S01E01 Escape from Mongo
When Ming the Merciless leaves Mongo to invade Earth, his old enemy Flash Gordon and the latter's son, Rick, join forces with six others - the youngest a pre-teenaged boy named Kshin - to form...
Defenders of the Earth
S01E54: The Return of Doctor Dark
Ming sets out to rule the entire universe by stealing the first of the three shards of the Orb of Konos from the Yucatan rain forest. At Monitor, Mandrake picks up telepathic signals from Mara, prompting Rick's journey to the Well of Essence, where he finds her in a cocoon. Dr. Dark locates the second shard with Ming, but in a confrontation between the two the evil ex-shadow lord drains the crystal's power, capturing it in his own body. Flash and Mandrake travel to a frozen planet to recover the third shard, only to discover that Ming has beat them to it. Back at Monitor Mara emerges from her cocoon, now a shadow lord. The Defenders rush to the Amber Keep on Rylos --the only place where the Orb of Konos can be reassembled- to discover that Dr. Dark has double crossed Ming and entered the Shadow Void to become the supreme ruler of the universe. Mara enters Dr. Dark's mind and prevents him from regaining control, thereby allowing the Orb to take back the power he stole from it, and destroying the evil warlock in the process. The Defenders escape the planet and Mara stays to become the new shadow master, ensuring that no one ever again splits the Orb of Konos.
Overview
Defenders of the Earth is an American animated television series produced in 1986, featuring characters from three comic strips distributed by King Features Syndicate—Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician—opposing Ming the Merciless in the year 2015. Supporting characters include their children Rick Gordon, Jedda Walker, Kshin, Mandrake's assistant Lothar, and Lothar's son L.J. The show lasted for 65 episodes; there was also a short-lived comic book series published by Star Comics, created by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru and John Romita, Sr.. The closing credits credit Rob Walsh and Tony Pastor for the main title music, and Stan Lee for the lyrics. The series was later shown in reruns on the Sci Fi Channel as part of Sci Fi Cartoon Quest.
Episodes
S01E02 The Creation of Monitor
Aided by Flash's Krell allies, the Defenders begin building their base. But Ming has learned of their existence and resolved to put an end to them.
S01E03 A Demon In His Pocket
Some boys try to pick a fight with Kshin so, rather than break the Defenders' Code of Honour, he reads up on summoning spells - against Mandrake's orders - and calls forth a demon named...
S01E04 A House Divided
When Africa suffers a sudden and unexplained climate change, the Phantom and Jedda head there to investigate. In the process, the Phantom learns that his estranged brother, Kurt - whom he has never mentioned to...
S01E05 Bits and Chips
When the Defenders receive an invitation to pit Dynak-X against a chess-playing computer, they little suspect that it is part of Ming's plot to implant an electronic maggot into Dynak's circuits in order to turn...
S01E06 The Root of Evil
Dr. Whitestead's plant food formula goes haywire--spilling on him and turning him into a plant! Ming seizes the scientist, the fomula, and his daughter. Lothar and Mandrake use their skills to save Whitestead, and the...
S01E07 Cold War
Ming needs Rick Gordon's ring to complete a weather control machine, and having caught Flash in a battle, uses him as bait to lure the impulsive Rick to Ice Station Earth. It is up to...
S01E08 The Sleeper Awakes
Eaons ago, a giant robot crash landed on Earth. Ming learns of The Annihilator, which now sleeps beneath Central City, and distracts all but one of The Defenders long enough to activate the robot.
S01E09 The Revenge of Astra
The vengeful space princess Astra creates an army of clay soldiers. The daughter of Princess Aura, Astra is convinced by Ming that Flash Gordon was behind her mother's death. She uses blue clay from the...
S01E10 The Hall of Wisdom
The incredible Hall of Wisdom pays its-2000-year, 24-hour visit to the Galaxy. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Ming to get his hands on the dreaded Quasar Weapon, with which he can conquer the Earth.
S01E11 The Mind Warriors, Part I
Ming lures Kshin to Ice Station Earth by kidnapping Zuffy, then probes the dark side of Kshin's imagination to create fearsome warriors capable of destroying the Defenders. While the heroes work diligently to dismantle the...
S01E12 The Mind Warriors, Part II
The Defenders add a new twist to the Battle Simulation Room--a Thought-Transference Cap. It transmits the wearer's imagination directly into the simulation; Kshin loves to use it to scare the other Defenders the best he...
S01E13 The Lost Jewels of Tibet
Ming is seeking the Jewels of Power, but a female archeologist named Atuskedero is also after them and travels to Tibet with Lothar and Mandrake (the latter worked with her in his pre-Defender days) to...
S01E14 The Evil of Doctor Dark
Mandrake's old enemy, Damian Dark, and the latter's Psychic Warrior cohorts escape from jail and join forces with Ming's troops to search for the legendary Well of Essence.
S01E15 Diamonds are Ming's Best Friends
Ming enlists the aid of the ruthless Beastmaster to create an army of Crystal Soldiers, beings grown from diamonds and invulnerable to everything except an extremely rare mineral called Orcite.
S01E16 The Men of Frost
For Ming's plan to blanket the earth with a veneer of frost to be successful, the satellite requires the strength of a Starblue Crystal, of which only three exist. During a ceremony in which Mandrake...
S01E17 Battleground
Ming's forces travel to the planet Grubor, where they use his freeze-ray weapon to capture six Cave Slugs- invincible alien creatures the size of semi-trucks who can and do eat anything, including rock, metal and...
S01E18 The Panther Peril
When the famous explorer Andrew Huxley encounters the wrath of Ming the Merciless while on expedition in Africa, he immediately calls in the Defenders. Ming kidnaps the Chief of the Bandar tribe after destroying their...
S01E19 Fury of the Deep
Ming's attack on an oil platform, to capture a main computer containing the earth's entire energy network, is foiled by the Defenders, but all is not lost as he spots oceanographer Maurice Quiston using a...
S01E20 Family Reunion
Ming captures the Phantom and Jedda as they return from the race against N'Dama (really the Phantom's brother Kurt Walker) for the Jewel of Zandoon. Once again his old self, Kurt Walker stows away on...
S01E21 The Defense Never Rests
The Defenders fly into space to investigate a mysterious comet and discover, too late to break from the tractor beams dragging them toward the comet, that in reality it is an Ilyrian spaceship. Inside the...
S01E22 Like Father, Like Daughter
Ming's estranged daughter, Aura, crash lands her ship on Monitor and informs the Defenders of her father's latest scheme to enslave the population of earth with his Mind Neutralizer. Flash, an old friend of Aura's...
S01E23 The Would be Defender
At the dedication ceremony for a new courthouse built in honor of our heroes, 13 year-old Earl Sump, bespectacled and dressed in a homemade superhero suit, captures two pick-pockets in the crowd. His reward- a...
S01E24 Doorways into Darkness
Deep in Africa Ming locates an anti-energy source enabling him to open the Nightgiant Doorway and unleash 7-story tall nightgiants to destroy the earth. Flash flies out to space to destroy a Ming satellite, but...
S01E25 Deal With The Devil
While captives in Ming's jail, Rick and Jedda overhear Octon and Garax's plans to revolt against Ming. In exchange for their freedom, the Defenders offer to help in the scheme. When the uprising begins, Octon...
S01E26 Terror In Time
After retrieving a vat of deadly mutant slime from Ming's laboratory, six of the Defenders (LJ and Kshin do not appear in this episode) are chased through a time warp and go back to the...
S01E27 Ming's Household Helpers
The household helper robot, designed by Ming the Merciless in another of his evil schemes, is the hottest selling item on the market, deployed in over one million homes worldwide- including Monitor. Ming plans to...
S01E28 The Starboy
While transporting Starchild, a child-like alien who has landed on earth, through the woods around Monitor, the young Defenders encounter two alien scouts who attempt to destroy their new acquaintance. With the help of the...
S01E29 The Gods Awake
When statues of ancient gods mysteriously come to life the Defenders are summoned to the Himalayas by Mandrake's old magic teacher, Theron. Our heroes learn that Ming and a mystic are behind the bizarre occurances,...
S01E30 The Ghost Walks Again
When industrial tycoon/hypochondriac Kent Madden's plan to buy a magic health elixer from Partha, son of Chief Ajuna of the of r ican Fallu tribe, goes awry, he makes a deal to obtain use of...
S01E31 The Book of Mysteries
When a two-hundred square mile area of Morocco mysteriously disappears, the Defenders investigate- sans Kshin, who is instructed to choose any book from Mandrake's library for a book report. While Kshin flips through the blank...
S01E32 The Future Comes But Once
While engaging Ming's roboships in battle over the North African Desert, Flash discovers the remains of an ancient pyramid, where he finds an obelisk that produces visions when touched. The other Defenders arrive on the...
S01E33 Kshin And The Ghost Ship
While on vacation in Jamaica with the Defenders, Kshin sees a ghost ship; however, no one believes him. Determined to get proof of the ship's existence, Kshin rows a dinghy out into the bay one...
S01E34 The Carnival of Dr. Kalihari
Dr. Kalihari's carnival is in town and the Defenders are on hand to see the show. What they don't know is that Dr. Kalihari has taken over the carnival from its owners and populated it...
S01E35 The Mystery of the Book
Dynak X picks up a bizarre energy transmission from Stonehenge prompting the elder Defenders to investigate. Kshin consults the book of enigma which shows him a blueprint of the ancient stone circle. In England, Flash,...
S01E36 Flash Times Four
Ming knows that Flash Gordon is the only man alive who could effectively fly his state-of-the-art warplane The Scorpion, so he lures our hero to Ice Station Earth, where he has created four Flash Gordon...
S01E37 The Frozen Heart
Ming's forces kidnap LJ's girlfriend, Kate, turning her into a Frost Person, and have her trick LJ, Rick and Jedda into handing the Defenders' Space Station - now armed with a lethal laser-cannon - over...
S01E38 Rick Gordon, One Man Army
Rick Gordon's new friend at Central City High ! Carlotta Vallejo- requires his help when Ming backs revolutionary forces to dethrone her father from the Presidency of the tropical island of Esmerelda. While Ming gathers...
S01E39 The Rites of Zesnan
While trying to prove their individual prowess during an obstacle course competition, Rick, Jedda and L.J. get a bit too serious, endangering themselves individually and as a flying unit. When the youngsters again risk their...
S01E40 Audie and Tweak
Ming's computer, Octon, has created the ultimate trap- Tycos, a machine designed by a machine, completely devoid of human flaws- which the evil leader will use to destroy the Defenders. Meanwhile Kshin tries to make...
S01E41 Return of the Skyband
When an ore transport ship in deep space is looted and notes are found announcing the RETURN OF THE SKY BAND, the Phantom is apprehensive. He recounts the story of his grandfather, who defeated an...
S01E42 Dracula's Potion
The Defenders set out for Transylvania to investigate the disappearance of John Harker, a young archeologist doing re-search in the area. Upon arrival, they are invited to the castle of Vlad, a mysterious local who...
S01E43 One of the Guys
Rick and L.J. accompany Kshin's class, which includes Marty, a wheelchair-bound boy, on a field trip to the Amazon where they encounter hostile natives. When Kshin and Marty are separated from the group, L.J. and...
S01E44 100 Proof Highway
At school, Jedda is invited to a party by Eric, who freely admits that, "Everything looks better with a little vodka". At first a bit hesitant, Jedda eventually agrees- she thinks Eric is cute and...
S01E45 The Time Freezer
The Defenders attend an inter-galactic science convention in Monaco which coincides with a junior magician's competition that Kshin enters. Mandrake tells the boy the secret to opening locks through telekenetic activity, a trick which he...
S01E46 The Prince Makes His Move (1)
Prince Kro-Tan reduces his father to nothing more than a microbe and seizes control of his empire, determined to conquer earth and destroy the Defenders himself....
S01E47 The Prince Triumphant (2)
Pursuing Kro-Tan to a small kingdom in india, Flash and Rick are astonished to find that Kro-Tan is revered as a benevolant and trusting being, deemed worthy of ruling earth
S01E48 The Prince Weds (3)
Continuing his power play, Kro-Tan's next step is to secretly attach miniature, mind-controled explosives to the Defenders and take Jedda captive. They arrive in Mongo, where he announces that they'll soon wed.
S01E49 The Prince's Royal Hunt (4)
Locked in the prince's palace, Jedda uses her gift to communicate with animals as a means of escape before the wedding. In a subterranean area, Kshin discovers a race of small, peaceful creatures who are...
S01E50 The Prince Dethroned (5)
The witch who's aided Kro-Tan from the start manages to revive the original King of Mongo, and is revealed to be his Queen while having her youth restored. They lock Kro-Tan away and later do...
S01E51 Lothar's Homecoming
The Defenders accompany Lothar to his hometown in Jamaica, where the new children?s wing of a hospital will be dedicated in his honor. While there, Dr. Barbeau informs then that a new wonder drug is...
S01E52 Suspended Sabotage
While Rick and L.J. test out Rick's new invention- a wave interference device that scrambles any signal transmitted through the air- Rick is kidnapped by Ming, who then places an implant on L.J.'s head which...
S01E53 Call of the Eternals
Ming sends a look-alike Defender ship to provoke the Beacon of the Eternals- a computer operated ship searching for a long lost benevolent society- which thereby releases its three Guardian Robots to retaliate against our...
S01E54 The Return of Doctor Dark
Ming sets out to rule the entire universe by stealing the first of the three shards of the Orb of Konos from the Yucatan rain forest. At Monitor, Mandrake picks up telepathic signals from Mara,...
S01E55 The Deadliest Battle
Rick feels the pressure that results from his efforts to live up to Flash's reputation, and all aspects of Rick's life are suffering- school, personal and Defender work. A "friend" gives him a vial of...
S01E56 The Necklace of Oros
As part of Jedda's coming of age, the Phantom takes her to the Skull Cave to choose a gift from among the family treasures. She is drawn to the mysterious Necklace of Oros, but an...
S01E57 Torn Space
The fabric of the universe is weak and stretching under the stress of Graviton's bridge, and the evil alien must have the Necklace of Oros if he is to survive. When the reptile/humanoid corners Jedda...
S01E58 Ming Winter
Flash receives a distress call from Prince Barin, summoning him to Mongo to save the planet from Ming's evil son Kro-Tan. Back at Monitor our heroes uncover Ming's plan- Kro-Tan has turned the population of...
S01E59 The Golden Queen (1)
As Ming teams up with Queen Hadea of the Netherworld, elsewhere, Jedda suffers injury from an experiment intended to examine the Neckless of Oros. The Phantom takes her to a village to be healed, accompanied...
S01E60 The Gravity of Ming (2)
Graviton discovers that the neckless Jedda's wearing is a fake, and Ming vows to punish Hadea. The Phantom escapes from Hadea's palace with the real neckless and heads for Ming's fortress, where he's captured just...
S01E61 Flesh and Blood
The Defenders must fight a fanatic cult calling themselves the ""Leauge of Flesh and Blood"" who are opposed to the existence of robots, beleivng that they are crippling human independence. Flash develops a romantic bond...
S01E62 Drowning World
Ming constructs a dam near the sea of Japan. This diverts the warm currents of the Japenease oceans towards the antartic, causing the polar Ice caps to melt, which results in major worldwide flooding and...
S01E63 The Adoption of Kshin
During the court proceedings of Mandrake's adoption of Kshin, Hai, an old Asian man, enters with proof that he Is the boy's grandfather. Hai's return sparks Kshin's memory- he was three years old and with...
S01E64 Street Smarts
In battle simulation with Jedda, L.J. refuses to take part- he thinks it is only "kid stuff". Flash transports Morlag, a lizard-like leader of the rebellion on Mongo to Monitor, where Rick and the Phantom...
S01E65 Ming's Thunder Lizards
The Defenders fly to Alaska to inspect a dinosaur alert. While following dinosaur tracks, Rick and L.J. discover that a long-dormant volcano, with an artificial dome placed over it, is mysteriously heating up. The senior...
Cast
Lou Richards
Flash Gordon (voice)
Peter Mark Richman
The Phantom / Kit Walker / 26th Phantom (voice)
Peter Renaday
Mandrake the Magician (voice)
Buster Jones
Lothar (voice)
Ron Feinberg
Ming the Merciless/Warlock (voice)
Loren Lester
Rick Gordon / Young Kurt (voice)
Sarah Partridge
Jedda Walker (voice)
Dion Williams
L.J. (voice)
Adam Carl
Kshin / Young Kit (voice)
Diane Pershing
Dynak X / Dale Arden (voice)
William Callaway
Octon / Garax (voice)
Hal Rayle
Prince Kro-Tan (voice)
