- Written by Buzz Dixon, Mark Evanier, and Steve Gerber
- Directed by Rudy Larriva
- October 4, 1980
- ABC
- Thundarr the Barbarian created by Steve Gerber, Joe Ruby and Ken Spears / Developed by Steve Gerber
Episode Cast
- Narrator-Dick Tufeld
- Thundarr the Barbarian, Manhat Dweller-Robert Ridgely
- Princess Ariel-Manhat Dweller-Nellie Bellflower
- Ookla the Mok, Gemini-Henry Corden
- Additional Voices-Keye Luke
Thundarr, Princess Ariel, and Ookla escort a man carrying a magical black pearl that can defend against the two-faced wizard Gemini.
Thundarr the Barbarian was appointment Saturday morning television for me. It was an adventure cartoon whose animation may not appeal to modern audiences but makes up for that with great adventure stories set in a post-apocalyptic Earth that is as strange as it is familiar.
Episodes generally occurred near or in someplace that was recognizable even in its devastation. The landscape would be radically different and then a familiar landmark or garbled name of a major city would come into play. Here events take place in the village of Manhat (Manhattan) that is under threat of a two-faced wizard named Gemini.
Do not expect a great deal of background on the villain or much to take place in the village. In the series Thundarr, Ookla the Mok, and Princess Ariel roamed the world while righting wrongs and fighting evil. You got to know the heroes each episode but the villains while good were a little more vague.
In the dangerous jungles of what was once New York State on the edges of NYC our heroic trio trying to cross quickly into open territory at night stumble upon motorcycle riding rat people chasing after quite possible the oldest courier that one could choose. Don’t think about it too hard because a young man (or woman) would be far less sympathetic that Gramps. You do not think about that because your mind is focused on the entertaining weirdness. You do not ask why Ariel covers him in a magical whatever as they complete delivering a magical black pearl to the people of Manhat. Never think why they think these frightened villagers would take the word of a stranger.
The story takes place over maybe three days with our heroic trio riding horses (or an equort in Ookla’s case) and they use a magic bridge generated by Ariel to descend a cliff to trudge through the marsh outside the village. So how did the elderly Tyron climb down a cliff and cross the marsh so quickly? How healing was Ariel’s magic?!
What helps this episode and the series in general stand is that the main characters each have distinct personalities or offer something special. Ariel is a source of knowledge and a capable fighter. Thundarr is more prone to fighting but he’s not an idiot and more or less the leader of the group who weighs Ariel’s counsel with Ookla being basically the muscle. A bit brutish but a good fighter and intelligent.
The evil wizard Gemini would be the closest thing to a recurring for the series returning in Season 2. As is often the case, he is an evil power-hungry wizard seeking to rule and control. Though powerful he fears the power of the pearl of the pearl that was stolen. They do not tell the audience immediately why he is afraid but allows the young tuning in figure it out with the characters.
The coolest scene in this is the climax where they battle an animated Statue of Liberty brought to life by Gemini’s dark magic. This hit TV 9 years before Ghostbusters 2 and was way more mind-blowing to a toddler jacked up on sugary cereal or breakfast empanadas. The torch turned into a flamethrower!
With a little bit of intelligence and a great deal of fun Secret of the Black Pearl is a great start to Thundarr the Barbarian. It’s adventurous and never gets boring.
