From the vast ocean we find the Rick, Jedda, LJ and Kisa on a raft. Jedda is voicing some hope that whatever it is their they’re keeping an eye out for might already be gone. Rick however is not convinced. And before you know it, a kaiju-like monster rises out of the water. Startled, the kids raft overturns and their situation goes from bad to worse. The beast sweeps in and with one impressive gulp, swallows our young heroes. Sliding down its throat, it becomes obvious this is no ordinary monster. The kids hit the bottom and we find out this was another go around inside the Defenders “danger room” with Kshin and Zuffy (the space alien) at the helm. The participants give Kshin credit for the job well done and Jedda remarks about his impressive imagination. Coming down from the observation deck, Kshin gives Rick the credit with his newest invention. Jedda enquires about what exactly it is and Rick gives his exposition dump that its a “thought transference cap” and hooked to the “battle simulation computer,” it allows for the wearer to create anything in their minds eye. Suddenly Dynak X chimes in with an alert and the group is off and running to investigate.

Gathered together in the control room, Flash wonders if this is  a new weapon from Ming. Dynak X is quick to answer in the negative, explaining that its a remnant of a war fought billions of years ago in another galaxy. Given its age, Mandrake wonders if the device is still functional, but again Dynak X explains that in the environment of space, the device has been preserved. The Phantom asks where the device will land and, plotting its course, Dynak X clarifies somewhere in the Amazon jungle. Rick wants to jump into the action, but Flash quickly shuts that down and asks that he and the rest of the kids stay behind and devise a way to disarm the device. Jedda hopes that Ming has not made the same discovery. 

From Ice Station Earth, of course Ming knows about the warhead device and instructs Garax to bring it to him at his new asteroid base. Octon informs Ming that the Defenders are on their way to the Amazon which doesn’t surprise Ming as he commands that his robo-ships be put on the ready. Ming then casually mentions about a “battle simulation override” that will allow him to take direct control of the Defender’s “danger room” and their minds. At once, his robot-ships take off and Ming projects that with the doomsday device under his control, the earth will finally be his.

Back at Monitor, Rick is telling the others that once the warhead device is in their hands, deactivating it will be easy. With seemingly nothing left to do, Kshin asks the others if their ready for another one of his mind warrior challenges and the team is all about it. Kshin along with Zuffy (the space alien) muses that if the group can pass this challenge, fighting Ming will be a cinch. From the observation deck, Kshin begins their newest challenge by putting the team in the center of a prehistoric jungle. At first, Jedda is neither impressed nor worried, but Kisa warns of impending danger; from out of the brush comes a charging stegosaurus and triceratops. Admittedly unnerved, the trio along with Kisa opt for a hasty retreat. Rick attempts to use a tree as cover, but the triceratops makes quick work of it. The downed tree gives LJ a much needed escape route and once out of the danger zone, hurled a rock at his pursuing stegosaurus which, of course only pisses off the ancient beast even more. Using its tail as a battering ram, the behemoth makes quick work of the the overhead cliff, forcing LJ to make another escape. Meanwhile, Jedda attempts to distract the triceratops and calls out for it to follow her. Successful, the roving beast makes a beeline for her and she flees with Kisa through a rock enclosure. When the dinosaur rams its head through the rock opening, it gets stuck, allowing for Jedda to make her escape. On the rock wall, LJ is continuing to evade his pursuer. Later, the trio find themselves back together and the challenge is over. Kshin warns them not to get to comfortable as the next challenge will be much more. 

We then shift focus to the Amazon jungle where Flash is piloting his ship to the location of the doomsday device. Phantom points out the location of the ship ahead and Mandrake comments that they’ve beaten Ming to the prize. However, no sooner has Mandrake uttered his words that laser blasts from Ming’s scout ship rains down on their ship. Flash doesn’t want the scout ship to rendezvous with the main fleet and so pursues the loan ship with the intention of destroying it. However, the Defenders soon find themselves in a raging storm and surrounded by all sides by Ming’s robo-ships. Mandrake quips that they “may have” fallen into a trap. From an outside ship, Garax takes aim with his molecular disruptor beam and manages to hit the Defenders’ ship causing them to loose control and plummet to the ground. At first, the Defenders try to jettison from their downed ship, but Flash points out their emergency doors are jammed. 

With the ship continuing its descent, Lothar steps in to help with the faulty emergency doors. Once the doors have opened, the quadro have helicopter backpacks (because of course those are way cooler than parachutes) which helps them land safely in the jungle. Flash is frustrated because the jungle is so dense, they may not be able to find the warhead. The Phantom though reassures him that the jungle is not that bad and takes the lead. In no time, they find the warhead atop an old structure. Flash wonders aloud how they’re going to get the warhead back to Monitor without a ship. Before anyone can offer a solution, Garax shows up and claims the warhead in the name of Ming. The Defenders attempt an attack, but Garax uses a “freeze ray” that encases the group in a block of ice. Garax immediately orders the ice robots to lower the warhead from its location.

Back at Ice Station Earth, Ming is losing patience with Octon as he is intent on taking control of the battle simulator at Monitor. 

From Monitor, Kshin along with Zuffy (the space alien) continues to work on simulations for the group to train with. Jedda again gives Kshin the old “atta boy” for his imagination and the scenarios he’s come up with. Kshin hints that he’s got something cooking that it will involve ice. 

Speaking of ice, we’re back in the jungle and from inside their ice block, the Defenders are plotting their escape. Lothar seeks to break the ice with his strength, but after a prolonged attempt Mandrake reminds him that its no ordinary ice, its Mongo-Ice. Then, employing the Orb of Power from atop his cane, Mandrake manages to melt the ice. Meanwhile, Garax is continuing his mission to load the warhead onto his ship. Mandrake steps in and asks if they can acquire his ship. On the attack, Lothar takes out one of the ice robots, but they all begin to shoot back. The Phantom calls on the power of 10 tigers and with some fancy acrobatics, manages to disarm all the ice robots. Mandrake is on the finish by employing a large convex lens at the end of his cane and channeling power through it that takes care of the surrounding robots. Immediately, the Defenders make their way to the ship and take off. 

From Ice Station Earth, Ming is pissed that not only did Garax loose the warhead, but that the Defenders have his ship, as well. However, Ming intends to pivot with his plan and he now fully intends to take control of the battle simulator.

Back at Monitor, Kshin gathers the group for the next round of training with one of his simulations. The group is excited, but also tired and tell Kshin that this is going to have to be it (at least for today). However, before they begin, Dynak X blares one of the alarms and the kids rush to their battle stations. Once there, Dynak X displays Mings incoming ship not realizing that the Defenders are at the helm. 

From inside the captured vessel, Flash is upset that because of the way the ships’ communications work, there is no way to radio the kids at Monitor. Lothar is equally worried that they’ll be fired upon. 

From the attack room, Rick is determined…

With the laser blasts from Monitor bearing down on them, Flash manages to maneuver the massive ship thought the volley. LJ is stunned that they missed, but is quick to recover and get the ship back under his crosshairs. But right before he’s about to fire, Rick stops and tells everyone that he recognizes the the flying pattern of the ship; that’s his Dad at the helm. Rick orders Dynak X to open the landing bay and the stolen ship is allowed to land. Later, with all the Defenders gathered, they begin their examination of the warhead in an attempt to completely disarm it. Kshin asks why the warhead didn’t explode when it crashed into the earth, but Flash explains that the warhead needs a detonation code to be activated. Rick chimes in that is the same with defusing it and that it will take Dynak X 24 hours to come up with the defusion code. No problem, Kshin knows exactly what the team needs. Jedda however is not on board this time and tells Kshin to take a chill pill. Mandrake however is curious and Kshin is more than happy to explain what he’s talking about. The Defender parents are intrigued and agree to Kshin’s latest simulation. 

At Ice station Earth, Ming tells Octon to start the transmission. Once the transmission connects, Ming is certain the Defenders will be destroyed. 

From Monitor, Kshin dons his helmet and the simulation for the Defenders begins. They’re transported to a dark and fog-ridden old cemetery. We find the four in front of a large mansion and Flash is the first to volunteer to go inside. A suit of armor at the base of a sprawling stair way changes into the animators homage to 1930s Frankenstein. However, the threats don’t stop there, before you know it there’s a witch on a flying broomstick, a demon and a lame excuse for a werewolf all attacking the adults at once. Lothar is amused, but Flash is not. 

From Ice Station Earth, Ming is observing the events as they unfold and is also impressed with the extent of Kshin’s imagination. However, Ming is ready to turn it up a notch and tells Octon to increase the power to the override simulator. 

From inside the simulation, the attacking witch who occupies Mandrakes time, takes on Ming’s face and hurls fire blasts at him which the magician barely dodging. The Frankenstein monster takes on Garax’s face, the demon starts to look a lot more like Mongor and the imitation werewolf suddenly becomes a lot more threatening.

From the observation deck, an exasperated LJ tells Kshin to take it a bit easier. Kshin however tells the crew that the simulator is no longer responding to his thoughts and takes off his helmet. Kshin beelines it for the battle room and finds himself in the middle of his cemetery recreation. From out of one of the graves, comes a trio of viking skeletons on the attack and Kshin must make a quick dodge. 

Inside the mansion, the Phantom is doing everything he can to avoid his attacker. Once the four are back together, they hear Kshin calling for help. Determined to end the impasse. Mandrake uses an incantation along wth the power of his orb and appears to chase the attackers out of the mansion.

Outside the mansion, a terrified Kshin attempts to evade his attackers at a mausoleum, but can’t manage to get the door open. Grabbing a broken tree branch, Kshin threatens the vikings, but with their swords render the “weapon” useless. Before the skeletons move in for the kill, Kshin is hoisted out of harms way by Flash, who with the other Defenders is atop the mausoleum. Mandrake uses an illusion and sweeps the scary skeletons away with a vortex. Lothar asks why haven’t the illusions also stopped and Kshin explains that the computer simulations are no longer responding to him. The Phantom tells everyone their going to have to fight their way out.

From the observation deck, Jedda tells Rick and LJ that they need to find a way to help the others, but Rick can’t understand why the simulator won’t shut down. All at once, Rick tells the team that they’re going to have to destroy the computer and they get right to work. 

From the simulation, the Defenders are continuing their escape, but a new gaggle of flying apparitions appear and start their pursuit.

From Ice Station Earth, Ming orders Octon to once again increase the override power, this time to full. Octon, however, tells Ming the computer cannot take full power and a visibly strained Ming demands the computer to do so regardless. Octon proceeds, putting an obvious strain on the computer, but Ming is elated. 

From inside the simulation, Flash tells the team there is a light ahead and they need to hurry. The Phantom almost doesn’t make it, but with some fancy footwork makes it through the simulation door. As the groups tries to hold off the attacking horde, Jedda smashes the computer controls and the simulation shuts down.

Back at Ice Station Earth, Ming is still channeling energy through the override simulator and the computer appears to explode. 

At Monitor, Rick tells the gang they’ll be without a battle simulation computer for a while, but Kshin is just fine with that. 

Back at Ice Station Earth, Ming actually appears pleased, despite Octon’s review of events. Ming however explains that at some point the Defenders will rebuild their computer and he will kidnap Kshin and use his imagination and override machine to make real warriors that will allow him to not only take back the warhead, but destroy the Defenders in the process. 

The End…for now. 

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