Dungeons & Dragons: Requiem the final

When Dungeons & Dragons premiered as a cartoon back in 1983, it was a neat fantasy cartoon that was met with a lot of fans as well as controversy. While the show ran for three seasons, it would become one of the many cartoons that was infamous for ending without a proper ending. In 2006, a DVD set release would add an audio drama called "Requiem" to serve as a finale but in 2020, 37 years after the series ended, the audio drama would be used for a fan animation that looks like an actual episode.

The plot of the episode is that Dungeon Master makes a deadly wager with Venger, as Venger would give the six kids a quest as a test of courage, with success allowing them to return home, but failure will only allow Venger to not only claim the kids' weapons, but also their lives. The one stipulation: Dungeon Master must not be allowed to help them. Once Dungeon Masters abandons them while chased by a three-headed dragon, the kids start to crumble, with Eric having enough, and when Venger gives his quest, to go to Realm's Edge and destroy a key that is hidden in a cenotaph that they must cast into the Abyss, Eric, Shiela, and Presto break from the group to accept the evil wizard's quest.

This is a neat fan-made episode that adapts what was an audio drama for how the final episode of season three would go. To make the cartoon, scenes from the cartoon were recut, and even adding in some new dialogue and events. For the voice acting, two of the VAs from the original series, Katie Leigh and Frank Welker, to repise their roles as Shiela and Uni. For the others, new voice actors take over and do a good job, including Wally Wingert as Hank and Dungeon Master and Neil Kaplan as Venger.

I have to admire the care that the creators went to making this, as it feels just like an actual episode, and the ending, which I will not spoil, is a nice way to give the series the closure it was needed for over 30 years. This is one fan film that is worth checking out if you are an 80's kid.

When I heard there was a fan-made episode of the unproduced finale, Requiem, I set my expectations low. I figured there'd be a lot of static shots from the series stitched together with crappy dialogue. Instead what we have here is a labor of love that actually accomplishes what it set out to do.

I have a theory about why certain stories stick in our guts more than others. I'll call it The Coitus Interruptus Story. Case in point, 1939's Wizard of Oz. American classic. Beloved the world over. Very fine storytelling. But famously missing the victory lap at the end. The scene of Dorothy and friends celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch in the Emerald City and a parade was too expensive and troublesome, and the film worked without it. I claim that the reason why we all watch that movie over and over is BECAUSE that scene is missing. The itch for that celebration is never scratched. Same with Dungeons and Dragons. We never get to see the kids go home or have the opportunity to do so. Of all the 1980s action adventure cartoons D&D is the most special, the one seated deepest in our hearts. Why? Because coitus interruptus. We never came, so to speak, to the end.

This version of Requiem comes albeit long after the fact. But I'm happy and grateful it's here. Presto and Venger don't sound as good as the other characters, but that's small change. Presto's ending is cute. I'm looking forward to finding out more about Requiem's production, because it really is great. It's a shame that the same love and labor didn't find its way into the recent IDW limited series that treats the whole show like yet another nostalgia-berry joke.

The kids are desperate to escape their dungeon, free themselves from the realm. Believing Dungeon Master has abandoned them, Venger offers to help them escape, hinting that Dungeon Master may not be quite as virtuous as they once believed. Secretly, the two of them have their own private wager, and the children receive their final challenge.

The unthinkable happened - the conclusion that was never made. I imagine many people of a similar age stumbled upon this on YouTube and felt an extra heartbeat. The final chapter of the ultimate Saturday morning joy, a cartoon that, even as children, somehow felt as though it was made for adults.

Of course, I'm reviewing an episode that was never transmitted, but instead lovingly pieced together by fans who adored this magical, fantasy-adventure series. The animation in this labour of love is breathtaking; no wonder the comments are filled with emotionally charged reactions. I felt the same sense of rediscovered treasure when those long-missing Doctor Who episodes were found - Enemy of the World and Web of Fear - adult years of pure joy.

The episode itself is magical: a huge battle between good and evil, with the lines deliciously blurred. It even sees the kids split into two teams - something the series never dared before. And just when you think you've mapped out every possible conclusion, it delivers an unexpected, beautifully crafted finale - the sort that can coax a tear of unadulterated joy from even the hardest of hearts.

The eternal mysteries are finally addressed. Would the kids get home? What exactly was the relationship between Dungeon Master and Venger? Were they two sides of the same coin, or something even more complicated?

It's dark, it's mysterious, and the stakes are higher than ever. Driven by their limitless desire to return home, the children face their toughest challenge yet.

If you want nostalgia, mystery, dragons, fantasy, and an answer to a question that's been hanging in the air since 1985 - you need this.

Sublime.

10/10.

Finally, after several years, the "Dungeons & Dragons" animated series concludes with this fan-created medium-length film. There are a few differences from the original script, but it offers the satisfying conclusion that could never be seen in the series. Despite being an independent project, it is quite exciting for anyone who has seen the series. There are animated parts that are very well done and although it is noticeable that the characters have been cut from the series, they manage to fit well into the scenes and they managed to achieve something satisfying. It was lucky that a radio play of the original script was made, as they used it for the voices in this episode and you can tell if you pay close attention to the sound. In conclusion, this medium-length film is what we needed to know how the series ended and despite looking unprofessional, it has given us a worthy ending and the final farewell to this amazing series. My final rating for this medium-length film is 7/10.