Rediscovery EP: The Wedding Ring of King Shahryar

[The Ancient Warrior]

Author's Note: This is one of the episodes of my independent project, Legends: The Rediscovery.  More information on the project can be found by following this link.

Episode 88px]

The camera swerves through a thick rainforest, and after multiple turns, it eventually stops in front of an ancient temple.  The eyes of giant stone head next to the temple gate light up red as he begins to speak:
"LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE!"
The show's logo forms as two halves of a Pendant of Life come in from the sides of the screen and merge; the show's name appears above the logo as the camera pans across the entire temple.
"With your guide, Kirk Fogg! And here he is NOW!"

On this final word, Kirk emerges from a thick patch of jungle plants and shrubs, then runs into the foreground and up a wide set of steps to greet the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you very much! Nice to see you! Thank you, Olmec! Welcome to Legends of the Hidden Temple.  The rooms are filled with lost treasures that are protected by mysterious Mayan Temple Guards.  Only Olmec knows the legend behind each of the treasures of his temple.  Which one are we gonna hear about today?"

Faint orange lights underneath Olmec turn on, and the camera cuts to a close-up of him as he replies:
"The legend of the Wedding Ring of King Shahryar."

"Ooh, the Wedding Ring of King Sharrar!" Kirk says in response as the camera cuts back to him. "Well, one of these six teams will have a chance to retrieve the Wedding Ring.  Will it be:
"Andrew and Brianna of the Red Jaguars?" the camera pans to each team in order, their first names briefly appearing at the bottom of the screen?
"Robert and Olivia of the Blue Barracudas,
"Scott and Kelly of the Green Monkeys,
"Christian and Courtney of the Orange Iguanas,
"Mitch and Annie of the Purple Parrots,
"Or James and Jessica of the Silver Snakes?"

"They'll have to pass some tough physical and mental tests," Kirk says, "and in the end, only one team will earn the right to enter Olmec's Temple.  But first, they?ll have to cross the Moat, and here's how they'll have to do it today?
"When I say 'Go,' one player from each team will grab onto the rod above them and climb hand-over-hand across the Moat.  Then, when he gets across and lands on the other side, it's his partner's turn to grab onto the rod and do the same thing."
"As soon as the second player jumps down onto the deck, it's his job to run over here and hit the gong." He hits the top button on the Red Jaguars' gong? which lights up red? to demonstrate. "The first four teams to hit their gongs will be going into the next round.  Are you ready, teams?"
The players all cheer and shout in response.
"Olmec, are you ready?" asks Kirk.
"This rock is ready to roll!" Olmec replies.
"All right!" Kirk says in response. "Teams: On your marks, get set, GO!!"

The first players on each team reach for the rods and start to make their way across. ?There they go, it?s a climbing match!? Kirk remarks as the teams? first players take off.  The girl on the Green Monkeys has very little trouble and makes it across first, landing at the other side after only about twenty seconds.  The Red Jaguars get the first player across about seven seconds later, but at that point, the other teams? first players are only about halfway across the Moat.  Thirty seconds into the round, the male Purple Parrot loses his grip on the rod above him, falls into the water and has to go back and start over.
?This is tough! I think I know who?s gonna win this,? states Kirk as the female Orange Iguana lands on the other side of the Moat 45 seconds into the round.  Shortly after, the male Blue Barracuda makes it across, while the male Silver Snake falls close to the end and has to restart.  The teams? second players struggle to get across, but the teams start to bang down on their gongs more than a minute in? the first team to lock in is the Green Monkeys, after a full 1:11. ?We got our first team, it?s the Green Monkeys! They?re a scrambling, climbing team, that?s why they? Blue Barracudas gotta go back!? The girl on the Blue Barracudas falls into drink about halfway across, while the male Purple Parrot finally crosses at 1:15, prompting his partner to start making her way across.  The Red Jaguars slam down on their gong at 1:25. ?There?s our second team, we still need two more teams, who?s it gonna be??
At this point, the last players are scrambling? the male Silver Snake has to start over again at about 1:34, at which point the fog over the Moat starts to disappear.  A full 1:38 into the challenge, the male Orange Iguana jumps down onto the deck and runs over to hit his team?s gong. ?We?re still looking for one more team, will it be the Blue Barracudas, Purple Parrots or Silver Snakes?? The male Silver Snake is just starting to head across the Moat again when the Blue Barracudas hit their gong, ending the round a televised minute and 46 seconds after it began.
?That?s it! We got our four teams right here!? Kirk announces, and the camera cuts to him high-fiving the female Red Jaguar around their gong. ?Red Jaguars stuck it out, and they?re going on to the Steps of Knowledge, along with the Blue Barracudas?? the camera goes down the line to show each qualifying team? ?and the Green Monkeys? and the Orange Iguanas! The Purple Parrots and Silver Snakes gave it a great effort.  They?re not going away empty-handed, we got a great gift for them and here?s what it is.?
Dee reads the consolation prize:
?Look at the entertaining fun you?ll have when you strap on Moon Shoes! Super excitement is yours when you bounce higher than ever! Don?t leave earth without Moon Shoes, from Big Time Toys!?

[The Ancient Warrior]

The camera cuts away from the consolation prize, and now Kirk and the four remaining teams are at the top of the Steps of Knowledge. "As the quest continues, it's now time for Olmec to tell us about the Wedding Ring of King Sharia.  Pay attention, because your knowledge of the legend can bring you a step closer to Olmec's Temple."
Olmec begins to tell the legend:

"Long ago, there was a Persian king named Shahryar.  He had a grand palace full of elaborate decorations and plenty of wealth, but this wasn't enough for him.  Legend has it Shahryar wanted a bride? and not just any bride, but the perfect bride.  Every afternoon he married a new woman from the kingdom, but every night he realized she wasn't the one for him.  So, every morning, he had the woman he married the night before done away with, and went on to try and find a new one.  This happened every night for three years, and eventually, the vizier couldn't find any more women to offer to Shahryar.
" 'Oh, this is terrible!' he shouted. 'If I can't find more women for the king to marry, he'll do away with me too!'
"The vizier's daughter stood up. 'Father, I'm going to be the bride he doesn't get rid of.'
" 'Please, child! You must not do this!'
" 'Father, trust me.  I can handle it.'
"The vizier's daughter was named Scheherazade, and she gave herself to the king to see if she could spare any other women's lives.  That night, after they were married, she spun a fabulous story about a trader and a genie, but she didn't finish.
" 'Darling, how does it end?' asked Shahryar.
" 'I'm sorry? I'm too tired to finish.  It's already sunrise.'
" 'Okay, well? you can finish tomorrow.'
"And finish she did.  But then Scheherazade began telling a second story, and left that unfinished until the third night.  She kept going for 1001 nights, telling one thousand stories to King Shahryar.  By the time she told her last story, the king decided Scheherazade was the perfect bride after all.  Years later, Shahryar's wedding ring made its way to the Temple.  Your quest is to retrieve it and bring it back here."

"Thank you Olmec," says Kirk after Olmec finishes telling the legend, "so where is the Wedding Ring?"
Olmec replies:
"The Wedding Ring of King Shahryar can be found in the SHRIIIIIIINE of the Silver Monkey!" The camera zooms in on a thick, jewel-encrusted wedding ring on the front pedestal in the Shrine of the Silver Monkey, then fades back to Kirk.

"Teams," Kirk begins to explain, "you're now standing on the Steps of Knowledge, and in a minute, Olmec will 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 move down to the next level, but if you're wrong or run out of time, I'll give the other teams a chance." Kirk walks down the steps as he continues explaining the rules. "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:
?According to the legend, did King Shahryar want: A larger kingdom, All the riches of the world or The perfect bride??
Christian hits the marking first: ?The? um, perfect queen???
?Correct.?
?Nice job, Orange Iguanas, step down!? encourages Kirk, and the Orange Iguanas move down to the second step. ?Next question.?

Olmec asks:
?Did King Shahryar marry a new woman: Every morning, Every afternoon or Every night??
After a moment of hesitation, Andrew rings in: ?Every? afternoon.?
?Correct,? says Olmec in response.
?Red Jaguars, step down!? shouts Kirk, and the Red Jaguars move down a step. ?It?s a stomping match! Olmec, next question!?

Olmec now asks:
?The morning after Shahryar married a woman, did he: Divorce her, Throw her in a dungeon or Do away with her??
Andrew gongs in again: ?He? got rid of? did away with her??
There is a pause.
?That is correct,? Olmec finally answers.
?Whoo! Just like that, the Red Jaguars are now one step away from the Temple Games,? says Kirk, ?but we?re looking for two teams.  Next question!?

Olmec asks:
?Was the woman that became Shahryar?s permanent bride named: Sheba, Scheherazade or Shaniqua??
While Olmec is providing the third choice, Olivia interrupts him with a stomp: ?Sh? Share-a-zard???
?Correct,? replies Olmec.
?Blue Barracudas, step down!? Kirk calls out, and the Blue Barracudas move down to the second step. ?Green Monkeys can get in this, there?s plenty of time.  Next question, Olmec!?

Olmec?s next question is:
?Did Scheherazade continuously tell stories to King Shahryar for: One hundred and one nights; One thousand and one nights or One million and one nights??
Scott buzzes in: ?One thousand nights.?
?That is not one of the three choices,? Olmec responds, and the Green Monkeys stay on the first step with pained looks on their faces.
Christian then steps in: ?One thousand and one nights.?
?That? is? correct.?
?Orange Iguanas now just one step away from the Temple Games, but we?re still looking for two teams!? says Kirk as the Orange Iguanas join the Red Jaguars on the penultimate step. ?Next question, Olmec!?

Olmec asks:
?Scheherazade told the beginning of a story every night, but left her stories unfinished until the following night.  Did she leave each story on a??"
Olivia cuts Olmec off this time: ?The? climax.?
?That is not one of our three choices,? answers Olmec. ?The three choices are: Cliffhanger, Pageturner and Eargrabber.?
Christian stomps down and guesses: ?Cliffhanger???
?That is correct!? shouts Olmec, and the Orange Iguanas jump down onto the bottom step.
?We got our first team going on to the Temple Games, it?s the Orange Iguanas!? declares Kirk as the Orange Iguanas begin to celebrate. ?We still need one more team, who?s it gonna be: the Red Jaguars, the Blue Barracudas or the Green Monkeys? Still plenty of time to catch up.  Let?s keep going! Olmec!?

Olmec continues:
?Was Scheherazade the daughter of Shahryar?s: Vizier, Treasurer or Secretary??
After a moment, Olivia stomps down first: ?His? Vizz-ear???
?That is correct.?
?Blue Barracudas! Next correct response and you?re going to the Temple Games!? Kirk explains as the Blue Barracudas move down to the third step. ?Olmec, continue!?

Olmec does so by asking:
?Which of these kingdoms belonged to King Shahryar???
Olivia buzzes in: ?Arabia.?
?That is not one of our three choices,? replies Olmec. ?The three choices are: Egypt, Persia and Palmyra.? Nobody else answers, and after a few seconds a bell sounds. ?Time?s up! The correct answer was: Persia.?
?All right, that was tough! Next question!? says Kirk.

Olmec asks:
?According to our legend, which of these mystical figures did Scheherazade?s first story involve: Wizards, Ghosts or Genies??
Olivia rings in: ?Um? A genie?.??
?THAT IS CORRECT!? bellows Olmec, and the Blue Barracudas join the Orange Iguanas on the bottom step.  Kirk runs up the middle of the step before the teams start celebrating with one another, then turns around to face the camera.
?We got our two teams going on to the Temple Games,? he announces, ?and they are the Orange Iguanas and the Blue Barracudas! The Red Jaguars and the Green Monkeys gave it a great effort too.  We got a great gift for them and here?s what it is.? Andrew, Brianna, Scott and Kelly will each be receiving a $50 U.S. Savings Bond provided by Starkist Tuna.
When the camera cuts away from the consolation prize, only Kirk, the Blue Barracudas and the Orange Iguanas are standing on the Steps of Knowledge. ?These two teams are gonna be playing for the right to enter Olmec?s Temple? right after this!? The camera swerves over to the Shrine of the Silver Monkey, and zooms in on the completely assembled statue on the front platform.  Then, the show?s logo reappears and the camera fades to commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the camera fades in from commercial, the show?s title card is placed over a shot of the stage-left totem pole in the Den of Totem Poles.  The pendant logo splits, the title fades into the distance and the camera segues to Kirk standing in front of the Pit of Despair with the two remaining teams.
?Welcome back to Legends!? he says. ?Now the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest? so let?s hear it for Courtney and Christian of the Orange Iguanas!? The audience briefly applauds for the short girl with straight brown hair and brown eyes, and her tan-skinned, short-dark-haired partner. ?And Olivia and Robert of the Blue Barracudas!? The dirty-blonde girl with hazel eyes and glasses and the freckled boy with light brown hair and blue eyes clap along with the cheering audience.
?Now, why don?t you go get ready for the Temple Games,? Kirk says, pointing in different directions, and the players walk offscreen as Kirk faces the camera again. ?In the Temple Games, teams are competing to win?" he opens a pouch and pulls out a small gold medallion to show to the camera? "these Pendants of Life.  The winning team?s gonna need those Pendants to protect themselves from the dreaded Temple Guards as they make their way through the Temple.  There are three Temple Games, and Olmec, tell us about the first one.?

Olmec begins:
"Scheherazade told King Shahryar one thousand stories over the course of 1001 nights.  In this game, you will only have sixty seconds to tell as many stories as you can.  When Kirk gives the signal, climb on the wheel and adjust your weight to make the wheel spin.  Each time you make a complete rotation, it means you have told one story to King Shahryar.  The player that tells the most stories in 60 seconds... wins!"
The camera fades to Kirk. "Speed writing, right?" he says. "Okay, let's put 60 seconds on the clock." A countdown clock appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen. "On your mark, get set, GO!"
Robert starts off a bit slower than Christian when the game begins, but Christian falls off the Pendant-shaped wheel multiple times early in the game, which puts him far behind his speeding-up opponent.  When Robert finally falls off his own wheel with 26 seconds remaining, Christian has a small opportunity to close the gap, but never completely catches up.  When the countdown clock reaches zero, a pattern of ceiling spotlights flashes to indicate that the game is over, and Kirk runs onscreen again.
?Time?s up! Come on down, guys! Come over here!? Kirk declares, and Robert and Christian meet up with him in front of the wheels. ?Orange Iguanas had a tough time staying on, they got 11 stories.  Blue Barracudas started slow and they speeded up, and they got 13! Blue Barracudas get the half Pendant of Life!? The audience briefly applauds for the Blue Barracudas. ?Orange Iguanas can catch up in the next game, it?s worth a half Pendant.  Olmec, tell us about it.?

Olmec continues:
"Some say that Scheherazade didn't come up with all the stories on her own? she might have memorized some written stories and come up with the rest.  In this game, you must hide and destroy the storybooks Scheherazade memorized so no one else finds out.  Behind you is a very slippery slope.  When Kirk gives the signal, push the first book up the slope with your backs until you reach the top.  Place the book there, and water will ruin the pages and then flow down the slope as you slide back down.  Then, take the next storybook and do it again.
"The first player to place three storybooks at the top of the slope and slide back down? or the player that's further along after 60 seconds? wins."
The camera segues to Kirk. "Let's set the clock for 60 seconds," he says; the countdown clock appears in the bottom-right of the screen, and a blue half-Pendant appears in the upper-right field. "On your mark, get set, GO!"
Olivia has a hard time starting her way up the slope with the first book, but Courtney pushes her way up the slope at a faster pace.  Courtney places the first book for the Orange Iguanas with 38 seconds on the clock, then slides back down as some water is released to slick the slope.  Olivia gets her first storybook at the top with 31 seconds remaining, tying the score.
?This is tough! They gotta go against the water and they have to go on their backs up the slide? it?s a lot of work!? Kirk remarks as the girls head up the slopes with their second storybooks.  Olivia gets a bit of a lucky break when Courtney loses her grip about a third of the way up and almost slides back down to the bottom (:22), allowing her to catch up a little.  However, it?s not enough for Olivia to take the lead? Courtney places her second book at the top with four seconds remaining.  As time runs out and the ceiling spotlights flash, Olivia places her book as well, then slides back down.
?Okay, that?s it!? Kirk declares as the girls come over. ?Let?s check it out: Blue got two books, Orange got two books! It?s a tie? they each get the half Pendant of Life!? The audience cheers for a few seconds. ?The next game is worth a full Pendant, it?s the third and final game.  Olmec, tell us!?

Olmec narrates:
"King Shahryar fell in love with Scheherazade as she told more and more stories, and by the time she told her thousandth story, he decided she was the perfect bride.  Scheherazade was free from the eventual execution, and in this game, you must set your partner free.  When Kirk gives the signal, one player from each team will climb up the mountain using the rope.  When you get to one of the keys on the mountain, grab it, and continue up the mountain.  If you miss one of the four keys, you must go back to grab it.  Once you're at the top, use the correct key to unlock the cage and free your partner, then both of you must climb down the other side of the mountain.
"The first team to get both partners on the ground on the other side of the mountain? or the team that's further along after 90 seconds? wins."
"This is for the Temple," explains Kirk. "Set the clock." The clock appears in the bottom-right of the screen, set for 1:30; an orange half-Pendant appears in the upper-left, and a blue full Pendant appears in the upper-right.  Kirk dashes off to the side to do the commentary from the side of the mountain. "On your marks, get set, GO!"
Robert and Christian start to make their way up the mountain, but a gap between the players forms early on.  Robert quickly gets up to the first two keys and grabs them in the time it takes Christian to climb up to the first key and pocket it (1:17).
?Orange Iguana falling behind!? Kirk remarks as the boys continue the climb. ?Can they catch up? Will the Blues slow down?? Christian pockets the second key with 1:11 left; Robert gets his third a second later.  Christian gets the third with 1:04 to go, but by then, Robert has grabbed the fourth key at the top of the mountain and is about to dash over to the cage Olivia is trapped in.  As soon as Christian gets the fourth key and reaches Courtney?s cage with just under a minute to go, he also starts fiddling with the keys to try and find the right one.
Robert unlocks Olivia?s cage with 51 seconds remaining, using the third key he tries. ?Blue Barracudas are free, now they just gotta get to the bottom first! Can they do it?? Christian also sets Courtney free on his third try, although the Orange Iguanas are still trailing the Blue Barracudas by a few seconds.  They try to hurry up, but Olivia gets to the bottom first with 39 seconds to go, and Robert follows suit a couple of seconds later.  Kirk runs over as the clock stops and disappears and the score indicators also vanish from the screen.
?All right, that?s it!? he announces as the Orange Iguanas finish climbing down. ?Blue Barracudas freed themselves and got back down first, so they get the full Pendant, giving them two, the Orange Iguanas had a half.  The Blue Barracudas are goin? to the Temple!? Robert and Olivia briefly hug, and Kirk goes over to talk with the Orange Iguanas. ?These guys gave it a great effort too, but came up a bit short.  We got a great gift for them both and here?s what it is.? Christian and Courtney will each be receiving a copy of the Phantasy Star 0 Nintendo DS game.
When the camera cuts back from the consolation prize, only Kirk and the Blue Barracudas are at the foot of the mountain. ?We?ll see if the Blue Barracudas can make it through Olmec?s Temple and retrieve the Wedding Ring of King Shhhhar-yar,? says Kirk, ?right after this!? The camera moves along the wall of the Temple and moves in at the Pirate?s Cove, stopping at the ship?s well.  The show?s logo reappears and the camera fades to commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

The camera fades in with the show's logo placed over a panoramic shot of the earlier rooms in the Temple.  The title fades into the distance as the pendant splits into two, and then the camera segues to Kirk standing in front of Olmec, with Robert and Olivia to his right. "Welcome back to Legends!" he says to the camera. "The Blue Barracudas have proven themselves worthy and now have earned the right to enter the Temple, but first, Olmec's gonna give them some information to help them retrieve the Wedding Ring of King Shar-year."
Olmec begins to give the rundown:
?You could start by running up to the Room of the Ancient Masks! Push in the correct mask, and pass into the Pit of Despair.  There you must choose your next path.  You could race up into the Observatory, read the instructions on the far wall through the telescope and follow the instructions to open the door to the Central Dock.  Assemble the ship, and pass into the Den of Totem Poles.  Turn all the faces forward; that may take you below or lead you into the SHRIIIINE of the Silver Monkey, where you can grab the Wedding Ring of King Shahryar.  Next, you might enter the Pirate?s Cove! Place the torch in the correct holder to go back, or? you could spin the ship?s wheel to enter the Graveyard of Ships.
?Stand on the correct grave to go upstairs? but beware the Temple Guards that may be haunting the graves? or plow through the wall and into the Viper?s Nest! Reach into the snake jars and find the key, and you?ll enter the Bamboo Forest! If you escape, you might have a chance to enter the Lost Treasury.  Place the correct artifact on the altar, and if the correct door is unlocked, you can crawl back into the Pit and finally climb through the Cave, race down the stairs and back through the Temple Gate.  The choices are yours and yours alone!? Olmec pauses momentarily. "You won 2 Pendants in the Temple Games.  Who's going first??
"I am," says Olivia.
"Very well, Olivia!" replies Olmec as Kirk hands out the Pendants of Life. "When Kirk gives the signal, you'll race through the gates into the Temple and make your way towards the Wedding Ring.  Hidden inside the Temple are three secret passages that may lead you into the Bamboo Forest, as well as 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 then it'll be Robert's turn to enter and try his luck.  If you can reach the Wedding Ring, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish.  Return through the gates with the Wedding Ring in three minutes, and you will both be handsomely rewarded? and here's how!"
?   For just getting into the Temple, they're both going to get an Xzibit Video Game Rocker, provided by Dreamseat.
?   If they can grab the Ring in three minutes, they're going to get a Gibson Epiphone S310 electric guitar!
?   And if they can get the Ring out of the Temple within three minutes, they'll both be going to the Cayman Islands! The 290-room Ramada Treasure Island Resort, on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, located on the famous Seven Mile Beach, features a complete water sports program, including snorkeling, parasailing and water-skiing!

The camera cuts back from the grand prize to show Kirk and the players one more time before the run. "Let's see if we can get those Blue Barracudas to the Cayman Islands!" Kirk declares before turning to Olivia. "Olivia, let's get you out in front.  And let's put three minutes on the clock." The clock reappears. "Olmec, lower your gate!"
Olmec groans gutturally as the gate falls; the faint lighting pointed up at his chin is turned off.
"On your mark, get set, GO!"

Olivia trots up the stairs and into the Room of the Ancient Masks, only to meet a?
?TEMPLE GUARD! Right off the bat!? Kirk shouts out as the first guard ambushes Olivia just after she pushes in the mask to the right of his door. ?You gotta give him the Pendant!? She hands over her Pendant of Life with 2:48 to go, then looks around as the Temple Guard goes away. ?Temple Guard startled her? she?s a little thrown, she?s gotta hit another mask to open the right door!? Olivia finally tries the mask left of the guard door, then the only mask on the camera-right wall of the room, which opens both doors leading out of the room.  Olivia heads down the newly-accessible stairwell and into the Pit of Despair with 2:36 to spare. ?She?s gotta find a door, see which one?s gonna let her!? Olivia carefully walks across the beam-like plank closer to the foreground of the room, then sets foot on the ledge at the stage-left wall.  She hits the actuator for the Central Dock door, which opens, and moves on into the room with 2:22 to go.  She looks around for a second, then goes to grab a mast from the back of the room, but a second Temple Guard emerges from the side door and drags her out of the Temple.
?Oh, go Robert, take off!? calls Kirk, and Robert heads through the gate and into the Temple with 2:18 remaining.  He then enters the Room of the Ancient Masks with 2:13, appears in the Pit of Despair with 2:08 on the clock and crawls into the Central Dock with 1:55 left. ?He?s in the Center of the Dock! He?s gotta? get the pieces of the ship and put the ship together!? Robert goes around the room and grabs the two masts, then puts them in place on the ship in front of the ladder leading downward.  He then goes back to find the crow?s nest, which must be placed on one of the masts.  He first tries placing it over the mast further stage-left on the ship, and the door leading downward into the Lost Treasury opens with 1:41 on the clock.
?Oh, he wanted to go left but he?s gotta climb down? down into the Room of the Missing Treasures!? Robert climbs down into the Lost Treasury, then looks around for a second before figuring out what to do.  He goes around the ladder to the treasure box behind it, then pulls out a mirror and places it on the altar in the front of the room.  No doors open, so he goes back again to grab a lantern and finally a journal, the last of which opens the door into the Bamboo Forest with 1:27 to spare. ?There he goes! Now he?s gotta move!?
?Go Robert! You can do it!? cheers Olivia from the sidelines.
?Now he?s gotta? he?s in the Bamboo Forest! He?s gotta move if he wants to get to the Wedding Ring of King Shar-ee-ah!? Robert climbs up the bamboo poles to reach a opening close to the ceiling, but changes his mind and climbs back down, then uses a lower opening to get through the first of the three parallel webs of bamboo shoots (1:13).  Once he reaches the second web, he climbs up again until he can reach the ceiling, then tries to hit the actuator for the Den of Totem Poles door up at the top.  The door fails to open even after Robert hits the actuator twice, so he makes his way towards an opening and keeps going toward the left edge of the Bamboo Forest. ?He wanted to go up? that door?s not gonna open let him in, so he?s gotta go into the Switch? I mean, the Viper?s Lair!? Robert hits the actuator for the crawl tube closer to the foreground; the door at the other end opens, and Robert enters the Viper?s Nest with only fifty seconds left.
?He?s gotta find the right key, he?s right under the Wedding Ring in the Shrine of the Siiiiiilver Monkey!? announces Kirk as Robert opens the snake jars on the altar in the front of the room, starting with the stage-right jar.  Ultimately, rubber snakes jump out of all three of the pots when he opens them; he looks into each for the key, then looks around confused for a second. ?He?s gotta bust through the wall! Thirty-five seconds!? Robert plows through the breakaway rock wall and into the Graveyard of Ships with 31 seconds to spare. ?Now he?s gotta stand on the pirate graves to open a door, but hopefully a Temple Guard isn?t residing in one of the graves?? He walks over and stands on the stage-right grave in the back of the room and hits the floor actuator, but nothing happens (0:23).  Robert then moves to the left grave and steps on the actuator, opening the door leading into the Shrine of the Silver Monkey and causing the iron slab denying access to the Pirate?s Cove to rise? but the skeletal arms protruding from the ?dirt? come to life and grab Robert by the ankles (0:18!).
?TEMPLE GUARD!? Kirk shouts, Olivia looking on. ?Give ?em the Pendant, just? put it on the grave and run!? Robert hesitantly bends over and places his Pendant of Life in front of the gravestone; the arms relax with thirteen seconds left, and Robert goes over to the ladder leading up into the Pirate?s Cove.  He climbs up and enters the Pirate?s Cove with only five seconds on the clock. ?He?s in the Room of the Pirate?s Cove! He?s gotta grab a torch and?? At this point in Kirk?s explanation, Robert is reaching for a torch, but the countdown clock hits zero and disappears.
?Oh, time?s up!? Kirk laments. ?They made it so close, they were just one room away!? Olivia looks a little depressed as she stares out at the Pirate?s Cove. ?Oh, well, they still get the video game chairs just for playing, and we gotta get outta here.  Check us out next time for another great Legend of the Hidden Temple! Buh-bye!? The camera pans out, and then shows rooms such as the Pirate?s Cove, Bamboo Forest and the Pit of Despair? along with Kirk and the Blue Barracudas talking after Robert returns to the foreground? as the credits roll.

[The Ancient Warrior]

Episode Summary
Episode 88px]

Name of Artifact: The Wedding Ring of King Shahryar
Season: 3
Layout: 1 (11 overall)
Result: Failed acquisition
Team: Blue Barracudas
Pendants Won: 2
Location of Artifact: The Shrine of the Silver Monkey



A filler episode, for the most part.  The Moat challenge for the first production day of Season 3 was very difficult, but it took the longest by far in this episode? the Blue Barracudas placed fourth after 1:46 (post-editing), shortly after the fog over the Moat disappeared.  The legend in this episode was another carbon copy of a legend used in the original series, much like in the episode before this, but the Steps featured a couple of unusual answers? for one, the Green Monkeys answering "One thousand nights" instead of "One thousand and one nights" to what seemed like a rather easy question; another was on the question right after, where the Barracudas said Scheherazade stopped each story at the "climax"? not even one of the three choices, and a much smarter answer than any of the choices, at that!

The most notable thing about the Temple Games was the third game in particular, a modified version of the mountain-climbing game premiered in "The Heart-Shaped Locket of Elisabeth Bavaria" in which one player had to collect keys, then use the right one to unlock the cage their partner was trapped in at the peak.  It was interesting to watch and combined elements from several basic Temple Game categories, and it also marked the return of Temple Games that lasted more than a minute.  The Steps of Knowledge and the Temple Games were really the staple of this episode, while the Temple Run itself was much less exciting.

Neither player on the Blue Barracudas was a fast runner.  Furthermore, there were several instances where they hesitated or had trouble remembering the objectives of rooms or where they could go.  Surprisingly, they managed to make it one room away from the Wedding Ring? but Robert could have gone into the Shrine of the Silver Monkey from the Graveyard of Ships, which would have resulted in him grabbing the Ring at the last second.  Not much else worth noting except that, as this episode shows, the Graveyard objective does in fact need to be completed in order for a player to climb up into the Pirate's Cove as well? this was not the case in the original show, where players didn't even need to hit an actuator.

Trivia and Records:
Another retelling: the legend was almost a carbon copy of "The Ivory Elephant of Scheherazade," a second-season episode from the original show? the focus even remained on Scheherazade rather than Shahryar himself.  The third Temple Game in this episode was the first 90-second game since Season 1.

Coincidentally, this episode and "The Ivory Elephant of Scheherazade" both resulted in failed acquisitions by Blue Barracuda teams who had won two Pendants of Life, but the Blue Barracudas should only have had 1 ? Pendants.  Kirk accidentally called the score on the second game a tie, but Olivia didn't actually place her storybook at the top before time was called, so it should've been an outright win for Courtney of the Orange Iguanas.  Knowing this, it's hard to tell whether the Blue Barracudas would've spotted the hidden half-Pendant had they been properly awarded, but it's not like it would've changed the number of prizes they won?

[The Bandit King]

I really liked the third Temple Game in this one, but it seems like all the work is put on one member of each team, instead of it being a "team game". Also, I call bullshit on the "one thousand nights" answer--that should've been close enough.

Overall, a good "filler" (your words, not mine). Keep it up!

[The Ancient Warrior]

I really liked the third Temple Game in this one, but it seems like all the work is put on one member of each team, instead of it being a "team game".

I'm glad you liked.