australian television information archive

Homeward Bound

Episode 26

Canada: September 02, 2009
Australia: ? (Nine)

Written by Alex Burrows
Directed by Mark DeFriest

The Stormrider crew find the Portal to Earth on the Island of the Abiders — and discover that others, with plans of their own, have followed them.

The kids have finally arrived at the Island of the Abiders and head inland. They find a Standing Stone and a freshwater stream in the jungle. They decide that the Stone is a sign from the Abiders to follow the stream. Excited, Lee rushes ahead but moments later he runs back, pursued by a Winder. With nowhere to hide, Jason, who has brought a metal rod from the Cougar, remembers Vassler's trick and plants the pole in the Winder's path. There's a tremendous flash — and the Winder disappears.

Deciding they've misread the sign the kids backtrack to the Standing Stone and start over, this time heading into the jungle. As they walk, Flees realises how much she will miss the boys once they're gone. Saddened she falls quiet. But just then, another smaller Winder appears. The kids try dodging it but it changes course to follow them. After another narrow escape, Flees, Jason, Lee and Ogee puzzle over the Winder's strange behaviour. Shortly after, not one but three Winders attack in a co-ordinated way like a wolf pack. Ogee has now configured that the Winders are locking onto their combined mental activity. As his brain is several hundred times more active than anyone else's, he proposes acting as a decoy. With the Winders in hot pursuit, the kids run full tilt then split up and Flees throws Ogee into a pool of water. The Winders search for Ogee as the kids escape.

Jason, Flees and Lee come to a rock wall and realise that their destination lies just beyond. Lee and Jason try to convince Flees to come back to Earth with them — but Flees says that Stormworld is her home.

Going over the crest they are met by a truly awesome sight — the clifftop Portal. Powered by lightning bolts from the Lode Storm, a shimmering oval intermittently appears between two pillars that have been constructed by the Abiders. As Lee moves closer an energy bolt creates the oval and an image appears of Lee's family's shop in Vancouver — with his dad standing outside. When Flees steps forward the oval reflects a beach in Australia. The Portal can recognise where they come from!

To Flees' surprise, at the last minute Jason realises he is not yet ready to leave Stormworld. He has unfinished business. After an emotional goodbye, Jason and Flees watch as Lee passes through the Portal and arrives safely home. They are about to head to the Cougar when Khelioz appears, brandishing an Arkoddian lazbolt. He orders them to go through the Portal, explaining that he will stay on as Stormworld's Gatekeeper. Just then Makyn appears, astride his flybike. Training his stunray on Khelioz, Makyn declares that they will all leave and he will be the Gatekeeper. A struggle ensues. Makyn ends up with the lazbolt but is forced back towards the Portal. The Portal allows him to pass but starts to react to the lazbolt. The Portal crazes over and turns into a cauldron of boiling energy. The sky darkens and a mushroom cloud of energy starts to grow. Everyone runs.

After retrieving Ogee, Flees and Jason dodge lethal bolts of lightning and arrive at the Cougar to find that Khelioz has beat them to it. As the Cougar surges away, Jason and Flees frantically search for, and find, the Stormrider. They scramble on board and dive under the Lode Storm as the energy cloud rages.

Heading for the Settlement, Jason acknowledges that he wants to finish what Werrolda started. Werrolda's belief in Jason's leadership qualities is vindicated.