Legends: Rebirth-The Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill

[The Bandit King]

Episode 7: The Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill

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 the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill,” Olmec replies.

“Ah, the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill,” Kirk repeats. “Well, the legend is set, and one of these six teams will have the chance to retrieve the silver spurs—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 get to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, they have to cross the Moat, and Olmec’s gonna tell us how they’ll have to do that today…”

Olmec begins to explain the Moat Crossing:
“Before you, a long rope hangs into the Moat. When Kirk gives the signal, one player from each team will swim out to the rope, grab it, swim back with it, and swing across. Once you’re safely across, throw the rope to your partner, who will then swing across in the same way. If your feet touch the water while you’re swinging, 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 hit their gongs will go on to the next round!”

“All right then, let’s get started,” Kirk says. “Hey teams, are you ready?”
All six teams scream and cheer in response.
“And Olmec, are you ready?” Kirk asks.
“Let’s rock,” Olmec replies.
“All right,” says Kirk. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

All six teams leap into the Moat and grab the rope fairly quickly. They all scramble out onto the dock, with the Blue Barracudas’ boy making it out first, followed closely by the Purple Parrots’ boy and the Silver Snakes’ girl. The other teams make it out no more than three seconds afterward. All the teams successfully swing across with no one falling in, and all the remaining team members successfully catch the rope thrown to them. “It’s neck and neck, but something’s gotta give,” Kirk narrates. The second players all swing across, but only the Blue Barracudas’ girl and the Red Jaguars’ girl make it across without touching the water, and they both rush over to hit their team’s gong. The remaining players return to their starting positions and swing across again. “It’s gonna come down to the wire, I can feel it!” Kirk narrates. The Silver Snakes’ boy, Green Monkeys’ boy and the Purple Parrots’ girl successfully make it across, and these three teams rush over to hit their gongs, with the Green Monkeys’ boy just coming within an eyelash of being in the top four.

“That’s it! We’ve got our four teams!” Kirk shouts, walking over and standing beside the Silver Snakes. “The Silver Snakes hung in there; that was a close race to the gongs there at the last second. But they did it, and going on to the Steps of Knowledge are the Silver Snakes…and the Purple Parrots,” Kirk briefly pauses between each team’s name to allow for applause. “And the Blue Barracudas, and the Red Jaguars! The Green Monkeys and the Orange Iguanas were…well, they were this close! They’re not goin’ home empty-handed, because we’ve got a fabulous gift for ‘em, and here’s what it is!” They receive a $50 gift certificate from Old Navy.

[The Bandit King]

Kirk and the remaining four teams are now standing atop the Steps of Knowledge. “As the quest continues, it’s time for Olmec to tell us about the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill. But pay attention, everybody, 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 lawmen of the Old West was William Frederick Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill. Bill was born in Iowa, but he and his family soon moved west. In 1854, Bill became one of the riders of the newly established Pony Express—but it was not easy. Mail often took up to three weeks to deliver across the continent due to the harsh weather conditions and hostile Native Americans. Legend has it that one day, while delivering a full bag of mail, Bill noticed three Indian braves on horseback chasing him. He was too far away to tell if they had weapons or not, but he didn’t ask questions. Bill’s horse galloped at full speed, but the braves stayed hot on his trail. Finally, Bill reached the edge of a cliff, and could go no further. He gulped, and turned around just as the braves arrived. Suddenly, one of them spoke.
“‘Why did you run? We only wanted to tell you that you dropped your bag,’ he said, holding up Bill’s mailbag.
“‘Uh…okay. Thanks,’ Bill replied, taking the mailbag.
“The Pony Express eventually closed down when the telegraph was invented, but by this time, Buffalo Bill was a genuine American icon. In recognition of his accomplishments, the U.S. government gave Bill a pair of silver-plated spurs, which he cherished until the day he died. Years later, the spurs found their way to the Temple. Your quest is to find the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill and bring them back here.”

“Thanks, Olmec,” Kirk says. “But tell us, where are the Silver Spurs?”

“The Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill can be found in the SHRIIINE of the Silver Monkey,” Olmec replies. The camera zooms in on the spurs on the stage-left shelf in the room before fading back to Kirk.

“Silver Spurs, Silver Monkey—makes sense,” Kirk says. “All right, teams, you’re now standing on the Steps of Knowledge. In a moment, Olmec’s gonna 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’ll move down to the next level, but if you’re wrong or you run out of time, I’ll give the other teams 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 the first question.”

Olmec begins:
“Was Bill born in: Ohio, Iowa, or Idaho?”
The Blue Barracudas ring in. “Iowa?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Blue Barracudas step down one level.
“Blue Barracudas, first to score,” Kirk narrates. “It’s far from over, though. Next question, Olmec.”

“Was Bill a rider for: the Donkey Express—”
The Red Jaguars ring in early. “Pony Express!”
“That is correct,” Olmec booms. The Red Jaguars jump down to the next level.
“Red Jaguars are right on their tails,” Kirk narrates. “Next question, Olmec.”

“On average, how long did it take to deliver mail across the United States with the Pony Express: three days, three weeks, or—”
The Blue Barracudas ring in. “Three weeks?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Blue Barracudas advance to the next-to-last step.
“Blue Barracudas are now only one step away,” Kirk narrates. “Next question.”

“Which of the following did Pony Express riders not have to endure—”
The Blue Barracudas ring in very early. “Uh…weather and…Indians?”
“That is not one of our three choices,” Olmec replies. “The three choices are: harsh weather, attacking Indians, or competing mail carriers?”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “Competing mail carriers?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Purple Parrots advance one step.
“Purple Parrots are on the board now,” Kirk narrates. “Don’t worry, you can come back—next question, Olmec.”

“According to our legend, how many Indian braves did Bill encounter—”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Three!”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. Red Jaguars step down to the next-to-last step.
“Red Jaguars are only one step away now,” Kirk narrates. “This isn’t over yet, though—next question.”

“According to our legend, why did the Indians chase Bill: because he was—”
The Blue Barracudas ring in early. “He dropped his mail bag.”
“That…is…correct!” Olmec booms. The Blue Barracudas leap down to the bottom step.
“And we’ve got one team for the Temple Games: the Blue Barracudas!” Kirk narrates. “There’s only room for one more team. Who’s it gonna be: the Red Jaguars, the Purple Parrots, or the Silver Snakes? Olmec, next question, please.”

“What invention brought about the end of the Pony Express: the telephone, the telegraph, or the teleprompter?”
The Silver Snakes ring in. “The telegraph?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Silver Snakes step down.
“Silver Snakes finally get on the board,” Kirk narrates. “This is still anybody’s game—next question.”

“What was the name of the traveling troupe organized by Buffalo Bill: the Wild Bunch Show—”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “The Wild West Show?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. Purple Parrots descend to the next-to-last step.
“Now the Purple Parrots are only one step away from the Temple Games,” Kirk narrates. “Still plenty of time for the Silver Snakes to catch up, though…next question.”

“Which Native American leader was part of the Wild West Show: Crazy Horse, Black Elk, or Sitting Bull?”
The Silver Snakes ring in. “Sitting Bull?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. Silver Snakes step down to the next-to-last step.
“We’ve got a three-way tie on the bottom step,” Kirk narrates. “The next correct answer will go on to the Temple Games. Olmec, next question, please.”

“Which of these women was also a part of the Wild West Show: Calamity Jane, Annie Oakley, or Belle Star?”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Annie Oakley!”
“That…is correct!” Olmec booms. Red Jaguars leap down to the bottom step.

“And that’s it!” Kirk says as he runs over to stand between the two advancing teams. “We have our two teams: it's the Blue Barracudas, and the Red Jaguars! That was incredible, guys! Purple Parrots and Silver Snakes, you guys were incredible, too; come on down here. It came down to the very last question. They’re not goin’ home empty-handed, though. We have a great gift for ‘em, and here’s what that gift is!” They receive a backpack from Outdoor Products.

“These two teams will be playing for the right to enter Olmec’s Temple, right after this!” Kirk explains. The camera pans along the gong-side of the Moat and runs up into a plastic palm tree as the title appears onscreen, and we fade to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break and see Kirk standing in front of the Temple with one team on either side of him.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “Now, of course, the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest, but before we begin, I think it’s only natural that we meet our teams…

“On the Blue Barracudas, we have Jessica: she plays basketball and she wants to be a teacher, and her partner is Lance; he likes to surf and he wants to be a writer—how about a hand for the Blue Barracudas!” The audience applauds for the brown-haired girl and the tall, blond-haired boy.

“And on the Red Jaguars, we have Brittany: she likes softball and she also likes to draw, and her partner is Shawn; he runs cross-country at his school and he wants to be a computer technician—let’s hear it for the Red Jaguars!” The audience claps for the tall, black-haired girl and the equally tall, freckled brown-haired boy.

“All right…are you guys ready?” asks Kirk.

“Yeah!” they reply.

“Okay, then you guys go over there, you girls go over there, and I’ll come up here, and explain what’s happening here. In these Temple Games, our teams are competing to win…” Kirk retrieves a Pendant from his pouch and holds it up to the camera. “…Pendants of Life. Why? Well, the winning team is gonna need those Pendants to protect them from the fearsome Temple Guards as they make their way through the Temple. There are three Temple Games, and Olmec…can you tell us about the first one, please?”

“I can, and I will,” Olmec replies. The black lights under Olmec come on and he begins to explain the Game:

“Before he set out on his daily mail route, Buffalo Bill had to sort the mail he was to deliver that day. You are about to help Bill sort his mail. When Kirk gives the signal, jump up, grab a piece of mail, come back, and place it in one of your two bins. Make sure that the letters go in the left bin, and the packages go in the right bin, or else they won’t count. Then run back, grab another piece of mail and do it again. The first team to correctly sort all their mail or…the player with the most sorted mail at the end of thirty seconds…wins.”

“Mail call,” Kirk remarks. “Let’s get in position, and now let’s put thirty seconds on the clock.” The clock appears in the bottom corner of the screen. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Jessica and Brittany both have a little trouble getting the hang of the rotating lever, but they do eventually develop a rhythm, dropping several letters and packages in the correct bins. Brittany accidentally drops a package in the letter bin just as the game ends.

“All right, that’s it!” says Kirk as he runs back onscreen. “Come on over, girls, and we’ll count ‘em up. I know, it’s not easy, is it?” Kirk kneels beside the bins, and so do the girls. “All right, the Red Jaguars got—three packages and—three letters correctly sorted, so that’s six. And the Blue Barracudas got—four packages, and—one, two, three, five letters sorted—that’s nine, and not one out of place, either! The Blue Barracudas win the half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds. “The Red Jaguars are behind, but they can catch up in this next Temple Game. It’s also worth a half Pendant—Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #2…”

Olmec begins:
“Buffalo Bill was a rider for the Pony Express for only a few months, but in that time, he rode some of the wildest, fastest horses in the land. You are about to experience what Bill may have felt on some of those wild rides. When Kirk gives the signal, hold on tight to your reins, because the horse you are on will start to gallop. Every time your opponent falls off their horse, you will receive a point. The player with the most points at the end of sixty seconds…wins.”

“I can already tell it’s gonna be a wild ride,” Kirk remarks. “Let’s put thir—sixty seconds on the clock, please.” The clock appears, all set to go. “Okay…on your mark, get set, GO!”

Shawn and Lance both start out strong, but Lance falls off the fake horse about 15 seconds into the game, allowing Shawn to pull ahead. As the spotters get more rowdy in agitating the horses, both boys have an increasingly hard time holding on. Shawn is better about it, though, and that makes the difference when the ceiling lights flash to indicate the end of the game.

“All right, time’s up!” Kirk says, running back onscreen. “Come on down here, guys—they were really riding there at the end! It looks like…the Blue Barracudas got three points, and…the Red Jaguars got five points! That means the Red Jaguars get the half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds briefly. “So now, it’s all tied up at one half Pendant apiece. It’s time for the third and final Temple Game, worth one full Pendant of Life. Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #3…”

Olmec begins to explain the final Temple Game:
“Buffalo Bill had to pass through some of the most dangerous territory in the United States on his runs with the Pony Express. You are about to endure a treacherous path of your own. When Kirk gives the signal, you and your partner will begin making your way through the maze to the exit. You are joined by a rope, so in order to make it successfully, you’ll have to work as a team. The first team to successfully reach the exit or…the team that’s further along at the end of sixty seconds…wins.”

“This is for the Temple,” Kirk explains. “Let’s put sixty seconds on the clock.” The clock appears with a loud bang. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Brittany and Shawn have a little trouble working together to make it through the grooved vertical platform, allowing Jessica and Lance to take an early lead. However, the Blue Barracudas hit numerous dead ends in the maze, which allows the Red Jaguars to find the exit with ten seconds to spare.

“That’s it!” Kirk shouts. “Come on over here, guys. The Red Jaguars came from behind to exit the maze first, so they get the full Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds briefly. “That means the Red Jaguars have a Pendant and a half, the Blue Barracudas have a half—the Red Jaguars are goin’ to the Temple!” Brittany jumps up and down as Shawn simply applauds in excitement. “Blue Barracudas did a great job…you guys fought right on up till the end, there. We’ve got a great gift for you, 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 beside the winning team. “Now it’s time to see if the Red Jaguars can make it through Olmec’s Temple and retrieve the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill, right after this!”

The camera pans in on the Temple and zooms in on the Silver Spurs before 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. “Brittany and Shawn have proven themselves to be worthy enough to enter Olmec’s Temple. But before they do, Olmec’s gonna give them some information that could help them retrieve the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill…”

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 Great Seal Room. Place the correct seal in the central holder, and a door may open into the Chamber…of the Sacred Markers. Match the symbols on the right to those on the left, and pass into the Safari Room. Push in the correct animal head 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 Bamboo Forest! Maneuver through the thicket, and you’ll gain entry to the Tomb of the Headless Kings. Pull the vine to release the bones, and attach the missing skull to its proper king, 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,” says Brittany, raising her hand.

“Very well, Brittany,” Olmec replies. “When Kirk gives the signal, you’ll race through the Gate into the Temple and make your way toward the Silver Spurs. 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 Shawn’s turn to enter and try his 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 Spurs, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish. Return through the Gate with the Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill 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 Spalding.
• If they can reach the Silver Spurs within three minutes, they’ll also receive a Nintendo Wii, complete with three new games.
• And if they can bring the Spurs out of the Temple before three minutes expires, they’ll win a trip to Monterrey, California.

“All right, we’ll see if they’re going to Monterrey,” Kirk remarks. “Shawn, do you two have a strategy?”

“Uh, I’m just gonna see how much she clears out, and then try the high route, but if she finds the half Pendant, she’s supposed to signal to me, right?” Brittany nods in response.

“All right, sounds like a strou—sound strategy to me, let’s see if that can win you guys the game. Brittany, get in position, and both of you, mouthpieces in place. Let’s see—let’s set the clock for three minutes!” The clock appears in the bottom right corner of the screen.

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

“All right, Brittany…all set?” Kirk asks one final time.

“Yeah,” Brittany says through her mouthpiece.

“Okay,” Kirk replies. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Brittany jogs up the steps, Pendant in hand. She slides down into the Ledges (2:56), where she begins arduously climbing through. She tries to hit the actuator to go up to the Crypt, but it doesn’t open. She finally hits the actuator to the Rope Labyrinth and climbs into the room (2:41). Racing through the largely un-roped bottom part of the room, she tries the actuator to the Tomb of the Headless Kings, but nothing happens (2:34). She tediously climbs up the roped room and hits the actuator to the Chamber of the Sacred Markers, but again, nothing happens (2:20). “She’s gonna have to go all the way up,” Kirk narrates. Slowly, Brittany climbs to the top of the room and hits the actuator to the Great Seal Room, which opens (1:42). She grabs one of the seals at the back of the room, but before she can bring it to the central holder, the first TEMPLE GUARD jumps out from hiding, startling her (1:37). “Oh, that’ll cost her a Pendant!” Kirk narrates. Brittany hands over her Pendant and goes to the center of the room. She places the seal in the holder, but nothing happens (1:34). She goes back to retrieve two more seals at the back of the room, brings them back to the holder, and places one of them in the slot, but again, nothing happens. She tries the other one she retrieved, and the door to the Chamber of the Sacred Markers opens (1:18).

“That’s it—down to the Chamber of Sacred Markers!” Kirk narrates. Brittany climbs down into the room, immediately retrieving a marker beside her and placing it in its correct slot on the wall. She finds another one on the right-side wall and places it correctly as well (1:07). She looks around the room, trying to locate the third and final missing symbol, but she can’t seem to find it. “She’s gonna have to find that third symbol if she wants to go any further!” Kirk narrates. Brittany looks around for a long time before she finally locates the marker on the left-hand wall. She places it in the slot, and the door to the Tomb of the Headless Kings opens (0:34). Brittany climbs down the ladder into the room, jumping down prematurely and avoiding the last two rungs of the ladder. “She’s gonna have to really hurry now!” narrates Kirk. Brittany pulls the vine in the middle of the room to drop the volley of bones. She almost immediately finds the skull, and places it on the left-hand king. It’s the right one, and the door to the Bamboo Forest opens (0:22). She rushes into the room and begins making her way toward the other side, but the second TEMPLE GUARD jumps out from hiding and grabs her (0:18).

“Oh, Temple Guard! Go, Shawn!” Kirk shouts, and Shawn desperately dashes up the stairs. He slides down into the Ledges, where he scrambles through and enters the Rope Labyrinth (0:11). “Eleven seconds—hurry!” Kirk narrates. Shawn frantically climbs the ropes in the room, and has just touched the door to the Great Seal Room when time expires.

“Oh, they ran out of time!” Kirk laments as Brittany stands beside him. “She cleared out a big path, but he didn’t have time to clear out any more! That’s okay, though—they still get the sports package, and they still get to leave with their pride. We’ve gotta get outta here, so we’ll see ya next time, and remember: it’s not just Legends…it’s Legends: Rebirth! Buh-bye, everybody!”

Shawn emerges from the Temple, and he, Kirk and Brittany wave to the crowd as the credits roll.

[The Bandit King]

The Silver Spurs of Buffalo Bill
Season 1, Layout 1
Artifact Location: The Shrine of the Silver Monkey
Team: Red Jaguars (Brittany Davidson & Shawn Larimore)
Pendants: 1½
Result: Ran out of time

Occasionally, a run is lost due to an extremely slow frontrunner who takes up way too much time in the Temple. Unfortunately, that’s what happened here. This downright evil layout also required the player to descend down every room in the central column of the Temple before even getting on track to the artifact.

Brittany was very slow going through almost every room. She probably thought she could avoid the majority of the Rope Labyrinth by taking the lower route of the Ledges, but the producers were one step ahead of her—she had to climb all the way up to the Great Seal Room, wasting valuable time. However, the room that caused her the most problems was easily the Chamber of the Sacred Markers, where she spent a full thirty-nine seconds, 33 of those looking for a single tile. She was finally taken out in the Bamboo Forest with a mere eighteen seconds left.

Shawn, from what was seen, was quite fast. Unfortunately, he could only get to the door to the Great Seal Room before time expired. If they had sent him into the Temple first, perhaps they could have at least reached the Silver Spurs. Even then, though, it would’ve been close. A very strong team would have had a difficult time bringing the artifact out in this Temple Run, and sadly, this team did not have what it took.

Rating: 3.5 out of 10

Notes and Trivia: This is the second time in only seven episodes of Legends: Rebirth that the Red Jaguars and Blue Barracudas face off in the Temple Games.

During Brittany’s time in the Temple, you can barely make out a small semicircular object hanging on the actuator to the Chamber of the Sacred Markers. This may have been the hidden half Pendant.

Temple Diagram provided by JTH1