Since Seasons 1 and 2 of the series will be coming out on DVD on February 13, 2007, I will not be including summaries in these reviews for the rest of Season 2. If you're reading this review before you get the DVD set, you can read a short summary of the episode at https://ldloveszh.tripod.com/cnepis.html#feud
Misc. Tidbits (10:02 AM)
The episode was written by Michael Maurer.
The episode originally aired on Saturday, November 24, 1990, as the twelfth episode of Season 2 and the twenty-fifth episode of the series.
I possibly first saw this episode on NBC, then possibly on The Family Channel, and finally "Captain N & The Video Game Masters".
Interesting Notes (10:03 AM - 11:50 AM)
The title is white with no quotes.
Kevin's Zapper beams are blue in this episode.
Kevin's weapons lose power in this episode - and then regain power. They then lose power again.
Simon is in the Hall of Heroes.
Great Lines (10:33 AM - 11:50 AM)
King Melvis: "Nobody calls me peabrain."
Dwarf: "Forgive me, Your Worshipfulness. The Evil One said he would destroy us all, if I didn't help him."
Queen Dwarfine: "Well, don't let it happen again."
Dumb Lines (10:41 AM - 11:50 AM)
Queen Dwarfine: "Wiseager teenager."
WTF?
Rant (10:03 AM - 11:51 AM, 1:48 PM - 2:38 PM)
This episode was written by Michael Maurer. The other episodes by Michael Maurer that I've reviewed are "The Invasion of the Paper Pedalers", "The Trouble With Tetris", and "Once Upon a Time Machine" (cowritten with Matt Uitz). I expect an average episode. Let's see how well that he does this time.
This episode is based on "Faxanadu". "Faxanadu" can be considered a side-story of "Xanadu", which is the second installment of Falcom's long-running RPG series, "Dragon Slayer". The title "Faxanadu" is a combination of the names "Famicom" and "Xanadu". Here is the story from the video game's manual:
"The Elf town, Eolis, was once a town boasting peace and prosperity. Yet, now it is on the verge of destruction. Meteorites are raining down upon the World Tree and crazed monsters have taken the opportunity to run amuck. Wells are drying up and people are in the grips of fear.
To restore peace again, someone has to penetrate the giant World Tree and overthrow the Evil One that lives in the Evil Place. Now it is your mission to set out on a journey bearing the hopes of the people of Eolis."
Here is the story from the back of the video game's box:
"You are the elves’ last hope. Outside the town walls lurk monsters with the power to destroy anything in their path. Inside the walls, water and time are running out. Soon the ancient elf town of Eolis will vanish into eternity. Only you can save Eolis. No one else dares to venture beyond the walls, onto the World Tree, where towns and fortresses precariously await the whims of fate at the hands of the Evil.
You are searching for the water source and for an antidote to the poison that makes the water undrinkable. To find them you’ll need gold and food and magic, speed with a sword …and luck.
Every town holds a new mystery, every fortress a new danger. Merchants will sell you magic and valuable tools, but it’s up to you to figure out what you need. Long, secret mantras help you slip through the mists, but will you survive the next challenge?
This is Faxanadu, the legend, the adventure – the incredible journey on the World Tree."
Most of the N Team is playing football in a room in the Palace of Power - with Lana being the referee. Doesn't the N Team have any more pressing matters, such as defeating Mother Brain?
How can Simon fall backwards so many times?
The N Team is brought to Faxanadu in one of the dumbest ways possible. They run into a random warp to escape a system overload caused by the football, Kevin's Zapper, and one of Kid Icarus' arrows that electrifies their indoor football field.
Lana calls a warp a "warp"! Yay!
When she's breaking up Kevin and Simon's argument, Lana's whistle seems to go on for slightly longer after she stops blowing it.
The stand-up comic duo isn't in the game, of course.
Kevin calls a warp a "warp"! Yay!
When we see the world of Faxanadu from space, it looks like a giant tree surrounded by an atmosphere. I know it's supposed to be the World Tree, but it's still weird.
The Evil One is in the game.
The Elven King is in the game, but he's not named Melvis, and he doesn't dress like Elvis Presley.
Speaking of Melvis, why is most of his body blue, but his hands are white?
The crystal that King Melvis describes isn't in the game. The history of Faxanadu that he gives is also inaccurate.
Queen Dwarfine is not in the game. The game has a Dwarf King instead.
Those are some pretty pathetic weapons that the elves and dwarfs have.
How is Kevin able to fire his Zapper after his Power Pad wouldn't work?
Kevin inserts the key slightly to the left of the keyhole, not into the keyhole.
We don't see the door open. We only hear the sound effect.
How can Mega Man make a new key out of the mud imprint? Kevin had stepped on the key earlier. His footprint should also be in the mud, making it impossible for Mega Man to use the key imprint to make a new key.
The merchant was really the Evil One in disguise. That's a nice revelation.
The Misty Town is in the game.
This episode's featured song is something that I call "Mega Move". I don't know what it's a parody of, if anything. Does anyone know?
Anyway, this song is notable, because an instrumental version of it was used as a replacement for a lot of songs in the "Captain N & The Video Game Masters" syndication package.
I don't understand how Kevin got away from the cheater. He pressed Select. Whatever he did, it worked.
How could a vacuum cleaner be so powerful that it can suck the ring off of a guy's finger? The N Team seems to like powerful vacuums (see "In Search of the King").
How can a vacuum bag contain so much air that Duke can ride it around in the air?
Lana rocks. She's the only one with any common sense in this episode, and I love how she takes charge of the situation, denying even Kevin the ring. You go, girl!
When Melvis and Dwarfine grab the crystal, Dwarfine's hand is colored a light green.
I just noticed that King Melvis' neck is also white. Weird.
Kevin says he's out of power, but most, if not all, of the units on his Power Pad are lit.
When the dwarf begs Dwarfine for forgiveness, her hand is a light green again.
After Lana tells Kevin to make up with Simon, her waist is very briefly colored pink, like her outfit.
The episode ends on a humorous note - with Simon getting hit in the face with mud. :P
Lesson: The goal is more important than competition. Put aside your distrust and work together.
This episode is average as I expected. I don't watch it often, because a lot of the stuff is made-up and goofy, and most of the N Team is engaged in petty bickering, the likes of which we probably haven't seen since "Kevin In Videoland". I love how Lana is the voice of reason throughout this episode and eventually takes charge.
As for what to cut out, I can't think of any filler in this episode.
Overall, "The Feud of Faxanadu" is an okay episode.
Usefulness ratings:
Kevin: 2 (keeping the bridge from falling, saving the guy's life)
Lana: 2 (opening the entrance, stopping the boulder from squashing her teammates)
Simon: 2 (defeating a creature, saving Kevin)
Mega Man: 2 (making the replacement key, blasting the ice away)
Kid Icarus: 0
Duke: 0
Gameboy: 1 (giving Duke a ride down)
Most of the N Team is in a 4-way tie for first place, Gameboy is in second place, and Kid Icarus and Duke don't do anything useful at all.
The running total usefulness ratings for this season so far are:
Kevin: 89 (12 episodes)
Lana: 28 (12 episodes)
Simon: 20 (12 episodes)
Mega Man: 21 (12 episodes)
Kid Icarus: 22 (12 episodes)
Duke: 7 (12 episodes)
Gameboy: 15 (12 episodes)
Lana is still in second place in this season's competition for the moment. We'll see how long that she stays there.
The running total usefulness ratings for the series so far are:
Kevin: 136 (25 episodes)
Lana: 37 (25 episodes)
Simon: 41 (25 episodes)
Mega Man: 38 (25 episodes)
Kid Icarus: 45 (25 episodes)
Duke: 21 (25 episodes)
Gameboy: 16 (12 episodes)
Link: 159 (17 episodes)
Zelda: 71 (17 episodes)
Lana is still in 5th place. We'll see how long that she stays there.
That's the end of my review of "The Feud of Faxanadu". I don't have a confirmed episode for Saturday, December 1, 1990, but I have only 1 more episode left to review without an original air date, "Germ Wars", so I'll review that next. See you all in my next review!