02x06 - The Freedom Balloon/Sacrifice of the Volcano Men

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

NARRATOR: Blasting off
on a desperate mission

to save Earth from
the evil plottings

of the tyrannical spacelord Ming the Merciless--

[laughter]

NARRATOR: Dr. Hans
Zarkov and Dale Arden

have joined me, Flash
Gordon, on a fantastic

journey into worlds whereperil and adventure await us.

[theme music]

[shouting]

I love tapes
about the old west.

Cowboys, Indians-- it wasa rugged time to live.

It was a time when men weremen, and horses were horses.

Depending on how
many legs you had.

[arfing]

No, thanks.

I like it fine right here.

Did you know, even thebeginnings of space travel

started back then?

Hm.

I'm more interested in learningthe survival techniques

of the Venutian kangaroo.

They used to
take great moments

and fill them with hot air,and rise high above the clouds.

Oh, must have been
exciting in those days.

Somehow, you just don'tcut the image on horseback.

INTERCOM: Flash
Gordon and Dale Arden,

please report to Central
Control immediately.

Well, so much
for the wild west.

And now, back to reality.

Do you have a locationfix on that downed ship yet?

I'm afraid not, sir.

What's all the
commotion, Barin?

We picked up a distress
call from a freighter

over the Pecarian jungle.

The Pecarian?

That area has never
been explored.

That's right.

Well then, it's abouttime we put it on the map.

How soon can you be airborne?

In about three shakes
of a dragon's tail.

Right, Gremlin?

Yip, yip, yip.

This is the
approximate location

where the freighter went down.

It looks like a
nice place to be from.

Let's see if we can
pack up any wreckage.

This is going
to be like looking

for a needle in a haystack.

Maybe we can eliminate some ofthe haystack with our sensors.

Anything yet?

No, just--

[beeping] We're
in a force field!

Are you all right, Dale?

I seem to be.

Well, any landing
you can walk away from.

How about crawl away from?

Well, I always wanted
a tropical vacation.

Hey!

Back to the fortress!

I wonder where
they're taking us?

Not the presidential
suite, I bet.

No talking!

Hail, Rakkar.

These are the prisoners fromthe ship our beam brought down.

There's the answer
to why we crashed.

Take them to the reactor.

Maybe I don't want togo to the reactor, Rakkar.

Such impudence!

See that they're put
to work immediately.

Yes, Rakkar.

Remove their bindings.

Your task is simple--

feed crystals to the reactor.

The beast will
provide you drink.

Easy, Grem.

If I refuse?

Then Rakkar will be told, andthe female will be punished.

Don't listen to him, Flash.

I'm afraid he's got us.

Temporarily.

Welcome, strangers.

This here's Ninja.

My name is Cicero.

I am, or should I
say was, a freighter

pilot from the underwater city.

Are you the one who sentout that distress call?

Yes.

But if it brought you
to this, I'm sorry.

You didn't bring us here.

That pompous
potentate Rakkar did.

Start working.

The gods are watching!

What is this thing?

It is the power sourcefor Rakkar's entire empire.

Unfortunately, these
crystals are not

very healthy for the mutants.

I don't suppose they dous very much good, either?

I suppose that's
why we're here.

The mutants areterrified of the crystals.

That's why they have tokeep importing more sl*ves.

Have you tried to escape?

I've-- I've tried, butI'm afraid it's hopeless.

Ninja, hopeless is not
part of my vocabulary.

The new sl*ves are in thereactor working, Rakkar.

Good.

These two look healthy.

They should last a long time.

That will be a welcome change.

I understand the old
man is weakening.

It's true.

But our long range scanners areconstantly searching the sky

for new ships to bring down.

I hope so.

I would hate to pick one ofyour men to go into the reactor.

Yes, Rakkar.

Ninja, you said you
have tried to escape.

How?

Well, the cement is old.

I was able to loosen
the bottom stone.

Where does it go?

To a storeroom, with avery high ceiling, and walls

made of very new cement.

That may be far enough.

Well, what have we here?

Looks like
construction equipment.

It's what they must haveused to build the reactor.

Let's see-- tools,
pipes, barrels.

And what's this?

Now, what can we use in allthis stuff to get out of here?

I wonder--

What?

If we could only find a way tosew these tarpaulins together,

maybe we could build a balloon?

Just like in your old west.

Bingo!

Dale, I think you've got it.

Gremlin, my dragon, youjust became a balloon maker.

I want you to breathe a
little fire, right here.

Just a little tiny flame.

Ha ha!

It works!

I knew you could do it, Grem.

Dale, you and
Gremlin start welding

this tarpaulin into the shapeof a giant ice cream cone.

But--

I'll explain later.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Can you get those
crystals to explode?

If you put them in acontainer and induce a flame,

they'll explode
quite well, actually.

Then pack your bags,
gentlemen-- cause

we're on our way out of here.

Now, this is what
we're going to do.

It's working!

Cicero, it's really working!

How about that?

No leaks.

Hurry up in there!

The guards will order
us back to work soon.

We're not home just yet.

What about that
other firecracker?

Cicero has gotten theone for the reactor ready,

and I still don't
know how we're going

to get this one to the ceiling.

I guess I didn't tell youthat my pink friend here

knows how to fly.

All right, Grem.

It's up to you now.

DALE: Hurry, Gremlin!

We don't have much time!

As soon as the roof
goes, blow that reactor!

Any second, now.

Blow that reactor, Cicero!

Let's get out of here!

The reactor has blown up!

The reactor?

The crystals!

the Reactor has exploded!

Flee the city!

You shall pay for
destroying my reactor!

Go help her, Gremlin!

Gremlin!

Get to the window!

[shouting]

I'll take over now, Gremlin!

That was a mistake, sl*ve!

That should keep you
tied up for a while.

The rope is breaking!

Flash, the balloon
is floating away!

Hold on, Dale!

Are you all right, Dale?

I'm fine.

Thanks to you.

That's the end of
Rakkar's kingdom.

But thanks to Flash,
freedom for us!

Flash Gordon, this is theone time I'm glad to say

that you were full of hot air.

[laughter]

FLASH: Bullseye!

Hey, you're all going tohave to try a little harder

to beat me today.

Oh, I forgot to tell you--

Robin Hood was a
distant cousin of mine.

Well, I knew you had to gethelp from somewhere, Dale.

Gremlin, you're next.

Come on, you pink beast.

You're holding everything up.

Ha ha!

It won't even hit the target.

[growling]

Don't take it so hard, Thun.

Things could be worse.

[horn]

There he is.

Take him!

Head for the trees!

He's getting away!

[horn]

We'll never outrun them!

Separate!

[horn]

You'll never take me!

[growling]

[screeching]

I demand to know who
you are, and why you're

holding us against our wills!

Take the lionman.

[snarling]

You're not going to
get away with this!

[snarling]

Gremlin!

Breathe on these ropes.

[shrieking]

Gremlin, get upstairs
and follow them!

Where are they, Grem?

I'm going after them.

So am I.

Come quietly, lionman.

No one keeps Thun, king
of the lionmen, bound.

[snarling]

Guards!

[snarling]

Take him to theceremonial preparation room.

Guard him carefully.

He is truly a great warrior,and is worthy to satisfy

the hunger of the volcano gods.

Anything yet, Dale?

No.

I'm trying to follow
their vapor trail,

but luck just isn't on our side.

Well, maybe we
can help it a bit.

See how Barin's doing.

Have you been able to
follow the ion trail?

I guess that means youhaven't had any luck, either.

We've combed this whole area.

The ship just seems
to have vanished.

All I can offer from here is--

Prince Barin, we havesomething on the whereabouts

of that ship.

Barin, this is not thetime to keep us in suspense.

It may be nothing, but thecomputer picked up ion activity

coming from sector D-47.

We'll keep you locked
in on the scanner.

Barin out.

Coordinates set, Flash.

[snarling]

Lionman, I am glad this cellhas not dampened your spirit.

I am Brota, first
servant to the fire god.

And I am servant to no one!

That is yet to be determined.

But we shall not
speak of it further.

You must be hungry
after your ordeal.

These foods are the finestin all of the volcano city.

Then why give
them to a prisoner?

You are not a prisoner,
but an honored guest.

Lionman, you shall
be the sacrifice

to the gods of the volcano.

[snarling]

Another tray of
food shall be brought.

[snarling]

Here are coordinates D-47.

Scanner reading?

Something off
of the port side.

[screeching]

FLASH: I see it, Grem.

What's down there, Flash?

Just an old, smoky volcano.

There's where the
ion trail came from.

We've got company coming.

From right out the
top of the volcano!

Take evasive maneuvers.

[whimpering]

[beeping]
- How bad is it?

Not bad.

We took a minor hit in
a stabilizing rotor.

FLASH: Maybe that'll
work to our advantage?

Let some smoke outthrough the exhaust ports.

Let them think we're hit bad.

Now we've got him!

Close attack formation.

I'll take us into
the forest down there.

Just before we hit,
drop a corbamite charge.

I want 'em to think
we're finished.

We're going in!

Now, Dale!

Return to base.

The intruder has
been dealt with.

Phew.

Let's hope we don't haveto go through that again.

[chattering]

We might have to.

Thun's down inside that volcano.

[snarling]

Open it!

It's time for you
to take your place

among the immortal fire gods.

Take him to the
ceremonial chamber.

Let's go.

DALE: I must say, Flash, there'snever a dull moment with you.

FLASH: It's an entire city,right inside the volcano.

Bring the lionman forward!

And look who's in the hotseat.

Thun!

Now the fire gods shall--

Sorry to break up
the party, gents.

Quickly!

Cast the lionman
into the volcano!

They are finished!

Stop them!

To the ships!

I want them returned!

Thun, are you OK?

Good and angry.

Give me the freeze ray, Flash.

Let's cool off,
away from this pit.

[chattering]

It's the ape men!

Let's get out of here.

Fast!

Last bus for Arboria.

Our friends are back.

Let's try to reach those clouds!

But it'll be close.

BARIN: Hang on, everybody.

Help is on the way.

It's Barin!

FLASH: Hey, here
comes the cavalry.

There's too many of them!

Break off and return to base!

BARIN: Is everyone all right?

FLASH: All right?

Are you kidding?

We finally had them in
just the right position,

and you had to show
up and spoil the fun.

What?
Well, that's gratitude.

I-- I thought you'd
be pleased to see us?

[laughter]

DALE: Barin, I was neverso pleased to see anyone.

BARIN: That's more like it.

Now, who's in favor
of going home?

I am.

I am.

And I am.

And how about you, Gremlin?

[laughter]

[theme music]