Chapter Ten - The Unseen Peril

Zarkov arrives slightly earlier than before and says, "I'll kill the Dragon with this grenade!" (What the hell? Where did Zarkov get a grenade?). The High Priest is pretty upset and accuses Zarkov of sacrilege but no-one pays any attention.

Zarkov realises that Flash has been drugged with something mysterious and orders him to be taken to his laboratory. He says he can revive Flash but doesn't know if he can do anything about the drug. Aura smiles, evilly.

At the Bride Choosing Ceremony, Aura tells Ming that Flash still can't remember anything. Sure enough, when asked to choose a bride he says, "I have no wish to choose a bride...amongst strangers". Dale looks gutted, or as gutted as she can manage. Aura whisks Flash off to 'explain'.

Vulcan protests, alleging witchcraft. He gets thrown into jail. Ming eyes up Dale again. (There also seems to be some continuity error as it looks as if Barin is also entitled to a bride and a kingdom, despite Flash totally bitch-slapping him in the Arena of Death. At any rate, he doesn't get to make a choice).

Barin tells Zarkov about the Forgetfulness Potion and Zarkov says he can counter-act it, despite not having counter-acted it a few minutes ago when he revived Flash in his lab. Make your mind up, Zarkov.

A classic opportunity for a cat fight is wasted when Aura and Dale both try to help Flash regain his memory. Aura tells Flash he came there to meet her right in front of Dale and instead of slapping her, Dale just sits there, open-mouthed. When she finally speaks all she says is, "Flash - don't you know me?" Aura tells Flash that Dale is one of Ming's wives and she still doesn't argue with her! Dale hugs Flash and cries. Aura sends her away.

Barin arrives and tries to take Flash to Zarkov. Aura tells Flash that Barin is her enemy and Flash and Barin have another swordfight, a pretty good one. They put a lot into it, anyway. Then Zarkov arrives and pins Flash's arms while Barin knocks him out. They take him to the lab and try to revive him.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Professor Gordon has a new Communications Device that is -gasp!- nine times more powerful than the old model. The stupid thing is, even though Earth can hear Mongo and Mongo can hear Earth, neither of them actually talk to each other. Earth loses contact.

Ming has had enough and tells Officer Torch to find Flash and execute him immediately. Aura protests, as usual.

The officers burst into the lab and tell Flash they are here to execute him. Zarkov makes Flash stand against the wall and, just as the soldiers are about to shoot, Flash disappears! Dale screams.

Chapter Nine - Fighting the Fire Dragon

Yet again, Princess Aura saves Flash from Certain Death - as he's battling the Orangopoid (make that the Sacred Orangopoid, as that's how they all refer to the Man in the Monkey Suit With A Horn), she whispers to the High Priest if there's any way of defeating it. He says, "Well, I shouldn't really tell you, but..." and Aura jumps into the pit, hands Flash a spear and points out the Orangopoid's achilles heel. The Orangopoid dies a really bad Comedy Death, wiggling his legs in the air, dying fly-style.

The make-up is pretty good - Flash actually looks as if he really has gone a few rounds with an Deadly (Sacred) Orangopoid - he has blood on his face and everything. Dale is pleased, although, if you ask me, Flash ought to be a little bit pissed off at her for not even trying to save him when Aura has saved him about six times now.

Ming is furious and realises there has been treachery in the room. He says that whoever told Aura the secret of the Orangopoid must be put to death. The High Priest goes, "D'oh!". Then Ming tells the High Priest to find out who it was - the High Priest goes, "Phew".

Vulcan reminds Ming that Flash can now claim a kingdom and a bride. Ming says, "The Arena of Death is hardly the place for a celebration" (he's got a point) and arranges a feast in his kingdom in three days' time.

Lion King leaves, having out-lived his usefulness. Bye-bye, Lion King.

Ming plots revenge. Zarkov spends all his time trying to contact earth with fancy radio waves. Unfortunately his message is a little vague - it says, "Hello? Zarkov! Doctor Zarkov speaking! From Mongo. The planet Mongo!" Dale says she doesn't trust Ming and Flash tells her not to be silly! Brains aren't really his strong suit.

Meanwhile, back on earth, all they can hear is static and people keep asking Professor Gordon (Flash's dad) what it all means. He's a serious chin-stroker of the first order and gives a long-winded explanation along the lines of "Someone is trying to contact us".

Ming orders the High Priest to dispose of Flash by any means necessary. Aura watches Flash and Dale canoodling and seethes with jealousy. The High Priest persuades her to slip Flash a forgetfulness drug before the Bride Choosing Ceremony.

Flash and Barin are hanging out in Flash's quarters. Aura's henchman arrives with "drinks from King Vulcan". Flash and Barin drink them. Aura shows up a few minutes later to find Flash and Barin looking distinctly post-coital, passed out together on some cushions. She takes Flash away.

Zarkov finds Barin alone and revives him. Barin says, "He was here...we were drinking wine...things got a little crazy..." Vulcan coincidentally shows up and denies all knowledge of the wine. They find a veil belonging to Aura and realise what's going on.

The High Priest, Aura and her men are carrying a still unconscious Flash through the Tunnel of Terror (from episode two). Zarkov, Dale, Vulcan and Barin give chase (even though, bizarrely, Zarkov doesn't want to, as it's too dangerous).

In the Tunnel of Terror, Flash revives and Aura gives him the Drug of Forgetfulness.

The High Priest points towards the Fire Dragon's lair and says he'll be sleeping at that hour and only the gong can wake him. However, as soon as Aura and Flash enter the Dragon's lair, he strikes the gong and the Dragon wakes! (It's the same Man In Monster Suit With Dragon's Head and Lobster Claws as before). Dale, Vultan, Zarkov and Barin arrive just in time to see the dragon breathe fire at Flash and Aura...

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.