Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 3, Episode 6 - Test of a Warrior - full transcript

Aging Indian Chief Okatee (Ralph Moody) is in danger of being exiled by his tribe because of his inability to bring rain to his drought-stricken people. Superman (George Reeves) lends a helping hand by guiding Okatee through a grueling gauntlet--a test of strength and courage--that will enable him to maintain his power. And as for the rain? Well, fear not: Superman may have something up his sleeve to solve that problem as well.

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NARRATOR: The
Adventures of Superman!

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings
at a single bound.

MAN 1: Look! Up in the
sky! MAN 2: It's a bird!

WOMAN: It's a plane!
MAN 3: It's Superman!

NARRATOR: Yes, it's Superman,

strange visitor
from another planet

who came to Earth
with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change
the course of mighty rivers,



bend steel in his bare hands,

and who, disguised
as Clark Kent,

mild-mannered reporter for a
great metropolitan newspaper,

fights a never-ending battle

for truth, justice and
the American way.

[♪♪♪]

[DRUMS BEATING RHYTHMICALLY]

[RHYTHMIC CLACKING]

Great Spirit. Hear me.

As the sands of time passes

through my fingers,

so has our chieftain gone

to the happy hunting grounds,

leaving no son to succeed him.



With the voting sticks,
we choose another chief.

Give us wisdom,

that our new leader may guide us

with the spirit of a warrior.

Chief Great Horse.

Do Naga.

The test of a warrior.

It is the law of
our tribe, my son.

Do Naga for the new chief.

I must undergo the test.

In two days, Do Naga.

[♪♪♪]

Wow. I mean, "how."

How do you do?

Would you be so
kind as to direct me

to the office of the editor?

Certainly, chief. I mean, sir.

My name is John Tolstar.

I'm Jimmy Olsen.

How do you do?

It's right this way.

There's, uh, someone
to see you, chief.

Don't call me...

[SIGHS]

That will be all, Olsen.

Oh, but let me...

That will be all, Olsen!

[SIGHS]

Ooh! Hey!

What's the matter?

Aww. Did you lose
your bubble-gum?

Ug.

[CLICKS TONGUE]

I come to you as a messenger.

Uh, would you sit down, sir.

Thank you.

I am not a chief,
nor the son of a chief,

so I may not sit in council.

Yet I can be of
service to Red Hawk.

And you come to me with a
message from this "Red Hawk"?

Yes, Mr. White.

And though I am
much older than he,

we have both been to
the white man's school.

And, thus, he feels he
can depend upon me

to make his
message clear to you.

Well, I'm very
flattered that your friend

should send you to me.

And I'm flattered
that you should come.

By the way, how
did you get here?

Fortunately, my
family owns oil lands.

I flew here in my own plane.

I was a pilot in the last war.

Well, that's interesting.

But the purpose of
my visit, Mr. White,

is to ask your help.

In what way?

My friend Red Hawk
is much concerned

about his father, Great Horse,

who has just been elected chief.

Well, I should
think that would be

considered quite an honor.

Why is he concerned about it?

Because it is the
law of the tribes

that a chieftain-elect

must pass through
a great ordeal.

A warrior's test.

Our people call it, "Do Naga."

I think I'm beginning
to understand.

You're a bit doubtful
that Great Horse

will be equal to
this warrior's test,

as you call it.

It is almost too much
for a young warrior.

I think it will kill Great
Horse, Mr. White.

Then why did he
accept the chieftainship?

For the sake of our people.

His days are numbered,

and he knows that if he does

pass the test and become chief,

Red Hawk will succeed him.

Then Red Hawk, as
a college graduate,

will bring the benefits

of modern progress to our tribe.

And for this, he's
willing to risk his life?

Great Horse is a proud man.

A stubborn man.

He will go through
with the test of a warrior.

Well, uh...

what brings you
to the Daily Planet?

I seek the only one
who can help us.

There is an ancient
legend in our tribe.

It tells of a mighty warrior.

The greatest fighter,

hunter, leader our
tribe ever knew.

When he died,
according to the legend,

he flew off into the clouds.

Since then, he has become

a strong totem,

a symbol of help.

We call him the,
"Great White Bird."

This interests me. Go ahead.

A living counterpart
of our Great White Bird

can be located, I have heard,

through your newspapers.

I speak of Superman.

I've come to ask his help,

that Great Horse may be saved.

Just a moment.

Lois.

LOIS [OVER INTERCOM]: Yes, sir?

Will you come in
a moment, please.

And bring Jimmy Olsen with you.

Right away.

Clark Kent, who is the
one to contact Superman,

is away on an assignment.

When he returns, I'll
speak to him about this.

In the meanwhile, your
story has news value.

Uh, Lois Lane, a staff reporter,

can investigate for Mr. Kent.

And if you have no
objections, I'd like Jimmy Olsen

to go with both of
you, for pictures.

Fine.

I can fly them to meet Red Hawk.

He will welcome
the young people.

Meanwhile, I will pray
for the speedy flight

of the Great White...

I mean, Superman.

[♪♪♪]

Boy, this is the
life, Miss Lane.

Real Indians. Mm-hm.

When may we meet your father?

We may be too late.

Okatee, the medicine man,

must have found out I
was up to something.

He has already started Do Naga.

And your father?

He is praying to
the Great Spirit

that he may find the strength.

The council awaits him
at the Cave of the Bear.

There, the first of the
three tests will take place.

Come.

It is almost time.

What's gonna happen?

The warrior enters
the cave blindfolded,

after the bear has
gone in the cave.

My father will be unarmed.

And he's expected
to come out alive?

If the gods will it.

Jimmy, stand by.

I'm driving back to
the station to call Clark.

I hope he's back in Metropolis.

Oh, but jeepers, what can I do?

I don't know, Jimmy.

But if there's any
way to stall, stall.

I've got an idea. Wait here.

Wise Okatee,

guardian of the
tradition of our tribe,

may I speak?

Son of Great Horse,

Do Naga should
not be interrupted.

Not even if our customs
are being violated?

Speak.

Come, brother.

A guest has come to
my father's wigwam.

A mighty wise man of his people.

A young chieftain.

In the presence of the council,

you have heard me
call him, "brother."

Then, Okatee,

if we do not bestow
membership in our tribe

on our guest...

we will offend our ancestors.

And all else must wait.

It shall be done.

Let your "brother"

be seated with the council.

[♪♪♪]

I'm at the reservation
trading post, Mr. White.

And I'll be waiting.

Please ask Clark to call
me the moment he arrives.

[SIGHS]

[COUGHING]

All the clan,

the mighty hunters,

now a brother joins our tribe.

His name is...

Sagoa.

What does that mean?

Big Cough.

[CLAPS TWICE]

Now. Do Naga.

My poor father.

Guri. "The Bear."

The bear?

Wh... I-is that man the bear?

Yes.

The first test of a warrior.

You all heard Red Hawk.

He called me a
chief, did he not?

I demand test of a warrior.

And as honorary guest,

I wish to undergo the ceremony

before Great Horse.

What are you doing?

You heard Miss
Lane. I'm stalling.

You don't know
what you're saying.

You'll be clawed to death.

I'm gambling on
Superman to arrive on time.

That's what I'm doing.

And I've never been
much of a gambler.

Red Hawk,

your new "brother" speaks
like a foolish paleface.

I see no powers in him that
make him rank as a chief.

Oh, no? Well, watch.

[RINGS]

Yes?

Oh, Clark, thank heavens.

Oh, hello, Lois.
I just got back.

Yes, the chief told me
about your Indian expedition.

How's life in the wigwam?

It's no joke, Clark.

This weird medicine
man of theirs smelled a rat

and pushed this... ooh

this test of a warrior ahead.

Jimmy Olsen's back at
camp trying to stall them.

What? You mean to
say you left Jimmy alone

with a character like that?

You know Jimmy
hasn't got sense enough

to come in out of the rain.

He probably won't have to.

Hasn't rained here in months.

Oh, very funny.

Yes. Yes, of course.
I'll do everything I can.

[♪♪♪]

If I make the lightning
gods obey me,

would that not be
the mark of a chief?

It would be. If.

Then let the lightning flash.

Well...?

Red Hawk's brother
is indeed a chief.

Let him enter the
Cave of the Bear.

Guri.

He won't have any
mercy with those claws.

You must walk to
the back of the cave,

where he is waiting,
and return, if you can.

Just watch me run.

Blindfolded?

Jimmy!

[GASPS]

OKATEE: Do Naga. The bear.

[GROWLING NOISES]

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING]

[GASP]

Jimmy, are you all right?

I think so.

The... The bear.

The claws are gone.

Then the bear is no more.

And my father?

The bear must have
struck the wall of the cave.

Do Naga must go on.

Great Horse must now
face the Test of the Tree.

To the tree.

What is this test, Red Hawk?

Look.

He must chop down that
tree with his tomahawk

in a matter of minutes.

The effort and strain will be

too much for an old man's heart.

But not too much for
the Great White Bird.

Oh, if Superman
would only get here.

Impossible.

Impossible.

He'll collapse at
any moment now.

Mr. Kent said he'd
try to get Superman...

I am grateful.

But I am afraid
it'll be too late.

Look.

[CHOPPING CONTINUES]

The Great White Bird.

It's Superman, Red Hawk.
The help you asked for.

Wait a minute. He's
trying to tell us something.

It is the sign
language of my people.

What does he want?

He wants to get across

the open space to the tree

and my father,

without my people seeing him.

I can take care of that.

Okatee.

With this machine...

the paleface keeps records

of important events.

The medicine men of
my people would be proud

to have a picture

of the brave
ceremony of Do Naga.

There, uh...

There will be a picture
for the wise Okatee

to hang in his medicine lodge.

So be it.

All right. Now, keep
your eyes on me,

and don't move.

Keep your faces right here.

That's it.

[CRACKS]

It is, indeed, a miracle.

I don't know how to
thank Superman and you.

Golly. You translated
the message, didn't you?

Superman has the spirit of help,

as did the Great White Bird.

The last of Do Naga.
The Test of Black Smoke.

Now your fate is indeed

with the gods, my father.

Not even the Great
White Bird can help you.

I wanted only one
thing, Red Hawk.

That you should
one day be chief.

Should the time come,

I pray to the
gods that I will be

as brave a warrior
as Great Horse was.

Was? Wait a minute.

You're talking as
though he were already...

Pipe of black smoke means death,

if the medicine
man is displeased.

And Okatee is angry.

That is quite
obvious, Mr. Olsen.

Oh, what will happen?

Okatee will fill the pipe.

My father will smoke it.

If the gods will it, the
legend says he will live.

But if Okatee is against
Great Horse becoming chief...

But why should he be?

I think he senses
that I am against

the old superstitions and fears

that the medicine men

have always
played on to rule us.

Besides, he lost face

when the bear lost his claws

and the tree fell so easily.

It is time.

[♪♪♪]

No.

I won't let him
go through with it.

It'll break his heart,

but I'm going to stop it.

What is it?

That black powder,
it is a poison.

I am sure of it.

I won't let my father smoke it.

I won't let you smoke
that black smoke.

It would be foolish...

My son.

If I have not the courage
to complete Do Naga...

tell me...

can a man live without honor?

Could I ever again
face my people?

Or you?

The black smoke.

Great Spirit. Touch
the pipe to be smoked.

Let the lips

of the warrior Great Horse

bring him life...

or death.

Do Naga.

The smoke, it's white.

The outside of the
bowl, it's... It's charred.

Somehow, the black,
poisonous powder

was burned away... neutralized.

I don't know where Superman is,

but I'll bet his x-ray vision

had something to do with this.

The Great White Bird has
brought you a new chief.

The good spirit of help

is now with our people, Okatee.

Not your evil tricks.

You speak of legends, Red Hawk.

There is no such person.

You speak with split
tongue to the tribe.

Oh, Great White Bird.

The time has come.

I need your help.

Did you ask my help, my friend?

For what you have
done, I am grateful.

This is a trick.

A paleface trick.

He is not the Great White Bird.

The Great White Bird could
run the gauntlet, untouched.

Let this one dare
that, Red Hawk.

Oh, boy, what a cinch.

Get up your gauntlet,
brother tribesman,

and watch Super...

I mean, uh, watch
the Great White Bird

run it like it's never
been run before.

Prepare the gauntlet.

[♪♪♪]

Let the warriors strike hard.

Now.

[WARRIORS SHOUTING]

Do Naga is complete.

I am chieftain of this tribe.

Okatee, hear my words.

Red Hawk shall be the true
medicine man of our people.

And he shall
succeed me as chief.

Warriors of the past.

Gods and Great Spirit.

Peace and plenty must be ours...

for the Great White Bird

has come amongst us,
and he has blessed us.

Let the hunting be good.

Let the warriors be brave.

And above all...

let there be rain.

Rain is our greatest need.

But not even the
Great White Bird

can bring us that blessing.

Great Horse. Wait.

Remember the legend
of the Great White Bird.

Remember how he
flew away into the sky?

Let this man of
paleface trickery fly.

Such is the test of
the Great White Bird.

[♪♪♪]

[LOUD EXPLOSION IN SKY]

Well, I wish I could
have been there.

It sounds like it must
have been pretty exciting.

Golly, look at the
swell souvenir I got.

The hatchet Great Horse used

to chop the tree down.

I got one too.

A necklace from
the claws of the bear.

My father is honored

to present you with a symbol

of our tribe's gratitude.

You have shared

the blessings and friendship

of the Great White
Bird with my people.

I name you Okeecheboygan.

"He who writes with
thundering machine."

Gosh, chief.

Don't call me...

Well, all right, James.

This is one time you
may call me, "chief."

[ALL LAUGH]

And thank you very much.

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Don't miss
the next thrill-packed episode

in the amazing
Adventures of Superman!

Superman is based
on the original character