Skeleton Warriors

Skeleton Warriors is a 13-episode cartoon series created by Landmark Entertainment Group, which originally aired in 1994 on CBS.[2] The show was created by producer Gary Goddard.[3]

Skeleton Warriors
GenreScience Fantasy, Horror
Created byGary Goddard
Developed byJulia Jane Lewald
StarringJeff Bennett
Nathan Carlson
Philip L. Clarke
Michael Corbett
Jennifer Hale
Tony Jay
Danny Mann
Valery Pappas
Kevin Schon
Music byGary Guttman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producersGary Goddard
Stephanie Graziano
ProducersVictor Dal Chele
Robert De Lapp
Running time23 minutes
Production companiesLandmark Entertainment Group
Graz Entertainment Inc.
DistributorWestinghouse Broadcasting International
Release
Original networkCBS (USA)
TCC (UK)
Italia 1 (Italy)
Original releaseSeptember 17 (1994-09-17) –
December 10, 1994 (1994-12-10)[1]

Summary

The story takes place on the fictional distant planet of "Luminaire". The conflict of the plot revolves around the need to control the Lightstar Crystal, which powers the great city of Luminicity. Baron Dark, the show's main villain, tried to steal the crystal in order to gain control over its incredible power. He only succeeded in obtaining half of the crystal, with the other half being obtained by Prince Lightstar.[4]

The half of the crystal that the Baron Dark managed to obtain turns him into a living skeleton.[5] It also gives him the power to turn those with evil hearts into living skeletons for his army. Each episode involves Prince Lightstar, his siblings and Baron Dark attempting to obtain the other half of their respective crystals in order to gain control over the planet.

Prince Lightstar forms part of the "Legion of Light." It consists of Justin Lightstar a.k.a. Prince Lightstar, Joshua Lightstar a.k.a. Grimskull, and Jennifer Steele a.k.a. Talyn. They also have been endowed with great powers through their half of the Crystal. They team together with their uncle Ursak (a.k.a. Guardian) to battle the evil Baron Dark. While Baron Dark is transformed into an undead skeleton and given the ability to transform other living beings into his Skeleton Warriors, the Legion of Light gains other fantastic abilities: Lightstar gains the ability to channel energy through his hands, Talyn gains the power of flight, and Grimskull is transformed into an undead creature similar to the Baron, but also has the power to travel through shadows.

Characters
  • Justin Steele/Prince Lightstar
Voiced by: Jeff Bennett

Prince Justin is the leader of the Legion of Light and the one meant to protect the Lightstar Crystal. After its loss, he continually strives to protect humanity and defeat the skeleton warriors. He greatly frustrates the Baron by displaying the clear limits to his power: a person of good heart cannot be turned into a skeleton warrior. When the Lightstar Crystal was shattered, Justin received the ability to project powerful beams of energy out of his hands or through his sword, which later is declared by Ursak to be (or possibly contain, considering the relative sizes of the sword and crystal) an actual piece of the Lightstar Crystal.

  • Jennifer Steele/Talyn
Voiced by: Jennifer Hale

Talyn is a fierce warrior, a gracious princess, a caring soul and an unwavering defender of the righteous. She somehow manages to combine all her devotion to the fight against evil with great compassion. After the struggle which shattered the Lightstar Crystal, she was granted the power of flight and managed to reconcile Justin and Joshua. Her later exploits include finding a way to actually restore skeleton warriors to the flesh – by removing the "heart gems" that appear after the transformation. Although this discovery is a tactical advantage and a source of hope, it also spurred Baron Dark on to worse acts; if any skeleton warrior is restored to human form, he could use his power to transform them back into skeletons, but, since he was the only one who possessed this power, if he himself was restored, no one else would be able to transform him back into a living skeleton.

  • Joshua Steele/Grimskull
Voiced by: Kevin Schon

Justin's younger brother, who initially worked together with Baron Dark out of a misplaced envy of his older brother. When Justin and Dark struggled for the Lightstar Crystal, Joshua interfered. The resulting surge of power turned him into an undead creature, but where Dark and his Skeleton Warriors are pure skeletons, Joshua - who was renamed Grimskull - is still covered in flesh. Grimskull is seeking redemption by helping his family; he saw the baron's evil during the fight which transformed him. Grimskull is granted the power to travel through shadows wherever he wishes. After his transformation, he befriended a wolf, which he named "Stalker."

  • Ursak the Guardian
Voiced by: Danny Mann

Ursak is the brother to the late king and the uncle to the Steele children. He serves as their adviser, second-in-command, mentor and surrogate father. He is a skilled combatant who leads from the front, as well as a highly competent scientist designing various weapons and armor for the Legion of Light's members.

  • Baron Dark
Voiced by: Philip L. Clarke

The greedy and evil baron tried to seize the Lightstar crystal for himself, and caused it to break in two. His half turned him into a living skeleton who has the power to turn any person with the slightest bit of darkness in his or her heart into a skeleton warrior like himself. Baron turns them into skeleton warriors with "Heartstones," and he says "Darkest Soul, Evil's Courier, Serve me as a Skeleton Warrior." He is obsessed with defeating the Legion of Light, and taking control of both halves of the Lightstar Crystal, thereby granting absolute power for himself.

  • Dr. Cyborn
Voiced by: Nathan Carlson

Dr. Cyborn is a half skeleton/half machine who was Baron Dark's scientific expert and high tech weapon maker. Dr. Cyborn is the Skeleton Legion's mad scientist and is Baron Dark's second-in-command. Self-created in his demented laboratory, Dr. Cyborn grafted bionic parts to his own body after a near fatal accident. The scientist's dream came true when Baron Dark gave him his skeletal form. Now, this twisted genius serves the Baron as he devises weapons to destroy the Legion of Light.

  • Shriek
Voiced by: Valery Pappas

Previously a stunningly beautiful woman, Shriek with her evil heart was transformed into a female Skeleton Warrior in order to "add a woman's touch," according to Baron Dark. In the days prior to becoming a living Skeleton, Shriek was powerfully attracted to Prince Joshua. After she became a Skeleton Warrior her crush persists, albeit unreciprocated. According to the Skeleton Warriors presentation at Toy Fair 1994, the character's working name was "Banshee."

  • Aracula
Voiced by: Michael Corbett

An arachnid-like creature possessing six arms before being turned into a Skeleton Warrior, Aracula speaks almost entirely in grunts, screeches and other animal-like sounds. He serves mostly as a bodyguard and berserker-type fighter who tries to overwhelm his opponent through sheer brute force. He maintains his spider abilities despite being a skeleton. In "Long Live the King", it is revealed that his people have been enemies of the humans for centuries.

  • Dagger
Voiced by: Danny Mann

Initially Baron Dark's dwarfish, slavish aide, later his dwarfish, slavish, skeletal aide. Dagger provides a certain amount of comic relief, but is mainly the baron's loyal servant. Even when he was briefly restored to the flesh, he continued to work for the baron's interests and longed to be restored to the skeletal state his master had imparted upon him.

Episodes
No. Title Written by Original air date
1"Flesh and Bone"Steve Cuden,
Eric Lewald,
Julia Jane Lewald,
and Len Uhley		September 17, 1994 (1994-Sep-17)
Tired with Justin's place as king, Joshua undertakes Baron Dark's task to take the lightstar crystal. Justin and Baron Dark seize the crystal breaking it into two and transforming the Steeles and Baron Dark. Baron Dark turns his colony into skeleton warriors. The skeletons attack the Luminicity castle, but the Steeles counterattack. The Baron fails to corrupt Joshua and the Steeles escape. The Baron tracks Joshua at Ursak's place and poisons his mind. The Steeles and Ursak fight the skeletons and escape the fray as Ursak self-destructs his house.
2"Trust and Betrayal"Len UhleySeptember 24, 1994 (1994-Sep-24)
Lightstar rallies Luminicity's remaining population to fight against Baron Dark. Talyn tries to get in a storehouse only to get the skeleton's attention. After retreating the people accuse Grimskull of collaboration with Baron Dark. In Grimskull's absence, Talyn and Lightstar carry out a successful raid. In an attempt to recruit allies, Talyn and Lightstar are captured by the skeletons. It turns out Celkirk sold them out. Baron Dark fails to turn Lighstar into a skeleton. Before he can eliminate his prisoners, Guardian and Grimskull storm in and beat back Baron Dark.
3"Heart and Soul"Steve CudenOctober 1, 1994 (1994-Oct-01)
The Steeles fight off skeletons that raided a settlement and Talyn rescues the only survivor Ferris. As Baron Dark plots to get the Steeles, Ferris tells Talyn his dishonour that made him survive, shortly getting transformed by Baron Dark. Talyn soon goes after Ferris hoping to help him. As she gets captured, Grimskull arrives. In a fist fight, Talyn cures Ferris' skeletonisation, by prying the crystal from his heart. Ferris drives away skeletons raiding Lightstar's base but doesn't feel ready to join forces.
4"Bones of Contention"Jan StrnadOctober 8, 1994 (1994-Oct-08)
Grimskull undergoes on a mission to recover Baron Dark's half of the Lightstar crystal. Grimskull comes up with nothing but a data crystal while his companions are captured. Back at base, the data crystal reveals flashbacks of how the skeleton evil began, centered at Grimskull. Lightstar takes Grimskull's sentence while Grimskull goes for the hostages to redeem his actions. The hostages are to be fed to a moodoo. Grimskull rescues the hostages and kills the moodoo. Grimskull is forgiven and accepted by the Legion of Light.
5"Zara"Stephanie MathisonOctober 15, 1994 (1994-Oct-15)
After Baron Dark plunders the town of Romney, a lady called Zara drops by her old friends, the Steeles. Lightstar brings an attack on Romney only to be pinned down by Dark Baron. After preventing the skeletons from entering, Lightstar finds Zara sold them on Baron Dark's command in exchange for the plundered food and medicine. In the quarry, Lightstar's group recover the supplies while Baron Dark kidnaps Zara. Lightstar confronts Baron Dark as Grimskull saves Zara. Lightstar makes it out of the collapsing quarry.
6"Mind Games"Sandy ScesnyOctober 22, 1994 (1994-Oct-22)
Grimskull suffers frequent torments in his mind from Baron Dark's mind link. While Baron Dark continues to work on a dream infiltration device, the Steeles and Guardian destroy a construction site. Soon Grimskull is plagued in the depths of his mind by Baron Dark but Cyborn faces technical problems in the device from its inventor Dr. Genov. Guardian finds a link with the scientist. Before Baron Dark can destroy Grimskull's mind, Guardian and Lightstar manage to motivate Grimskull to retaliate. Guardian self-destructs the lab before departing.
7"Harmonic Divergence"Doug BoothOctober 29, 1994 (1994-10-29)
As Baron Dark's forces bomb the North City, Lightstar and his companions come to the city's aid, narrowly escaping. The skeletons are enslaving humans to build bombs in a factory. After some reconnaissance and counterattacking, Guardian goes undercover in the factory as a loyalist, but his cover is blown by Shriek. After rescuing Guardian, Lightstar's lot, penetrate and demolish the factory. Baron Dark's army of sky cycles is destroyed by overloading engines, guardian tinkered with earlier.
8"Past Perfect, Future Tense"Steve CudenNovember 5, 1994 (1994-11-05)
Lightstar and his companions attempt to get ore from a mine, but Baron Dark detonates a bomb to flood the tunnels. The Steeles and Guardian narrowly make it to safety, climbing up onto the mountains. Guardian explains Dr. Jenna's invention enabling operators to see visions of possible future. The skeletons, Talyn and Lightstar get in a tangle with a beast. Grimskull has befriended a wolf. Guardian senses a terrible future for Lightstar and barely prevents him meeting his death. Having proved a useful companion the wolf is named Stalker.
9"Brawl and Chain"Len UhleyNovember 12, 1994 (1994-11-12)
Baron Dark's new juggernaut the Gorgon battleship has been established. Lightstar and Talyn go to Semigon kingdom to warn them of the threat, but King Dorigon has Dagger and Shriek as diplomats. The two skeletons and Steeles are sentenced to the dungeon after a disruption in the night's dining. Lightstar turns Shriek and Dagger back into humans and Dagger divulges the Baron's sinister plot. Together the Steeles and Guardian destroy the Gorgon along with the kingdom's refinery, but Dorigon congratulates them.
10"Overload"Susan TalkingtonNovember 19, 1994 (1994-11-19)
The Legion of Light begin a siege against Baron Dark's forces in the middle of their preparations until Shriek shoots Talyn out of the sky. Talyn becomes helpless with Shriek, Aracula and Dagger hunting her. She falls into a cave inhabited by a beast which the skeletons are chased by. Baron Dark is attempting to supercharge his half of the Lightstar crystal which causes massive contact problems. The search for Talyn becomes desperate as the crystal powers high until Grimskull finds her. The Legion of Light evacuats moments before the crystal overloads.
11"...Long Live the King"Brooks WachtelNovember 26, 1994 (1994-Nov-26)
Before the final battle, Prince Lightstar revisits the life of his childhood and his father was a king. Now, Prince Lightstar comes back to his lifelong relationship is finally over. But not for Baron Dark, he plans to captured his father turns the throne into a darker betrayal to become King Baron Dark! The web of war is on!
12"Conflict and Consequences – Part 1"Steve CudenDecember 3, 1994 (1994-Dec-03)
The Legion of Light cause synchronized attacks on Baron Dark's forces while the skeleton send a full scout for the crystal's other half. Grimskull is sent to hide the crystal half to a secure place, while the others launch an attack on Baron Dark's colosseum. Baron Dark cuts Grimskull off at the bridge, tosses him off and takes the crystal half.
13"Conflict and Consequences – Part 2"Len UhleyDecember 10, 1994 (1994-Dec-10)
Knowing that Baron Dark has the other half of the crystal, Lightstar heads off to take his half, but he fails and Baron Dark unites both halves. The Legion of Light are pinned down but Grimskull (who survived his ordeal) rescues them. While others keep the skeletons occupied, Lightstar battles Baron Dark until he destroys him and the crystal in a crater of lava.

Home release

Skeleton Warriors was released in a 2-disc set on December 6, 2011 in North America, featuring all 13 episodes.[6]

Voices

Additional voices

Crew

Merchandise
Cover of the 1st Marvel spin-off comic

The cartoon also spawned a toyline created by Playmates Toys, a comic book limited series created by Marvel Comics and the Skeleton Warriors video game for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation consoles developed by Neversoft and published by Playmates Interactive.[7][8]

References
  1. "Skeleton Warriors". Saturday Mornings Forever. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  2. Mangan, Jennifer (September 5, 1994). "Skeleton Warriors' Ready To Hit It Big". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  3. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 750. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 557. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  5. Markstein, Don. "Skeleton Warriors". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  6. "Skeleton Warriors - The Complete Series". TV Shows on DVD. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  7. Neversoft Entertainment SW page
  8. Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Incorporated page
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