The Fractured Fantasy Of Captain N (Captain N: The Game Master)

The Fractured Fantasy Of Captain N is the 7th episode of the third season of Captain N: The Game Master, and the series finale of the aforementioned series. In this episode, the N Team visits the Elfheim world of Final Fantasy to meet the prince, but Kevin Keene gets hypnotized by Astos and it is up to Princess Lana, Mega Man, and Pit to free Kevin and the prince from their curses. The episode aired alongside the mh:besttvshows:Super Mario World episode "Born to Ride". It is considered to be the worst episode in the entire series.

Why this Fantasy is Fractured

 * 1) Everything from the series in this episode - from the writing, animation, characterization, grasp on source material, and action scenes have hit their lowest in this episode.
 * 2) Kevin Keene (Captain N) has been heavily flanderized in this episode, changing from a good-hearted protagonist that takes on any game without much fear into a selfish jerk. For this episode, Kevin is jealous of visiting the prince for no reason whatsoever, despite having history of visiting other princes such as Prince Lyle or Prince Plenty in earlier episodes without reacting in such way. Not helping is the fact that nothing about Kevin's jealousy is even explained, making Kevin the secondary antagonist of this episode, which is ironic for a series that centers on him as a main protagonist. Kevin also barely learns anything in the end, as he continues to request Matoya (the witch) to keep the prince asleep for longer.
 * 3) Kevin becomes hypnotized as Astos' servant not even two minutes into the episode, and the majority of the episode focuses more on Princess Lana, Mega Man, and Pit instead.
 * 4) Much like the other episodes of Captain N, it has an awful and insulting grasp on the original game Final Fantasy:
 * 5) * None of the characters from the game (even Astos' true form) looks remotely close to their original game counterpoints or artwork. The prince of Elfheim looks like a generic human instead of an elf, Matoya looks like an actual witch instead of an elderly robed wizard, and Astos is originally depicted as a friar monk instead of a poor king.
 * 6) * Matoya is somehow capable of petrifying people, a spell that is never seen in the original game.
 * 7) * Astos does not ask for a crown to review his true intention; he is only revealed in his true form via the Crystal Eye instead. He is also depicted using a sword, which is also not used by him in the original game.
 * 8) Abysmal animation, per the typical of the season 3 episodes of Captain N.
 * 9) * A notable error that occurs is that Princess Lana, Mega Man, and Pit sinks into quicksand that is colored blue, making it look like they're drowning in water instead.
 * 10) The episode goes at a slow and lazy pace, killing any comedic timing that was present.
 * 11) It also has a lot of filler scenes that can be taken out without any difference. An infamous example is the scene where Matoya petrifies Lana before a commercial break, but right after the break, Matoya then undoes the curse after Pit states who they are.
 * 12) Large number of plotholes, such as a lack of explanation for how Kevin dislikes the prince, Kevin entering a warphole with a jug of tainted water only to never be seen with it again, or how Lana obtained a key from the prince.
 * 13) Generic and boring action and chase scenes.
 * 14) Astos (and Captain N) does not get his comeuppance at the end, unlike most of the villains in the series.
 * 15) It was a horrific way to end the Captain N series, although the original run continued to solder through with cut-down reruns of season 2 episodes.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) Even though Kevin does not learn much of his lesson at the end, he does admit that he can be content being who he is.
 * 2) The overall plot does somehow fit into how it is also done in the original game, as it deals with the protagonists having to defeat Astos to wake the sleeping prince.

Comments
