#3 DEC 10, 2017 · 8 yr ago
The last three episodes of the series. No "big finale" for this, which is kind of a shame, but these episodes are still good. It left the door open for more adventures.
Honor Among Thieves
Ectar and Reekon's pasts are explored nicely here. The cop and the thief, who have an immense respect for each other. This is something rare in cartoons even today, two characters on opposite sides with that much respect for each other on a personal level. The only comparable one I can think of is in GI Joe, between Spirit and Storm Shadow. They realise that they each give purpose to the other's existence, and that they'd miss each other if they weren't around. Ectar's flashback narrative at the start is very Humphrey Bogart-esque.
The sequence with the Meteus Trompete plants is fun, especially Virulina's line, "dump the condiments! If we're to be eaten we don't need to taste good!" Darkstorm uses his power of decay here more effectively than on any other occasion in the series, I think he actually kills those plants.
On the minus side, Leoric really should have held his tongue at the start of the episode when he tells Darkstorm about the Crystal of Detection. He's freely giving Darkstorm the information he needs in order to work out a plan! But that's the only real issue I have. It's otherwise a very well constructed episode.
While there's no specific continuity details with this one, it sort of goes nicely right after The Trail Of Three Wizards because of the way that ends with the Spectral Knights at Iron Mountain, the same place this one starts. You could argue that it is following on immediately with zero time lag, and that Merklynn has found some other means of rewarding them for recapturing the wizards.
Sorcery Squared
This is one of the more interesting episodes in terms of exploring the magic that the characters have at their disposal, while Lion Hunt had Leoric trapped in his animal form, this deals with the question of what if one character got another's totem? In this case, he inherits a bit of that character's personality as well. This is signified by having his chestplate alternate between bear and phylot, showing which side of him is winning at any given time.
Douglas Booth's episodes probably have the least to do with the rest of the series from a continuity perspective, but explore some good ideas. Actually, I rather suspect that both Douglas Booth and Buzz Dixon were told after they submitted their first scripts - The Price Of Freedom and Feryl Steps Out respectively - to explore the magical side of things more. Those two episodes are probably the most straight-out goodies v baddies episodes of the series, with little use of magic other than combat. But I digress.
As well as exploring similar magical concepts to Lion Hunt, it has social themes related to Feryl Steps Out. In that episode, Feryl feels useless, in this episode, Cryotek feels loneliness in a crowded room. I can really identify with Cryotek here. I'm not good in large crowded functions. If people keep talking about subjects that I have no input into, I switch off and want to be somewhere else, where I can at least do something useful.
Another similarity with Feryl Steps Out is that these are the only two episodes to feature one character using another's staff. In that episode, Darkstorm called upon Leoric's power of wisdom, in this episode, Cryotek makes multiple uses of both Witterquick's power of light speed and Cindarr's power of destruction.
Great stuff!
Dawn Of The Sun Imps
Probably the silliest episode of the series, but if you can tolerate the Sun Imps themselves, it's not too bad. This episode is to Visionaries what "Krem-Zeek" was to Transformers. I don't really like the Sun Imps, and hated this episode the first time I saw it, but it's grown on me, and while it's not a favourite, the plot holds more water than both Feryl Steps Out and The Trail Of Three Wizards.
This episode makes a specific reference to the first age of magic. Also, use of Lexor and Cindarr as a comedy double act is again effective. They needed a way to get the tomb opened at a certain time (i.e. when the characters were all there so they knew who the Sun Imps were), but how? Natural curiosity? An accident? Why not both! Lexor tricks Cindarr into activating his staff, and voila!
The Sun Imps have quite a useful variety of powers too - Abraxas, the leader/magician of the bunch, can control magic, Knightmare can hypnotise or just put people to sleep, those are the two most dangerous, and could have made great serious villains. Growl aka Fangar can control cats, and Unctuous aka Mysto can control fish, while Gorge/Glutton can control pigs and turn ground to mush, all sort of similar powers really. Almost a surprise there wasn't one who could control birds. And why these characters have multiple names I don't know. I'm wondering if the creator of the main Visionaries fan site of 15-20yrs ago just made up names for them? In any case, I missed out Shaggy, probably the most comical of the six. He can control hair . . . no comment.
One thing I do really like about this episode is the way it refers back to a lot of other episodes, technically all of Flint Dille's. It mentions the Botanical Garden Committee who were the comical complainers in Honor Among Thieves above, then the zoning issue about the barracks from The Overthrow Of Merklynn, and finally the farmers using the magical seeds in Quest For The Dragon's Eye.
And a nice little ending too, when both sides feel they've had enough magic for the time being, and part on peaceful terms. Obviously it wouldn't have lasted. And then Shaggy, who had escaped, pops back into the tomb to free his friends, but Merklynn had noticed him, and seals him in. The fact that the Sun Imps were going to be included in the second wave toyline suggests they would have been back again if the show had been renewed for a second season. For this reason I am relieved it only had the one!
Overall, a great show. If you haven't seen it before, do yourself a favour and watch it. You won't be disappointed! If you have seen it before, look it up and relive this classic. Again, you won't be disappointed! This is one of the best shows from the 80s, one of the best shows to only run 13 episodes, and just one of the best full stop.
