Jackie Chan Adventures
Jackie Chan Adventures is a Warner Brothers animated TV series which depicts a fictionalized version of film star Jackie Chan. Many of the episodes contain references to Chan's actual works.
Table of contents |
Story
Each episode contains a 20-minute animated piece followed by the live-action Chan answering questions from young viewers.
In Jackie Chan Adventures, Chan is a famous archaeologist (the real-life Chan never had formal education outside of opera school) living in San Francisco with his uncle, who is the owner of an antiques shop. At the beginning of the series, his 11-year old niece Jade from Hong Kong moves in to stay with them (it is to be noted that the real-life Chan does have siblings from Shandong, although it is not well-known if Chan has any relatives matching Jade's description). Meanwhile, a criminal organization known as the Dark Hand seeks some of the artifacts recovered by Chan for a magic-related purpose. The Dark Hand's activities are monitered by a covert government operation known as Section 13, led by Augustus Black, an old friend of Jackie.
Each season of Jackie Chan Adventures has a main storyline along with several sidestories. In the first season, the Dark Hand seeks the twelve magical talismans (named for the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac), each of which could wield the holder special powers, in order to revive the demon Shendu. With Shendu defeated in the second season and being reduced to a spirit, Shendu manages to convince his seven demon brethren of his plan to return them all from banishment. Again, they are foiled by the Chans. In the third season, Daolon Wong, a villain introduced in the second season, seeks to retrieve the talisman powers from their twelve namesake animals after Jackie had destroyed the talismans when both Daolon Wong and the Dark Hand enforcers try to steal them from Section 13, culminating in Daolon Wong's revival of Shendu (in an attempt to gain the dragon powers) and subsequent recreation of the talismans. The fourth season begins with the revival of the oni Tarakudo and his attempt to reunite nine masks, each of which contained the power of the Shadowkhan. The fifth season has Drago, the son of Shendu (introduced in the fourth season) attempting to absorb the chi of the eight demons.
Characters
- Jackie Chan (Chan live-action, James Sie animated) – Jackie is an archaeologist in the series, who is forced into many adventures after being spured on by his uncle and close friend to stop the Dark Hand from evils.
- Jade Chan (Stacie Chan) – Jade is Jackie's Hong Kong-born niece, who quickly adapts to American culture. She is adventurous, and to that extent, frequently disobeys his uncle's advice to remain in safety, preferring to accompany Jackie as he uses his martial arts abilities.
- Uncle Chan (Sab Shimono) – Uncle, as he is known (his actual name unrevealed), is the uncle to Jackie and great-uncle to Jade. He is an antique store owner, and an accomplished chi wizard, learning his skills from one Master Fong. He has a stereotypical Chinese accented drawl, and often uses Cantonese in many aspects of his speech (his magic incantation is, in fact, Cantonese slang). As a child, he was part of the Seven Little Fortunes opera troupe (a troupe that the real-life Jackie was a part of), and thus received opera school training. HIs character is ostensibly based on Charles Chan, the father to Jackie.
- Tohru (Noah Nelson) – Tohru was once the large enforcer of the Dark Hand and personal servant of Valmont, its leader. However, he quickly changed allegiences when the Dark Hand manages to revive Shendu, who then double-crosses them. Forced to fight Shendu alone, he was quickly defeated, and subsequently turned himself into Section 13's authorities. After an ordeal that allowed Tohru some degree of freedom, he became Uncle's apprentice in his magic. In the later parts of the series, he is billed as a sumo wrestler, although having no training in such an area. In the fourth season, he is also found to be a descendant of a samurai.
- Captain Augustus Black (Clancy Brown) – Captain Black is the head of Section 13 and Jackie Chan's longtime friend. Although he had strongly believed against the existence of magic (perhaps as a government policy), he quickly changed his beliefs when he saw Shendu with his own eyes. Since then, he is frequently covering up the actions of Jackie as he undertakes his various magic-related adventures.
- El Toro Fuerte (Miguel Sandovan) – El Toro Fuerte (often abbreviated El Toro) is a Mexican masked luchador, who prides himself at never removing his mask. Originally the holder of the Ox Talisman, which granted super strength, he gives up the talisman to prove that his skills are legitimate.
- Paco (Franco Velez) – Paco is El Toro Fuerte's #1 fan, who believes that El Toro is the greatest fighter ever. Although his belief has been questioned throughout the series, he remains loyal to El Toro, who had given him his own mask as a reward of loyalty, and became a sidekick to El Toro.
- Viper (Susan Eisenberg) – Viper is an ex-thief who had, ironically enough, stolen the Snake Talisman before repenting her ways. Although there remains persistent doubts as to her trustworthiness, she is usually valued in times of need.
- The Dark Hand
- Valmont (Julian Sands in season one, Andrew Abelson season two onwards): the leader who hails from the United Kingdom
- Finn (Andrew Baldwin) the Irish comedian of the Dark Hand
- Ratso (Clancy Brown) – a dimwitted strongman
- Chow (James Sie) – the shortest member of the group
- Hak Foo (Jim Cummings in season one, John DiMaggio seson two onwards) – the strongest member who always names the attack he is performing
- Daolon Wong, a Dark Chi wizard
- Shendu, the Demon Sorcerer of Fire who was turned to stone by the ancient warrior Lo Pei
- The Shadowkhan, a group of shadow warriors initially controlled by Shendu
- Tarakudo, the king of all Shadowkhan
- The Demon Sorcerers
- Tchang Zu of Thunder--Immortal Item is Castanets--Portal in Los Angeles
- Po Kong of the Mountains--Immortal Item is Drum--Portal in Japan
- Xiao Fung of Wind--Immortal Item is Fan--Portal in a prison
- Hsi Wu of the Sky--Immortal Item is flute--Portal in San Fransisco
- Tso Lan of the Moon--Immortal Item is Lotus--Portal in Space Station
- Dai Gui of Earth--Immortal Item is Flower--Portal in Spain
- Bai Tza of Water--Immortal Item is Gourd--Portal in colosseum in Rome
The Twelve Talismans
The Talismans appeared in the first season of the show, and have reappeared frequently since. Each of the twelve Talismans bears an engraving of one of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and represents one of the magical powers that was stripped from Shendu when he was defeated by the immortal Lo Pei. The powers can be used by others, too, and are usually activated by holding in the hand. When the Talismans were destroyed by Jackie, their powers inhabited unique 'noble animals' of the type depicted on the talismans. The Talisman powers were removed from these animals and locked into talismans again at the end of Season 3. The talisman powers are as follows.
- Tiger: Balance (of the Yin Yang variety) – When split in two, it divides the user into two individuals, one representing Yin and the other Yang. The power of the Tiger Talismen balances out the conflicting powers of the other Talismens.
- Rabbit: Super speed
- Dragon: Combustion – This talisman allows the user to shoot fireballs out of the talisman. It should be noted that Shendu, as the Demon Sorceror of Fire, was still able to *breathe* fire without this talisman
- Snake: Invisibility
- Horse: Healing Power
- Sheep: Astral Projection
- Monkey: Shape-Shifting (Animal shapes only) – The user of this talisman could change themselves or any other individual into an animal of their choice
- Rooster: Levitation/Telekinesis
- Dog: Immortality/Invulnerbility/Youthful Energy
- Pig: Heat Beam Eye Blasts
- Rat: "Motion to the Motionless" – This talisman is able to bring any inanimate object to life when affixed to it. Objects in the form of a living creature (for example statues or toys) will become that creature (including all eccessorires)
- Ox: Super Strength
Episodes
Season 1 (The Twelve Talismans)
Jackie Chan, an archaeologist in this series, gets caught up in a conflict between the government agency Section 13, and a criminal syndicate known as the Dark Hand, which is collecting magic talismans to reanimate an ancient dragon/demon known as Shendu. On top of this, he has to keep an eye on his niece Jade.
- The Dark Hand: Jackie Chan joins Section 13 to stop the Dark Hand from getting the Rooster Talisman.
- The Power Within: Jade accidently swallows the Rooster Talisman!
- The Mask of El Toro Fuerte: Jackie goes after the Ox Talisman in Mexico and finds it attached to the mask of Mexican wreslter El Toro Feurte.
- Enter Viper: Jackie and Jade must stop criminal Viper from using the Snake Talisman to steal jewels in New York City.
- Shell Game: The Rabbit Talisman is discovered embedded in the shell of the giant tortoise Aesop, and Jackie must both retrieve the Talisman and protect the rare creature.
- Project A, for Astral: Jade accidentally uses the Sheep Talisman and has her body stolen by Shendu. Shendu gets a free trip to MooseWorld.
- Bullies: Valmont steals the Dragon Talisman and uses it to steal money from Fort Knox against Shendu's wishes.
- Tough Break: Jade accidently drops the Rat Talisman in her toy and it comes alive, causing no end of mischief.
- The Rock: Jackie is poisoned by the Dark Hand at Mount Rushmore and he is slowly turning to stone. In exchange for the antidote, Valmont demands that Jackie deliver all the Talismans in the Section 13 vault.
- The Jade Monkey: Jackie, Jade and the Dark Hand are washed up on a island in Micronesia after fighting over the Monkey Talisman. Jade becomes a monkey, but another monkey steals the talisman and she is unable to change back.
- The Dog and Piggy Show: Valmont hires Hak Foo to retrieve the Dog and Pig Talismans from Jackie, Uncle and Jade in... ugh... Bavaria.
- The Tiger and the Pussycat: Jackie gets the Tiger Talisman and its power splits Jackie into his light and dark sides. The Dark Jackie gives the talismans to Valomnt, who then revives Shendu!
- Day of the Dragon: Jackie goes to fight Shendu in China to get the talismans. With help from Jade and Uncle, Jakcie manages to defeat Shendu and Jade destroys Shendu's body.
Season 2 (The Demon Sorcerers)
Tohru is reformed, and is studying as Uncle's apprentice. Shendu has been defeated, and banished to a dimensional prison, where his seven demonic siblings are not happy with his failure to rescue them. In a last-ditch attempt to save face (and his skin), he breaks out and possesses Valmont, using his body and the Dark Hand to try to open the Demon Doors, Portals to the Demon Sorcerors' prison, and allow them to escape.
This season also introduces the Dark Chi Wizard Daolon Wong.
Some episodes in this season (particularly early episodes) occur out of order, and depict events that occurred during the first season but were never shown. This is most notable due to the fact that Tohru is still working for the Dark Hand. Other episodes, while ostensibly occurring in chronological order, have no bearing on the events of the main story arc.
- Through the Rabbit Hole: Jade, Jackie and the Dark Hand are sent back in time to the 1970s, and encounter younger versions of Jackie, Uncle and even Valmont.
- The Warrior Incarnate: Jade brings to life a statue of Lo Pei, the man who imprisoned Shendu in his statue form.
- Snake Hunt: This episode occurs before the Season 1 episode, Enter Viper. Jackie and Jade search for the Snake Talisman in the Amazon Rainforest.
- Mother of All Battles: Tohru's mother comes to visit at the shop and immediately falls out with Uncle.
- The Stronger Evil: The Dark Hand, with the power of the Talismans, goes on a crime spree. Meanwhile, Shendu escapes back to the real world and possesses Valmont.
- The J Team: The Dark Hand goes hunting for the legendary Pan Ku box which will lead them to the eight Demon Portals. Meanwhile, Jade recruits El Toro Fuerte and Viper to join the J Team to stop them.
- Jade Times Jade: When Jackie goes looking for the Mountain Demon Portal in Japan, Jade casts a spell to double herself so she can be in two places at once, but it backfires and she begins multiplying out of control.
- The Curse of El Chupacabra: El Toro enlists Jackie's help to hunt down the infamous chupacabra.
- Rumble in the Big House: When the Dark Hand that the Wind Demon's portal is inside a maximum security prison, they allow themselves to be captured. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to get a good guy inside the Big House, as Jackie learns.
- Lost City of the Muntabs: Jackie guides a spoiled brat to the Lost City of the Muntabs to find the secret of eternal youth.
- And He Does His Own Stunts: The Chans travel to Hollywood to stop Shendu from releasing the Thunder Demon, and Jade tries to get Jackie into the movie business.
- Showdown in the Old West: Jackie, Jade and Uncle find an old book about Jackie's ancestor from the Old West and read it together.
- Queen of the Shadowkhan: When Jackie retrieves an old book, Jade is so impressed with the gnarly face on the cover that she stencils it onto her leg. Unfortunately, the tattoo won't come off and seems to have a life of its own, turning Jade into the evil Queen of the Shadowkhan. This episode paves the way for the introduction of Tarakudo in Season 4.
- Origami: Viper, now supposedly reformed, asks Jackie to help her hunt down an art thief in Paris.
- Shanghai Moon: The Dark Hand travel into space to free the Moon Demon and Jackie and Jade follow.
- The Lotus Temple: Jackie, Jade and a mysterious guide search for the mystical Lotus Temple, which only appears in the light of the full moon.
- Armor of the Gods: Jackie uncovers the Armor of the eight immortals that defeated the Demon Sorcerors in ancient times, and uses it to capture the Earth Demon.
- Agent Tag: Jade, bored, secretly accompanies Section 13 agent Tag McStone on a mission and Jackie is forced to rescue both her and Tag.
- Tale of the Demon Tail: The Sky Demon loses his tail and, disguised as a boy, befriends Jade to help him find it.
- The Return of the Pussycat
- Scouts Honor
- Danger in the Deep Freeze
- Into the Mouth of Evil
- The King and Jade: Jade befriends the boy king of Tangra when he comes to visit, and uses the Snake Talisman to get out for some much needed fun.
- The New Atlantis: The Water Demon is released and intends to drown San Francisco. Meanwhile, Valmont frees himself temporarily of Shendu's control and seeks help from the Chans.
- The Eighth Door: Jade is sucked into the demon world, and with only Shendu's own portal in Hong Kong still unlocked, it becomes a race against time for her to get to it before the demons do.
- Demon World, Part 1: Shendu finally succeeds in possessing Jackie, and uses his body to alter the Book of Ages, making him and his demon siblings rulers of the world.
- Demon World, Part 2: Jade, the only one who can remember the way things should be, sets out to correct the Book of Ages in Australia and put everything right again.
- Enter the Cat
- Pleasure Cruise
- Tough Luck: The Enforcers quit the Dark Hand and try to start their own evil organisation. Their first caper in Ireland leads to a lot of bad luck for Jackie.
- The Chosen One: The monks of the Ben-Shui monastary believe Tohru to be the prophecied Chosen One.
- Glove Story: The magical gloves of a long-dead pirate frame Tohru for several thefts.
- The Chan Who Knew Too Much: Jackie and Jade invesitgate the disappearance of Stonehenge in England, and are soon being hunted down by maniacal druids.
- Chi Vampire: On a trip to buy antiques for the store, the Chans accidentally release a Chi vampire that hunts them down and harvests their Chi. The only way to save themselves is to transfer their Chi between them.
- The Good, the Bad, the Blind, the Deaf and the Mute: Daolon Wong uses the powers of three giant stone monkeys to rob people of their three senses – sight, sound and speech.
- Shrink Rap: Hak Foo makes his comeback, searching for the armbands of Shiva in India. Jackie finds them first, and when Hak Foo comes looking for them, an errant spell by Jade shrinks them both to the size of ants.
- I'll Be a Monkey's Puppet: Jackie releases the Monkey King and turns himself into a puppet. The only way to turn him back is to have the Monkey King pull on his leg.
- The Amazing T-Girl!: Jade absorbs the Talisman powers into herself just before they are due to be transported to the Ben-Shui monastary for safekeeping. Unfortunately, that does not deter Daolon Wong.
Season 3 (The Talisman-Powered Animals)
Daolon Wong attacks Section 13 in search of the Talismans, at the same time as the Dark Hand does as well. In an attempt to stop them, Jackie destroys the Talismans, only to have their power scattered around the world once again. Now Jackie must find the most noble animals of each zodiac symbol, before Daolon Wong can find them and steal their power.
- Re-Enter the J Team: A criminal mastermind named Chang is holding a tournament to find the most worthy fighters to be his bodyguard. In an attempt to foil his plan, Jade enters all the members of the J-Team.
- The Powers Unleashed: When Daolon Wong and the Dark Hand infiltrate Section 13 to steal the Talismans, Jackie is forced to destroy them. The powers inhabit noble animals, and everyone quickly rushes to find the first – the power of Immortality, hiding in one of the dogs at a dog show.
- Viva Las Jackies: Finding a noble tiger in Las Vegas isn't too hard – it's getting such a rare Siberian White Tiger away from its owners before Daolon Wong does that's hard.
- Aztec Rat Race: The power of the Rat Talisman animates a statue of Quetzalcoatl, who thinks Jade is his princess and El Toro Fuerte is a devil.
- Monkey a Go-Go: The Monkey King returns right in the middle of the Chans searching for the power of the Monkey Talisman.
- When Pigs Fly: The Chans recover the noble Rooster, but when it joins forces with the noble Pig things become a lot more complicated.
- Rabbit Run: The rabbit with the power of the Rabbit Talisman is now a mascot at an American football stadium, and the team is reluctant to let it go.
- Sheep In, Sheep Out: The Chans and Daolon Wong go to Scotland to find the noble sheep.
- The Invisible Mom: Tohru's mother makes an 'impromptu' visit in India as the Chan's are looking for the noble Snake, and accidentally turns herself invisible.
- A Jolly J-Team Xmas: The J-Team has to save Christmas when Daolon Wong attempts to steal Santa Claus' Chi.
- Little Valmont, Big Jade: Daolon Wong shrinks Valmont to a child, and he goes to the Chans to help him get back to normal, helping them recover the noble Horse while he's at it. Meanwhile, Jade also wants to be older and casts a spell on herself that makes her grow up in a different way.
- The Ox-Head Incident
- Animal Crackers: Jade takes the animals out of Section 13 to a school fair, and Daolon Wong jumps at the chance to capture them.
- Tohru Who?: Valmont wipes Tohru's memory and convinces him that he is a loyal Enforcer still. The Chans go out to stop Valmont while Jade wants to be reunited with her friend.
- Re-Enter the Dragon: Although Jackie believes that the final Talisman Power is safe from Daolong Wong because no dragons exist that it could belong to, but Daolon Wong intends to create one by resurrecting Shendu. A clash of titans follows, in which Shendu and Daolon Wong battle for control of the Talisman powers. Daolon Wong and the Enforcers are arrested and Shendu is once again imprisoned as a statue by Lo Pei's original spell, creating the Talismans again.
- A Night at the Opera
- Attack of the J-Clones: Chang, having escaped from prison, creates clones of the people that defeated him – the J-Team.
Season 4 (The Oni Masks)
In an attempt to free himself from prison, Daolon Wong attempts to summon the Shadowkahn, only to awaken Tarakudo, the Lord of all Oni and King of the Shadowkahn. Jackie and co must now locate the nine oni masks which contain the souls of Tarukudo's generals and therefore allows the wearer to summon a tribe of Shadowkhan. This season also introduces Drago, Shendu's son from the future who seeks to fulfill his father's goals by bringing forth the Age of Dragons.
- The Masks of the Shadowkhan
- Samurai Ratso
- The Amazing T-Troop
- Black Magic
- The Demon Behind
- Fright Fight Night
- Half a Mask of Kung-Fu
- The Shadow Eaters
- The Good Guys
- Déjà Vu
- J2
- The J-Tots
- Ninja Twilight
Season 5 (The Demon Powers)
In the upcoming season, Drago escapes from Section 13, and it's another race around the world as Jackie must locate seven cursed objects imbued with demonic power of Shendu's siblings before Drago does.
- Relics of Demons Past
- It's All in the Game
- Black and White and Chi All Over
- Dragon Scouts
- The Demon Beneath My Wings
Trivia
During an episode in Season Three, the TV Jade is watching switches to a picture of a man in a yellow jumpsuit with black stripes down the sides. The man is Bruce Lee, and the movie is "The Game of Death".
During Season 1, Jackie is bitten by a snake. The poison effects him putting him in a drunken state, which he uses to his advantage. This is a reference to Jackie Chan's Drunken Master movie.