A Candle in the Darkness

"A Candle in the Darkness" is the second episode of Season One of The Mummy: The Animated Series.

Plot summary[]

In Egypt, Alex O'Connell balks at having to study ancient Greek and Latin, insisting that they are dead languages but his mother insists that while he isn’t enrolled in a proper school, she must be his teacher. Alex states that instead of doing homework, they could be out looking for the Scrolls of Thebes; his father states that they’d combed all of Alexandria and that every lead is a dead end; Evelyn insists that knowledge is like a candle in the darkness, lighting one’s way and says that she and Rick will be outside packing up the artifacts found. The time drifts slowly by when Jonathan stops by and asks Alex to show him the sights he’s missed. Alex leaves his homework and accompanies his uncle to the ruins of Alexandria, where they are spied on by Colin Weasler. Alex states that the library houses ancient texts from Egypt’s past and that no Scrolls of Thebes were found inside when an earthquake strikes out, causing the ruins to come crashing down but missing Jonathan and Alex. Alex then goes into a trance brought on by the Manacle in which he sees pitch blackness lit by a single bright light which goes on to manifest itself as a large, shining golden orb. Snapping out of the trance, Alex sees that the earthquake opened a passageway in the ruins and goes in, thinking to find the Scrolls, unknowing that Weasler is spying on them.

Back at the camp, Rick and Evelyn cannot find Alex but assume that he must be with Jonathan and that he can hold his own unless Imhotep is around. Imhotep is in a collection of ruins, attempting to move massive pillars and stone carvings: the O'Connells managed to diminish his powers. Weasler meekly enters the chamber to alert his master that he saw Alex and Jonathan enter the library and that they might be after the Scrolls, which calms Imhotep’s rage as he orders his servant to take him there.

While inspecting the ruins, Alex finds a miniature map of Alexandria in its past and that the buildings carry markings that Alex acknowledges as important and makes detailed sketches of them. Jonathan, in a rush to leave, hears voices coming down the corridor and he and Alex hide behind a pillar as Weasler and Imhotep enter the chamber. Weasler points out the model and Imhotep knows that the model on the floor is a map, but Weasler wonders aloud what it is as Jonathan whispers urgently to Alex that they must escape: Alex agrees, and runs out from behind the pillar, tripping as he does so that Jonathan carries him away just as Imhotep fires balls of energy at them, taking out a nearby pillar and the ceiling. Jonathan and Alex escape the ruins and reach the motorcycle that they arrived in but it won’t start until Imhotep reaches the surface and Jonathan speeds away with Alex in it. Imhotep then takes the form of a sandstorm and takes Weasler along with him, in hot pursuit as Alex and Jonathan are blazing through the deserts past a herd of camels and see the sandstorm growing closer in the rearview mirror. The sandstorm chases Jonathan and Alex, uprooting palm trees as it does, when Jonathan drives the motorcycle into a river, splashing water into the sandstorm’s face, stopping it from advancing any further. As Jonathan and Alex drive safely away, Imhotep roars in anger.

Returning to the camp, Evelyn is angry that Alex left unprotected but quickly forgets her anger when she sees that Alex has brought back sketches of what he found in the ruins of Alexandria: Evelyn notes that the building that Alex drew has the symbol of knowledge and that it may be that a second, secret, library is located under the one found. Alex points out that the Scrolls of Thebes may even be under there. Rick decides that in the morning, the family will look through the ruins in the airship, as it is the only way to survey the entire city, when Jonathan decides to leave to take a nap and casually mentions that he gave Imhotep a “trouncing”, causing Alex’s parents to become cross at hearing that he had a run-in with Imhotep.

Early the next morning, the family flies in the Zephyr above the canyons, unknowing that Imhotep is watching them, and when the airship lands in front of the hidden library ruins, Alex is made to stay behind while his parents search the ruins, as there may be aftershocks from the earthquake. Balking at being made to stay behind, Alex likens his plight to that of Tutankhamen, who likely had to take no orders when Alex sees Imhotep outside and goes to warn his parents as Jonathan tries to stop him. Jonathan is waylaid when he sees precious-metal mirrors in the library hallway while Alex catches up to his parents, who are looking through the collections of scrolls in the library, and Evelyn finds one in ancient Greek: Tau, which she claims will reveal where the Scrolls of Thebes are hidden. Alex tries to warn his parents but Imhotep then enters the chamber and demands the Scrolls, which he is denied, and then proceeds to read from one scroll, summoning Shadow Demons.

Evelyn threatens to burn the parchment that lead to the Scrolls of Thebes’ location with her candle, which Imhotep disbelieves, when a shadow demon takes them from her and another seizes Rick. Rick attempts to fight them, but as they are shadows, all he can punch is the wall where they are projected. Besieged by two of the demons, Jonathan drops the lantern, causing a small fire that frightens two of the demons away, causing Alex to see that the demons fear light. In response, Rick lights a flare, frightening two more away, but too many are coming to frighten off with the flare: Evelyn, to frighten more off, lights the parchment on fire and runs away with the others as Weasler attempts to stomp it out.

Though the parchment is burned, Evelyn committed the parchment’s information to memory, stating that the Scrolls of Thebes are located in the Fifth Dynasty Room of the library when Alex steps on a trapdoor and Rick dives in after him, telling Evelyn and Jonathan to find the Scrolls and they’ll meet up in the Fifth Dynasty Room. Alex slides down the trapdoor that he fell through, almost being killed by stalagmites on the floor of the bottom of the chamber before Rick uses a bullwhip to catch onto a stalactite from the ceiling and catch Alex in time. The two leave the area before more shadow demons arrive but are attacked by two of them when Rick develops an idea, taking out two flare sticks and shredding away a piece of fabric.

Evelyn and Jonathan find the Fifth Dynasty Room as Alex and Rick use pieces of fabric from their own clothes to make small flare bombs that are thrown at the shadow demons, killing them. Evelyn and Jonathan search through the aged papers in the chamber when Imhotep enters, roaring and causing the shelves to knock down, eventually cornering Evelyn and her brother, whose lantern has gone out. Imhotep stands blocking the exit with Weasler and four of his shadow demons when Rick and Alex lob the flare bombs at the shadow demons, killing them. Imhotep believes that he has found both the Manacle and the Scrolls of Thebes as the family runs out of flare bombs, but Alex, recalling his vision, spots some mirrors and runs forward to light them up, reading the ancient Greek instructions that they’re written with. Alex pulls a lever that opens a vent in the ceiling, letting in the sun, destroying the remaining demons and Rick tells Alex to find the Scrolls while he distracts Imhotep: attempting to engage the mummy in single combat, Rick is thrown across the chamber, landing on Jonathan, who trips Weasler as he calls out to his master that he has found something. As Imhotep chases Evelyn, Rick throws a book at Imhotep’s head, stopping him for a moment as Evelyn finds the Scrolls: Imhotep, however, has caught up with her. In fear for his mother, Alex rushes forward and the Manacles’ powers activate, engulfing Imhotep in old parchments and papers but an earthquake stops anyone from obtaining anything more. Evelyn takes one small piece of parchment and tries to stop and collect the rest of the scrolls in the chamber, pleading that they contain valuable ancient histories but Rick leads her quickly away before the entire building collapses.

Evelyn takes out the piece of parchment and reads it, stating that Alexander the Great took the Scrolls and never returned them, so that now they would have to find the Alexander the Great’s lost diaries, which could be anywhere on Earth. Imhotep, meanwhile, digs himself out of the ruins and furiously states that none ridicule him and live.

A Candle in the Darkness

Contents

Plot summary[]

Cast[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Creatures[]

Locations[]

Artifacts[]

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