Rediscovery EP: The Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe

[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 97px]

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 Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe."

"Ooh, the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe!" Kirk says in response as the camera cuts back to him. "Well, one of these six teams will have a chance to retrieve the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe.  Will it be:
"Jacob and Emily of the Red Jaguars?" the camera pans to each team in order, their first names briefly appearing at the bottom of the screen?
"Trent and Kayla of the Blue Barracudas,
"Tristan and Jessica of the Green Monkeys,
"Jon and Rebekah of the Orange Iguanas,
"Matt and Taylor of the Purple Parrots,
"Or Zachary and Morgan of the Silver Snakes?"

"They'll have to pass some tough physical and mental tests," Kirk says, "but 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?
"Each team is standing in front of five steps.  When I say 'Go,' one player from each team will? step? onto the first step, then keep moving until he makes it across, but if he takes too long, the steps are gonna sink and he'll fall in, and then he'll have to go back and start again.  Once the first player's across, it's his partner's turn."
"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.  Hey teams: Are you ready?"
The players all cheer and shout in response.
"Olmec, are you ready?" asks Kirk.
"Ohhhhh yeeeeaaaaah!" Olmec replies.
"All right, then, let's get started!" Kirk laughs in response. "On your marks, get set, GO!"

The Red Jaguars, Green Monkeys and Purple Parrots send their boys out to cross the Moat first when Kirk says ?Go?; the other teams all send their female players first.  The male Red Jaguar and female Silver Snake both take a long time to even get started, however, and their first steps sink before they can even move on to the second. ?Oh, off to a rough start! They gotta go back!? After a while, the female Orange Iguana develops a notable lead over the other teams, but the Green Monkey and Purple Parrot stay close behind her.  Those three players make it across around the same time, roughly twenty seconds after the start of the challenge.
?The key to this game is? you gotta move fast or it?ll sink and you?ll have to go back!? Kirk explains as the other teams get their first players across? the last to do so being the Red Jaguars, who require thirty-two seconds.  By then, the other teams? second players are all about halfway across the Moat, but the female Purple Parrot sinks on the second step shortly after. ?I think we got our first team?!? The male Silver Snake jumps off of the last step and runs over to hit his team?s gong.
?And it?s the Silver Snakes! Still need three more teams!? The Green Monkey and Orange Iguana are making their ways across the final step not too long after, but the Blue Barracuda sinks on the fourth step and has to go back. ?Here come the?? The Orange Iguana hits his gong after forty-five seconds, but the female Green Monkey is right behind him. ?Still looking for one more team!? Time passes, and at the :54 mark, the girls from the Red Jaguars and Purple Parrots are about to move on from their fourth steps, while the male Blue Barracuda is just reaching the third step.  The three keep up the same paces as they approach the end. ?Looks like a race to the finish, and it?s?!? A fourth gong is heard, ending the round sixty-one seconds after it began.
?That?s it! We got our four teams!? Kirk announces, and the camera cuts to the Green Monkeys and their gong just before he runs over. ?Green Monkeys did a great job, got across and they?re going on to the Temp?? he pauses, laughs and starts over? ?to the Steps of Knowledge, along with the Orange Iguanas?? the camera goes down the line to show each of the qualifying teams, with Kirk pausing for cheers from the audience? ?and the Purple Parrots? and the Silver Snakes! The Red Jaguars and the Blue Barracudas gave it a great effort.  We got a great gift for them and here?s what it is.? Emily, Jacob, Kayla and Trent will each be receiving a copy of Aliens in the Attic on DVD.

[The Ancient Warrior]

The camera cuts away from the consolation prize, and now the four remaining teams, along with Kirk, are at the top of the Steps of Knowledge. "As the quest continues," Kirk explains, "it's now time for Olmec to tell us about the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe.  But teams: Pay attention, because your knowledge of the legend could bring you a step closer to Olmec's Temple."
Olmec begins to tell the legend:
"One of the most famous and most tragic American authors was Edgar Allan Poe.  In the early 1800s, he wrote countless poems and short stories which involved suspenseful plotlines and dark imagery.  His works shocked and entertained many a reader, but legend has it his stories didn't always come so easily?  Once upon a midnight dreary, Edgar pondered, weak and wearing, trying to come up with new ideas for hours.  He fell asleep at his desk without putting out the candle, and then had a very strange nightmare.
" 'What was that all about?' he asked himself when he woke up the next morning. 'I thought I was going to die! I'd better go see Annabel? maybe she can tell me what this means.' He left the house to see his friend Annabel, who could interpret dreams.
" 'Edgar! What brings you here?' she asked.
" 'A nightmare.  I dreamed I was being chased through town and fell into a pit.  When I woke up, I was strapped to a dungeon floor and a bladed pendulum was going to slice me in half! What do you make of this?'
" 'If it were anyone else, I'd tell them they're probably feeling guilty about something? but since you're a writer, I think it's inspiration for you.  See if you can write about it.'
"Edgar took Annabel's advice, and wrote 'The Pit and the Pendulum.' As a way to thank her, he even named a poem after her, calling it 'Annabel Lee.' The half-melted candle from the night he had the nightmare made its way to the Temple.  Your goal is to find the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe and bring it back here."

"Thank you Olmec," Kirk says after Olmec finishes telling the legend. "So Olmec: Where is the Candle?"
Olmec replies:
"The Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe can be found in the Observatory." The camera zooms in on a rather misshapen candle on the front edge of the stage-left altar in the Observatory, then fades back to Kirk.

"All right.  Teams," Kirk begins, "in a minute, Olmec will ask you a question.  If you think you know the answer, stomp down on the ancient marking in front of you.  If you're right, you're gonna 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 starts walking down the steps as he continues. "The first two teams to make it to the bottom level will be one step closer to Olmec's Temple.  All right Olmec, we're now ready for your first question."

Olmec begins:
?Which of these literary forms did Edgar Allan Poe write: Novels, Short stories or Dramas??
Matt hits the marking first: ?Novels???
?Incorrect,? says Olmec in response.
Tristan rings in: ?Short stories.?
?Correct.?
?Green Monkeys, nice job, step down!? Kirk calls out, and the Green Monkeys step down onto the second level. ?Next question.?

Olmec asks:
?Which of these genres did Edgar specialize in: Gothic horror, Fantasy or Adven???
A stomp from Morgan interrupts Olmec: ?Horror? Gothic horror.?
?Correct,? answers Olmec.
?All right, Silver Snakes, step down!? remarks Kirk, and the Silver Snakes also move down to the second step. ?Next question, Olmec.?

Olmec now asks:
?According to our legend, which of these stories was inspired by a nightmare: ?The Fall of the House of Usher,? ?The Purloined Letter? or ?The Pit of?? ?The Pit and the Pendulum???
As Olmec finishes the final choice, Tristan buzzes in: ? ?The Pit and the Pendulum????
?That is correct,? answers Olmec, and the Green Monkeys descend to the penultimate level.
?Green Monkeys now just one step away from the Temple Games!? Kirk declares as the Monkeys make their move. ?But we need two teams.  Olmec, next question.?

Olmec asks:
?Was Edgar alive during the: Early 1600s, Early 1700s or Early 1800s??
Hesitantly, Matt stomps down and guesses: ?Um? Early 1800s???
There is a short pause.
?Correct.?
?Purple Parrots, step down!? Kirk calls, and the Purple Parrots move down to the second step. ?Orange Iguanas can still get into this.  Next question, Olmec!?

Olmec continues:
?In our legend, what was the name of the woman Edgar went to visit: Virginia, Annabel or Lenore??
Matt steps in again: ?Annabel???
?That is correct,? says Olmec in response.
?Just like that, the Purple Parrots are now just one step away from the Temple Games!? Kirk declares as the Purple Parrots move down to the third step alongside the Green Monkeys. ?This match is heating up! Olmec, next question!?

Olmec?s next question is this:
?Edgar also wrote a narrative poem named after a bird.  Was this: ?The Owl,? ?The Raven? or ?The Lark???
During the third choice, Matt gongs in for the third time in a row: ? ?The Raven.? ?
?That is correct!? shouts Olmec, and the Purple Parrots jump down to the bottom step.
?We got our first team going on to the Temple Games; it?s the Purple Parrots!? Kirk announces as the Purple Parrots begin celebrating on the bottom step. ?But who?s gonna join them: the Green Monkeys, the Orange Iguanas or the Silver Snakes? Let?s keep going.?

Olmec follows up with:
?According to the legend, did Annabel say Edgar?s dream MIGHT have meant???
Tristan cuts off Olmec this time: ?He should write a story based on his dream.?
There is a pause, during which Tristan?s partner nervously smiles and looks up at the ceiling.
?That was not one of our three choices,? Olmec finally replies. ?Could it have meant: He was going to lose all his money, He was going to contract a terrible disease or He was going to feel guilty about something??
Morgan rings in: ?He was? feeling guilty about something.?
?That is correct,? replies Olmec.
?Remember you wanna hear all the answers before you try to ring in,? Kirk reminds the players as the Silver Snakes move down to the third step. ?Silver Snakes are now just one step away from the Temple Games, but Orange Iguanas still got plenty of time.  Next question, Olmec!?

Olmec then asks:
?Which of these Poe stories is told by a narrator who is haunted by his guilt: ?The Cask of Amontillado,? ?The Masque of the Red Death? or ?The Tell-Tale Heart???
Tristan buzzes in: ? ?The? Tell-Tale Heart.? ?
?THAT IS CORRECT!? bellows Olmec, and the Green Monkeys join the Purple Parrots on the bottommost step, but before the teams start to celebrate with one another, Kirk reappears in front of the camera facing the steps and runs up the bottom step between the two teams.
?We got our two teams right here!? Kirk says as he turns around to face the camera and the team players start celebrating, ?The Green Monkeys and the Purple Parrots! The Orange Iguanas and the Silver Snakes gave it a great effort too.  Here?s what we?ve got for them??
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 camera then cuts away from the consolation prize and back to the Steps of Knowledge, on which only the Green Monkeys, Purple Parrots and Kirk are still present. ?We?ll see these two teams playing for the right to enter Olmec?s Temple,? announces Kirk, ?right after this!? The camera pans out over the Moat and zooms in on the central part of the audience.  Then, the show?s logo reforms and the camera fades to black for the commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the camera fades back in from the commercials, the show?s titlecard is displayed over a shot of the fog machine on the back wall of the Pit of Despair, which is currently running.  The Pendant of Life splits, the title shrinks into the distance and shortly after, the camera segues to Kirk and the two remaining teams standing in front of the Pit of Despair.
?Welcome back to Legends!? says Kirk to the camera. ?Now?s the time when the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest, so let?s get to know our two teams.? He turns camera-left to talk to the Purple Parrots, starting with a curly-black-haired girl with hazel eyes framed by horn-rimmed glasses. ?On the Purple Parrots, we have Taylor.  How old are you?? He holds the microphone up to Taylor?s mouth.
?Thirteen.?
?And I heard you like swimming, but you?re really into skateboarding,? Kirk reads from the index card in his hand.
?That?s right.?
?How did you get into that??
?I got it from a few of my friends,? explains Taylor. ?We even started a school club for girl skaters.?
?That?s pretty cool,? he remarks. ?What?s your best trick??
?Either a 540 or a Mute Air,? she answers. ?I?m great at aerials.?
?Ah, very nice,? Kirk comments before moving to the left extreme of the screen to talk to Taylor?s partner, a slightly taller-than-average brown-eyed boy with bangs of black hair visible under the helmet. ?And also on the Purple Parrots, we have Matt.  How old are you??
?Thirteen.?
?And it says here you?re double-jointed?? Tell me about that.?
?Yeah, well? I can kinda self-contort myself into a ton of different shapes.?
?What?s your hardest trick??
Matt thinks about it. ?Probably? this one where I can bend both my legs up and put my feet together behind my head and I? roll around like a ball.? He chuckles.
?Is it hard to get outta that??
?Not really,? Matt answers with a smirk.
?Then all right, let?s see if you can twist your way to victory here,? Kirk comments. ?Let?s hear it for the Purple Parrots!? Matt and Taylor high-five multiple times while the audience applauds for them.  Then, Kirk goes to the right side of the camera frame to interview the Green Monkeys, starting with a hazel-eyed girl with a few red streaks in her straight brown ponytail. ?And on the Green Monkeys, we have Jessica.  How old are you??
?Fourteen,? she answers, her braces visible as she talks.
?And you run cross-country and you?re good at science, but you also have a weird talent, right?? Kirk asks. ?What?s that??
?I can walk on my hands.?
?About how long??
?Um? not sure but I think the most I can do is about forty steps.? She giggles softly.
?Ah, well very nice,? Kirk comments with a smile.  He then goes to the far right of the screen to talk to a blond boy with blue eyes and oval glasses. ?And Tristan, how old are you??
?Thirteen.?
?And it says here you want to be a doctor, right?? he reads. ?What kind??
?Probably a vet, because I like animals and I like learning about them.?
?All right, this is a smart team,? remarks Kirk. ?Let?s hear it for the Green Monkeys!? The audience cheers one more time for the Green Monkeys, and Tristan and Jessica high-five during the applause.

"So, you guys ready to play?" asks Kirk.
"YEAH!? shout the players in response.
"All right, then go get ready for the Temple Games!" Kirk says, and the girls walk offscreen to the left, the boys to the right.  As they disappear from the screen, Kirk turns back towards the camera. "In the Temple Games, teams is competing to win?" he opens a pouch and pulls out a small gold medallion to show to the camera? "Pendants of Life.  The winning team will need those Pendants to protect them from the DREADED Temple Guards as they make their way through the Temple.  There are three Temple Games.  Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #1."

Olmec begins:
"Edgar Allan Poe was known for his dark poems and short stories, which are still accessible and popular today.  In this game, you will need to stock a library with four of Edgar's stories.  When Kirk gives the signal, grab a book, stick it to your helmet, climb the tower and place the book at the top.  Then, come back down and do it again.
"The first player to place all four book on top of the tower? or the player that's further along after 60 seconds? wins!"
The camera fades over to Kirk. "I've never seen a library quite like this," he remarks. "Let's put 60 seconds on the clock." With a bang, a countdown clock appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and Kirk dashes off to the side of the screen so as to not be in the camera's way. "On your marks, get set, GO!"
The girls, who each had a book attached to their respective helmets already, start climbing the columns at distinct paces.  In only nine seconds, Taylor attaches her first book to one side of the cubic capital, while Jessica is only just reaching the top.  She gets her book on the side of the capital a few seconds later, just as Taylor is about to reach the base of the column again. ?Purple Parrots leading, can she keep it up?? Taylor starts back up the column with her second book at the :43 mark; Jessica joins her a couple seconds later, having descended down the column a bit faster.  However, Taylor remains one step ahead, placing the second book on the capital of her column with 34 seconds remaining, just as Jessica reaches the top.
?Green Monkeys trailing; can they take the lead?? Kirk asks the audience as Jessica places her second book with 31 seconds to go.  Taylor shinnies down her column in a hurry and sticks a third book to her helmet soon after, however, and starts back up the column at the :26 mark.  Surprisingly, both girls nearly slip off on this attempt, but Taylor recovers fairly quickly and sticks her third book to the side of the capital with sixteen seconds left.  Jessica tries her best to catch up, but remains a couple seconds behind as Taylor quickly shinnies down the column and sticks her final book to her helmet with nine seconds to go. ?Purple Parrots need just one more? can they get it?? Jessica heads back up her column at a faster rate than before, but she ends up slipping considerably as a result, enabling Taylor to hold onto her lead and attach the last book to the top of the column with but a single second on the clock.
?That?s it! C?mon down, girls!? Kirk announces as he reappears onscreen; both girls are slowly lowered to the ground by their support cords and walk over to where Kirk is. ?Great job by both teams? but Taylor was a little faster and finished by time ended, so the Purple Parrots get a half a Pendant of Life!? The audience applauds temporarily before Kirk continues. ?Green Monkeys can catch up in the next game, it?s worth a half-Pendant.  Olmec, tell us about it.?

Olmec continues:
"According to legend, Edgar wrote by candlelight and ended up having a nightmare which inspired one of his short stories.  In this game, you must avoid falling into the pit from his nightmare.  When Kirk gives the signal, the bridge before you will begin to spin.  Hold on tight, but get to the top as fast as you can.  If you fall off, you'll have to pull yourself back onto the track.  When you reach the top, grab the candle there, then come back down.
"The first player to grab the candle and come back down? or the player that's further along at the end of 60 seconds? wins."
"I think our players are gonna get dizzy out there," Kirk remarks as the camera fades over to him. "Let's put 60 seconds on the clock?" The countdown clock reappears in the bottom-right corner, and a purple half-Pendant appears in the upper-left corner as Kirk takes a few steps to the side and out of the camera frame. "On your mark, get set, GO!"
The game begins, and the boys start to make their ways up the spiral bridges, which mirror each other? Matt?s consists of two full counterclockwise rotations from the starting point, but the platform on which its stands spins clockwise, and Tristan?s is vice versa. ?They?re off! They?re moving fast? these guys aren?t even dizzy!? There are no railings for the most part, but both boys show fast and precise footwork? after only ten seconds, Matt is almost halfway to the top, but Tristan is a little bit ahead.  When the boys get to the top soon after, there is a small landing, straight and level, where there are actual railings.  They each reach out to grab their candles and grab them around the same time, at the :33 mark.
?They both got to the top! Now they just need to come back down!? Matt actually manages to turn around and start heading back down a tad faster than Tristan, however, and develops a bit of a lead. ?Whoever gets down first gets a half-Pendant!? After a little running, Tristan quickly catches up, and both boys storm their ways down the last part of the paths.  However, Matt still manages to make it to the bottom first, with eighteen seconds left and two seconds sooner than Tristan.
?That?s it!? announces Kirk as the boys slow and stop to catch their breaths. ?That was amazing, they both blazed across that spinning bridge? neither of them fell off! But the Purple Parrots made it back before time ended, so they get another half-Pendant of Life!? The audience cheers as Kirk high-fives an out-of-breath Matt. ?So the Purple Parrots have a full Pendant, the Green Monkeys don?t have any yet, but the next game is worth a full Pendant.  Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #3, the third and final game.?

Olmec narrates:
"Legend has it that Edgar had a dream which became the basis for his famous story, 'The Pit and the Pendulum.' One of you has already avoided a pit, so in this game, the other must operate the pendulum.  One of you is suspended in a sack.  When Kirk gives the signal, swing your partner at one of the targets and knock it over.
"The first team to knock over all three targets? or the team that knocks over the most targets in 30 seconds? wins!"
"This is for the Temple," reminds Kirk as the camera segues over to him. "Let's put 30 seconds on the clock." The clock appears onscreen with a bang, and a purple full Pendant appears in the upper-left corner of the screen as Kirk steps back and out of the camera frame. "On your mark, get set, GO!"
?There they go!? Kirk declares as Taylor and Jessica pull back the suspended sacks holding Matt and Tristan to the starting line and start to push. ?They gotta push their partners into the targets and kick them down!? Within seconds, the Purple Parrots score with the center target knocked over (:25); the Green Monkeys even the score two seconds later.  After that, however, both girls fail to send their partners towards either of their side targets on the second attempt.  This persists for a while as the girls continue to struggle.
?The tough part is they have to change direction! They gotta change direction for the other ships!? With eight seconds to go, Taylor pushes Matt towards the camera-bottom target for the Purple Parrots, and he successfully kicks it over. ?Purple Parrots need just one more! Can they do it?? In vain, Jessica tries to push Tristan towards the stage-right target, but aims too far to the left, causing him to travel in one big loop.  Taylor too misses her target, but it doesn?t matter, as moments later, the countdown clock explodes, the Pendant onscreen disappears and a pattern of ceiling spotlights flashes to indicate that the game is over.
?That?s it? I mean, time?s up!? announces Kirk as he runs back onscreen. ?Let?s go check it out!? Taylor and Jessica walk over. ?The Green Monkeys sank one ship, but the Purple Parrots sank two! They get the full Pendant, giving them two, the Green Monkeys didn?t have any.  The Purple Parrots are goin? to the Temple!? Taylor jumps and high-fives Kirk before doing the same to Matt, and Kirk goes over to talk to the Green Monkeys. ?The Green Monkeys gave it a gallant effort, it was a tough match, but here?s what we got for them.? Tristan and Jessica will each be receiving Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Prime and Megatron action figures.
The screen wipes to show Kirk and the Purple Parrots, with Matt still suspended in the sack. ?We?ll see if the Purple Parrots can make it through Olmec?s Temple and retrieve the Melted Candle? of Edgar Allan Poe? right after this!? The camera pans out and then zooms in on the Melted Candle in the Observatory.  The show?s logo reforms over this shot and the camera fades to black for commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the camera fades back in, the show's logo is placed over a shot of the ship wheel in the Pirate's Cove.  The Pendant of Life splits, the title fades into the distance and the camera segues to Kirk standing in front of the Temple's stairs, with Matt and Taylor to his right. "Welcome back to Legends!" he says to the camera. "The Purple Parrots 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 Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe."
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, where you can grab the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe.  Next, you might climb down into 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 SHRIIIIIIIiiiine? of the Silver Mooonkey! Assemble the statue, and you might be headed into the Pirate's Cove! Place the torch in the correct holder to go back, or spin the ship's wheel and enter the Graveyard of Ships.
"Stand on the correct grave to go upstairs? but beware the Temple Guard that might be haunting one of 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 Cannon Room.  Load the three cannonballs into the cannon, and if the correct door is unlocked, you can crawl back through the Pit and finally climb through the Cave, rrrrace down the STAIRS and back through the Temple Gate.  The choices are yours and yours alone!" Olmec pauses for a second. "You won 2 Pendants in the Temple Games.  Who's going first?"
"I am," says Taylor, raising her hand.
"Very well, Taylor!" 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 Melted Candle.  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 it'll be Matt's turn to enter and try his luck.  If you reach the Candle, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish.  Return through the gates with the Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe 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 Ultra-Bounce trampoline provided by Bollinger.
?   If they can grab the Candle in three minutes, they're also going to get a five-piece drumset, complete with cymbals and provided by Schafer and Sons.
?   And if they can get the Candle out of the Temple before three minutes is up, they'll both win a San Diego getaway! They'll be staying at the Hotel del Coronado, San Diego's only beachfront resort, where they can surf, bike, just relax in the sun or even visit the San Diego Zoo! Hotel del Coronado!

"San Diego! Let's get 'em there!" Kirk says before turning to Taylor. "Taylor, let's get you out in front." She assumes the starting position. "Mouthpieces in.  And let's put three minutes on the clock?" The clock appears onscreen. "Olmec, lower the gate!"
Olmec groans gutturally as he lowers the gate; the faint orange lights under him are turned off.
"On your mark, get set, GO!"

?There goes Taylor! Up into the Temple!? declares Kirk as Taylor runs up the stairs and through the gate, heading up. ?She?s up into the Ancient Masks Room, and they got two Pendants!? Taylor hits the two masks on either side of the door on the back wall, but only opens the door leading down into the Cave.  She then goes over to the third mask on the stage-right wall of the room, and pushing it in opens the direct door to the Pit of Despair.  Taylor then runs down the staircase and arrives at the mouth of the pit with 2:39 on the clock. ?She?s into the Pit of Despair! She?s got three doors, she?s just gotta choose one!? Taylor carefully runs across the further-to-the-back of the two catwalks connecting the side ledges of the room, and hits the actuator for the Observatory, only to have the door remain shut (2:32). ?Where?s she gonna go now?? Taylor then moves across to try the Central Dock door, which is also locked, before jumping down into the pit and finally opening the Cannon Room door.  Immediately after, she slides on her knees into the room with 2:21 remaining.
?All right, she?s into the Cannon Room!? Kirk narrates as Taylor starts moving around the dimly-lit room. ?Now she?s gotta find three cannonballs and fill up the cannon to open the right door!? She gets down on her hands and knees and feels around for the cannonballs, and quickly finds the first one near the cannon itself.  She deposits it in the cannon with 2:14 to go, then starts looking for the others.  It doesn?t take her much longer to find the second, but the third requires a little more searching. ?It?s hard to look around in there, but can she find it?? Finally, Taylor grabs the third cannonball with 1:56 on the clock and loads it into the cannon.  The tip of the cannon?s fuse lights up, and light floods into the room from the left side, indicating the open door.
?Go Taylor!? shouts Matt, cheering her on. ?C?mon!?
?She?s going into the Bamboo Forest,? Kirk explains as Taylor enters the Bamboo Forest (1:50).  From the small doorway, she reaches out for the first web-like mass of bamboo shoots and latches on, then moves towards a large opening in it. ?This is a strong Purple Parrots team!? Taylor moves on through to the second of the three bamboo mesh screens, then works her way down towards its opening (1:42). ?They were first in the Steps of Knowledge, won all three Temple Games?? Once past the second bamboo mesh, her feet touch the floor, then she simply hoists herself up through a close-to-the-bottom opening in the last net of bamboo poles, reaching the other side of the room with 1:35 remaining, then hits the actuator for the closer-to-the-foreground of the two crawl tubes, which opens. ?She?s moving on, she?s making great time!? Taylor then enters the Viper?s Nest, but bypasses the snake jars and goes directly through the rock wall into the Graveyard of Ships. ?She?s gotta stand on one of the graves, there?s a button that?ll open the door!? She moves to the back of the room and stands in front of the stage-right headstone, but as she steps on the actuator embedded in the grave, the skeletal arms protruding from the ?dirt? come to life and grab her ankles (1:20).
?TEMPLE GUARD!? Kirk shouts as Taylor screams. ?There?s a Temple Spirit in that grave! Put down the Pendant!? She looks out at Kirk and Matt. ?Put it on the grave!? Hesitantly, she takes her Pendant of Life and puts it on the ground in front of the grave marker; the Temple Spirit appears to relax, releasing Taylor?s ankles.  She runs for the stage-left ladder leading up from the room, and climbs up into the Pirate?s Cove with 1:06 on the clock. ?She?s into the Pirate?s Cove! She?s gotta spin? I mean, grab a torch to open a door!? Taylor takes a couple seconds to look for a torch, then brings it to the front of the room and places it in the stage-right torch holder, opening the side door to the Shrine of the Silver Monkey (0:55). ?That worked! She?s going into the Shrine of the SIIIL-ver Monkey!? Taylor reaches up onto the shelves for the base and torso of the statue, and brings them both to the front of the room. ?They?re just two rooms away from the Melted Candle! Taylor, the skater girl? she might do it all!? She carefully positions the base on the pedestal, with the torso still in her other hand (0:46).  As she puts the torso on the platform, she pushes down to make sure all four corners of the base are down. ?Now she just needs the head and she?ll need to jam it down!? Taylor runs back to the shelves, reaches up to grab the head and brings it to the front of the room as well.  After she threads the attached rod into the statue, she pushes down on the head, triggering the door to the Den of Totem Poles. ?That door opened, she?s just one room away!? She runs into the Den with 32 seconds remaining, but immediately, the second Temple Guard emerges from the door in the back and captures her.
?Augh, Temple Guard!? remarks Kirk, and Matt races towards the Temple Gate with 28 seconds on the clock. ?That means it?s Matt?s turn to take off!? He races up the stairs and through the Room of the Ancient Masks with just over twenty seconds to go. ?He doesn?t have a lot of time, but can he do it?? Bypassing the catwalks, Matt jumps directly down into the Pit of Despair, then slides down into the Cannon Room with ten seconds left.  He runs across and enters the Bamboo Forest, where he starts to make his way around the tangled mass of bamboo shoots? but time is up!
?Oh, that?s it! There?s no more time!? Kirk laments, during which Taylor reappears. ?They were just one room away! Taylor, the skateboarder, she cleared out a major path? Matt the contortionist, he couldn?t quite make it, but they both gave it a gallant effort and they still get the skateboards, and I know they had a good time, right??
He holds the microphone up to Taylor?s mouth, but she simply nods.
?Right, well, we gotta get outta here.  I don?t wanna, but we gotta.  Join us again for more adventure and another great Legend of the Hidden Temple! Buh-bye!? Kirk and Taylor wave to the camera, which zooms out.  Different shots of the Den of Totem Poles, Pirate?s Cove, Bamboo Forest and Graveyard of Ships? along with Matt returning to the foreground and apparently showing Kirk and Taylor one or two of his double-jointed reflexes during their conversation? while the credits roll.

[The Ancient Warrior]

Episode Summary
Episode 97px]

Name of Artifact: The Melted Candle of Edgar Allan Poe
Season: 3
Layout: 2 (12 overall)
Result: Failed acquisition
Team: Purple Parrots
Pendants Won: 2
Location of Artifact: The Observatory



This was one of those episodes that started out interesting, but turned sour near the end.  The Moat, as with the episode immediately before it, required teams to speed across a series of five sinking steps, although it took a bit longer here than in "The Inspirational Mask of Mozart." Typical for an early Season 3 episode, the four teams to advance were the Green Monkeys, Orange Iguanas, Purple Parrots and Silver Snakes, but this time, the Green Monkeys and the Purple Parrots made it to the Temple Games.  The legend was actually rather interesting, and seemed to take creative license in good taste? the Temple Games followed suit, with the second one using the spiral bridge to represent the "pit" half of "The Pit and the Pendulum," and the third using the "swing the sack" game to represent the "pendulum" half.  In the end, the Purple Parrots? skater girl Taylor and contortionist Matt, a unique pair? shut out the Green Monkeys and took two Pendants to the Temple.

The Temple Run was EXTREMELY reminiscent of "The Leopard-Skin Cloak of Annie Oakley," an episode from the second season of the original Legends of the Hidden Temple.  It even featured the same team running, with the same Pendant count and with the frontrunner (the female contestant in both cases) taken out from the room directly right of the Shrine of the Silver Monkey.  The biggest differences were related to room objectives and the players' speeds: whereas Chandra in the "Annie Oakley" episode was taken out with 53 seconds left, leaving enough time for her partner to at least get to where she was captured, Taylor was removed with just over half of that time on the clock in this episode.

Thirty seconds wasn't even close to what Matt needed, unfortunately? time ran out as he was starting to head through the Bamboo Forest.  Furthermore, this was one of the most difficult Temple designs in the show's third season? the team had to pass through at least nine (possibly even ten) rooms before getting to the artifact, as the Shrine-Nest passage did not open at any point in the run.  And knowing that Matt would've had to complete the time-consuming Den of Totem Poles objective at the end, it would've taken a much faster team than this one to at least get to the Candle.

Trivia and Records:
Taylor became the first contestant in either incarnation of the show to complete the Pirate's Cove's alternate objective (placing a torch in the correct pedestal).

[The Bandit King]

Absolutely brutal Temple layout in this one...the only possible alternate routes to take would be to access the Shrine from either the Graveyard or the Viper's Nest. Maybe if Taylor had chosen to complete the Viper's Nest objective and found a way to go up from there, this could've been a solo run.

Still, it's a great read, and a very exciting Temple Run!

[The Bamboo Forest]

I really love the second Temple Game. Good episode overall!