The Mysterious Cities of Gold started in 1982. 38 years, and 117 episodes later, it has finally ended. So after all this time, has the wait been worth it?
MCOG is a very pretty show © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group
I was lucky enough to be able to download the French language episodes and english fan-subs through the hard work and diligence of the members of the Gold List, a MCOG Yahoo Group created in the late 90s that I had been a member of since 1996. I’d like to say many thanks to Silent_G and the amazing guys at the Discord group who worked hard to make sure that english speaking fans could access the show. Whilst it is not my ideal way to watch the show, I am grateful that I have been able to view it and appreciate it alongside other fans in real time. It created a collegiate atmosphere with the community sharing theories and ideas as the series progressed. I can’t wait for more people to watch the show and really get into interesting conversations about what the ending means.
I watched the series over the course of a few weeks and these are my reflections on the forth and final season of the MCOG. This is a spoiler free article but I do gently brush over themes covered in the season. For those looking for a more in-depth look at the season and a more detailed retrospective on all the series as a whole, I’d recommend you check out my article here.
Season 4 propels the story forward and picks up from the slight slump of the tail end of the third season, where I felt that the characters started to act out of character and the plot became a little convoluted.
The Golden Condor covers a lot of miles this season © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group
The final series starts with Ambrosius, Gaspard and Laguerra travelling to Africa to find the next city (the fifth of seven), armed with the two gold medallions found from the previous golden city. Building on the legend of the Queen of Sheba, they are seeking the city of Ophir and a treasure that could be a game changer for the possessor, granting them potentially god-like powers. Ambrosius covets it but Esteban and the team are not too far behind him. With Zia's growing ESP abilities, as well as the moxie of the team as a whole, they overcome many of the traps set by Ambrosius to find the Doorway of the Ancients, a Mu-en (Mu-vian? Mu-enite? Mu-tian? ) portal which allows them to teleport across continents in an instant. It is with this development that the series grows in scope.
We get an introduction to Leonardo Di Vinci and the Order of the Hourglass, the organisation set up to find out more about Mu/ Hiva culture. This is a callback to lore that Athanaos (Esteban's father), Ambrosius and Dr. Leguerra were the first 3 members of the Order who set out for the New World to find evidence of the ancient civilisation.
When the fifth city of Ophir is finally discovered, Ambrosius gains the treasure but is betrayed by compatriots. The city retreats in the process of the fight.
Esteben et al. try to find clues to the sixth city, Orunigi, and overcome many challenges to retrieve the Bako, a sacred mask of prophecy which guilds them to its location. It is here that the ‘Grand Heritage’ of the Mu people is revealed and the ‘Great Cataclysm,’ which will destroy the world, must be prevented with the creation of the seventh city.
Phew! Reading that you can see that the show really escalates the stakes and makes it a more global affair but it is still the show we all know and love. It is a tough balancing act to include so many ‘new’ real figures from history and have then fit in with the vast cast of characters from seasons past but I think the show manages it, for the most part. I think you need to see this series almost like a greatest hits- bringing back the classics whilst trying new stuff that fits in to the overall story arc.
The climax of the show is optimistic with disparate peoples across the world joining together to battle against an overwhelming threat that could destroy all life on Earth. Some aspects feel a little undercooked, like the Prince Tyrias plot, but these are small niggles in an otherwise well-crafted story. The denouement is satisfyingly dramatic and also sets up intriguing possibilities about alternate, maybe parallel worlds or realms and possible continuations. As a long-time MCOG fan I couldn’t ask for a better ending.
As with the previous season, there are moments of stunning artistry and beauty and for fans of the series to enjoy. The Golden Condor again is given centre stage and there is pure GC adoration as the machine is lovingly shown from all angles, usually accompanied with a huge swell in dramatic synth music. And that's something to mention too; the quieter contemplative moments have some stunning music that is modern but more than just an homage to the past soundtrack It is its own beast and very worthwhile.
I’d also like to add that, as a former pseudoscientific theories/ conspiracy buff by way of Graham Hancock, Erich Von Daniken et al. and to a much lesser extent Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, it's great to see how the writers of the series have interwoven so much lore, theories and alternate timelines together to make a cohesive and intriguing mythos. The emphasis on telekinetic and advanced tech of the ancients as a unifier is suggested in Hancock’s book ‘Before America’ and had been suggested even by Elon Musk as regards the building of the pyramids. As a former Assassins Creed fan (at least until Black Flag and before it became iterative busy work), the idea that Da Vinci was part of a secret brotherhood who had tapped into a secret knowledge is intriguing and exciting. The fact that notable figures from history make appearances and team-up including Nostradamus, Charles V and the Kings of France and Zimbabwe is a bonus as pseudo-scientists and historians love this world-wide conspiracy/ organisation stuff. *Disclaimer- pseudoscience is fun as a thought experiment but not to be be taken too seriously btw!
I think that the setting and portrayal of Africa is very well done and the peoples are treated with respect and dignity, something that comics (remember Tintin in the Congo, oof!), and some other mediums (many, many anime and manga series), have often not handled well with broad stereotypes and ethnocentric racism usually depicting the land and people as 'savage' and 'other'. The Princess being infatuated with Pedro, which is played for laughs, could be seen as the problematic 'Jezebel' trope however later in the series we see her being a strong and forthright leader who schools Pedro and Sancho for their arrogance. This shows is very positive about Africa in the 16th century, as it should be. After all, the continent was home to many kingdoms and empires that were independent, prosperous and successful in trade before the onset of European colonialism and empire.
However, the harsh realities of colonialism and the start of the slave trade are not ignored and are a plot point mid-way through the series. They struggle to reconcile with a world where men are sold as commodities and the topic is treated with sympathy and respect. MCOG is a deeply humanist work and over the course of the 4 seasons it has always made each peoples sympathetic and flawed. After all, even the Olmecs were just trying to keep their race alive--even if it was through questionable means. As Pedro says, "There are some things that are worth sacrificing, good deeds make you better people" and for his character that is quite the development from season 1. The end of show documentaries discuss the matter somewhat and, whilst aimed at children, it is enlightening and will hopefully get young people thinking more about the legacy of empire.
It's very much a show that is perfect for now, at a time when the pandemic and ecological collapse threatens the world.It also shows how by working together with mutual understanding and empathy, all the cultures of the world can come together to achieve something collectively wonderful. It's a hopeful sentiment and one much needed in a world which has been struck with something as cataclysmic as the pandemic which has isolated and separated many communities and brought forth the fissures that existed in many of the societies. However, like in the MCOG, these times don't have to be seen as apocalyptic but rather a revelation as the lies of individualism have been laid bare. We are a global community and MCOG shows that by working together we can achieve pretty much anything. This is not a revisionist but rather alternate take on the 16th century where rather than European expansionism, colonialism and empire we see collaboration and respect.
I wasn't expecting it but after all is said and done, MCOG sticks the landing and, in places, nails it. It is a masterclass of storytelling and shows how, even after many years, the sequels can carry the momentum of all that has gone before. Sure, there is a bit of ret-conning but when it adds to a larger and better told tale… why not? There is a quote from Twin Peaks where David Lynch's character Gordon Cole states in no uncertain terms, 'Fix your heart or die,’ and I feel that overall, that is what MCOG is saying and it does so eloquently.
Much like how Twin Peaks: The Return stunned audiences with its audacious and ambitious story and visuals many, many years after the OG series, MCOG season 4 more than does the original series justice.
I will miss the show that has been such a huge part of my life but I can’t complain; they gave it a heck of a send-off!
LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review
LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East
LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review
LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review
LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review
LINK- Secret History of Twin Peaks: Book Review
LINK- Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Book Review
LINK- Hilda Comic Series Review
LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review
LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review
LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review