Zug

**Zug the Cowardly Switcher Tug** is one of the main antagonists in the SeventyVerse's TUGS spinoff series, and was the fourth member of the Z-Stacks, replacing Zelda after her death.

## Backstory

Zug used to work in Estonia before fleeing to the United States in 1917 due to the Russian Revolution. There, a conman, Edgar Kintobor, sold him to Captain Zero, who believed he was getting a harbour tug to replace Zelda, but he was furious when he got a switcher instead. Not helping matters was that the conman had disappeared after the sale so Captain Zero was stuck with Zug. In an attempt to get in Zero's good books, he decided to tear the friendship (and romance) that Ten Cents and Zip had started up prior to his arrival. His plan had worked, but that left Zip very morally conflicted, and Ten Cents with a hole in his heart.

Zug was usually seen working with Zip. He was used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Zip and Zug were are the Z-Stack equivalents of Ten Cents and Sunshine, in that they were the smaller tugs of the fleet, who worked together and were plotting against the other two.

Zip and Zug usually assisted in Zorran’s schemes, such as shoving Big Mac aground onto mudflats so that they weren't/were not enough Star Tugs to tow in the Duchess and unsuccessfully rescuing their barges from Ten Cents.

Sadly, Zug met his end during the Second World War when he was forcefully given a final firing by Ursula Zero, Mr. Broke and their band of tugs. This left everyone, especially Zebedee, Zip and Sunshine in a great depression.

In the TUGS Survival AU, Zug was put under Green Water by mistake, much to everyone's great relief. However, Zug was traumatized by his near-death experience and the mere mention of any of Ursula Zero's gang made him jumpy. He went to seek consoling from Captain Lucky with some prompting, and he found the courage to help rescue Zebedee with help from Ten Cents. After the battle was over, Zug confessed his feelings to an overjoyed Sunshine.

## Relationships

### Zebedee

Zebedee started to take Zug under his wing as a brother, and he really enjoyed the switcher's company. He was heartbroken when Zug was forcefully given a final firing.

### Zeus

Zug and Zeus are brothers, but Zug is afraid of Zeus and Zeus hates Zug. In fact, when Zug learned that he and Zeus were both built at Snyder Works, he was pleased at first, but then Zeus rudely told him that just because they were brothers did not make them friends, much to Zug's dismay. Zeus has dismissed Zug when they were tasked to help bring in ships cleared from quarantine, and he and Zak had threatened Zug with death (along with Zip and Zilly). Zug looks on at Ten Cents and Hercules; as well as Big Mac and Warrior, with envy, wishing that his relationship with Zeus was more like theirs. To add insult to injury, Zeus participated in Zug's untimely death, much to the horror of the other tugs.

### Robin

Zug was overjoyed to learn he had a sister in Robin, and found her to be very sweet. Robin was hit very hard by Zug's untimely death.

In the TUGS Survival AU, Robin was relieved when she realized Zug was under Green Water by mistake, and vowed to get to know her brother more.

### Captain Zero

Out of all the Z-Stacks, Zug had the worst treatment from Captain Zero. He was pawned off to Zero thinking he was getting a harbour tug, but Zug was a switcher. Captain Zero went into an angry tears moment. Zug was determined to prove himself, so he decided to ruin the friendship between Ten Cents and Zip. Captain Zero started treating Zug better after that, but it wasn't until his gradual turnaround that he really appreciated the Z-Stacks (Zug inculded). Captain Zero was devesated when Zug was forcefully given a final firing, and sobbed on his switcher's deck.

In the TUGS Survival AU, Captain Zero was relieved when he realized that Zug was only under Green Water. He meant all his apologies to Zug, and would work even harder to better himself for him.

## Romance

### Sunshine

Sunshine at first dismissed Zug as a troublemaker along with most of the Z-Stacks. This became worse when Zip and Zug lied about Sunshine needing to help Big Mac at the old dock. However, when Zip and Zug helped rescue Sunshine from Corona and the Posion plant trio, she started to see them in another light. Sunshine started to fall in love with Zug, and the other tugs were encouraging the relationship along (other than Zak and Zeus). Unfortunately, Zug was killed via a forced final firing, leaving Sunshine heartbroken.

In the TUGS Survival AU, Sunshine was among the most relieved that Zug was only under Green Water. She was proud of him for rescuing Zebedee (alongside Ten Cents). After the battle was over, Sunshine finally confessed her love for Zug, much to his delight.

## Personality

Zug mainly worked with Zip, and liked to think of himself as the intelligent one. Compared to Zip, he certainly was intelligent and practical, but he was not as smart as the other tugs. He came up with devious plans for him and Zip to use when faced against the Star Tugs, but these plans rarely, if ever, worked and usually led to negative consequences for them. With Zip, Zug basically commanded her, who's too frightened to make any good suggestions.

Zug was sneaky, cowardly and needed the other Z-Stacks around for courage. He was intimidated by the main Z-Stack Zorran and had a tendency to be somewhat nervous and jittery around him and the other harbor tugs. However, during the events of *Trapped*, he did initially keep his cool while around Zorran, only to panic when Zorran's impatience landed the smaller tug in trouble.

However, like Zebedee in *High Winds*, Zug was shown to have a good streak in him somewhere. When Zorran callously abandoned him trapped up-river with most of the Star Tugs when they accidentally crashed an old tramper across the river, Zug worked with the Star Fleet to get it out of the way. He never complained. He was also shown to be very supportive towards O.J.'s plan to ram it with a line of barges, despite it not working as expected; he even helped out in the attempt. After they were all freed when Billy blew up the tramper, Zug laughed at Zorran with the Star Tugs.

Zug had also proved to be suspicious and brave when trying to figure and capture the pirate after Ten Cent's barges keep disappearing. But when following Ten Cents, and Sunshine to see what they're up to, he and Zip ended up finding a fright when they were chased by Flotsam and Jetsam.

Recently, Zug, along with Zip have been able to do the right thing. Both of them have helped rescue a freightliner with Warrior and Hercules' help. and have vowed not to be undermined and devious again. (Details regarding Earthquake and Losses/Near Misses (TUGS Survival AU) to be added)

## Technical Details

### Basis

Like the rest of the Zero Marine, Zug is based on the Moran Fleet tugs of the 1920s.

### Livery

Zug is painted in the Z-Stacks' corporate livery. This consists of a black hull, a maroon superstructure, white mast, and an black funnel with a white stripe and white circle. His name is painted on the sides of his bow in white and he has the number "4" on his funnel. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, he wears a black fedora with a white stripe.

## Differences Between TUGS, Salty's Lighthouse and the SeventyVerse

* In both the original *TUGS* series and *Salty's Lighthouse*, Zug doesn't appear to have any siblings. In the SeventyVerse, Zug and Zeus are brothers, but their relationship is toxic, and Robin is his sister, but their relationship is positive in contrast.

## Trivia

* The preferred voice actor for Zug is Nigel Anthony, who voiced him in the original *TUGS* series.
* Zug's worst nightmare is Captain Zero getting that harbour tug he wanted and having Zug sold to Burke and Blair. Ironically and tragically, when Zug was actually killed, Captain Zero was devastated.