''Dragon Flyz'' is an

animated television series An animated series, or a cartoon series, is a set of Animation, animated films with a common title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same main heroes, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series ...

created by Savin Yeatman and produced by Gaumont Multimedia in association with Abrams/Gentile Entertainment. The show, based on a toy line by

Galoob Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc., was a toy company headquartered in South San Francisco, California. They are best known for creating Micro Machines, which accounted for 50% of its sales in 1989, and distributing the Game Genie in the United States. Hi ...

, ran for two seasons, in syndication in the United States and Europe, from 1996 to 1997. 26 episodes were produced. The series, set in a world following an event called the Cataclysm follows the Dragonators, who ride on dragons in

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

operations. David Perlmutter's ''Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows'' calls ''Dragon Flyz'' "a very transparent ad for a toy line, much like some of the other productions the Abrams/Gentile Studio was involved in at this time (see '' Happy Ness: The Secret of the Loch'' and '' Van-Pires'' for other examples)."

Plot and setting

The setting is a

post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...

version of the 41st century. The

disaster A disaster is an event that causes serious harm to people, buildings, economies, or the environment, and the affected community cannot handle it alone. '' Natural disasters'' like avalanches, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires are caused by na ...

responsible for the world's state is called the Cataclysm and is implied to have been caused by

nuclear warfare Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a War, military conflict or prepared Policy, political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are Weapon of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conven ...

. The Cataclysm caused the

extinction Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

of most of the Earth's inhabitants,

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

, and

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. The planet's surface has become barren and

volcanic A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often fo ...

, with rivers of

lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...

running across the surface. The surface world is mostly uninhabitable, with the exception of animals which have adapted to the environment. The surviving human population lives in the floating city of Airlandis. The series follows the adventures of the dragon-riders as they fight for

world domination World domination (also called global domination, world conquest, global conquest, or cosmocracy) is a hypothetical power structure, either achieved or aspired to, in which a single political authority holds power over all or virtually all the i ...

. The riders are either human or belong to a race resembling

reptiles Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

, gargoyles, and

demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, t ...

. From Airlandis, the Dragonators regularly travel to the surface to retrieve

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin. Examples of it have been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since antiquity."Amber" (2004). In Maxine N. Lurie and Marc Mappen (eds.) ''Encyclopedia ...

, which is used as a source of fuel and is usually obtained from lava pools or directly from the ground. It is also shown that some humans escaped the Cataclysm aboard a

space station A space station (or orbital station) is a spacecraft which remains orbital spaceflight, in orbit and human spaceflight, hosts humans for extended periods of time. It therefore is an artificial satellite featuring space habitat (facility), habitat ...

, on which the protagonists' mother now resides. They are often threatened by lightning storms,

air current In meteorology, air currents are concentrated areas of winds. They are mainly due to differences in atmospheric pressure or temperature. They are divided into horizontal and vertical currents; both are present at Mesoscale meteorology, mesoscale w ...

s, and

acidic An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis acid. The first category of acids are the ...

clouds called Warp Winds, through which the only safe passages are hollow mountains called Wind Pits. Despite the Cataclysm, some life survived due to being sheltered in an

oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment biosphere The biosphere (), also called the ecosphere (), is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on the Earth. The biosphere (which is technically a spherical shell) is virtually a closed system with regard to mat ...

s at its center, each simulating a different natural habitat and preserving the species rescued from the Cataclysm. The city's most important region is its power core, which is operated by the

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

Orac. Airlandis also has a runway for the Dragonators, an aviary where the dragons reside when not being used for flight, a chamber where matters of government are negotiated, Skywatch, where a team maintains the city's systems and monitors the skies, and a prison.

Characters

The main characters ride dragons for travel and combat, but also have the ability to fly short distances. The Dragonators use

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threat ...

-like wings known as exo-wings that sprout from the backplate of their armor, while Dreadwing and his minions, the Dramen, sprout membranous wings from their shoulders. Both types of wings disappear when not in use. The Dragonators' primary weapon is the Wind Jammer, a wrist-mounted weapon, while Dreadwing and the Dramen wield

glove A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger including the thumb. Gloves protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a ...

-like

cannons A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during t ...

Humans

Z'neth

*Callsign: Dragonator One *Armor Color: Cerulean *Dragon Steed: Riptor The leader of the Dragonators and the eldest of the four siblings, who values honor and integrity.

Summit

*Callsign: Dragonator Two *Armor Color: Forest green *Dragon Steed: Sky-Fury The second-eldest sibling. He is known for his witty remarks, short temper, and preference for physical strength.

Apex

*Callsign: Dragonator Three *Armor Color: Silver *Dragon Steed: Blazewind The third-oldest sibling. She prefers negotiation to conflict, and has telepathic abilities that allow her to communicate with dragons and partially manipulate half-dragons, such as Dramen. When using her powers, her eyes and those of her subject, glow silver.

Peak

*Callsign: Dragonator Four *Armor Color: Orange/purple *Dragon Steed: Wingstorm The youngest and most reckless of the siblings. He enjoys stunt-flying on dragons, which often gets him in trouble, and is egotistical and mischievous.

Amod

*Callsign: Dragonator Five *Armor Color: Brown *Dragon Steed: Titan A member of the Dragon Flyz and Peak's friend. He is skilled in battle, but initially disrespectful to dragons.

Zarkan

*Callsign: Dragonator Six *Armor Color: Black *Dragon Steed: Thunder A soldier of the Dragon Flyz who aids the Dragonators.

Nora

*Callsign: Dragonator Nine *Armor Color: Light blue *Dragon Steed: Unnamed The second female Dragonator in Airlandis, who Peak has a crush on, and who fights alongside the other Dragonators.

Aaron

*Armor Color: Red The father of the four siblings, who often acts as their advisor. He has no use of his legs and is therefore unable to walk, instead hovering above the ground. This is implied to be controlled by his staff, which has an Amber crystal. He is the strongest advocate on Airlandis's ruling council for finding a new place to live.

Orac

An engineer who maintains Airlandis' power generator.

Councillor Joshua

A ranking member of Airlandis' governing parliament, who often takes opposition to Aaron's position. Though his intentions are for the good of the populace, his impatience ultimately leads him to place Summit in prison, allowing Dreadwing control of Airlandis.

Mutants

Dreadwing

*Dragon Steed: Blackheart The main antagonist of the series, who lives in a crashed ship known as Warnado and commands a faction of Dramen.

Nocturna

*Dragon Steed: Unnamed Dreadwing's second-in-command, who serves him in exchange for a domain of her own. When Dreadwing offers her the Oasis in exchange for her continued loyalty, she accepts, but is angered when he destroys it. It is implied that she has a crush on Z'neth, as she is willing to ally herself with the Dragonators and help them at times.

Fryte

*Dragon Steed: Skunk A servant of Dreadwing, who is unquestioningly loyal to him. Like Nocturna, his dragon steed resembles him.

Gangryn

*Dragon Steed: Unnamed A mutant scientist who serves Dreadwing, but has his own ambitions and is willing to change allegiances for his own sake.

The Gremwings

Gremwings are bipedal, insect-like creatures who serve Dreadwing; they have great strength and come in hordes. Other species include a monocular, batlike species which serves to gather information and a similar species that feeds on blood.

The Dramen

*Dragon Steed: Unnamed The Dramen are large, gargoyle-like humanoids that can sprout wings from their bodies. Dreadwing's Dramen are sometimes seen supporting him and his lieutenants and riding dragons.

Dram

*Callsign: None *Armor Color: Dark brown *Dragon Steed: Titan A Dramen who Aaron raised after his village was mysteriously destroyed, and his loyalty to them has caused other Dramen to call him a traitor, much to his resentment. Although he has a dragon steed, Dram prefers to fly himself.

Vydak

The tribal leader of a clan of Dark Dramen who destroyed Dram's village and killed his family, and later enslaved another clan. In his first appearance, Dreadwing attempts to form an alliance with him, but this fails when Dram attempts to rescue the enslaved villagers. In his second appearance, his warriors meet with Dreadwing's army in a canyon before attacking Airlandis, but are unaware that their leaders are plotting to betray each other.

Dragons

There are three type of dragons that appear in the series. The most common are the Airlandian dragons, which have smooth-skinned, serpentine bodies, long, slender necks and tails, needle-like teeth, and

pterosaur Pterosaurs are an extinct clade of flying reptiles in the order Pterosauria. They existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous (228 million to 66 million years ago). Pterosaurs are the earli ...

-like wings on which they can walk. The second type is a large-bodied, four-legged breed with short necks that Fryte, Kreigo and Nocturna ride. The third type, of which Blackheart is the only example in the series, has characteristics of both types, but is larger and has the ability to consume lava and breathe fire. All dragons are intelligent and seem to understand human speech, and are loyal to their riders. When not on duty, Airlandian dragons live in a vast, hangarlike station consisting of nesting areas and a terraformed environment, including a lake.

Riptor

Z'Neth's dragon, a blue dragon with a nasal horn and two large crests. An Arlandian dragon, he is considered the leader of the dragons, as evidenced by his larger nest, collar, and crest armor. Riptor has a personal rivalry with Blackheart and is one of only two dragons and the only Airlandian dragon that can match his power.

Sky Fury

Summit's dragon, a green dragon with two brown horns. She is the only female among the protagonists' steeds and will not hesitate to take action, even without being given a command.

Fury's Cub

A small green dragon born early in the series. While still an egg, Nocturna, sent by Dreadwing to capture dragon eggs for Gangryn's genetic experiments, steals him from Fury to use in those experiments. As a result, he has the ability to project a paralyzing blast when he hatches. Dreadwing attempts to use this ability as a weapon, but fails when Sky Fury convinces him to join her.

Wing Storm

Peak's dragon, a young, steel-gray dragon with a spiky head and a long mouth. Both Wing Storm and Peak are reckless, though Wing Storm is the more cautious of the two.

Blazewind

Apex's dragon, a white dragon with a black mane. Blazewind is closer to his rider than others because of Apex's ability to communicate telepathically.

Blackheart

Dreadwing's dragon. A massive four-legged, long-necked, dragon with red scales and the ability to consume lava and breathe fire. Riptor is his rival and is his equal in power, but he was once defeated by the leader of a pack of wild dragons who could also breathe fire.

Episodes

The first three episodes were released as a stand-alone movie titled ''Dragon Flyz: The Legend Begins'' on December 3, 1996.

Toy line

There were two sets of Dragon Flyz toys released by Galoob. One set consists of the main characters in various costumes, equipped with rotating wings that enable them to fly, a launching device shaped as a dragon, and a DVD. The second set does not have the DVD, and the launcher does not look like a dragon. Variations include lone riders; lone dragons that fly by flapping their own wings; and figures that illuminate when launched. Most of the rider figures carry

firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

-like weapons. Galoob released a similar toyline aimed at girls, ''

Sky Dancers Sky Dancers are a line of toys that were popular in the mid-1990s and were the basis for an animated series. The toys consisted of a pull-string base and a doll with foam wings. When the doll was inserted into the base and the string was pulled ...

''.

Home media

''Dragon Flyz'' had five VHS releases released by Columbia TriStar Home Video, four numbered volumes with a single episode each and "Dragon Flyz: The Legend Begins", a compilation of the first three episodes. There have been two region 2 DVDs, each with three episodes, in addition to those sold alongside the toys. The series has been officially released for viewing on

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

by Mondo World.

References

External links

* {{Xilam 1990s American animated television series 1990s American children's television series 1996 American animated television series debuts 1997 American television series endings 1996 French television series debuts 1997 French television series debuts 1990s French animated television series Fiction set in the 5th millennium American children's animated science fantasy television series French children's animated science fantasy television series Post-apocalyptic animated television series Action figures Xilam Television series by Sony Pictures Television Television series set in the future Animated television series about dragons American children's animated action television series American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated drama television series French children's animated action television series French children's animated adventure television series French children's animated drama television series France Télévisions children's television series Television series about mutants First-run syndicated animated television series American post-apocalyptic television series Television series about nuclear war and weapons Extinction in fiction