[Bandit LOAF]

Here's a weird one we came across on Reddit: a user named eightiesjapan has AI upscaled 5k and 8k versions of one of the wallpapers included with the GOG version of Wing Commander IV!

Refreshed one of the wallpaper that is given as an extra when you buy WCIV on GOG. Theirs is 1920x highest res, mine is 5k (light 2.5mb) and 8k hi-res (34mb) and clean without logo & writing.

Upscaled using topaz + lightroom with custom kodak presets. Gave it a specific (i hope) 90s look with film grain.

• 5k version (5 megs)
• 8k version (35 megs)

Here's the original version, for posterity:

• 1280x1024 version
• 1600x1200 version
• 1920x1080 version
• 1920x1200 version

The GOG wallpaper is based on the game's key art painted by massively talented Origin artist Sam Yeates.




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Original update published on July 15, 2026

 

[kingmakeress]

I really like the higher resolution art 🔥🔥 Also, Hamill looks really young in these.

Some questions about WC4:

• What is the real reason Tolwyn reactivates and assigns Blair to Lexington? Is Blair destined to be a hard challenge for Black Lance pilots? Does Tolwyn hope Blair can join Black Lance? Maybe is Tolwyn planning to capitalize on possible Blair's death and claim that Border Worlds are a real threat since they managed to shoot down the Confederation's biggest ace, so the Confederation not only needs to declare war, but also to commit considerable forces to this new war.
• Why did Eisen trusted Maniac to fly his shuttle? WC3 does not hint at Eisen knowing Maniac that well, although in the game novelization Maniac is Victory's wing XO as well as Gold Squadron commander, so Eisen must have worked with Maniac. In any case, what Eisen tells Blair ("You had to decide for yourself") somehow sounds like a cheap excuse to me. It would be more reasonable for me if Eisen said something like "Can you imagine Maniac flying cover for my shuttle?", which makes sense to me. I would prefer Blair and Vagabond to be my escorts with Maniac safely "confined" to shuttle's control. No, not you Catscratch, go tractor a satellite.
• How did Dr. Brody know Blair is one of the good guys? For all she knows, he is the Confederation pilot who assisted Black Lance capturing her and a close friend of a pilot who flirted with her rather inelegantly. A proposito, great acting from Hamill, Wilson, and Chau, as their body language is really that of old friends hanging at the pilots' lounge.
• Am I the only one who sort of enjoys Maniac getting punched?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

What is the real reason Tolwyn reactivates and assigns Blair to Lexington? Is Blair destined to be a hard challenge for Black Lance pilots? Does Tolwyn hope Blair can join Black Lance? Maybe is Tolwyn planning to capitalize on possible Blair's death and claim that Border Worlds are a real threat since they managed to shoot down the Confederation's biggest ace, so the Confederation not only needs to declare war, but also to commit considerable forces to this new war.

Good question Tolwyn believed that Blair would be convinced the Border Worlders were responsible for the attacks and then get behind his push for war; because of his public image, Blair was someone whose support would've helped make the case to the Assembly. That's why Seether destroys Orlando and taunts him that it's the first of many victories for the Border Worlds and then why the Lexington is sent hunting pirates they can easily defeat (and whose use to Tolwyn was at its end). It's all a show to sell the Heart of the Tiger.

There's a bit in the novel where they mention that Eisen being assigned to the Lexington was an unintentional disaster; his PsyOps profile had indicated he would support the conspiracy and Tolwyn was certain it wouldn't be an issue and moved him into place before actually recruiting him. There's probably a very similar aspect to the choice of Blair: Tolwyn believes that even without yet being recruited he's still a loyal soldier and someone who will follow his orders… which will take him to see a particular view of what's going on on the frontier!

Why did Eisen trusted Maniac to fly his shuttle? WC3 does not hint at Eisen knowing Maniac that well, although in the game novelization Maniac is Victory's wing XO as well as Gold Squadron commander, so Eisen must have worked with Maniac. In any case, what Eisen tells Blair ("You had to decide for yourself") somehow sounds like a cheap excuse to me. It would be more reasonable for me if Eisen said something like "Can you imagine Maniac flying cover for my shuttle?", which makes sense to me. I would prefer Blair and Vagabond to be my escorts with Maniac safely "confined" to shuttle's control. No, not you Catscratch, go tractor a satellite.

It's not stated directly but I like the idea that Eisen simply has a relationship with Maniac that we don't see. As you note, Maniac was on the Victory when Blair arrived… he'd been assigned there for six months already and was one of the ship's senior officers for all that time. We also know from Victory Streak's pilot of the month stories that Maniac saved the ship from a Kilrathi patrol about two months before Blair arrived… so Eisen may have already felt he owed Maniac his life before he even met Blair!

Eisen would also surely have been suspicious of Blair because of the nature of his assignment there… he was sent by Admiral Tolwyn and reported back to him independently, that would certainly have been a red flag. We also tend to think of Blair and Eisen as great old friends but in truth they'd served together for a couple of months total. But also I think there's Maniac's personality on the whole; he may not he the smartest guy in the room but he's absolutely loyal to his friends. He has no filter and he says what he means so there's no trying to figure out where he stands. He wears his intentions on his sleeve and he's not going to stab you in the back.

How did Dr. Brody know Blair is one of the good guys? For all she knows, he is the Confederation pilot who assisted Black Lance capturing her and a close friend of a pilot who flirted with her rather inelegantly. A proposito, great acting from Hamill, Wilson, and Chau, as their body language is really that of old friends hanging at the pilots' lounge.

They talk about that! She says she knows who he is and that they're looking to kill him, so presumably word was already out. (I also don't think the intent was that she was captured straight off. She says Blair rescued her and she became a prisoner again, so I think the idea is that she was freed from the Border Worlds on Tyr and then was taken away to Axius only afterwards.)

 

[kingmakeress]

It's all a show to sell the Heart of the Tiger.

Yes, this is what I thought as well. If the Heart of the Tiger told the Great Assembly that the Border Worlds are a threat, then the senators would vote for war.

Still, why would Tolwyn send Seether at the cantina (as Vaquero would say)? Not a great way to convince not only Blair but pretty much anyone for that matter with a knife in their neck. Force? Yes. Convince? Weeeell I doubt it. Unless Seether improvised.

Tolwyn believes that even without yet being recruited he's still a loyal soldier and someone who will follow his orders

I get that reasoning, but somehow it still it is a bit amateurish for Tolwyn, unless he had grown (will grow?) overconfident by then.

Also, let us assume Tolwyn might have been right about Blair and Tolwyn. What about Maniac? Or even worse about Vagabond? Maniac is rather spontaneous and he might uncover something by accident, although the fact he has been flying "all these years" is an indication of loyalty to the Confederation. But Vagabond is a big risk as attested by that rather strong welcome gesture towards Dr Severin. Ok, I get that personnel is not Tolwyn's domain as he himself said (and I believe him), but couldn't he take a look at who is aboard the Lexington? Unless someone in Tolwyn's PsyOps wanted to see how different types would react to the new, fabricated threat to assess the morale of the military. Also as commander of the SRA Tolwyn could easily say to whoever makes personnel assignments that he needs certain reliable people aboard the Lexington.

Eisen would also surely have been suspicious of Blair because of the nature of his assignment there… he was sent by Admiral Tolwyn and reported back to him independently, that would certainly have been a red flag.

Yes, I can see that!

They talk about that!

And she missed a historic chance to tell Blair he is a bit too short for Black Lance 😉😉

 

[kingmakeress]

Also why is Tolwyn interested in pastoral life agreeing with Blair? It is a way to assert some dominance or is it a sign that he was already deep into extremist ideologies? The latter often place heavy emphasis (pun intended) on physical status.

 

[AllTinker]

@Bandit LOAF - Just letting you know, the link for the 5K version doesn't seem to work for me...

 

[kingmakeress]

@Bandit LOAF - Just letting you know, the link for the 5K version doesn't seem to work for me...

Neither for me.

 

[KrisV]

@Bandit LOAF - Just letting you know, the link for the 5K version doesn't seem to work for me...

I've fixed the link.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Thanks for the help, folks! I am stupid.

Still, why would Tolwyn send Seether at the cantina (as Vaquero would say)? Not a great way to convince not only Blair but pretty much anyone for that matter with a knife in their neck. Force? Yes. Convince? Weeeell I doubt it. Unless Seether improvised.

I think that's a coincidence; he sent Seether to do the false flag attacking the station, he just happened to be at the bar at the same time as Blair.

I get that reasoning, but somehow it still it is a bit amateurish for Tolwyn, unless he had grown (will grow?) overconfident by then.

Also, let us assume Tolwyn might have been right about Blair and Tolwyn. What about Maniac? Or even worse about Vagabond? Maniac is rather spontaneous and he might uncover something by accident, although the fact he has been flying "all these years" is an indication of loyalty to the Confederation. But Vagabond is a big risk as attested by that rather strong welcome gesture towards Dr Severin. Ok, I get that personnel is not Tolwyn's domain as he himself said (and I believe him), but couldn't he take a look at who is aboard the Lexington? Unless someone in Tolwyn's PsyOps wanted to see how different types would react to the new, fabricated threat to assess the morale of the military. Also as commander of the SRA Tolwyn could easily say to whoever makes personnel assignments that he needs certain reliable people aboard the Lexington.

I had to think about this for a little! I was initially tempted to say that the intent was that Maniac and especially Vagabond (a lieutenant) are far below anyone Tolwyn would be concerned about. They're main characters to us, but could just have been the constant background movement of personnel.

But on consideration, I think even taken alone the wing Commander IV script tells us that Vagabond was sent to the Lexington on purpose. Your first conversation with him is about how he 'got greedy' and was (like Blair) recalled to duty. Tolwyn put him there expecting a different outcome, just like he did with Blair. Which also explains why Eisen wouldn't trust Vagabond: he's suspicious of his having suddenly been recalled. Your first conversation with Maniac, meanwhile, explicitly explains that he's stayed in the service this whole time instead of retiring... which would help explain why Eisen trusts him instead of the others!

Now why would Tolwyn have been concerned with the assignment of a lowly lieutenant (and probably Maniac)? It's because they're the other surviving pilots that flew the Kilrah mission! Tolwyn is putting on a big show and trying to get the support of the specific people the public loves for having won the last war.

Also why is Tolwyn interested in pastoral life agreeing with Blair? It is a way to assert some dominance or is it a sign that he was already deep into extremist ideologies? The latter often place heavy emphasis (pun intended) on physical status.

That's a clever thought that it matches his ideology but I think it's written to get across the difference between what the two characters think of each other. Tolwyn believes Blair respects him and will follow his plan... and that after all they've been through he's a bit of a father figure. While Blair hates the guy and this just stokes that flame.

 

[kingmakeress]

I've fixed the link.

Thanks!

 

[kingmakeress]

Tolwyn believes Blair respects him and will follow his plan... and that after all they've been through he's a bit of a father figure. While Blair hates the guy and this just stokes that flame.

I get that. As Blair himself said, too much brass .. 😈😈 Another thing that came to mind was that one of the influences for WCIV Tolwyn may have been Lord Mosley, who had an intense character and was usually wearing a tight black sweater as Tolwyn does when he is brought aboard on Intrepid. Speaking of which, why is Maniac letting him go? Ok I get that it is necessary script-wise, but this weak excuse about the firepower that would have come after the Intrepid doesn't sound very convincing to me. By that time, both Maniac and Blair have fought a lot of Confederation forces, not to mention what they have seen during the war.

he just happened to be at the bar at the same time as Blair.

Blair should have known to keep away from trouble in spaceports, they are likely to be wretched hive of scum and villainy 😉😛

Your first conversation with him is about how he 'got greedy' and was (like Blair) recalled to duty.

That makes more sense. After all, we see in the first scene the veteran asking for help and Blair commented that times are tough.

he's stayed in the service this whole time instead of retiring

And still a major .. maybe because he is the same old Maniac as the spaceport lady, Dr. Brody, and Panther can attest.

Finally, is Naismith a Black Lance operative? It would make sense for him to be as he can monitor literally everything coming in to or going out from Lexington. I like how he contrasts Radio Rollins, showing that the Confederation looks the same, but it really isn't.