Previously onNiko And the Sword of Light...
This traveler and I make a good team.
He humbly offers his services to you.
Like a sidekick?
Let's not be too hasty.
What's under
that ominous cloak of his?
Sidekick!
- Now! - Whoo-hoo!
Nar Est: Lyra wants to turn her brat
into a real champion.
Your friends must not reach the Pools of Destiny.
Remember, you are my spy.
- [screaming] - Whoa!
Lyra: We're in slicksand!
Niko: Whoa!
I am Niko, and this is my Sword of Light!
I am here to free my people
and defeat the darkness forever!
All: Whoa!
Could be worse.
Whoa, we've been in deep mud before.
That was mud, Mandok. This is slicksand!
Whoa! Whoa!
[all shouting]
- [twittering] - Aah!
Flicker, old buddy, I knew I liked you.
[beeping]
[twittering]
Ohh!
Pull!
Oh, havoc! This isn't working!
Here. Take my paw.
Both: Aah!
No! Let go of my paw! Whoa!
Ohh!
[whimpering]
Do not fear, good Sidekick.
The Sword of Light will set us free!
Ohh! Uhh!
My sword!
Sidekick went under!
So will we if we don't do something!
[gasp] Niko! The bronzewood seeds!
Of course!
[screaming]
[twittering]
[panting]
[coughing]
[gasp]
Sidekick!
Niko! Your sword!
Well done, friend Sidekick!
Perhaps I should call you Sandy.
Uh-uh.
No? Huh.
I will keep working on the name.
Ohh!
Just a little sand on my eye.
[grumbling]
I know I can wash it at the Pools of Destiny.
but in case you hadn't noticed,
we still have the Endless Expanse to get across.
Then we must move quickly.
The sun's going to be upon us.
Onward, my friends! To the Pools!
Oh. That way?
[grumbling]
- Oh! - Nar Est: Weasel creature, report.
Not so bright.
What did you say?
Not you, sir.
You're a mastermind.
[sigh]
How is your champion?
Are you keeping him away from the Pools of Destiny?
Would you please turn the flame down?
You'll give me away.
Lyra: Mandok, hurry up!
[gasp] Oh-- Oh-- Oh, no. Got to go.
The Endless Expanse.
This is where my agent proves his worth.
Are you sure, Your Terribleness?
What if he can't pull it off?
He'd better,
or his consequences will be severe.
[laughing]
Why are you laughing? I'm serious.
[chuckle] Uh, sorry.
It seemed appropriate.
Does anyone have water?
For the fifth time today, no.
- [birds screeching] - [gasp]
Ohh!
[screeching]
Ah. Buzzebras. They'll attack
when we're too thirsty to defend ourselves.
[grumbling]
What do you mean, we'll be fine?
We won't last a day without something to drink.
Aah!
A little warning next time?
Aah!
[growl]
Ack!
Gactus juice?
What a clever sidekick.
Maybe I should call you Juicer.
[grumbling]
No? Oh, well.
Now we have water.
Ecch! [cough cough]
Bitter, needly water.
[cough cough]
Ach! I preferred the brackishberries
[slurping]
Ack! [twittering]
Wait. We don't have to drink this slop.
Look! Ohh!
Water!
[grumbling]
Well, I don't care what you think.
I'm thirsty.
It has to be a mirage.
- Mandok! - Wait!
[grumbling]
Ah. Sweet hydration.
Are you sure about this?
Ah. It's fine. Trust me.
Seems too good to be true.
Well, it is water.
Yes. And much less needly.
Remember, it was Mandok who led you here.
Aah!
[grunting]
Mandok!
Forget I said that.
[snarling]
[roaring]
- Mandok: Oh! Oh! Whoa! - Lyra: Whoa!
Raah!
Oh! Oh-ho!
Mandok!
Raah!
[grunting]
Yes, valiant Sidekick!
Keep kicking that side!
[roaring]
- Mandok: Ho-ha! - Niko: Whoa!
[grumbling]
Now is not the time for "I told you so"s.
Niko, can you do
something about this thing?
I believe I can!
Flaming star!
And don't come back, you voracious oasis, you!
Good work, everyone.
Something wrong?
Uh, our champion was almost eaten.
We must keep moving
and not rely on Mandok's poor judgment.
Lead the way, Sidekick.
Uh, I was only trying to help.
And it was still better than gactus juice.
[Sidekick grumbles]
Was so!
The Ovoid's glowing brighter this way.
At last, we're getting somewhere.
[grumbling]
Go through the thorns?
That doesn't sound safe at all.
[grumbling]
I don't care how many times you've been through.
That way is a bad idea.
There must be a way around.
How about that way?
A nice easy path in the opposite direction.
[growling]
Niko, can I have a word?
Uh, how about "skirmish"?
[sigh] More to the point.
Don't you think it would be safer to try that other path?
We cannot afford to follow you again, good friend.
Yeah, well, I don't like the new guy. Don't trust him.
You're just jealous that he knows what he's doing.
Excuse me. This is a private conversation.
This whole Expanse is probably crawling
with Nar Est's spies.
[gasp] Just what are you implying, ma'am?
That the sooner we reach the Pools, the better.
Lead us in, Scruffles.
Uhh.
Aw. I really like that one.
Fine. Go ahead. Do something crazy.
I'll be here when you change your minds.
When you change your mind,
I do hope you can catch up.
[gasp] I guess it's just you and me, pal.
[twittering "Uh-uh"]
Whoa!
Ah, come on!
Will Mandok be all right?
Of course. Any moment now,
he'll hear a scary noise and come after us.
[twittering]
They'll be back any moment now.
If you keep me waiting for a report
a moment longer, creature--
Can't talk, Your Evilness.
Ow! Ohh!
Uhh! Something's trying to eat me!
- Wow! Wow! Oh, no! - [stammering]
- It's gaining fast. - [growling]
Check back later.
- Ah. - [screeching]
Oh. Right. Something is trying to eat me.
Aah-hah!
Uhh! Uhh!
Begone, vile, sticky thing. Ahh.
Uhh, these burrs are worse than snail tree glue.
How are you avoiding them so easily?
[grumbling]
Oh, we can't understand him without Mandok.
[whining]
Do not worry, helpful Sidekick.
We will avoid the burrs exactly as you showed us.
Almost exactly.
[screeching]
Trapped by gactus.
The ultimate insult.
- [screeching] - Ohh!
Please, I'll give you everything I have:
a wooden tooth, a slightly chipped ceramic tuber.
Take it all. Just let me get back to my friends.
[gasp] My friends.
I really had friends.
Farewell, friends!
[buzzebras snarling]
[grunting]
Ow!
Uhh!
[grunt] Are the Pools close?
We can't take much more of this.
[twittering]
Flicker!
The burrs are weighing him down.
[grunt]
[grunting]
Be tenacious, Lyra.
I am coming.
[grunting]
Eventually. Aah!
Uhh! Loyal Sidekick,
can you free us from these odious burrs?
[grumbling]
Uhh! Oh, good. For a moment I was worried.
Uhh!
Um, you can free us now.
[evil laugh]
I don't believe I will.
Hmm. You sound different.
Oh, havoc.
We've been duped!
Sidekick! Whose side are you on?
That's always the question, isn't it?
I keep to the winning side.
At the moment, I am Nar Est's agent.
You may call me Jackal.
Evil deceiver.
Even now I would rather call you Scuffles.
[growling]
No.
Hnn! Hey! Give it back!
- [straining] - Heh heh heh heh heh.
I've been after your Sword since the Tumble-downs,
all the while touring the worst of these badlands,
waiting for the desert to leave you helpless.
Mandok was right.
We never should have followed you in here.
Ah, yes. Your little friend made things difficult.
Pity he wouldn't be here to share your fate,
but I'm sure something in the Expanse
will finish him off.
You are no longer my sidekick.
[gasp] Really?
You've dashed my dreams.
And here I was going to tell you
how to escape the burrs.
[laughing]
Farewell, children.
[grunting]
[twittering]
Niko, once Nar Est gets your Sword,
we've lost everything. This is awful.
We should have listened to--
- Mandok. - Exactly.
No. I mean Mandok!
[screeching]
Hey, guys!
Meet Buzz and Roxy.
Uh, could you set me down there?
Thanks. Turns out
these two were trying to warn us,
not eat us.
That Jackal's wound up too tight,
not awake to the true Expanse,
if you construe what I'm saying.
I 'strue it, Buzzy.
Well, all right.
[grunting]
Please, get us out of here.
He took Niko's Sword!
Oh, dear. I'm detecting ultra-tension
in this proximity.
We got a saying around here.
If you struggle and fight, the burrs hold tight.
Let some relax into your sacroiliacs.
Uh, I didn't revel in a word of that.
Here. We'll show you.
Deep breaths.
In through the nose, out through the beak.
[snore]
Repeat after me.
Uhmm!
Both: Uhm.
Uhmm.
Uhmm--
Ohh.
Uhmm.
Ack!
In through the nose,
out through the beak.
Be well.
Uhmm.
[twittering]
Many thanks, groovitudinous friends.
Come on. We can still stop Jackal.
Thanks a million, you two.
You, too, you four.
Revel in the Endless.
Want to go for some gactus juice?
Yeesh. You and your cleanses.
Over there!
He's too far ahead.
I don't think we can catch him.
Wait. I may not have my weapon,
but I still have this!
Must be broken.
[rumbling]
[whooping]
Dusty! You heard my call!
How could we not?
Whew! Like nail spikes across a washboard.
That Sidekick, he duped us.
He's getting away with Niko's Sword.
A traitor? Uhh!
Hop along and hang tight.
Let's tumble, boys and girls!
Hyah! Hyah!
- [whooping] - Hang on! Let's go!
[twittering]
Whoo-hoo!
Uhh!
[grumbling]
Thank you, gentle friends.
I have it from here.
All right. Just holler if you need us,
or clap, but, you know, easy on the whistle, hero.
[whooping]
Whoo!
Whoa! Ohh!
Whoa!
Oh! Aah!
Aah!
[gasp]
- Huh. - Ohh!
Ohh.
Uhh! Ohh. Don't look down.
Don't look down. Don't look down.
Haah!
Huh?
Heh heh heh heh heh heh.
- [twittering "Uh-oh"] - Look out!
Whoa-hah!
Ohh!
Why do I keep looking down?
Hang on, Mandok. I'm coming.
No need to make a scene.
Return my Sword to me, Jack!
Uhhn! It's Jackal!
No more nicknames!
Nar Est: Weasely thing.
Still really not a good time.
No more excuses.
Tell me what's happening!
Don't you make me question your loyalty.
You know what, Mr. Spooky?
You're right.
What are you doing?
Demonstrating my loyalty.
Aah!
Uh, uh, oh, just--
Ohh!
Yaah!
- Grab on! - Whoa!
Uhh! Ahh!
The Sword of Light is no ordinary sword!
Of course.
Time to finish this.
What's the matter with this thing?
Only a champion can unleash its true power,
and you are no champion!
[twittering]
Whoa!
Ha ha ha ha!
Hello? Someone get me out of here!
[twittering]
Flicker.
Is that new?
[twittering]
You wield your powers well, friend.
[twittering]
[evil laughter]
[singsong] Oh, Jack!
Our fight is not finished.
Yeah! Behold my combat mastery!
Hyah!
[ding]
Hwah-uhh!
Whaah!
Huh?
Lyra, Mandok: Niko!
Aah!
Now we'll both perish!
Not this day.
Aah!
[fretting]
Ohh!
Make it quick.
I will not harm you, former sidekick,
despite your treacherous ways.
What? What does this mean?
It means goodbye, you clusternut.
Yeah, Mandok speaks for us all.
This isn't over.
Nar Est will finish you soon enough.
Then take this message back with you.
After we've reached the Pools,
I shall come for him!
Nothing shall stand in my way,
including you.
Now begone!
You let him go.
One sidekick is plenty.
Right, Mandok?
I still don't know about sidekick,
but I'm delighted to be your friend.
We can't keep looking to sidekicks
or the tumblebees
or anyone else for their help.
In the end, Niko,
you'll have to face Nar Est alone.
The Ovoid. That is bright.
Mandok: Guys,
is that what I think it is?
That sort of opening in the valley
before those little mountains?
The Pools of Destiny.
We made it! Yeah!
Whoo-hoo!
It doesn't look far, maybe a day.
Come on.
Now I will become the champion
I am meant to be.
Nar Est: You duplicitous vermin!
Your scrawny life is forfeit!
Answer me,
Mandok!
Grrr!
Let me at him, Lord.
No one betrays Nar Est.
Patience, Rasper.
He's still useful to me.
Oh, yeah. I get so emotional
when people disobey you.
I forgot. I planted a ping-beetle on him.
Those brats are uncomfortably close to the Pools,
but they have no idea what's in store for them.
[laughing]
Why aren't you laughing?
Uh, now you want me to?
Hmm. Never mind.
The moment's passed.
Mandok: I never thought we'd make it.
Niko: Destiny awaits!
Chirp