Sean Taylor Creates the Hanna Barbera Cinematic Universe (or conversely, Sean Taylor Destroys the Hanna Barbera Heroverse)
Phase 1: The Universe Begins
Dr. Zin is kidnapping various scientists looking to create a weapon that can open doorways to other planets. It's a weapon because it basically acts as an atomic bomb to the world it opens up. When Dr. Benton Quest is taken, it's up to Race (and the kids who have sneaked in with him, and Bandit too, of course) to save him, with help from some intel from Falcon 7. This movie also introduces Buzz's dad (Frankenstein Jr. creator) as another kidnapped scientist and eventual member of Quest's Council of Science Advisors. When the machine is tested, it opens up a portal not to another dimension, but in the vastness of space, and sucks in a temporarily powerless Space Ghost. His gauntlets are taken for study and he is left for dead. Now powerless, he joins Race and the kids to stop any further work on the weapon and reclaim his gauntlets.
(Mid Credits Scene) Falcon 7 and his team enter a bomb shelter where they open a cryogenic chamber that reads “Clone 013-A9.” Inside is a mostly naked man. On the walls around them are monitors showing a suit designed with wings and solar receptors.
(Post Credits Scene) Buzz and his dad are putting the finishing touches on Frankenstein Jr. when Buzz's dad is called away by an emergency call from Falcon 7. Left alone with the giant robot, Buzz smiles wide and tells the computer, “Let's get to work.”
After his adventure with the Quests, Space Ghost is able to return to his own part of the universe. There he learns of a plot between Mind Taker, Eclipse Woman, and Creature King to devalue the economies of an entire planetary system and leave the newly poor worlds powerless before the big bad who is pulling their strings. After the trio decimates the remaining members of the force on Ghost Planet, Space Ghost finds himself alone, except for two teenagers he was able to discover on the lifeless husk of the planet (and their pet). He knows he will need help, and he journeys to seek out the assistance of special forces group that broke off from a rival organization—The Galaxy Trio (formerly of the Galactic Patrol). Together with his new allies, and his teen sidekicks, he is able to stop the trio and keep the planets from becoming easy fodder for the still unknown big bad (seen only in silhouette that looks like Brak).
(Mid Credits Scene) Space Ghost visits Amzot to accompany a supply to Dorno and Tara, warning them of the potential fall-out should the warring worlds reach Amzot.
(Post Credits Scene) Dr. Zin is at a dig in the desert, when a worker calls to him and then shows him one half of an ancient ring they are digging up.
Princess Serena (of the Sun People) is visiting Amzot with her recent new husband when she is abducted by Darkon of the Faceless. In their efforts to rescue her, they learn that Darkon was working for Sta-Lak, and that the plan was to replace leaders of various worlds with artificial beings under his control. Of course, the Herculoids rescue the princess, but in doing so, they reveal the awesome powers of their animal friends, and become targets of Sta-Lak as well. After stealing the animals and harvesting their DNA, the family breaks them free, but now must face a small army of clones of their animals under the power of the villain.
(Mid Credits Scene) On a world very much like Azmot, a teenager is running away from home. While being attacked by wild animals, he breaks away a stick from a tree and when he swings it to defend himself, he becomes a mighty warrior—an ancient legend called Mightor!
(Post Credits Scene) After the battle, when the Herculoids are on their way home across the mostly barren land, a portal opens on their world and they are sucked into it. When they get their bearings, they see a city landscape they don't recognize—surprise, it's the New York skyline.
4. The Once and Future Quest
Rifts are opening up all over the earth from other worlds and creatures unknown to humanity are getting through. Falcon 7 assembles the Quests, the untested clone hero Birdman, and the robotic juggernaut Frankenstein Jr. to battle the creatures and help return any peaceful alien species to a hidden base in the antarctic. But it's not enough of them when the portals start to open even more rapidly. Luckily Space Ghost arrives with the Galaxy Trio to join in the efforts. Meanwhile, a family of “barbarians” and their alien pets discover a city that wants to destroy them. Only the timely arrival of a flying “caveman” called Mightor can save them from the U.S. Army. Working desperately, Dr. Quest discovers that Zin has somehow managed to capture a djinn from the ancient world and is using its power to finish the project that was spoiled back in the first movie (Jonny Quest). With the magical power of Mightor, the heroes just might have a chance, especially considering the powerful new allies they've found in the Herculoids. In the end, Mightor's club is able to separate Zin from the ring, and sends Shazzan back to wherever he rests. The world begins to heal.
(Mid Credits Scene) Brak returns to a citadel in space to report that Zin has failed to prepare the earth, yet again. He entered the main chamber and looks up to a darkened figure sitting on a giant throne. We don't know it yet, but it's Moltar. He is not pleased with the news.
(Post Credits Scene) Searching around the site of the final battle, Jonny and Hadji discover the two halves of the djinn's summoning ring.
Phase 2: The Universe Grows
5. Jonny Quest: Monarch of the Sands
*This one has the Easter egg of the group stopping by The Pitstop, where ace mechanic Penelope (now in her 50s) is working on Race's car. She introduces her new assistant, Tink, and we get a glimpse of a smart car he is building that is half covered by a tarp.
Curious to discover the origin of the djinn's rings, Dr. Quest takes his family on a trip to Persian ruins that are being excavated. A rival scientist is possessed by the spirit of Mithra. Driven to rage by all the broken contracts in the history of his people, he plans to wipe the country clean of all foreign influence. Hadji and Jonny use the rings to call Shazzan to battle the god directly, while they and Race and Dr. Quest join the children of the rival scientist, twin brother and sister Chuck and Nancy to stop the situation from escalating into war between the native and occupying forces.
(Mid Credits Scene) At their father's funeral, Chuck and Nancy take the rings offered to them by the Quests and promise to make up for their father's wrongs.
(Post Credit Scene) Moltar meets with his generals to plan the next stage of the takeover of Earth and reveals the strategic importance of the planet—it's molten core contains particles from the big bang itself and the planet can be converted to a super weapon. Well, once all those pesky earthlings are destroyed of course.
6. Space Ghost: Revolution
Space Ghost and the kids are searching the universe looking to rebuild the corps. Only, Brak and his crew seem to always beat them to the various worlds and either fight them outright or poison the peoples' minds toward the corps. Still reeling from the defeat of his minions in the previous movie, he leads an army to stop this new group of intergalactic do-gooders before it really gets started. In the midst of his battle, the kids infiltrate Brak's army as recruits and learn of an attempt to test a method of converting the molten center of a planet into a bomb. The name of the test planet—Amzot! Unfortunately, the kids are captured and must use their wits to escape while Space Ghost if busy with enough problems of his own in battle. And they still have to get word to the Herculoids on Amzot so they can prepare to defend their world.
*An Easter egg for this one will be the fully aquatic world, where one of the new recruits is a telepathic shark creature who is also trying to learn to speak the languages of humanoids.
(Mid Credit Scene) Brak has to face Moltar again after another defeat. Moltar tells him that even his failures can't mess up the master plan and to begin the invasion of Amzot. We have a wide pan and spread that reveals millions of creatures that look like a full-on, creepy version of Zorak (sort of like the creatures in Starship Troopers).
(Post Credit Scene) Tink takes his new “Speed Buggy” out of a spin and then goes to sign up for the Amateur Inventors Annual Auto Race, or “The Wacky Race.”
In the opening fifteen minutes of this flick, Brak and “Zorak” army completely take over Amzot and begin their plans to convert the planet into a bomb. The Herculoids split up to try to recruit former enemies to join together and take back their world. Then they plan to attack when Moltar wishes the planet to oversee the final arrangement. Together, they are able to keep the planet from being activated as a bomb, but not without losses, including Zandor. In a special ceremony, Tara promotes Dorno to manhood and new leader of the family while she goes into isolation to mourn according to her customs. Dorno commits to rebuilding a different and more peaceful planet among its peoples.
(Mid Credits Scene) While exploring the planet, Dorno and Tundra encounter another human, a boy younger than Dorno who lives with dinosaur-like beings. Only, as Dorno tries to befriend the kid, a group of raptors attacks them all.
(Post Credits Scene) Reeling from defeat, Moltar has Brak dragged off to the prison asteroid. Brak vows revenge against his master. When Brak is gone, Moltar gets an incoming message from the actual Zorak, who questions how he could have failed with an entire army of his kind at his disposal.
Returning to his home planet, Tor is trying to fit in among his people again after his adventures on and his long time spent on Earth. While Tor is having a tough time, my alter-ego Mightor is quickly becoming a hero and a legend. Blessed with new technology by a coalition that serves as benefactor to non-technological worlds, his society is changing—both for good and evil. As part of the technology exchange pact, groups of young men and women are drafted for the coalition forces. When Mightor learns that the coalition is just the public face for Moltar's group, he fights back, quickly loses his status as a hero and legend. And to make matters worse, the leader of the local coalition forces discover another magic club, this one in the grip of a long-dead corpse (Easter egg—It's Captain Cavemen, or it was!) and use it to create a sort of “Anti-Mightor” to take him down once and for all.
(Mid Credits Scene) Flashback to the final moments of the war to stop the portals all over earth. Three small portals open up in a rock and roll bar, and a single alien falls through each one, two guys and a girl. As they try to get their bearings, the portals close, and they are left alone in the bar. The owner, who lives upstairs, comes down to see what the noise is, sees the portals close, and says, “Well, I figure you three are stuck here, and could use some work.” He nods toward the stage and the instruments still set up and says, “Don't suppose you can play? My last band got eaten by plant monsters.”
(Post Credits Scene) Racing across the desert in the “Wacky Race,” Tink and his Speed Buggy are a bit behind the rest of the races thanks to a series of setbacks that have Tink super frustrated and borderline angry. A satellite crashes and nearly takes them out. The satellite beeps and boops and says finally, “Alternate A.I. discovered. Transfer initiating.” After a few moments, Tink says, “What the heck just happened?” Speed Buggy answers, “New storage will be sufficient. Designation requested.” Tink, clearly confused, asks incredulously, “Speed Buggy? You can talk now?” “Designation Speed Buggy Accepted.”
The Galaxy Trio is framed by the Galactic Patrol, which has now been secretly taken over by Moltar's coalition, and based on fabricated evidence, the three go on the run from their former officers. Hiding out on a backwater world, the trio tries to fit in by working with a local group of laborers. They learn of a plot by the corporations to make the laborers little more than slaves by killing the leaders of the group to stop any political movement to grant rights to the worker class. Determined to help, the trio must walk a fine line between using their powers and not getting discovered. Of course, after they are able to help, the opposition outs them and uses the opportunity to launch their biggest attack on the laborers while the trio is otherwise occupied by the Galactic Patrol. In the end, they save the day and escape off-planet, still on the run and still framed.
(Mid Credits Scene) Randy Crown is having the worst day of his life. His stocks have plummeted. His wife just left him and is raking him over the coals. Of course, he knows it's all his fault. He spent way too much time being a rich playboy and not enough time focusing on his business and his family. Now, alone and down to his last million, he meets with the one member of his staff who still talks with him, who tells him that if he's willing to take the risk, he believes the company can be saved. Then he unveils the plans for a robotic weapon that can be disguised as various animal forms and sold to the military.
(Post Credits Scene) The Galaxy Trio received a call from the shark being called “Jabber Jaw,” so named because he eats up so much time on the communications hub for the newly re-founded Ghost Corps. The call is a warning about some intel that was discovered after a recent arrest. It seems that Moltar's group is attempting to transport an entire planet across space and could the trio look into it in exchange for the Corps helping to clear their names.
10. Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles
The movie begins with an explosion at Conroy Labs, one that kills Dr. Conroy, leaving teen orphan Buzz a ward of his uncle Edgar, who also assumes leadership of the company in his stead until the boy turns 18. Edgar immediately focuses all robotics projects to military development, which goes against Dr. Conroy's desire to serve people and improve society for all through robotics technology. Buzz finds himself cut off from access to Frankenstein Jr. and begins a secret plan to discover his uncle's plans, regain access to his robotic friend, and vandalize any military projects his uncle has begun. What he discovers is that his uncle is no longer the man he once knew. Instead, his mind is gone and his body has been taken over by an alien brain from space. The brain is creating weapons that will ultimately allow it to reach the molten center of the earth and weaponize the core. In order to get his robot back, Buzz enlists the help of a band he discovered when he and some friends went to a concert at a bar. When they recognized him as Buzz from the news stories, they immediately sought him out to see if he could help them return to their own worlds. Sharing a common goal, they discover the hidden plot (and that the brain was behind Dr. Conroy's death) and band together to stop the invasion of the core.
(Mid Credits Scene) A traveling female Buddhist monk, while visiting Budapest, uses her martial arts to help protect a group of tourists from a wolf attack during a full moon. She fends them off, but is bitten during the process. As the moon turns red, she watches her own hands grow claws and full of fur.
(Post Credits Scene) In Moltar's citadel, his minions prepare for the next phase of his plans for earth. They will transport an entire planet into its orbit to disturb the environment enough to destroy the humans living there. Gravity, heat, light, tides, green house, etc.—the disruption will affect them all. When asked for the planet to target, Moltar says, “Amzot. I will have my vengeance on that annoying world.”
11. The Quest to End All Quests
All is well, and the earth is still healing after all the portals that nearly wrecked the planet. So imagine the surprise when another planet (Amzot) suddenly appears in the opposite position of earth's orbit. Just as suddenly, the earth seems to want to destroy its population with tidal waves, overheating in some places, flash freezing in other places, This has the earth's super-beings so busy they can't really focus on solving the real problem—moving that other planet back to where it belongs. On Amzot, the situation is also dire, as the planet is no longer spinning, but instead standing still in its new orbit, giving one side nothing but daylight and overheating and one side nothing by night and freezing—the higher proximity to the sun is also having an increase in pressure and gravity that is causing the planet to slowly rip apart, with chunks being pulled off into space.
On earth, Dr. Benton Quest and his Science Council (including Race's ex Estella Valasquez and their daughter Jesse) are putting their minds together to search for solutions. Space Ghost and the Galaxy Trio arrive to offer what help they can. Learning that Amzot is falling apart, the cosmic heroes mount an effort with both the Ghost Corps and the Galactic Patrol to salvage as much of the population and culture from Amzot to a multi-island reserve away from shipping paths in the middle of the ocean. At the same time, Buzz and the Impossibles have been on a quest to track down a new group of heroes to help out—including a martial artist werewolf (Hong Kong Phooey, the number one super girl), Tink and Speed Buggy, Moby Dick, and a super-determined and highly impersonal costumed crimefighter who calls himself Blue Falcon and his android dog weapon. But will all that be enough to stop the bad guys when Moltar and his army arrive to oversee the battle personally—even with the help that arrives when Mightor transports the Herculoids and Dino Boy to earth to join the find.
In the end, Amzot is destroyed, its surviving inhabitants moved to Earth except for the ones who instead choose to be repatriated to other inhabitable or already inhabited worlds. Moltar is defeated and basically left for dead to crawl home. Humans must learn how to co-exist not just with each other but also all the new alien species now living there.
(Mid Credits Scene) At a secret meeting on one of the islands near the united islands of Amzot, Dr. Quest and Falcon 7 oversee a meeting of all of earth's supers. It looks like a live-action version of the big group shots of Justice League Unlimited. “We need to be better prepared,” says Falcon 7, “and, as such, we are going to get way more organized.”
(End Credits Scene) Buzz, Hadji, Jesse, and Jonny are visiting a coffee shop to celebrate the latest victory when Buzz and Jonny notice a pretty girl walk in with her mixed-breed dog, Goliath. The staff tells her the dog isn't allowed inside, but Jonny comes to her aid and offers to watch the dog for her outside while she orders. She agrees and meets him at an outside table. “He likes you,” she says, Jonny notices the ancient Hebrew on her gold bracelets. “I have my own dog. Maybe he knows that somehow. Nice jewelry, by the way. Is that the Hebrew word for power?” She responds. “You read Hebrew?! Wow.” Then, “Hi, I'm Samantha, Sam for short.”
