Originally shown in the UK from September 1967, 'Captain Scarlet & the Mysterons' was Gerry Anderson's follow-up to 'Thunderbirds'. The show follows a group of specialists who save the earth each week from the evil, invisible Mysterons who take over people and objects for their own ends. It featured female fighter pilots (the Angels) and Anderson's first black character. Anderson always felt that each of his shows should be unique, and wanted to make a more serious, lifelike adventure series. Although it was filmed in 'Supermarionation', the puppets' proportions were kept close to those of real people. While they look much more realistic than Thunderbirds, it made them much more difficult to manipulate convincingly. The dialogue for each show would be recorded in advance, and the puppets' mouths were moved using an electromagnet to produce convincing lip-synch. Two versions of sets were built - one at one third scale for the models, and full scale versions if any 'hand work' was needed.

This toy comes from a group of 3000 toys that was auctioned on 8 and 9 September 2002 by Goodman's at Double Bay. The toys, nearly all officially licensed merchandise from television productions, films and comic books, were accumulated in Australia by Barry Woodley since his youth. Most have their original packaging and have never been opened.

This toy is suitable for inclusion in the proposed exhibition about television in Australians' lives. In this context it can be used to illustrate themes relating to 'Children, television and the family' and merchandising.