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This season the episodes begin to focus on individual characters a bit more, giving them connections with other kids they meet during their travels. There are 8 episodes.

14. THE GIRL WHO DREAMED TOMORROW

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? I haven’t tried to run it but it seems problematic.
AD&D Monsters: bullywugs, lizard men, hydra, cockatrice. Original monsters: bat-winged tentacle monster

Bobby’s true love episode. The kids meet another refugee from the D&D ride on Earth, Teri, with an ability of prophetic dreams. DM tells them a portal home lies within within the Maze of Darkness. Teri dreams that she will be reunited with Bobby in America and DM confirms it will happen. Venger wants the secret of Teri’s powers. For some reason Bobby destroys the portal after Teri passes through it. 

Notes: Sheila spanks a lizard man, and We learn former pupils of DM died in the maze!

15. TREASURE OF TARDOS

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? No, for multiple reasons
AD&D Monsters: plesiosaurus, orcs, shadow demon. Original monsters: demodragon

Venger has created a two-headed horror Demodragon in an effort to trick Queen Sulinara of Tardos Keep into giving up their treasured dragonsbane. Venger would use the plant against Tiamat, but DM sends the kids to help. Somehow they avoid dying. 

16. CITY AT THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? I think this could work if you’re willing to separate a PC from the rest of the group.
AD&D Monsters: hook horrors, possibly a modified Type III Demon

King Ramuud, posing as a caravan merchant from Kadish, has lost his daughter Aisha to a creature called the Night Walker, who enslaves kids in his city where time is stopped. When Bobby is also taken, the kids go to rescue him.

Notes: Schoolmate Jimmy Whitaker says Presto does stupid magic tricks. Ramuud is way nicer than Eric’s dad. 

17. THE TRAITOR

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? Yes, the plot is quite simple, though I have not run it myself. 
AD&D Monsters: orcs, shadow demon. Original creatures: Cloud bears.

In this Endor/Ewok/Care Bears ‘ripoff/homage’, Hank and Bobby are captured by Venger, and Hank makes a deal to betray his comrades in order to save Bobby. Then he learns that the magic stones of the cloud bears are Venger’s kryptonite.

Notes: Venger uses orcs to attack the tree-dwelling cloud bears. He should have used his flying apes from episode 3!

18. DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER

Essential? YES!
Game adaptation friendly? Not with any regard to power balance, no.
AD&D Monsters: giant wasps, yeti, red dragon, roc, giant octopus (presumably)

Eric takes on the mantle and powers of Dungeon Master while the kids quest to the City of Darkhaven to acquire The Golden Grimoire. 

Notes: They reference Star Wars. Eric has a selfless moment, Bobby is fine with leaving Uni alone in the realm this time. The animation during the climax is higher quality than the rest of the ep.

19. THE LAST ILLUSION

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? Probably, but I haven’t run it personally.
AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, orcs, giant squid

In this fairly dark episode, Presto connects with a natural illionist Varla, held captive by Venger in the Forbidden Tower. The kids must rescue her but Venger frames them as witches and townsfolk throw them in jail. 

Presto’s love episode, with a happy ending, but we don’t know what happens to Varla for the rest of the series. 

Notes: DM takes a bow at the end of the episode

20. THE DRAGON’S GRAVEYARD

Essential? YES! One of the darker episodes where the kids finally try to take control of their destiny.
Game adaptation friendly? Not sure how you would do this. Would give the PC opportunity to gain new Weapons of Power.
AD&D Monsters: frost giant, shadow demon, Tiamat

Remarkably this episode starts with the kids finding a portal home, and the kids are fed up when Venger thwarts them. The plan: to put an end to Venger, permanent-like, with the help of Tiamat.

21. CHILD OF THE STARGAZER

Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? No
AD&D Monsters: doombat, demon

Diana falls for the extremely uncharismatic Kosar, recently escaped from a dungeon in city of Turad by the demon queen to prevent the fulfilling of the prophecy “On the Night of Starfall, the child of the stargazer shall come from a far away land to stand in the Temple of Light and the demon shall be banished.” 

Notes: No Venger in this episode. Episode opens with Diana singing the end credits music. The animation is uneven in this episode, off model at times but more anime at the end

ESSENTIAL EPISODES FROM SEASON TWO:
DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER

THE DRAGON’S GRAVEYARD

…on to SEASON THREE!

Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon – THE ESSENTIALS – Part 3 (Season 3)