Those that were denied...

[frieza]

Ok, say we've probably all had this discussion at one point or another during the past few years. But let's formalise it by asking: which teams were most unfairly denied a victory. Everyone make a list of 5 teams, with number 1 being the most cheated team in the whole series!

[DavidNewton]

It's might not be "unfair", but I was very disappointed when Sophia (Series 6) died at the huge causeway, so close to the end. It was the closest that a second team ever got to winning without an end-of-series "special event".

And Giles in series 4, after a great performance in the Block and Tackle, were removed from the dungeon at the end of the series after getting to the transporter pads.

[GrimaldineGrimwold]

I don't know about teams that were denied victory, but my 5 are the ones I think were denied the chance at it:

5. Series 6 Team 4, who were killed by Sly after giving him Lord Fear's ring. I know they weren't supposed to give it up, but I'd always thought using the weapons of the Opposition was a bad idea. Without any other options, I think I might have tried to sell him it too.

4. The team who, if memory serves, "slip" off a causeway while picking up a scroll or something. I can't recollect their names right now, but certainly they fell in dubious circumstances.

3. Series 4 Team 5, who died after Merlin decided to say everything, including his riddles, in Opposites. I would have been bemused too.

2. Series 4 Team 8, whose quest was called short at the end of the Season. Since they'd ventured well into Level 3, and other teams in later years were given short cuts of various lengths, I think they have a right to feel a little aggrieved.

1. A close call, but it goes to Series 7 Team 5 who suffered all that strangeness with the darkness powder and the imported troll in the Trial By Spikes. Again it's a question of consistency- if other teams around that time had been given no hints, then their lack of a hint to use the powder would seem fairer. But Majida in particular used to hint about the slightest things. Very blatant hints, too. This team had none, and died as a result.

[Emii]

I agree with the last one. But only cos I thought Tim was nice.

[Ark]

My personal award to those who were denied goes to Helen and co, Team 1 Season 4. For those who don't remember, Helen, deep in Level 3, had a face off with Mogdred who summoned a Magic Sword to deal with them. Helen was armed with two spells gained from Hordriss. To quote Hordriss, "One is most powerful and is called TRANSFORMATION. The other is quite humble and is called BUT."

So, they start casting the TRANSFORMATION spell, only to get killed by the Sword and told that their spell's name was too long. They weren't given any indication of which spell was right, and I'd personally rather take on Mogdred with a powerful spell than a humble one. Anyone agree?

[DavidNewton]

That's the first Knightmare episode that I have on video. They had quite a while to cast the spell, though I don't know what the result would have been if they'd decided to cast it earlier.

GG's #1: That's the one I meant.

[Elita]

Well, I always thought that the people who never got to finish their quests at the end of the season (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, were cheated. It's not particularly fair to go "Sorry, out of time, quest over!" regardless of how far they'd got. I thought that the team in Season 6 in particular should have gotten something at least (like Barry's team in Season 7) because they DID get the lightning rod.

And I agree that Team 1 in Season 4 should have had more clues on what spell to use, I'd have gone for "Transformation" too. What the hell would "but" have done anyway?! While on the subject of long spells, I always thought it would have been funny if someone had been given a spell like "Antidisestablishmentarianism"... I don't know exactly what that would have done, but it would have been hilarious watching a team try to spell it...

[Kieran]

Team 1 in S4 certainly.  I think, seeing as their death held little logic, that they suffered from Team One Fever, meaning they weren't going to win simply because they were team one.

It is tragic

[Malefact]

I agree that the last team in series 4 should have won. They really deserved it and it looked like they were really into it.

[JamesA]

Series 6 Team 1
&
Series 6 Team 3.

Excellent teams -  both came unfortunate croppers on a causeway.

[Malefact]

Well, maybe not quite so much team 3 - the Frightnight was there for all to see. I remember when I watched it for the first time (over 10 years ago, blimey!) I was screaming at the tv "go on, get on with it!" and then they fell LOL!

[Whiteknight]

Definitely Series 4 Team 8 win this accolade because they could not have been more than 3 rooms away from an almost certain victory; they had done all of the hard work and had the 'tiny' spell which would have seen them through.  They certainly seemed a bit annoyed when being dismissed by Treguard anyway.

[Malefact]

The first team on series 7 was a bit unlucky too, as was team two on series 8 (I think that to win they'd have had to have flogged the key and kept the sight potion but that wasn't very obvious).

[GrimaldineGrimwold]

The first team on series 7 was a bit unlucky too, as was team two on series 8 (I think that to win they'd have had to have flogged the key and kept the sight potion but that wasn't very obvious).

I agree about Series 8 Team 2. Without the sight potion, they probably had no chance in the Corridor of Blades. They might even have kept the blades coming until they messed up. They did make a darn good attempt at it, however, until one of the advisers said left instead of right. Of course, by the time they corrected it was too late.

[Malefact]

Knice bit of blood, though, when the inevitable happened.  8)