Despair/Original

Arc

**Despair** is the third episode of The Sudric Legends and the Magic Railroad Arc.

## Plot

After narrowly escaping The Beast, Gordon is exhausted. Defect questions his speed, but before Gordon can reply, a group of Zealots appear on the bridge below them. The three engines race over the bridge. Ryan is concerned that the diesels will catch up to them, but luckily Defect's "fail safe" knocks the bridge the diesels were on, as well as the bridge the steam egines were on, down. After Defect explains that the fail safe was why they escaped, Gordon and Ryan imagine what the fail safe could do for them. Defect imagines as well, but immediately tells the others to resume the mission. The three continue along as a mysterious orange engine watches from above.

Not much later, the three engines arrive at a large shed in which Defect inputs a pass code. Two massive doors open and the engines find themselves in a sanctuary populated by a prominent race in the Magic Railroad, The Minis. While the two Sodor engines are bewildered by their surroundings, Defect approaches and old friend, and then calls his new ones over. His friend introduces himself as, The Guardian, and the latter explains that the Minis are a part of a curse in which they die after a month. He also explains that a Mini might be able to survive however if it is taken out of the Magic Railroad and thus he gives the group permission to take one. Ryan searches for a Mini to pick, but a small black one with a ninja mask approaches him. Ryan dubs him, Ninja Buddy, he climbs into Ryan's cab and the four set off, right after Gordon encounters a Mini that resembles him.

The four continue along, smashing through walls and travelling at tremendous speeds, until they reach a strange area that resembles a sort of meeting area with many Zealots on the ground and a second track above them. A door opens on the upper track, much to Defect's discomfort, and the orange engine reveals himself to be King Lowercase, ruler of the Magic Railroad. The king says that he was expecting to find the intruders, but before he can do anything, Defect charges at him and is stopped by a diesel. He points a rocket launcher at the latter and he backs off. Defect jumps at King Lowercase, but fails and ends up just using the launcher.

The four engines retreat to a new area, the Library. Defect can't remember the geography too well, but eventually guides them to a meeting area inside where another old friend of Defect shows themselves, No Name. No Name gives them a teleportation device that allows them to escape. The latter accompanies them to make sure they travel safely. They don't as something goes wrong, and with the exception of No Name, everyone suffers minor injuries. Defect tells No Name that they need to find help, but No Name says he'll be fine and tells Defect to remember that, "I am the mother fucking, NO NAME!" He loses consciousness moments later. The four engines press on once more as a loud alarm plays overhead. Defect tells them that they are almost to the exit, but then an ear-shattering sound is heard as a bullet hits Defect. The bullet is from King Lowercase, who mocks Defect and claims his determination is meaningless and that he's naive. Defect expresses his anger by throwing a smoke bomb at the king and guiding his friends to safety.

It begins to rain as the engines rest in a dark room. Defect explains that the Magic Railroad used to be a much happier place to due it's guardian, Lady. This all changed however when King Lowercase took over, destroyed many areas and slaughtered countless civilians. Defect explains that even Lady was killed and he tried to escape many times, but failed and was arrested, but he regained his confidence when he broke out with Gordon and Ryan. He then tells them that he is going to sacrifice himself to distract the diesels so they can escape.

Defect leaves the shed and continues along to the sound of the alarm until he stumbles upon a huge group of Zealots. Defect confidently defeats every last one of them and then confronts King Lowercase. The latter is impressed with Defect's work, but then pulls out a sword and challenges him himself. Defect pulls out a sword of his own, claiming that he won't hold back, and stopping King Lowercase will be the last thing he does.

## Characters

* Ryan
* Gordon
* Ninja Buddy
* Defect
* King Lowercase
* Magic Railroad Zealots
* The Minis
* The Guardian
* No Name
* The Beast (stock footage)
* Lady (flashback, doesn't speak)
* Philip (fantasy, doesn't speak)
* Hank (mentioned)
* Murdoch (mentioned)
* Sam (mentioned)
* Henry (fantasy, doesn't speak, cut)

## Locations

* The Magic Railroad
* Beast Layer
* Box Canyon
* The Minis Sanctuary
* King Lowercase's overlook
* The Library
* Dark room

## Trivia

* This episode was uploaded on Oliver's 4 year anniversary on YouTube.
* When Defect and the others are running from The Beast, the opening from Attack on Titan plays.
* The original titles of this episode were going to be 'A New Threat', 'Hope and Despair' and 'Hopeful Despair'.
* This episode marks the first appearances of Ninja Buddy, King Lowercase and No Name.
* This is the first episode to show blood.
* The boulder falling on the bridge was not in the original story.
* Gordon was originally going to imagine Henry being crushed by the rock, he was replaced with Philip.
* According to Oliver and Ryan, Defects story was originally "Longer and more emotional".