It does tie in with the whole theme of the show the way it's evolved. It started out as a parody of Jonny Quest, and now it's become this meditation on failure.
Jackson Publick: I probably wouldn't have put it into those words or thought about it philosophically, but I guess it always was. The main character for me has always been Dr. Venture, and his story is one of a failed boy adventurer. Plus, I was always interested in the rust that's accumulated on the Space Age.