Skyland

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Skyland

Genre	Computer-generated imagery
Running time	Approx. 26 minutes
Creator(s)	Emmanuel Gorinstein Alexandre de La Patellière Mathieu Delaporte
Starring	(Incomplete list) Tim Hamaguci, Phoebe McAuley, Jack Langedijk, Cameron Ansell
Country of origin	France Luxembourg Canada
Original channel	France 2 (France); Teletoon (Canada); NickToons Network (USA); CITV (United Kingdom); ABC (Australia)
Original run	April 22, 2006–present
No. of episodes	26
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Skyland (full French title: "Skyland, Le Nouveau Monde", or "Skyland, The New World"), is a CGI animated television series developed in France in partnership with Canada/Luxembourg for the television channels France 2 (France), Teletoon (in Canada), the NickToons Network (USA), ABC Australia, and CITV (Channel and slot on ITV1 in the UK). A one hour, worldwide preview was aired on November 26, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. EST and again and 11:00 p.m. as well as at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 the following day. It was launched on April 22, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. on Teletoon. On July 2, 2006, an encore of the one hour pilot aired on Nicktoons Network. The show is produced by Paris's Method Films and Toronto's 9 Story Entertainment.

A Nicktoons Network advertisement for Skyland aired and they reported that it will have its "Real" Premiere on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at 9/8c. Also, the original French version was seen for a very brief time on TV5MONDE in the United States.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

1 History of Skyland
2 Main characters
3 Supporting characters
4 Minor characters
5 Technology
6 Blocks and places
7 Seijens
8 The Prophecy
9 Timeline
10 List of Episodes from Skyland and their synopses
11 Movies
12 Organizations
13 Production details
14 External links

[edit] History of Skyland

200 years in the future, the Earth has shattered into millions of blocks, known as Skyland, which orbit around the core, and a new kind of human has emerged, Sejins, who absorb sunlight to fuel their telekinetic abilities. There is also a prophecy, but those are fickle things.

The Sphere, a dictatorship, has risen to power by controlling what has become the most precious resource; water. The Sphere's power is enforced by the Guardians, an elite corp of Sejins who are taken from their families at a young age and trained. The leader of the Guardians is Oslo, a Sejin who exposed himself to constant light until he could use his powers in both light and dark, with obvious repercussions on his health. He himself went through the Guardian Academy, training alongside an equally powerful Sejin, called Mila.

A rebellion has also emerged, opposing the Sphere. Rebel pirates steal water to keep the citizens of Skyland alive. One young pilot, wanted for publicly stealing water from right under the Sphere’s nose, is captured by a young Guardian on her first mission. Her name is Mila.

Shown the world from the pirate’s point of view, Mila finally comes to realize what the Sphere is, and joins the rebellion. She falls in love with Marcus, the pirate, and together they take the rebellion from strength to strength, turning it into a real threat against the Sphere.

But something goes horribly wrong while the Rebels are liberating a Sphere controlled block. Many pirates are killed, Marcus vanishes, and the rebellion is all but destroyed.

Mila takes their two young children, a son named Mahad and a Sejin daughter called Lena, and escapes to Babylonia, in the heart of the Sphere controlled zone. She stays there for 12 years, hiding both her daughter’s and her own Sejin abilities for twelve years as she raises her children on a small farm.

But Oslo never forgot her, or his fascination with the prophecy, and in the year 2251 his Guardians finally locate her. Mila fights back, and sends Mahad and Lena away in a stolen Sphere ship, telling them to join the pirates, before she is taken away to Karzhem, Skyland’s most secure prison, location unknown.

Mahad, a cocky but clumsy 17 year old pilot, and Lena, 12 years old and already a powerful Sejin, are shot down and then rescued by a small group of pirates, lead by the indomitable Captain Cortes. They join the resistance, determined to find their mother, free Skyland, and learn more about the father they barely remember.

Oslo has plans of his own.

[edit] Main characters

Mahad

(voiced by Tim Hamaguchi, performed by Julien Girbig) - Age 17. Mahad is full of life, a show off, likeable, charming, full of himself, adventuresome, a young Han Solo. When he was younger, he was always unhappy because he didn't have a father and his mother was a lot like Lena. In pilot school, he always got detention due to making extreme moves on the simulator. Though not a Seijen, his goal is to free his mother. Until that time, he will slug it out with the Sphere because he's a good guy and can vent his frustration in this way. Though young, Mahad is unequalled as a pilot of his father's ship the Hyperion. He has enormous, often misplaced self-confidence. His weapon of choice is his boomerang. He's not good with range weapons. (He is the second Nicktoons Network / Nickelodeon character to sport a boomerang, next to Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender.)

Lena

(voiced by Phoebe McAuley, performed by Christelle Ouvrard) - Age 12. Intelligent, reasonable, calm but determined, impetuous. When someone she loves in is danger, Lena is a very mature, and formidable, 12-year old girl. She alternates between carefree playing and grim determination. Adventure isn't an end in itself, only a necessary step along the way. Lena is a Seijin, and thus has powers of telekinesis and telepathy. She's beginning to control the telekinesis, though it tires her quickly; but has almost no control over her telepathy, which is usually triggered by strong emotions. She shows signs of other remarkable powers, but we only catch glimpses of them from time to time. She's getting better as the show progresses.

[edit] Supporting characters

Aran Cortes

(voiced by Jack Langedijk, performed by Dominic Gould) - Age 37. Gruff, moody, severe and just, with a tendency to be blasé (but still a rebel deep down). He's aware of his responsibilities as "father figure" and protector of Puerto Angel. Apparently, he is the adoptive father of Cheng. He has no idea why he listens to kids. He tends to show his anger physically. Cortes was part of the original Pirate Rebellion and knew Marcus Farrell in a sense. His weapon of choice is a shot gun. In the English dub, he has a Scottish accent.

Cheng

(voiced by Cameron Ansell, performed by Max Gruber and Emile Kaczorowski) - Age 12. Cheng, despite his incredible intellect, is really still a child. He loves to fool around: missions are like video games in the great outdoors and he loves to play practical jokes on people. He is a very good hacker. He'll do anything for attention, like speaking in rhymes. He also seems to have a slight crush on both Lena and Celia. Cortes is his adoptive father. His parents were Pirate scientists and are deceased. His only living relative is his grandfather, Tybald Ye, a scientist that is truly on the pirates side but pretends to be a Sphere supporter.

Dahlia

(voiced by Alyson Court, performed by Tadrina Hocking) - Age 20. She has moved into the world of adults but is nevertheless attracted to Mahad's rebellious and youthful spirit, as well as his love for freedom. In "Eye of the storm", she nearly kissed Mahad had not the fact that Lena saved them. She often acts "serious" in order to distinguish herself from the "kids" but she breaks down from time to time and shows her mischievous side. Her weapon of choice is a yellow laser bow and arrow. Mahad and others who disobey her are often quick to see the sharp side of her tongue.

Diwan

(voiced by Athena Karkanis, performed by Lena Kowksi) - Age 25. Female master of highly developed Seijin powers, but not at Oslo's level. Appointed by Oslo to personally capture Lena. She's bald and has an orange tattoo above her left eye and eyeshadow on both. Diwan would do anything to show her devotion to Oslo, who treats her like garbage in return.

Marcus Farrell

Approx. 34. Former leader of the Pirate Rebellion. He is the father of Mahad and Lena and partner to Mila. Back when he was Mahad's age, he stole water from the Sphere in broad daylight. Mila and Oslo were sent to capture him and Mila got to him first. He helped Mila to see what the Sphere truly is, and they ran away togther. Through their combined efforts, they built up the rebellion in six years, posing a real threat to the Sphere. He mysteriously disappeared during an attack on the Sphere, leaving the Pirate Rebellion in disarray. Mahad and Lena discover in episode 10 that he may have survived, and might be hiding on one of the last free blocks.

Mila

(voiced by Alex Belcourt, performed by Julie Delaurenti) - Age 35. Mahad and Lena's mother. She will remain a very mysterious character throughout the series. Kept in hiding on the Sphere Block, Babylonia, she appears rarely and always in a very symbolic way. Her children only discover her heroic past (from the Vector and Hailong Zalo) after she is abducted. She used to hide in ships like a little stowaway. She was taken to the Sphere Academy on her own free choice. She was a highly gifted former student in the Guardian School, where she spent time with Oslo. On her first mission with Oslo, they were sent to capture Marcus Farrell. She got to him first. She chose to renounce her exceptionally strong paranormal powers, as well as many privileges, when she decided not to help the Sphere after seeing how terrible it was. After leaving, she met up with Marcus Farrell and got married. She gave birth to her son, Mahad and was about to give birth to Lena when the Pirate Rebellion went crippled. She knew Oslo would find her again. Mila decided to go into hiding and raise her children without using her powers as a Mansa farmer. She is a complex mix of Mahad's indomitable personality and Lena's exceptional powers. Currently, she is being held in Kharzem.

Oslo

(voiced by Juan Chioran, performed by Simon Flossaut Masnay) - Age 35. Brother of Darius, Comes from Vandegaaard, a Scandinavian block. Leader of the Guardians and Commander of the Sphere. He knew Mila back in the Sphere Academy. They were best friends, inseparable. On their first mission together, they were sent to capture Marcus Farrell. When he found Mila, he attempted to turn her to fulfill the Prophecy, rule all of Skyland and take control of the Sphere. After hearing that her daughter was far more powerful, he decided to capture Lena. Absolute master of his highly developed Seijin powers. Oslo is able to use his powers in the dark and light by keeping himself exposed to sunlight night and day. Mila said that being able to use his powers in the dark would destroy him from the inside.

The Vector

(voiced by William Colgate, performed by Olivier Breuils) - Age 65. Very intelligent, the Vector has always lived as a recluse and was almost never interested in the "practical" aspects of life. He is eccentric (like Cuthbert Calculus in Tintin with Cortes as his Captain Haddock) and often unaware of danger. He is often pensive, daydreaming and lost in his thoughts. He rarely leaves his lighthouse on Puerto Angel. He teaches Lena how to use her powers. The Vector practically made a map of Skyland, though incomplete. He helped Mila escape the Sphere Academy.

Wayan

(Voiced by Milton Barnes, performed by Pete Thias) - Age 30. Wayan is Cortes' First Lieutenant. He is an excellent marksman, capable of total concentration and self-mastery during a battle. Conversely, he is much less organized in real life. Although he is talkative, a joker and a great storyteller, his perpetual optimism doesn't detract from his mastery of weapons and inborn sense of adventure he satisfies with his mountain climbing exploits. His weapon of choice is a Shock Blaster.

[edit] Minor characters

Patrucci - An extremely paranoid citizen of Puerto Angel, Patrucci lives in constant fear of the Sphere, and of betrayal from his fellow rebels. He doesn't trust Mahad and Lena, nor seemingly Cortes, although he displayed concern for Dahlia in 'Manipulations'. His character model is often recycled, but most fans agree that the 'true' Patrucci only appeared in 'Manipulations'.

Celia - A young Seijen girl who was taken in by the Pirates. When the crew was captured, Lena helped Celia discover her powers to defeat Jelola and Artemis. On Puerto Angel, Lena was her teacher in her quest to unlock the full potential of her powers. Celia couldn't talk while captive. She may have a small crush on Cheng, calling him cute.

Darius - Oslo's brother. Was born after his brother and his existence prevented Oslo from gaining his full Seijen potential. Was banished for life on the Vandagaaard block.

Feng - A brash apprentice of Ningxia. Feng like everyone wanted the Sphere to come down but thought it was impossible. He betrayed Master Hailong Zalo and took control. But he was deposed from power.

Hailong Zalo - An elder Seijen and ruler of Ningxia. He used to know Mila. He was imprisoned in a room where light felt like an intruder. Yet his apprentice, Lee rescued him. Unfortunately, while being ambushed by Diwan, Zalo physically transferred Lena a message from her mother. Currently, he is weak but he left Lee in charge of Ningxia.

Jelola and Artemis - Sphere Guardians who were suppose to transport a young Seijen girl, Celia, to the Sphere academy. When they were intercepted by the Pirates, they acted as parents to Celia but then took over the Saint Nazaire. But thanks to Mahad, Dahlia, Lena and Celia, they were defeated and left on a bench block for the Sphere to find. Jelola is female, very strict and wants to replace Diwan as Oslo's right hand. Artemis is male and is quirky. According to Oslo, they haven't been very trustworthy in the past.

Lee - Lee comes from Ningxia, and apprentice to an old friend of the Vector, Hailong Zalo. He came to Puerto Angel in search of "Little Phoenix" (Lena) for his master had a message from her mother. He was dismayed when the Sphere had turned against Ningxia from a fellow apprentice, Feng. He helped Mahad and Lena escape from the guards and enlists their aid to save his master. He made it look like he was following Feng orders to capture them. Once he distracted the guards, he freed Mahad, Lena and Zalo. But, they were ambushed by Diwan. Lee went a little offscreen for a while. After Ningxia was freed, Zalo put him in charge to protect Ningxia if the Sphere returns.

Hanako - Haniko was a close friend of Mahad who she used to hang out with. She hasn't seen him for months until he and Lena came for a visit, accompanied by Dahlia. She gave him a kiss good-bye and might harbour deeper feelings for Mahad. She is friendly towards Dahlia however.

Sansken - A man blackmailed by the Sphere to bring Mahad and Lena to Paris on the information of where their mother was. If he refused, his children would be harmed. He lost his wife by unknown means. Once he was free, Sansken took Hyperion and saved Mahad and Lena from Oslo. He and his family are now living on Puerto Angel.

Shoomday - Shoomday is a friend of Mahad who always loses to him in races. When Mahad and Lena disappeared, Shoomday took up a job fixing Patrollers and Brigadiers, while secretly stealing good technology. It is unclear how he feels about his friend Hanako. He helped Mahad, Lena and Dahlia escape when he distracted Sphere Patrollers by flying one against them and was nearly shot down. Dahlia complains that it's like having two Mahads.

Symbiant - The Symbiant is an energy creature composed of Seijen energies that guards Stonehenge, an old Pirate base. Its exact form is unknown and looks invisible. It gets bigger when absorbing more energy. Marcus Farrell programmed it to his, Mila, Mahad and Lena's DNA. All they had to do was touch it on the head. Mahad had the Symbiant chase off Oslo to prevent from finding the last free blocks from an information cube. After that little adventure, Mahad and Lena couldn't bring it back.

Tibled Ye - Tibled Ye is Cheng's grandfather. He lived in the time before Earth broke up. When it did, he joined the Sphere when it brought order to the chaos. His daughter and her husband were Pirate scientists. Tibled made every last scrap of the Sphere's technology, from the Brigadier to the S-22 Patrollers to the Monolith. While working on his missile defense system, he stalled, sending Patrollers all over Skyland to find Cheng. When he succeded, Diwan found out and arrested him as well as Mahad and Lena who came to rescue Cheng. When the Pirates arrived, he fought with Cortes, giving him the plans to his missile defense system, and they settled on a trade for him, for Cheng. He is now a supporter of the Pirates secretly.

Astrid-Astrid is the daughter of Max. She seems to be very close to her father,a s she always calls him 'daddy'. She seems to be close in age to Mahad, towards whom she displayed requited interest.

Max- Max is father to Astrid, and was a delivery man to a famous, but now dead scientist, Shaun of Aragon. He pretended to be that scientist in order to impress his daughter, but was, in reality, little more than a con man. Pretending to be the Shaun of Aragon brought nothing but trouble, however, as the Sphere wanted to find the scientist, who had been working on a forumla for an endless source of water when his lab 'mysteriously' blew up.

Kale - Seen in 'Heart of the Arena', Kale was Diwan's champion, and a very successful gladiator. He revealed to Mahad that Diwan had promised him his freedom if he won ten fights. When Mahad pointed out that he'd never be freed while he still won, Kale made it clear that it was better than the alternative, because loosing meant death. He'd won seven fights when he was pitted against Mahad, and despite winning, risked his life by refusing to kill him when Diwan ordered it. He escaped with the Pirates and was invited to join the Rebellion. It was revealed that he used to live on a farm before his capture.

Tak - Seen in "Heart of the Arena", Tak use to be a gladiator but now has become a ringmaster for a fighting show for the Sphere. His base and show location is situated in the Coliseum. The Brigadiers who serve him are made from obsolete parts and models. Tak lined up Mahad with a fight with Diwan's prized combatant, Kale. However, Diwan personally wanted him executed for not telling her that he had Mahad in his custody. Fearing for his life, he helped Cortes and Wayan escape from jail with the information that "A little brig told me". Now on the pirates' side, he tried to make a new attraction for Mahad and Kael but they refused. Cortes said tak always wants to be on the winning side.

[edit] Technology

Brigadiers

Robotic enforcers of the Sphere. Programmed to discipline wayward blocks. Considered to be the technological masterpieces.The are comparable to super battle droids from the Star Wars movies.

Hyperion

Personal fighter craft of Marcus Farrell. Used to be a prototype Sphere that he stole and modified. He left it in his last base for his son Mahad to inherit. Lena is the co-pilot. It has two VTOL engines on starboard and port side. Guns and torpedoes are at the front of the rocket-like engines. The craft has two entrances- the cockpit and the repair station hatch. The co-pilot seat can go down to the repair station. A Mosquito can be attached to its belly.

Mogura

A robotic spider designed to detect, treat, and store water for the Sphere. One of the earlier prototypes became a danger when it ran out of water to harvest, as it had not been programmed to stop. Since 70% of the human body is made of water, it wanted to drill humans as well. The Sphere had to abandon the mining station, leaving all the water stored behind. The Pirates defeated it thanks to Cheng, and were able to take the water from the station.

Monolith

The flagship and home of Oslo. It is the largest Sphere ship shown, equipped with the most advanced technology. It also contains a secret light room where Oslo can boost his power.

Mosquitoes - Pirate combat crafts. Can be launched from the Saint Nazaire's belly.

S-22 Patroller

Skyhopper-like fighter. Standard Sphere patrol ship. Humans are rarely seen flying them, they are mostly used by Brigadiers. They can carry up to 6 Brigadiers. Guardians fly their own personal, customized S-22 Patroller. Each Patroller is equipped with an encrypted transponder, one of which was stolen by Mahad's friend Shoomday, so that Mahad and Lena could find Kharzem.

Saint Nazaire

Current flagship of the pirates. It resembles an ocean cruiser as well the bridge. Has retractable wings. Mosquitoes can be launched from the belly of the ship and the Hyperion can rest in front of the bridge. A double barrel cannon is at the back of the bridge and a horizontal one at the bottom of the front. A living room is at the back.

Sphere water carrier - A transport ship for carrying water.

[edit] Blocks and places

Babylonia - Home of Mahad and Lena until they had to escape the Sphere. Later, they return with Dahlia, seeking a message from their mother. But it was in fact, Lena's memories.

Kharzem Prison - Skyland's most secure prison, for holding dangerous criminals. No one knows exactly where it is, apart from a few members of the Sphere. Mila is currently being held there.

New York - Seen in Dawn of a New Day - Part Two, the Hyperion was hidden in an old multi-level car park.

Ningxia - A Chinese block. Had a deal with the Sphere that in exchange for peace, the dictatorship got half the stone mined by the Block. But pressure increased as the Sphere wanted it all. It was the home of the Vector's old Seijen friend, Hailong Zalo. Was taken over by the Sphere but was liberated. Lee, Zalo's apprentice was put in charge of protecting Ninxa in case the Sphere ever came back.

Puerto Angel - Large block on the outskirts of Skyland. Base of operations of the pirates and home to anyone who wants to live free of the Sphere. Although the Sphere knows that it is there, they do not realise that Puerto Angel is the home of the rebellion. At the top of the hill is the Vector's lighthouse. Just like other blocks, however, Puerto Angel is always running short of water. Puerto Angel has a number of warning systems set up to alert them when the Sphere is approaching, such as an old phone booth.

Paris - Seen in Raging Archepellago. It's surrounded by a large atmospheric storm, making it almost impossible to access. Once in a while, the cloud can make an opening for ships and light to pass through. Once it closes, any ships caught in the storm get torn apart. Blackmailed Sansken took Mahad and Lena there to be captured by the Sphere but he helped them escape.

Vandergaaard - A Scandinavian block that is home of Oslo's brother Darius.

[edit] Seijens

Certain people possess a set of special abilities which include telekinesis and the ability to shoot blasts of energy which is powered by the sun. They are referred to as "Seijen." Oslo, a Seijen himself, used his Seijen abilities to rise to power. Those Seijens who serve the Sphere are known as the Guardians. Oslo does not have complete control over all of Skyland, and intends to coerce Mila (another Seijen thought to be the "Lady of Light") into working with him in order for him to become an ultimate ruler according to the Prophecy. Unfortunately for him, it is not Mila's destiny to rule with him.

Known Seijens:

Oslo

Diwan

Mila

Lena

Hailong Zalo

Celia

Jeloa
Artimis

[edit] The Prophecy

"He will unify the Earth with the Lady of Light..."

This prophecy means something about two people. Few believe it. The resistance thought it meant Marcus and Mila. But when Marcus disappeared, thoughts of that were lost and argument were made between the Vector and Cortes. Oslo thought it was he and Mila back in the Sphere academy. Mila believed her children were going to fulfil it, so she had to raise them in a normal childhood until they were adults.

It is unknown of what the Prophecy means. It could mean that Skyland will become Earth again or; all the blocks are under one single banner.

[edit] Timeline

This timeline has been translated, edited, and added to by a fan. It is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.

2191 – Birth of The Vector.

2214 – Birth of Aran Cortes.

2216 – Birth of Mila and Oslo.

2217 – Birth of Marcus. Mila’s parents die mysteriously. Mila is collected by a dignitary of the Sphere who sees her promise as a Sejin.

2221 – Birth of Wayan.

2226 - At 10 years old Mila joins the Academy and meets Oslo there. Birth of Diwan.

2227-2233 - Mila and Oslo, both rising to brilliance at the Academy, are inseparable. Oslo’s abilities grow as does his thirst for power and violence. Birth of Dahlia in 2231.

2234 – While on a mission to oppose the rebels, Mila meets Marcus, a pirate. They fall in love. Marcus helps her become aware of the dictatorial horror the Sphere imposes. Marcus and Mila flee the Sphere together. Oslo is sworn to find them. (I think we can assume that Marcus stole the Hyperion from the Sphere at around this time.)

2235 - After a time traveling from block to block (including an Australian Block from which they bring back the boomerang later used by Mahad), the young couple finds refuge in the block of Angkor (Kampuchea). At that time, Angkor is the principal base of the resistance. Mila and Marcus set up a network over several blocks. The members of the resistance are confident that Mila and Marcus are the couple mentioned in the prophecy, and find new hope for the release of Skyland.

2236 - At 20 years of age, Mila gives birth to a boy. Mahad is a normal human.

2237-2240 - Marcus becomes the leader of the resistance.

2241 - Birth of Cheng. During the 9th month of Mila’s second pregnancy (Mahad is 4 years old), Marcus disappears during a mission on the block of Azul. Mila gives birth to a small girl, Lena, a Sejin like her mother. The Resistance is dissolved, the block of Angkor falls to the Sphere, and Mila owes her survival to the Vector, who covered her escape. For the Sphere, it’s a total victory.

2242 - Mila settles in the centre of Sphere territory: Babylonia. Who would think to seek her under the very nose of the Sphere? She no longer uses her Sejin abilities.

2243-2250 – Life goes on. Mila hides the abilities of her daughter because all the Sejin children are taken to the Academy. The Vector settles in a lighthouse on the block of Puerto Angel, a pirate base formerly liberated from the Sphere by Marcus. Oslo becomes head of the Guardians (and the Sphere?) and has not forgotten the Sejin who was his equal: Mila.

2251 – Mila is finally discovered and imprisoned by the Sphere. Mahad and Lena meet what remains of the pirates and join the rebellion. Mahad and Lena find Marcus’ ship, the Hyperion, on what was formerly New York. They also discover, through a photo that was in the ship, that Marcus Farrell was their father.

[edit] List of Episodes from Skyland and their synopses

Ep. 1 & 2 Dawn of a new day. Parts 1 & 2 Air dates April 23 and 24. - Welcome to Babylonia, home of Lena, Mahad and their mother Mila. A peaceful haven in the tyranny of the Sphere, the family lives happily, but with a secret. Seijins (humans with telekinetic powers) are the most wanted people in Skyland, something Mila knows only too well, as both she and her daughter belong to this select group. The children are unaware of their Mother's secret until an incident at their home exposes both Mila and Lena and they are forced to flee. Knowing the Sphere will hunt them down; Mila sends her children away and stays behind to be captured by the Sphere. Lena and Mahad are sent away in a stolen enemy ship when suddenly they find themselves confronted by the Pirates. The children are taken in by the band of pirates and learn even more of their parents past. They are escorted to their father's last known secret headquarters only to find his famous Hyperion ship - seemingly waiting for Mahad to inherit. Unfortunately, they are intercepted by the evil Diwan, minion to Sphere leader Oslo and they are forced to battle their way out -They rejoin the pirates who invite the children to live in Puerto Angel where they will continue the fight to find their mother and defeat the evil Sphere. And so, the adventure begins-

Ep. 3 The Great Wall Air date April 31. - An old friend of the Vector's sends news to Puerto Angel - he may have a lead on Lena and Mahad's mother. They travel to Ningxia, a Chinese block, where they find a Sphere invasion in progress and are captured. In jail, they are introduced to the Vector's friend, Master Hailong Zalo, also a powerful Seijin. In a daring escape, Zalo psychically bonds with Lena to give her a telepathic message from her mother, in turn giving her enough power to defeat the invasion and escape with Mahad.

Ep. 4 Mogura Air date May 7. - Puerto Angel suffers through a severe drought that ends up dangerously dehydrating Lena. The pirates investigate a remote block of ice that the Vector believes will supply them with much needed water. Upon arriving, they find that the Sphere has struck first, the pirates board the deserted drilling station in hopes of finding some water the Sphere may have left behind. There, they battle the Mogura, a huge spider-like robot that has turned from a simple tool into a deadly threat to any human that confronts it. Thankfully, the pirates (including a weak Lena) manage to fight the creature off, collect the vast water supply left behind and save the people of Puerto Angel.

Ep. 5 Raging Archipelago Air date May 14. - The pirates of Puerto Angel rescue a mysterious stranger named Sansken who is looking to contact the pirates with important information about Kharzem Prison (where Mahad and Lena's mother Mila is being held). The kids follow him to the Raging Archipelago - formerly the city of Paris, hidden in a large atmospheric storm. It is there that they find themselves in a double cross when it is revealed that Sansken lured them there to hand them over to the Sphere. After a huge battle with Diwan and Oslo, the children are rescued by Sansken who explains that he was blackmailed by the Sphere in order to save his own children.

Ep. 6 Eye of the Storm Air date May 21. - An impending hurricane threatens a sector of Skyland and it's up to Cortes and the Saint Nazaire to rescue refugees left stranded. While investigating a deserted ice block, the storm overpowers the Hyperion leaving Mahad and Dahlia stranded. Back on Puerto Angel, Lena becomes concerned with Mahad's absence. Mahad and Dahlia realize that the heavy wind is pushing their ice block towards Puerto Angel. The only way to stop it is by detonating the reactor core of their ship and breaking up the deadly collision. Mahad tells Wayan of his plan and Lena, overhearing, fears for her brother's life. With all of her strength, she harnesses the power of the lightening to melt the ice block allowing Mahad and Dahlia to safely escape in the Hyperion.

Ep. 7 Mutiny Air date May 28. - While out on patrol, the Saint Nazaire shoots down a wayward Sphere patroller and rescues a small family of Seijin escapees. Bringing them on-board Cortes and the pirates realize only too late that the "parents" are actually Sphere agents transporting a young girl, Celia, as their prisoner. The rebels find themselves imprisoned on their own ship and must act quickly to free themselves before Oslo and Diwan reach them. With the help of Lena, Celia's powers awaken and together they overcome the two agents before it's too late.

Ep. 8 Manipulations Air date July 2. - A solar phenomenon has unusual effects on Seijin powers which allows Oslo to take control of Dahlia in an effort learn the coordinates of the pirate hideout. He uses Dahlia to attack Puerto Angel's water storage tank, and pin the blame on Lena. Mahad is bewildered and more than a little angry at the change in Dahlia, who is really trying to fight her way free of Oslo's control. Lena is also feeling the effects of the solar phenomenon, and is uncertain of her own innocence. She turns to the Vector for help, and together they discover that Oslo is responsible. Lena uses her powers to get into Dahlia's head, and although she isn't strong enough to fight against Olso, she convinces Dahlia that no one should be able to boss her around in her own body.

Ep. 9 King for a day Air date July 9. - Deciding that Mahad needs a lesson in responsibility, Cortes leaves him in charge of Puerto Angel while the Saint Nazaire goes to retrieve some unguarded water. Mahad makes the most of the opportunity and decides to decalre a 'Mahad Day', complete with celebrations. But the fun is soon over when the threat of a fleet of Sphere ships reaches the pirate block. Mahad is certain something's fishy, and sure enough it turns out to be a hoax played by Cortes. Mahad calls him on it, and then refuses to listen when Cortes warns him that there really is a Sphere patroller on the way.

Ep. 10 Red Rock People Air date July 16. - Lena and Mahad are stranded with their arch enemy, Olso, on an abandoned rebel hideout which is guarded by a mysterious creature.

Ep. 11 Babylonia Air date July 23. - A telepathic message from their mother sends Lena and Mahad home to Babylonia looking for more information. The message turns out to be Lena's memories of her mother, but they prove to be powerful enough to save their lives.

Ep. 12 Blood Ties Air date July 30. - Cheng is contacted by his Grandfather, who he had been told was no longer alive. Desperate to know about his family he leaves Puerto Angel on a journey that proves to him family comes in many different packages.

Ep. 13 Life on Puerto Angel AKA: 'Max' Air date Nov. 5. - During an expedition on the block of Brooklyn, Mahad, Léna and Cheng meet a strange character and his daughter, pursued by the Sphere. Once in Puerto Angel, the Vector identifies the man as being a great scientist whose research on water poses a threat to the Sphere. Mahad is more interested in his daughter, Astrid. She reveals a true surprise to him; Max is absolutely not the scientist who he claims to be.

Ep. 14 Shadows of the Past - Air date Nov. 12 - Mahad and Lena stumble upon a water tanker on a very strange course. Inside, they find Oslo, near-death and with the tanker set on an unchangable course for Oslo's home block, where his brother awaits.

Ep. 15 The Heart of the Arena - Air date Nov. 19 - Mahad is kidnapped and brought to Tak, a ringmaster who operates a popular fighting arena that provides entertainment for the Sphere and Skyland. It's up to Cortes, Lena and Dhalia to get Mahad back, but could they be walking into a trap?

Note: On the kids' show Rollercoaster on ABC Australia, episodes 8 & 9 were aired the other way around.

[edit] Movies

There is currently one Skyland movie, apparently written by Skyland's creator Emmanuel Gorinstein, in pre-production, with a budget of 23 million Euro, slated for release pre-Christmas 2007. Another two movies are said to be on the drawing board.

[edit] Organizations

Guardians - Elite corp of Seijens trained to discipline traitorous people and eforce the Sphere's power. Led by Oslo, they are very strict. Seijin children are taken from their families at a young age (with parents who resist killed) and are trained (and possibly brainwashed) to be used as Guardians. Oslo wishes to put Lena through the Guardian Academy.

Pirate Rebellion - A group of 'free' citizens who are opposed to the Sphere's control of Skyland and hope to free everyone trapped within it. Their numbers were numerous, under the command of Marcus Farrell. Unfortunately, during a huge offense against the Sphere, there were many causualties and Marcus might have died. Today, the remainder of the Rebellion live in hiding and struggle to survive and bring the Sphere down.

The Sphere - The Sphere who was formed from the world leaders. They installed a dictatorship to take over all of human kind, under the guise of bringing order to the chaos on the blocks post-break up of Earth. They enforce their control by controlling the water made available to citizens. Bitter citizens suggest that the reason they collect water is to make a swimming pool for their leaders. Resistance is not tolerated, and even an insult can earn the death penalty-- without trial. The Sphere does not yet have control over the outer fringes of the Archepellago, and the Pirates fight desperately to keep it that way.

Wind Devils The Wind Devils are a notorious group of outlaws who steal water from unprotected Sphere territory and surf the gravity waves. They are led by an old friend of Mahad known as Lucretia. They have one ship and a small squadron of red colored Mosquitoes.

[edit] Production details

Animation: The first part of the animation was produced by Attitude Studios of Paris, France with large amounts of facial animation work and rendering outsourced to DQ Entertainment in India. Susequently, the later part of the season has been completely animated and finalized in DQ Entertainment of Hyderabad, India using a completed motion capture shot in Attitude Studio. It appears to make extensive use of motion capture technology (i.e. animation modelled upon data from live actors) for a next-generation animation look. The music was composed by Paul Intson, of Canada. The sound design and 5.1 mix was by Jim Longo, Rhythm Division in Toronto, Canada, music editing by Rob Kilpatrick at Rhythm Division.