Episode Summary

After the opening credits a narrator introduces us to Prysmos, a planet rich in Technology. Unfortunately for it's inhabitants, this was not to last, as when the three suns of Prysmos came into alignment all the technology on their planet stopped working and they fell into chaos. The narrator then explains how over time a new, more primitive, civilisation is formed, with two main factions, the Kingdom of new Varlarak, lead by Leoric, and the Darkling Lords, lead by Darkstorm. After a while an ancient wizard, Merklynn, appears telling them that the Age of Magic has begun, and offering to teach them how to control magic. All they have to do is reach his shrine and he will grant them magical powers.

Many knights embark on this quest, trying to over come various obstacles, such as mazes, giants, chasms, traps and various other nasty devices. Only 14 make it to the shrine, where Merklynn bestows upon them a magical totem, representing their inner personality in the form of an animal. Those who were carrying staffs are granted additional powers, which they can access by chanting a rhyme. Those who do not have staffs are promised they they will discover other powers later on.

After all the knights are ejected from Merklynn's shrine, Darkstorm declares that magic will only be used for good, much to the surprise of everybody. Darkstorm has no intention of following this, but knows that the noble Leoric will keep his word.

The episode ends with Arzon helping a maiden out of a small ravine. The maiden asks what his staff is, and Arzon explains that it has magic powers, although she remains skeptical. To prove that he is telling the truth, Arzon calls upon the Bearer of Knowledge, and asks what it knows of the fair maiden. The staff replies the maiden is none other then the evil knight Virulina as the episode ends.

Interesting Facts

Were you paying attention to the episode? Here's some interesting facts that you may have missed.

  1. In the flash-back at the start of the episode, to the Age of Science, you will see Cindarr (in a crane), the Sky Claw being operated by someone looking like Ectar but voiced by Neil Ross (who should be voicing Leoric) and Virulina as a news reporter. According to the scripts the people on the beginning sequence which look / sound like Ectar, Cindarr and Virulina are indeed them.
  2. Merklynn's shrine is high on-top of Iron Mountain.
  3. Merklynn is suppose to chant incantation before he telepport, see the Missing / Alerted Scenes for more information.
  4. It's actually Ectar who names Darkstorm and his knights the Darkling Lords, during a fight in Merklyn's shrine.
  5. There are no front-on shots of Witterquick in the first episode without his helmet on.
  6. Vandanus the Armourer was planned to be first named within this episode however that scene was cut-down in the final version. Please see the Missing / Altered scenes for more information.
  7. The original scripts describes Virulina as having Dark Hair and being 5ft 9ins tall. This can be used as a reference for the height of the other characters in Visionaries (and is the only time that a characters height is mentioned).
  8. Each knight is linked to their totem in more ways then their personality. Leoric is taken from the latin name Leo, meaning Lion, and he uses a whip for a weapon, which is commonly used to tame big cats. Feryl is a play on words, feral is taken from the latin word fera meaning wild animal, in his case the wolf. Witterquick is the fastest man on Prysmos, and uses a boomerang, which is a fast weapon when thrown. Galadria's weapon is a trident, the weapon of choice for the Greek god Neptune, god of the sea. Her totem is that of the dolphin. Reckon's sword and armour is scale, like that of the lizard. Mortred's weapon, the Scythe, looks like an insect limb and Virulina's sword looks like a shark's dorsal fin. This shows that Hasbro did them homework when designing the characters for this series (and gives some guidelines to any Custom Characters fans may create).
  9. The words to the opening credits for The Visionaires, written by Anne Bryant and confirmed to us in writing on the 10th of September 2004, are

    Visionaries
    Knights of the Magical Light
    Visionaries
    With magical powers they fight
    Powers of mind and strength, skill and speed
    Powers to accomplish the greatest of deeds
    Visionaries
    Knights of the Magical Light

Missing Scenes

The following list details scenes which were removed from the Visionaries episode Ep 1: Age of Magic but appear within the original episode scripts.

  1. According to the scripts Leoric asked the crowd (after freeing them from Darkstorm) to help him re-build the great city of New Valarak. These scenes were removed from the start of the first episode.
  2. Originally, after gaining their powers and being removed from Merklynn's shrine you should see the good knights separate with Leoric comments that they probably all have deeds to fulfil in their own towns. One of them was suppose to reply commenting to Leoric that give my regards to Vandanus the Armourer, which is the first reference to this un-mentioned character, but sadly this line did not make the final recorded version of the script.

Altered Scenes

Below you will find a list of all of the scenes within the episode Ep 1: Age of Magic which were changed from the original planned scenes within Flint Dille's script.

  1. The giant was originally going to be a gargoyle.
  2. Merklynn is meant to say "Mages of the Mist, transport me!" before he teleports.
  3. The conversation between Arzon and the Bearer of Knowledge upon Arzon saves the maiden was originally planned to be much longer. The scene was original planned out so that when Arzon asks the Bearer of Knowledge to tell him what he knows of the maiden, the staff originally does not want to help, finding it trivial. Arzon informs the staff that he will use it for whatever purpose he sees fit (a bit uncharacteristic for Arzon). The staff then gives more details of Virulina.

Bloopers

  1. During the challenges within Merklyn's shrine, Cryotek is drawn with a red helmet rather than blue.
  2. When Merklyn grants Leorix his magical totem, of the Lion, Arzon is drawn with blonde hair.
  3. When Leoric raises his power staff, his glove is missing.
  4. While Arzon questions the Bearer of Knowledge about the young maiden, his magical totem is mysteriously gone.
  5. Neil Ross voices the Bearer of Knowledge at the end of this episode, yet by episode two his voice is supplied by Jim Cummings, who does the voice for the remainder of the series.

Featured Characters

  1. Merklynn
  2. Leoric
  3. Arzon
  4. Cryotek
  5. Ectar
  6. Feryl
  7. Galadria
  8. Darkstorm
  9. Cindarr
  10. Cravex
  11. Lexor
  12. Reekon
  13. Virulina
  14. Unknown Knights
  15. Vandanus The Armorer
  16. Unnamed Inventor
  17. Witterquick
  18. Mortdredd
  19. Rock Giant

Key

- Introduced.
- Named only or dropped.
- Vehicle.
- A note is attached.