Once again, we're at Monitor and the Defenders children are being ambushed by Garax and his Ice robots. Things are blowing up all around them and the kids are running for their lives. Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) have the ice robots baring down on them, when, at the last second, Kisa jumps in to lend a paw by pushing them out of harms way. Suddenly, there is an explosion at one of the walls and who shows up but none other than Ming the Merciless (accompanied by Mongor). Jedda calls for Rick to reach out to the parents for help, however Rick counters with a different idea and tosses a “nova grenade” at the enemies which serves its purpose but has the opposite effect of blinding his human counterparts. All of a sudden, the enemies disappear and Flash Gordon observing from above chastises the kids for their lackluster defense. Everyone is down on Rick for the choice he made and Flash attempts to console his son by reminding him to think before he acts. Rick, however is not having it, claiming that the situation was “no big deal” and that he knows what he is doing. Just then, the Phantom shows up and tells everyone that they have a real problem on their hands. From the view screen, we see a winter storm and falling snow, but then see huts and half naked villagers. The Phantom explains that this is the tropical island of Kharta and that their king is an old friend and he has requested help. Jedda further explains that she has been seeing multiple unexplained weather events from all over the globe. The Phantom tells everyone that he is leaving for Kharta posthaste and looks to Rick and Dynak X to find the source of the weather problem. Flash agrees and tells everyone that Ming’s hand is at work. As everyone scatters, Jedda decides that she needs to contact Lothar and Mandrake.

Meanwhile, at Ice Station Earth, Ming, Octon and Mongor all watch as Flash takes off in the Phantom-copter. We lean that Ming’s does in fact have a plan and that Phase II includes getting ahold of Rick’s communicator ring which will in turn supercharge his weather device and freeze the entire planet all at once. Octon praises Ming’s plan as the two continue to plot. 

Back at Monitor, Rick, along with Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) are working with Dynak X. She informs them that she has been able to track the source of the weather problem and that it is in fact coming from Ice Station Earth. She’s also concluded that Ming’s weather device is powered by a “loop and triple feedback circuit.” Rick reveals that he invented the circuit himself and that the only place on earth that its used is his communicator ring while Dynak X clarifies that Ming has created a much less sophisticated version. Kshin jumps in to remind Rick that, with that technology, Ming could have access to “just about everything.” Rick acknowledges this and asks his AI computer companion about the status of his latest invention; power skies. Dynak X tells him that not only are the skies ready but they’ll be the fastest in the world. She also informs the two that the skies have been loaded into all the vehicles and Rick comments that he wants to make sure, that because he is dealing with Ming, he has all the bases covered.

We move to see Flash and the Phantom communing with King Kharta who is telling them both of the odd calamity that’s fallen on their village. Just as soon as the King mentions ice people and machines, the three are interrupted by outside sounds of panicking villagers. The three leave their hut to find ice robots attacking the village flying robot-ships. Flash decides to make a break for the Phantom Copter, while the Phantom plans to help the villagers. With some crazy smooth acrobatics, Flash manages to jump through the copter, grab and shoot down one of the robo-ships with his laser gun. While helping the villagers escape, the Phantom avoids a barrage of shots from above. Calling on the power of 10 tigers for strength, the Phantom manages to take hold of one of the villages totems and take out one of the oncoming robo-ships. Garax, however, only has eyes on the prize and maneuvers to scoop up Flash with a tractor beam. Garax then attempts to deal with the Phantom, however Ming chides him into a retreat as they already have the prisoner they came for. The Phantom is baffled and wonders aloud, why he was allowed to escape.

Back at Ice Station Earth, Ming is celebrating his capture of Flash.

Encasing Flash is a block of ice, Ming warns that he’ll put an end to Flash only after he has conquered the earth. 

Back at Monitor, Rick and the Phantom discuss their plan moving forward; Rick wants to immediately rescue his father, while Phantom’s in favor of taking a thorough approach requiring more time. The Phantom wants to know the source of the weather disturbance and Rick tells him that they’ve figured out that it does in fact start at Ice Station Earth. The Phantom says that he’ll look into it further and orders Rick to stay put while he continues his investigation. Rick begins to protest, but the Phantom reminds him of his order and ends the transmission. Dynak X jumps in to say that she’s established a visual link into the ice station and we see a trapped Flash being transported by ice robots. An infuriated Rick has had enough and determines to disobey orders and rescue his father without help. However, Dynak X warns him that it may be a trap as it appears Ming wanted them to see the visual. Rick however, is having none of it, even as Kshin (along with Zuffy (the space alien) reminds him the Phantom wants him to stay put. Rick ignores Kshin’s remarks and asks him to cover for him instead. Kshin, on the other hand, has different ideas and decides that if Rick can disobey, then so can he. 

Back at Ice Station Earth, Octon questions Ming about the decision to allow Monitor to intercept their visual signal. Ming, however, has never been more certain abut the genius of his plan as he clarifies that the Phantom remains in Kharta and there is even more in store for the remaining Defenders to be occupied thus allowing for Rick to be the lone rescuer.

We’re than taken to an opera house where Lothar is articulating his preference for other forms of entertainment to Mandrake. As the two take their seats, we see a half dozen men of frost (now with blond hair, sunglasses and suits) enter the auditorium and attempt to take ahold of our two heroes. As the two are surrounded, the perennially smooth Mandrake laments the attempt, waves his cape and, before you know it, there is an audience full of Mandrakes and Lothar’s. The men of frost are instantly confused and the heroes make their escape to the outside. The two quickly realize they need to contact the team and attempt to further their escape, but find themselves cut off by more men of frost. In an instant, LJ and Jedda pull up in a compact transport vehicle and LJ leaps out to engage the frost men. Lothar is proud of his attacking boy and joins the fray. Not to be outdone by the scores of frost men showing up out of knowhere, Jedda puts Kisa on the attack. As the frost men retreat, Mandrake orders everyone back to the transport so that they can figure out what the hells going on. 

Back at Monitor, Dynak X explains Ricks whereabouts and Jedda is not happy.

Next we see Rick is landing what looks likes the Claw Copter. As he moves towards Ice Station Earth, he wonders aloud about the kind of reception he’ll receive. Little does he know that Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) have hitched a ride as they pop out of a compartment just at the rear of the cockpit. Kshin muses about being in trouble when Rick finds out he’s there. Back inside, we hear Octon telling Ming that Rick has arrived. While Ming is pleased that his carefully orchestrated plan is coming together, Octon is again questioning the wisdom of the plan as the stations defense shields have been lowered and there are no outer guards. Ming reveals that he has released Mongor to intercept Rick once he’s entered the base. On cue, Rick is moving through the base and recognizes the missing guards but muses that it must be his “luck day.” Making his way farther into the station, we again, see both Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) excited to be following behind him. Using a sensor, Rick is convinced that he’ll be finding his dad sooner rather than later, but Mongor is also on the case. 

Meanwhile, Phantom on his way to Ice Station Earth in the Phantom copter. Phantom opts to land in order to avoid any detection from the station’s defense system (not knowing of course that it has been deactivated).  Once he’s on the ground, the Phantom once again calls on the strength of 10 tigers in order to hauls ass more efficiently to the station. 

Inside the station, Rick has managed to find his father, who immediately warns his son of the trap. Rick, of course, tells his father he won’t leave without him. Just then Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) burst in followed closely by Mongor. Mongor makes quick work of Kshin and Rick is encased in a laser field. Ming hails his plan as a success; he has Flash, Rick and the ring. 

Taking stock in the unfolding situation, Rick acknowledges that he should have waited for Phantom and the team. In the very next sequence, we see the Phantom walk directly in front of patrolling ice robots who are obviously on their way to the optic repair platform as the ghost who walks slips right by them by way of an open hatch. Phantom is happy to discover a very handy frost men disguise, complete with mask and tuxedo. Next, a fully disguised Phantom makes his way into the prison chamber where Kshin somehow recognizes him through the disguise. The frost men faker tells Garax that he’s there to take the prisoners by order of “his majesty” Ming the Merciless. Garax is confused, but it doesn’t matter, because Ming is watching from his monitor screen and, like Kshin, sees through the obviously bad disguise. Phantom whips off the camouflage and throws down a concussion bomb which has the systemic effect of stunning everyone (and everything) in the room; Mongor lets Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) go and appears to have a seizure, and the ice robots (along with Garax) get taken out by his tail. In the ensuing chaos, the Phantom makes his way to the control console, frees Rick & Flash and the crew make their escape into a corridor. A well placed laser blast, however, pushes Rick to take a different route from his remaining team members. That larger group end up in a foyer, their escape route blocked by attacking ice robots and are immediately captured, again. However, Ming is ticked that Rick is not with them and orders Garax to immediately find him and his ring. 

Outside of Ice Station Earth, the remaining Defenders have used Ricks fancy skies to make their way to the “hideout.” Jedda urges the team to move in for the rescue. 


Meanwhile, as Rick is continuing his escape, he becomes easily confused by all the possible corridors around him. He make his choice, drives straight into a random corridor, and lucky for him, into Lothar, Mandrake, and the rest of the team. Jedda chastises him for his recklessness and there’s a hint that Rick likes women who tell him what to do. As the group make their way through the maze of corridors with Rick’s rediscovered homing device, both Mandrake and Lothar give Rick their PSA about acting impulsively without a plan. Suddenly, the group is ambushed by ice robots who took shooting lessons from Stormtroopers. They do manage to hit the ceiling with their laser fire, which causes the ceiling to collapse once again separating Rick from the rest of the group. Making his way through the maze of corridors, Rick is captured by a waiting Mongor. 

From his observation chamber, Ming takes a dig at his robot army, but Octon responds only to say that the remaining Defenders have now wandered into the maze of no return.

From the maze, the Defenders wonder aloud why the ice robots have stopped coming after them. At first, they continue through the maze, but Jedda stops them, sensing that their immediate path is dangerous. Just to make sure, Lothar tosses an ice ball ahead and when nothing appears to happen, tells Jedda that she is mistaken. Suddenly, the corridor wall closes and LJ chimes in to say the area is a series of booby traps. Jedda uses her senses to find a way through the maze and now Lothar is totally on board. With the walls closing behind them, the Defenders come to a cliff. Across the chasm, a laser cannon takes aim and almost succeeds to taking Jedda out, but LJ is quick on the draw saving his friend. Running into an opening in the wall, the Defenders find themselves reunited with Flash, Phantom, Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien). More ice robots show up but LJ and Lothar make quick work of them, destroying the jail console and freeing the prisoners. 

From the Hall of Inquisition, Ming is securing Rick to his inquisitor apparatus, pontificating his intention of draining all Ricks knowledge and finally using the ring to supercharge the weather machine to freeze the entire planet. Mandrake has other plans, however as he casually shows up to take out Ming’s ice robots. Ming isn’t worried though as he makes his way over to the weather machine and stops the action to remind everyone, one more time, about the role of the ring in his plan. A quick thinking Mandrake uses an illusion of multiple rings to distract Ming and the Phantom rushes in to grab them from Ming’s hand. Furious, Ming commands Mongor on the attack, but using her mental powers Jedda manages to force another seizure and the team is easily able to make their final escape.

Back at Monitor, Rick makes a heartfelt apology for his recklessness, having learned that taking matters into his own hands without a plan only makes a bad problem worse. Flash is quick to point out that Rick only did what he thought was right and Jedda playfully reminds him that she is the boss ending with a “friendly” kiss on the cheek. 

The End. 

• Throughout this episode Garax, Ming's robot, has a completely different voice, less harsh that his other appearances

• Look for the scene where Flash Gordon leaps through the Skull Copter to retrieve his gun; the Skull Copter is oddly painted as part of the background with an overlay of the skull

• This episode is poorly animated throughout, but Jedda is drawn so off-model - especially her hair that she suffers the most

• Animation goof: when Rick first finds Flash at Ice Station Earth, he’s still encased in the ice block (up to his neck). However at the beginning of Act 3, we can see Flash to his torso (no ice block to be seen)

• Audio anomaly: As Ming is talking about Mongor, there's a clear audio edit when he say’s his pet dragons name as the cadence is totally off*

*found the audio used from Escape From Mongo