The Time Warriors and Beyond

Forgotten Villains: Buffy’s Vampire Willow

By Owen Quinn author

Photo copyright Mutant Enemy

I was recently made aware of just how many movies and television shows the younger generation have never heard of, never mind seen. So to that end, we look back at some characters you really need to see before you kick the bucket.

With every shop there is a constant thread that our heroes may die or nearly die or survive to the end with some scars but essentially human or Klingon or Gallifreyan whatever nothing terminal happens to them. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer we always had the threat of our heroes being turned into vampires. Being a friend of the Slayer or simply living in Sunnydale made you a prime target for a bloodsucker upgrade. Sometimes they came close but it never happened.

However in the third season episode The Wish, a hurt Cordelia wishes that Buffy had never moved to Sunnydale. She discovered that her boyfriend Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) cheated on her with Willow Rosenburg (Alyson Hannigan). While they had always been close friends, Willow had a crush on Xander and they finally acted upon it.

Cordelia took a risk becoming involved with Xander due to her status as most popular girl in school and him being a nerd. But when Cordelia made that wish she didn’t realise her new friend Anya was a vengeance demon. Vengeance demons grant wishes for women betrayed by men and she creates a new timeline where Buffy never came. Sunnydale is now overrun with vampires led by the Master. With no Buffy there was no one to stop him from rising at the end of season one. Now it is a hellhole where the Bronze nightclub is openly vamp where they keep in cages unfortunate victims.

Cordelia is confused at first until she meets Willow and Xander dressed strangely and soon realises they are vampires and lovers. Becoming a vamp frees all your inhibitions and they act upon their attraction which only winds up Cordelia even more. She is only saved from them by the town’s only defence the White Hats consisting of Giles (Anthony Head), Oz (Seth Green), Larry Blaisdell and Nancy.

Willow along with Xander is now part of the Master’s elite guard, the Order of Aurelius, his right hand persons so to speak. She is everything that our Willow isn’t; sensual, sexual, unafraid to speak her mind and fights like a demon. Like all vamps she is sadistic and uncaring about her victims. This Willow likes it when her victims die fighting and screaming. There is nothing human about her anymore and is a prime example of how becoming a vampire makes a person so far removed from the one you knew. Without a soul, good kind Willow is gone forever. It is a far cry from the guilt ridden one we saw earlier in the episode trying to apologise to Oz only to be rejected.

Willow’s outfit is Moulin Rouge in appearance announcing her lack of inhibitions In fear of being killed by the Master she and Xander murder Cordelia something Willow finishes with a little wave. Here Willow gets bored easily so passes her time being sadistic which she calls playing; her puppy is Angel, chained in a cell and Willow’s plaything. So good is she at torture that Xander likes to watch.

When Buffy does arrive, all hell breaks loose and there is a huge fight. Willow launches herself into it and her and Buffy battle. However ironically it is her spurned lover from this reality that kills her along with Larry by impaling her. As heroes fall, Giles stops Anya by smashing her amulet and reverses the wish.

But as we know death isn’t always permanent in this genre. In Doppelgangland, Willow and Anya try a spell to bring back Anya’s amulet. Alternate Giles destroyed the vengeance demon’s amulet to restore reality leaving Anya human in our world. She isn’t happy and desperately wants to be a demon again. Willow has begun practicing magic but is still a learner. Instead her spell creates a temporal fold that brings vampire Willow into our world.

Her world has a curfew, people do not go out once darkness falls and everyone wears dull clothes to avoid attracting vamps. Vampire Willow cannot believe humans walk the streets at night so freely and wear the most up to date fashion. She meets Buffy and Xander. She is horrified that her lover is a human and tells Buffy she hates her. When Buffy goes to stop her leaving, Willow shows her vamp face. They believe their friend has been turned only to meet her in the library as her normal self.

Vamp Willow is attacked by vampires thinking she is our Willow but she slaps them down. She then organises them to storm the Bronze where she intends to turn everyone into vampires. She kills a girl on the spot to prove her intentions. Oz is trapped there as is Anya and Angel escapes to get Buffy. Anya explains what is really going on to her telling her about her alternate self that brought her here.

Vampire Willow finds our Willow and at first wants to be sent back to her reality but comes round to the idea of a universe with two Willows. She licks her neck and our Willow is creeped out. It is the first indication that Willow is actually gay which will later come to fruition. She manages to hit her with a tranquiliser dart and lock her in a cage. Our Willow then has to impersonate her other self while swapping outfits. Camp Willow is horrified at being dressed as “fuzzy” and tricks Cordelia into letting her out but not before Cordelia nearly bores her to death with her wittering about stealing boyfriends.

After an unsuccessful attempt to kill Cordelia only to be stopped by Wesley, vamp Willow enters the Bronze as there is a free for all fight. She tries to kill our Willow by strangulation. Buffy leaps to stake her but our Willow stops her. They have to send her back to her world but still arrives at the point where she is killed by Oz.

Alyson Hannigan does a great job making the two Willows individuals and not verge into the camp exaggerated territory. It is always great to see a good guy go to the dark side but when it’s done so well as it was with these two episodes, it stands out from the crowd. Add to that the story is not just a stunt but has ripples that will echo until the end of the series.

Stephen Carey & Owen Quinn Talk Final Destination 2

Photo copyright New Line Cinema (Warner Bros Entertainment)

This time we follow up last week’s date with death in the first Final Destination to see what happens next. Is it a worthy sequel or just an attempt to squeeze more money out of the fans? Sure, it’s all good craic! Give us a like and help support independent authors.

Stephen Carey & Owen Quinn Talk Final Destination:The Original and Best?

Photo copyright New Line Cinema (Warner Bros Entertainment)

and Check out the latest movie look back when Stephen and I try to cheat death in Final Destination. Sure, it’s all good craic! Give us a like and help support independent authors.

RIP Val Kilmer; ‘I’m Your Huckleberry’

By Owen Quinn author

There will be a lot of tributes today about the passing of Val Kilmer but how many will have that personal touch. Most will be bios of his career and quotes from fellow celebrities but I was a huge fan of the man and this one hurt hard for me.

For me, Kilmer has always been one of those actors who has always been there. Others have come and gone but there is something magnetic about Kilmer that has kept him in the industry this long. While he was a good looking man, he dominated the screen when he was on it. He had the most magnetic eyes and strong jawline giving him the classic leading man look, reminding us of the leading men from the golden days of Hollywood.

Everyone will rightly talk about Top Gun, Tombstone, The Doors and Batman and he did so many other things. As Batman, he had that chameleon quality similar to Keaton. In a way, he was the perfect Batman because with his good looks, nobody would ever think he would be a superhero. The rich playboy label to throw people off Bruce Wayne’s night time activities has never fitted so well under Kilmer’s reign.

He was a great leading man; his Jim Morrison was so good that the surviving members of The Doors said they couldn’t tell the difference between the singing voice of Kilmer and the real Jim Morrison. He was also a great hero, best exemplified in Willow. Willow gave Kilmer the chance to play the hero without the limits of the Batman character and he was fun, exuberant and multilayered as Madmartigan. In some aspects, he was an even more fun version of Han Solo. People also forget that he was the voice of the super car KITT in the short-lived Knight Rider reboot. Remember Deja Vu?

No tribute can ever be complete without acknowledging his return to Top Gun despite being ill with throat cancer. And there can be no more touching tribute to a person than the quality of the things his friends say about him in their passing. Tom Cruise did him proud when talking about his return to Top Gun Maverick while his friend Josh Brolin is heartbroken. Kurt Russell formed a special bond with Kilmer on the set of Tombstone (has there ever been a better version of Doc Holliday). And when you think about it, that’s what we all want when we go. We only see the performance but his friends see the real man. But in Val’s case, we all got to see the dignity he displayed in his health issues.

Pause and think for a moment because the world really has lost a legend. They are few and far between and there won’t be a movie buff’s household today that will not be watching something featuring Val Kilmer and reminding us that his legacy will live on through his performances.

Stephen Carey Stories Discuss Knock At the Cabin

Join Stephen Carey and Owen Quinn for another episode as they breakdown movies to find the gem within. This week under the spotlight is M Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin starring Dave Bautista. check it out and give us a like. You know you want to because the craic is always good!

Book Excerpt: The Wolves of Chernobyl & Other Stories: Eyes Behind The Trees

By and copy right of Owen Quinn 2024 Shadow Queen concept art Stephen Mooney Book cover by Conaire McMullan

Tyran is thrown into another dimension when one of her experiments goes wrong. Her presences begins to destabilise the region. her only hope is a talking rabbit and fairy. The race is on to retrieve her equipment but The Shadow Queen has taken it and from all accounts has no intention of handing it back. This story is part of the Time Warriors anthology The Wolves of Chernobyl and Other Stories

“Once, we spoke to humans all the time before the wall came down. Now they look at those left behind like we are mere animals. I was firm friends with Farmer Langdon, Lanky Langdon to his friends. We used to discuss everything from philosophy to the best way to grow crops.”

“Used to?” Tyran prompted.

“He died; his lungs went black from the smoke. The animals went to his funeral with the humans. Little did we know, the tears shed that day from the beasts and the humans would mark the very last time we would speak.”

“I’ve heard of that from the First Nation people; that humans and animals once lived in harmony until man forgot how to talk to the animals.”

The rabbit nodded sadly.

“True. I miss Farmer Langdon so I am so glad of this chance to speak with you,” the rabbit said brightly smiling, its whiskers curling up like a thumbs up.

“Can you tell me where I am? I have lost some things of mine. My name is Tyran. Perhaps you have seen them mister…?” she prompted.

“Shandy Badandy at your service Miss Tyran!”

Tyran stood letting the reality, the mind-blowing reality of what was happening right now.

“A bunny rabbit is talking to me like I had just met an old friend in the street,” she muttered to herself slightly stunned.

“I’ll try not to take that personally,” the rabbit riled with mild insult. “It’s not every day we get to hear a human voice in this land.” He shook his little pointed head slowly. “The first wails of the Fair Child are not even a memory any more since tones like yours vibrated the air. I can hear the music of this world shake as it reacts in real shocked surprise to the addition of your voice.” Shandy shivered despite the warm day as cold icy fingers slithered down his spine. “It grates our senses so we need to get you out of here and back to your human realm as soon as possible.”

“I’m all for that Thumper,” Tyran agreed eagerly. “I had some equipment with me. I need to find it so I can get out of here.”

“Your box made from a strange metal with three legs like the Tyrenian stork?”

Tyran’s head snapped back at the rabbit.

“You know where my machine is?”

Shandy recoiled, shrivelling under the question.

“It was stolen by the Shadow Queen. Oh my, she left you there like a fallen leaf in autumn while she took your machine,” Shandy said. “What is a machine?”

Forgotten Villains: Blade 2’s Jared Nomak

By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues

Photo copyright New Line Cinema

There is no doubt that Blade 2 is one of the best movies ever made. Indeed Marvel’s upcoming (or not) new Blade movie has a long way to go to match or even exceed the original Wesley Snipes versions, bar the third of course.

In Blade 2 Blade must work with his enemies to destroy a lethal new plague of vampires called the Reapers. Neither human nor vampire is safe as the Reapers seem intent in wiping out everyone. One bite and you become one. Traditional staking through the heart did not work as their hearts were protected by bone. Only by going in at a certain angle with a sharp blade or object could you achieve that making them harder to kill. Only ultraviolet light can kill them and Blade has his work cut out to stop the threat while not being murdered by his unholy alliance.

Now Bros were a group when I was growing up and their music was great. Indeed one memory I have is travelling on a coach to a Michael Jackson concert in Cork and someone played Bros all the way down and it was great. Who would have thought that years later that one of the Bros brothers would go up against Blade as his most lethal enemy to date. Their ‘When Will I Be Famous’ song took on a whole new meaning once Nomak hit the screens. Luke Goss has made a very successful movie career for himself and he certainly stunned audiences with his portrayal of Nomak.

At first Nomak seems to have come out of nowhere, a new breed of vampire ready to consume everything. However in a huge sewer battle Nomak comes to Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) and reveals the truth.

The Reaper virus is not spawned from evolution but was in fact created by the vampire king, Damaskinos. He has been trying to iron out the vampire weaknesses so they can rule the world. He wants the same abilities Blade has and humanity will be split into cattle and pets. He tested the new serum on his son, Nomak, the Prince of the vampire race. Nomak is out for revenge because the serum has turned him into a monster. As Reaper patient zero, Damaskinos wanted Blade to kill him and the truth never to be told. But Nomak despite his tragic origins still has to be killed and the Reaper wave stopped before it’s too late.

As a Reaper Nomak is able to open his jaws like flaps and inject his victims with a stinger in his mouth to pass the Reaper gene to make more Reapers. It is all about vengeance and Nomak kills his terrified father so he dies slowly then his sister Nyssa who has been helping Blade but was oblivious to what was done to Nomak. Anyone involved in the creation of the Reaper gene is murdered by Nomak. Damaskinos has continued to refine his serum to create weakness free vampires.

The final battle between Blade and Nomak is much more brutal than the first movie. Nomak is stronger than Blade and much more agile. They smash each other to bits and Blade has to rely on his cunning to stop Nomak. He is able to pierce Nomak’s heart with a sword but even then it is a struggle. In a final surprise twist Nomak could pull it out but realises he is an abomination. He has taken his revenge and pushes the sword into his heart.

As the most powerful enemy Blade has faced, Nomak is truly a victim of his father’s misguided ambition. He lost his family once he was given the Reaper serum and hunted and alone, he did exactly what he had to do. In the end, he did the only thing he could do for the world and took his own life. As a one off character, Nomak was a fully rounded three dimensional person, a victim of his father’s ambition that he never shared. And in that there is something biblical that elevates the movie and its characters to another level.

The Time Warriors: Wolves Of Chernobyl & Other Stories On Sale Now!

By and copyright of Owen Quinn

Today sees the release of the latest book in the Time Warriors series, Wolves of Chernobyl & Other Stories. It features seven brand new stories and it also marks the 40th Time Warriors story to be published.

Ever since book one, The Time Warriors First Footsteps, Varran, Jacke, Michael and Tyran have faced many dangers across time and space. They have made good friends and many enemies and after the climax of the last book, The Time Warriors: Only The Dead Get Off At Kymlinge, they now face new and terrifying dangers.

In Eyes Behind the Trees, an experiment throws Tyran into another dimension where she must face her childhood fears and the frightening Shadow Queen.

In The Last Tiger, we return to the days of Varran’s first decades walking the Earth. He finds himself in a dying zoo, housing the last surviving Tasmanian Tiger, Ben. Determined to save the last of the species, Varran and the zookeepers face a creature from the Dreamtime that feeds on the life force of everything in its path.

In Dracula Drive, Jacke and Varran are confronted by redneck racists and Varran has a little fun, running rings around them to teach them a lesson.

The Honoured Souls sees The Time Warriors investigate a UFO sighting in the eighties but what they find is unlike anything they have seen before. And who is the mystery man working for the secret American agency, trying to persuade the citizens that what they see are flares and illusions?

Nowhere Special delves into the themes of loss and rejection as a German scientist encounters a mysterious phenomenon in a forest on a winter night. But what is Varran doing there and is their meeting really a coincidence?

The Wolves of Chernobyl marks the 40th Time Warriors story in which Michael, Varran and Jacke encounter something they thought impossible and a dark secret is revealed in the irradiated city. What is stalking the deserted streets that the authorities desperately want? Who is the old woman? Why does Varran not want to visit Chernobyl even if it means saving millions? And when Jacke is shot, will she join the shadow creatures of the city where time stands still?

In the Lighthouse At The End Of The World, Varran is asked by a friend to help in his death and we explore the themes of assisted suicide and the implications in this situation. Why is there a lizard man hiding in an abandoned lighthouse off the coast of France? Varran finds himself in a dilemma; he doesn’t know if he can die so how can he take part in the killing of a friend? Varran is torn as he struggles to find a way to get himself out of the difficult decision. What defines suffering? Will Varran do as he is asked? Friendship must dare to risk or it is not friendship.

Get your copy today of The Time Warriors most exciting tales yet on Amazon.co.uk and join them on their adventures.

Remember, everything happens for a reason…..

Book Excerpt: The Time Warriors: The Wolves Of Chernobyl & Other Stories: Lighthouse At The End Of The World

By and copyright Owen Quinn

The below extract is from The Time Warriors: The Wolves Of Chernobyl & Other Stories anthology. This story is the last one in the book and the 41st Time Warriors story. Entitled Lighthouse At The End Of The World. We learn about a previously unexplored part of The Time Warriors history. involving a lizard man alone in a lighthouse abandoned by man in 1991. What is the connection to the Louisiana swamp monster, a Russian black site for aliens and Varran?

The red rock strewn Martian landscape stretched before Varran. He was dressed in a red suit with a white shirt and matching tie. His suede shoes were also red. He was calm as he stared at the large body sized log structure before him. It stood chest high and the size of a coffin. In its centre was a a body sized wound of white sheets. Whatever was inside was bound almost like a mummy.

A three foot wooden unlit torch was fitted into a small wrought iron stand on Varran’s left.

He lit the logs in three separate places, ensuring the flame caught. It spat jerkily and seized upon the wood, spreading to consume the pyre in roaring bright fire.

“I’m sorry my friend,” he said quietly almost afraid that if the universe heard him, the unforgiving gods of judgement and retribution would descend and flay him instantly for his cowardice. Varran’s mask fell as the others disappeared. He stood sadly staring at the ashes. “I hope you understand. You won’t realise a thing. Cowardice finds empty solace in that.”

June 29^th 1988 Scape Ore Swamp

The wounded creature flopped about unsteadily in the foul smelling water. Its confused mind had never smelt anything like this. It rolled in the slime, body aching all over. It recalled the creatures that had captured it had torn its flesh apart and brought great pain to tis head. Confused, it stumbled to its feet, colliding with trees as it tried to get away from the smell. It ripped the rotten bandages from its head and cried out seeking another of its kind.

Suddenly a creature with scaled skin and ridged back with a long tail snapped its elongated jaws round its leg. Roaring in pain it grabbed at the strange beast. There was pain and he had enough of pain to last a lifetime. He grabbed the jaws and forced them apart until he heard a satisfying snap.

Flinging the limp carcass a side, he lurched on coming to a clearing where the trees thinned. He blinked rapidly, blood seeping into his eyes. He saw a creature with no scales beside some sort of carriage. It looked similar to his captors. Fearing they had found him already he roared and advanced in order to prevent him calling out for the others.

But in its weakened condition, the lizard man could not move fast enough to prevent the being fleeing in its chariot. He watched red lights fade into the distance as he fell to one knee.

Suddenly he was somewhere else. It was soft and warm. Exhausted, Barick fell on to his side. A figure appeared from his peripheral vision and knelt beside him.

“My name is Varran. You are safe now so rest.”

Forgotten Villains: Klingon Kruge Star Trek 3

By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues

Commander Kruge arrived like a silent serpent slithering from under the heavy black shadows of the Enterprise crew’s grief over the loss of Spock at the end of Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan. The spectre of Genesis has already drawn Khan and now such a weapon with the power to bring life from lifelessness has caught the attention of the Klingons. To be precise, one Klingon in particular, one Commander Kruge. Played by Back to the Future’s Doc Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd, you get a master class in how to be a calculating villain equally only by Christopher Plummer’s General Chang. However Kruge will leave Kirk with scars that will never heal in the fallout from Genesis.

Word of the top secret Genesis device created by Carol Marcus has somehow leaked and the ambitious Kruge wants it for himself. He has engaged fellow Klingon and lover Valkris to deliver information on Genesis to him. However she has opened the file and seen its contents which earn a regretful response from Kruge. She knows without him saying that her knowing about Genesis is a death sentence; so determined is he that only he knows about it that he sacrifices his lover. Such is her loyalty to Kruge she stands tall as his ship destroys the freighter she is on. Kruge knows the Klingon thirst for any advantage over the Federation only too well to trust anyone. In her final moments he vows she will be remembered with honour.

I would have to assume his crew are all aware of Genesis as one of his officers, Torg, sees what is coming through from Valkris yet is allowed to live. it may well be the crew have all been promised a share in the power once it is on Kruge’s hands so killing his lover never made sense to me.

He is the first Klingon we have met to have a pet Targ which stays by his side on the bridge. It is a reptilian dog like animal that he loves dearly. Maybe it is the animal’s unconditional loyalty to him that makes this pet so special.

Arriving at the Genesis planet, Kruge finds the science ship Grissom in orbit. Spock’s protégé Saavik and Kirk’s son, David are on the surface and discovered Spock alive again and aging along with the planet. He is but a child recently emerged from his coffin last seen being fired from the Enterprise at his funeral. Kruge wants prisoners but his gunner accidentally blows the Grissom up which earns him an execution from Kruge and being branded an animal. It is clear Kruge will swiftly take any advantage he can get especially a ship of Starfleet prisoners. But when he discovers that Saavik, David and the changing Spock are on the surface, he takes the upper hand again.

He beams down to find them and is ready to torture them in order to get the secrets of the Genesis torpedo. But when Kirk arrives in the stolen Enterprise, so begins a game of chess that will end in tragedy.

Kirk knows there is a cloaked Klingon ship thanks to Chekov and Kruge thinks he has the advantage. But Kruge is genuinely shocked when he decloaks and Scotty fires point blank damaging the Klingon ship and killing Kruge’s pet Targ in the process. He cradles the animal as he stares around him in disbelief which quickly turns to fury. Kruge roars at his crew to find on the Enterprise. Realising that Kirk is here and part of the Genesis programme, he trusts his instincts and knows Kirk threats are empty.

You can see from Kruge’s body language he is analysing the situation as he goes. With just the tilt of his head and slight lick of his lips, he calls Kirk’s bluff and uses the prisoners on the planet below. If Kirk doesn’t give him the Genesis secrets he will kill them one at a time. Kirk is at a complete disadvantage as he learns that not only is his son and Saavik there but that Spock is also back from the dead.

Before Kirk can do anything Kruge orders his men to execute one of them despite Kirk’s protests. Sadly it is David that is killed saving Saavik. it is only then a broken Kirk says “You Klingon bastard, you killed my son!”

Kruge couldn’t care less and orders him to surrender the Enterprise. Lloyd’s delivery here is so calm and emotionless it is perfectly alien. Any man that can sacrifice his lover will not care about another’s loss.

But as always Kirk gains the upper hand but having lost his son now must lose his ship. No Klingon has ever put him in the position where Kirk has been so helpless and lost so much. They manage to set the self destruct and beam to Genesis while the Enterpise blows up with Kruge’s crew aboard. Taunting Kruge to come down and face him in order to get aboard the Klingon ship, Kruge complies, getting his last remaining man to beam the humans and Saavik abroad but leaving Spock. Kruge has picked up on how insistent Kirk is about getting this boy aboard and reason she must be valuable. As they fight, Genesis begins to tear itself apart. The project is a failure so all of this that both Kruge and Kirk have each sacrificed intentionally and unintentionally has been for nothing.

Despite of the evidence around him, Kruge is happy to die in combat here as the planet disintegrates. Grabbing Kirk by the throat he stills demands Genesis. His dreams of the ultimate power are burning all around him but it doesn’t matter.

Hanging from a cliff above a fiery molten lake, Kruge clings to Kirk’s leg until he kicks him repeatedly in the face until he falls into the lava below allowing Kirk and Spock to escape. “I have had enough of you!” has gone down in Trek catchphrases, said to Kirk kicking Kruger in the face three times.

Kruge dies in the very place he once thought would be the throne room of his new kingdom. Lloyd brought something new to the Klingons in this movie combining his delivery and body movements to reflect his inner thoughts. You can hear mind working overtime to figure things out and his ability at reading people and seeing through their lies in situations gives him an advantage we have not really seen before in the Klingons. His only failing was he did not have all the information he needed. if he had known the Enterprise was knackered, if he had known who Spock was and if he had not rushed in then maybe he would have lived to return again.

In the end Kruge ripped Kirk’s soul out by killing David. Then the Enterprise was lost. He hurt him like no one ever has and although Kirk got Spock back, I am sure that everytime he looks at him, he realises, even if he doesn’t admit it, that the price was far too high because of one Klingon, Commander Kruge.