Riot

For the IDW comics character, see Riot (comics).

Riot
Riot concept art by Judith Nelson for Hasbro.
Full name	Rory Llewelyn
Alias(es)	Chaos Riot
Series	Jem
Role(s)	Antagonist and occasional ally
Occupation(s)	Lead vocalist of The Stingers
Instrument(s)	Electric guitar
Affiliation(s)	The Stingers Stingers Sound U.S. Army (formerly)
Personal information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Place oforigin	United States
Status	Alive
Hair	Blond
Eyes	Brown Green in some episodes Blue on the Integrity Toys doll
Relatives	Mr. Llewelyn (father) Mildred Llewelyn (mother)
Partnerships	Ingrid Kruger (bandmate, business associate) Phoebe Ashe (bandmate, business associate)
Abilities	Musically gifted Natural leader Naturally charming
Appearances
Firstappearance	Stingers Hit Town (Part 1) (1988)
Appearances	Stingers Hit Town (Part 1) Stingers Hit Town (Part 2) Midsummer Night's Madness The Day the Music Died That Old Houdini Magic Straight from the Heart A Change of Heart Riot's Hope A Father Should Be...
Voiced by	Townsend Coleman Kath Soucie (young Rory)
Singing voice	Gordon Grody

“	I am the perfect man.	„
	~ Riot

Rory Llewelyn, better known by his stage name Riot, is the lead singer of The Stingers.

He was voiced by Townsend Coleman and his singing voice was provided by Gordon Grody.

History

Riot is charming yet aloof and arrogant. He is confident with his looks, believing he is the perfect man. This seems to have developed into a superiority complex. He commands respect and demands devotion from his bandmates and fans, with the ability to send his crowds into a frenzy and quell them just as quickly. He is aware of the power he has over people and uses it to get what he wants. Riot's romantic interest in the show is Jem; he believes she is the perfect woman and pursues her relentlessly, even going so far as to resort to kidnapping Jem and forging a postcard to convince her bandmates that she had abandoned them. In the episode "Riot's Hope," a flawed effort was made to soften his character, which attempted to rebrand him as remorseless villain to sympathetic victim.

Riot's vain personality appears to stem from his abusive father, Mr. Llewelyn, who disapproved of his interest in music during his childhood, as well as from a brief period of poverty living in the streets along with his bandmates. As a result, he relies and deeply cares for them.

Early life

Riot grew up in a strict household with his mother and Army officer father, the latter who tried to force his values onto him. He displayed a natural musical talent at a young age, which his mother encouraged, teaching him how to play the piano and buying him his first guitar. His father saw it as a sign of weakness and strongly discouraged it, to the point of destroying his first guitar.

Riot decided to join the Army in order to escape his father's stronghold, although he felt deeply unhappy, only finding comfort by watching a band called Nirvana perform, where Minx was a member. He joined the band as a backup guitarist when the old one quit, taking on the stage name "Riot". He joined the band on tour all over Europe, until they returned to Germany, where he got arrested for desertion. After receiving a dishonorable discharge from the Army, he was sent back to the United States. Riot attempted to return home to explain his situation to his parents. His father declared that Riot was no son of his and wasn't welcome in their home.

Riot worked odd jobs to get the money he needed to return to Germany and to Nirvana, but shortly after returning, he caused tensions within the band as his guitar-playing overshadowed the lead singer. Deciding no one would tell him what to do anymore, Riot quit Nirvana to start his own band and Minx accompanied him. Rapture soon joined them and The Stingers were born.

Riot and his bandmates struggled to find paying shows, having to perform and even live on the streets for at least one winter. They worked their way to the top and eventually became a huge hit in Germany before getting offered to play at Le Klub Kool in the United States.

Reconciliation with his father

Riot's relationship with his father, Mr. Llewelyn, was still strained as The Stingers' popularity grew in the United States and their first major album was released. This escalated to the point where his mother, Mildred, became seriously ill from stress originated from the two men fighting.

Jem stepped in and eventually succeeded in helping reconcile them. The two eventually worked together to assist The Holograms in finding Ba Nee's father, Martin O'Carolan.

Personality

Riot is the charismatic and narcissistic lead singer of The Stingers, defined by extraordinary vanity, arrogance, entitlement, and often a profound lack of empathy. His magnetic stage presence and commanding charm make him a captivating leader, adept at manipulating others to advance The Stingers' fame (such as exploiting Pizzazz's infatuation without remorse). Unlike Rapture, whose manipulations stem from sadistic pleasure, Riot's actions are driven by a deep-seated need for adoration, seeking validation through control and admiration, as seen in his obsessive pursuit of Jem. His manipulative tendencies escalate into predatory behavior in "The Day the Music Died", where he kidnaps Jem, maroons them on an island in Mexico, and forges her handwriting to deceive her bandmates into thinking she has abandoned them.

The episode "Riot's Hope" introduces a sympathetic backstory of an abusive father who disapproved of his musical aspirations and a fragile mother hospitalized due to family conflict. In the series finale, "A Father Should Be...", Jem's efforts to reconcile Riot with his father lead him to perform a rare altruistic act, convincing his father to help locate Ba Nee's father, Martin O'Carolan. Riot's pragmatic leadership, such as mitigating Rapture's failed oracle scheme in "Midsummer Night's Madness", balances his narcissism with strategic foresight, but his inconsistent arc –from arrogant manipulator to coercive predator to sympathetic victim to reluctant altruist– makes him a polarizing and complex antagonist, defined by charm, ruthlessness, and even attempts at redemption.

Relationships

Minx

Minx, Riot's oldest friend and bandmate in The Stingers, is arguably the person who knows him best, demonstrating unwavering loyalty despite his narcissistic tendencies. Although she devoted to him, describing him her "guru" and "inspiration", Minx does not attempt to cover up or mitigate Riot's flaws. In "The Day the Music Died", she exposes Riot's forged postcard, written in Jem's handwriting, pointing to his trademark on the postcard as a sign of his egotism. She also takes initiative to restore Jem and Riot to their respective bands, even after Rio abandons the effort. Riot, however, views her actions as a betrayal, stating: "Look what you've done. You've ruined everything", revealing his prioritization of personal desires over loyalty. In "A Change of Heart", he shows no concern for Minx's near-death experience, failing to assist as Rio rescues her and threatening to expel her from the band when she attempts reform. This suggests Riot values Minx's contributions to The Stingers but is incapable of an emotional connection, prioritizing control over support.

Rapture

Rapture, Riot's other bandmate in The Stingers, shares his lack of empathy, forming a pragmatic alliance driven by mutual self-interest rather than emotional connection. In "The Day the Music Died", Rapture remarks: "Ever since I first laid eyes on him, I knew we belonged together." This is not to suggest a romantic bond but a recognition of their aligned ambitions for fame and control. Rapture shows no jealousy over Riot's obsession with Jem, suggesting a relationship rooted in strategic partnership, not romance. Their shared manipulative skills, as seen when Riot mitigates Rapture's failed oracle scheme in "Midsummer Night's Madness", underscore their professional synergy, with no evidence of Riot showing concern for Rapture's personal well-being, consistent with his disregard for others.

Mr. Llewelyn

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Mildred Llewelyn

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Gallery

Animated series

Riot portraying an angel.

Riot portraying a knight in shinning armor.

Riot portraying Romeo.

Riot portraying Julius Caesar.

Riot portraying Ares.

Riot portraying King Midas.

Riot in That Old Houdini Magic.

Child Rory.

Teenage Rory.

Rory attending a Nirvana concert during his army days.

Rory goes onstage to replace a member of Nirvana.

The Llewelyn family reunited once again.

Fashions

Stage Fashion
(model sheet number RT-1)

Swimsuit

Swimsuit (with messy hair/seaweed)

Knight in Shining Armour

Riot as a Prince

Riot as Antony

Arm garter fashion (with Jacket)
(model sheet number RT-3)

Arm garter fashion (without jacket)
(model sheet number RT-3)

Red Military Coat
(model sheet number RT-4)

White shirt

Ancient Greek Charioteer

King Midas

Toga

Black armour

Island Getaway

Gold/Black Tux Riot

Cruise Ship

1920's Tux

Fancy 1920's Tux

Wing walker

Royal Flash

Riot at 18

Army dress uniform

Nirvana Riot (layers)

Nirvana Riot (stripes)

Black Shirt Nirvana

Busking

Orange Stage Fashion

Dishwasher

Backstage

Boot camp tank top

Animation Cels

Perfect Match

Knight

Angel

Concept art

Riot concept art for Hasbro by Judith Nelson.

Dolls

Riot prototype (unreleased).

Riot doll by Integrity Toys.

Rock 'n Roll Royalty Riot by Integrity Toys.

Rock 'n Royalty Riot by Integrity Toys.

Rock 'n Royalty Riot by Integrity Toys.

Trivia

• Riot's original name was going to be "Chaos".
• It was revealed that Riot was a soldier in the U.S. Army, but he soon joined a band called Nirvana.
• In the episode The Stingers Hit Town (Part 1), Riot mentioned he went to high school with Minx in West Germany. However, in Riot's Hope, this was changed to him meeting Minx for the first time at a club while she was performing with Nirvana.
• Riot owns half of Stingers Sound, with the other part belonging to Eric Raymond.
  • However, after this transaction takes place, Raymond is barely seen again in following episodes and it is Riot the one who sits in front of all council boards and taking all the major decisions.
• Riot is musically gifted. He is shown to know how to play the piano, the electric guitar and sing, and it is possible he also knows how to play other instruments not shown in the series as well.
• According to Minx in The Day the Music Died, Riot has excellent forgery skills.
• Riot can speak fluent German, considering the time he spent there.
• According to Minx, Riot's grandfather was a Welsh coal miner. His Welsh last name "Llewelyn", which is taken from llyw meaning "leader" or "lion-like", is proven accurate to his personality. There were also many famous Welsh princes such as Llewelyn the Great, who was a natural-born leader.
• A Riot doll from the original toyline was in development (along with dolls of Minx and Rapture), but it was never released due to the toyline getting canceled.
• Other than Eric, Riot, Minx and Rapture were the only main characters in the series not to be made into dolls.
• In 2013, Integrity Toys created a commemorative doll line which included Riot, Rapture, Minx and other characters that weren't released in the original toyline.
• Riot's look and appearance seem to be based off the common archetype of the glam metal rockstar (such as David Coverdale).
• It is debatable whether Riot truly loves Jem or if he is just infatuated by her, although the latter seems more likely. He seems to primarily admire the fact that Jem comes off as seemingly perfect. Riot expects everything to be perfect and flawless; it is unknown if he would still feel the same way if he knew she was Jerrica (unlike Rio who loves both Jerrica and Jem).
• One reason why Jem may be so captivated by Riot is because he allows her to be comfortable as her alter ego; a stark contrast to Rio, who feels that he has a right to know who she really is, while Riot doesn't put any pressure on her to reveal said secret.
• While Riot and Pizzazz are similar in a sense that both never received the emotional support from their parents and craved universal adoration, they expressed their emotions differently. Pizzazz was brash, loud and openly unpleasant, while Riot was calm, soft-spoken and masked his cruel nature behind a pleasant facade.