Not your average wood...

The Tree-Beasts are Waiting...

Welcome to the Doomite Tree-Beast Forest!

This is the section where you can find the script to my favorite Voltron episode of all time! Unless you're new to Voltron, you should be able to guess which episode I'm talking about from the title of this section. However, in case there are a few "new" fans of Voltron coming into this section, (Which hopefully there are!) my favorite Voltron episode of all time is First Season Episode #18, also known as "Zarkon is Dying." This is the episode that cemented my feelings about Planet Doom and it's citizens. It is also the episode that was the inspiration for "30 min. of Pure Wishful Thinkin'". Since this episode was such an influence on my life, I've decided to put the transcript on here so others can be influenced. So, without further adieu, here's the transcript!

Voltron Episode #18: "Zarkon is Dying"

(If you see a yellow link in the transcript, feel free to click it.)

(Opening shot: Planet Doom. Episode #18 opens with thunder rolling and blue lightning flashes contrasting with the black sky. The scene shifts to a laboratory, first a shot of the exterior, then a shot of the interior. Prince Lotor is seen walking into the main lab. Then, the camera pans through the lab, with the sound of Lotor's footsteps. Eventually, we see a witch in front of some lab equipment, working on a new discovery...)

Lotor: Zondra, I've been waiting. You promised to produce something new and deadly with your witchcraft.

Zondra: (Cackles) It is done, Prince Lotor! I'm sure you'll be pleased with the evil thing I've conjured!
(Raises a flask of potion.) I've brewed this deadly potion with "eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tail of dog, adder's fork and blindworm's sting, lizard's leg, and howlet's wing."

(Footnote: Does this sound familiar? If you've read Macbeth, it should! This line comes from Act 4, Scene 1 of Macbeth.)

Zondra: (Leads Lotor to a rose in a flowerpot. She puts a few drops of the potion into the flowerpot.) See what just a few drops will do to this simple flower?

(The plant begins to transform as Zondra and Lotor watch.)

Lotor: Marvelous!

(We see the actual flower transforming. Lotor watches on with interest.)

Zondra: (Cackles) A Rose-Beast!

(We see a shot of the flower again. Suddenly, the vision of a face(?) emerges from the rose. Lotor is frightened, and he knocks the flowerpot over. The flowerpot shatters.)

Zondra: Your enemies will never suspect that a sweet, gentle plant can be turned into such a thing of destruction! With this new power, nothing can stop your father from conquering the universe! (Cackles again)

Lotor: A beautiful job, Zondra!

Zondra: Thank you, Sire. I do much better work than that old witch, Haggar! (Footnote: NOT!) Please recommend me to your wicked friends, and I hope you'll bring me all your evil business from now on. (We see the broken flowerpot and the dead plant on the floor.)

Castle Guard: (Enters the lab and salutes.) Prince Lotor, come at once! His Majesty, the king has suddenly become very ill!

Lotor: Oh no! My father!

(The scene flashes to a chamber inside Castle Doom. The camera pans from the ceiling down. We see a Doomite Skull and, eventually, King Zarkon lying on a bed and Haggar sitting in front of the bed.)

Zarkon: Oh, the pain! I can't stand it!

Lotor: (Enters the chamber. Haggar turns her head toward the entrance.) Father!

Zarkon: (Raises off the bed slightly to greet Lotor.) Ah, my son. I knew you'd come at once when you heard.

Lotor: What's wrong, Father?

Zarkon: (Groans) It struck all at once.

(We see Haggar laughing a little.)

Lotor: (Lays Zarkon back down.) You must rest.

Zarkon: (Groans) I can't conquer the universe that way!

Castle Guard: (Enters the chamber.) Sire?

Haggar: Speak!

Castle Guard: The royal physicians have arrived to examine the king.

Haggar: (Walking toward the guard.) We need no doctors here! I, Haggar, the witch will use my powerful charms and magic spells to bring about his recovery!

Castle Guard: Very well. (Exits the chamber.)

Zarkon: (Groans) Use your power at once! The pain is like a fire inside me!

Haggar: Do not fear, Your Majesty! I will call upon the Blackest Spirits to attend you.

Zarkon: Then do it quickly, my strength is fading!

Haggar: (As Zarkon groans in the background) Come with me to the Altar of Darkness.

(Footnote: This last line was the initial inspiration for "30 min. of Pure Wishful Thinkin'." I changed "Altar" to "Hall," and built up the song from there.)

Lotor: (Thinking) I've got my own witch! I never did trust this old hag. But I'll go along and humor her. It'll impress my father.

(Haggar and Lotor go up the steps to the Altar of Darkness, which is behind Zarkon's bed. Haggar kneels in front of the Altar of Darkness with a string of beads around her wrists.)

Haggar: O, Dark Spirits, you who rule the Netherworld...

(Fixtures on Altar of Darkness flash red and blue) You who control the destiny of the evil forces which are unleashed upon the universe... (Green light glows from the eyes of the Doomite Skull) I, Haggar the Witch, come before you to offer these sacred beads for your approval. If you are within this chamber, if you hear my plea, reveal yourself! (Fire emerges from the Altar of Darkness, burning red) My master, the great King Zarkon, ruler of Planet Doom lies ill. Look upon him with favour! Free him from his suffering! Reveal to me a formula for a cure of his mysterious ailment. O, great Dark Spirits, (fixtures flash rapidly, red and blue) You who have created the slimy snakes and hairy spiders, (Haggar is seen through the red fire on the Altar of Darkness) You who do the work of evil, show me the way! Send me a sign!

(Haggar then chants a Mystic Chant, shaking the beads wildly on her wrists. A brilliant red light flashes out from the eyeholes of the Doomite Skull, and she breaks the string of beads violently, still chanting. Lotor watches in hushed awe, as the beads are shown falling to the floor. Haggar collapses face-down on the floor, totally spent from the power of the Dark Spirits.)

Lotor: (Helping Haggar off the floor) What is it, Haggar?

Haggar: The Dark Spirits have spoken in the beads!

Lotor: What message did they have for you?

Haggar: The Spirits tell me to save your father from this terrible sickness, you must give him a magic medicine. A medicine made from the berries which grow only on the planet Arus!

Lotor: I don't like it, old witch! You just want me to battle Voltron again!

Haggar: No, Sire! Take a full corps of robot guards. But, if you work fast, you may never be detected.

Lotor: I have a special magic weapon you don't even know about. I'll get those berries!

Haggar: My prince, the King is growing old and weak. (Shot of Zarkon tossing on the bed) Even if this magic medicine prolongs his life, he still may be too feeble to carry on his duties. When he learns of your corageous mission, he may turn this kingdom over to you, and you know that I will serve you as faithfully as I have always served your father. (Laughs as Zarkon is seen one last time, groaning and tossing)

(The scene shifts to the ship launching area of Castle Doom. The scene pans, showing two Doomite battleships. Lotor is standing in front of one of the battleships, waiting to depart for Arus.)

Lotor: Where are my robot troopers?

(Zondra enters the launching area, running)

Lotor: Zondra?

(Zondra runs to Lotor with a flask of potion in her hand. She is out of breath)

Lotor: What is it?

Zondra: I have prepared enough magic potion to meet any emergency on your important mission, Sire.

Lotor: Potion?

Zondra: With my greatest discovery, you have no need to take all those men! A few drops will give you the power of an army!

(The scene shifts to an exterior shot of Castle Doom. Lotor's battleship is shown flying from the castle, toward Arus.)

Lotor: (Looking directly at the camera, we catch a gleam coming from his left eye) With the power now at my command, I may bring back not only berries, but ALL of Planet Arus!

(The scene shifts to Planet Arus. The opening shot is of the five robot lions sitting on a grassy hill with the Castle of Lions on a higher hill in the background. This scene is interesting to watch because although the lions are shown on the hill at the beginning of the scene, everyone except Pidge is still shown in the sequence where the Voltron Force is transported to their lions. If you have this episode on tape, see for yourself.)

Lance: Hey, we're gonna have the new school finished for the kids in no time!

(The scene pans to the frame of the school building)

Hunk: When it's finished, I'm gonna be in charge of the football team!

Pidge: Good thing you won't be in charge of the food. They'd all starve!

Allura: (As Keith is shown walking up the hill carrying something) See you later!

Keith: (Turning toward Allura's voice) OK.

Allura: (Shown with Nanny and two servant girls at the bottom of the hill) We're going into the forest to find some fruit. It'll make a nice lunch!

Keith: Hurry. I'm workin' up an appetite!

Pidge: (Shown sawing a log with the help of two kids) Me too! And bring back lots of those good red berries. I'm ready for a feast!

Allura: Don't worry, we'll feed you well! Goodbye!

(Allura, Nanny, and the servant girls go into the forest, laughing happily. Birds are chirping as the scene pans slowly through the forest The music in this scene is so idyllic that it's almost dreamy. This music is one of my favorite parts of this episode.)

Nanny: Oh, look at all these wild berries! There's enough to feed an army! (Runs to a bush and starts picking berries)

Servant: (To another servant as they run to a bush) I can pick more than you! I'll fill my basket first!

Allura: Don't play, the others are waiting!

(The laughing continues as the scene pans to a dark part of the forest, where the two Doomite battleships have landed. The laughter at this point turns harsh and shrill before fading out. Lotor is shown standing in front of one of the battleships briefly. Then, we see a long, snakelike hose as it emerges from the battleship and shoots the potion onto three trees.)

Lotor: Now, we'll try out the magic brew. (Raises arms) Let the trees be turned into giant monsters, and let them protect ME, that I may gather the lifesaving fruit, and return safely to my father!

(The trees are shown transforming, turning a purplish color and looking more like monsters, as Lotor watches.)

Lotor: It works! Now I can take ANYTHING from this planet!

(The scene shifts back to the berry-pickers. We see Allura putting one last berry into her basket. There is a strange sound in the distance.)

Allura: (Laughing) I think we have enough berries... (Looks up as she hears the sound) What was that?

Nanny: I don't know...

Servant #1: (To Servant #2) Stop that! You're supposed to be picking them! You're EATING more berries than you're putting in your basket!

Servant #2: I can't help it... (The servants hear the sound) Did you hear that? (Servants gasp)

Servant #1: Funny sound...

Servant #2: Spooky...

Allura: Something's odd.

Nanny: We'd better be getting back to the others! (Gasping, Nanny looks up to see a flock of birds, squawking.)

Allura: All right girls, that's enough berries! We're going back to the others!

(The servants stand up, look ahead, and gasp in terror.)

Servant #2: EEEEEEK!!! (The scene shifts to a Tree-Beast, pushing through the other trees toward the girls.)

Servants: Noooo!!

(A berry basket is shown falling to the ground. Allura and Nanny turn toward the servants, who are shown cringing in front of a huge Tree-Beast. Then, we see another Tree-Beast pushing through the trees, blocking the girls. We see the servants covering their faces in fear.)

Allura: Girls, quick! We've got to get back to the castle! Hurry!

Nanny: Come along!

(The servants run to Allura and Nanny. We see the 3 Tree-Beasts surrounding the girls, who are screaming hysterically. Then, we see an aerial shot of the birds, swarming over the girls. The scene shifts to the school construction site, where Keith is carrying some wood. We hear the sound of the birds.)

Keith: Bad sign. (We see the birds circling.) The birds are all shook up about something.

Pidge: Those squawking birds mean trouble!

Hunk: Yeah, they always circle around over anything that's in danger! (The birds are shown circling again.) And they're right above where the princess is!

Pidge: So let's get going!

Keith: Yeah. It doesn't look good. Hunk and Lance, you'd better come with me!

Hunk and Lance: Right!

Keith: Pidge, you stay with the boys!

Pidge: Gotcha!

(Keith, Lance, and Hunk are shown running down the hill into the forest, calling for the girls.)

Pidge: Good luck, fellas! (Waving with the kids at the top of the hill.)

This is the Midway Point of the episode.

(To read the rest of the transcript, click here. )

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