Flash Gordon (1996 TV series)

Flash Gordon (1996 TV series)

Company type	Television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Founded	1996 (1996)
Headquarters	United States / Canada / France
Area served	International
Products	Animated television series

Flash Gordon is an animated TV series from 1996 inspired by the science fiction comic strip originally created by Alex Raymond in 1934. Before this adaptation, the character was featured in various film serials, a 1980 motion picture, and earlier animated shows such as The New Adventures of Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth.

Synopsis

In this rendition, Flash Gordon is portrayed as a teenager who utilizes a hoverboard. He partners with fellow adolescent Dale Arden and scientist Hans Zarkov, all linked through their parents’ military service. Flash’s astronaut parents barely escaped an invasion led by Ming the Merciless via a dimensional wormhole.

Ming, the tyrannical ruler of the planet Mongo, engineered the wormhole to enable his conquest. Depicted with reptilian features, Ming’s human spouse has passed away, with suggestions she once resided on Earth.

Following a crash during an Air Force escort mission, Flash and Dale seek assistance and encounter Dr. Zarkov, who mistakenly assumes they are his crew members. They are unintentionally taken aboard Ming’s vessel, where they uncover his schemes. With help from Ming’s daughter Princess Aura, they liberate a captive child, dismantle the portal generator, and shut the wormhole connecting to Earth.

Stranded on Mongo without the essential rocket component or an open gateway home, Flash, Dale, and Zarkov join forces with anti-Ming resistance groups across nearby planets. Together, they establish a coalition determined to topple Ming’s rule, restore liberty to Mongo, and find a way back to Earth.

Characters

• Alex "Flash" Gordon: The blond teenage protagonist known for his charm and bravery, frequently attempting to win over Dale Arden. He first met Dale at a skateboard competition prior to Ming’s initial invasion of Earth. The use of "Alex" as his first name is unique to this adaptation.
• Dale Arden: Flash’s dark-haired romantic interest who is bold and witty rather than a conventional damsel in distress. A skilled skateboarder with complicated feelings toward Flash, often resisting his advances.
• Doctor Hans Zarkov: An elderly scientist who allies with Flash and Dale during Ming’s first invasion. Intelligent but pessimistic and cowardly, he avoids peril and is a rival to Ming’s chief scientist Sulpha.
• Ming the Merciless: The authoritarian ruler of Mongo who recently subjugated neighboring planets and now targets Earth. Exhibiting reptilian traits, he is ruthless but shows devotion to his daughter Aura. His deceased wife was named Rosaura.
• Princess Aura: Ming’s teenage daughter of mixed human and reptilian heritage, compassionate toward Mongo’s inhabitants and assists Flash’s group without betraying her father. She is adept at manipulation despite Ming’s disapproval.
• General Lynch: Ming’s inept second-in-command who follows orders blindly, relying on brute force but frequently failing. Equally merciless as Ming himself.
• Kobalt: The premier mercenary Pantheron serving under Ming and rival to Lynch.
• Sulpha: Female Dragon scientist in Ming’s service with a binary brain responsible for designing weapons and ships. She fiercely competes with Zarkov and is likely the last of her kind after Ming’s extermination campaign. Although loyal to Ming publicly, she covertly supports Flash’s team.
• Talon: Enthusiastic ally of Flash and Prince of the winged Birdmen from Hawk City.
• Thundar: A female Lionid warrior allied with Flash; highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat and inspired by Prince Thun from earlier adaptations.
• Prince Barin: The rebellious Prince of Arboria who initially opposes Flash but later joins the rebellion against Ming.

Production and broadcast

Flash Gordon was developed as an international collaborative project and debuted in the autumn of 1996. The series aired on YTV, through syndication, and on Channel 4, culminating in a total of 26 episodes.

Cast

Voice cast:

• Lawrence Bayne provided the voices for Prince Barin, General Arden, and Chump
• Tyrone Benskin voiced Kobalt
• Dana Brooks portrayed Sulpha
• Rob Cowan lent his voice to Prince Harek
• Lexa Doig played Dale Arden
• Shirley Douglas was Queen Kayla
• Allegra Fulton voiced Queen Mardana
• Tracey Hoyt took on the role of Princess Aura
• Lorne Kennedy performed as Ming the Merciless and Ijad
• Ray Landry voiced General Lynch and Frank Gordon
• Julie Lemieux was Catherine Gordon
• Marjorie Malpass portrayed Electra
• Andy Marshall voiced both Prince Talon and King Vultan
• Toby Proctor starred as Flash Gordon
• Rino Romano played Jake
• Ron Rubin was Trog Queen
• Alison Sealy-Smith provided the voice for Captain Valkyrie
• Paul Shaffer voiced Dr. Hans Zarkov
• Adrian Truss played Snurr
• Krista White was Thundar
• Lisa Yamanaka portrayed Katie

External links

• Hearst Entertainment Animation
• Flash Gordon playlist available on the Comics Kingdom YouTube channel