The Search Begins

"The Search Begins"
Season	1
Episode	4
Original Airdate	June 29, 1995
Running Time	No information
Directed by	No information
Translated by	No information
previous	Secret of Wildfire
next	Halo's Prison

"The Search Begins" is the fourth episode of Ronin Warriors. It was originally broadcasted on syndicated television during the summer of 1995, and was eventually aired through reruns on the SciFi channel, as well as part of Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block.

Summary

Ryo, Mia, and Yuli go to see Professor Koji in order to find the four Ronin Warriors. However, the evil of the Dynasty is at work and a life is lost as a result.

Ploy

Captured civilians

Within the Nether Realm, the captured citizens of Toyama are crowded together, frightened. While this is happening, Dais, Kale, and Sekhmet are criticizing Anubis on his failures. Talpa appears, annoyed that he still is not any closer to taking over the world. He, too, mentions Anubis' mistakes before informing his Warlords that, though Ryo has revived, it is only once all five armors come together that they can fully use their powers. He sends Sekhmet to find and destroy the sleeping Ronin's.

White Blaze runs alongside Mia's jeep as it drives down the road. Yuli sleeps in the backseat while Mia and Ryo discuss going to see her grandfather at the university. She believes he'll know more about where the other Ronin Warriors are. Ryo hopes she's right. He confides that he can't remember how he ended up in the volcano after the battle with Anubis in Toyama.

Dark clouds cover the sky over the university. A toxic mist covers the grounds, killing all the plants on campus. Sekhmet appears, cackling wickedly.

Yuli finds the dead plants

Yuli begs Mia and Ryo to make a pit stop so that he can see if his parents are home yet. Mia and Ryo try to tell him that there's no point, but he's so adamant that Mia eventually gives in. When they get there, Yuli rushes inside only to find the house is empty and none of the plants have been watered in a while. He cries, accepting the truth that his family has been taken by the Dynasty. He tells Mia and Ryo that he wants to help defeat the Dynasty so he can save his mom and dad. He goes to get the watering can so that he can water the plants. Ryo tells him there's no point since the plants are dead, only to earn a glare from Mia.

Arriving at the university

Sometime later, they finally pull up to the university to find the place covered in the power of evil. Mia brings her friends to her grandfather's office, where he is sitting in the dark. She introduces Ryo to him and asks for his help in finding the others. Dr. Koji, however, responds by telling her to accept the end and that finding the four Ronin's won't help. Mia can't believe he'd lose hope and decides to search the computer files herself.

Ryo poses for Yuli

Yuli, while exploring the room, finds an old camera, which he starts playing around with until he sees something unusual. One of the suits of armor in the glass cases has glowing red eyes. As he stares at it, it turns its head to face him. Yuli calls for Ryo, who attempts to calm him down. But White Blaze is growling at the armor, as well, which forces Ryo into action. He barely has time to warn Mia before the suits of armor come alive and attack him.

Ryo and White Blaze dispose of the possessed suits of armor, with some help from Yuli. The struggle is far from over, though, as Mia is attacked by her own grandfather, who has also been possessed by a Dynasty spirit. Ryo attacks the old man, despite Mia's protests. He stops short of landing a devastating blow, but it's enough to banish the spirit from the professor's body. Mia rushes to her grandfather's side. Unfortunately, he is beyond saving, having been infected by their poison. Using the last of his strength, he gives them the clue on how to find the other four Ronin Warriors before passing away.

Following the death of her grandfather, Mia is distraught, but decides to focus her grief into cracking the code that was left for her. Ryo tries to suggest that she rest but gives up after seeing how determined she is. Even Yuli agrees that she has to find the other four.

Outside, Sekhmet waits as well for the information on the Ronin's, but he is found by White Blaze, who could sense his evil presence.

Mia is quickly frustrated by her lack of progress. Ryo tells her not to be too hard on herself, but she reminds him of the consequences if she cannot figure out what it is her grandfather was trying to tell them. Ryo reassures her that he can fight alone if necessary, and Yuli quickly offers to help. Just then, they notice the light coming from out the window, signaling a battle on a nearby rooftop.

Sekhmet's six arms

Sekhmet and White Blaze are locked in the fierce throws of battle when Ryo arrives. He dons The Armor of Wildfire]] to take him on. Sekhmet uses his special attack, revealing two additional pairs of arms. Ryo is completely thrown off by this and does not dodge the attack in time.

Mia continues to struggle with the code while Yuli watches the battle from the window. Suddenly, she remembers the poem her grandfather used to tell her as a little girl. Mia realizes that the poem is the key to finding the other Ronin Warriors.

Ryo continues to fight against Sekhmet and his six arms. The poisoned strikes end up destroying much of the building Mia and Yuli are in. As the foundation collapses, Mia grabs the laptop and drags Yuli away from the window, where he is taking pictures of the battle. They make it out just as the building breaks apart. Ryo knows that he can't keep fighting indefinitely. Yuli calls out to him, holding up one of the pictures he took of Sekhmet during the battle. Turns out the Warlord of Venom only has one pair of arms, and he can move them very fast. With this knowledge, Ryo sheds his armor and offers to fight Sekhmet up on one of the remaining roofs. Sekhmet unleashes his special attack again, but Ryo dodges the move and grabs one of Sekhmet's own swords, using it to take the Warlord down. Sekhmet vanishes in a giant blast of his own power.

Back in the jeep driving away from the university, Ryo thanks Yuli for his help. Mia informs the Ronin that she's solved the riddle and that their next stop is the Catasota Gulch Pinnacles. Unbeknownst to them, Sekhmet emerges from the rubble of the university building, very much alive. He plans on following them straight to the other Ronin's.

The group stops for a bit by the ocean to watch the sun set. Yuli asks Mia if they're going to be able to save his parents. Mia tells him they will, and Ryo says that their first priority is to gather the rest of the Ronin Warriors to defeat Talpa. With their goal in mind, they set out for the Pinnacles.

Continuity

• Ryo, Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze continue to search for the other four Ronin Warriors, who were separated by Talpa in "Glory for Anubis."
• This is Sekhmet's first battle against any of the Ronin Warriors.
• Mia has finally returned to her grandfather with Ryo, the Ronin they saw on the news in "Shadowland."
• Dr. Koji is killed by Sekhmet's poison.
• Ryo, Mia, and Yuli believe that Sekhmet perished in the battle.
• Ryo, Mia, and Yuli make their way to the Catasota Gulch Pinnacles, where Mia believes they will find another of the Ronin Warriors.

Title

The "search" referenced in the title is the journey to find and reunite the Ronin Warriors. In this episode, Ryo and his friends gather information that will help them find the other four, which is the first step and the start of their quest.

Cast

Ryo of the Wildfire — Matt Hill
Mia — Lalainia Lindbjerg
Yuli — Christopher Turner
Talpa — Mina E. Mina
Anubis — Paul Dobson
Sekhmet — Ward Perry
Kale/Dr. Koji — Richard Newman
Dais — Matt Smith
Narrator — David Kaye
Yuli's Mother — Sara Anne Dafoe

Quotes

"I am pleased you see the mistakes of Anubis so clearly.  I won't expect you to make them again.  You realize that, although we now have millions of human souls under our control, my goals for this world are unobtained?!"

— Talpa is beginning to lose his patience.

"I've been thinking about it, why I survived.  I can't remember how I ended up in that volcano.  How did it happen?  I'm fighting, next thing I know, I'm covered in lava."

— Ryo contemplates what happened to him after the battle with Anubis.

"I'm gonna fight the Dynasty with you!  We'll beat them, then I'll rescue my parents!"

— Yuli finds his resolve.

Ryo: "Uh, it's kind of pointless to water plants when they're almost dead."
Mia: "Hmph-hmph!"

— Mia calls Ryo out for being insensitive.

Yuli: "AAH!!!  Ry-Ry-Ryo, the armor moved!"
Ryo: "Heh, I didn't know you were such a chicken.  Armor can't move by itself."

— Famous last words.

"A Dynasty spirit has possessed the doctor!"

— Ryo, stating the obvious.

"That does it!  I don't wanna end up like sliced salami."

— Ryo's done fooling around.

Yuli: "Just two of them are his real arms! He's just moving them really fast!"
Ryo: "Tell me about it.  So, Sekhmet, you power isn't just overwhelming body odor, but slight of hand, too."

— Yuli and Ryo figure out Sekhmet's trick.

"That's right, find your comrades.  Then I'll slaughter you all."

— Sekhmet continues to scheme.

Errors

Animation Mistakes

• When Ryo goes to congratulate White Blaze after fighting off the possessed suits of armor, the tiger's entire snout is black, including the fur. It happens again while he battles Sekhmet alone.
• During the fight with the possessed Prof. Koji, pausing at just the right moment will reveal that Ryo's gauntlet is missing. Instead, his entire hand has been painted white. This is exactly what happened to Rowen back in "Glory for Anubis."

See Also

• Poison Demon General Naaza's Trap