) After Vert made success on his driving test, he went home. As Vert was skating back home, he suspected an unusual vehicle parked in front of his house. As Vert checks out the vehicle, the vehicle starts itself and opens an automatic door. Dr. Peter Tezla appears in a screen and complains that he is looking for new drivers and told him that he has been chosen to take part in the World Race along with 34 other drivers. Tezla then reveals the location of his cube in a GPS screen. As Vert drives in the desert, he finds the big gray cube with red fire lights and enters the building. He finds 9 other drivers. Dr. Tezla then explains the history of the Accelerons and then says that he will give the winner and the winner's team 5 millon dollars. Before the race started, Vert and the other 4 drivers had to test their vehicles abilities. After 3 cars tested their abilities, Vert and another Wave Ripper, Lani Tam told him that they should be a team. Before Vert used his jump jets, he says that he is a team of one. Then he uses his jump jets while Taro spectates like Vert is stupid. Then Vert and Taro take a drive in the desert road. Vert accidentally used the wrong button which shot a grappling hook and hooked on a rock. Vert and Taro's vehicles got out of control and Vert's car hits the sign of Highway 35. Before the 1st leg had begun, all 10 cars and drivers had to line up at the start, Tezla explains that if a vehicle reaches 300 mph, a portal will be opened. After Vert powers the Nitrox 2, his vehicle reaches the 300mph and the portal is shown. After all 10 vehicles arrive at the First Leg, they discover rocks, a planet, and an orange sky. After Banjee failed his attempt on the loop, Vert raced passed him and started to make an attempt on the loop. Vert then uses his skills as a skateboarder to build up speed. He makes the comparison to grinding a half-pipe. After he successfully makes it past the loop, he ends up with Taro and the two began hitting each other's cars, both ending up off the track. While Banjee and Kadeem raced together, Zed-36 ignites and throws a bomb disguised as a Nitrox 2 booster, causing a wave of lava to submerge and destroy the tracks. Vert was able to get past the lava by using his jump jets equipped on his Deora II. While racing with Banjee, Vert gets alerted after Lani yelled that she needs help. Vert and Taro started helping her with their cars' grappling hook. Vert used Deora II's jump jets to get her back on the track. After Kurt won the first leg, Vert, Taro, Banjee, and Kadeem were chosen to be team leaders for their racing teams. After Vert says he will still keep racing, Tezla reveals himself and explains what is waiting for them in Highway 35.
The Greatest Challenge[]
Vert introduces Alec Wood to Lani. Vert later finds Kurt's Sling Shot performing drifts and spins. He noticed it wasn't Kurt because Kurt can be seen with Banjee, Rekkas, Toño, and Mojave. Kurt aggressively told the driver to get out of his car, and the driver turns out to be is his younger brother, Mark Wylde. After Vert asked a question to Mark, he introduces himself. After Kurt rejects Mark from the Street Breed, Vert recruits him to his team and he was given the Corvette Stingray. In the second leg, Vert can be seen with Alec Wood. Mark goes in between them and goes out of control. A few scenes later, Vert and the three Wave Rippers notice that the Road Beats took a shortcut. After a discussion, Lani, Mark, and Vert take the shortcut to catch up.
Wheel of Power[]
After talking with Kadeem about the condition of his village, he realized he never really thought about what other people want. After this change of heart, he continued to race and eventually wins the Wheel of Power. After receiving the prize money, he gave his check to Kadeem.
Before Acceleracers[]
After Tezla wouldn't give the World Race drivers more Nitrox 2, he left and became a street racer in the Teku along with Kurt Wylde. Vert still believed he was the best, and even better than the leader of the Teku, Nolo Pasaro.
Acceleracers[]
Vert tries to convince Nolo to let him race Tork, but Nolo declines. After a short dispute, Nolo begins the race against the Metal Maniacs. Vert meets Gig and decides to postpone the race. Vert along with the Teku and Metal Maniacs drive to the abandoned Tezla's Cube and Vert reunites with Kadeem. Kadeem leads them all to the Acceledrome and is briefed on the state of the Wheel of Power and the rising threat, the Racing Drones.
After multiple failures Vert begins to doubt himself, and decides to quit. He drives back to his home on an Vert’s motorcycle. After some reflecting and a conversation with his father, Vert returns in Breaking Point just in time to race in the Junk Realm.
After he injures his leg in the Ruins Realm, Vert chooses to stay in the Acceledrome instead of helping the others save Markie. This turns out to be a good decision, as Gelorum obtains all of the AcceleChargers and begins the Ultimate Race, and being the only driver on hand, he has to go into the realms after her. Gelorum ends up reaching the Sphere first by a slight margin, but the Acceleron at the end of the track says that because Vert used only his skills to drive in the race, that he is the real winner. The Acceleron then makes Vert an Acceleracer and flips Reverb back on its wheels. Vert chooses to go back and find his friends instead of going with the Acceleron (much to Dr. Tezla's dismay), and the Acceleron gives Vert all of the Accelechargers along with the wisdom circle. Returning to the Acceledrome, Vert helps the others fight off the Drones and manages to escape before the building collapsed. However, when Vert enters the portal to go back home, he arrives mysteriously at the Silencerz headquarters, and is subsequently captured by them. There, he learns that the lead driver for the team is in fact his father. Although fans have been speculating various theories, Vert's fate still remains unknown to this day.
Appearances[]
Films[]
World Race[]
- Ring of Fire
- The Greatest Challenge
- Desert Heat
- Frozen Fire
- Wheel of Power
AcceleRacers[]
Comics[]
- 1/35 = The Right Choice
- 2/35 = The Drop
- 3/35 = Hang 30
- 4/35 = Lava Run
- 8/35 = Brothers
- 15/35 = Rules to Live By
- 19/35 = Playing in the Mud
- 20/35 = Risk and Reward
- 30/35 = Payback
- 32/35 = Scorched Zed
- 33/35 = Zed Revealed!
- 35/35 = Keep On Rolling
Gallery[]
World Race[]
Acceleracers[]
Miscellaneous[]
Trivia[]
- Vert's eyes were brown in World Race, but light blue in Acceleracers. The reason for this change is unknown.
- Vert's shoes have VERT inscribed on the soles.
- He's the one of two only Teku members who appear to have a beard. In his case, he has a goatee, similar to Monkey of the Metal Maniacs.
- During the battle in Hot Wheels City, Gelorum muses: "Let's see how well you drive in half a car." This foreshadows Vert's Deora II being sliced in half when he escapes the Storm Realm just as the portal closes.
- Vert Wheeler, Kurt Wylde and Taro Kitano all have sustained injuries to their legs.
- Before Vert leaves the driving school, his skateboard appears to have purple wheels, as he skates back home, they are now colored green.
- While Gig gives Vert's team a check of $5M, his necklace disappears in one scene, then in the next scene, it reappears.
- Vert Wheeler won first place in the 2021 Acceleracers Wiki Character Bracket with approximately 91 votes. Taro Kitano got second and Nolo Pasaro third.[2]
External Links[]
References[]
Teku |
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Members: Nolo Pasaro - Vert Wheeler - Kurt Wylde - Shirako Takamoto - Karma Eiss - Tone Pasaro |
Vehicles: Reverb - Drift Tech - Synkro - Chicane - Battle Spec - Power Rage - High Voltage - SpecTyte - Bassline - Nightlife - Deora II - Slingshot |
Teku Team - Gallery |
Wave Rippers |
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Members: Vert Wheeler - Alec Wood - Finn Serpa - Lani Tam - Felix Sharkey - Fluke - Mark Wylde |
Vehicles: Deora II - Switchback - Backdraft - 55 Chevy Nomad - Power Pipes - Chrysler Thunderbolt - Corvette Stingray |
Team |
Acceleracers Characters |
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Teku Nolo Pasaro - Vert Wheeler - Kurt Wylde - Shirako Takamoto - Karma Eiss - Tone Pasaro |
Metal Maniacs Tork Maddox - Taro Kitano - Mark Wylde - Porkchop - Monkey - Sparky |
Racing Drones Gelorum - RD-L1 - RD-S1 - RD-W1 - Motorcycle Drone - Brian Kadeem |
Silencerz Major Wheeler - Banjee Castillo - Soldiers - Scientists |
Acceledrome Crew Dr. Peter Tezla - Gig - Lani Tam - Alec Wood (formerly) - Dan Dresden (formerly) |