Episode 6: Andorus
Original Airdate: October 12, 1991
Written By: Kristina Luckey & Laren Bright and Peter
Lawrence
Directed By: Don Lusk and Paul Sommer (Supervising Direction
by Ray Patterson)
The first of the shows to officially be called “Pirates of
Dark Water” begins with foreshadowing the plot with the weight of a wrecking
ball. So much is telegraphed to the viewer in the opener that very little is a
surprise when it finally appears. In any event, the Wraith is anchored in a
small island cove for repairs and resupply, with Niddler flying overhead,
carrying a sack of soil for Tula. Some of the soil spills onto the freshly
swabbed deck, irritating Ioz, who doesn’t see the need to pot plants on the
ship. While Tula explains that fresh herbs are nothing to complain about, her
hand starts to glow with a mysterious energy. Teron interrupts with interest,
which Tula brushes off so she can change her dirty clothes. As she leaves,
Teron watches a seedling grow quickly in one of the pots, surrounded by the same
energy that was around Tula’s hand.
Konk and two other dagron riders sit nearby, watching from
cover. Konk chooses to move off and plan an attack on the Wraith, while the
viewer is left wondering when and how he got to be where he is.
Ren is prepping to leave the cove until Tula comes from
below decks dressed in silks. The boys all gape at her as she explains her
change in wardrobe. Niddler distracts everyone with some comic antics, drawing
Tula away from the men. Ioz and Ren remark to each other how different Tula
seems of late and we the viewer (and this re-watcher) feel that plot hammer
strike hard.
Niddler and Tula gather fresh water from the island. While
doing so, Tula’s hand starts glowing again, as she fills a skin. The fish in
the stream surround her hand, drawing comments from Niddler. Tula is slightly
shocked at what’s happening, more so when Teron appears to tell her she has the
elemental fire of an ecomancer within her. Tula rejects this so-called “power
to control nature”, having been trained a warrior.
Konk and his men, repositioned, spy on them. Konk would love
to return Teron to Bloth, but his dagrons make enough noise to alert Tula.
Niddler flies off with Teron with Konk following. The two other pirates charge
Tula, who dismounts them quickly. She issues commands with her newfound
ecomantic energy to the dagrons, and is amazed they listen to her.
As Konk chases Niddler and Teron, they are spied
simultaneously by Bloth, on the rapidly approaching Maelstrom, and Ioz, on the
apparently departed Wraith. Why the Wraith would set sail without three of
their shipmates isn’t explained, but hey – who’s complaining? Tula arrives
riding a dagron and bathed in her energy, surprising everyone. Ren and Bloth
expound heavily how much Tula has changed (in the last five minutes of the
show), where the plot hammer crashes down again, practically audible.
The air battle continues, showcasing all sorts of new
abilities for Tula. After Konk’s defeat, Teron talks Tula and Niddler into
flying to the nearby island of Andorus, a grey wasteland that Tula doesn’t even
recognize as her home. Teron expounds on what was of Andorus, depressing Tula
as she’s reminded of the reason of her mission to return the ecomancer to the
island. Niddler is sent away so Teron can bring Tula to the Vivitree, a mighty
plant that only supreme ecomancers are allowed to touch and use. Teron believes
the two of them may be able to use it to revive Andorus, so they enter it,
drawing upon their powers. Doing so, energy flows forth, making portions of the
island green and living again, reviving the grey, dead areas.
Ioz and Ren finally arrive, commenting on the desiccation of
the island, only to be trumped by Niddler dumping an armload of melons on to
deck. Ren is confused as the compass starts to glow, though it doesn’t point to
any specific direction. At that point, Konk is fished out of the drink by Bloth
and subsequently sent back to search for Teron.
Ren is in disbelief as Niddler tells him of Tula becoming an
ecomancer. Ioz is awed by the powerful forces at work. Niddler continues to eat
as they all head inland. At the Vivitree, Teron continues to instruct Tula
until she comes in contact with an evil presence that draws the life energy
from her. She topples out of the Vivitree and into Ren’s arms, aged beyond her
years. Teron explains she’s been attacked by the Blight, an old enemy of the
ecomancers, long thought destroyed. He revives and re-energizes Tula, extrapolating
that the Dark Water may have restored the Blight. He then surprised everyone
with the fact that he was one of Primus’ captains, hiding the Third Treasure of
Rule underneath Andorus. (Plot hammer… SMASH!) The compass isn’t pointing in
any particular direction because the treasure has a protection spell on it,
allowing only those with the blood of Primus to see and locate it when alone.
Ren descends by himself into the underground caverns of Andorus to find the
treasure, Teron and Tula return to the Vivitree to give mystic aid and above,
Konk views the whole thing from his dagron.
Teron calls out to Ren as he discovers much in the way of
death and decay, letting him know the two ecomancers are watching from above.
Ioz and Niddler argue as they wait, helpless. They aren’t out of the action too
long, as Konk arrives with Bloth to attack them.
Just as Ren remarks on Teron’s ability to hide things, he
locates a doorway with a keyhole that fits his broken sword. Behind the door is
the treasure and – SURPRISE! – the Blight. The Blight attacks Ren in the form
of a lizard made of the blackened roots of dead Andorus. It sounds a lot like
every nasty critter ever voiced by Frank Welker, since it is. Ren is having
difficulty and calls Tula for help, since Teron has conveniently passed out.
Tula uses her powers to trap the Blight and return Ren to the surface.
Unfortunatley, he’s deposited right at the feet of Bloth.
Captured and caged, Ioz, Niddler and Ren are interrogated by
Bloth as they hang from a cliff. He wants Teron badly. Ren won’t give up his
location, so Bloth proceeds to cut the rope suspending their cage. Tula
appears, challenging Bloth, who has his men attack her. As she distracts the
pirates, Ren breaks out of the cage. Tula defeats the pirates soundly, showing
off her prowess at swordplay. Soon after, she uses her new powers to drop all
the pirates off the cliff and into the sea, shocking Bloth.
Teron sends the Wraith off with his blessing, as he remains
behind to restore Andorus.
Noy Jitat! Quite
a bit of the language of Mer in this episode, with Noy Jitat spoken most often.
Chongo Longo is spoken for the first time by Ioz, as Niddler drops dirt onto
his clean deck. It’s also used by Konk later, when he mentions Bloth. So, it
can be used as a description or a complaint. Interesting.
Mutant Scum –
While there is little new in ANDORUS, you’ll notice the ‘dagroth’ is now known
as ‘dagron’. This actually started to occur in VICTORY, but I held off on
replacing it until this episode. I’m curious as to what caused the change,
though it could be postulated that it’s just another spelling of dragon. In the
attack on Niddler by Konk, he uses a strange little octopus to grapple the
monkeybird. It isn’t all that odd in appearance compared to earlier (and later)
creatures, though I do believe we get to see it’s like again in future
episodes.
When do we Get to
Eat? Niddler… oh, Niddler. As the first of the episodes after the
initiating story arc, Niddler gets dumbed down to cowardly, cringing, comic
relief. His insatiable hunger is ramped up here, with the first mention of the
minga melon. While his sneakiness and deviancy from the first five episodes
were being replaced by his friendship and devotion to Ren, in this episode he
becomes nearly pathetic, literally wringing his hands in the cage when
captured. He wants to give up Teron to Bloth, which has Ren erupt in anger. A
sad destruction of a character that has really grown. From here on in, Niddler
is akin to Dr. Smith from LOST IN SPACE (the television series, not the film).
It’s all in the Art –
Wow, do we get nothing new here. Andorus and the blight of her nature is
something, but not really all that great. The animation is fair but not great
or noteworthy. What can be seen is Mantus and Joat (more on him later) as two
of the dagron riders with Konk, a mistake made worse when Mantus is seen two
scenes later at the wheel of the Maelstrom. Likely the best thing in the show is the
interesting difference in the two ecomancers as they join with the Vivitree.
Tula has a much more overt and pretty effect to her power compared to Teron’s
attachment to the soil with roots grown out of him. Fun to watch, nevertheless.
ANDORUS is poor in the rewatch, getting two out of five
minga melons from me. While Tula’s added power is nice and interesting, the
jackhammer way it’s pushed upon the viewer is uncomplimentary. As mentioned in the review, it’s all about the
plot, less about development of the story or character. This could have been a
great two-part story, with a bit more on the Blight, more interaction with
Bloth and definitely more reasoning as to why
Tula has these powers. From the standpoint I have now, it seems obvious that
Tula needed something to be more interesting. Though that may be true, it’s
handled far too quickly. Other flaws? Konk is now an idiot, as opposed to a
clever unfortunate. So much of an idiot, he can’t even lead his own captain to
where the Vivitree and Teron are. Bloth also has the Third Treasure after
capturing Ren, never actually relinquishing it when he falls into the water.
Meh, it’s okay, no one will notice. Will things pick up? You bet.
