Twenty Days of Lodoss War - Day 13 - The Scepter of Domination
This episode is effectively the prologue to Wagnard's All Singing All Dancing Dark Goddess Revival Show. Just don't examine it too closely unless you want to fall into some plot holes.
At the start of the episode Wagnard is plotting with Pirotess apparently for Ashram's benefit to obtain a High Elf (I wonder who he has in mind?) as a sacrifice to revive Kardis.
As Ashram is attempting, with mixed success, to master the demon sword Soul Crusher when Wagnard dangles the temptation of the Scepter of Domination in front of Ashram.
We then return to the running gag of Parn getting his butt kicked in training.
Again. :)
Kashue is responsible this time around. As desperate news of Shooting Star's depredations of Kashue's Kingdom of Flaim arrives, Kashue uses this as the reason for not taking Parn with him to challenge Shooting Star.
Did I mention that Shooting Star is guarding the Scepter of Domination? You know, the one that grants control of Lodoss and that Ashram is after?
This is the point at which Karla discovers Wagnard's intentions. As I discussed in my Day 11 post this is the point where Karla would have slapped Wagnard down if she (he?) still had the power to do so.
Left behind in Valis Parn, along with Shiris and Orson, are then on hand to rescue Deedlit from a kidnapping attempt by Pirotess and a couple of other dark elfs, during which the fact that Marmo is heading to Fire Dragon Mountain is revealed.
The episode ends with all three groups heading for a clash with each other, and with Shooting Star.
Overshadowing this episode is Shooting Star. As rdmasters reminded me recently I first described Shooting Star to him as "a dragon that is less animated than a 747". This is true but oddly enough it is one of the few times when the poor animation budget actually works in Lodoss Wars favour.
It helps to carry the impression that Shooting Star is enormous beyond belief, to establish that "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into here???" reaction in those facing him.
At the start I mentioned some plot holes.
To start with Pirotess, a dark elf, is naive enough to believe that Wagnard has Ashram's best interests in mind? Really? Bizarrely that this is happening during the most gratuitous fan service shots yet, almost as if the writers are hoping you won't notice the idiocy because of the cleavage. Sigh.
Second, Ashram doesn't really question why Wagnard is passing on the useful to Ashram information about the Scepter of Domination.
For all that they're allegedly evil, the denizens of Marmo seem to be a strangely trusting bunch. Particularly since Ashram (or any of his troops for that matter) don't seem to be examining the dark priest sent along by Wagnard all that closely.
Then there's that scene where Ashram is chasing Shooting Star (who is at least 200 metres up), alone, on horseback, down a gorge. What the? OK, that one is maybe partially explainable as Ashram's final step in controlling the demon sword, but why something like that would be the final step isn't really explained. Not to mention what could have happened had Shooting Star actually noticed that nice demon sword being waved at it and exercised the traditional "ooh shiny" reflex of all self respecting dragons...
Don't examine this episode to closely, let it wash over you, and it is an enjoyable enough prologue to the second arc of the series.
There are still three open posts left in the list - leave a comment if you have any aspect of the series that you'd like me to discuss.
Day 1 - Prologue to the Legend
Day 2 - Blazing Departure
Day 3 - The Gender of Lodoss War
Day 4 - The Black Knight
Day 5 - The Grey Witch
Day 6 - Dub vs Sub?
Day 7 - The Desert King
Day 8 - The Sword of the Dark Emperor
Day 9 - The War of Heroes
Day 10 - Requiem for Warriors
Day 11 - Nice job breaking it hero
Day 12 - The Look of Lodoss
Day 13 - The Scepter of Domination
Day 14 - The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain
Day 15 -
Day 16 - The Wizard's Ambition
Day 17 - Final Battle! Marmo, the Dark Island
Day 18 -
Day 19 - Lodoss, The Burning Continent
Day 20 -
At the start of the episode Wagnard is plotting with Pirotess apparently for Ashram's benefit to obtain a High Elf (I wonder who he has in mind?) as a sacrifice to revive Kardis.
As Ashram is attempting, with mixed success, to master the demon sword Soul Crusher when Wagnard dangles the temptation of the Scepter of Domination in front of Ashram.
We then return to the running gag of Parn getting his butt kicked in training.
Again. :)
Kashue is responsible this time around. As desperate news of Shooting Star's depredations of Kashue's Kingdom of Flaim arrives, Kashue uses this as the reason for not taking Parn with him to challenge Shooting Star.
Did I mention that Shooting Star is guarding the Scepter of Domination? You know, the one that grants control of Lodoss and that Ashram is after?
This is the point at which Karla discovers Wagnard's intentions. As I discussed in my Day 11 post this is the point where Karla would have slapped Wagnard down if she (he?) still had the power to do so.
Left behind in Valis Parn, along with Shiris and Orson, are then on hand to rescue Deedlit from a kidnapping attempt by Pirotess and a couple of other dark elfs, during which the fact that Marmo is heading to Fire Dragon Mountain is revealed.
The episode ends with all three groups heading for a clash with each other, and with Shooting Star.
Overshadowing this episode is Shooting Star. As rdmasters reminded me recently I first described Shooting Star to him as "a dragon that is less animated than a 747". This is true but oddly enough it is one of the few times when the poor animation budget actually works in Lodoss Wars favour.
It helps to carry the impression that Shooting Star is enormous beyond belief, to establish that "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into here???" reaction in those facing him.
At the start I mentioned some plot holes.
To start with Pirotess, a dark elf, is naive enough to believe that Wagnard has Ashram's best interests in mind? Really? Bizarrely that this is happening during the most gratuitous fan service shots yet, almost as if the writers are hoping you won't notice the idiocy because of the cleavage. Sigh.
Second, Ashram doesn't really question why Wagnard is passing on the useful to Ashram information about the Scepter of Domination.
For all that they're allegedly evil, the denizens of Marmo seem to be a strangely trusting bunch. Particularly since Ashram (or any of his troops for that matter) don't seem to be examining the dark priest sent along by Wagnard all that closely.
Then there's that scene where Ashram is chasing Shooting Star (who is at least 200 metres up), alone, on horseback, down a gorge. What the? OK, that one is maybe partially explainable as Ashram's final step in controlling the demon sword, but why something like that would be the final step isn't really explained. Not to mention what could have happened had Shooting Star actually noticed that nice demon sword being waved at it and exercised the traditional "ooh shiny" reflex of all self respecting dragons...
Don't examine this episode to closely, let it wash over you, and it is an enjoyable enough prologue to the second arc of the series.
There are still three open posts left in the list - leave a comment if you have any aspect of the series that you'd like me to discuss.
Day 1 - Prologue to the Legend
Day 2 - Blazing Departure
Day 3 - The Gender of Lodoss War
Day 4 - The Black Knight
Day 5 - The Grey Witch
Day 6 - Dub vs Sub?
Day 7 - The Desert King
Day 8 - The Sword of the Dark Emperor
Day 9 - The War of Heroes
Day 10 - Requiem for Warriors
Day 11 - Nice job breaking it hero
Day 12 - The Look of Lodoss
Day 13 - The Scepter of Domination
Day 14 - The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain
Day 15 -
Day 16 - The Wizard's Ambition
Day 17 - Final Battle! Marmo, the Dark Island
Day 18 -
Day 19 - Lodoss, The Burning Continent
Day 20 -