The Quest

"The Quest" is the first episode of the Dark Water miniseries, which later became the first episode of The Pirates of Dark Water season one. It aired on February 25, 1991 on Fox Kids, and then reaired on September 7, 1991 on ABC. It was written by Lane Raichert, Mark Young, and Kelly Ward, directed by Don Lusk, and voice directed by Gordon Hunt.

A dying old man who claims to be Ren's father sets him on a quest to restore the kingdom of Octopon to its former glory by searching for thirteen hidden treasures scattered across Mer.

Memorable quotes
Tula: For adventure. Ioz: For treasure. Ren: For Octopon. Niddler: For crying out loud, when are we going to eat?

Characters

 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Primus
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ren
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| George Newbern
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Jenna
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Linda Gary
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bloth
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Brock Peters
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Brigmaster
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Niddler
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Roddy McDowell
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Konk
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Tim Curry
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Constrictus
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavaliable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Priest
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Alomar
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tula
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jodie Benson
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ioz
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Hector Elizondo
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joat
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Andre Stojka
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Alomar
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tula
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jodie Benson
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ioz
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Hector Elizondo
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joat
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Andre Stojka
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Hector Elizondo
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joat
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Andre Stojka
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Andre Stojka

Locations

 * Mer
 * Octopon
 * Jenna's residence
 * Abbey of Galdebar
 * Inn

Objects

 * Ren's compass
 * 1st treasure of Rule

Vehicles

 * Primus's boat
 * Maelstrom
 * Wraith

Filming
Roddy McDowell was replaced with Frank Welker for the series proper, who then recorded McDowell's lines for this episode, too.

The episode was copyrighted in 1991.

Music
The music was composed by Tom Chase and Steve Rucker. The director of music production was Bodie Chandler.

Crew credits

 * Executive producers: David Kirschner, Paul Sabella, Mark Young
 * Producer: John Dorman
 * Additional dialogue: Jim Woodring
 * Creative designer: Iwao Takamoto
 * Supervising director: Ray Patterson
 * Animation directors: Joanna Romersa, Allen Wilzbach, Joan Drake, Robert Alvarez, Shinich Yoshikawa, Masaru Tonokouchi, Kiyotaka Kantake, Katsuhisa Yamada, Takuya Noda
 * Production designer: Floro Dery
 * Storyboard artists: Jim Woodring, Adrian Gonzales, Tim Burgard, Alfredo Alcala, Keith Tucker, Gil Kane, Lane Raichert
 * Animation casting director: Kris Zimmerman
 * Talent coordinator: Jamie Thomason
 * Graphic artists: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke
 * Graphics assistant: Parviz Parandoush
 * Design supervisor: Scott Jeralds
 * Character designer: Tim Burgard
 * Design assistants: Barbara Krueger, Mario Williams, Dana Granger, Viki Kirch, Scott Hill, Eric Clark
 * Layout supervisor: Takashi Saijo
 * Animation supervisors: Frank Andrina, Shinich Yoshikawa, Takuya Noda
 * Background supervisor: Al Gmuer
 * Animators: Toshi Mizumura, Hiroaki Kawaguchi, Akira Watanabe, Yoshinori Kanamori, Romy Garcia, Marie Mascarina, Achiu So, Wincat Alcala, Jess Espanola, Luis Dimaranan
 * Background key artists: Craig Robertson, Andrew Phillipson, Joe Ringgeli, James Hegedus, Eric Heschong
 * Background key designers: Gerald Forton, Gil Kane, Carol Lundberg, Herb Hazelton, Lew Ott
 * Xerographer: Star Wirth
 * Ink and paint supervisor: Alison Leopold
 * Color stylist: Karen Greslie
 * Production coordinator: Vicki Casper
 * Animation checking supervisor: Jan Adams
 * Animation checker: Howard Schwartz
 * Production assistants: Tori Pollock, Sandy Benenati, Shannon Fallis-Kane, Nancy Grimaldi, Olivia Knighton, Debby Lathrop, Margot McDonough, Rosalinda Moore
 * Program administrator: Barbara Simon Dierks
 * Supervising film editors: Terry W. Moore, Larry C. Cowan
 * Editors: Gil Iverson, Tim Iverson, Michele Douglas
 * Music editors: Cecil E. Broughton, Robert S. Birchard
 * Sound editor: Sound Off Studios
 * Sound directors: Alvy Dorman, Stan Wetzel
 * Track readers: Jim Hearn, Kay Douglas, Carol Iverson, Kerry Iverson, Denise Whitfield
 * Negative consultant: William DeBoer, Jr.
 * Produced in association with: Fil-Cartoons, Tama Production Co.
 * Production supervisors: Jerry Smith, Kunio Shimamura
 * Executive in charge of production: Jayne Barbera

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: February 25, 1991 on Fox Kids; September 7, 1991 at 9:30 am on ABC

Marketing and promotion
Around the time of its second airing, Marvel Comics adapted this into the first issue of their limited series.

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * December 19, 1991: Turner Home Entertainment releases The Pirates of Dark Water: The Saga Begins on VHS.
 * March 12, 1992: Image Entertainment releases The Pirates of Dark Water: The Saga Begins on Laserdisc.
 * August 31, 2010: Warner Archive Collection releases The Pirates of Dark Water: The Complete Series on DVD.
 * In the United Kingdom & Ireland:
 * 1991: First Independent releases The Pirates of Dark Water: The Saga Begins on VHS.