 The show 's premise is that Dr. Quest , a famous phenomenologist , investigates mysterious occurrences and exotic locales with his son , Jonny Quest , adopted son Hadji Singh , bodyguard Race Bannon , Race 's daughter Jessie , and pet bulldog Bandit . Real Adventures is set a few years after the classic series , making Jonny and his friends teenagers . Lawrence aimed to use " existing , real phenomenon " — such as the " Airstrips of Nazca , the Ruins of Teotihuacan or the possible existence of Giant Squid " — to capture audiences ' curiosity . Stressing plausibility , he suggested writers cover real @-@ world enigmas , cryptozoology , unique locales , an alien posing as the vice president , and fictional but " believable " mysteries . The Quests would frequently visit the virtual environment of QuestWorld , and encounter the villainous Jeremiah Surd and Ezekiel Rage . Paralyzed years prior by Race 's SWAT team , Surd would try to exact revenge through technology ; Rage — a former government agent left for dead on a botched mission — would try to destroy the world with nuclear terrorism . 
