Conan the Adventurer (1997–1998): Season 1, Episode 17 - The Crystal Arrow - full transcript

After the
ocean swallowed Atlantis,

and before recorded history,

there was an age when mythical kingdoms

spread across an uncharted world.

This was the age of Conan.

Enslaved as a boy, Conan
grew into a warrior.

He escaped to encounter
mystery, magic, and myth,

while forever facing the
ultimate master of sorcery.

Lover, friend, hero.

His destiny was to free the oppressed

and become a king by his own hand.



Conan.

Come on!

Whoa.

Two days we've eaten
nothing but berries and grass.

Let's stop and hunt!

There's food on the hoop out there

and I want it on my plate.

Good, I'm hungry, too.

We'll use you as bait.

Stop the noise.

We are close to a village.

Soon you will eat.

Soldier of the dark forces.

This one belonged to
the magician Khartan.



Magic.

I think we should choose another path.

This Khartan, he is
the minion of Hissah Zul?

Both are enemies.

They must have gone around the point.

Let's get the horses.

You should've brought
more demons, Khartan!

You're running out!

Why don't you try me?

Let's go!

So that's Khartan?

He stays well out of danger, yes?

Let him be aware of our steel.

Behind you!

Runner!

Watch out!

Where are my arrows?

My arrows.

There!

Go fetch them, please.

My name is Rykon Pol, but who are you?

This is Zzeben, Bayu,
Otli, and I'm Conan.

I have heard of you, Conan.

Here are your arrows.

It is a talisman.

It has much magic.

I hate magical objects.

Well, keep it and
protect it from Hissah Zul.

Guard it with all your lives.

For if Hissah Zul should possess it,

he will be able to increase
his vicious empire.

What do we do with it?

Take the key beneath the arch.

It will lead you.

I do not understand.

Take it to the people
beyond the misty gates.

They'll...

The misty gates are
sealed with a great magic.

No man has passed beyond.

No living man.

I do not care for talisman,

but if it's precious to
Hissah Zul, there's no choice.

The misty gates have
been sealed for centuries.

How do we get through
to the people beyond?

We'll go forward and trust Crom.

Oh, master.

Your squadron has been
destroyed by a solitary old man.

My squadron, you fool,
will patrol a few men anyway

and he had help.

From Conan, yes.

And his death will be first.

I never doubt you,
master, even though Conan

now possesses the crystal arrow.

Not for long!

Does Conan know the arrow's powers?

He has been told it is
the key to your ambitions

in the eastern lands, sire.

Tell Khartan to have spies on

the road to the misty gates.

Do not let Conan elude us.

I am sure he will not disappoint me again.

Warriors, come!

Drink from my cup.

I have a great thirst.

Ah, then I shall satisfy you, I promise.

- Oh, pretty good!
- Well done!

I don't pay for empty cups or promises.

Empty?

Oh, can we see it?

One doesn't often encounter such an item.

Perhaps later.

And how much later did you have in mind?

Not much, not much at all.

Good.

My parents were also conjurers
with a traveling fair.

They taught you well.

And I would like to send a gift
to whoever taught you this.

Oh, it's only a skill
like juggling or dancing.

One day I shall have true power.

You already have power over me.

Now, that is not a trick.

That's the beginnings of my
true potential as a sorceress.

Magic?

Does that frighten you?

For good reason.

It should frighten you, too.

Some people like to be frightened.

I don't like tricks.

I like what is real.

What I can touch.

Then touch me.

Look who we have here.

Karella.

You know this person?

I wasn't sneaking, I just
didn't want to disturb you.

What was it?

I like things that are
real, that I can touch.

Then touch me.

I wanted to see this arrow, Conan.

You could've asked.

May I see it?

I want this, Conan.

Yes, we noticed that.

It is not mine to
give or yours to steal.

I have promised to take it to the people

behind the misty gates.

Then I will join forces with you.

I could be helpful.

Yes, he might need some sneaking done.

I will go with you.

My knowledge of magic
could be of real service.

Beware, thief, my magic is real.

I have studied the black arts.

Yes, one may never know when
he'll need an object raised.

I will not go with either of you.

- He's in such a foul mood.
- Help me up.

You also returned early,

but I doubt for the same reason as me.

Not so different as you think.

It's a long way to the misty
gates, we should leave now.

What, what is it?

The crystal arrow.

It was there last
night next to your sword.

Karella, she was interested in it.

We must find her trailer.

Master, the crystal arrow
has changed possession.

It is in the hand of a woman.

Inform Khartan.

He lies in ambush for Conan
on the road of misty gates.

Forget Conan for now, kill the woman who

has stolen the crystal arrow.

Kill her and retrieve it at once.

Karella came through
here, but he lost the tracks

at the rocky ground back there.

Why did she leave the main road?

That's why.

Isn't that your little conjurer?

Zotana.

She'll drive right into them.

- Turn back!
- Conan!

I was looking for you.

Come on!

Come on.

Faster, fight, fight!

Come on!

Help!

Yes!

Kill, kill him!

Kill him!

Go on, kill him!

Move the right regiment!

Get down!

Back, back!

Retreat!

Come on!

What is it, Karella?

It seems the thief was
of use to you, after all.

I'm afraid you were.

Enough to let me show you
some of my own magical tricks?

We wouldn't be here at all if you hadn't

stolen the crystal arrow.

It was stolen?

Oh, come, Karella,
who is the master thief?

Who, indeed.

For I did not steal it, Conan.

- Zotana.
- Where did she go?

She fled when the fighting started.

With the crystal arrow, no doubt.

She can't be too far.

Master, your plans
have failed you once more.

Zotana's head will soon resemble you.

Now, quickly, where is the crystal arrow?

I'm not sure, great one.

There were scores of arrows used.

Why can you not tell one from the other?

Those regions remain clouded,
as they always were, sire.

It is the tube containing the arrow.

It is charged with a spell
that cannot be penetrated.

Even by you?

I am only a skull, master.

How can I do everything?

Be gone!

But be vigilant.

I'm still puzzled.

Why did you risk your life to help us?

Perhaps I'm fond of you.

It's possible!

Karella, the truth.

It is!

Well, the crystal arrow.

I knew it had some meaning for you.

When I saw it an old
memory was awakened.

The crystal arrows were used
by a noble clan of archers

who ruled a great forest called Langdor.

Is Langdor where you
were found as an orphan?

Yes.

I grew up wild among the trees.

The bow was my means of life.

A natural gift.

Do you think the archers
of Langdor were your people?

I thought they had disappeared
long before I was born.

The old archer, could
it have been a survivor?

- Maybe he knows...
- My mother?

My father?

Oh, who knows.

He found Zotana.

Let's follow him.

Conan!

You're safe!

Thank the gods.

You might as well thank the archers.

I thought you'd been killed.

And after I wronged you so.

You mean by stealing the crystal arrow?

Where is it?

I didn't know who to trust.

How funny.

We seem to have the same problem.

I thought you had killed the old archer

for the arrow, that's why.

You knew him?

Rykon Pol was my friend.

I now know that it was
Khartan who murdered him.

We'll be going now.

No, wait!

No, wait.

You need me.

Oh, I'm sure we don't.

I know the magic of the arrows.

Without me, you will never
get through the misty gates.

We'll find a way!

No, wait a moment!

You know the magic of the arrow?

Some of it.

Just some?

More than you.

And you knew the old archer?

Yes.

Let us take her with us.

As you wish.

I'm leaving this over here.

Khartan!

Conan defeats you again, yet
you primp and preen yourself

while he escapes with the crystal arrow.

They surprised us, your excellency.

You have one very small chance

to redeem yourself, Khartan,

for they are approaching
the misty gates even now.

We leave at once.

Raise every demon
that you know, Khartan.

Pray for speed, for speed.

The misty gates.

The legend says no
one shall pass through.

Alive.

Magic.

I hate magic.

What are the markings on the stones?

Horses, not far, coming in fast.

The lines.

The lines, they're symbols.

The symbols!

Who reads symbols?

I can.

Otli!

I think.

Read them.

Watch it archers,
take your positions!

I see them on the other hill!

Aim!

Kill them!

- Men's attack...
- Possessor of the arrow true

is the one who can get through.

A fight is going on.

Okay, okay!

Drawing nearer to the
key, count four ruins,

- one, two, three.
- Otli, what are you

doing over there!

Getting it!

One, two, three.

- All right.
- What takes you so long?

Return to its home the shaft of light,

set the stones and make things right.

The stone!

Turn the stone, Conan, turn the stone!

Turn the stone!

Stop, there it is!

It goes in there.

Now, that was a good trick.

Move back!

Come on.

Come on.

Come on, move forward.

You, go through the arch.

Do it now!

Come on.

Just do it!

No sign of them.

They are caught beyond the mist.

They do not have the arrow.

Rykon Pol said you resembled his wife.

Could you have been related?

Do you your lineage?

No, not really.

The traveling fair found me as a baby

by the side of the road.

So you could be related
to the archer clan.

I suppose so.

I mean, we have similar origins.

But we're so different,
I mean, I'm a warrior,

and you're a conjurer.

Trickster, really.

It would be odd, indeed,
if we were somehow related.

What do you mean?

Sisters, maybe.

Sisters?

Who are you and what do you want?

This forest is deserted.

No visitors!

I'm Conan the Cimmarian.

What do you want?

I'd like to know.

Have you heard of
the archers of Langdor?

Heard of them?

Of course I've heard of them.

I was born to that clan.

How did you get here, anyway?

We were given this.

A crystal arrow.

Of course, I should've known.

The only way to get through.

Who gave it to you?

You heard the name Rykon Pol?

Rykon Pol, of course.

Know it well.

He used to live here, he did.

Was he your husband?

Uh, yes, I think so.

It was a long time ago, of course.

He was killed in battle
trying to get back to you.

Killed in battle, was he?

That's Rykon Pol.

Out the door in the morning,
battle all day, come home late.

He always came home.

Always.

I've waited these many years.

Your general Khartan
has tried to go through

the misty gates three times.

His men are starting to desert.

And the crystal arrow?

They used it to open the misty
gates and close them again.

But there may yet be away.

What took you so long?

The world beyond is foggy, but open.

So, where's Conan?

Not far.

His camp is just up the road.

We'll wipe them out before

they even know that we are here.

Is this all the welcome I get?

What's the matter with you

It's been a long day.

You're gonna kill Conan, are you?

I thought that you had to get

the arrow back to Hissah Zul immediately.

At the moment his mood is unreliable,

but if I bring him Conan's head,

he will look upon me with favor.

But why are you questioning me?

Khartan, we had a bargain.

I've given up much, you know this.

Not only have I betrayed a noble old man,

but people who believed in me,
one who has called me sister,

I think because of you
I have lost my soul.

You didn't lose it, you sold it to me

for the power of magic.

Remember?

And when do I get this power, Khartan?

I have given it to you.

One trick.

One stupid little spell?

That's not power!

Or do you not have any
real power, Khartan?

You are a beautiful woman, Zotana,

and a clever conjurer.

But really, your lust for power
has made you rather stupid.

And you will never have the arrow!

I'll destroy it!

Now you have the arrow.

This way!

The fog is thickening.

The big one and the nice quiet
fellow down by the stream.

The little one in the black
are just crossing the road.

Do you see Zotana?

No.

Over there!

Come on.

Zotana.

I need some help!

Give me the headband.

Karella!

I'm sorry, Karella.

You could never be my sister.

My sisters must be from a
long line of pick pockets

and cheats and liars.

No noble blood at all.

More than you ever will know.

At least Khartan is dead.

Hissah Zul will never get
through the misty gates.

I wish you were my sister, though.

I would be so proud of you.

You will always be my sister.

You're sure you want to
go to the eastern lands?

You might enjoy going with us.

My destiny is here, Karella.

Well, hopefully there are
survivors of the archer clans

who have multiplied over the years.

I may come back the head of an army.

Hopefully archers, not thieves.

They can be both.

Like me.

You're one of a kind, Karella.

You're getting smarter
day by day, Conan.

All set, Karella.

Ride safely and stay out of trouble.

You sound like you care.

We do.

But whenever you're
around, there's trouble,

and something always turns up missing.

You don't mean missing, you mean stolen.

Oh, we know it's what she does.

We don't mind that, except sometimes

it's from us that she steals.

Only on rare occasions.

You're only with us on rare occasions.

No, we like having her around also,

but I get tired of checking
the horses three times a night.

I don't steal horses anymore!

It's too much work.

No, you prefer jewels and coin.

Who doesn't?

Would you prefer I was a
woman who stayed at home,

brought up children, cooked,

washed some man's clothes in the stream?

You can cook?

And I can't wash either.

I understand that, Zzeben!

Shame on you.

Oh, now what's wrong with babies?

You have them, Bayu.

Come men, bring my horse.

Some day she'll change.

Won't be soon enough for you.

What's that supposed to mean?

She's got your purse.

Karella!