The Chameleon

Beastmaster Episode Review

In which there is a baby.

What Happened

Dar and Tao find a baby by the river's edge. They return the child to a Mydland village, but one of the men snatches it and runs off.

King Zad has had a nasty nightmare about a child who will grow up to unite the tribes and destroy him. He asks the Sorceress for a way to identify and destroy his new enemy. She creates a mystical mobile. When the child from King Zad's nightmare gazes on it, the Shadow of Death will appear and warn the King. In order to find his adversary, Zad offers a ransom for any young child or babe in the Mydlands and has them all brought to his camp.

(Why not just take the mobile to the babies, which would involve far less excitement? Never mind; answered my own question.)

Chiron takes the missing child to the Terrons, spooked by the fact that the baby will change color to camouflage itself. The baby's parents, as well as Dar and Tao, chase after him and rescue the baby. After saving the baby from the Shadow of Death, Dar and Tao find and free the other children from Zad's clutches.

What We Learned

• You can always make another baby.
• Appearances are never the truth. If they were, the world would be so boring.
• Killing is never an answer.
• The Sorceress is learning. The Ancient One likes that.
• Anger and demands rarely succeed in getting what human beings want.
• Be careful not to step on the magic baby.
• King Zad is a better person under a spell. But, somehow, evil thoughts and a bad temper suit him.
• Dangerous games can be won.
• At a price.
• Why be afraid of dying? Seems living is more difficult.
• The Sorceress thinks Zad needs to fall in love.
• Fate always has the final word.
• The Circle has so many applications. Like wheels. And frisbees.

What Did I Think?

Typical "save the baby" episode. As usual, the most fun comes from seeing Zad, the Sorceress and the Ancient One interact.

When you think about it, the baby didn't have to be magic in order to play its part in Zad's story. Something makes me suspect they wrote to the special effect on that one. ("Look! Look what I can do in Photoshop!")