Chapter Eight - Tournament of Death

Bit of a pathetic cliff-hanger, really, as Flash makes it over the wall after all. Or rather, he still doesn't, but is unharmed anyway.

In the Smoke And Confusion, Flash, Lion King and Barin escape. Flash -who, I'm starting to notice, runs like a girl- dashes over to Ming and points a spear at him. Then Dale runs over to join Flash and momentarily distracts him and he gets captured again. (I had to watch this twice - both times it really looks as if Dale is actually fighting Flash to protect Ming, as she seems to be holding back his arm).

Flash and Lion King (who looks like Ben Gunn when he's not in his armour) are sentenced to Death By Firing Squad. However, the City is getting increasingly shaky and Zarkov says he needs the City Shake-o-meter to reach Zero before he can help. The Shake-o-meter is intercut with the firing squad's 'Ready...Aim...' until the City shakes so much that they all miss and Flash and Lion King escape again.

In a scene that is almost exactly the same as the last time they did this (although, weirdly, they did bother to film it twice), Flash runs into Vulcan's chamber again -careful to avoid Dale this time- and threatens Ming again. Zarkov shows up and says that he can save the city but that Vulcan has to promise to release Flash and his friends. They all follow Zarkov into his lab, he throws a switch and the city is saved. Vulcan says they are all free to go.

Ming doesn't like this, however, and says that Flash has to enter The Tournament of Death. Flash, stupidly, agrees. Barin's ears prick up and he reminds Ming that the prize of 'A Kingdom of his own and the bride of his choice' also applies to anyone else who enters the contest.

Flash is taken away to prepare for the fight. He's told he'll be fighting 'The Masked Swordsman of Mongo'...

The swordfight is surprisingly good and goes on for 2 minutes 45 seconds, intercut with lots of reaction shots, including some rubbish ones from Dale. I can't swear to it, but it looks like Aura has changed into an even skimpier outfit.

Barin isn't among the spectators. Also, The Masked Swordsman is suspiciously chubby. So when Flash unmasks him it comes as a surprise to precisely no-one that it is -gasp!- Prince Barin! He tells Flash he was 'forced' into it. Yeah, right, Barin.

Ming tells Flash 'Congratulations - you now get to enter the Second Round: The Other Tournament of Death!' Flash laughs and says, "Bring it on, Ming-baby".

Barin comes to Flash's quarters to apologise. He says, "I was hoping to wound you sufficiently for Ming to declare me the winner, or that you'd kill me". Flash isn't bothered at all, even though Barin's basically a bit of a freak. He asks Barin why he hoped Flash would kill him and Barin says, "Because I'm in love with Princess Aura" and stomps off in a petulant strop. Flash later tells Zarkov that Barin has given him a "sufficient explanation" for his treachery.

Anyway, the second round arrives. Flash has to fight a giant "Orangopoid" - basically a man in a monkey suit, only with a single horn on its head.

The fight is actually pretty good and Flash gets suitably bashed up. Eventually the creature lands on Flash and looks as if it is about to eat his face. Dale screams, badly.