Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light is an action-adventure, science fantasy, and animated television series. Sunbow Productions used Hasbro’s toy line of the same name as the basis for its plot. The show aired between September 1987 to 1987, consisting of thirteen episodes in a single season. A second season never aired as the animated series did not generate sales of the toys.
Still, the series held a unique theme. It also did not limit itself to children like the other cartoons of the 80s. Instead, it tried to appeal to all age groups.
The show’s setting is on a fictional planet, Prysmos, where all their advanced suddenly stopped working because the planet’s three suns had aligned. An old and renowned wizard, Merklynn, announces a return to the age of magic and promises to empower those who can find their way to the iron mountain.
The aftermath of the introduction of magic is the presence of two warring factions: The Darkling Lords led by a powerful and evil leader, Darkstorm, and a more conservative faction called the Spectral Knights led by Leoric. The show adopts the ‘Good vs. Evil’ theme uniquely, with Merklynn supplying help to either side of the divide when necessary. Several of these characters, particularly the villains, made the show notably interesting.
Presenting the top ten characters in the animated Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light series
10. Feryl
Feryl is the youngest member of the Spectral Knights. He is extremely intelligent with the gift of empowering vehicles. He also bears the totem of a wolf which gives him the ability to turn into a wolf. Although Feryl has no power staff, his unique vehicle, Capture Chariot, has the power of emitting fire in the comics.
Feryl was the major character in the fifth episode, where he had a bitter experience with the pirates. This almost made him consider opting out of the Spectral Knights.
The show depicts him as a strong-willed character. Despite the enticing words of Darkstorm, he resists the temptation to join the Darkling Lords. Feryl’s intelligence was also crucial in tracking Leoric, who falsely believed Feryl was in danger.
His main adversary among the Darkling Lords is Mortdredd, whom he often engages in combat.
9. Cryotek
Cryotek is the oldest of the Spectral Knights. He has a powerful staff that empowers him with immense strength. Also, Cryotek bears the totem of a bear which gives him the ability to transform into a bear.
Cryotek is an intelligent character who takes crucial decisions for the group. He also had a romantic relationship with Galandria, the only female member of the Spectral Knight.
In the Sorcery Squared, the Darkling Lords captured Cryotek and tried to remove his totem power. In the process, Cryotek ends up with the totem of Cravex. As the two totems he now holds struggled for domination, Cryotek displayed several unusual behaviors. His problems lead to a temporary suspension of the enmity between the Darkling Lords and the Spectral Knights. Instead, the two forces combine their efforts to help him remove Cravex’s totem.
Cryotek also engaged Cindarr severally in physical combats. Cryotek was a crucial member of the spectral lords, which makes him a fan favorite.
8. Heskedor
Heskedor is an old witch living on an isolated island. Despite being a witch, Heskedor possesses an unusual level of calmness. Unlike most witches who would have turned any visitor to any animal of their choice, Heskedor grants the Darkling Lords an audience.
Darkstorm then seizes as an opportunity to request a potion that would former keep Leoric in his animal form forever. Heskedor was a very skilled witch as the potion had the perfect effect on Leoric. Thus, Leoric became a red lion and remained in that state till the Spectral knights learned the fate that has befallen their leader.
The Knights also forced Heskedor to release the antidote since only she can prepare the spell. Though a villain, Heskedor’s powerful witchcraft makes her an outstanding character.
7. Reekon
Reekon was a thief by profession during the age of science before he chose to serve Darkstorm after the magic era’s return. Reekon’s former attributes as a thief, such as deception and treachery, were his major strengths.
He received the totem of a lizard by Merklynn, who is not a fan of the highly deceitful character. Reekon has no magical staff but possesses the ability to power a vehicle. His rivalry with Ecta precedes the age of magic, which explains his desire to regularly highlight his skills against his old rival.
The villains displayed most of the humor in the animated series, and Reekon was one of these characters who made that possible.
6. Cindarr
Cindarr was a construction worker before the new era of magic. He is the oldest member of the Darkling Lord. Aside from his occasional display of generosity, Cindarr is also the most brutal member of the Darkling Lords.
It is unclear whether his totem has any significance to his other attributes, but the old villain bears the totem of a Gorilla. He has a power staff with an immense power of destruction that the villain uses in his battle against the Spectral knights. Cindarr and Cryotek also engaged in several battles, which became some of the unique scenes of the series.
Cindarr was an intelligent team player when he teams up with Witterquick, Arzon, and Lexor to find the horn of Unicorn and Claw of Dragon needed to avert the plague, which looked like it was going to wipe off the whole visionaries in Prysmos. In the last episode, Lexor tricked Cindarr into freeing the captured imps, who later became a thorn in the flesh to both the Darkling Lords and the Spectral Knights. The two forces realize the need to unite to cover up Cindarr’s naivety.
Nevertheless, Cindarr was old and showed real intelligence despite being very brutal. His loyalty to Darkstorm was never subject to question.
5. Witterquick
Witterquick is an important and powerful member of the Spectral Knights. As a prince of an unmentioned Southern city, he acquired understanding and leadership skills.
Witterquick possesses the totem of a cheetah while his power staff could empower the bearer with lightspeed. The totem and the staff make Witterquick an extremely fast character in physical combat. Although not as ranked as Ectar, Leoric’s assistant, Witterquick also has a significant level of authority in Leoric’s absence.
Like Cindarr, he was also involved in the team assigned by the two factions to search for the horn of a unicorn and the claw of a dragon to avert the plague on their planet. As a leader, he is highly effective and adopts flexibility which makes him bend the rules when necessary to achieve the desired outcome, which is the best for the group.
4. Falkama
Slightly edging Weezasqueeza, a character whose name was meant to produce some adolescent sense of humor in the show. Weezasqueeza, who is under a curse to never tell the truth, got the best of the Darkling Lords after his release as a diversionary measure. However, Weezasqueeza’s minor role desires he misses out on Falkama.
Falkama is a member of the same set of wizards as Merklynn, who strategically manipulates the two factions of the visionaries to achieve his interests. Falkama is a very brutal character who was the custodian of the Dragon’s eye, a material Merklynn needs to refill his magical pool. So, the Spectral Knights and the Darkling Lords had to set aside their differences to overcome a powerful, strange creature under Falkama’s control.
In the tenth episode, Falkama was one of the three wizards who set out for the lost shrine alongside Bogavus and Weezasqueeza. Bogavus and Falkama became captives while Weezasqueeza had to continue the journey under the Darkling Lords’ supervision.
3. Darkstorm
Darkstorm is the leader of the Darkling Lords. He earned the loyalty of most of his allies while they initially fell into a trap while heading to Merklynn’s shrine. His earned loyalty makes his position undesired among his followers.
Darkstorm is also a highly intelligent character making his familiar foe Leoric fall for most of his traps. Darkstorm possesses the totem of a mollusk and wields the magical staff with the power of decay, a power that the Spectral Knights were so wary of. However, he uses the staff to get the best of Leoric, making his opposite figure understand that there was more than the vigor of his youth.
2. Leoric
Leoric is the leader of the Spectral Knights. He bears the totem of a lion, and his staff can confer wisdom. He is extremely intelligent though he often falls prey to Darkstorm’s tricks. Nevertheless, his allies always find a way through to ensure his safety. Leoric also boasts of unmatched leadership ability in the animated show, often throwing himself at risk for the sake of other Spectral knights.
1. Merklynn
Everything about the show was about the powerful wizard called Merklynn. He makes the two factions work for him and even sends them on a mission where they will have to set aside their differences. He is extremely powerful and intelligent. Merklynn’s significance returned after the return to the age of magic, and the short spell without him almost led to the end of times after Darkstorm’s short reign as the custodian of magic.
Final Thoughts
Although the show was short-lived because it did not properly have a commercial impact on the toy line of the same action figures. Despite being short, it has a distinct place as one of the best cartoons of the 80s.
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About the author
Author: Chris Ingledue
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Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!