THE LEGEND OF WILLIAM TELL I EPISODES
EPISODE 11
THE LOTUS EATERS

FULL EPISODE SYNOPSIS (spoiler!)

William hears a call for help from Kalem. Together Leon and he struggle up a ountain against murderous winds. Eventually they reach Kalem's cave and find her sitting in front of a fire. This was just another test to find out how determined Tell would follow a call form her. Leon and William are not pleased until Kalem tells them, that she has found a clue to the Crystal Arrow in the Book of Time. The book is written in an ancient language and also coded. Kalem hands Leon the book. The men return to the Shelter, accompanied by Kalem. Leon translates the text and finds theclue. They must find the Stone of the Peoples, said to be the key in locating the Crystal Arrow. According to the book the stone is hidden in the Sacred Valley in Three Rivers Canton. Aruna warns that this Canton is swarming with Xaxian soldiers. It might be a trap. But they must follow every clue that might lead them to the Crystal Arrow. Therefore the rebels really have no choice but to go there.

Upon arrival Leon tells them to be very cautious as it is said that no one ever returned from this valley. There is not time for preparation, however. Suddenly a group of soldiers appear. The rebels flee into the Sacred Valley. They are surprised to find peaches and wild strawberries there, as outside the valley the ground is not very fertile. The make camp and eat their fill. Only Leon keeps his mind on their task and continues to study the Book of Time. While the others rest, the Heraclean and Drogo explore the caves by the river. According to the book the Stone of the Peoples can be found there. In the cave system they come upon a door. Behind it they find a huge library. Leon is most impressed and promptly forgets why he has come to the caves in the first place.

Aruna wakes from her nap. She asks William if she can use one of his crossbows for hunting. Will allows it, then goes back to sleep.

Kreel is watching the events in his seer water basin with satisfaction.

On the hunt Aruna meets Ortlan. He is the Arborean she was to marry. That never happened when Aruna was captured and sent to the mines. She is very happy. At the same time Leon is totally consumed by all this knowledge. Many of the books he is finding there were thought to have been lost. Drogo notices that they are being watched, but Leon is not listening.

During the night Vara wakes up. She sees a strange Light on the Shelter wall. The princess gets up to follow it. A voice calls to her. The Light leads the girl into the forest. Miraculously, Vara is suddenly dressed in a royal robe and stands in front of the Citadel. She notices Xax being a member of the Royal Guard and Kreel in the position of Lord Chamberlain. It seems, everything in the Kingdom is well and Vara is the rightful ruler.

A big spider running over his bare arm rudely wakes William the following morning. That was Kalem's doing who needed his attention. She tells him he may rest from now on. She claims that the kingdom has been restored and Vara returned to the throne. Xax and Kreel have allegedly turned away from their evil ways and are now working for the good of Kale. Will finds this hart to believe. Kalem shows him pictures in a crystal that seem to prove her story. The pictures also show the Crystal Arrow, displayed in the Citadel. His Quest is fulfilled. Now he can build a farm like he always wanted.

In the library Leon is surprised by the sudden appearance of his old professor who is telling him about an impending test. Drogo realises that Leon will no longer listen to him and returns to their camp. There he discovers William measuring land for his farm. Will tells him, their mission is completed. Drogo cannot believe it. He decides to check out the story and takes Alvar along. To his surprise he really finds the Citadel in the valley where William said it would be. Drogo tracks down Vara in the main hall, busy with state affairs. She shows him the Crystal Arrow. Drogo is puzzled. Alvar stays with the princess when the boy leaves. Still wondering about this unexpected turn of events Drogo suddenly finds himself face to face with a wild boar, ready to attack. Before he has time to react a man from the Wolf Tribe jumps out of the bushes and drives the animal away. The man is Drogo's father, whom the boy had believed killed. Different from his friends Drogo remains suspicious about this miraculous appearance of his father.

The protective magic of the valley is also having an effect on Kalem. Fascinated from her dark side she has created a dark twin of herself. Her dark twin challenges her to a duel of their powers. No one can help Kalem with that battle, she is on her own.

All the other rebels are completely consumed by their respective illusion and hardly take notice of their friends. Leon is studying, William plans his farm and Aruna is wanting to marry Ortlan. But before they can do that, they must follow the Arborean custom of The Challenge. Will's illusion is complete when Gadreth suddenly appears, promising to stay for as long as he likes.

Kalem is on the run from her evil twin. She is not able to fight her dark side alone and calls William for help. But after the false alarm she used before he does not take her plea serious and ignores it.

The following day Leon and the professor start looking for herbs described in one of the books. They hope to be able to create the elixir of eternal life. Vara is having so much work that she cannot possible cope with it. For Drogo it seems like the old days, when his father showed him how to hunt. But still he is suspicious. Gadreth pours a drink for William and adds a substance hidden in her ring. Not suspecting anything he drinks from it. It makes him so groggy that he can no longer shoot straight as a failed demonstration for Gadreth shows.

As their challenge Ortlan and Aruna wish to re enact the legendary Tell shot. Each of them is to shoot an apple from the other one's head. After that they can get married.

Alvar is sent away by Vara and returns to Leon. The professor takes the opportunity to test the elixir they have put together on the dog, against Leon's protest.

Drogo manages to avoid a death trap set by his father. He is forced to kill the man. But he isn't staying dead. Drogo realises that this is only an illusion. When he refuses to believe in the illusion any longer, it disappears. Drogo runs off to warn the others.

Meanwhile the evil Kalem tells her counterpart that the valley demands a sacrifice. It is either to be Kalem herself or one of the rebels. When Kalem refuses to choose her dark twin makes the choice for her. She wants to sacrifice William Tell!

Drogo tries to convince Vara first, however the princess is not listening to him. Then he goes to Leon. On his way Drogo sees William being led away be Gadreth. Drogo calls but William does not appear to hear him. Drogo comes just in time to prevent Leon from drinking his elixir. The boy explains how the power of the valley uses their dreams turned bad to kill them. As soon as Leon begins to doubt the illusion, it too disappears. Leon is shaken. Drogo suspects that William and Kalem too are in danger.

Gadreth lead William to the cave in which both Kalems are waiting. The real Kalem warns him. Will sees the danger and runs. The sound of the energy beams directed at Tell by the evil Kalem lead Drogo, Leon and Alvar to them. They arrive just in time to see how William is led to a stone altar. The good Kalem is given a deathwand. It is her life or his. She uses the weapon against Will. His friends are appalled. The evil Kalem is pleased, but not for long. Suddenly William appears behind her. It was not him who was killed but an image created with the holographic crystal Kalem had given him once. His body on the altar vanishes. The evil Kalem attempts to attack him and he shoots a net over her. Then he tells the real Kalem how she can overcome her dark twin.

After this is done, Will sends Leon and Drogo to save Vara while he goes looking for Aruna. He finds her not a moment too soon, as Ortlan is just about to shoot the fatal arrow. Leon and Drogo find Vara unconscious from exhaustion at her desk. They carry her away. The others meet them at the spot where they have entered the valley. Vara wakes up, confused. Suddenly a group of Warriors appear. William thinks they are just an illusion and the rebels run through them. They realise that the Stone of the Peoples was just a deception, to protect the Crystal Arrow. Their Quest continues.

© Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment & CLT-UFA International

THE LEGEND OF WILLIAM TELL

EPISODE 11
THE LOTUS EATERS

Original US Airdate: November 8, 1998

Screenplay by Jonathan Myerson
Directed by Graham Wetherell

Cast:
Kieren Hutchison (William Tell)
Katrina Browne (Aruna)
Nathaniel Lees (Leon)
Beth Allen (Vara)
Andrew Binns (Xax)
Ray Henwood (Kreel)
Sharon Tyrrell (Kalem)

Guest Cast:
Desmond Kelly (Professor)
Eteuathi Ete (Drogo's Father)
Colin Moy (Ortlan)
Ashleigh Seagar (Gadreth)

 

TRIVIA: THE LOTUS EATERS
"We went on headed for our beloved Ithaca
until a strong north wind sent us off course
to the land of the Lotus Eaters. The Lotus Eaters eat fruit which would not kill but yet harm my men. My comrades wandered to the Lotus Eaters' homes and were fed this fruit. It kept them from coming back to the ship. My men would not leave
until I used force. I brought them on board
and tied them up and we disembarked."
- from Homer's Odyssee

 

Tell
FOOTNOTE
German Site
Kieren Hutchison