Blazing Dragons
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Terry Jones, Gavin Scott |
| Products | Animated TV show, Video game |
| Parent | Nelvana, Ellipse Animation, Carlton Television |
Blazing Dragons is an animated TV show developed by Terry Jones and Gavin Scott, jointly produced by Nelvana, Ellipse Animation, and Carlton Television. In 1996, a related graphic adventure game was launched for the original PlayStation and Sega Saturn platforms by Crystal Dynamics, featuring voices from well-known personalities.
The narrative focuses on anthropomorphic dragons from Europe who resist malevolent humans, flipping traditional roles on their head. It offers a satirical take on medieval themes and the legends of King Arthur.
Broadcast between 1996 and 1998, Blazing Dragons ran for two seasons with a total of 26 episodes. The plot revolves around King Allfire and his Knights of the Square Table as they confront Count Geoffrey and his cohorts. The production involved Nelvana (Canada), Ellipse Programme (France), and Carlton Television (UK).
When aired in the United States on Toon Disney, certain content was edited out due to concerns over suitability for children, including subtle references to homosexuality and mild swearing. Although most voice actors were Canadian or American, many dragon characters spoke with British accents; meanwhile, characters such as Count Geoffrey had Canadian accents, and Merle the Wizard spoke with an American accent.
Dragons
- Squire Flicker: The main character who serves as squire to Sir Loungelot, Flicker eagerly takes on assignments and dreams of becoming a Dragon Knight. Despite his skills and mechanical expertise, Sir Loungelot often claims credit for Flicker's accomplishments. Flicker secretly admires Princess Flame. By the second season, he attains knighthood while retaining his squire status.
- Princess Flame: As King Allfire’s daughter and Blaze’s stepsister, Flame is clever and proactive, frequently engaging in activities like tournaments. She harbors feelings for Flicker. Her look changes from purple hair in season one to blonde in season two, during which her role diminishes.
- King Allfire: The sovereign of Camelhot and leader of the Knights of the Square Table, he wields the famed sword Excaliburn but has largely stepped back from active combat.
- Queen Griddle: The king’s second wife and offspring of Queen Mum, she is known for her short temper and infatuation with Sir Loungelot. Often robustly built, she is a frequent subject of humor.
- Sir Loungelot: Recognized as the chief knight, he is characterized by laziness, gambling habits, and a fondness for pastries. He avoids quests unless forced or when rescuing damsels in distress. Favored by both the king and queen, he often takes credit for Flicker’s efforts. Loungelot treats Flicker more like a servant than an apprentice and is the son of the nagging Lady of the Lake.
- Sir Blaze: The flamboyant son of Queen Griddle and stepsibling to Princess Flame, Blaze is lively and fashion-aware but hesitant about undertaking quests. He remains a steady presence throughout the series and is suggested to be homosexual.
- Sir Burnevere: Nicknamed “The Overly Educated,” Burnevere speaks with a Scottish accent and employs sophisticated language. Portrayed as the eldest and wisest knight, he has ties to Scottish royalty but declined to accept the throne.
- Sir Galahot: Known as “The Proper,” this large knight appears exclusively in season one.
- Sir Hotbreath: Called “The Not So Proper,” this short knight tends to accidentally breathe fire; also limited to season one appearances.
- The Wandering Minstrel: Mainly featured in season one as a narrator who uses songs and verses to link scenes; makes brief appearances in season two as a secondary character explaining his departure. He speaks with a Liverpool accent.
- Cinder and Clinker: A comedic duo of a two-headed dragon jester; Cinder is cheerful with dark green scales while Clinker is gloomy with lighter green coloring. Both speak with Cockney accents.
Humans
- Count Geoffrey: The principal villain, who styles himself as Dread Count Geoffrey de Bouillon, Supreme Oppressor of the Poor and Weak. His look transforms from purple knight armor paired with red hair in the first season to silver armor adorned with a dragon skull helmet and black hair in the second season, signaling a shift to a darker, more intense atmosphere. As the proprietor of Threadbare Castle, he persistently schemes to sabotage the Dragon Knights of Castle Camelhot.
- Evil Spy: A covert operative working for Count Geoffrey, disguised in a purple dragon outfit to secretly observe the Dragon Knights. Despite the obvious costume, this spy attends confidential strategy meetings without raising suspicion. There are two such agents; the initial one is devoured by crocodiles early in season one and subsequently replaced by an identical counterpart.
- Merle the Wizard: A diminutive, sharp-tongued female sorceress with an American accent, frequently summoned by Count Geoffrey for magical support. She often materializes amidst a swirl of purple smoke and claims knowledge of future events.
- Evil Knights No. 1, #2, and #3: The clumsy minions serving Count Geoffrey. Knight No. 1 is of average height with a thick moustache; No. 2 is short and slender, speaking with an Italian accent; No. 3 is muscular and bald, seemingly the least clever of the trio. They might be siblings, as suggested by references to their mother.
- Peasants: Subjected to exploitation by Count Geoffrey through heavy taxation or forced labor, such as supplying catapult ammunition or physically supporting his deteriorating castle.
Season 1
- S01E01 – The Quest for the Holy Quail: penned by Erika Strobel
- S01E02 – A Gift for Griddle: authored by Bob Ardiel
- S01E03 – Tournament Day: written by Dale Schott
- S01E04 – Excaliburn: crafted by Peter Sauder
- S01E05 – Newt for a Day: scripted by Dale Schott
- S01E06 – Knights & Knightresses: created by Erika Strobel
- S01E07 – Merle's Mirror: written by Bob Ardiel
- S01E08 – Renaissance Dragon: authored by Peter Sauder
- S01E09 – Robbing Hoodlum: penned by Erika Strobel
- S01E10 – The Stone of Wisdom: written by Bob Ardiel
- S01E11 – Hermits & Heroes: co-written by Dale Schott and Erika Strobel
- S01E12 – Sir Hare: scripted by Frank Diteljan
- S01E13 – Bleepin' Beauty: authored by Nadine Van der Velde
Season 2
- S02E01 – A Killer Makeover & The Age of Retention (written by Hugh Duffy)
- S02E02 – The Lost Ruby Hat of Omar the Ham & Achy Breaky Mace (written by Hugh Duffy & Ben Joseph)
- S02E03 – Shamrocks and Shenanigans & Three Dragons and a Baby (written by Erika Strobel & John May/Suzanne Bolch)
- S02E04 – King for a Day & Erik the Well-Read (written by Ben Joseph & Hugh Duffy)
- S02E05 – Chain Mail Letter & You Dim Sum, You Lose Some (written by John May/Suzanne Bolch & David Dias)
- S02E06 – Excalibroke & Infernal Flame (written by Erika Strobel & Hugh Duffy)
- S02E07 – MacBreath & Attila's Hot Buns (written by John Slamma & Erika Strobel)
- S02E08 – The Isle of Dwight & Ice Try (written by Hugh Duffy & David Dias)
- S02E09 – Single Green Dragon & Sphinx Jinx (written by John May/Suzanne Bolch & Ben Joseph)
- S02E10 – Griddle's Sleepless Knights & Whine & Roses (written by Erika Strobel & Bonnie Chung)
- S02E11 – The Reign in Spain & Geoffrey's Evil Pancakes (written by Ben Joseph & John Slamma)
- S02E12 – The Golden Thimble of Theodora & Seven Dragon Sins (written by Erika Strobel)
- S02E13 – Quest to Success & Slay the Dragon (written by Erika Strobel & David Dias)
Voice Cast
- Edward Glen voices Flicker
- Aron Tager portrays King Allfire
- Suzanne Coy provides the voice for Merle the Wizard
- Steven Sutcliffe acts as Queen Griddle
- John Koensgen performs as Count Geoffrey/Evil Knight No. 1 (season 1)
- Cedric Smith takes on Count Geoffrey/Evil Knight No. 1 (season 2)
- John Stocker plays Sir Burnevere/Evil Knight No. 2
- Dan Hennessey voices Sir Hotbreath/Evil Knight No. 3
- Richard Binsley is Sir Blaze/Minstrel
- Stephanie Morgenstern voices Princess Flame
- Scott Wentworth portrays Sir Loungelot
- Rick Waugh lends his voice to Cinder and Clinker/Sir Galahot
Legacy
The series continues to enjoy a dedicated following, with numerous fan-created continuations available online. Since July 2016, the #BDRevolution initiative has been working to broaden the franchise by reconnecting with existing fans, reigniting interest among past supporters, and motivating original contributors such as Gavin Scott and Terry Jones to explore possibilities for reviving the brand through new broadcasts, DVD releases, additional seasons, films, games, or comic books. This movement was co-founded by a fan and former season two story editor, Erika Strobel, and is steadily gaining momentum.
The entire series can be streamed on Amazon. As of July 2025, no comprehensive DVD collection has been issued; however, an Australian DVD featuring four episodes under the title Excaliburn was released in 2005 by Magna Pacific.