The Black Gorge

"The Black Gorge" is the seventh episode of Storm Hawks.
==Description==
The Storm Hawks are stranded in the dreaded Black Gorge, from which no airship has ever returned. Now the only one who can lead them through the unspeakable dangers to recharge their power crystal is Stork!
==Plot==
The Condor suffers a malfunction as it takes a shortcut through the Black Gorge, sending it down the crevices of the Gorge, landing on a small rock ledge. As the Storm Hawks assess the damages, Stork whips out a "Black Gorge" survival kit which consists of special pair of goggles and a map of the Gorge. Meanwhile Piper notices that the crystals are losing their energy. Stork explains that the magnetic field of the Black Gorge has the ability to drain crystal power, and that no ships have ever entered the Gorge and heard from again.
Piper decides to use the Solaris Crystal as an alternative to power up the Condor again, as it is not susceptible to the magnetic field drain, however she finds it out of charges. Finn admits to using the crystal to cook up a barbecue while the Storm Hawks were on Terra Tropica for a vacation. Piper explains that the only way to recharge the crystal is to expose it to sunlight, however Stork points out that there is only one location at the far end of the Black Gorge where sunlight appears for a few seconds every year, which will happen in approximately two hours. In addition, the Storm Hawks will have to edge past various creatures found in the Black Gorge in order to reach the far end.
Soon after, Vulca bats approach the Condor and attempt to eat away its haul. The Storm Hawks respond by hurling any other metal parts for the vulca bats to consume, even emptying Junko's stash of metal which he was less than willing to do so, just enough for the creatures to feed on before they return with a charged Solaris crystal.
Led by an unwilling Stork and a cute native animal (which Junko calls Mr. Cheepers, and Stork being skeptical about using it as a guide), the Storm Hawks make their way to the other end of the Gorge, avoiding one horrible monster after another (e.g. Metal-eating Vulca Bats, Meat-eating Plants, Living Tar, and Snapper Eels). Finn eventually becomes a victim of Gorge Madness, thinking that he is edible on his own right.
As they reach the far end and find sunlight, the sunlight transforms their animal guide and a herd of creatures like him into massive angry Poison-toothed Spiney-haired sloths. After capturing enough charge for the Solaris Crystal, the Storm Hawks hurry their way back to the Condor, bypassing the creatures once more. They soon realise that all the horrors of the gorge are no less hostile to the spiny gorge sloths, and the shortcuts were often used by the latter for this very reason. Mr. Cheepers was eventually consumed by a carnivorous plant. As the Storm Hawks approaches the Condor, they find that the vulca bats had already eaten up all the metal parts left for them, and are starting to chew on the Condor. The Condor is quickly activated and flying again, exposing the vulca bats to sunlight and driving them away.
Now with an empty room, Junko laments at the loss of his metal stash, with Radarr attempting to console him by giving him a rivet. Meanwhile on the bridge, Finn is seen recovering from the Gorge Madness. Piper compliments Stork for guiding the Storm Hawks out of the Black Gorge, while Aerrow suggests going somewhere with much sunlight after being in the dark for long. He asks if anyone knows a shortcut to Terra Ray, much to Stork's paranoia.
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Aerrow
*Piper
*Finn
*Junko
*Stork
*Radarr
*Mr. Cheepers
===Crystals===
*Engine Crystal
*Solaris Crystal
===Squadrons===
*Storm Hawks
==Quotes==
Aerrow: What's gotten into Finn?
Stork: Well, let's see. Darting eyes, shortness of breath, paranoia directed towards inanimate objects.
Finn: I'm on to you, you little rock!
Stork: A sure sign of Gorge Madness.
Piper: You sure? He's like that when he skips lunch, too.
Junko: Don't you remember me, Mr. Cheepers? I cared for you! You were my friend!
(Mr. Cheepers attacks)
Mr. Cheepers, no!
(Mr. Cheepers is eaten by a carnivorous plant)
Oh yeah... well you were a lousy pet, Mr. Cheepers!
==Trivia==
*This episode marks the first and only appearance of Mr. Cheepers.
*This is the first episode without the appearance of any Cyclonians.
*Running gag: Finn suffers from Gorge Madness, with every creature in the Gorge attempting to eat him.
*Running gag: Junko mentioning that he could sense vulcabats eating metal parts in the Condor during the journey to the far end of the Black Gorge.
*Mr. Cheepers and its kind have a morphing ability similar to the Gremlins. While the Gremlins die when exposed to sunlight, the creatures of the Black Gorge turns into giant monsters on the same condition.
== Gallery==
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==References==
 007
Category:Season 1