Xcalibur

Infobox Television
show_name = Xcalibur
caption =
format = CGI
camera =
picture_format =
runtime = 30 minutes
creator = Amélie Aubert
Philippe Druillet
Benjamin Legrand
developer =
executive_producer =
starring = Ben Small
Tom Eastwood
Jules Dejongh
narrated =
opentheme = Ray Fabi (music)
endtheme = Ray Fabi (music)
country = CAN
network = YTV
first_aired = September 1, 2001
last_aired = April 1, 2002
num_episodes = 40
website =
imdb_id = 0305143
tv_com_id = 12329

Xcalibur is a CGI sword-and-sorcery TV story series set in a medieval-like kingdom.

"Xcalibur" was a French-Canadian production about a long quest for justice, and aired on YTV.

Premise

King Edwan, ruler of a medieval-like Kingdom, is murdered by his treacherous brother Bragan who is in league with the demon Kwodahn. The murder is witnessed by Prince Erwann who, on the late King's orders, steals the sword Xcalibur and hides it. Xcalibur is the only weapon which can defeat Kwodahn. However, after hiding the sword, Erwann is turned to stone.

Erwann's teenage daughter, Princess Djana, finds the sword but when she reaches the Royal Palace it is to learn that Bragan has already taken control of the Kingdom as Regent to Arthus, the 10-year-old son of the late King.

Unable to convince Arthus or the lords of the Kingdom that Bragan is a traitor, Djana goes on the run. She is accompanied by Herek, a young apprentice sorcerer, who has been entrusted with the Book of Life, a book of magic spells. There is also Wip, a small dragon who can stand on his hind legs, and Tara, a woman-warrior of the Viking-like People of the Sea, who want the right to settle in a part of the Kingdom.

Djana must now help the local people to face up to Bragan's tyrannical rule and find a way to overthrow him, Kwodahn and Walka. In her quest, she is assisted by Sylphs of the woodland, each of which has a protective Trojan (a Unicorn was the Trojan Protector of Fedora) and are able to summon powers of the natural forces, together with space and time. The Sylphs are assisted by small creatures of the forst, two legged Imps.

Wip, a Sylph Trojan Protector of Sapphire, was assisting Erwann at the time of being turned to stone, was resting on Erwann's head, and also turned to stone. Djana, in crying at the sight of her fathers fate, shed a tear and this released Wip from his torment.

There are wizards called Shogi.

Characters

* King Arthus — the 10-year-old sovereign. Innocent and good-hearted it will be hard to convince him that his uncle Bragan is evil.
* Prince Bragan — the late King Edwan's younger brother. He is regent but wants to become king.
* Princess Djana — a fiery but naive princess who protects the innocent with the mystical sword XCalibur. Her mother mysteriously disappeared years ago, whilst her father was framed for murdering King Edwan and she tries to clear his name. Initially distrustful of Herek , Djana develops an affection for him.
* Herek — a young Shogi apprentice who is rebellious by nature. He is entrusted with the Book of Life by the Grand Magus.
* Kwodahn — a demon who lives in a floating castle, supported by millions of bats. He carries out his plans for domination through agents like Bragan and Walka who have sold their souls to him.
* Tara — sent by the freebooting People of the Sea to make peace with the King. She arrives too late, is declared an outlaw and travels with Djana and Herek. Tara is feisty and tends towards action over words. It is implied that she had a relationship with Djana's father.
* Wolf — leader of the freebooting People of the Sea, initially sent Tara to negotiate peace with the King, but was ambushed shortly after Tara was despatched. Believing himself to be betrayed, he expressed vengeance. He later discovers that Herek is his son.
* Musi — governess to King Arthus, she and her Royal charge are devoted to each other. Musi might hold a secret that could free the Kingdom.
* Wip — a small sentient dragon.
* Walka — a Plant Sylph, a Sorceress,Serving Kwodahn, and swearing vengeance against Djana and Sapphire.
* Fedora — a Time Sylph, a Sorceress.
* Sapphire — a Flame Sylph, a Sorceress.
* Imps — small, two legged woodland creatures, maintaining the environment, and helping the Sylphs. They communicate in a non-English language which Wip can understand.
* Ghost Riders — demonic minions of Kwodahn, they are essentially skeletons on horseback. When struck with a sword, they duplicate.

Episode List

Season 1 DVD Listings

1. The Sword Of Justice
2. The Barbarian
3. The Heart Of The Beast
4. The Request For The Just
5. A Charming Prince
6. The Hexed Chessboard
7. The Destiny of the Shogis
8. The Wandering City
9. The Broken Sword
10. The Test of Blood
11. The Slumbering Palace
12. A Second Chance
13. The Lure
14. Nadja
15. I Have Faith in You
16. The Seventh Crystal
17. The Forbidden Elixir
18. The Tool Of Fast
19. The Enchanted Forest
20. The Kiss
21. The Strange Sickness
22. The Dragon's Breath
23. The Promised Land
24. The Ice Fortress
25. The Secret of the Sylphs
26. The Return
27. The Night Of Two Moons
28. Eyes Of Gold
29. The Tournament
30. Presumed Guilty
31. The Invisible Monastery
32. Initiation
33. Inheritance
34. The Ice Shogi
35. Vivid Memory
36. One Day
37. Love And Duty
38. In The King's Service
39. Quest For Redemption
40. The Ultimate Battle

DVD Availability

UK Release Date : 15-11-2004
10 DVD Box Set, 4 episodes per DVD, approx 23 min 30 secs per episode, approx 16 hours duration.
In addressing the DVD Release of the Series, it should be noted that sequencing errors have arisen, and that chronological order has not been maintained. This particularly applies to episodes
The Secret of the Sylphs (episode 25)
The Return (episode 26)
which should immediately precede
Love and Duty (episode 37)

External links

* [http://www.tv.com/xcalibur/show/12329/episode.html Episode Guide]
*imdb title|0305143