Legends: Rebirth-Beowulf's Shattered Sword

[The Bandit King]

Episode 28: Beowulf’s Shattered Sword

The camera winds and twists its way through a thick jungle of strange and exotic plants. After a few wrong turns, it finally stops in front of an ancient Mayan temple. At the base of the temple, a giant stone head sits. Suddenly, the head’s eyes light up and it begins to speak:

“Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth!” These words appear on the screen. “With your guide, Kirk Fogg! And here he is now!”

A middle-aged man wearing a denim shirt and blue jeans swings in on a rope. He drops down and runs up the Steps of Knowledge, microphone in hand.

“Thank you! Thank you, everybody! Nice to see everyone again! It’s good to see you again, Olmec! Welcome to Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth. The rooms are filled with lost treasures protected by mysterious Mayan Temple Guards. Only Olmec knows the legends behind each of these newly discovered treasures in his Temple…which one are we gonna hear about today, Olmec?”

“The legend of Beowulf’s Shattered Sword,” Olmec replies.

“Ooh, Beowulf’s Shattered Sword,” Kirk repeats. “Well, the legend is set, and one of these six teams will have a chance to retrieve the shattered sword—will it be:

“The Red Jaguars?” The camera zooms in on each team as they are introduced.
“The Blue Barracudas?
“The Green Monkeys?
“The Orange Iguanas?
“The Purple Parrots?
“Or the Silver Snakes?

“They’ll have to pass some tough physical and mental tests, but in the end, only one team will have the right to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, they’ve gotta cross the Moat, and Olmec will tell us how they’ll have to do it today…”

Olmec begins to explain the Moat Crossing:
“Before you stands an abandoned fishing net, and beside it, an old vine. When Kirk gives the signal, one player from each team will grab the vine and swing out to the net, grab onto it, and begin climbing. Once you reach the top, drop down and dash to the other side. Once you’re safely across, it’ll be your partner’s turn to cross in the same way. If you touch the water before you grab onto the net, you must go back and start again. Once both players reach the other side, run over and hit the gong.” Kirk hits the Silver Snakes’ gong to demonstrate. “The first four teams to have—hit their gongs will go on to the next round!”

“All right, let’s get swinging,” Kirk says. “Hey teams, are you ready?”
The players all shout and cheer in response.
“Olmec, are you ready?” Kirk asks.
“Let’s do this thang,” Olmec replies.
“Ha, ha…all right,” Kirk laughs. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

All six teams swing out to the net. Everyone grabs onto it except the Blue Barracudas’ girl and the Green Monkeys’ boy, who drop down and make their way back to try again. “That first swing is crucial—you’ve gotta time it just right!” Kirk comments. The Green Monkeys’ boy grabs onto the net on his second swing, but the Blue Barracudas’ girl misses again, prompting her to go back. The Orange Iguanas’ girl and the Red Jaguars’ boy successfully climb over the net a few seconds later, but the Purple Parrots’ boy is having a lot of difficulty. The Green Monkeys’ boy is almost to the top as the Silver Snakes’ boy is slowly but surely making his way up. The Red Jaguars and Orange Iguanas get their first player across the Moat as the Purple Parrots’ boy reaches the top of the net and drops down. The Red Jaguars’ girl and the Orange Iguanas’ boy successfully grab the net on their first swing. As the Blue Barracudas’ girl grabs onto the net after her fourth attempt, the Green Monkeys’ boy steps onto the other side, and his partner swings out to the net, grabbing it on her first try. The Blue Barracudas’ girl finally grabs onto the net and begins climbing. The Silver Snakes’ girl swings out and grabs the net, and so does the Orange Iguanas’ boy. The Red Jaguars’ girl is almost over the top as the Purple Parrots’ girl has finally grabbed onto the net after what must be at least her third try. “Oh, it’s neck-and-neck—and there’s our first team!” Kirk narrates as the Red Jaguars’ girl hits her team’s gong. The Orange Iguanas’ boy drops down about three seconds later, climbs out of the water, dashes over and hits his team’s gong. The Purple Parrots’ girl is slowly climbing as the Green Monkeys’ girl climbs out of the Moat, loses a shoe in the process, and dashes over to hit the gong. The Blue Barracudas’ girl is almost to the top when she falls off the net. “Oh, she has to go back—after all that hard climbing!” Kirk narrates. The Blue Barracudas’ girl starts to swim back; however, the Silver Snakes’ girl successfully drops down to the other side, is helped out of the water by her partner, and hits the gong.

“That’s it! That’s it!” Kirk shouts as he walks over and stands beside the soaking-wet Silver Snakes. “Silver Snakes had the tenacity to hang in there; they made it across, and they’re going on to the Steps of Knowledge…along with the Orange Iguanas…” Kirk briefly pauses between each team’s name to allow for applause. “And the Green Monkeys…and the Red Jaguars! Blue Barracudas and Purple Parrots had a little trouble getting across, but they gave it a great effort too. We’ve got a nice gift for ‘em, and here’s what it is.” They receive a $50 gift certificate from FYE.

[The Bandit King]

Kirk and the four remaining teams are now standing atop the Steps of Knowledge. “As the quest continues, it’s time now for Olmec to tell us about Beowulf’s Shattered Sword. But teams, pay attention, because your knowledge of the legend can bring you a step closer to Olmec’s Temple…”

Olmec begins to tell the story:
“One of the most famous works in all of literature is the great epic poem, Beowulf. Originally written in Old English, Beowulf dates back to the 8th century and has been translated into over 50 languages. The poem tells the story of a Swedish warrior who defends the kingdom of Geatland from various dangers. Beowulf’s boss, King Hrothgar, had built a great hall for his men. The men had a huge party in the hall, but that night, a giant monster named Grendel attacked the hall, killing and devouring many of the king’s warriors. Hrothgar turned to Beowulf, one of his finest warriors.
“‘If ve don’t do something soon, that monster vill devour my entire army like hasenpfeffer!’ the king told Beowulf.
“‘Relax, your highness,’ Beowulf said. ‘I’ve got a plan.’
“Beowulf and some of his men spent the night in the hall, hoping Grendel would take the bait. Sure enough, Grendel snuck into the hall and attacked one of Beowulf’s men. Beowulf, who was only pretending to be asleep, leapt up and locked Grendel in a Greco-Roman knuckle-lock.
“‘You think you can beat me?’ Beowulf asked the monster. ‘Let’s dance!’
“Beowulf and Grendel fought so hard, it seemed the entire hall might fall down around them. Legend has it that in the heat of battle, Beowulf grabbed his sword and attempted to slice Grendel’s head off, but the sword broke the instant it touched the monster’s neck. Beowulf fought even harder and eventually ripped Grendel’s arm from its body. The monster ran off never to return, and Beowulf went on to successfully defend Geatland from Grendel’s mother and a fearsome dragon as well. However, his broken sword mysteriously disappeared—until now. Your goal is to find Beowulf’s Shattered Sword and bring it back here.”

“Thank you, Olmec,” says Kirk. “So tell us, where is the Shattered Sword?”

“Beowulf’s Shattered Sword can be found in the Dark Forest,” Olmec says. The camera zooms in on the broken sword positioned between the “fingers” of one of the tree’s arms in the room before fading back to Kirk.

“Teams, you are now standing on The Steps of Knowledge,” Kirk explains. “In a moment, Olmec’s gonna ask you a question. If you think you know the answer, I want you to stomp down on the ancient marking in front of you. If you’re right, you’ll be able to move down to the next level, but if you’re wrong or you run out of time, the other teams will get a chance to answer.” Kirk begins descending the Steps. “The first two teams to make it to the bottom level will be one step closer to Olmec’s Temple. Olmec...we’re now ready for your first question.”

Olmec begins:
“Was the poem Beowulf originally written in: Latin, Greek, or Old English?”
The Green Monkeys ring in. “Old English?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Green Monkeys step down to the next level.
“First to score are the Green Monkeys,” Kirk comments. “Next question, Olmec.”

Olmec proceeds by asking:
“Was Beowulf: German, Swedish, or Swiss?”
The Silver Snakes ring in. “Swedish?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Silver Snakes join the Green Monkeys on the second step.
“Silver Snakes can step down, too,” Kirk says. “Next question.”

“What did King Hrothgar build for his men: a boardinghouse—”
The Silver Snakes ring in early and stumble over the answer. “A…a hall where they could, um…celebrate?”
“Close enough, kid,” Olmec responds after a few seconds. The Silver Snakes advance to the next-to-last step.
“All right, we’ll give it to ya,” Kirk reinforces. “And just like that, Silver Snakes are only one step away from the Temple Games. Olmec, next question.”

“What was the name of the monster that attacked the hall: Brunhilde, Grendel, or Frankenstein?”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Grendel…?” the girl asks quietly.
“That is correct,” Olmec exclaims. The Red Jaguars advance to the next step.
“Don’t be shy about yelling it out if you know it,” Kirk persuades. “Next question, Olmec.”

“What did Beowulf and his warriors plan to do to Grendel: wait—”
The Green Monkeys ring in. “Uh…wait in the hall until the monster showed up, and then kill him.”
“That…is correct,” Olmec replies. The Green Monkeys advance down.
“Nice job—and just like that, the Green Monkeys are just one step away from the Temple Games!” Kirk narrates. “It’s a close race—next question, Olmec.”

“What weapon of Beowulf’s broke the instant it touched Grendel: his shield—”
The Red Jaguars ring in early. “His sword!” they both confidently shout.
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Red Jaguars advance to the next-to-last step.
“Red Jaguars join the Green Monkeys in being only one step away,” Kirk narrates. “Still plenty of time for the Orange Iguanas, though—next question.”

“Did Beowulf also defend the kingdom of Geatland from: a lion, a dragon, or a giant?”
The Silver Snakes ring in. “A dragon?”
“That is correct!” Olmec shouts.
“Silver Snakes are goin’ on to the Temple Games!” Kirk shouts as the Silver Snakes jump down to the bottom level. “But we’re looking for one more team. Who will it be: the Red Jaguars, the Green Monkeys, or the Orange Iguanas? Next question, please.”

“Which of these people is another legendary English hero: Sir Cedric, Sir Galahad, or Sir Elton John?”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Sir Galahad!” the boy shouts confidently.
“That is correct!” Olmec booms. The Red Jaguars leap down to the bottom.

“That’s it!” shouts Kirk, walking over to stand between the two teams. “We’ve got our two teams—the Silver Snakes, and the Red Jaguars! Green Monkeys and Orange Iguanas gave it a valiant effort, too, come on down here, guys. They’re not going away empty-handed. We’ve got a great gift for ‘em, and here’s what it is.” They receive Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs on DVD.

Kirk is seen standing between the Red Jaguars and Silver Snakes. “These two teams will be playing for the right to enter Olmec’s Temple, and they’re gonna do it right after this!”

The camera runs along the outer edge of the Temple, coming to a stop at the Rope Labyrinth, and peers into the room before the title appears onscreen, and we cut to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break and see Kirk standing in front of the Temple with the two remaining teams on either side of him.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “Now, the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest, but before we get started, I’d like to get to know our two teams a little better…

“On the Red Jaguars, we have Diana—she’s on her school’s softball team and she told me she wants to be a lawyer when she gets older. And her partner Isaac says that he enjoys surfing and he wants to be a professional wrestler—let’s hear it for the Red Jaguars!” The audience gives a round of applause for the short blond-haired boy with brown eyes hidden by glasses and the taller, blue-eyed girl with shoulder-length black hair.

“And on the Silver Snakes, we have Jada—she’s a cheerleader and she wants to be a pediatrician when she gets older, and her partner here is Marty—he told me that he enjoys hiking, and he wants to be a wildlife photographer—how ‘bout a hand for the Silver Snakes!” The audience claps for the brown-eyed girl with long curly brown hair and the tall black-haired boy with blue eyes.

“All right, are you guys ready to play?” Kirk asks.

“Yeah!” the teams reply.

“Okay, go get ready for the Temple Games,” Kirk instructs. “Now, in the Temple Games, our two teams are competing for…” Kirk retrieves a Pendant of Life from his pouch and holds it up to the camera. “…these Pendants of Life. The winning team will need Pendants to protect them from the dreaded Temple Guards as they make their way through Olmec’s Temple. There are three Temple Games. Hey, Olmec, could you explain the first one, please?”

“Aye-aye, Captain Kirk,” Olmec replies, getting a chuckle out of the audience. The black lights under Olmec come on and he begins to explain the first Game:

“When Beowulf tried to behead the monster, his sword broke when it touched Grendel due to the monster’s mystical powers. In this game, you will be making Beowulf a new sword. When Kirk gives the signal, run out, grab a piece of the sword, run back and place it on your board. Then run back and grab the next piece. Along the way, you must avoid the swinging obstacles—if you’re hit, you must go back and try again. The first player to completely assemble their sword, or…the player who’s further along at the end of thirty seconds…wins.”

“I have a feeling somebody’s gonna get battered in this game,” Kirk comments. “Let’s set the clock for thirty seconds!” The clock slams down in the bottom corner with a loud gong sound effect. “And ready, get set, GO!”

Diana and Jada each race out to the first part of their platform and grab the hilt of the sword, which they bring back and place on their team’s board within less than seven seconds. They each run out to get the second part, but Jada is hit by the sandbag, allowing Diana to take the lead with 15 seconds left. Jada retrieves the second part of her sword on her next try, but after scouting the swinging sandbags, Diana manages to get the third part of hers with five seconds left. Jada gets hit trying to reach her third piece, and time expires almost immediately thereafter.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kirk says as he rushes back onscreen. “Come on back here, girls, and let’s see how you did. Let’s see…” Kirk glances back at the scoreboards. “…it looks like the Silver Snakes got two pieces, and…the Red Jaguars got three pieces! The Red Jaguars get a half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds for a few seconds. “The Red Jaguars have a half Pendant, but the Silver Snakes can catch up in this next game. Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #2…”

Olmec begins:
“Beowulf’s epic battle with Grendel almost caused King Hrothgar’s hall to crumble down. In this game, you will be making repairs to the hall. When Kirk gives the signal, grab a piece of rubble, slide down the rope, and place the rubble in your team’s bin. Then, grab a fresh brick, ride the rope back up, and place it on the pedestal. Then grab another piece of rubble and start over again. The first player to trade all their rubble for fresh bricks, or…the player who’s further along at the end of sixty seconds…wins.”

“All right, time for a little renovating,” says Kirk. “Set the clock for sixty seconds, please!” The clock slams down in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Isaac and Marty both grab their first piece of rubble and ride their zipline over to the opposite platform. Isaac has a little trouble making the zipline function properly, allowing Marty to take the lead, placing his first brick with about 49 seconds left. Isaac places his first brick about three seconds later. Both boys grab another piece of rubble at nearly the same time, and ride the zipline down to exchange it for a brick. This continues throughout the game, with Isaac trying to catch up, but Marty always maintaining a slight lead. The boys have just grabbed their fourth brick and are riding back on the zipline as time expires.

“Okay, time’s up!” Kirk says as he rushes back onscreen. “Come on down here, guys. The judges say that they both had three pieces—three bricks when time expired. However, the Silver Snakes were just a little bit ahead, so the Silver Snakes get the half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds briefly. “So now, it’s tied up, with a half Pendant apiece. But now, we go to the third and final Temple Game. It’s worth a full Pendant of Life—Olmec, tell us about it…”

Olmec begins to explain the final Temple Game:
“Legend has it that Grendel wasn’t the only monster Beowulf had to do away with—he also had to dispose of Grendel’s monstrous mother as well. This makes two monsters, but in this game, you’ll have to take down twice that many. Before you stand four monsters. When Kirk gives the signal, load your slingshot and fire a cannonball at one of the monsters. Then, your partner will shoot a cannonball. The first team to knock down all their monsters, or…the team that knocks over the most monsters at the end of sixty seconds…wins.”

“Don’t worry—these aren’t real monsters,” Kirk jokes. “Set the clock for sixty seconds, please!” The clock slams down in the corner, ready to go. “Whoever wins this will go on to the Temple. Let me get outta the way here—ready, aim, FIRE!”

The Silver Snakes manage to knock over their first target on their first shot, while it takes the Red Jaguars two to knock over their first one. The Silver Snakes miss on their second shot, but both teams manage to knock over a target with 39 seconds left. The Red Jaguars pull ahead by knocking over their third target with about 25 seconds to go, but the Silver Snakes catch up about six seconds later. Cannonballs fly until the Red Jaguars finally knock over their fourth and final target with seven seconds left.

“All right, they got it!” says Kirk as he appears onscreen several seconds later. “The Red Jaguars did it—they knocked over all four of their targets, so they get a full Pendant. That gives them 1½ Pendants; the Silver Snakes have a half Pendant—so the Red Jaguars are goin’ to the Temple!” Isaac and Diana high-five one another in celebratory fashion. “Silver Snakes, you guys were great, too—it was really close. But you guys aren’t goin’ home empty-handed; we got a great gift for ‘em, and here’s what it is!” They receive a custom-made Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth watch.

As the prize disappears off-screen, Kirk is seen standing between the Red Jaguars with his hands on the players’ shoulders. “Now, we’ll see if the Red Jaguars can make it through Olmec’s Temple and retrieve Beowulf’s Shattered Sword! Can they do it? We’ll see right after this!”

The camera spirals in on Olmec. His eyes glow eerily as the title appears onscreen, and we go to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break to find Kirk standing in front of the Temple with the winning team.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “The Red Jaguars have proven themselves worthy, and have earned the right to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, here’s Olmec to give ‘em some information to help them retrieve Beowulf’s Shattered Sword…”

Olmec begins to explain the layout as the camera gives us a first-person tour of the Temple:
“You could start…by running up the stairs to the Crypt! Grab the book from the skeletons, and pass into the Rope Labyrinth! Maneuver through the ropes, and climb into the Sculptor’s Studio. Smash the hollow sculptures to find the key that will lead you into the Chamber…of the Sacred Markers. Match the symbols on the right to those on the left, and pass into the Inventor’s Workshop. Spin the wheel to operate the machine, and open the door to the SHRIIIINE of the Silver Monkey! Assemble the statue and you may be headed toward the Room…of the Secret Password. Find the tablet with the correct inscription and shout it out to open the door to the Pharaoh’s Secret Passage. Slide down the tunnel to the Dungeon, where you could smash through the wall into the Dark Forest…but beware of the Temple Guards that may inhabit the trees! Find the key in the tree, and you’ll enter…the Ancient Cave. Press yourself against the correct cave painting, and you’ll gain entry to the Owl’s Nest! Find the special white owl, and attach it to its proper nest, then…crawl through the Labyrinth, climb through the Ledges, race down the stairs and back through the Temple Gate! The choices are yours and yours alone!” Olmec pauses. “You won 1½ Pendants in the Temple Games. Who’s going first?”

“I am,” replies Isaac.

“Very well, Isaac,” Olmec replies. “When Kirk gives the signal, you’ll race through the gate into the Temple and make your way toward the Shattered Sword. Hidden inside the Temple are Temple Guards assigned to protect three specific rooms. You can trade your Pendant for an extra life and go on, but…if you’re caught without a Pendant, you’ll be taken out of the Temple, and it’ll be Diana’s turn to enter and try her luck. Hidden somewhere in the Temple is the other half of your Pendant. If you can find it and you’re carrying the other half, you’ll receive an extra life. If you can reach the Shattered Sword, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish. Return through the gates with Beowulf’s Shattered Sword in three minutes, and you’ll both be handsomely rewarded—and here’s how!”

• Just for making it this far, they’ll get a sports package from Outdoor Products.
• If they can reach the Shattered Sword within three minutes, they’ll also receive a game table.
• And if they can bring the Shattered Sword out of the Temple before three minutes expires, they’ll win a trip to Sea World California.

“Sea World, all right,” Kirk observes. “Let’s see if they can win that trip…all right, Isaac, since you’re going first, let’s put you out in front here. Mouthpieces in, everybody…let’s set the clock for three minutes!” The clock slams down in the bottom right-hand corner with a loud gong sound effect.

“Olmec, lower your gate,” Kirk instructs. Olmec moans gutturally as the gate is lowered, and the black lights under him go out.

“Okay, looks like we’re ready over here?” Kirk asks.

“Mm-hmm,” Isaac replies.

“On your mark,” Kirk begins, “get set, GO!”

“There he goes, up into the Temple!” Kirk shouts as Isaac darts up the stairs. He wastes no time, sliding down into the Ledges and crawling through the room. However, about halfway through, the first TEMPLE GUARD grabs him by the leg (2:54). “Oh, Temple Guard, right off the bat!” Kirk exclaims. “Good thing he’s got a Pendant!” Isaac hands over his Pendant after a little difficulty, and the Temple Guard exits the room. Isaac heads up to the top of the Ledges, where he tries the actuator for the Crypt, but the door doesn’t open. He heads back down, where he tries both the upper and lower crawl tube actuators to the Rope Labyrinth; however, only the lower crawl tube door opens, so he crawls inside, entering the Rope Labyrinth a short time later (2:23). “All right—now he’ll have to crawl through those ropes!” Kirk narrates. Isaac easily treks through the few ropes in the bottom half of the room, hitting the actuator for the Owl’s Nest and opening the door (2:17). However, no sooner has Isaac set foot in the room than the second TEMPLE GUARD jumps out from behind one of the nests (2:14).

“Whoa, Temple Guard got ‘im! Go, Diana!” Kirk instructs. Taken off guard by Isaac’s quick exit from the Temple, Diana looks around for a second before dashing up the stairs, where she soon disappears behind Olmec. She slides down into the Ledges, retracing Isaac’s path. She finally reaches the Owl’s Nest (1:57), where she begins her search for the white owl. After a few seconds, she finds it, brings it to the front nest in the room, and sets it on said nest—but nothing happens. She tries two more nests before the door upward to the Chamber of the Sacred Markers opens (1:47). “All right, she found the right nest!” Kirk comments. “Now she’s headed up to the Chamber…of the Sacred Markers!” Diana begins climbing up to the room, picking up something hanging off the ladder along the way. “Oh, she found the half Pendant!” Kirk narrates. “Good going—she might need that!” Diana enters the Chamber (1:36) and almost immediately finds a tile on the stage-left wall, which she places in the correct slot. She finds the other two on the stage-right wall, brings them back, and places them beside the runes they match. When she’s finished, the door to the Inventor’s Workshop opens (1:27). “That’s got it—now where’s she headed?” Kirk asks. Diana progresses into the Inventor’s Workshop. She heads to the capstan in the room and begins to turn it, but the third TEMPLE GUARD emerges from one of the doors at the back of the room (1:20). “Oh, there’s that last Temple Guard!” Kirk observes as Diana hands her two Pendant halves. “But she’s got a Pendant—or two halves of a Pendant, anyway, and two halves make a whole!” Diana finishes turning the capstan in the Inventor’s Workshop, opening the door over to the Shrine of the Silver Monkey (1:08).

Diana enters the Shrine , heads to the back, grabs the base of the statue, brings it back to the front, and places it on the pedestal (1:00). “One minute left—can she do it?” Kirk narrates. Diana heads to the back again and grabs the middle, which she brings back and places on the base (0:51). A third time, she heads to the back of the room, bringing the head back to the front and jamming it down, opening the door to the Room of the Secret Password (0:42). “All right, she’s got it—she heads into the Secret Password Room!” Kirk shouts. “She’s so close she can taste it!” Diana opens up the cabinet in the back of the room, pulls out the password, and takes out her mouthpiece before screaming out “Dr. Livingstone, I presume!” (0:31). Nothing happens, so she opens the stage-right cabinet, takes out the tablet and yells out “Open sesame!” Again, nothing happens (0:25). “Oh, it’s gonna be the last one!” Kirk says as Diana opens the final cabinet in the room, takes out the tablet and shouts “Long live Olmec!”, opening the door to the Dark Forest (0:16).

Diana looks around for a few seconds before realizing that the door to this room has opened, but she finally sees it, taking the passage that leads her through the left-hand golden door into the Dark Forest, where she spots and grabs BEOWULF’S SHATTERED SWORD (0:06). “She’s got it! She’s got the Sword!” Kirk shouts. Diana heads through the now-open door into the Ancient Cave and makes it about halfway through the room before time expires.

“Oh, they ran out of time!” Kirk laments as Isaac looks slightly disappointed. “They got to the Sword, but they couldn’t get out in time with it! Too bad…that’s okay, they still get the sports package and the game table, and I know they had a great time. But we’ve gotta get out of here. We’ll see ya next time though, and remember: it’s not just Legends, it’s Legends: Rebirth! Buh-bye!”

Kirk and Isaac wave to the crowd as the credits start to roll. Diana soon joins them, still holding the sword. The camera shows various places on the set, including numerous fake insects, a beautiful cluster of silk orchids, and a muddy footprint beside the Moat. Kirk, Isaac and Diana are seen one more time before the credits finish up and the Stone Stanley logo appears onscreen.

[The Bandit King]

Beowulf’s Shattered Sword
Season 1, Layout 4
Artifact Location: The Dark Forest
Team: Red Jaguars (Diana Castaneda & Isaac Lowery)
Pendants: 2
Result: Ran out of time (reached artifact)

This layout wasn’t that difficult—the players just made it seem that way. But both players on this team made at least one mistake that cost them dearly.

Isaac did okay, but he spent way too long in the Ledges, where the first Temple Guard probably threw him off a bit. He tried the actuator to the Crypt, which he didn’t need to do. To his credit, he did pick up the pace after he exited the Ledges, and he was finally taken out in the Owl’s Nest with 2:14 left on the clock.

I feel sorry for Diana—she really seemed like a good player apart from her hesitance. She picked up the hidden half Pendant in the Owl’s Nest, and made good time in nearly every room she entered. If one room caused her downfall, it was the Shrine, where despite the fact that she was tall enough to reach the shelves, she only grabbed the statue one piece at a time, costing her valuable time. She also failed to see that the door to the Dark Forest had opened from the Room of the Secret Password, costing her a little more time. While she did manage to grab the Shattered Sword with six seconds left, she had no chance of getting out with it with that kind of time remaining.

In short, this run was complicated by an overly hesitant team whose little mistakes led to their downfall. Oh, well—at least they reached the artifact.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Notes and Trivia: As Diana is about to grab the Shattered Sword, you can clearly see a stack of torn pages hanging on the middle golden door in the Dark Forest. These are the Lost Pages of the Yi Jin Jing, and since Beowulf’s Shattered Sword does not appear in that particular episode, it means that this episode was filmed before it.

Temple Diagram made by JTH1

[The Court Jester]

WHAT! An artifact retrieved in the Dark Forest?!? Lol, but in a serious note, very nice episode TBK.

[The Bandit King]

WHAT! An artifact retrieved in the Dark Forest?!? Lol, but in a serious note, very nice episode TBK.

[The Ancient Warrior]

Ah, yes, "The Rudder from the HMS Endurance"~

This was a pretty solid one, I gotta say.  It's got me wondering if maybe Layout III and Layout IV could be considered switched, though (not saying you should reorder the fics personally, TBK ).

[The Court Jester]

Oh yeah I read that episode awhile back. Memory's a little rusty haha.