Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 10 "Trail of the Three Wizards"

Tony

Evil wizards are on the loose! Prysmos is in danger! Who you gonna call? If you're Merklynn, it's Leoric and the Spectral Knights. God help us all.

The ever cantankerous Merklynn has summoned the Spectral Knights to his mountain lair to inform them that three potentially dangerous wizards have escaped from the Wizard's Jail, which is similar to non-wizard's jail, except instead of contraband like drugs and cigarettes, they have eye of newt and toe of frog. How do our virtuous champions of Prysmos react? In no uncertain terms, they tell the old conjurer to get bent.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 9 "Horn of Unicorn, Claw of Dragon"

Noel

New Valarak is struck with a plague that affects only magic users. Cryotek is the first to fall victim, and is quickly followed by Feryl, Ectar, and Galadria. Fletchen shows up again to nurse them with herbs and chicken soup, and a weakening Leoric sends warning to Witterquick and Arzon, who were outside the city on a hunting trip at the time. The two rush off to seek guidance from Merklynn.

They arrive at Iron Mountain to find Lexor and Cindarr, who are looking to cure the similarly affected Darkling Lords. Merklynn has been expecting this plague and the quests that both the Knights and Lords had been skipping out on were for the very items needed to cure it: the horn of a unicorn and the claw of a dragon. Having already had their fill of dragons a couple episodes back, the two Lords opt to go for the unicorn and the two parties go their separate ways.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 8 "The Power of the Wise"

Tony

Leoric's stupidity has reached critical mass. I didn't want to do this, but after watching this week's episode, I feel as if I simply have no alternative.

"Leoric, I want you to meet your newest Spectral Knight, Admiral Akbar. Yes, I know he smells like tuna, but you'll be thanking me the next time you encounter the Darkling Lords. Why? Show him, Admiral."

"IT'S A TRAP!"

"You know you need this, man."

[The above conversation is purely fictional. In no way, shape, or form did I use Admiral Akbar and Leoric action figures to play that scene out. Nor did I have them hold hands and skip around like school girls. And I certainly didn't have Akbar give Leoric a back rub while Barry White music played in the background.]

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 7 "The Overthrow of Merklynn"

Noel

Cleverly continuing the thread from the last episode, Darkstorm is still bitter about the constant need to return to Merklynn's shrine so as to recharge the Power Staffs. Darkstorm decides to fish (with a literal hook and line) Falkama out of his deepest dungeons, where the lesser wizard has filled his time since "Quest of the Dragon's Eye" by making little theater shows using rats and spiders. Falkama tells Darkstorm that the only way to steal the magic from Merklynn is to capture the wizard's orb, and doing so will require a few special ingredients.

The Darkling Lords arrive at the Athernaeum, a ruined temple where a dragon protects a tiny book (a "pocket printing") of powerful spells known as the Omnipotricron. The dragon is old and famished, but still manages to scorch the butts of Mortdredd and Reekon before they can get their hands on the book and pass it to Darkstorm. The next item on their list is the Wizardsbane herb.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 6 "Lion Hunt"

Tony

"Leoric is too smart to fall for a trap set by me." - Darkstorm

The past few weeks, we've had some fun taking shots at Leoric's questionable decision making and his tendency to fall for just about every scheme the Darkling Lords throw his way, but after this week's episode, I'm genuinely starting to worry about the man.

Our story begins with the Darkling Lords attempting to recharge their power staffs in the lair of the wizard Merklyn. As usual, Merklyn demands that they first perform a task for him. The proud Lords refuse, vowing to find another way to get magical aid.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 5 - "Feryl Steps Out"

Noel

We open on a peasant village just as it falls victim to a pirate raid. But these aren't just any pirates, they're land-roving pirates, literally riding a massive ol' fashioned three-masted square rigger on rolling wheel. How badass is that. The pirates are all "Arrrr!" and skull & bones flags and plundering for booty and spoils, though they do lose a bit of their badassness when one pirate is beaten down by a gaggle of girls for stealing their goat.

It's not long, of course, before the Spectral Knights charge into action! Well, two of them at least. Say what you will about Leoric as a leader, but the dude has no problem dashing into a fight and giving a firm what for to ne'er-do-wells. His partner in the fray, Feryl, doesn't so much fight as he crashes the Capture Chariot into a well and huddles down as a bunch of pirates pummel the snot out of him. It's a pathetic sight, but that's okay, because this is the Very Special Feryl Episode, where he has to learn to believe in himself.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 4 "The Price of Freedom"

Tony

Robots! Slaves! Bad decisions by Leoric! All on this week's episode, "The Price of Freedom"!

Reekon and Mortdred, the Darkling Lords with the ability to power vehicles through magic, have sort of become the evil Odd Couple of Prysmos. Reekon, he of the perpetual scowl and the "What's in it for me?" attitude, and Mortdred, boot-licking sycophant and president of the I <3 Darkstorm fanclub, are often teamed due to their shared abilities. The results are often funny, as well as illuminating.

While on patrol, the duo come across a man who pleads with them to stop. Mortdred wants nothing to do with him, but Reekon is curious. He asks, "How may we be of service, my man?" This one little moment is a perfect illustration of the nuance that flavors this series so far. Maybe Reekon is more of a selfish mercenary than a purely evil henchman. Or, perhaps, where Mortdred sees an obstacle, Reekon sees an opportunity.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 3 "Quest for the Dragon's Eye"

Noel

If the last episode was all about showing how much of a genuine threat the villains can be when they unite their powers against the still scattered heroes, this episode tips the scale back on the side of good as the now united Spectral Knights spring themselves from prison, regain their power staffs, and get control of a few vehicles of their own. Between these two episodes, I think all of the magical powers have been very well established, and there's some great action in there, but it's still a little difficult to keep straight who is who at times, especially when all fourteen members of our main cast are on screen at the same time, dodging and pouncing and shifting from human to animal form and back again amidst racing vehicles and magical bolts and explosions. A little chaotic, but still exciting.

There is one thing about the vehicles, however, that doesn't make much sense. They're from the old times, and are activated when the magical energy of their drivers compensates for the lack of electricity in the world. That's fine, that makes sense. But why do they have their own holograms that magically produce hands that hurl bolts of energy? Where did this magic come from? Did Merklynn add it off screen? Are they from a time before the old time, in the days before technology first arose? Are they merely projections of the power of their pilots? In a three-parter that's done a pretty nifty job of giving everything a reasonable explanation, this feels like a bit of an oversight.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 2 "The Dark Hand of Treachery"

Tony

If you guessed that the Darkling Lords weren't going to stick to their peace treaty, congratulations. You’re not an idiot. Or named Leoric.

Episode Two gives us two major revelations:

1) The magical staffs and personal totems of each knight has a single use, with each spell having a time limit to boot. I really like this. It adds a bit of strategy to their usage and keeps the show from being nothing more than an orgasm of magical pyrotechnics.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, episode 1 "The Age of Magic Begins"

Noel

"Release us!"
"Oh, dear most uncomfortable knights, what nasty traps."
"Get us down from here!"
"I could, but to do so would require considerable effort on my part, which I could only do for my loyal subjects. Therefore, if you desire me to carry out this deed, you must swear loyalty to me."
"I-it would be an honor to serve with the infamous Darkstorm."
"You got good food in your castle?"
"The best."
"Then I'm in."
"Uh, you leave me little choice... so rule me well, or suffer the consequences."
"Blast you, Darkstorm! Help me down!"
"Excellent! Worthy subjects! I shall extract you!"

Right up front, we get a surprisingly apocalyptic prelude to our tale as the highly advanced world of Prysmos goes dark when a conjunction of its three suns causes all electrical energy to be negated. Strikingly well designed and animated imagery is on display as machines grind to a halt, televisions blink to silence, and planes drop out of the sky. The new dark age begins.