Chapter Four - Ancient Enemies

As the building collapses, Flash grabs a rope and swings to safety with Azura, just like Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in Star Wars. It all happens on the monitor as Ming is watching, in long shot, which is quite a clever cost-saving device. Ming is not happy. He says, “The fool is going to save Azura's life.”

Back on the ground, Flash tries to help an unconscious Zarkov, who's trapped under a fallen beam. Not even remotely grateful to Flash for having just saved her life, Azura instead uses a special powder that she gets from one of her rings and knocks him out with it, instructing her men to take them back to the throne room.

With their hands in chains, Flash and Zarkov are brought before Azura and Ming in the throne room. Azura says, “I could use a brave man like you in my war against the Clay People.” This does not sit well with Ming, who shoots her some serious daggers. He tells Flash and Zarkov that he'll give them a close look at the Nitron Beam. Meanwhile, Azura says that they now have enough Nitron and that her men should prepare for war with the Clay People at once.

Flash and Zarkov are forced to climb up to the Nitron Lamp, which is evidently rather hot and could kill them if they fall into it. It's not entirely clear what Ming's plan is, but before anything can happen, Flash bashes a guard and steals a ray gun, freeing Zarkov and zapping a couple of guards down below. 

Flash then jumps down to the ground – one of those moments where they use a really obvious stuntman with a different hair colour – and captures Ming. Flash and Zarkov force Ming to tell them the location of the explosives (meaning the Nitron) and Ming uses the intercom screen to show them the Nitron being loaded onto a bomber, ready for the attack on the Clay People.

Flash orders Ming to stop the attack, but Ming fools them. He twirls a dial and makes a jet of flame pop out of a pipe, then runs into the flame on the pretext of saving Flash and Zarkov. However, he's unharmed, so they realise he's pulled a fast one, with Flash ruefully noting, “That's the way he tricked us once before.”

Racing to the airfield, Flash and Zarkov spot the bombers taking off and realise that if the bombs land on the Clay People, Dale and Happy will be killed. They find a Strato-sled and head for the Valley of Desolation.

Meanwhile, Dale and Happy are back in the Clay King's throne room. They think they're alone, but then the Clay People all come out of the walls again. At least they don't use the same sequence this time.

His Royal Clayness informs Dale and Happy that Flash has betrayed them, that he captured Azura but let her go and then risked his life to save her. Dale is  clearly not happy about this and gets a bit sulky. “There must be some mistake,” she says. Happy's not quite as convinced.

At any rate, the Clay King won't be swayed. He tells them he has sources in Azura's kingdom and that even now, a death squadron is on its way to destroy the Clay People. In fact, the Clay King assumes Flash himself is leading the attack, so he orders his men to chain Dale and Happy to the rocks outside the cave, to deter Flash from bombing them.

Up in the air, Flash and Zarkov catch up to the bomber, but the enemy ships are protected against the Strato-sled's electro-guns. The bombers start bombing, with Dale and Happy chained to the rocks below. Happy says, “One more shot like that and they'll have to pick us up in a vacuum cleaner.”

Flash realises they only have one chance. He tells Zarkov to bail out of the ship using the Martian guards' parachute wings, while he power dives the Strato-sled into the bomber. However, Flash can't open the door in time to save himself and he's knocked to the ground as the ships collide and explode!