History Series / TheMysticKnightsOfTirNaNog

An island resembling medieval Ireland was divided into two kingdoms: Kells, ruled by King Conchobar (Stephen Brennan); and Temra, ruled by Queen Maeve (Charlotte Bradley). Maeve, who believed she was entitled to rule the entire island, made a deal in the first episode with Midar (Ned Dennehy), a dark fairy who speaks in the third-person: she would help him take over the fairy kingdom of Tir Na Nog in exchange for a [[PowerCrystal green crystal]] whose sorcery would help her conquer Kells.

The first (and only) season ended with a StoryArc where Maeve demanded something she had apparently been waiting for from a witch, Nemain: a powerful half demon warrior named Lugad, whom the Mystic Knights could not defeat. The Warrior Of Temra Arc involved a power up for Rohan called Battle Fury, Garrett's return, the introduction of two not-so-HumongousMecha, and a completely unanticipated [[TheReveal Reveal]] regarding Lugad, Maeve, and Rohan. Maeve was defeated once and for all and exiled, and it seemed that all would live HappilyEverAfter. The last minute of footage, however, featured Midar and Nemain teaming up, making unpleasant plans for Kells and Tir Na Nog. Too bad the show was canceled, and they would never get to carry them out...

The best way to describe this {{sentai}}-esque series that aired in the '90s on Creator/FoxKids is either ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] Myth/CelticMythology or ''Franchise/StarWars'' in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy where Darth Vader is a woman. Whatever the match it was Saban's attempt to create a ''[=PR=]'' series without worrying about Japanese stock footage. All of it, from the costumes to the monsters, was created from the ground up.

* EvilChancellor: Torc, pre-series

* FaceHeelTurn: Torc, pre-series

* FiveEpisodePilot
* FiveManBand
** TheHero: Rohan
** TheLancer / TheBigGuy: Angus
** TheSmartGuy: Ivar
** TheSmurfettePrinciple: Deirdre
** SixthRanger: Garrett
** {{Eleventh Hour Ranger}}: [[spoiler: Lugad near the end of the series.]]
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Maeve
* HalfHumanHybrid: Lugad

* LandOfFaerie: Tir Na Nog
* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: Subverted

%% * MagicKnight: The Knights Of Tir Na Nog, naturally.
%% * MakeWayForTheNewVillains: Part of the SequelHook

* [[MenOfSherwood Men Of Kells]]: When the RedShirtArmy ''is'' on its game... watch out!

%% * MindRape: [[spoiler: Garrett]]
%% * MonsterOfTheWeek
%% * MouseWorld: Tir Na Nog

* OutDamnedSpot: When Rohan discovers that [[spoiler:the Mark of Destiny is a birthmark shared by his half-brother Lugad and his mother ''Queen Maeve'']], he furiously tries to scrub the Mark of Destiny off of his arm.

* MagicKnight: The Knights Of Tir Na Nog, naturally.
* [[spoiler: MakeWayForTheNewVillains:]] Part of the SequelHook

* MindControlEyes: [[spoiler: Garrett, whil under Maeve's control]].
* MindRape: [[spoiler: Garrett]]
* MonsterOfTheWeek
* MouseWorld: Tir Na Nog

* OurDragonsAreDifferent

* {{Red Shirt}}s/RedShirtArmy: No kidding -- Kells's army, who are absolutely no help at all in fighting Maeve's army, wear red uniforms. Give us the FauxActionGirl any day.
** Not entirely. There were a few times in which the RedShirts were at least able to drive back Maeve's {{Mooks}}. On at least one occasion we saw the Red Shirts win a battle entirely unaided (they pretended to be dead, and then attacked the Mooks when their guard was down).
** Their uselessness was actually lampshaded in one episode where Rohan and the other knights complained that all they did was get in the way during fighting, and they asked the King to be able to command them directly during battles (presumably so they could tell them to just go home and let them do all the fighting).
* SceneryPorn: Some of it ''was'' filmed in Ireland after all.

* SecretTest: How they were judged worthy of their equipment.
* SequelHook ...which unfortunately never came to be.

** TheChick: Deirdre

* SoProudOfYou: Right before being Maeve is exiled in the finale, [[spoiler:Rohan asks his mother]] if there is anything she wants to say to him. Maeve admits that he had been raised well, and that he is a brave and great warrior. Her only regret is that he's fighting for the wrong side.

* TeamSpirit
* ThemeMusicPowerUp
* TitleThemeTune

* WeaponOfChoice
** SwissArmyWeapon:
*** Swords: Rohan's Sword.
*** AnAxeToGrind: Garrett's Axe(s).
*** AutomaticCrossbows: Deirdre's magic Crossbow.

Now has a [[Characters/TheMysticKnightsOfTirNaNog character sheet]].

* FauxActionGirl: Deirdre, though there was much more to her than that.

* BigBad and TheDragon: Whether Maeve or Midar is the bigger threat or the one actually calling the shots varies.
** BigBadDuumvirate
** Could also work if you see Maeve as the BigBad and Midar as the BiggerBad [[spoiler: especially in the SequelHook at the end of the series]]

An island resembling medieval Ireland was divided into two kingdoms: Kells, ruled by King Conchobar; and Temra, ruled by Queen Maeve. Maeve, who believed she was entitled to rule the entire island, made a deal in the first episode with Midar, a dark fairy who speaks in the third-person: she would help him take over the fairy kingdom of Tir Na Nog in exchange for a [[PowerCrystal green crystal]] whose sorcery would help her conquer Kells.

What had once been a stalemate between Maeve's {{Mooks}} and Conchobar's [[RedShirt red-clad soldiers]] now tipped in Maeve's favor. Backed into a corner, Conchobar, at the advice of his court druid, Cathbad, sent Cathbad's apprentice, Rohan, and Rohan's best friend, Angus, to find the legendary warrior, Draganta, who was supposed "to bring peace to Kells for a hundred lifetimes." After meeting up with Ivar, a prince from a distant kingdom pursuing a thief, and realizing Deirdre, Conchobar's daughter, followed them, the four stumbled into the kingdom of Tir Na Nog. After a quick few episodes of secret tests, the four were judged worthy of inheriting the Mystic Weapons and Armor and becoming the Mystic Knights.

* {{Red Shirt}}s/RedShirtArmy: No kidding -- Kells' army, who are absolutely no help at all in fighting Maeve's army, wear red uniforms. Give us the FauxActionGirl any day.

* IdiotBall: As noted in ISurrenderSuckers below, the heroes grab this frequently during their interactions with Maeve.

* ISurrenderSuckers: It seems as if every other episode Maeve's plan was to pretend to surrender/want a peace treaty, only to inevitably set up a trap for the heros, who fall for it [[TooDumbToLive every single time]]. You'd think they would have learned after the first couple times...

* TheFace: Deirdre is the only female of five knights, and also the only one to regularly do more than fighting. When making alliances, who is the local head man going to listen to: The thief, the druid apprentice, the princes from the Land of Never-Heard-Of-It, or the local princess?

The first (and only) season ended with a StoryArc where Maeve demanded something she had apparently been waiting for from a witch, Nemain: a powerful half demon warrior named Lugad, who the Mystic Knights could not defeat. The Warrior Of Temra Arc involved a power up for Rohan called Battle Fury, Garrett's return, the introduction of two not-so-HumongousMecha, and a completely unanticipated [[TheReveal Reveal]] regarding Lugad, Maeve, and Rohan. Maeve was defeated once and for all and exiled, and it seemed that all would live HappilyEverAfter. The last minute of footage, however, featured Midar and Nemain teaming up, making unpleasant plans for Kells and Tir Na Nog. Too bad the show was canceled, and they would never get to carry them out...

The best way to describe this {{sentai}}-esque series that aired in the '90s on Creator/FoxKids is either ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] Myth/CelticMythology or ''Franchise/StarWars'' in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy where Darth Vader is a woman. Whatever the match it was Saban's attempt to create a ''[=PR=]'' series without worrying about sentai footage. All of it, from the costumes to the monsters, was created from the ground up.

* NeverLiveItDown: Reading through these pages, it's easy to come to the conclusion that Dierdre is a useless FauxActionGirl and perpetual DistressedDamsel. The truth is, in fifty episodes she's held captive... seven times. That number is often mitigated by circumstances -- twice she's kidnapped ''along with'' Ivar, and twice more she falls victim to Aideen's pranks, requiring the two of them to team up and help each other escape from the unforeseen consequences of the fairy's magic without any male assistance. Another time there's a straightforward HostageForMacGuffin situation, though she manages to free ''herself'' once the knights' weapons have been given up. It was also something of a {{justified}} trope considering she was the Princess of Kells, making her position as the most politically significant team-member the reason for Maeve's frequent targeting of her. In other words, she does spend more time as a DesignatedVictim than any of her male compatriots, but it's not quite as bad as detractors would have you believe.