Flash Gordon (1996 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flash Gordon
DVD cover of pilot movie.
Developed by	David J. Corbett Garfield Reeves-Stevens Judith Reeves-Stevens
Directed by	Norman Leblanc Eric Berthier
Voices of	Toby Proctor Lexa Doig Paul Shaffer
Composer(s)	Edmund Eagan
Country of origin	United States France Canada
No. of episodes	26
Production
Executive producer(s)	Carol Monroe David J. Corbett Michel L. Lemire Sheldon Weisman Claude Carrere Leon Perahia
Producer(s)	Gerald Tripp
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Lacewood Productions Editions Dupuis France Carrere Television Media Toon Hearst Entertainment France 3
Distributor	Hearst Entertainment
Release
Original network	Syndication Channel 4, YTV, TCC
Original release	September 1996 (1996-09) – 1997 (1997)

Flash Gordon is an exciting animated TV show from 1996. It's based on the classic comic strip about a space hero. Alex Raymond first created Flash Gordon in 1934. Before this cartoon, Flash starred in many movie serials and a 1980 movie. He also had two other cartoon series: The New Adventures of Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth.

What's the Story About?

This cartoon series shows a younger Flash Gordon. He is a teenager and uses a cool hoverboard. He teams up with Dale Arden, who is also a teen. They also join Dr. Hans Zarkov, a smart but nervous scientist. Flash and Dale's parents work for the U.S. Air Force.

Ming the Merciless, the evil ruler of the planet Mongo, attacks Earth. He uses a special wormhole and space torpedoes. Flash and Dale's astronaut parents barely escape his attack. Ming wants to invade Earth with his armies. In this show, Ming looks like a reptile.

Flash and Dale are being taken to a safe place. Their pilot gets knocked out. They crash-land their small plane in a marsh. They go looking for help and find Dr. Zarkov's lab. Zarkov thinks they are part of his experiment. He accidentally brings them along on his rocket.

They end up on Ming's ship. They learn about Ming's evil plans. Ming immediately dislikes Flash. But Ming's daughter, Princess Aura, helps them. They free a child prisoner and escape. They also destroy Ming's portal generator. This closes the wormhole to Earth.

Now, Flash, Dale, and Zarkov are stuck on Mongo. They can't get home without the portal. The show follows their adventures on Mongo. They find other planets that hate Ming. They form a team to fight him. Their goal is to overthrow Ming. They want to free Mongo and return home.

Meet the Characters

Main Heroes

• Alex "Flash" Gordon: He is the brave and daring teenage hero. Flash is blonde and very charismatic. He always tries to impress Dale Arden. He met Dale at a skateboard contest. This was just before Ming's first attack on Earth. His first name, "Alex," is unique to this show.
• Dale Arden: She is Flash's partner and friend. Dale is not a helpless "damsel in distress." Instead, she is brave and often sarcastic. She likes Flash but also argues with him. Like Flash, she is very good at skateboarding.
• Doctor Hans Zarkov: He is an older, bald scientist. Zarkov is Flash and Dale's ally. He met them during Ming's first attack on Earth. He traveled with them to Mongo for his experiments. He got stuck there after they destroyed the portal. Zarkov is brilliant but also very pessimistic and scared. He usually avoids danger. He is rivals with Sulpha, Ming's top scientist.

Villains and Allies

• Ming the Merciless: He is the cruel ruler of Mongo. Ming has conquered many nearby worlds. Now, he wants to invade Earth. He and his army have reptilian features. His temper is ruthless, but he loves his daughter, Aura. He once had a wife named Rosaura, who is now gone.
• Princess Aura: She is Ming's teenage daughter. Aura is half-reptilian and half-human. Unlike her father, she cares about the people of Mongo. She often helps Flash and his friends. But she will not betray Ming directly. Aura is good at getting what she wants.
• General Lynch: He is Ming's second-in-command. Lynch is often sniveling and not very good at his job. He mostly follows Ming's orders. He tries to use brute force but often fails. He is just as evil as Ming.
• Kobalt: He is Ming's best mercenary. Kobalt is a Pantheron, a cat-like creature. He has a rivalry with General Lynch.
• Sulpha: She is Ming's head scientist. Sulpha is a female Dragon. She designs Ming's weapons and ships. She is extremely smart because she has two brains. She is a fierce rival to Dr. Zarkov. Sulpha is the last of her kind. She secretly hates Ming and sometimes helps Flash.
• Talon: He is one of Flash's main allies. Talon is the Prince of the Birdmen of Hawk City. His species has wings and looks human-like. Talon is a brave and enthusiastic man.
• Thundar: She is another loyal ally of Flash. Thundar is a female Lionid. Her species looks like cats. She is a strong and excellent fighter. She is very skilled in hand-to-hand combat. She is based on Prince Thun from earlier Flash Gordon stories.
• Prince Barin: He is a prince from Arboria. At first, he is against Flash and his friends. But he later joins them in their fight against Ming.

Episode Guide