Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 3 - Episode 6: "Test of a Warrior"

Reviewed by: James Lantz

Original Broadcast Date: May 28, 1955

Writer: Leroy H. Zehren

Director: George Blair

Guest Cast:
Lane Bradford as Guree The Bear
Maurice Jara as Red Hawk
George J. Lewis as John Tallstar
Francis McDonald as Great Horse
Ralph Moody as Okatee The Medicine Man

"Test of a Warrior"

Great Horse has been elected the new chief of his Native American tribe. However, the laws require him to undergo Donaga - the Test of a Warrior. Should Great Horse pass the Donaga, his son Red Hawk will become the next in line to lead. Red Hawk, who has gone to the white man's schools, will bring progress and change, something that is feared by the medicine man Okatee. John Tallstar has come to the offices of the Daily Planet in search of the Great White Bird, whom we know as Superman. Without the Man of Steel's aid, Great Horse may not be able to survive Donaga. Should he fail, the reservation could stagnate in the old ways for a very long time.

Reporters Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen have arrived at Great Horse's reservation. Unfortunately, Okatee suspects that Red Hawk is trying to help his father somehow. The medicine man has already begun the first of three tests in the Donaga at the Cave of the Bear. Superman may not make it in time to assist Great Horse.

Lois has gone to call Clark Kent while Jimmy does what he can to stall the first test. In order to not offend the Great Ancestors, Red Hawk asks that Jimmy be made a member of the tribe. His Native American name is Sagoha, which means big cough. This signifies Jimmy's reaction to smoking the peace pipe. Now, the cub reporter must act like a great chief by "calling lightning" with his camera's flashbulbs. This helps him take Great Horse's place in the beginning of the Donaga. His task is to enter the Cave of the Bear blindfolded and travel to its exit without being clawed to death by Guree the Bear, a warrior wearing bearskin gauntlets with talons. Should Jimmy survive, Great Horse can move on to the next phase of Donaga. His only hope of doing so lies in Superman's arriving to assist him. Can the Metropolis Marvel help his young friend before it's too late?

Lois has managed to finally contact Clark Kent, who is now flying to the rescue as Superman. The Last Son of Krypton smashes through the cave's rock walls to use his impervious body to stop Guree the Bear's lethal claws from attacking Jimmy. Nobody knows of Superman's intervention, but Jimmy has survived the first of the tests. However, Great Horse must go on with the rest of Donaga in spite of the Great Bear's losing his nails. Superman will have his hands full if he is to aid Great Horse in his quest to become the new chief.

Great Horse must move on to the second phase of Donaga - the Test of the Tree. In order to pass, he must chop down an extremely large tree. However, at his age, his heart may not survive the strain of this trial without the aid of the Great White Bird Superman. Nonetheless, Great Horse takes his ax to the wood and begins to cut in hopes of bringing a better life to his people.

Odds seem to be against Great Horse finishing the Test of the Tree until Jimmy distracts Okatee and the rest of the group of natives. As the cub reporter takes their picture, Superman knocks a chunk of wood out of the tree, causing it to fall. An outraged Okatee is shocked to see that Great Horse can begin the third and final trial of the Donaga. Should Great Horse fail, his people could remain with the superstitions of the old ways of life as Okatee wishes.

The Test of Black Smoke is about to begin, and even Superman may not be able to help Great Horse. For should the smoke from the pipe used in the ceremony kill Red Hawk's father, Red Hawk himself may never become chief as Great Horse wants. The elderly Native American's fate is now in the hands of the gods. Even they may need assistance from the mighty Superman.

Superman's X-ray vision has turned the black powder's smoke white. This allows Great Horse to pass Donaga and become chief of the tribe. His first act as leader is to make his son Red Hawk the new medicine man. Okatee does not take kindly to this, and Red Hawk calls on the Great White Bird. Superman is then put to the test as weapons strike his impervious body. The Man of Steel then must prove that he can fly. He does so by attempting to bring a much needed resource to Great Horse's reservation - rain. Should Superman succeed, a long period of drought could be over for these Native Americans.

Placing some explosives in the clouds, Superman has brought rain to Great Horse's people. Later, back in Metropolis. Lois and Jimmy recount their adventure to Perry White and Clark Kent. Great Horse and Red Hawk are with them in the editor's office. Jimmy has received the hatchet used to chop the Great Tree, while Lois is wearing a necklace made from the Claws of the Bear. Perry is also given the honor of being named Ochikiboygen - He Who Writes With Thundering Machine. A Native American headdress is placed on his head.

"Gosh, Chief," Jimmy says to Perry.

"Don't call me..." Perry begins. "Well, all right, James. This is one time you may call me chief."

With that, everyone laughs and thanks Great Horse for his incredible honors and gifts.

1Rating - 1 (out of 5): Lane Bradford was Chris White in season two's "Jet Ace". Look for him to return as Al in "The Phantom Ring".

Maurice Jara is greatly connected to the name Red Hawk. He also played a character with that name in "The Condemned Man" episode of The Lone Ranger.

George J. Lewis has been in many films and television series, but he will always be remembered as Don Alejandro de la Vega in Zorro.

Francis McDonald was in many of Cecil B. DeMille's films, including 1956's The Ten Commandments. It was his last picture with DeMille, but his role of Simon, the old Jewish slave, is perhaps the most poignant performance in his illustrious career.

Ralph Moody's many roles include Doc Burrage in The Rifleman and Pa Myrtlebank in "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" episode of The Twilight Zone.

George J. Lewis' character is credited as John Hancock in Michael Hayde's Flights of Fantasy and the Internet Movie Database. However, he introduces himself to Jimmy as John Tallstar in the episode's beginning.

When Superman goes to aid Great Horse in chopping the tree, he casts a shadow as he runs by the sky backdrop.

This episode is adapted from the story "Test of a Warrior" that appeared in Action Comics #200, cover dated January 1955.

I honestly tried to like this one. I really did. There was just so much wrong with it, and that made it a bitter pill to swallow. Had "Test of a Warrior" been a time travel story and/or a Jimmy Olsen solo effort, perhaps it would have gotten a higher rating of possibly a two or three.

Back when I reviewed The Adventures of Superman radio program, there had been some serials that featured a cowboy named Tumbleweed Jones and his Native American friend and employer Comanche Joe. As much as I disliked the story arcs, the character of Comanche Joe was well written. He owned a ranch and came into some oil, which made him less stereotypical and more ahead of his time. The opposite feels true of the tribe in "Test of a Warrior". The groundbreaking work of the Man of Steel's audio adventures from over a decade before this aired feels undone in spite of John Tallstar saying that he and Red Hawk went to "White Man's schools". This leaves the viewer wondering what Whit Ellsworth was thinking to allow "Test" to broadcast.

In addition to what was written above, there is a problem with suspension of disbelief in "Test of a Warrior". I could be wrong, but I don't think Native Americans would have dressed like they were in an old western in 1955. Even children watching it when it originally aired would have probably wondered what the heck was going on.

There are some great visual effects and flying sequences in "Test of a Warrior" that give the audience more proof of why George Reeves was considered the ultimate Superman for baby boomers. Unfortunately, they are greatly overshadowed by a weak script, mediocre acting and scenes that, quite frankly, leave the audience asking, "What the £$%@ am I watching?" Take my advice, and skip this one. It's more painful than dental surgery.



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