Jonah Heston

Jonah J. Heston is the most recent subject of the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" experiment. He was stranded on the Satellite of Love alongside Crow T. Robot, Cambot, Gypsy, and Tom Servo in the service of Kinga Forrester (who, in at least one instance, referred to him as a "big stack of flapjacks"). So far, he has been subjected to twenty experiments, as well as being forced to endure two tours.

Gizmonic Institute

Jonah was employed by the Gizmonic Institute as a Backjack driver and researcher. Gizmonics supervisor Martha Masters spoke with admiration about Jonah, describing him as being "a natural born gizmo-crat" with an independent streak that "could get him into trouble". Her subordinate Drake agreed, adding that he had heard that Jonah "operates outside the system, but he's effective".

Mystery Science Theater 3000

While transporting the largest cache of precious meteors the world had ever known, he was captured by Kinga and her minions, after he responded to a fraudulent distress call intended to lure him into her experiment.

By the time of his first experiment, he was aware of previous Satellite of Love residents Joel Robinson and Mike Nelson and wears a set of three mission patches on his jumpsuit's left shoulder depicting Nelson, Robinson, and himself. Throughout the course of his first series of experiments, Kinga came to the decision that she wished to marry Jonah as a publicity stunt, culminating in their rather elaborate wedding. But Max, jealous of Jonah, unleashed Reptilicus Metallicus, who apparently ate and killed Jonah.

Jonah had survived, however, and Kinga decided to subject him to "The Gauntlet", six experiments in rapid succession. She also required him to modify the unit in Moon 13 she was using to store the Kingachrome recordings of the experiments. Under cover of this project, Jonah and the Bots managed to build a replica of the Mystery Science Theater where he was able to trap Kinga and Max, leaving them there as he was forced to embark on a tour.

When last seen, Jonah was quarantining in Los Angeles.

Skills and Personality

Jonah is shown to be a competent inventor and builder. His Backjack is powered by a percussion drive engine of his own design. He also did modifications to both Gypsy and Tom Servo and built two new robots, M. Waverly and Growler.

Jonah is generally good-natured and amiable. His relationship with the bots resembles that of an uncle or step-dad. He is shown as hostile to marrying Kinga, but is willing to give their relationship a chance. When leaving Moon 13 to go on his second tour, he meets Dr. Donna St. Phibes, and they appear to be attracted to each other, even to the point that Jonah sends her a shout out while broadcasting from quarantine.

Appearances

Behind the Scenes

The name "Jonah Heston" is in keeping with the MST3K tradition of giving the human subject of the experiment the same first name as the actor portraying them, while the last name "Heston" would seem to be inspired by the famous actor Charlton Heston, who starred in several popular science-fiction/adventure films including the original Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, and The Omega Man - all of which influenced the creation of MST3K.

Jonah can be seen knitting a red space suit in nearly every episode of Season 11. During the end credits sequence of the finale, a small figure in a red spacesuit can be seen walking along the Satellite of Love's exterior. Presumably it was Jonah.

The attraction between Jonah and Dr. Donna St. Phibes is a reflection of the fact that St. Phibes is played by Deanna Rooney, Jonah Ray's real-life wife.