Jonny Quest (1964)/Monsters in the Monastery

Monsters in the Monastery
Season 1, Episode 25
Airdate	March 4, 1965
Written by
Directed by
← 1x24 Terror Island	1x26 → The Sea Haunt
Jonny Quest (1964) — Season One

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Monsters in the Monastery is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season of Jonny Quest.

Guest Stars:

Plot Overview

During a Quest family trip to Nepal, a band of terrorists in yeti disguise attempt to overthrow the local spiritual/government leader (a Dalai Lama-style figure) who is an old friend of Dr. Quest's.

Notes

THIS IS A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE EPISODE (with spoilers)

A violent thunderstorm lashes the exotic Nepalese village of Kum Jung by night. Nestled in the Himalayas, the little town lies in the shadow of the ancient Kali Yuga palace. Up in the abandoned ruins, a fearsome yeti snow beast howls in protest against the driving rain. The cries strike terror into the villagers below, as doors are locked, windows are shuttered, and a barking dog is swept in off the street. In the town monastery, the Raj Guru (a wizened old political/spiritual leader, similar to the Dali-Lama) is informed by Ning Po (one of his monks) that the townsfolk are in turmoil. They are convinced that the stormy weather has driven the yeti down from the high mountains into the old palace.

The next morning, the imminent American scientist, Dr. Benton Quest, his son, Jonny, adopted Indian son Hadji, and family bodyguard, Race Bannon, along with their pet bulldog, Bandit, arrive in the Quest verti-jet (a Harrier-like VSTOL) on a visit to the Raj Guru, who happens to be an old friend of the Doctor's.

They are met at their landing site by the Raj, along with Ling Po and a band of curious villagers, when screams of terror are heard in the distance. Along a nearby mountain path, a native traveler is attacked by a yeti monster and thrown off a cliff to his death. The Raj Guru warns his visitors about the Yeti danger and worries that the village may be doomed if the snow monsters manage to cut off the rope bridge which provides their only access to civilization. The Quest party is shown to their guest quarters in the cottage of the bells.

That night, the Quest party prepares for the local festival of Mani Maru, when their guest cottage is bombarded by flying boulders. Hadji wonders if the super-strengthed Yeti are throwing them, but the ever rational Dr Quest explains the whole thing away as a small avalanche from the mountain ledges above.

As it turns out, the Yeti are, indeed, responsible for the hail of boulders. They are, however, using a medieval catapult to launch their projectiles from the old palace - which seems incongruous for such beastly creatures.

When the bombardment subsides, Dr. Quest and Race depart the cottage of the bells for the festival, while Jonny and Hadji remain behind with Bandit to finish getting ready. One of the abominable snowmen lurks outside the window, watching them, but is scared off by Bandit's barking. Leaping right through the open window, the little dog chases after the yeti and the boys chase after their dog...to find big footprints in the snow outside.

Bandit follows the yeti across the rope bridge toward the old palace, but the monster throws a huge rock at him. fortunately, the rolling boulder cracks in half and passes to either side of the little dog. He continues to chase after the yeti as Jonny and Hadji follow.

Dr. Quest waits for the boys at the monastery with the Raj Guru as the Buddhist festival gets underway.

Up on a balcony in the old palace, Jonny and Hadji have caught up with Bandit. Unseen, they observe a gathering of lantern carrying yeti in the courtyard below - when some remove their false heads to reveal themselves as ordinary men in disguise. As it turns out, they are a Nepalese terrorist group, loyal to Osom (a thuggish rebel leader), bent upon driving the Raj Guru from power. Jonny gives his position away with an inopportune sneeze, and the armed-up yeti impostors quickly drive the boys and their dog back off the balcony with rifle fire.

Down in the village, the street festival is in full swing, complete with firecrackers, noisemakers, and a parade dragon, when Dr.Quest and Race begin to worry about the absent boys. The Raj Guru understands their concern and accompanies them on a search of the town.

Up in the old palace, a group of armed yeti impostors are in hot pursuit of Jonny, Hadji and Bandit, but the boys escape by sliding down a stairway banister with their dog. The terrorists follow, only to pile up in a heap at the bottom of the stair rail - giving the escapees time to hide in an oxcart full of hay. Some of the yeti men search the courtyard for them, while others begin to bombard the village with flaming projectiles launched by catapult.

Dr. Quest, Race, and the Raj Guru are still searching the streets for Jonny and Hadji, when fireballs begin to rain down all around town. Although a few minor blazes are set, the men notice that the projectiles are coming from the old palace and decide to investigate.

Back at the palace, Osom and his yeti men search an old room for the Quest party trespassers. Jonny hides behind a decorative shield, as does Bandit, while Hadji hides in an ancient suit of armor. Both boys knock out some unsuspecting terrorists who wander too close, but Jonny gets separated from Hadji and Bandit as the rebel leader chases him down a dead-end stairway. He becomes trapped on a landing where the steps have broken away to form a sheer drop-off. Using a decorative bow and arrow found on the wall, Jonny shoots some flask bladders hanging from the rafters to spill cooking grease onto the stairway. Osom slips on the grease and tumbles down the steps, plunging over the steep drop to his death.

Meanwhile, another yeti man has Bandit cornered on a fireplace mantle in another room as Hadji hides behind some nearby crates. The little dog scampers from one clay jug to the next as the pistol-wielding terrorist picks them off like ducks in a shooting gallery. Just as he is about to finish Bandit off, however, Hadji dumps the stack of crates over on top of the gunman. The quick-thinking boy removes the knocked-out rebel's yeti mask and takes it as evidence.

In another part of the old palace, Jonny eludes a search party of yeti men by hiding in a big clay jug.

Down on the rope bridge, Race Drives Dr. Quest and the Raj Guru across in the the Raj's jeep. The yeti men on the catapult bombard the bridge with flaming projectiles, setting it afire. Another yeti man hurls a big rock from the palace end of the bridge, but Race speeds into it and bounces it back onto the thrower, killing him. He then races off the span before the flames can consume it.

Up in the palace, Jonny has rejoined with Hadji and Bandit on a high ledge. A yeti man pursues them, but Hadji kicks him off to his death. The boys and Bandit run away, but get themselves cornered behind a gong at the top of a stairway by a pistol wielding yeti man. Jonny cuts the gong down with his pocketknife and they ride it down the steps like a saucer sled to bowl over their assailant. A yeti man fires on them from a palace parapet - but a real yeti creeps up and kills him from behind.

The gong sled continues down the mountain to meet the jeep. Hadji exhibits the yeti mask to explain the impostor situation and the whole party continues up to the palace.

Back up in the palace the Quest party and the Raj discover that all the yeti men have been wiped out by some terrible force. On an adjacent mountain ridge, they catch a glimpse of the real yeti snow beast. They can hardly believe their eyes as it disappears into the Himalayan wilderness, returning to the realm of myth from whence it came.