The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E16 - The Black Suns

I get that they have pseudoscience behind them, but it feels more like D&D and therefore more fantasy since wizards could have orbs circulating them for weapons at least for 4th edition

Esteban crashes into the village and they set off trying to get the sword out of the wing. Meanwhile Kokapetla arrives with the message from Anatos that confirms that the maharaja is drugged by some American herb extract that takes away someones willpower. Zia then begins concocting an antidote from the village healers supplies. At dawn Esteban gets the sword out with the elephants help and as Zia arrives they fly off.

In the meantime Mendoza and the others are taking the underground tunnel to arrive at the factory. They just missed Tao getting the final plan of Ambrosius laid before him after Ambrosius discovered that Tao visited Anatos. Ambrosius plan to create the weapons of the Mu empire and use them to conquer the world since the current rulers are not worthy since they aren't geniuses like Ambrosius or Tao, that Ambrosius sees as his heir. Tao is locked up in his cell after been shown the power of the Black Suns, orbs of oricalcium that is used with the telekinesis crown and able to fire beams of some kind, burning up coal at least. Mendoza and his gang knocks out the guards and as Esteban and Zia distract the guards at the fort, they free Tao and heads for Anatos cell. They are intercepted by Laguerra who have been looking for a rematch with Mendoza and after Mendoza hands Tao a purse the duel is on. Zia drops off Esteban that goes straight for the maharaja to cure him with an antidote dart so that they can get the palace guards on their side. But Ambrosius had anticipated this and awaited in the throne room with the crown and Black Suns ready to kill Esteban.

The documentary was about elephants and motorised rikshaws as modes of transportation, both ancient and modern.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E15 - Ambrosius' Secret

Is this the dark suns they talked about?

Turns out Pedro was awake after all since everyone escaped up the trees. Of course one of the kids fell from the tree and was rescued by Mendoza. Strangely enough Laguerra saw him, and yet didn't tell the others. She mentioned already in the last episode that she didn't find the thought of kidnapping children for slavers as a very pleasant idea so one wonder if she has a change of heart? After they leave the others discovers that Zia and Esteban is missing and goes to the temple. As they meet up they form a new plan. Zia and Esteban will distract the guards with the Condor while Mendoza, Sancho and Pedro will use a canoe to sneak into the fort and rescue everyone. Mendoza sets off and the children gets to the condor where two alchemist stands guard. Funny enough one of them have been the apprentice of Leonardo da Vinchi. The monkies returns and Zia ask them to distract them. They get on and flies off, but one of the alchemists is able to attach his sword in the wing, making it impossible to fly as it should and they are about to crash into the jungle.

Meanwhile Ambrosius brings Tao into the factory he have constructed below the fort and where the parents work. Tao is given back Kokapetle and asked again to join the Order of the Hourglass as he is presented with Ambrosius own constructed medallions. The orichalcum matrix he stole from the second city of gold in season two and gave to Laguerra in the beginning of season 3 continuously produces orichalcum for them to use and enabled them to create the medallions in order to bypass the need of the chosen ones. But for some reason they start to emit electric charges and disintegrate, making Ambrosius nearly cry at the failure and looking for why it failed, giving Tao the chance to escape to Atanos and receive the message so that Kokapetle can bring it to the others. He is seen by Laguerra that have returned home as he walks to his room with Kokapetle, but she lets him continue after asking how Tao got his bird back. As Kokapetle flies off the episode ends on him resting on a tree while a snake approaches him.

The documentary was about the inspiration of the temple that guarded the underground river and a bit about the sacred monkies that helped the children as they also are sacred in India, apparently overshadowed by the cows.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E14 - The Order of the Hourglass

Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition

As Tao is captured he is brought back to the forth and as the title implies, we learn more about the secret order Ambrosius leads. Apparently it was founded by Ambrosius, Dr Laguerra and Atanos, Esteban's father. Somehow their friendship dissolved, and I would assume that it has to do with the methods Ambrosius and Laguerra was comfortable using in getting what they wanted compared to Atanos. Ambrosius claims that his goal is to uncover the secrets of Mu and revive it to the betterment of mankind. Anyway, since he as a soft spot for Tao he offers Tao to join him, Tao gets locked into a tower, but steals with him a screwdriver he uses to unlock the door and find Atanos. Atanos tells him to rescue Kokapetle that was taken captured and used as leverage to make Tao cooperate (really great way to earn someones trust Ambrosius). Meanwhile Laguerra brings two magicians and four soldiers to the village in order to capture the children.

While that went on Mendoza and everyone else sat up traps and escape ropes in the trees in preparation for the incoming attack. As Mendoza and the kids tries to figure out a way to get inside the fort, Pedro retells their story about the monkey temple and the scary monster hiding in the cave to entertain the village children. Zia figures out that it must be a subterranean river and must be the source of the water for the fort and the lake that Esteban escaped from. Since nightfall approaches the girl leader declares no one leaves the village at night due to the soldiers and wild animals. But Esteban gets the oldest boy to show him the way and Zia follows. Meanwhile Pedro stands guards. At the temple they are almost attacked by the monkies, but the one Zia saved from the Memorial Temple intervenes and stave of the attack so that the kids can get to the underground river. The last shot of the episode is at Pedro sleeping at the centre of the village as Laguerra and her soldiers arrive.

The documentary was about Indian dancing. It ties in to that the maharaja was watching some dancer while Tao and Ambrosius was eating with him. Interesting tidbit, but really weak connection to the story in my eyes.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E13 - Laguerra

She at least looks nicer than Dr Laguerra

Esteban is chased of by Ambrosius and run into the female magician and she continues to chase him until he is cornered and climbs out of a window, which just happens to be the same tower that his father is imprisoned, but as she continuous to grab him, he falls into a water reservoir. As he climbs up the shore she jumps after him and uses a whip to catch him. At this moment Mendoza steps up and begins a duel, noting that the whip and sword-techniques reminds him of someone he knew from the Americas. She answer that she was trained by her father (and a stupid cliché like ever, Mendoza thinks she is a boy), Laguerra also known as the Doctor who together with Marinche was another antagonistic team they fought in the original season. Laguerra and the other was last seen leaving the Olmecs base and falling into a crack as the mountain exploded in the aftermath of the reactor-incident. They escape when the guards arrives and prepares to evacuate the children to protect them from Ambrosius.

Meanwhile Zia and Tao are chased around by tiger which kokapetle stops at times, until Zia begins to speak with it telepathically. She seems to get the best deal of powers compared to Esteban who haven't gone further than his sun-calling. The tiger is apparently guarding her cubs and Zia assures her that they aren't any threat so they can begin decoding the messages on the wall. As the sun goes down and they are about to leave they are surrounded by the magicians and Ambrosius airship. Esteban and the boy arrives on an elephant rescuing them, but as they climb on to the back of the elephant, Laguerra exits the airship and grab holds of Tao as it rises to the sky.

The documentary was about the Memorial temple Tao and Zia was in together with the holy cows of India.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E12 - The Memorial Temple

I can't hep but start singing tunes from the Junglebook

Of course it was kids, and I wasn't wrong about Temple of Doom reference since they pretty much referenced that plot point but with the adults missing instead of the kids. Our heroes decide to team up with the kids to save their parents from the magicians, the group of alchemist that Ambrosius leads called the Order of the Hourglass. The girl leader also tells Tao the name of the region which means the land of the sun and is the name of the capital of Mu, indicating a connection to the cities of gold and why Ambrosius have his base of operation here. Also Zia seems to still possess the power of telekinesis even without the crown as she moves a normal rock while sitting by a river. The next morning they split up with Mendoza, Esteban and one of the older boys scouting out the fort, Zia, Tao and the girl leader looking for a temple the order have taken an interest in an Sancho and Pedro been taken to a temple in search of offerings, which turns out just to be food and feathers, but the temple is home to a pack of monkies that chase them into a hole which seems to connect to a larger cave system, but some monstrous sounds scare them away, to the two children's delight.

Esteban is able to sneak into the fort by hiding in a passing cart and run into a side-opening where he is able to find Ambrosius and follow him to his laboratory in the ground. Ambrosius have discovered that the crown is able to make the wearer to lift things with their minds and connects them to something called the black suns, and the order begins constructing them, going as far as attempting to gather up children as workers as well since their parents aren't enough. Ambrosius sees Estebans reflection in a potion bottle and screams out his anger.

Tao and Zia finds the temple, releases a monkey the order put up against tigers and observe as they crack open a slate from the temple wall (I assume to bring to Ambrosius to translate), they are spotted and one of the magicians follows them into a corridor, but returns on the call of the other since they got what they came for and should warn Ambrosius. The kids returns to the place to look what was stolen and behind them a shadow of a tiger appears.

The documentary focused on the inspiration of the fort from the Jodhpur region in India and the fort Mehrangarh. The last segment was also about Hanuman, the monkey-god that was the central statue of the temple Sancho and Pedro visited. It was unfortunately cut short by 12 seconds by the recording so that was a bit of shame.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E11 - The Shadows of the Jungle

It's only a model

So, right when Ambrosius is about to attack Mendoza the volcano erupts, disturbing his aim so that Mendoza can escape and then they are separated by a chasm. Both parties fly off. Our heroes visits Yoshi and his family and the lord have gone to war with their neighbours and the grandson have been called into the army. The next morning they leave and tells of the plane. Since the lords symbol is attracted to the pearl they gave it to Ambrosius and they switch out the condors control panel and it begins following them, after they put it in the right way. A flying montage follows until they reaches India. Ambrosius lands at a palace (which looks like the one from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom). There he gives his spoil to some robe clad figures that put it in a vault which apparently blocks the condor from finding it. Meanwhile he visits the maharaja that he supplies with migraine medicine, but the captain of the guard is suspicious. By the talk it sounds Ambrosius gets free rein for him and his group to gather citizens working in a factory and what not, so long as they supply the maharaja with the medicine. Although it can also be the medicine creating the addiction for it. He also meets Esteban's father and reinforces that they known each other for a long time.

Our heroes meanwhile have to land when the pearl is put away. While Mendoza gathers wood the kids runs off looking for berries and such while Sancho and Pedro tries to catch some fish. The kids feel like they are spied upon and they are attacked by shadowy figures looking like kids to me and they are hunted to a town where they are surrounded. Mendoza comes back and wonders where the kids are and spot some figure running away in the jungle. He follows with Sancho and Pedro and the episode ends on him catching the person, who is a girl or woman by the sound and shape of the shadow.

The documentary seems to be the last focused on Japan and is about the cherry-blossom tradition and gardening.

Mysterious Cities of Gold - S3E10 - Sundagatt

Love the design of Sundagatt.

Well, apparently I was way off with the name of the city. The only thing you get from googling that name is to the show itself, so they probably made it up themselves. Anyway, it turns out that the crowns for some reason enables the wearer to with their mind use the orichalcum blocks to move around as shown by Zia taking over creating different shapes and figures. Sancho and Pedro fights over who is able to use one to carry out as many blocks as possible. I can't help but notice that they are severely less capable than Esteban and Zia. Esteban runs off to get Tao who have hid himself on the Thallios, crying over his feelings of self-doubt. Esteban comforts him and have concocted a plan by taking the pearl that the daiymons emblem was attracted to. On their way back they find a room filled with the orbs from the beginning of the season and a opposite waterfall were the water went up instead. Tao figures out that it is some kind of escape pods (foreshadowing).

Mendoza, Sancho and Pedro finds a throne room and while the others goof off, Mendoza approaches it and discovers two new medallions for Esteban and Zia to pick up. Meanwhile Zia has another premonition of the erupting volcano and she meets up with Tao and Esteban. and tries to get the others. Mendoza tells them about the medallions so she goes after them while Tao, Sancho and Pedro runs for the Thallios. Mendoza tries to get Zia, but gets one of the water lanterns over him. Esteban helps him out and then goes after Zia. Zia have picked up the two medallions and somehow activated some kind of holographic sphere and is then picked up by Esteban. Mendoza swims badly wounded toward the Thallios and is drawn into it by Pedro. Thinking that the others have drown Mendoza takes over the controls of the ship and tries to escape while the city is walled off again. An intense escape scene later and they are at the surface. The music, the feeling of sadness and the use of the sound effects were amazing. As they looked back at the city walled of thinking the others have drowned, the sound effects cuts off and just the sad music plays, until the final rock entombeds the city once again with a single crash. LOVE IT.

Of course, since they already hinted about it, Zia and Esteban escaped in the escape pods. Zia have now figured out that the medallions are encoded with information and their mission is to get the final piece. For what end is unknown. Also, they notice a ship approaching so they enter the Thallios and dive towards the volcano to pick up the condor and who is on that ship if it isn't Gaspard. Pretty funny sequence. On the island they see Ambrosius ship and confronts him. He grab the crown from Sancho and Esteban hands over the pearl (which apparently is part of his plan). Ambrosius tells him that it isn't over so he will keep Esteban's father as leverage. And then he points his dartbow on Mendoza with the intent of finally get rid of his greatest obstacle.

Amazing episode. The documentary was about the volcano again and its latest eruption, as well as some of the precautions the area have for new eruptions, like a evacuation drill with ferries, children wearing hardhats and so on.