Superman: TAS episode
"Warrior Queen"
Airdate:	November 22, 1997 (USA)
Production Number:	036
Airdate Order:	37
Animation Services by:	Koko/Dong Yang
Written by:	Hilary Bader
Directed by:	Curt Geda
Episode images (7)

"Warrior Queen" is the thirty-seventh episode of Superman: The Animated Series. It depicts the coming of Maxima to Earth. Maxima, the Queen of Almerac, seeks to find a mate. However, in order for someone to be worthy of being her mate, he must first prove himself in battle and no candidate has been able to do so. So she comes to Earth to confront Superman who she believes may be worthy of her. But when she returns to Almerac she finds one of her suitors has seized control of the planet.

Plot Edit

Out on distant Almerac, a male and female warrior battle it out in an arena. After a brief time, the male warrior, De'Cine, manages to disarm his opponent, Maxima, and pins her to the ground. He then claims victory and Maxima for his mate. However, Maxima manages to hurl him off, reclaim her sword, and pin him to the ground. Not only has De'Cine lost the match, Maxima considers him too beneath her notice to kill him, and just stabs the ground next to his head before walking off in disgust. Exasperated, Maxima shouts that no warrior on Almerac is worthy of being her husband, and the crowd leaves the arena in despair: their queen's obsession with finding a mate occupies her more than ruling her planet.

Maxima's attendant Sazu, arrives and tells her that another candidate has been found. In her bath chamber, Maxima watches a recording of the battle between Superman and John Corben in the LexoSuit and expresses great interest in Superman's looks. She decides that Superman is worthy of her and decides to confront him in battle. Sazu offers to send an ambassador to Earth but Maxima decides to handle things herself in spite of the fact that her people need her on Almerac. After Maxima leaves, De'Cine arrives and he and Sazu reveal that they intend to take control of the planet while Maxima is away.

An extra dimensional portal opens on Earth and Maxima emerges. Attracted by a newspaper article on Superman, Maxima comes to a newsstand where she sees a report by Angela Chen on Superman. Feeling that she's found her first lead, Maxima goes to the station and claims that she's Superman's betrothed (his destined mate). Angela interviews her for a while but Maxima gets impatient to meet Superman and starts wreaking havoc.

Attracted by the trouble, Superman arrives and attempts to calm Maxima but she instantly hugs him and insists that he proves himself worthy of being her mate. Superman politely refuses her but she is enraged into attacking him. At first it seems that Superman is defeated but he takes the offensive and the fight escalates. After a brief battle, Superman manages to tie up Maxima with an I-beam. Though she doesn't consider herself defeated, Maxima decides that Superman is her equal since no one had ever lasted that long in a fight against her. Now that Superman has proven himself worthy, Maxima demands that Superman marries her. Even though Superman refuses her, Maxima shoots him with a weapon that knocks him out and drags him to Almerac.

Back on Almerac, Maxima goes to her throne room and finds De'Cine sitting in her throne. When she tries to reclaim it, her own guards turn on her. Sazu tells Maxima that the people are happy that she's been overthrown since she was only concerned with finding a mate instead of helping her people. However, De'Cine then orders his guards to send his three prisoners to the catacombs.

Deep in the underground catacombs, Maxima grabs a stalagmite, turns it into a sword and prepares to execute Sazu. Superman intervenes insisting that being Queen is more about the responsibility than getting one's own way. Unfortunately, when the group tries to escape, Superman discovers the tunnels are shielded and a huge creature known as the Carnorite appears. Huge pink tentacles capable of producing electricity start grabbing at the prisoners but they manage to momentarily escape. Unfortunately, the Carnorite catches up and shows its full form. Superman and Maxima come up with a plan and Superman allows himself to be captured by the Carnorite. He then throws its tongues onto the shield generator overloading both threats. The trio then escapes.

Maxima and Superman return to the throne room with guards loyal to Maxima. Together, they manage to send the guards into the dungeon and Maxima subdues De'Cine. She threatens to kill him but Superman insists that she lets him live. All the same, Maxima condemns him to imprisonment in "one of the really nasty dungeons" and forgives Sazu. Unfortunately for Maxima, Superman refuses to stay and goes back to Earth.

Sad over her loss and the fact that there are no other people like Superman, Maxima glumly sits on her throne. However, soon after Superman leaves, Lobo bursts into the room and shouts that he's there to get De'Cine, and will let no one stand in his way. Maxima believes she may have just found Superman's replacement.

Background information Edit

Home video releases Edit

• Superman: The Animated Series, Volume Three (DVD)
• Superman: The Complete Animated Series (DVD)

Production notes Edit

• When Superman electrocutes the Carnorite, the ensuing explosion is reused footage from a scene of "My Girl", in which Mr. Eelan blows a vat of hot lead off its support.

Production inconsistencies Edit

• The Carnorite is credited as "Camorite".

Trivia Edit

• The recording that Maxima watches about Superman features footage of his fight against John Corben in the Lexo-Skel Suit 5000 from "The Last Son of Krypton, Part III".
• Lobo's last appearance in this series. He later appears in the Justice League episode "Hereafter".
• Though Maxima's powers are psionic in the comics, there is no indication of this in the show.
• The way Maxima recites her title, "warrior queen, head of the royal house, leader of all Almerac" is reminiscent of Lwaxana Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation, ("daughter of the fifth house, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed") a character Hilary J. Bader wrote for in two episodes. Both characters are aggressive in their search for a suitable mate.

Cast Edit

Quotes Edit