Legends: Rebirth-The Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna

[The Bandit King]

Episode 16: The Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna

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 Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna,” Olmec replies.

“Oh, the Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna,” Kirk replies. “Well, the legend is set, and one of these teams will have a chance to retrieve the Bamboo Katana—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 tough physical and mental tests, but in the end, only one team will earn the right to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, they have to cross the Moat, and Olmec will tell them how to do it today…”

Olmec begins to explain the Moat Crossing:
“Before you are several petrified logs that have fallen into the Moat. When Kirk gives the signal, one player from each team will begin walking across the logs to the other side. Once you’re safely across, your partner will do the same. If you fall or touch the logs with your hands, 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, let’s go,” Kirk says. “Hey teams, are you ready?”
The players shout and cheer in response.
“Olmec-san, are you ready?” Kirk asks.
“OOOHHH yeah,” Olmec replies.
“All right,” Kirk says. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

The first members of each team all run onto the row of logs. The Blue Barracudas’ girl falls off about halfway across, and so does the Red Jaguars’ boy. The Orange Iguanas’ girl falls off about three-fourths of the way over. The other three players make it across successfully. The Blue Barracudas’ girl successfully crosses on her second try, but the Red Jaguars’ boy falls off on his second go at crossing. “It’s tough, ‘cause those logs are always rolling!” narrates Kirk. The Silver Snakes’ girl makes it across, and she runs over to hit her team’s gong. Everyone else crossing falls off the logs. The Purple Parrots’ girl makes it across next, and she scrambles to hit the gong. The third time is the charm for the Red Jaguars’ boy, as he makes it across on his third try at the log bridge, but the Blue Barracudas’ boy isn’t so lucky, falling off about halfway across. “There’s only room for two more teams—who will it be?” Kirk narrates. The Orange Iguanas’ boy and Green Monkeys’ girl both almost fall off just as they are about to reach the other side, but they both regain their footing and rush over to hit their gongs and end the Moat Crossing.

“That’s it! There’s our four teams!” Kirk narrates as he runs over and stands beside the Silver Snakes. “The Silver Snakes are soaking wet…wet, wet to the core, but they made it across, and goin’ on to the Steps of Knowledge are the Silver Snakes…and the Purple Parrots,” Kirk pauses between each team’s name to allow for applause. “And the Orange Iguanas, and the Green Monkeys! The Blue Barracudas and the Red Jaguars were just a little short, but they’re not goin’ home empty-handed. We’ve got a great gift for them, too, and here’s what it is!” They receive a $50 gift certificate from Old Navy.

[The Bandit King]

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

Olmec begins to tell the story:
“One of the most famous swordsmen in the history of Japan was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna. His father was the caretaker of a large castle and made sure his son received the best of training in martial arts. As a result, Kamiizumi grew to become known as a master of both spear and sword. In the 1500s, Kamiizumi set off on what is known as a musha shugyo: a journey across Japan taken by certain warriors in order to hone their fighting skills. Legend has it that one day, he overheard someone crying in a nearby house. Kamiizumi peered into the window to see a group of bandits holding a young boy hostage.
“‘No, please, don’t!’ said the boy. ‘I’ll do anything!’
“‘Shut up, brat!’ cried one of the bandits. ‘As soon as your parents come home, we’re ransacking this place! Be quiet, and maybe we’ll let you live—maybe…’
“Kamiizumi slipped away, where he dressed in a priest’s robe and hid his bamboo katana under it. He then re-approached the house in his disguise.
“‘Hello, is anyone home?’ he said.
“‘Huh? Who are you?’ asked the head bandit.
“‘Oh, just a harmless old priest, nothing suspicious about me…I just overheard you fellows outside and thought you might be hungry.’
“Kamiizumi pulled a large bowl of rice from under his robe. The bandits accepted the food, and began eating it greedily. As they were eating, Kamiizumi tore off his disguise, drew his katana, and tapped one of the bandits on the shoulder.
“‘Surprise,’ he said, and with a swipe so powerful it broke the blade of the katana, lopped off the bandit’s head. Terrified, the other bandits ran from the house.
“‘Sir, you saved me!’ said the young boy. ‘Thank you so much!’
“‘Don’t mention it, little guy…’
“Kamiizumi gave the young boy his broken katana as a gift. Some say the young boy also became a great warrior, and he cherished the katana for years until it was lost to time—until now, that is. Your quest is to find the Broken Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna and bring it back here.”

“Thank you, Olmec,” Kirk replies. “Now tell us, where is the Bamboo Katana?”

“The Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna can be found in the Inventor’s Workshop,” Olmec replies. The camera zooms in on the broken katana sitting on the guardrail of the room before fading back to Kirk.

“All right,” Kirk replies. “Teams, you’re now standing on the Steps of Knowledge. In a minute, 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 can move to the bottom—the next level, but if you’re wrong or run out of time, I’m gonna give the other teams a chance to answer.” Kirk begins descending the Steps. “The first two teams to make it to the bottom step will be one step closer to Olmec’s Temple. Okay, Olmec…we’re ready for your first question.”

Olmec begins:
“Was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna from: China, Korea, or Japan?”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “Japan.”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Purple Parrots proceed to the next step.
“Step down, Purple Parrots,” Kirk narrates. “They’re one step closer. Next question, Olmec.”

“Is a musha shugyo: a sword, a journey taken by warriors, or a Japanese vegetable dish?”
The Green Monkeys ring in. “A journey taken by warriors?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Green Monkeys step down one level.
“Now the Green Monkeys step down,” Kirk narrates. “Still need two teams. Next question.”

“What did Kamiizumi hear in a house that caused him to—”
The Silver Snakes ring in very early. The boy makes a frustrated face as he realizes his mistake. The girl guesses, “…A noise?”
“That is not one of our three choices,” Olmec replies. “The three choices are: a dog barking, a boy crying, or a car honking?”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “A boy crying!”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Purple Parrots step down to the penultimate step.
“Now the Purple Parrots are just one step away from the Temple Games,” Kirk narrates. “But there’s plenty of time left. Next question, please.”

“What did Kamiizumi disguise himself as: an old woman, a priest, or a dog?”
The Green Monkeys ring in. “A priest?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Green Monkeys step down to the next-to-last level.
“And the Green Monkeys are now one step away, too,” Kirk narrates. “Still time for our other teams, though…next question.”

“Did Kamiizumi get the bandits’ attention by offering them: food, money, or—”
The Orange Iguanas ring in. “Rice?”
“That…is an acceptable answer,” Olmec replies.
“Step down,” Kirk narrates as the Orange Iguanas look confused. “No, go ahead, we’ll give it to you.” The Orange Iguanas descend to the next step. “The two spots are still open. Next question, please, Olmec.”

“Is a katana: a sword, a shield, or—”
The Green Monkeys ring in. “A sword!”
“That is correct!” Olmec shouts. The Green Monkeys jump to the bottom step and high-five one another.
“And there’s our first team!” Kirk narrates. “There’s room for one more team. Who will it be: will it be the Purple Parrots, the Orange Iguanas, or the Silver Snakes? Next question, Olmec.”

“In the time of Kamiizumi, would Japan have been ruled by: an emir, a shogun, or a sultan?”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “A shogun?”
“That…is correct!” Olmec bellows. The Purple Parrots join the Green Monkeys on the bottom step.

“And there’s our two teams for the Temple Games!” Kirk shouts as he runs onscreen and stands between the two teams. “The Green Monkeys, and the Purple Parrots! Nice job, guys! Orange Iguanas and Silver Snakes, you guys did a great job, too. You guys aren’t going home empty-handed—we’ve got a great gift for you, too, and here’s what it is!” They receive Wii Sports Resort for the Nintendo Wii.

“These two teams will be playing for the right to enter Olmec’s Temple, and they’ll do it right after this!” Kirk explains. The camera zooms in on a plastic snake coiled around the Green Monkeys’ torch next to the Moat as the title appears onscreen, and we go to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break and find Kirk standing in front of the Temple with the two advancing teams.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” Kirk says. “Now’s when all the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest. But first, let’s meet our two teams.

“On the Green Monkeys, we have Jenny—she likes volleyball and basketball, and her favorite subjects are math and science. And her partner is Jonathan—he also likes basketball, and he wants to be a lawyer when he gets older—let’s hear it for the Green Monkeys!” The audience claps for the tall, brown-eyed girl with wavy black hair and the equally tall blue-eyed boy with short black hair.

“And over on the Purple Parrots, we have Kayla—she plays the violin, and she wants to be a nurse. And her partner’s name is Tyler—he plays baseball and runs track, and he also collects shark’s teeth…sounds interesting. Let’s hear it for the Purple Parrots!” The audience claps for the blue-eyed girl with her auburn hair in a ponytail and the tall, brown-eyed boy with dark brown hair.

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

“Yeah!” the teams reply.

“Okay, then go get ready while I explain what’s happening here. Now, in these Temple Games, our teams are competing to win…” Kirk retrieves a Pendant of Life from his pouch and holds it up to the camera. “…Pendants of Life. The winning team is gonna need these Pendants to protect them from the dreaded Temple Guards as they make their way through Olmec’s Temple. There are three Temple Games. Olmec, could you tell us about the first Temple Game, please?”

“Yes, honorable Fogg-san,” Olmec replies. The black lights under Olmec come on and he begins to explain the first Game:

“To become a better swordsman, Kamiizumi Nobutsuna set off on a journey called a musha shugyo across all of Japan. Fortunately for you, this journey is significantly shorter. When Kirk gives the signal, place your katana behind your head, and without taking your hands off it, begin maneuvering through the thicket of bamboo before you. The first player to reach their destination or…the player that’s further along at the end of thirty seconds…wins.”

“Who will finish their journey first?” asks Kirk. “We’ll find out. Let’s set the clock for thirty seconds!” The clock appears in the bottom corner of the screen, ready to go. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Jenny & Kayla both put their plastic sword behind their head and hold it there as they begin making their way through the maze. Kayla has trouble maneuvering around the bamboo, but Jenny is able to do it—quite quickly—and she makes it to the finish line with ten seconds to spare.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kirk shouts as he runs back onscreen. “Come on out, Purple Parrots. The Green Monkeys made it out of the maze first; that means the Green Monkeys get the half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds for a few seconds. “The Green Monkeys are ahead, but the Purple Parrots can still catch up. This next game is also worth a half Pendant. Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #2…”

Olmec begins:
“Before Kamiizumi could rescue the young boy from the bandits, he first had to disguise himself. Before you stand several parts of a disguise. When Kirk gives the signal, run out, grab the first piece of the disguise, run back and place it on your dummy in the correct place. Along the way, you must avoid the swinging obstacles. The first player to completely assemble their disguise or…the player that’s further along at the end of sixty seconds…wins.”

“We’re in disguise, so don’t tell anybody…” Kirk jokes. “Let’s set the clock for sixty seconds, please!” The clock appears onscreen, all set to go. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

Jonathan and Tyler both run out and bring back the hat on their first try, and rush over to place it on the humanoid dummy given to each team. Tyler gets hit trying to bring back the second item—a false mustache—but Jonathan grabs it without being hit and brings it back with 40 seconds left. Tyler successfully gets the mustache and brings it back as Jonathan brings back the third item, a robe, and places it with 32 seconds to go. Tyler receives a little time to catch up as Jonathan gets hit trying to bring back the final item, a pair of sandals, and successfully brings back and drapes the robe over the dummy with 20 seconds left. Jonathan grabs the sandals at the same time Tyler does, and they both rush back to place it on their dummies with 12 seconds on the clock. It’s literally too close to call.

“That’s it!” Kirk exclaims as he runs back onscreen. “What a close race! Let’s get the official word from the judges…” Kirk and the guys wait for a few seconds. “The judges say that they both made it back at the same time, so both teams get the half Pendant of Life!” The boys applaud along with the audience for a few seconds. “So now, the Green Monkeys have a full Pendant to the Purple Parrots’ one-half. But now, it’s time for the final Temple Game. It’s worth a full Pendant. Olmec, tell us about the…Temple Game #3…”

Olmec begins to explain the final Temple Game:
“Once Kamiizumi disposed of one bandit, the others ran from the house in terror. The bandits you see before you, however, refuse to run. When Kirk gives the signal, load your team’s slingshot, and shoot a ball at one of the bandits. Then your partner will shoot a ball. The first team to knock down all four bandits or…the team that knocks over the most bandits in sixty seconds…wins.”

“This is for the Temple,” Kirk explains. “Let’s put sixty seconds on the clock!” The clock slams down in the corner of the screen. “Ready, aim, FIRE!”

Both teams have relatively good aim, knocking down two Temple Guard-shaped targets on their first two shots. The Purple Parrots knock over their third one with 45 seconds left, and the Green Monkeys theirs with 43 seconds to go. The two teams hit their last target at literally the same time, but the Purple Parrots’ target doesn’t fall down—it only teeters. The Green Monkeys’ final target falls with an astounding 38 seconds left on the clock.

“And that’s it!” shouts Kirk as he runs back onscreen. “It’s over—that suddenly! The Green Monkeys knocked down all four targets first, so they get the full Pendant. That gives the Green Monkeys two Pendants, the Purple Parrots only have a half a Pendant…the Green Monkeys are goin’ to the Temple!” Jenny and Jonathan high-five one another and clap excitedly. “Purple Parrots, you guys come over here. You two did great—I’ve never seen two Temple Games this close. We’ve got a great gift for you two, and here’s what it is!” They receive a backpack from Outdoor Products.

As the prize disappears off-screen, we see Kirk standing beside the winning team. “Now, we’ll see if the Green Monkeys can make it through Olmec’s Temple; retrieve the Bamboo Katana of Kami…Mimi-Zuma Nobusooma…whatever his name is! Right after this!” The camera pans in on the Temple and zooms in on the Katana as the title appears onscreen, and we go to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

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

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “Jenny and Jonathan have proven themselves worthy and have earned the right to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, here’s Olmec with some information to help them retrieve the Broken Bamboo Katana of Kamiisumi Nomusuma…”

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 Bottomless Pit! Swing across the gap, and climb into the Lookout Tower. Focus the telescope to read the ancient print on the far wall, and a door may open into the Geographer’s Study. Find the missing pieces of the map and correctly place them, and pass into the Inventor’s Workshop. Turn the wheel to start the machine, and open the door to the SHRIIIIINE 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 Chamber…of the Four Elements. Place the elements in the proper order, and you’ll gain entry to the Owl’s Nest! Find the special white owl, and attach it to its proper nest, then…race through the Pit, 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 2 Pendants in the Temple Games. Who’s going first?”

“I am,” says Jenny.

“Very well, Jenny,” responds Olmec. “When Kirk gives the signal, you’ll race through the gates into the Temple and make your way toward the Bamboo Katana. 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 Jonathan’s turn to enter and try his luck. If you can reach the Bamboo Katana, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish. Return through the gates with the Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna in three minutes, and you’ll both be handsomely rewarded—and here’s how!”

• Just for making it this far, they’ll get an MP3 player.
• If they can reach the Bamboo Katana within three minutes, they’ll also receive a bicycle from Mongoose.
• And if they can bring the Bamboo Katana out of the Temple before three minutes expires, they’ll win a trip to Santa Barbara, California.

“Santa Barbara,” Kirk narrates. “I love it…let’s see if they can do it. Both of you, you need your mouthpieces in. Let’s set the clock for three minutes!” The clock appears in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, ready to go.

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

“All right—ready?” Kirk asks Jenny.

“Yup,” Jenny replies.

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

Jenny rushes up the steps, clutching her Pendant. She enters the Crypt and starts to grab one of the books, but the first TEMPLE GUARD jumps out from hiding (2:55). “Oh, Temple Guard, just like that!” Kirk narrates as Jenny hands over her Pendant. The Temple Guard disappears behind the secret door in the room, and Jenny runs over to pull the rightmost book in the room, opening the door to the Bottomless Pit (2:50). “Into the Bottomless Pit,” Kirk narrates. “Careful not to get stuck there!” Jenny swings across the gap in the room using the rope and tries the door to the Lookout Tower, which won’t open. She pushes the actuator for the door to the Geographer’s Study, but it won’t open either (2:40). She descends down the wall to the bottom of the Pit and tries the actuator for the Owl’s Nest, which opens (2:34). “That one opened! Now on to the Owl’s Nest!” Kirk narrates. Jenny climbs through the door into the room. After looking around for about five seconds, she locates the white owl in the back left-hand corner of the room and picks it up (2:22). “She’s got the white owl—now she has to find the right nest!” Kirk narrates. Jenny works her way around the nests clockwise, placing the owl on three incorrect nests before she finally tries the one closest to the camera. A sound effect of an owl hooting is heard, and the doors to both the Geographer’s Study and the Chamber of the Four Elements (2:12). “That’s it! Now where’s she heading?” Kirk asks. Jenny answers his question by setting foot on the ladder at the back of the room and heading up into the Geographer’s Study. “That’ll take her into the Geographer’s Room!” narrates Kirk. But no sooner has Jenny set foot in the room than the second TEMPLE GUARD jumps out from behind one of the large globes and grabs her (2:01).

“Oh! Second Temple Guard! Go, Jonathan!” Kirk exclaims, and Jonathan begins dashing up the steps into the Temple. He passes through the Crypt, swings across the Bottomless Pit, and climbs down into the Owl’s Nest. He fumbles around the stuffed owls that litter the room and starts to climb the ladder into the Geographer’s Study, but suddenly notices the open door to the Chamber of the Four Elements, so he chooses this door instead (1:45). “He found another way—will it help him or hurt him?” Kirk asks. Jonathan steps into the Chamber and goes to the back of the room. He assembles the element tiles in the order “earth, air, fire, water”, but nothing happens (1:36). He quickly begins rearranging the tiles, trying numerous combinations until he arrives at “air, water, fire, earth”, which opens the door to the Dark Forest (1:07). “That’s the right one!” Kirk narrates. “Now into the Dark Forest!” Jonathan climbs through the open door into the dim room and reaches into the stage-left tree in search of a key. He finds one (0:55) and heads to the back of the room. He tries the right door, but nothing happens (0:50). He inserts the key in the middle door, and it opens (0:45). “That door’s gonna take him into the Shrine of the Silver Monkey!” Kirk narrates. “He’s only one room away!” Jonathan emerges in the room, but the third TEMPLE GUARD immediately jumps out from hiding (0:37). “Oh, there’s the last Temple Guard!” Kirk shouts. Jonathan fumbles with his Pendant for a couple of seconds before he finally gets it off his arm and hands it to the Temple Guard. The Guard exits the room via the secret door, and Jonathan rushes to the back of the room. He grabs the base of the statue, brings it back to the front, and places it on the pedestal (0:25). He rushes back to the back of the room and grabs the other two pieces. He brings them back to the front of the room and places the middle (0:20) and head (0:15), opening the door to the Inventor’s Workshop. Jonathan jerks his head toward the open door, darts through, and grabs the BAMBOO KATANA (0:10).

“He’s got it!” Kirk shouts. “Now all the doors are open!” Jonathan darts into the Geographer’s Study and back into the Bottomless Pit. He is just about to swing across the gap with the rope when time runs out.

“Oh, he’s out of time!” Kirk laments. Jenny hangs her head and places it in her hands. “They were doing so great, too! But that’s okay, they still get the MP3 player, and for reaching the Katana, they get the bikes, too. And most importantly, they leave with their held—heads held up high. We’ve gotta get out of here, unfortunately, but we’ll see you next time. Just remember: it’s not just Legends, it’s Legends: Rebirth! Buh-bye, everybody!”

Kirk and Jenny (who appears to be on the verge of crying) wave to the crowd as the credits roll. Jonathan emerges from the Temple about halfway through the credits, and Kirk comforts the two players as the show comes to a close.

[The Bandit King]

The Bamboo Katana of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna
Season 1, Layout 2
Artifact Location: The Inventor’s Workshop
Team: Green Monkeys (Jenny Roberts & Jonathan Valentine)
Pendants: 2
Result: Ran out of time (retrieved artifact)

So close, and yet so far. This team was fairly intelligent, but as the saying goes: “One room can make all the difference”. The room this time was the Geographer’s Study.

Jenny was a fairly fast contestant, and she seemed like she knew what she was doing. However, she took an unnecessary detour into the Geographer’s Study, where she was removed from the Temple with 2:01 remaining.

Jonathan was also a good player. He started to take Jenny’s path into the Geographer’s Study, until he saw the open door to the Chamber of the Four Elements, which he took advantage of. He scrambled with the tiles in the Chamber (which is essentially all a contestant can do, since the tiles can go in any order) and smartly found a key to go up into the Shrine, where he met the third Temple Guard. He scrambled to put the monkey together, and grabbed the Bamboo Katana with ten seconds left on the clock. It would’ve taken an extremely fast player to make it out at that point, and sadly, Jonathan wasn’t among the fastest players. Time ran out on him in the Bottomless Pit.

This team looked like a really strong one, but the small detour into the Geographer’s Study ended up costing them dearly. If Jenny hadn’t have made this wrong turn, this could very well have been a successful solo run. It’s a shame…it really is.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Notes & Trivia: This is the only time in a Layout 2 episode where an artifact is reached, but not brought out of the Temple.

This is one of only two times in Legends: Rebirth history that neither the Red Jaguars nor the Blue Barracudas advance to the Steps of Knowledge.

This is the first (and only) time that Olmec responds with “That is an acceptable answer” when a player gives an answer that’s marginally acceptable during the Steps of Knowledge. Every other time, he responds with something to the extent of “Close enough for Olmec”.

I thought Kirk had a difficult time pronouncing “Cuauhtémoc”, but introduce a name like “Kamiizumi Nobutsuna” into the mix? Forget about it. The sendoff to the commercial break before the Temple Run is priceless…

Temple Diagram made by JTH1

[The Ancient Warrior]

Jenny strikes me as a tad spoiled.  About to cry even though she won more than most people that make it to the Temple? Besides, it was her fault they didn't win.

It's a good episode, though. It makes me wonder if the producers are going to try and make the Chamber of the Four Elements less time-consuming in the future somehow.

[Red Jaguars Fan]

But if she went along the correct path, she would have been taken out of the Shrine and it would be difficult to even get to the Katana.

[The Bandit King]

Jenny strikes me as a tad spoiled.  About to cry even though she won more than most people that make it to the Temple? Besides, it was her fault they didn't win.

It's a good episode, though. It makes me wonder if the producers are going to try and make the Chamber of the Four Elements less time-consuming in the future somehow.

Yeah, I like to give a lot of my players distinct personalities (even if they sometimes are bad personalities).

And yes--like Medusa's Lair, the Chamber will become less time-consuming in the future. How? Stay tuned in to find out... :wink:

[The Ancient Warrior]

You're way better at that than me, I think.  It's a nice way for your work to stand out.