Conan and the Young Warriors
Encyclopedia
Conan and the Young Warriors was a 1994 television cartoon series
, produced by Sunbow Entertainment and aired by CBS
aired as a spin-off
to the popular Conan the Adventurer
animated series. The show was meant to take place after the finale of Conan the Adventurer, however it lasted only for one season of 13 episodes.
Aside from Conan's character design which is a carbon copy of the original, this series has a few small links to its predecessor. Occasionally, a piece of background music mirroring the theme to Conan the Adventurer (the trumpet line) is used. At one point, a character uses Zulu's trademark sign of Jhebbal Sag to summon animals to help them. Conan once seeks out a wizard he claims "Grey Wolf of Xanthus" told him about. He also mentions that he once knew a firebird, and claims that he ate him (saying that as joke). The fact that Conan's sword is made of metal from the stars is mentioned several times, a reference to the original series in which a major theme was that Conan's sword was made of a magical star metal.
There are also severe inconsistences in the show in regards to Conan canon.
, this cartoon, like the other two Conan television series, "has been significantly defanged, dumbing down and infantilizing the character to the degree that he’s robbed of his savage appeal". In 2009, Topless Robot featured the "Cartoon Conan" from this show on the list of "The 8 Dumbest Barbarian Heroes".
Cartoon series
A cartoon series is a set of regularly presented animated television programs with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same characters and a basic theme...
, produced by Sunbow Entertainment and aired by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
aired as a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
to the popular Conan the Adventurer
Conan the Adventurer (animated series)
Conan the Adventurer is an American animated television series adaptation of Conan the Barbarian, the literary character created by Robert E. Howard in the 1930s. Produced by Jetlag Productions and Sunbow Productions, the series debuted on September 12, 1992, ran for 65 episodes and concluded on...
animated series. The show was meant to take place after the finale of Conan the Adventurer, however it lasted only for one season of 13 episodes.
Story
With Wrath-Amon vanquished and his family returned to life from living stone, Conan thought that his questing had finished. However, now he has to train and protect the "Chosen Ones", a trio of new young warriors who are in possession of magical "star stones", until the time comes in which they are destined to rule over Hyboria.Aside from Conan's character design which is a carbon copy of the original, this series has a few small links to its predecessor. Occasionally, a piece of background music mirroring the theme to Conan the Adventurer (the trumpet line) is used. At one point, a character uses Zulu's trademark sign of Jhebbal Sag to summon animals to help them. Conan once seeks out a wizard he claims "Grey Wolf of Xanthus" told him about. He also mentions that he once knew a firebird, and claims that he ate him (saying that as joke). The fact that Conan's sword is made of metal from the stars is mentioned several times, a reference to the original series in which a major theme was that Conan's sword was made of a magical star metal.
There are also severe inconsistences in the show in regards to Conan canon.
Characters
- ConanConan the BarbarianConan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
: Largely the same as his Conan the Adventurer counterpart (even down to the character design), Conan is charged with bringing up the three Chosen Ones and help them fulfill their destinies. He is voiced by Phil Hayes.
- Draegen: The oldest of the Chosen Ones, he grew up in AquiloniaAquilonia (Conan)Aquilonia is a fictional country created by Robert E. Howard as part of his Hyborian world, created for his character Conan the Barbarian. Conan eventually becomes king of this country....
. The star stone on his bandanna allows him to magically don a suit of invincible armor. He is voiced by Mark HildrethMark Hildreth (actor)Mark Hildreth is a Canadian actor and musician, based in the U.S. He has appeared in many movie and television roles. A graduate of The National Theater School of Canada, Mark Hildreth's theater credits include Hamlet , Bertram in All's well that Ends well , Richard of Gloucester in Richard III and...
.
- Brynne: The middle Chosen One who grew up as a thief in Shadizar. Her star stone, the jewel of her ring, allows her to create illusions. She is voiced by Kelly SheridanKelly SheridanKelly Sheridan is a Canadian voice actress based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Biography:Sheridan has voiced various roles in anime and other animated cartoons, such as Barbie in the computer generated Barbie film series since 2001...
.
- Navah: At eight years old, the youngest of the Chosen Ones. He grew up in the Pict Eagle tribe, and the star stone in his pendant allows him to take control of animals, specifically his mongooseMongooseMongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
Tiki.
- Sulinara: The power-hungry, part-Serpent ManSerpent MenSerpent-Men have also appeared in the Marvel Comics universe.The original Serpent-Men were a race of reptilian semi-humanoids who were created by the demon Set and who ruled areas of prehistoric Earth. Due to the efforts of Kull and Conan, the original Serpent-Men became extinct about 8,000 years...
sorceress who will stop at nothing to possess all of the star stones, and thereby rule Hyboria by herself. She is voiced by Kathleen BarrKathleen BarrKathleen Barr is a Canadian voice actress. She is also the sister of Professor Mark Lyle Barr at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Filmography:...
.
- Graak: The winged demon that aids Sulinara in her attempts to steal the star stones, although he cannot touch either them or Conan's starmetalMeteoriteA meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
sword. He is voiced by Michael DonovanMichael DonovanMichael David Donovan is a voice actor for many TV shows and anime. He is most known for his voice on the series ReBoot for his voices of Phong, Mike the TV, Cecil, and Al. He has also provided the voice of Sabretooth for X-Men: Evolution and Carnage for Spider-Man Unlimited. He played the lead...
.
Episodes
- "The Third Talisman" (written by Michael ReavesMichael ReavesJames Michael Reaves is an American writer, known for his contributions as producer and story editor to a number of 1990s animated television series, including Disney's Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series. He has also written media tie-in novels, children's books, and original fiction...
): The evil sorceress Sulinara plans to steal the three star stones belonging to Conan's young friends. - "Arena" (written by Steve PerrySteve Perry (author)Steve Perry is an American television writer and science fiction author.-Biography:Perry is a native of the Deep South. His residences have included Louisiana, California, Washington and Oregon...
): Conan and his friends attempt to free the city from an evil king, but the tyrant captures Conan and leaves him in the arena to compete in a fight to the death. - "Dreamweaver": Sulinara sends nightmares upon the children, as she wants to get to the precious stones.
- "Carnival of Cardolus": Conan and his charges are looking for a giant lizard, scales of which are an effective means against all poisons, but an unscrupulous circus owner is behind the curious animal.
- "Isle of the Lost" (written by David WiseDavid Wise (writer)David Wise is a television and animation writer, tutored by writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Frank Herbert, Harlan Ellison and Theodore Sturgeon whilst attending the Clarion Workshop.-Early life:...
): Sulinara is seeking a precious stone that has the power to transform people into mindless monsters. - "The Covenant" (written by Len WeinLen WeinLen Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
): Sulinara conjures the demon lord Demonicus to get the star-stones of Conan's young friends - in return, he can take revenge on Conan, against whom he has once suffered a bitter defeat. - "Wolf in the Fold"
- "Once a Thief"
- "Brothers of the Sword"
- "Feet of Clay"
- "Hand of Fate"
- "The Separation"
- "The Night of the Serpent"
Reception
According to The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
, this cartoon, like the other two Conan television series, "has been significantly defanged, dumbing down and infantilizing the character to the degree that he’s robbed of his savage appeal". In 2009, Topless Robot featured the "Cartoon Conan" from this show on the list of "The 8 Dumbest Barbarian Heroes".