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Revision as of 14:03, 2 June 2009 by 218.186.10.225 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Unbeatables III (Simplified Chinese: 双天至尊 III) is a 30-episode Singaporean drama serial which was telecast in 2003 and is a combined effort by MediaCorp, Mattel and Hasbro. It is the second sequel of The Unbeatables series, and is notorious for featuring a radically different storyline and plot from the previous two series. This sequel still has recurring characters from previous series, namely Yan Fei (Li Nanxing) and Luo Qifang (Zoe Tay). However, unlike the previous two series which involve politics and grudges in the world of gambling, this series features more of sorcery and epic fights which involve gambling cards and dice.
Cast
Main Characters
- Li Nanxing as Yan Fei
- Zoe Tay as Luo Qifang
- Cai Yiwei as Yan Xing
- Liu Weiming as Yan Xing (The-Man)
- Tay Ping Hui as Luo Shenfeng
- Huang Yiliang as Huang Yunjiu/Skeletor
Supporting Characters
- Chen Shucheng as Yan Kun
- Li Shanshan as Sorceress
- Vincent Ng as Prince Adam/He-Man
- Vivian Lai as Dong Meiyao
- Allan Wu as Ding Wei
- Joey Swee as Ding Jiajia
- Ye Shi Pin as Mr. Clayton
- Xie Shaoguang as Cobra Commander
- Ix Shen as Wu Cheng Yi
- Wang Deyuan as Meeko Sun
Synopsis
Calm before a Storm
Set 8 years after end of The Unbeatables II, Coral Island became one of the most technologically-advanced cities in the world. It also has the world's largest Casino, which is owned by Yan Fei. After all the hardships he went through, Yan Fei now lives in content with his family. As well as having improved his gambling skills, Yan Fei also developed unique and powerful fighting techniques which involve the use of dice and poker cards, earning the respect of the top gamblers around the world. Popular and admired as the King of Gamblers, Yan Fei also has a long list of enemies whom constantly challenge him, for the ownership of his family's casino. Unknown to him, his enemies were in the dark improving their own skills to fight him one day.
Luo Qifang, the wife of Yan Fei, has went missing again like she did before in The Unbeatables II. Frustrated but not giving up, Yan Fei sought the help of one of his latest allies, Mr. Clayton, a retired general from G.I. Joe, an elite branch of the US Military. With excellent communication network and information gathering skills, Mr. Clayton and his new team of G.I. Joe figured out that Qifang have been kidnapped by their old archenemy, the Cobra Organization. Further investigations led them to two major suspects: Huang Yunjiu, an influential politician, and Wu Cheng Yi, a homosexual. Mr. Clayton strongly suspects that these two may be part of the Cobra Organization and are responsible for Qifang's mysterious disappearance.
Yan Fei soon received a private message from the Cobra Organization, telling him to meet them alone if he ever wanted to see Qifang again. Yan Fei was alarmed that an international terrorist group was actually interested in his family, but he couldn't figure out what the Cobra Organization were after. Against the wishes of G.I. Joe, Yan Fei went over to meet the terrorists in Australia. There, he met the new Cobra Commander, along with Cheng Yi and a masked man whom he suspected to be Huang Yunjiu. Luo Qifang was with them too. The Cobra Commander demanded that Yan Fei hand over a certain spellbook, which the latter denied having. However, before the terrorists could kill Qifang, the G.I. Joe team and Yan Fei's personal army arrived to ambush them. Outnumbered, Cobra Commander and his fellow terrorists fled via a teleportation portal, promising to return.
Reunited with Qifang, Yan Fei threw a party at his mansion. He became suspicious when Huang Yunjiu came over to the party uninvited. The intelligence officers in G.I. Joe reported that Huang Yunjiu wasn't in Coral Island during this period and there were no passport records of him returning so far, and thus Yan Fei suspects that he must have arrived to Coral Island through the use of teleportation, a mysterious technology which currently only the Cobra Organization have. However, without concrete proof, he cannot afford to deal with Yunjiu directly, and he has no idea what Yunjiu wants yet. Yan Fei decided to investigate the claims of him having a "spellbook". What he doesn't know is that years ago, his mischievous son Yan Xing had snatched an ancient Grimoire away from an associate of Cobra Commander who had dug it up, but later threw it away into the sea.
Rise of the Enemies
Luo Shenfeng is an eccentric yet ambitious Sorceror who seeks to own Yan Fei's casino, through the use of his evil sorcery tricks. Shenfeng tried to take Yan Fei's casino by a gambling challenge, but Yan Fei's gambling skills proved to be far superior even when Shenfeng attempted to cheat. Then Shenfeng resorted to using dark sorcery to fight, hoping to force Yan Fei to give up his casino. Shenfeng tried using a magical blast to render Yan Fei's flying cards into harmless pieces of cardboard, but Yan Fei outwitted him, using a dozen dice to blast him out of the casino. Shenfeng got thrown into the sea, where by a stroke of luck, found a treasure chest. Opening the chest, Shenfeng found the Great Shadow Grimoire, and realised that his luck was about to change for the better...
The Great Shadow Grimoire hosts many of the ancient world's most powerful spells, which Shenfeng can use to his advantage to defeat or even kill Yan Fei and his family. However, to master the spells, Shenfeng first needed to undergo the painful process of removing his testicles, because the spells needs full concentration of the mind to work, and any distracting feelings of lust may kill the caster. The ambitious Shenfeng decided to do just that, for the sake of gaining absolute power and domination. The first spell Shenfeng cast was the Dark Summoning and Resurrection spell. He summoned the spirit of long-dead Yan Kun and attached it to his Yan Kun's corpse, instructing him to attack Yan Fei. The ghoul told Yan Fei who he once was before he attacked Yan Fei. Contrary to what Shenfeng expected, Yan Fei did not break down, but resolved to relieve the ghoul (His former father) of its undead burden and sent it back to the grave with his shattering dice skill. However, the troubles for Yan Fei and his family has just begun...
Ding Wei, the top security guard in Yan Fei's Casino, is a powerful and intelligent fighter who can take on 8 skilled assassins with his bare hands. Yan Fei took notice of Ding Wei, and even considered teaching him a few of his gambling and fighting skills. This invoked the jealousy of Meeko Sun, who is in charge of Ding Wei and the security guards. Meeko is a hypocritical superior who is hated by his men, because he often backstabbed them, pushed his responsibilities to them, and made them do extra, unnecessary things like cleaning toilets, which wasn't even what they were supposed to do. Huang Yunjiu planned a trap by knocking down Ding Wei's sister Ding Jiajia with a car and thus sending her to a hospital. He wanted Ding Wei to be away so that once the top fighter is gone, he can invade the Casino with ease.
The remaining security guards, who weren't as competent, slacked at night. Then a garbage truck came in, which Yan Xing called for it to come in to collect refuse. What happened next was unexpected. Twenty assassins armed with machine guns jumpd out of the garbage truck and attacked the Casino. Meeko saw the situation and ran away like the coward he was. The rest of the security guards informed Yan Fei before the assassins gunned them down. Yan Fei and Qifang arrived in time and they teamed up, using their fighting techniques to send poker cards and dice flying at top speed towards the assassins, subduing them in minutes. Huang Yunjiu, who was hiding nearby, captured Meeko and forced him to spy on and betray Yan Fei.
Epic Adventure to another world
Yan Fei encountered Shenfeng again, and he was shocked to find out that Shenfeng had castrated himself in his pursuit for power. Yan Xing, who has a grudge with Shenfeng for turning his grandfather into a ghoul, ran towards Shenfeng with a poker card on impulse. Since Yan Fei did not teach Yan Xing any gambling or fighting techniques, the card bumps off Shenfeng harmlessly. Yan Fei tried to stop Yan Xing before Shenfeng could finish casting a deadly spell, but it was too late. Shenfeng attempts to cast the Dimensional Shift Spell on Yan Fei in an attempt to banish him to another world, but Qifang and Yan Xing were caught and were teleported away instead. Yan Fei went into despair after Shenfeng claims that a spell of such magnitude is irreversible and the two would never return.
Qifang and Yan Xing quickly learnt from passer-bys that they are in the world of Eternia. They met the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, who helped them to adjust to their new environment. The Sorceress explained that it would be some time before they can return back to their own world, so they need to live in their new homes first. It was not long before Qifang and Yan Xing realised that the world of Eternia has its share of troubles too: The villian Skeletor. Prince Adam transformed into He-Man in the toilet and went out to engage Skeletor in a fierce, titanic battle. Qifang and Yan Xing watched from a corner, fearing for their own lives. Then Qifang was shocked when she witnessed that Skeletor used Poker Cards and Red Dice to attack He-Man with a fighting style she found familiar, catching him by surprise. With the element of surprise, Skeletor was able to defeat He-Man and send him into a coma.
With the champion of Castle Grayskull down, the people became nervous. Qifang realised that in some way or another, Skeletor must have came to Earth and learnt those deadly fighting skills from Yan Fei! But who could Skeletor be? Qifang and Yan Xing were not certain yet. Yan Xing, who wanted to save the good people of Castle Grayskull, snatched the magical sword and persuaded the Sorceress to give him the power in order to fight Skeletor who, right now is relentlessly attacking Castle Grayskull. The Sorceress, with no other options she could think of, granted him the permission. Yan Xing thus went outside and shouted: "By the power of Grayskull, I am The-Man!" Yan Xing, now known as The-Man, relied on his unique and fierce attacks to force Skeletor and his forces into retreat. The people celebrated their temporary victory, and it wasn't long before Prince Adam recovered from his coma. The Sorceress began preparing a spell that would send Qifang and Yan Xing back to Earth.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Mr. Clayton informed Yan Fei that Qifang and Yan Xing may have been sent to a faraway world, and with current world technology, it is impossible to get them back without sorcery. Furious, Yan Fei thought that Huang Yunjiu and Luo Shenfeng are in cahoots, and without a second thought, rushed out to confront Yunjiu. Although Yunjiu denies having a hand into the disappearance of Yan Fei's family, he became curious about how Shenfeng has such powerful magic. Meeko came back to confirm with him that Shenfeng was the one who cast the spell that sent Qifang and Yan Xing away. Yunjiu realises something, and rushes off in lightning speed before Yan Fei could use his poker card fighting skills on him.
The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull has finished preparing her spell to send the new friends of Eternia back home. Qifang began teaching Yan Xing fighting moves for his own protection, although she still refuses to teach him how to gamble out of fear of what happened to her previous generation. Seeing the potential Yan Xing has when he wielded the power of the sword, the Sorceress gave Yan Xing similar powers to that of He-Man - Although this time the weapon he wield is that of a magical pack of poker cards. With a final warning that Yan Xing should use his new-found powers wisely in order to help the people of the Earth, the Sorceress cast the Dimensional Shift spell, sending the mother and son back to Coral Island.
The Conspiracy
The Cobra Commander, Huang Yunjiu, Cheng Yi, and a squad of soldiers from the Cobra Organization stormed Luo Shenfeng's home. The Sorceror was shocked to see the Cobra Organization, and he escaped by creating a forcefield around him and his spellbook, and teleported away. Meanwhile, Qifang and Yan Xing arrived back to Yan Fei's mansion safely. Yan Fei was overjoyed to see the two after being separated for nearly nine months. Much to Yan Fei's disadvantage, during his wallowing in despair, he did not know that a lot of things were going on in the Casino. Yan Fei's new Secretary, Dong Meiyao, began a forbidden affair with Meeko Sun. She managed to figure out the different passcodes needed to access some of the secret passageways and rooms, thus breaching the Casino security without Meeko's knowing.
During one night, Meiyao reported to Cheng Yi. It turned out that Meiyao was a cyborg created by Cheng Yi to look like a real woman, and that Cheng Yi may well be betraying the Cobra Organization for his own goals to own the Casino! Ding Wei happened to overheard their conversation, and he ambushed them. Recognising that he is no match for Ding Wei, Cheng Yi retreated for the time being. Ding Wei destroyed Meiyao by shooting her on the head, rendering her circuits inert. Ding Wei informed Yan Fei of what he found out. Yan Fei fires Meeko for negligence in his duties which resulted in the conspiracy to take over the Casino. Seeing how talented Ding Wei is, he decided to appoint him to be the new in-charge of the Security department, and even teach him his fabled fighting skills.
Yan Xing continued to train in his fighting skills in order to serve the people of Coral Island better. One day while he was jogging in the park, he encountered Huang Yunjiu. Hiding in a corner to avoid being seen, he continued spying on the enemy of his father. Yunjiu appeared to be casting a spell and then before the eyes of Yan Xing, his form melted away, leaving a cowled skeletal figure in its place: Skeletor! Yan Xing was horrified when he realises that the demon he was fighting back then in Eternia was Huang Yunjiu, and Huang Yunjiu is Skeletor himself! Yan Xing transformed into The-Man on impulse and tried to catch Skeletor by surprise, but Skeletor was too quick for him and disappears in lightning speed. Yan Xing rushes back to inform his father and mother of Huang Yunjiu's true identity.
Yan Fei and Qifang were skeptical of their son's claims until the face of Skeletor and Cobra Commander pops up suddenly on National TV. Skeletor spoke to the people of Planet Earth, telling them that he will destroy their wretched homes within two weeks unless he can find the Great Shadow Grimoire, which was currently in the possession of Luo Shenfeng. Skeletor has been preparing a powerful spell which summons great tsunamis and earthquakes, possibly wrecking the homes of many people around the world. The Cobra Organization would be waiting on the top of Mount Ararat to await the news of the book. Yan Xing, who has a score to settle with Shenfeng, decided to find his enemy and take the spellbook from him in order to save the world.
Yan Xing transformed into The-Man by holding up his magical pack of poker cards and shouting: "By the power of the Casino, I am The-Man!" He went to confront Shenfeng. Despite Shenfeng's grown sorcery powers, Yan Xing was able to defeat him with his powered-up form. He took the Grimoire from Shenfeng and was about to finish him off when Yan Fei and Qifang arrived...
Finale
It all became clear after Yan Xing and his family, along with Ding Wei and Shenfeng went to Mount Ararat to see Yunjiu and the Cobra Organization. Shenfeng came across the Great Shadow Grimoire, a powerful yet dangerous spellbook which belonged to Skeletor. Skeletor has been looking for the spellbook and enlisted the help of the Cobra Organization to find it. He decided to take the identity of Huang Yunjiu after summoning a Hell Demon to eat up the original Yunjiu. Skeletor has been learning from the Earth's culture, paying particular attention to Yan Fei's fighting skills and learning how to handle the poker cards and dice effectively. This increases his fighting prowess by several levels, which enable him to overcome He-Man for the first time.
Skeletor took the book from Yan Xing and was about to go back to his own world when the Cobra Commander and Cheng Yi tried to stop him. The Cobra Organization was not going to let him go so easily without gaining a reward from helping him. Yunjiu, or Skeletor, simply uses random energy bolts, sending the Cobra Commander and Cheng Yi to Afganistan to live with the Taleban. Yan Xing, Yan Fei, and Qifang now have to destroy the Grimoire before Skeletor can use it to wreck havoc on Eternia. Yan Xing took the form of The-Man again to fight Skeletor, but the demon simply casts a summoning spell. A huge arm reaches out from a portal to try to grab Yan Xing. Much to the horror of Yan Xing, a giant Undead He-Man steps out to fight him! Yan Xing know that he stand little chance against a giant monster, and he called for the help from everybody.
Shenfeng used magic to revive and heal himself. Surprisingly, he aided Yan Xing by increasing Yan Xing's size to match that of the Undead He-Man. Then he tried to use a thunderbolt spell to kill Skeletor, but suddenly he fell face down, dead - Having healed himself, it also means that he is no longer castrated, and thus any spells he cast from the Grimoire would have a fatal effect on him instead! Yan Fei, Qifang, and Ding Wei lent Yan Xing all their powers. The titanic battle between The-Man and Undead He-Man began: Undead He-Man's dark Runesword shoots out energy dice at Yan Xing, but Yan Xing blocks it with his magic poker cards. Yan Xing and Undead He-Man then released all their powers at each other. The victor turned out to be Yan Xing, who defeated and sent the Undead giant back to Hell.
Using all his remaining energies, he used his magical poker cards and dice to slice the Grimoire into shreds. Yunjiu (Skeletor) screams in pain as he gets banished back to his demonic plane in Eternia without his evil book. Yan Xing saved the world at the cost of his own life. Yan Fei and Qifang mourned for their dead son, and promised to close down their casino which has been causing all these chaos.
Trivia
- Li Nanxing is nominated for "Best Actor" in Star Awards 2003 for his role as Yan Fei in this sequel. He lost the award to Xie Shaoguang who played the role of Cobra Commander.
- Unbeatables III was panned by many fans of Unbeatables, believing that it was inferior in every way to the previous series, citing examples like having too much product placement like He-Man and G.I. Joe, along with poor script and plot.
- Unbeatables III was the most ambitious production amongst the three series of The Unbeatables, with two giant toy companies (Mattel and Hasbro) sponsoring it. However, it was also the least well-received of the three.
References
- "Sequel to the Unbeatables - Interview". Mediacorp TV. 2002-11-02.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "New storyline for Unbeatables". Tay Ping Hui Online News. 2002-09-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Sneak Preview of the Unbeatables III". SPCNET.TV Information. 2002-11-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Interviews for the Unbeatables". Mediacorp TV. 2002-12-10.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Ask the Stars". Mediacorp TV. 2002-12-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Wassup! Willy the Gambler!". Mediacorp TV. 2002-12-22.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "What happens in the end?". Fly Entertainment. 2002-12-27.
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