Pirates of Dark Water Rewatch episode 10: King Niddler

Episode 10: King Niddler

Original Airdate: November 16, 1991

Written By: Glenn Leopold

Directed By: Don Lusk, Paul Sommer (Supervising Direction, Ray Patterson)

Wild, rough seas are causing difficulty with the compass, as it isn’t able to accurately point to the next treasure. Niddler is unhappy, kvetching loudly about the lack of food, ever increasing danger and his perceived poor treatment aboard the Wraith. Once the ship is settled a bit, the compass points into a fog bank, and the ship is steered into it when Konk is spotted chasing them on a dagron. Once in the fog, Tula notices something odd about it, confirmed when ropes begin breaking. It’s stekafog, a nasty occurrence that causes anything within it to dissolve!

The Wraith starts coming apart and things seem extremely dire when the wheel comes off in Ren’s hands. Niddler douses himself with a bucket of water, claiming his feathers are burning and Ioz plunges his sword into the steering axel to regain control of the rudder. Konk falls from his dagron as his harness snaps in the stekafog, freeing the Wraith from pursuit.

With the ship back under control, Ren spots a clearing in the fog and anchors in it. The crew then sees an island hidden behind the fog, where the next treasure is revealed to be. Sailing to it through the remaining stekafog isn’t an option, so they choose to use the sailglider, the part of the ship that incorporates the entirety of the mainsail, released from the jointed moorings. Ioz orders Niddler around a bit more, causing more tension with the monkeybird. Niddler flies after the sailglider, a poorly conceptualized part of the ship that Ioz, Tula and Ren hang from with nothing more than their hands. Considering Ren’s use of a smaller glider in THE BEAST AND THE BELL, this one just doesn’t seem to work and is wholly less believable. Niddler flies off, seeing a minga melon grove, his stomach overpowering the need to gain the next Treasure of Rule.

Konk has made it to the island’s beach and sees Niddler, then Ren and the others. The sailglider crashes into the forest, ropes having been weakened by the stekafog. The crew figures that they’ll have to rebuild, not only for their ship, but to reach the treasure, which is at the peak of the island’s mountain.

Niddler is finally happy, gorging himself on an abundance of minga melons. As he relaxes, contemplating how many he should keep for the others, he is surrounded by the island natives, the Mobo. Even Niddler notices that the Mobo look identical to monkeybirds, though with stunted, tiny wings.  They are annoyed that Niddler has taken the melons without asking and as attempts to fly away, the Mobo ensnare him in nets. The Mobo remark on Niddler’s ability to fly and some are more impressed than others.

Meanwhile, Ioz finishes a new sailglider with Ren as Konk watches from nearby rushes. Tula can’t see where Niddler is from her perch on a tree bough, but she does see the minga grove. As they all prepare to head out on their new glider, Konk makes an attempt to take the compass but is distracted by a peeking Mobo. Ioz discovers Konk, who tries to warn the others about being surrounded, and is ignored. The Mobo blow purple gas from shells onto everyone, sending them all into unconsciousness.

All are awoken in a hut at the Mobo village, informed they will all be brought before the Mobo king. A palanquin is brought to the village center and the crew is requested to kneel before the king. Ioz refuses until threatened and all are amazed to discover Niddler is the king. An elderly Mobo called Grandfather explains to all that Niddler has been expected in foretelling on the Mobo Scrolls, which Ioz scoffs at, not willing to play subject to the monkeybird. Tula decides to do the opposite and asks King Niddler if he’d be so kind as to free his friends. King Niddler complies happily, pleased to be giving orders rather than taking them. Niddler even frees Konk, though the pirate gets to be Niddler’s houseboy, rather than free to roam. The heroes then leave King Niddler to his subjects and continue their search for the treasure, thinking the crown and power may have gone to their friend’s head. At least one of the Mobo is thinking the same, though Grandfather and a female Mobo, Zena, are convinced Niddler is the one to free Mobo Island from the curse of the feryx.

Ren, Ioz and Tula fly their glider towards the top of the mountain, trying to avoid the stekafog that clouds the pinnacle. Stress from maneuvers cause it to come apart, crashing to the forest below. Ioz and Tula are able to make it to an outcrop, but Ren barely manages to catch a jutting rock, hanging precariously. Tula uses her ecomantic powers to grow some roots, allowing Ren to climb back to the others. Even so, the entire outcropping collapses beneath our heroes, leaving them all hanging for dear life.

King Niddler is shaken from his throne to the floor of his hut. Zena tells him that it isn’t an earthquake but the feryx, awakening from its yearly hibernation. The feryx, he is told, is a fearsome creature that preys upon the Mobo and it’s his duty as king to defeat it. Niddler is a bit trepidatious over his needing to defeat a monster, but is willing to go along as it’s still sleeping and is given a magic feather from Grandfather Mobo to touch it with, thereby ridding the island of it.

Flying after eating so many minga melons proves to be difficult for King Niddler. He ascends with much strain on himself. He also notices and avoids the stekafog around the mountain as he complains the entire way. He locates the “smelly cave” he was told to look for and enters, finding the feryx snoozing. Although he does try to get the feather onto the feryx, it wakes and spits smoke at the king of the Mobo, who escapes in abject fear. King Niddler returns to the Mobo village, unwilling to return to fight the feryx and its stekabreath. Called a coward, Niddler chooses to quit being their king and flies off without his crown and without the magical feather. Zena chases after, feather in hand, pleading with him, still believing he’s the Mobo king.

Apparently able to save themselves from falling, the others continue their climb up Mobo Mountain, hampered by the stekafog and disintegrating rocks. Tula uses her powers again, this time creating an updraft of air to blow enough of the stekafog away to allow them to pass. Pleased with the progress, they continue towards their goal.

Niddler takes a breather, allowing Zena to catch up to him and beg again for his help. Niddler finally tells Zena he’s no king, just a monkeybird with a large appetite. She then asks Niddler to fly her to the feryx lair and let her do what he won’t. He continues to refuse as the shadow of the feryx passes them from above, headed to attack the Mobo village. The Mobo have holes dug in the ground as defense from the feryx, diving into them when it comes near. Niddler and Zena see a fellow Mobo helping Grandfather into a hut to flee from the feryx, though the creature blasts the hut with stekabreath, collapsing the roof. Zena rushes to the village with Niddler chasing after, trying to keep her from becoming feryx food. Zena gets to the hut, finding Grandfather unhurt in the wreckage. He is pleased to see Niddler has returned, as no Mobo have been taken this time. While not all are supportive of Niddler, he is once again asked to help the Mobo and defeat the feryx.

During the fracas, Konk finds time to escape, discovering the wreckage of the sailglider. He starts his repairs in the hope of escaping Mobo Island.

Near the mountaintop, Ren’s compass points to a cave and thereby the treasure. Everyone enters the cave, remarking on the smell and sheer amount of bones lying about. Unknowingly, they’ve stumbled on the lair of the feryx and after retrieving the treasure, are just about to leave as it returns from the attack on Mobo Village. The feryx, seen in its entirety for the first time, looks to be a winged meerkat of immense proportions. It quickly sniffs out the hiding intruders, attacking Ioz with stekabreath, destroying his sword. Everyone retreats to the back of the cave, trying to keep from being scratched by the claws of the feryx.

Niddler flies to the top of Mobo Mountain with Zena, who carries the enchanted feather. Niddler continues to claim he won’t enter the cave and they land outside, as the feryx continues to assail the others within. Ren tells Ioz and Tula to get ready to run while he distracts the monster. Outside, Zena enters the cave bravely, armed with the feather. The feryx smells her and turns, knocking her to the floor and blowing the feather from her hand. Ren then leaps to the back of the feryx, though he’s tossed off too quickly to allow the others to escape. Ioz and Tula pick up bones to defend Ren, though they don’t last long against stekabreath. Niddler moves into the cave to drop a rock on the tail of the feryx after it picks up Ren, Tula and Ioz in its claws. A ticked off feryx drops the crew to chase after Niddler, blowing the magic feather from the cave. Zena calls to Niddler to catch it as drafts blow it about. Just as he does grab it, a happy feryx nabs Niddler, getting ready to eat him alive. Niddler touches the feather to the feryx, watching the monster turn into a tiny weasel. Mighty magic, indeed. Zena hugs her king, as the treasure in Ren’s hand begins glowing brightly.  Konk suddenly swoops in on the glider, snatching it from Ren and flying off. The treasure continues to glow brighter, dissolving the stekafog from the mountain and surroundings. The gem blinds Konk, who drops it and falls from the glider. Niddler catches the gem and carries Ren to the glider, saving both from being lost. Konk falls to the water, unfazed.

Returned to the Mobo village, Niddler is asked to take back the crown. He refuses, placing it on the head of Zena, pronouncing her Queen of the Mobo. This is heartily accepted. With a hug of congratulations from Tula, her ecomantic glow surrounds them both, causing Zena’s wings to grow out and flourish. Shortly after, all the other Mobo have their wings returned to them, which causes Tula to extrapolate that the stekafog blocked their growth and her powers gave them the kickstart they needed. Everyone’s happy and all fly back to the Wraith, treasure number six in hand.

Noy Jitat! Nothing new again this week, with the lone exception of Konk using the ‘creld-eater’ epitaph. It’s likely I’ve mentioned this insult before, but I don’t recall and it stands out as a deep insult in a rather insult-less episode.

Mutant Scum – The most notable critters of KING NIDDLER are the Mobo, the flightless version of monkeybirds. While it isn’t a shock they regain their wings by the end of the story, it can be said it is interesting to see how differently they developed from the monkeybirds seen on Pandawa in BREAK UP. While it’s obvious that much of their existence is shaped by the feryx, the second creature of interest for this topic, it isn’t discussed how they got to the island, whether or not they were there before the feryx, or even if they know that they had wings at any point beforehand. Considering that the feryx was placed on Mobo Island to guard the Sixth Treasure of Rule and the treasure itself could destroy the stekafog, it begs the question of who placed the critter there to begin with. As it had such a negative impact on the Mobo themselves, you would have to think that it wasn’t Primus or any of his captains this time.

When Do We Get to Eat? As a Niddler-centric episode, those that despise his character likely hated this one. As a Niddler fan, I did not. While he is used to drive a message/plot that, like most of them, is lost (pleasantly so) in the greater story. Niddler’s desire for food pushes his personality, for better or worse. Here it not only acknowledges the weakness of his character, it’s a plot element for Niddler himself to realize his own fundamental drawbacks. Even though he whines and moans a ton in King Niddler, he still ends up being the hero, continuing with the quest after crowning a queen.

KING NIDDLER, while silly at parts and burdened by another unwanted, unneeded message, is a solid PoDW episode. It allows for the writer to poke fun at the show (note Ioz’s bitching: “For once, couldn’t they hide it [the treasure] at the bottom of the mountain?”) and give the viewer a hefty amount of banter amongst the main characters. The lack of Bloth and the Maelstrom is only evident here with Konk as the foil for the story. Honestly, he really isn’t needed and could have been left out as he doesn’t advance the story at all. With something more to do, it could have been interesting, as he’s fun to watch fail, or succeed, at times.

I give episode 10 three minga melons on a scale of five. It’s a solid plot with decent roles for most involved, as well as another treasure located. Success looms… or does it?

As we are ten episodes into a 21 episode run, we’re nearly at halfway. I want you all to check out the Warner Archives page, if you haven’t. http://shop.warnerarchive.com/product/pirates+of+dark+water

Pirates of Dark Water Rewatch: PANACEA

Episode 9: Panacea

Original Airdate: Nov 9, 1991

Written By: Sean Roche

Directed By: Don Lusk, Paul Sommer (Supervising Director, Ray Patterson)

The Maelstrom is chasing the Wraith through a narrows. Ren believes the compass is pointing to a place called Miragon, the likely location of the next treasure. The narrows ahead is blocked and it looks as though the only way out is gliding the ship over the blockage, until a “blast hole” is spotted. This is a tunnel worked through a side of the narrows at the water level. Air rushes through it and it’s a known speedway for the sailors of Mer. The Wraith is a tight fit but she sails quickly through the tunnel until the Maelstrom settles directly in front of the entrance, killing the air flow and becalming the Wraith. Once stopped, ropes drop down from above the passage as Bloth’s pirates begin boarding.

Ren and the others abandon the Wraith, using the ropes dropped down by Bloth’s men. They move into caverns above the blast tunnel and escape the assault. Bloth and his boarders take the Wraith and sail on to Miragon, hoping to head off Ren and the others.

Chopping through the jungle, Ioz discovers the city of Miragon, confirmed by the compass pointing directly to it. As he and the others approach, an ominous rumbling noise attracts their attention. A large, burrowing creature pops out of the soil and attacks Tula! Its’ fearsome, crab/worm/beetle appearance does little to delay Ioz and Ren from attacking the creature in Tula’s defense, hanging off the protuberant tusks. The creature is able to eject the tusks with both Ioz and Ren, growing replacements in seconds. The creature growls a bit more, then burrows back towards a mound outside the city, where the compass points to the next Treasure of Rule.

As the crew catches their breath, a man appears through the reeds and a metal bird comes screeching down to perch in a tree. Slaggon introduces himself and his pet Hawk Knife, interested in who has been bothering the Golquin, the worm/beetle creature.

At Slaggon’s lair, the crew discovers he is a biotransmuter, with a zoo of creatures he’s created. He claims that he fixes dying or wounded animals and beings of Mer by making improvements on them. He does admit that the Golquin is not one of his creations and he has no control over it. He explains that the only way to get rid of the Golquin is to feed it a loack flower, reportedly a plant with great healing ability – except to the Golquin. Of course, the loack flower is deep in the swamp; certain death without a guide. Ioz sees directly through the scheme of Slaggon as the crew is extorted for money. Ioz isn’t willing to part with any money, even though Ren pushes to accept the charge. Ah, Ren. So willing to be the pleasant mediator, right on down to paying out large amounts of coin even after being so low on it just last episode. (See THE BEAST AND THE BELL rewatch intro for a quick reminder.)

Slaggon offers a “bioguide” for the crew to locate the loack flower. “Woulette” is half fish, half lemur-like critter kept in a fishbowl on a staff of crystal. Woulette is kept in suspended animation until someone takes the staff by hand, thereby connecting with the holder through a “medical transmutation” which acts as an aid in finding whatever is being searched for. Woulette has a horrible attitude and mouth, making no friends with the crew.

As Ioz pilots a river skiff into the swamp, Woulette continues to verbally assault our heroes, making no friends. At the height of his tirade, strange, grunting men rain fiery arrows upon the boat. Woulette tells the others that they’re the Mud People and they don’t like to get wet. In trying to avoid the arrows and move deeper into the swamp, Ioz runs the skiff aground. The Mud People jump aboard their own boats and close in on their prey. Tula creates geysers that splash the Mud People, who retreat in fear from… “melting.”

Stopping for a food forage break, the crew discusses the increasingly obnoxious Woulette’s personality. A lesson-message is being forged here, don’t miss it! With only Ren being somewhat sympathetic of Woulette, likely due to his connection through the staff, the others want to locate the loack flower as quickly as possible to be rid of the bioguide. Niddler, in retaliation of Woulette’s verbal assaults, drops a piranha clam into his bowl, amusing Tula and Ioz. Ren chastises Niddler, deepening this tacked-on episode lesson.

Bloth arrives at Miragon with the Wraith and has Konk climb the Gonquin mound to retrieve the very visible treasure at the peak. Mantus remarks on the treasure still being in place just before the Gonquin attacks Konk. Slaggon approaches Bloth, curious as to more people bothering the Gonquin. After a brief update, Bloth hires Slaggon to kill Ren using his pet Hawk Knife.

Woulette leads the crew to where the loack flower should be located and they all separate to search. Woulette and Ren have a heart-to-heart regarding his personality, where Woulette explains that Slaggon is no savior of animals, just a greedy transmutator. Ren makes a promise to help Woulette when Tula discovers the loack. She tells the others that the flower nectar is Mer’s most potent healing agent, or PANACEA. With that, Ren informs his friends that Woulette will be joining the crew, causing much consternation and debate from them.

High above, Hawk Knife carries Slaggon in a bizarre chair harness. He tracks them down with a magical Rubik’s Cube attuned to Woulette’s staff. He attacks just as the crew return to their skiff, swooping down to steal the loack and fire an energy leech at Ren. Tula uses her powers to have the trees interfere, knocking Slaggon from his chair. Ioz steps in to swordfight the biotransmutor, quickly overpowering him and taking the loack. Woulette uses his bio water to revive Ren, placing himself in jeopardy. A revived Ren uses the loack petals to help Woulette, which does more than just heal him, it reverts him to his original state.

The next morning at Miragon, Mantus and Konk awake to see the Golquin being teased by the Woulette, returned to his original winged state by the loack flower. Behind them, Niddler flies up to the top of the mound, taking the treasure. As Bloth comes to the deck of the Wraith, he’s booted overboard by Ioz and Ren, swooping down like twin Errol Flynn’s. The Wraith, reclaimed by our heroes, sails off just as Slaggon returns home, to be taken captive by Bloth and the pirates.

Woulette is offered a position aboard the Wraith, but he declines, wanting to remain behind and help the other transmuted creatures. Wishing him well, the Wraith continues the quest, five treasures down, eight more to go.

Mutant Scum – Quite a few new critters this episode, most being “created” by Slaggon. Even so, the Gonquin stands out as one bizarre ‘natural’ creature of Mer, with Ioz and Ren calling it a crab! A number of clams are mentioned, with Niddler making use of the piranha clam to tease Woulette. The Mud People, one of the most idiotic of Mer’s denizens make their first and last appearance – people made of mud that don’t like getting wet? What the hell are they doing in a swamp, much less getting on boats to attack others? Gah… makes my brain hurt just typing it.

When Do We Get to Eat? Niddler doesn’t do a whole hell of a lot but complain here, though he is interested in tying down the melons when the Wraith enters the blast hole in the opening.

Moons of Mer, this was terrible! As seen above, there isn’t much worth mentioning for focus this episode. PANACEA tops the list, so far, of the worst of PoDW, just barely enabling a single minga melon out of five. This is a pointless episode with a weak plot and premise, including the poorly slapped on lesson for the kiddies that just falls flat. This is the second of the treasures just dumped somewhere with no explanation but this story didn’t even have the thought to include a view of the treasure up close. Why is the Gonquin so attached to the treasure? Is it a guardian? Was it a guardian? Who cares when you’re only supposed to be interested in Woulette (occasionally spoken as Roulette, just in case some of you are following along) and his plight. Woulette is a weak character and design and I’m sure Ioz isn’t the only one to be pleased he doesn’t stick around.

In mentioning Ioz, he is the lone cause of the single minga melon. Ioz was written with decent characterization, continuing to act as a pirate and making no bones about it. He sees right through Slaggon and any deception here, attempting a strongarm even over Ren’s objections. We also get a brief but memorable sword battle between the two that was sorely needed to inject some life into a dead story. It’s in this, amongst other areas that I firmly believe Ioz could be the star of his own show, if the option were available. Someone get in touch with Hector Elizondo!

Delays, delays. Mazes and Monsters.

An influx of income has caused some delays in the Pirates of Dark Water Rewatch, amongst other planned viewings. Enjoy this little tidbit while A Leaf on the Wind gets back on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ac3CoyrbYM

Pirates of Dark Water Rewatch: The Beast and the Bell

Episode 8: The Beast and the Bell

Original Airdate: November 2, 1991

Written By: Matthew Malach and Bill Matheny

Directed By: Don Lusk and Paul Sommer (Supervising Direction: Ray Patterson)

In an open marketplace on an unnamed island at an unnamed port, Ren and Niddler shop for supplies, attempting to bargain as they have little money. A pair of merchants dismiss Ren for having little money, then go as far as to mock him and push him into the harbor when he dares to high hat them. They don’t know him to be the son of a king and really don’t care to hear it.

On the Wraith, Ioz kvetches about Ren’s dawdling as Tula worries more about strange feelings she’s been having. She’s shocked to spot a screaming, horned face appear on the surface of the mast, but has no explanation for Ioz, who doesn’t see it before it disappears.

Ren and Niddler return to the ship and get berated from Ioz for their lack of ability to gain supplies. Ren thinks his bloodline and their mission should be enough to get a discount, Ioz thinks real pirates don’t need to bargain, they should just steal what they need. Ren gets petulant about people not believing him and the compass goes berserk. Light starts shooting out of the compass, severing lines and ricocheting off bulkheads, driving Niddler off the ship and blinding the crew. The compass drags Ren to the bow, where the light beam causes water to erupt, bringing about a visage of Primus. This image of Primus tells Ren to go to the island of Banjamar and ring the Bell of the First Sound, a magical device even more powerful than the Thirteen Treasures of Rule. If he does so, he’ll be able to destroy all the Dark Water, thereby saving Mer. After the image fades, Ren tells an incredulous Ioz and Tula and orders the Wraith to set sail.

Amid stormy seas, Tula continues to voice her concerns about feeling uneasy before Banjamar is spotted. The island has a broken ring of stones orbiting it, from the waterline and up. Ren attempts to sail the Wraith through one of the breaks, failing by bouncing the ship off the swirling stones and sending Niddler overboard. Ren reinforces his desire to end the quest by ringing the bell, stunning the others into silence, who are seeing this trip as folly. Niddler climbs back aboard, covered in squid creatures called ‘amphicites’. Ren sees these critters as a way onto the island, as they are filled with oxygen. Leaving the Wraith at anchor and placing the amphicites on their heads, the crew swims underwater and below the ring of stones, to get to Banjamar.

Ashore, Ren is eager to continue quickly, while Ioz is less so. Two large-lobed, uniformed men with military forks spot Ren and pin him with sonic beams emitted from their weapons. With a threat from Ioz, the men capture the whole crew, calling them intruders.

Brought before a disbelieving elder named Kangent, Ren keeps up with his exuberant need to follow the directives of the Primus image. When he mentions the Bell of the First Sound, the soldiers and crowd gathered grow restless and wary. Kangent has the crew brought to the “still room” as Ren whines about no one ever believing he’s a prince. Once they’ve gone, a soldier and Kangent discuss whether Ren may be telling the truth, except that Primus would never have placed the Bell in jeopardy…

The “still room” is a prison cell where the sound of movement causes bars of light to erupt from the floor. Stay still, and the bars go away. Tula is pressed to use her ecomancer powers to keep the bars from appearing, freeing everyone.

Ren is sure of where the Bell is being kept, having watched how the crowd reacted to his mention of it earlier. Tula’s skepticism of the whole adventure grows, but Ren plods on, continuing to believe the image of his father. The crew is spotted by guards in their attempt to gain access to the building the Bell is in, but Ioz uses a stolen sonic fork to allow Ren and Tula in.

The Bell of the First Sound is a huge thing, easily dwarfing any of our heroes. Hung at about 8 feet off the floor, Ren gets ready to strike the Bell with a nearby sonic fork and rid Mer of Dark Water. Tula sees a design on the outer side of the Bell that looks like a winged creature with the same face that she saw on the Wraith earlier. She tries to stop Ren, but it’s too late. He strikes, ringing the Bell and freeing the creature Kiroptus.

Thanking Ren, Kiroptus grabs him, monologuing about being trapped for 17 years and also searching for the 13 Treasures. Ren is completely confused until Kiroptus transforms his head into that of Primus, teasing him. Ren is appalled at being tricked and vows revenge.

Kangent arrives in the building, shocked to see Kiroptus free. Tula takes his sonic fork and attacks the creature, who wants Ren’s compass. Ren gets free and Kangent calls everyone to join him under the Bell, as Kiroptus will not touch it. Soldiers arrive with Ioz, and they drive Kiroptus off, who then flies through the ceiling.

At the rooms of the Elder, Kangent apologizes for not believing the impetuous Ren. Ioz blames Kangent, though he explains that Primus requested that no one was ever to reveal knowledge of the Bell to any outsider. Kangent then begins to explain the history of Primus, Kiroptus and the 13 Treasures.

The Thirteen Treasures of Rule are seals to the core of Mer, where an evil entity called the Dark Dweller is said to reside. Some time ago, he broke through the seal, and using his minion Kiroptus, had the treasures scattered all over Mer. The Dark Dweller cracked the bottom of the oceans, forcing out the Dark Water that now continues to plague the world. Primus’ goal was to recover the Treasures and rebuild the seal, which brought him into contact with Kiroptus. Primus discovered the power of Bell of the First Sound and asked Kangent to help in imprisoning the creature.

Ren offers to help recapture Kiroptus, who is likely still on the island, as he wants the compass and probably wouldn’t leave without it. A plan is committed to play, using the compass as a lure, much like the first time. Kiroptus hauls the Bell out of the building using an anchor to hook it, casting it aside so he can nab the compass. Kangent makes a hole in the stones around Banjamar with a sonic fork to allow Ren and Niddler to fly out to the Wraith and retrieve their Treasures of Rule.  Kiroptus follows them out, where a brief melee ensues. Ren escapes on a never-before-seen hang glider, returning to Banjamar. Kiroptus beats him back to the Bell, so Ren runs off to hide, scooting into a nearby house. Kiroptus follows him, using the compass to locate the treasures Ren carries. Ren leads him into the house, triumphantly exclaiming to Kiroptus. Why? The “house” is actually the real Bell of the First Sound, dressed up to look like a home. Ren strikes the side of the Bell, which starts drawing the evil servant of the Dark Dweller into the side of the Bell. Ren tried to regain the compass from Kiroptus, who grabs Ren. Ren is now also being drawn into the Bell! Tula, Ioz and Niddler are able to drag Ren free, Kiroptus is returned to imprisonment and everything is back to normal.

With the Bell restored to its original location, Kangent offers to throw a feast for Ren and his friends, while Ren asks to learn more of his father, as well as the Dark Dweller.

Mutant Scum – A few more peoples of Mer that look less than human appear in THE BEAST AND THE BELL, most significantly the denizens of Banjamar. These folk have stretched, lengthy earlobes and sallow colored skin. Kangent has a slightly feline look, while a few others have three fingers. Not one of them back down when it comes to fighting or seem stupid, which is a nice change. Also in the episode is the first appearance of the amphicites, cool squids with a transparent sac of oxygen within them. Seeing Niddler with one on his face as he swims underwater is an animated sight.

When Do We Get to Eat? Niddler is his hungry self, with numerous foodstuffs mentioned in the very beginning and the very ending of the episode. Anyone for pooka looka pie? Minga Muffins? Biperion eggs? Praja fruit? Still, Niddler has little to do here but be the hungry monkeybird. There is some inconsistency in his being able to fly with wet wings, but it’s all for the good of the story, right?

It’s All in the Art – Banjamar is physically appealing, from the water. The orbiting “sound stones” make the place seem like a prison is some ways, but it’s definitely interesting to look at. Nice design.

Ahoy, skarpango pirate! Welcome aboard, Kangent. Voiced by veteran actor Rene Auberjonois (either known from Clayton Endicott III from BENSON or Odo from STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, it’s up to you), the story treats the viewer to another of Primus’ old friends, though this one has a ton more information than a few of the last. Kangent will be seen again, though not immediately.

This one feels like a mission directive from on high: tell these kids something about Dark Water or we’ll do it for you. There’s a lot to absorb in a short period of time, as usual. It’s not necessarily a bad thing and it’s not really forced on the viewer, it’s just Ren being a brat that’s grating. This is another episode in the rewatch that I don’t recall well. I remember Kiroptus and I remember the title giving away the plot when it popped on the screen – it’s pretty transparent. What makes the story lag is the lack of Ioz, Tula and even the pirates of the Maelstrom. Yes, there isn’t even one single appearance by anyone from their enemy’s ship, even at the marketplace in the opening. Although the plot may suffer, there is a larger mythology connected solely here, as the Dark Dweller has not even been mentioned in any earlier episodes. If you look deeper at the rhyme from THE QUEST, you can start to assume that the “other” searching for the treasures may not actually be Bloth, which opens the show way up in potential plots and stories. So, while the entirety of THE BEAST AND THE BELL may be exposition, it’s well desired and in some cases, needed after seven episodes. Talk about a lengthy build!

I’ve given this one three out of five minga melons, only because it’s got needed mythology. I’ll discuss the Dark Dweller’s appearance in a later episode, when he becomes active in the story.

Pirates of Dark Water Rewatch: A Drop of Darkness

Episode 7: A Drop of Darkness

Original Airdate: October 26, 1991

Written By: Laren Bright and Kristina Luckey

Directed By: Don Lusk, Paul Sommer (Supervising Direction – Ray Patterson)

The crew of the Wraith stands at the gunwale in choppy seas, waiting for Ren to return from below the water. He returns just as Ioz is prepared to dive after him and just as Tula is sensing “something”. Ren has located the Fourth Treasure of Rule, hidden beneath the waves! It’s a pretty bauble and everyone has to have a moment holding it to remark on its beauty and size. Friendly insults and barbs are traded until Tula gets a bad feeling and subsequently spots Dark Water. A sharply turned ship has Niddler drop the treasure, where it bounces about deck. Ren and Tula try to catch it, almost losing it overboard until Ren makes a heroic leap to save it.

A shadow crosses the deck of the Wraith from a balloon flying overhead, which stops above the Dark Water. A pilot drops a bucket in an attempt to retrieve some of the evil stuff and is almost pulled down as the Dark Water drags it in. The balloon is then assaulted by the far-reaching Dark Water, grabbing at the basket and reaching for the pilot.

Ren asks Niddler to help, which he reluctantly agrees to. The Dark Water is particularly difficult, with Niddler needing help himself when he gets tangled in the lines of the balloon. Ren uses a weapon to free the monkeybird, who then saves the pilot just as the Dark Water pulls the balloon under.

The pilot, an alchemist named Cray, introduces herself and explains she’s using the Dark Water in her experiments. In meeting Ren, she calls him ‘Primus’ and is overly excited to discover he’s a son of the king. The Maelstrom arrives to interrupt the discovery of how Cray knows Primus, which upsets Ren, as someone should have been on watch. Cray offers to help, pouring a liquid into the sea, from which a fog erupts, covering the Wraith’s escape from the Maelstrom. Cray offers sanctuary at her citadel, an austere castle on a tiny rock island.

Inside, the crew is amazed at the size of the rooms and furnishings. Tula is suspicious of Cray and her reasons for being so nice and Ren demands information on her history with his father when she appears with food. Cray tells Ren and the others that she was Primus’ favorite courtier until he met Ren’s mother. Cray flew into a rage, never to return to the court of Octopon, eking out a living at her citadel in solitude.

Later, at dinner, Cray continues to explain her need for Dark Water in her experiments, which doesn’t sit well with Tula. Ioz also has little desire to get mixed up with the stuff, until an extremely large offer of gold has him and Niddler doing spit-takes. Ren turns her down repeatedly, as he finds taking money to retrieve such an evil substance distasteful. Cray stalks off in a huff when her final offer is rebuked. Tula senses trouble from the alchemist and Ren ignores her.

Cray monologues to a locket with a picture of Primus in her private chambers. It’s becoming fairly obvious that Cray has an obsessive complex, particularly towards Primus. She’s also obviously setting up some naughty plan, which plays out rather quickly.

The boys are all sleeping in one room, Tula in another. Cray creeps in and ignites a bowl of leaves next to Tula, who wakes, only to pass out from the fumes. In the morning, Ren and the others cannot wake her, and Cray tells them if they get her the Dark Water she needs, she’ll give the antidote over. Ren is amazed at the way Cray is treating him and his friends, though she has no difficulty telling him he’s suffering for the sins of the father. A bucket made of leviathan skin is given as a receptacle for the Dark Water and the group needs to be quick; the longer Tula is out the harder it is to revive her.

Niddler is used as a distraction for the Dark Water, armed with the Fourth Treasure, so Ren can haul in a bucketful of the stuff. As they get underway to return to the citadel, the Maelstrom surprises and swallows the tiny Wraith into its maw.

Bloth’s pirates board the Wraith, though they are fought off. Konk is ordered to flush the Wraith out when Ren uses the Dark Water to scare off Bloth, which works effectively. With enough of the stuff left to bring to Cray, the heroes return to revive Tula. Cray exits to mix her alchemical concoction, using a single drop of the stuff to finish her potion. She ecstatically imbibes the mixture, speedily growing younger as the seconds tick. She’s excited with her new, younger exterior, believing she can relive her past with Ren in the place of Primus.

Tula is reawakened by Ioz and Ren, who runs off to fetch water for her. The reinvigorated Cray stalls him in the halls, though he doesn’t immediately recognize the alchemist. As he does, Cray comes onto Ren full bore, pledging to marry him as it’s their destiny. Ren is distressed and finally takes offense when Cray calls him Primus.

Returning to his friends, Ren tells them of the problems with Cray. She enters the room, shocking the others with her new look, while Ren attempts reasoning with her. Cray isn’t capable of being reasoned with at this point, wherein she pops a smoke pellet, distracting Ren enough to steal the Treasures of Rule and locking everyone in the room.

Mantus and Konk arrive on their dagrons, having spotted the Wraith at dock. In a brief exchange, Cray refuses to give up Ren and the treasures, offering instead a bargain to be brought to Bloth. The pirate king is dumbstruck by the bargain, but agrees to it for his own purposes. He is to marry Ren and Cray.

Ioz picks the lock on the door, opening it to the sight of Bloth on the opposite side. Brought as witnesses and prisoners to a decked-out hall, the pirates of the Maelstrom wait to also watch the farce. Mantus walks the bride down the aisle, where she begins to turn dark across her hair and skin. As Cray lifts her veil, Ren remarks on her condition, which has her run from the hall. Bloth chases Cray as the pirates guard our heroes. Cray tries to reverse her condition and is interrupted by an angry Bloth. He destroys her potions and mixes, ruining her hopes of salvaging whatever is happening to her. She quickly begins deteriorating and falls to the floor. Bloth erupts in anger and returns to the hall to kill Ren, though Cray creates one last reaction from her chemicals before she collapses.

Bubbles of various size float about the citadel, created by Cray. They start exploding around the structure, freeing the prisoners as the pirates flee to save themselves. Walls and roof start falling in. Ren heads to save Cray and the others return to the Wraith. Ren finds Cray on the floor of her lab, melting ever more quickly than before. She hands Ren her marriage bouquet, apologizing for her inability to let go of the past. Ren exits through a window after she turns into a steamy puddle of black goo before the ceiling caves in.

Ren lands on the Wraith after his Errol Flynn leap from the citadel, which is pulling away from a rapidly disintegrating citadel. The island finally mushroom clouds and disappears beneath the water. Ren is not surprised to have recovered the Treasures of Rule, hidden in the bouquet. Cue music.

Noy Jitat! Not much new in the way of language for A DROP OF DARKNESS. A single noy jitat and a couple of chongo longos, that’s the extent of it. Ren does make a remark on the Mists of Malgar, whatever they may be.

Mutant Scum – No new creatures this episode. Ren does use what looks to be a sand dollar to fire in a crossbow when saving Niddler, which is kind of neat. Mostly, it’s the Dark Water that makes up the strange, here.

When do We Get to Eat? Niddler is completely unhappy to even be considered to help out when Dark Water is near. He repeats such through the episode and yet does not hesitate when Cray is about to be swallowed by the attacking Dark Water. Is he cowardly or more than that? Either way, he’s still a hungry bird. He’s also as greedy for money as Ioz is, which is fun to see.

It’s All in the Art – There isn’t much new to see for episode 7. A bit more of the inner workings of the Maelstrom are seen and the design of Cray’s citadel is quite amazing. Cray’s deterioration due to the Dark Water potion is something different, too. It’s either extremely bad animation or extremely experimental. I leave it to you to figure it out, I’m still out on it. Either way, it’s still bizarre and gruesome.

Hello and Goodbye – To the incredibly warped Cray. You’ll never see her again and honestly? It’s not a bad thing. Likely voiced by Darleen Carr (I have no confirmation on that, though), she’s definitely a villain you really don’t feel sorry for at the end, which says something for the writing here.

The first of what will be many message-driven stories, A DROP OF DARKNESS does quite a bit for what it can in a half-hour. This is the first time Ren’s mother is seen, much less any mention made of her. It’s the first lengthy view of Octopon at its heyday. Other than previously seen ecomancy, it’s the first time magic is used in any form. It’s the first real focus on the evils of Dark Water, though they’re still extremely vague. My recollection of the episode that it was good, if heavy handed. My rewatch view retains that belief, adding this for an adjective: brutal. This one really doesn’t hold back on how completely obsessed Cray is, and it isn’t pretty. Ren is naïve and truly out of his league with the complexities of this one and it only benefits him that Bloth is there to eliminate her from any future plots.

Cray’s melting into goo is brutal. Bloth’s cold-hearted elimination of her is brutal, as is his disinterest in what’s happening to her. The writers handling of the subject matter is equally brutal, as it pulls no punches in even trying to make anyone but Ren sympathetic. Obsessive/compulsive behavior isn’t a topic easy to get across to the kiddies and this one likely pushes the boundaries of the definition of such. The bright and shiny “sail into sunset” ending of the story does nothing but enforce the hideous reality of the overall topic, particularly in retrospection. A DROP OF DARKNESS is just plain mean and I like it. It’s a breakthrough episode, especially in knowing that the general themes of the program were softened to gain a younger audience, after the initial five episodes were produced. I’m laying out a solid 3½ minga melons for episode 7. The only detractors here are the lack of the main characters being involved as it focuses more on Cray and her psychosis. A fine story, even as brutally mean as it is.