Morugan (episode)

*Not to be confused with the character of the same name.*

***Morugan*** is the first episode of the third season (*The Two Tigers*) and the fifty-third overall episode of the animated series, *Sandokan*.

## Synopsis

Our adventure begins in the White Pagoda on Samarai Island, Kodo (an elderly thief) and a boy (who wears a turban and a ring with the emblem of a tiger) try to steal a ruby that is kept within the Pagoda. But as soon as the boy tries to pry the stone away from where it is set, the ceiling starts shaking and red flashes are emitted by the stone. Two guards immediately rush to the scene.

They try to capture the two thieves who manage to escape. During the chase, a ray of light strikes the guards and they are turned into skeletons. The rays also scorch the vegetation surrounding the pagoda and then something incredible happens. Some light rays coming from the ruby reach the sleeping ghost of the evil Suyodhana (Sandokan’s mortal enemy) and rouse him from his sleep. But in order to survive on the earth, he must find a body to host him and so he does. Meanwhile, inside the Kiltar Royal Palace, the sword with the hilt bearing the inscription of the tiger breaks up into three separate pieces, much to the surprise of Sandokan and Yanez, who are not the only ones to have noticed the phenomenon.

Inside the Sukra monastery, in the Bihar region, the Grand Master of the blue monks tells his brethren that the ruby has been removed and that it is imperative to find it before Kalì’s followers do. Sandokan and Yanez go to an armourer in Madras to repair the sword, but it is too damaged. The armourer suggests removing the precious stone that is set in the hilt and nothing else that can be done.

After removing the gem from the hilt, they realize that underneath there’s the inscription of a pagoda with a superimposed sword. It is none other than the White Pagoda on Samarai Island. As soon as they leave the shop, a monk dressed in blue approaches the armourer and with the excuse of asking him for a coin he whispers something into his ear. And by chance when the prahu is about to set sail, the same monk asks Sandokan for a lift. During their sail he offers some tea as an act of courtesy to his benefactors, who slip into a deep sleep. The monk is therefore free to lead them to Samarai Island. But Suyodhana, going from one body to the next, invades the monk’s body and possesses it. When Sandokan reawakens he tries to rouse Yanez, but to no avail. And so, by himself, he follows the monk’s footprints up to the pagoda. A gloomy kind of silence lingers over the place and then he sees a shadow in the darkness, which attacks him unexpectedly.

Sandokan is quick to sidestep the blows. He responds, avoids another and during the squabble manages to remove the turban from his assailant’s head. A wonderful head of black hair billows out and the beautiful Morugan makes her appearance on the scene. Behind them the monk-Suyodhana gets rid of a skeleton and picks the ruby up from the ground. Kondo steps in at this point, but the monk-demon is so much stronger and the old man slumps down to the ground under his blows. Morugan furiously leaps upon him, but to no avail. And the same thing goes for Sandokan.

With one last burst of energy, Kondo mortally wounds the monk in the back and some green smoke billows out of his mouth and forms the silhouette of Suyodhana. His luck changes since a bird flies into the pagoda in that moment. Since he hasn’t been successful in possessing Sandokan or Morugan, he possesses the bird and flies off with the ruby in his mouth. When they are left alone, Sandokan and Morugan approach Kondo who doesn’t have the chance to finish telling Morugan what he wanted to tell her for ages. As this happens in a cave, deep down in the belly of the earth, the bird deposits the ruby at the foot of a statue of the goddess Kali and Suyodhana’s voice says, “Here is the eye of the sword, great Mother.”

## Characters

### **Main**

* Sandokan
* Yanez
* Marianne
* Paco
* Kammamuri
* Randi
* Morugan

### **Supporting**

* The Grand Master of the Blue Monks
* The Blue Monks
* Sandokan's father (in a flashback)
* Kondo

### **Villains**

* Suyodhana
* Kali
* Kodo
* Maharajah

**Supporting:** Tremal-Naik • Surama • Ada • Sultan • Amina • Morugan • Butho • Kim • Aruna • Amari • Bandar • Randi • Azim • Asura • Prince Zhao • Prince Sung • Prince Lao • Singa • Xi Xi • Naga • The Blue Monks • Archibald Lester • Colonel Stones • Lieutenant Jones • Urlag • Babar
**Villains:** James Brooke • Suyodhana • Nazima • Ushitora • Mati • Kien Koa • Kali • Narkodam • Hazra • Jade Fox • Lobo Hai