Defenders of the Earth - Season 1 - Eps 39: The Rites of Zesnan
While trying to prove their individual prowess during an obstacle course competition, Rick, Jedda and L.J. get a bit too serious, endangering themselves individually and as a flying unit. When the youngsters again risk their safety during a dogfight with Ming's roboships, their parents take them to the Amazon to compete in the Rites of Zesnan, a tribal warrior contest to develop good warriors. Ming intercepts a Dynak X transmission and arrives in South America before our heroes. Posing as a god he preconditions the natives against the Defenders. While Rick, Jedda and L.J. are on their respective paths of the warrior course, the Merciless One traps the elder heroes in a grid pattern with deadly sensor beam canons. Meanwhile our young Defenders, after fighting off an attack from the local tribesmen, band together. Discovering from one native the presence of Ming, they rush back to the Terry and working again as a well-oiled unit, turn all four laser canons against one another, blowing them to pieces and sending Ming fleeing for his cowardly safety.
About Defenders of the Earth

Title: Defenders of the Earth
First Air Date: 1986-09-08
Last Air Date: 1986-12-05
Status: Ended
Rating: 7.5/10 (from 83 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 2
Total Episodes: 65
Network: Syndication
Genres: Animation, Action & Adventure
Production Companies: Marvel Productions, King Features Syndicate
Synopsis
Defenders of the Earth is an American animated television series produced in 1986, featuring characters from three comic strips distributed by King Features Syndicate—Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician—opposing Ming the Merciless in the year 2015. Supporting characters include their children Rick Gordon, Jedda Walker, Kshin, Mandrake's assistant Lothar, and Lothar's son L.J. The show lasted for 65 episodes; there was also a short-lived comic book series published by Star Comics, created by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru and John Romita, Sr.. The closing credits credit Rob Walsh and Tony Pastor for the main title music, and Stan Lee for the lyrics. The series was later shown in reruns on the Sci Fi Channel as part of Sci Fi Cartoon Quest.
Cast

Buster Jones

Peter Mark Richman

Loren Lester

Peter Renaday

Sarah Partridge

Lou Richards

William Callaway

Hal Rayle

Ron Feinberg

Diane Pershing