We open to a dark and stormy night where at first we observe a huge mansion at the base of a mountain, then catch a glimpse of a damaged rocket ship as it makes its way through the storm and finally crash lands near the entrance. The doors of the mansion swing open and we see 2 men approach the wreckage. Lothar wants to investigate, but is stopped by Mandrake who worries that his friend may injure himself; Mandrake waves his hand and the cockpit entrance and canopy immediately give way.

The two men carry the unconscious Flash to the house. Later, the storm has dissipated and inside the mansion a convalescing Flash recounts the story of how both his son and his wife are prisoners of Ming the Merciless on Mongo, a planet dying from lack of resources. Flash shares that he came to warn everyone that Ming’s plan it to leave Mongo and invade Earth, but his ship was pursued by Ming’s Ice Robots and shot down. Mandrakes adopted son, Kshin tells the heroes that he doesn’t hear these types of stories in science class and Lothar agrees, calling it more of a science fiction story that could never actually happen. All of a sudden a duo of ice robots appear, blasting their way through the mansion’s living room wall. The robots leader Garax tells everyone he is there to take Flash back to Mongo but an unflustered Mandrake (drinking his tea) points out that there is no Flash Gordon in the room to take back. An unamused Garax points to the damaged rocket ship outside the mansion window and, again, with a wave of Mandrakes hand, we see the ship lift off and fly away. Completely fooled, Garax and the ice robots immediately leave. Before you know it, Flash appears back on the couch and jumps to his feet worried about his departing ship. Mandrake tells him not to worry, the ship is still there, that he just hypnotized the ice robots into believing that the ship had flown away. We catch sight of an approaching motorcycle and its driver jumps from the bike and walks through the mansion’s damaged wall. Lothar chastises his son, LJ, for being late and LJ apologies recognizing that he obviously missed something. 


We transition to the misty mountains of planet Mongo and find Octon (Ming’s sentient AI computer) telling him that Garax and his ice robots have failed to capture Flash. Ming’s son, Prince Kro-Tan chastises his father for sending “stupid” robots to try and apprehend Flash. Ming angrily silences his son and instructs Octon to have the ice robots return to base. Ming expects Flash to return to Mongo as he has imprisoned both Flash’s wife and son. Ming then instructs Octon to have both prisoners brought to him. 

We then see Flash's wife and son in an ice cell with the mother telling her son not be afraid, his father will save them. As Garax and the robotic ice guards approach, Rick’s mother tells him to stay put; she has a plan. As she hides just out of view of the robots, Garax takes the bait and instructs his sentinels to blast open the cell. Rick dives for cover and when the bars have all been blown away, his mother makes use of the distraction to bat a laser rifle from one of the robots. Rick takes the opportunity to grab the gun and uses it to shoot out the remaining guards. However, Garax has managed to grab ahold of Rick’s mother and she pleads with him to escape. Rick, however, protests that he cannot leave her behind. As the sentry guards begin to repair themselves, Rick vows to return to save his mother and leaves, still pursued by robotic guards. Escaping outside of the prison building, Rick attempts to hide at the base of a hill and as he scans the area, we see furry hands pop from a hole in the ground and pull Rick inside. Rick turns to find a small purple creature with antennae who appears excited to see him. Rick attempts to figure out where the creature came from and is instantly able to discern the creatures cooes for meanings and messages; the two bond over their mutual loss of family. 

From Mandrake's mansion on Earth, Kshin is telling Flash that he appears better as the two walk to the mansion’s outer station. The door opens to reveal Flash’s fully repaired rocket ship. Flash is obviously confused, claiming that it must be one of Mandrake’s illusions. Lothar is quick to jump in with an elbow-grease jibe and making it clear, he is the mechanical genius of the group with a robust working knowledge of astro-mechanics. Lothar jokes that Flash should take the ship for a test run, but Flash is in no laughing mood and tells his friends that he’s on his way back to Mongo to stop Ming BEFORE he invades the earth. His friends are quick to join Flash on his mission, but not before Mandrake tells Kshin that he cannot come along as he has homework.

Back on Mongo, Rick and his new friend are back inside Ming’s base attempting to locate Rick’s mother. Suddenly, their confronted by Ming’s pet dragon, Mongor, (PRODCUT PLACMENT) who wraps itself around the two, with Zuffy (the space alien) throwing a fit and biting at the tail. This seems to effect the dragon and lets the two go while making its way back to its master. 

In the interrogation room and Ming continues to threaten Rick’s mother with  use of the inquisitor. When she doesn’t give him what he wants, Ming instructs Mongor to turn on the inquisitor. As energy engulfs the helpless women, Rick looks on in horror, seemingly frozen as to what to do. Eventually his mother succumbs to the machines energy as her head drops and eyes close. 

After several moments of watching his mothers torture, Rick finally chooses to confront Ming and demands to let his mother go. Ming has different plans and tells Rick its too late. Rick begins uses his laser rifle to shoot at Ming and Mongor, but they manage to evade his blasts. Rick manages to approach his lifeless mother at the inquisitor, but Ming immediately commands Mongor to attack. Once again, Rick vows to return as he flees from Mongor’s pursuit. Ming seems prepared to follow, but the station’s master alarm begins to blare, Ming realizes that he’s under attack and plans to deal with this new challenge. Zuffy (the space alien) approaches the lifeless body of Rick’s mother, notices a glowing crystal in her hand and decides to take it with him. At his control center, Ming asks Octon what is going on with the AI robot responding that there is only one ship on the attack. Ming immediately recognizes the ship of his arch enemy and is pleased with his return and vows that neither he or his family will leave Mongo alive. Prince Kro-tan, on the other hand, warns his father that the battle has not even started.

From his rocket ship, Flash and his two passengers are confronted with Ming’s robo-ships and a lively battle ensues; at first, it appears the robo-ships are no match for our heroes, however Ming’s forces have the advantage of numbers and more and more robo-ships just keep coming. Mandrake doesn’t care for these odds and sets up an illusion of four additional rocket ships. This throws Garax completely off his game as he goes after one of the illusion ships and ends up damaging several towers of his own base of operations.

Ming is furious at this turn of events and Prince Kro-tan can’t help chiding his father for his overconfidence. Ming orders Octon to launch his new thrown room as he intends to invade the Earth at once. With the robo-ships taken care of, Flash and his friends land on the surface and make their way into the palace. Just in the nick of time, as Rick and Zuffy (the space alien) are just about to get pummeled by a pair of ice robots. Lothar takes an exception to that and takes care of the hulking duo lickety-split. With father and son reunited, Flash is quick to find out the whereabouts of his wife. Rick however cannot bring himself to tell his father what has happened. An impatient Flash continues his way into the palace while the others observe Ming taking off in his UFO thrown room. As the group makes their way into the palace they find a distraught Flash prostrated at the feet of his wife’s body. Carrying his wife in his arms, Flash vows to stop Ming at all costs, with the others joining in his resolve. 

While on his way to Earth, Ming articulates has plan to take over the planet and the ease in which he will do so.

In Flash’s rocket ship on the way back to earth, Mandrake and Lothar contemplate the challenges of finding Ming on earth with so many places to hide. Flash isn’t worried though, he’s focused on finding his old foe. Suddenly, Zuffy (the space alien) appears in the cockpit to tell everyone he is there. Seemingly able to understand English as a spoken language, the purple furry creature reaches behind him and pulls out the crystal he found obviously from the same place Prince Adam finds his sword. Everyone wonders aloud what the crystal is and Rick remembers it from the inquisitor machine.

Back on planet earth, Ming lands his thrown room in an arctic setting and proclaims the area as Ice Station Earth commenting how the frigid temperatures will help to sustain their technology. Ming then orders Garax to begin building a new base of operations and Octon to find the school where Rick Gordon will attend so that he will be able to find Flash. Ming then reveals a group of humans who have been encased in ice thus making them susceptible to Ming’s command. 

Back at Xanadu, the group collaborates on the whereabouts of Ming’s new hideout. LJ and Rick are ready to jump in and help but Lothar reminds LJ that he’s too young and that he’ll need to focus on helping Rick enroll in school the following day. As the two disappointed boys leave, Mandrake tells the remaining group that they need someone with super keen senses to help. When Flash wonders aloud how they would find someone like that, Mandrake already has an idea; the “Ghost Who Walks.”

We now find the heroes in a jungle setting, looking for the Skull Cave. Lothar comments that he senses danger, but its too late; the trio hit a trip wire and find them selves trapped. 

A group of natives are escorting the three heroes to destination unknown. Next, at the Skull Cave the Phantom tells the group that he is willing to join them to help defeat Ming but voices concern for his daughter, Jedda. Not to worry though, Mandrake suggests enrolling her in school with the other children in Central City. 

Next, we’re at the school, with Rick and LJ noticing Jedda talking with her jungle panther Kisa through the fence. Two men in suits with glasses and fedora hats show up to say they are friends with Flash and that the kids need to come with them. However, Rick and LJ aren’t buying it as they really want to go to class. The two men then kidnap the boys against their will. When Rick strikes one of men, an ice bolt erupts from the eyes freezing a nearby water fountain Jedda was drinking from. The two boys are then hauled off to a waiting vehicle and it drives away. 

All the while, Ming is watching from his throne room in Ice Station Earth and intends to spring his trap.

Back at the school, Jedda communicates telepathically with Kisa and instructs her to follow the escaping vehicle. We see the vehicle drive up a mountain and enter an open gate.

Meanwhile, the remaining group including Jedda are in a ship flying to find the boys and Flash comments that he’s never attempted to find anyone using telepathy. Jedda points out a structure below and Mandrake informs the group its an abandoned prison.

Having landed at the base of the prison, the group wonders how they will gain entrance, but the Phantom’s already got a plan, calling on the "Power of Ten Tigers” helping him vault over the prison wall and open the doors from inside. Within moments though, the team is immediately captured. As Ming confronts the group, he tells them he plans to use the prisons old power system to electrocute them all to death. Not to worry though, because Rick and LJ manage to break out of their cell, sabotage the prisons electrical system from the inside and free the group, forcing Ming to retreat once more as the generators explode.

On board their ship Rick presents the crystal given to him by Zuffy (the space alien) and, upon further inspection and a little telepathy, Mandrake determines it houses the essence of Ricks Mother. Rick then introduces the idea of using the crystal in a new supercomputer he plans to build. Everyone thinks that’s a great idea and Mandrake christen’s the team the Defenders of the Earth.

The End.

• Although her name is never mentioned in the Defenders of the Earth series, we are to presume that Flash Gordon's wife is Dale Arden (his wife from the classic canon)*

• When the group put their hands together and name themselves the Defenders of the Earth, the only hand missing is L.J's (even though he is present with the group)

• The series came about mainly because the characters Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar all fell under the rights of King Features Syndicate; the children were then introduced into the series to help "bring in" a new generation of fans to experience the aging heroes

• Animation goof: when the team is “captured" in the jungle by Jedda, as Mandrake introduces himself, his mustache is missing for several frames (link)

*In Star Comics Defenders of the Earth, Dale's name is featured prominently in the first two issues