I was thinking to was definitely ‘The Price of Freedom’ because I was remembering after I posted that that it was Witterquick who was with Arzon in ‘Horn of Unicorn…’.
I just found some Visionaries episodes online on Dailymotion and some other sites so I am going to try and download them to watch later.
Cool!
In case you need it, continuity order for Visionaries:
- The Age Of Magic Begins
- The Dark Hand Of Treachery
- Quest For The Dragon’s Eye
- The Price Of Freedom
- Feryl Steps Out
- The Power Of The Wise
- Lion Hunt
- Horn Of Unicorn, Claw Of Dragon
- The Overthrow Of Merklynn
- The Trail Of Three Wizards
- Honor Among Thieves
- Sorcery Squared
- Dawn Of The Sun Imps
Yes, it is indeed Witterquick and Arzon in “Horn Of Unicorn, Claw Of Dragon” - the high point of the series for me, presenting a traditional cartoon moral dilemma better than any other show ever did. It makes it a real dilemma, and you can understand both sides. Very mature writing. Yes, of course the episode had to be resolved the way it was for the younger audience, but it doesn’t take anything away from it. Indeed, it does add a bit extra spice to the return to Iron Mountain!
Feryl is also with Arzon at the start of “Dawn Of The Sun Imps”, but it’s just the opening scene where they discover the tomb.
That’s awesome, thank you.
HOU, COD was one of the few episodes I had growing up but even when I had the full series it was one of my favourites also. I really liked Cindar in that episode.
One of the reasons I have started liking Avatar: The Last Airbender so much is because even though it is pretty much a recent kids show (2005-2008) it has very mature writing, great stories and very likable and interesting characters. Over the three seasons you really can see the characters change and mature.
You’re welcome. It wasn’t too difficult to fit 13 episodes into a continuity order. The first three are a 3-parter anyway, the next three are pretty much stand-alone episodes, they could go in any order. I prefer this order because the Khemirites would appear to have been standing around like that ever since the Age Of Science ended, so better they are encountered first thing after the opener. Then FSO and TPOTW explore the relationship between Leoric and Feryl, and this way round is better, as Feryl is much more confident in the latter (indeed, TPOTW is Feryl’s finest hour). HOUCOD refers back to Lion Hunt, at the start of which the Darkling Lords’ staffs are uncharged, and has to come right after, as apart from TTOTW (which follows on immediately from TOOM), there’s no later episode in which none of the Darkling Lords use their staffs. In TOOM, it’s clear Lexor has learned to swim after HOUCOD, and TTOTW is the direct follow-on. The rest are pretty stand-alone, but HAT starts with the Spectral Knights at Iron Mountain, where they also were at the end of TTOTW so you could say no time has elapsed still. And DOTSI is of course the finale.
HOU, COD was one of the few episodes I had growing up but even when I had the full series it was one of my favourites also. I really liked Cindar in that episode.
When he explains to the Wood Nymphs why they are there, it brings a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.
It really is written and plotted down to perfection to get every last drop of drama out of it.
First, and most significantly, both teams are made up of one knight who isn’t willing to kill to achieve their goal, and one who will do whatever it takes for survival, thus exploring the ethical dilemma - if the slaying of two animals saves fourteen or more lives (or at least nineteen that we know of if wizards & witches are also susceptible to this plague), does that make it acceptable? There’s no easy answer this way - unlike, and infinitely better than, the usual take on this story where it’s usually a question of taking one life to save another one (I remember a He-Man episode like that, and also “To Save A Squire” from King Arthur And The Knights Of Justice).
If the teams had been the other way around, the Spectral Knights would have explained their position to the Wood Nymphs right away and been given the horn; while Cindarr’s staff would have made short work of the dragon.
Also, when Witterquick and Arzon are fighting the dragon, Arzon’s capture forces Witterquick to use his staff to rescue him, so that option isn’t available to them later to get the claw back to Iron Mountain . . . perfectly crafted.
Yes, each team has a knight willing to kill but for different circumstances.
Lexor is a coward but the Unicorn is a weak animal so he has no problem in killing it. This is not out of concern for his comrades this just his cowardice thinking of saving himself.
Witterquick on the other hand as you say has a somewhat military background so his justification of killing the dragon is that not only is it a dangerous animal that tried to kill them but taking one life to save many.
If I remember right don’t they make a glider and crash in through Merklyn’s window.
The He-man episode you are referring to is ‘The Dragon’s Gift’. Very good episode and one of my favourites of the series.
Pretty much. Witterquick’s military background is my own creation, his origins are not revealed formally in the series. But yeah, his reasoning is “it’s us or him!”
Lexor’s cowardice and willingness to kill the unicorn isn’t quite as excusable, as you say, it’s just his desire to save his own skin. Compared with Witterquick’s response to Arzon’s comment about dragons being proud and wonderful creatures, “tell that to some peasant who’s just had his village torched!”
Yeah, I can pretty much quote the entire show verbatim! Some episodes I can quote completely verbatim from memory; a while back I transcribed the entire series, all 13 scripts. Even when the DVD was released with the bonus feature of all 13 original scripts, most of them were dialogue+sound f/x only. (The two exceptions were “The Price Of Freedom” and “Feryl Steps Out”.)
If I remember right don’t they make a glider and crash in through Merklyn’s window.
For once, you’re wrong! You’re getting mixed up with the very first episode, where Mortdredd, who has been spying on Leoric, crashes his hang-glider through Darkstorm’s window.
Witterquick and Arzon get back to Iron Mountain on the back of the dragon, Grexgamar.
The He-man episode you are referring to is ‘The Dragon’s Gift’. Very good episode and one of my favourites of the series.
It’s on the tape a friend of mine made for me about 4yrs ago. I saw the tape through once, the show didn’t grab me.
Well I remember they got back flying LOL.
MOTU was okay. But it is one of the 80’s cartoons that doesn’t hold up to well compared to others. The episodes are not exactly action packed mainly due to Filmation’s animation budget. I only ever seen a handful of episodes when I was a child and those are really the only ones I care about. It is not on the same level as Thundercats and a lot of other 80’s cartoons. Bravestarr was a much better cartoon as the budget was bigger so there wasn’t as much re-use of cells compared to MOTU. Bravestarr was the last cartoon Filmation produced.
Indeed. When Arzon says, “well, we still have one option” - and the camera pans up to the dragon, and you know what that option is.
MOTU was okay. But it is one of the 80’s cartoons that doesn’t hold up to well compared to others. The episodes are not exactly action packed mainly due to Filmation’s animation budget. I only ever seen a handful of episodes when I was a child and those are really the only ones I care about. It is not on the same level as Thundercats and a lot of other 80’s cartoons. Bravestarr was a much better cartoon as the budget was bigger so there wasn’t as much re-use of cells compared to MOTU. Bravestarr was the last cartoon Filmation produced.
I saw quite a few episodes as a kid on ITV, but it never captured my affections the way Thundercats or DotE or Visionaries did. I agree, Bravestarr was better, I find that more watchable, but it still has iffy moments, the patronising moral at the end where the characters talk directly to you and so forth. But there are some good episodes.
You can always tell a Filmation cartoon - the animated Star Trek, the original Fantastic Four, and so on. Their look is so distinctive (and rather primitive at times).
Yes the same goes for some of their other cartoons like Shazam, Freedom Force and Blackstar.
I was never a fan of She-Ra, although I seen a couple episodes that were okay.
I only ever seen He-man on ITV a handful of times. Although most of those times I recorded it so that is all I had to go on until finding the odd VHS tape. I liked the toys of He-man when I was young even though I didn’t see that much of the cartoon. But the toys were also not very good when compared to Thundercats and some other lines.
Filmation pretty much blew their budget making Bravestarr a good cartoon but Mattel rushed the toys they had produced out before the cartoon aired in time for Christmas. But the toys didn’t sell because they hadn’t seen the cartoon.
Filmation also did a Ghostbusters series.
I may have had one random figure myself, but I do remember other people having the toys, and didn’t think they were that secure.
Filmation pretty much blew their budget making Bravestarr a good cartoon but Mattel rushed the toys they had produced out before the cartoon aired in time for Christmas. But the toys didn’t sell because they hadn’t seen the cartoon.
Ouch.
Filmation also did a Ghostbusters series.
I actually knew that - and it had nothing at all to do with the characters we all know and love! I saw one episode of this, before I ever saw the proper one. And, like Spiral Zone, it was on holiday in Spain! Consequently, some time after getting back from Spain, and seeing that Ghostbusters was on ITV that afternoon, a monday as I recall, I was a bit thrown when I saw it was a completely different show!
Well the thing about Filmation’s Ghostbusters is that it is based on the live-action TV series ‘The Ghost Busters’ from 1975.
But it made it’s debut in 86 just before the Ghostbusters cartoon based on the characters in the film the same year so distinguish between them the later series was known as ‘The Real Ghostbusters’.
The He-Man figures were notorious for the rubber band breaking that held the legs together. Of all my He-man figures only two broke and oddly enough it was my two favourites, He-Man and Spikor. The only way to fix them was to glue there legs back on permanently so they couldn’t move at all.
It’s a real shame about the Bravestarr toys because they were great and each figure was 8" with a battle action and lots of articulation for the time; 13 and 5 of those were wall joints and 2 others were swivel ball hinges. The second series would have included the female character JB and a couple others from the series. I remember in 2003 one day in College passing the time I looked up Bravestarr and I was stunned when I seen the second series prototypes.
I think I heard about that myself. And let’s face it, “The Real Ghostbusters” IS the real Ghostbusters.
The He-Man figures were notorious for the rubber band breaking that held the legs together. Of all my He-man figures only two broke and oddly enough it was my two favourites, He-Man and Spikor. The only way to fix them was to glue there legs back on permanently so they couldn’t move at all.
That happened with my Witterquick. I got a replacement a few months down the line, but a few years later, mum stepped on it. How unlucky can you get?
It’s a real shame about the Bravestarr toys because they were great and each figure was 8" with a battle action and lots of articulation for the time; 13 and 5 of those were wall joints and 2 others were swivel ball hinges. The second series would have included the female character JB and a couple others from the series. I remember in 2003 one day in College passing the time I looked up Bravestarr and I was stunned when I seen the second series prototypes.
Interesting, so Bravestarr can be grouped with Spiral Zone in its female figure intentions (female goodie would have been released if the show had continued but didn’t get the chance). Was Vipra released as a figure, like Duchess Dire?
I don’t recall any of my Visionaries figures breaking, which is odd because aside from being bigger, their body design is the same as G.I. Joes and they broke very easily. The thumbs and the crotch pieces especially.
No they never made Vipra in the Bravestarr line. It was a pretty small toyline.
Bravestarr (also sold with laser back pack)
Tex Hex (also sold with laser back pack)
Fuzz with vehicle
Scuzz with vehicle
Thunderstick
Handlebar
Sandstorm
Thirty/Thirty (transforming horse)
Col. Borobot (transforming vehicle)
Skull Walker
Stratocoach
Fort Kerium Playset (also sold as three separate pieces)
Laser Fire Back Pack (good and evil versions)
Neutralazer (child’s gun that interacts with back packs and figures) (good and evil versions available)
The second series would have seen Long Arm John, Judge J.B. and Dingo Dan along with the Bronco Tank and a small flying vehicle.
The ones I had, Cryotek’s thumb broke, and one crotch, I think it was Feryl’s. Arzon’s chestplate got a bit loose, and Cindarr’s helmet broke slightly. And the end off Leoric’s whip.
No they never made Vipra in the Bravestarr line. It was a pretty small toyline.
Bravestarr (also sold with laser back pack)
Tex Hex (also sold with laser back pack)
Fuzz with vehicle
Scuzz with vehicle
Thunderstick
Handlebar
Sandstorm
Thirty/Thirty (transforming horse)
Col. Borobot (transforming vehicle)
Skull Walker
Stratocoach
Fort Kerium Playset (also sold as three separate pieces)
Laser Fire Back Pack (good and evil versions)
Neutralazer (child’s gun that interacts with back packs and figures) (good and evil versions available)
The second series would have seen Long Arm John, Judge J.B. and Dingo Dan along with the Bronco Tank and a small flying vehicle.
“Small flying vehicle” - would that be the Turbomule? It would make sense.
Never heard of Colonel Borobot.
Of course the other thing about Bravestarr is again the pedigree of the voice cast. Pat Fraley, I’ve mentioned before was also Krang in TMHT, Alan Oppenheimer was also Merlin in Prince Valiant, along with a vast range of He-Man characters, and Su Blu was also Galadria in Visionaries (and Arcee in Transformers).
The Turbomule came packaged as part of the Stratocoach. It disconnect from the front so a figure could rid it by itself.
http://www.toyzmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/toy-bravestarr6-600x837.jpg
Ah. I see. I only have about a third of Bravestarr on tape and the origins movie, “The Legend”. I haven’t seen any in a few years. It was all copied for me by a friend I’ve lost touch with; he did Bravestarr for me, as well as Count Duckula, The Animals Of Farthing Wood, The Mysterious Cities Of Gold and of course Knightmare. In return, I did DotE for him, as well as Visionaries, animated Star Trek, Pole Position and King Arthur And The Knights Of Justice.
In both directions, the results were mixed!
I recall watch ‘animals of Farthing Wood’ around the same time as Prince Valliant or maybe a year or two after it.
I only ever seen a bit of one or two episodes when I was really young. The theme tune was pretty cool.
Prince Valiant began in 1991, Farthing Wood was 1993 I think. I know I was watching the latter in secondary school, and I’m pretty sure I remember the very last episode was on when I was in my third year there (1995-6).
Farthing Wood had a lovely theme tune, indeed. It bears a very slight resemblance to Paul McCartney’s “Pipes Of Peace” (at times more than slight).
Prince Valiant had a damn good theme song. The last piece I wrote for the Knightmare fanzine the Eye Shield (I may have mentioned this before) was all about theme tunes, and I remember being strict on what I was including - mainly to make it easier to compile an effective top ten! I looked only at cartoons, and only at actual songs, with actual words. So Knightmare was out on two counts, The Animals Of Farthing Wood was out because it was instrumental, and so on. Actually, apart from the top two, everything there was from the 1980s - maybe I should have gone that one degree more strict! But then I’d have lost the two best theme songs, those to Prince Valiant and King Arthur And The Knights Of Justice, two very different takes on the Arthurian legend! Obviously Prince Valiant was by far the better show, but I defy anyone to listen to the theme song of Knights Of Justice and not think, “yeah!”
I was meaning Mysterious Cities of Gold. I only slightly remember Farthing Woods theme, it was a really good show though.
I remember in secondary school really liking the repeats of the older cartoons that used to be on in the morning.
I remember over the summer holidays of 2000 BBC were showing Moomin a lot, I enjoyed watching it LOL.
Being in Northern Ireland we got TV stations from the south like RTE 2 and TV3 and they showed repeats of older cartoons in the morning and evenings along with newer shows. TV3 showed Transformers Generation 2 every Saturday morning until mid 2001. RTE 2 showing TMNT, farthing Wood until around 2000. Even in 2005 they were showing He-Man, She-Ra and Bravestarr in the mornings.
Ah, Mysterious Cities Of Gold - yes, that’s a good one. That was in my top ten, at no6 it was the highest placed non-American theme. I saw that back in the 1980s, but never the whole lot, until my friend sent me those DVDs. That was quite an eye-opener, there were fragments that I recognised from the beginning and the middle, but the later episodes meant nothing to me.
I know Thundercats and DotE got repeated some way into the 1990s, which doubtless helped maintain their place in my affections. I didn’t keep up with Bravestarr so much, and it has its moments, but never grabbed me. I’d probably have liked it better if it hadn’t been made by Filmation.
In the summer of 2000, I can safely say CBBC was the last thing on my mind, what with A-level results and preparing for University!