Tyler Steele is Ryan Steele's father. In the middle of season one, in the four-part "Defending Dark Heart" series, it was revealed that Grimlord's warrior Dark Heart is actually Tyler himself, after being captured and brainwashed. When Ryan brought Dark Heart to the lab in part 2, the Troopers decided to transfer memories (mostly of Ryan's childhood and the VR Trooper project with the Professor) from the lab's computer and their VR Visors to Dark Heart to get him to remember. The transfer was successful and Dark Heart had become Tyler Steele in mind, but not yet body. But even after that, Dark Heart decided to return to Grimlord's dungeon. In part 3, after attacking the lab, Grimlord sent Ryan an invitation to rescue his father without the aide of his two fellow Troopers, and Ryan accepted