Jane and The Dragon (TV series)
Encyclopedia
- This page refers to the television series. For the book series, see "Jane and the DragonJane and the DragonJane and the Dragon is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Martin Baynton. The three books are "Jane and the Dragon" ; "The Dragon's Purpose" ; and "Jane and the Magician" ....
".
Jane and the Dragon is a CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
animated series based on the books of the same name
Jane and the Dragon
Jane and the Dragon is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Martin Baynton. The three books are "Jane and the Dragon" ; "The Dragon's Purpose" ; and "Jane and the Magician" ....
by Martin Baynton
Martin Baynton
Martin Baynton is a British Author, Illustrator, Actor and TV producer. He is a children’s book writer, he has also written fiction for adults and a selection of his short stories have been anthologised. He is well known for his children’s book Jane and the Dragon , which has since been adapted...
. The show is directed by Mike Fallows and motion capture directed by Peter Salmon; it is co-produced by Weta Workshop
Weta Workshop
Weta Workshop is a special effects and prop company based in Miramar, New Zealand, producing effects for television and film.Founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger as RT Effects, Weta Workshop has produced creatures and makeup effects for the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
(as Weta Productions) in New Zealand and Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
Limited in Canada. The series follows the comedic exploits of Jane, an adolescent girl training to be a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, and her friend, Dragon, a talking, flying, 300-year-old, fire-breathing dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
.
The program originally aired on YTV in Canada and on ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in Australia. Since September 2006, it has also been running as part of the Qubo
Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
Channel lineup, and can be seen on Five in the UK. In American broadcasts, it bears the E/I
E/I
E/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
bug
Digital on-screen graphic
A digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
.
According to an announcement made by Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian media and entertainment conglomerate.Corus is a leading Canadian specialty television and radio producer, with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's...
on 13 June 2006, a second season of thirteen new episodes was to premiere sometime in 2007 on YTV.
About the series
Jane is an adolescent girl who lives in 9th century England, in a small fictional kingdom called Kippernium. (The castle being Kippernia Castle.) According to the backstory explained in the opening theme song, Jane was being trained to become a lady-in-waitingLady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
, but had always dreamed of becoming a knight. When the prince is kidnapped by a dragon, Jane sets out to slay the beast. When Jane brings the prince back, the king makes her a knight apprentice
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
. Jane and the dragon end up becoming friends. Further details of this early adventure are never explained in the series. They are, however, explained in detail in the book Jane and the Dragon
Jane and the Dragon
Jane and the Dragon is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Martin Baynton. The three books are "Jane and the Dragon" ; "The Dragon's Purpose" ; and "Jane and the Magician" ....
by Martin Baynton.
The series follows Jane's interactions with the rest of the castle's residents and their frequent adventures. Themes of integrity, loyalty, friendship and courage are woven through the stories. Jane frequently makes errors in judgment, but every episode ends happily.
As a knight apprentice, Jane trains and performs various tasks and duties around the castle. Her master is wise Sir Theodore. Sir Ivon, a valiant but somewhat comical knight, has an apprentice of his own named Gunther, a boy whose integrity seems outwardly questionable, and whom Jane views as a rival.
Dragon helps Jane as she trains to become a knight. When she is on patrol duty, he lets her ride on his back as he flies around the kingdom. Jane in turn helps Dragon, who is an orphan, in his efforts to uncover the secrets of his heritage.
In addition to her best friend, Dragon, Jane has several other friends among the castle staff. Jester the royal jester, Pepper the castle cook, and Rake the castle gardener are all about Jane's age. She is also friends with Smithy, the castle blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, stable hand, and squire to the knights.
Also residing in the castle are the King and Queen, their two children, Jane's parents, and the wizard. The only non-resident of the castle seen is Gunther's father, a merchant who has regular dealings with Jane's father and the king. No other characters are seen or heard in the series. The wizard is never seen
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
but he lives in a tower, in the far corner of the Royal Gardens near the castle. He is seemingly knowledgeable in alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
. The younger members of the castle staff appear to be afraid of him, for some reason.
While hoping to preserve verisimilitude
Verisimilitude
Verisimilitude is the quality of realism in something .-Competing ideas:The problem of verisimilitude is the problem of articulating what it takes for one false theory to be closer to the truth than another false theory...
in its portrait of the earthy characters inhabitating a medieval castle Baynton engineered into his depiction substitute swear words
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
to avoid controversy with parents. When frustrated or exasperated Jane is prone to exclaiming "Maggots!". In this manner the series taps into the imagination of children, encouraging them to find their own expressions that can be much more fun and creative and colourful than conventional profanity without being offensive.
See the List of Jane and the Dragon episodes for further details.
Characters
The characters were voice acted (in English) by the Canadian actors credited below and physically performed and motion-captured by a team of 5 actors at Weta Productions in New Zealand.Jane Turnkey
Jane Turnkey is voiced by: Tajja IsenTajja Isen
Tajja Isen is a Canadian actress and singer-songwriter who is best known for voicing the titular character in the television series Atomic Betty...
and motion-captured by: Angela Green
Jane is 12 years old, has bright red, curly hair, and is the daughter of Adeline and Milton Turnkey. She found her life as a future Lady-in-Waiting to be boring, and wanted to become a knight and experience adventure. When she heard that the King's son Prince Cuthbert had been kidnapped by a dragon, she set out to rescue him and slay the dragon. However, upon meeting the dragon Jane befriended him instead. Her courage in rescuing the prince led to the King making Jane a knight's apprentice, and she has been training hard ever since.
Jane is close friends with Jester, Pepper, Smithy, and Rake, and has a fierce rivalry with her fellow apprentice, Gunther, but most of her time is spent with Dragon, exploring tunnels in his cave, studying Dragon Runes, or patrolling. Jester is Jane's best human friend, whom she often confides in about her various problems, and drags along on some of her adventures. In "Mismatched", it shows that Jester has romantic feelings for her, but it is said that Jane wishes for romance to not get in the way of her knight training, although it seems as if she returns the feelings.
Jane wields a very special sword, which she found in Dragon's cave. It is made of special metals, and was forged by the fire of dragons. Its unique properties make it capable of piercing dragon skin (which most ordinary weapons can not do, since dragon skin is so thick and hard). However, since Dragon trusts Jane entirely, and since Jane has vowed to protect Dragon at all costs, he does not mind her use of the sword. The sword's hilt also doubles as a special type of removable whistle, which, when attached and twirled around on a long string, lets out a sound that Dragon can hear from great distances. It is very effective for calling Dragon to Jane's aid when she needs him.
Milton Turnkey
Milton Turnkey is voiced by: Ben CampbellBen Campbell
Ben Campbell may refer to:* Ben Nighthorse Campbell, U.S. Senator from Colorado* Ben Campbell , , bassist for rock bands Atlas and Zed* Ben Campbell, a character in the 2008 film 21...
and motion-captured by: Aaron Alexander
Jane's father is the royal Chamberlain. He oversees all of the kingdom's finances and negotiates trade deals with the surrounding kingdoms. He is very intelligent and, despite having to deal with financial matters on a daily basis, he is far from greedy and is quite humble. He loves his family very much, almost to the point of being a bit overprotective of Jane at times (a trait he shares with Dragon) and is generally supportive of Jane's efforts at knighthood and helps both her and Dragon when the need arises. The efforts of the Merchant to try and swindle the kingdom, as well as King Caradoc's occasional spending splurges can at times prove to be great sources of stress for him.
Adeline Turnkey
Adeline Turnkey is voiced by: Jill FrappierJill Frappier
Jill Frappier is a Canadian voice actress.She was formerly known for voicing Luna in the American dub of Sailor Moon, Mrs...
Formerly Adeline d'Ark (in reference to the famous real-life female warrior, Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
), Jane's mother is a Lady in Waiting and serves the Queen. She loves her family, but her relationship with Jane can be a bit apprehensive and strained at times. Though, as she did with her mother, she enjoys gathering chestnuts annually with Jane. She has concerns over Jane's plan to become a knight and does not always approve of the influence that Dragon seems to have over her. She would have preferred it if Jane had instead followed in her footsteps and wanted to become a Lady in Waiting. She also opposes some of Jane's tomboyish looks and behaviors, to the point that she forbids Jane from attending most of the royal dances and balls without a dress, for fear of embarrassment (this results in Jane and the other children, including Princess Lavinia, holding their own dances in the courtyard, away from the adults in the episode "Shall We Dance"). For the most part, Jane's mother seems to be content with her life and her position. Despite their occasional differences, Jane still loves her mother very much, and respects her wishes (most of the time).
Dragon
Dragon is voiced by: Adrian TrussAdrian Truss
Adrian Truss is a British-born Canadian actor, writer and director whose more recent work is as a voice actor for animated children's TV shows and Movies.Since moving from England to Canada in 1957, he has starred in many movies, plays, and television shows...
Dragon is Jane's best friend and is always there when she needs him. Dragon was born 300 years before he and Jane meet, in a cave not far from the castle. It is here that he meets Jane for the very first time. His home is actually in the mountain, full of secret tunnels and traps that were set by his father.
Dragon is an orphan, so he had to teach himself how to fly as well as other things to survive. As a baby he was captured by humans and kept as a pet, and was traded many times before escaping. He taught himself how to speak and stayed away from all humans (whom he calls "short-lifes"). After many years, he set out on a mission to discover more about the history of Dragons.
Dragon saw a rune in the dragon language on his cave wall, that had been left by his father many centuries before, that indicated a child. Thinking Prince Cuthbert was that child, and that he may be able to help explain what happened to the other dragons (which had long since vanished), he swooped down and took him, hoping he could help decipher the runes. Obviously, the prince was no help at all. Meanwhile, at the castle, Jane realized this was her opportunity to finally use her secret training and she journeyed to the cave, with plans to slay Dragon. Soon, however, she realized Dragon was friendly and brought back the prince, to everyone's relief. The King, in gratitude, made Jane a squire — a knight in training.
After being discovered by Jane, he accompanied her and helped her with her goal of becoming a knight. He is also friends with Jane's friends Rake, Smithy, Pepper and Jester. Dragon enjoys toilet jokes, burning things, teasing Jane and her friends, lazing about the castle, and having adventures. Despite being several centuries old, Dragon has a very child-like and innocent personality, and is extremely friendly. However, he can be very protective and quick to anger if he thinks his friends, especially Jane, are threatened, and he will consider any challenge to Jane's honor to mean a challenge to his own as well. Dragon is also known to be a very talented singer, possessing a splendid falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
voice, though he doesn't like admitting it.
Dragon gets his ability to fly with such relatively small wings by storing the methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
gas produced from the foods he eats inside two sac-like organs in his body. The lighter-than-air gas reduces his weight and allows him to fly surprisingly fast for a creature of his size. The drawback is that the very same gas also fuels his fire-breath. If Dragon were to use up his gas reserves in a fight (or a fit of sneezing) he would be unable to fly until he ate and produced more gas to replace what was used. He can help increase his potential for fiery breath by consuming raw iron. Both his sight and his hearing are far better than a human's. Though Dragon has been known to fly the other children around when needed or at Jane's request, he has never let any of the kingdom's adults straddle or ride him, though it seems he is capable of carrying them. This further asserts his preference for Jane and the other children over the adults.
Dragon's scales often cause him great itching, which has been referenced several times in the series. Shortlife weapons can't pierce Dragon's skin, but in "Tests and Jests," Dragon is sensitive enough that Jane can tickle him. He is also very attracted to cows, and finds their general shape and behavior amusing, especially their mooing.
Jester
Jester is voiced by: Mark RendallMark Rendall
Mark Rendall is a Canadian actor, perhaps best known for starring in the title role of the 2004 film, Childstar, as well as Mick in Season 1 of the Canadian television drama series ReGenesis. He played Bastian Bux in the TV series, Tales from the Neverending Story, and the title character in The...
motion-captured by: Aaron Alexander
The jester of the king's royal court is fourteen-year-old Jester. He was left at the castle at the age of seven, by his parents who thought it was best for him. Because of his multitude of talents which include reading, singing, composing, dancing, juggling, cartwheeling, and entertaining with marionettes, he was appointed to the title of royal court jester. He isn't paid for his services but receives free education and housing. Jester, whose real name he keeps a secret, is generous, and gifted with excellent memory and a quick wit. There have been occasions when his quick wit has gotten him into trouble with authority, but Jester always means well and would never deliberately hurt another person's feelings.
Jester is Jane's "best human friend", and extremely loyal; he often provides her with encouragement, and was the first person to help Jane on her path to becoming a knight by smuggling her a suit of armor. He also harbours romantic feelings for her. These feelings are made apparent in the episode, "Mismatched." He got really jealous and mad when he thought that Jane and Gunther liked each other, which was just a big misunderstanding. This episode shows that Jane also likes Jester in return. This is shown with her wink at the end of the episode.
Beneath his hat (his entire outfit is based on puzzle pieces) he has dirty blonde hair. It is seen in the episode, "For Crying Out Loud." Dragon calls him "Floppy Hat" and "Jingle-Boy". Jester's real name is not given but it is an interesting Roman name. Gunther thinks it is embarrassing. One day he will reveal his name to Jane.
Jethro 'Smithy' Junior
Smithy is voiced by: Alex HouseAlex House
Alex House is a Canadian actor.House started his career as a child actor. Among his many credits include the role of Lance Stone on Dark Oracle for YTV....
and motion-captured by David Hoskins
Fourteen-year old Smithy is the castle blacksmith, stable hand, and a squire to the knights. He keeps their horses shod, their swords sharp, their armor in good repair, and their reputations intact. He has invented many labor saving devices for the castle. He also has a way with animals, a calm confidence that all creatures seem to respond to – all except Dragon.
Smithy has a pet pig called "Pig". She often runs in a wheel that pumps the bellows for his fire, and Smithy says he cares about her just like Jane does Dragon. He describes her as "never gets too tired" and "is always there for me."
Smithy is calm, caring, and quiet. He is also the most mature of Jane’s friends and always keeps his head in an emergency. Although he is always willing to help a friend, Smithy will seldom ask for help himself. Dragon’s clumsiness goes hard for Smithy, who often has to clean up after him, or find ways to salvage burnt items.
Verbena 'Pepper' Salter
Pepper is voiced by: Sunday MuseSunday Muse
-Biography:Muse launched "Sunday Muse Cartoon Voices for Kids", a workshop in Toronto, New York, California, and Vancouver, as a way to share everything she gained during her years as a lead voice actress. Her clients had roles on Family Guy, Super Why!, Will and Dewitt, Miss Spider, Rolie Polie...
and motion-captured by: Ban Abdul
Pepper is 12 years old. Her parents work at salting herring and they took her to the castle to find better work for her. As a cook, she works long hours in the Royal kitchens and is rarely able to go outside, which is why she has a pale complexion. Pepper loves cooking and puts a lot of effort into experimenting with new dishes.
Pepper has many strange expressions which she uses, such as "lovely as linen", "top table!" and "clean as a cauliflower", and can be rather shy, but is always ready to help her friends. She is especially close to Rake, indicating a budding romance between the two.
Drake 'Rake' Gardener Junior
Rake is voiced by: Will Seatle Bowes and motion-captured by: Nick BlakeThirteen-year-old Rake is the royal gardener. He is introverted and deeply devoted to his craft. His gardening talents are displayed in the topiary
Topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
of the Royal Garden, although he seems to spend more time growing foodstuffs than maintaining ornamental plants. He also has his own compost pile, which he maintains by himself (this helps alleviate the castle of Dragon's foul-smelling waste). He plans to make his compost
Compost
Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At its most essential, the process of composting requires simply piling up waste outdoors and waiting for the materials to break down from anywhere...
famous throughout the kingdom. He has rarely been outside the castle walls, or even to the higher places within the castle. The only recorded time he has left the castle is to go out with Jane and Dragon to collect herbs and plants from the forest, mostly as a gesture to give Pepper new spices and herbs for her cooking. In the episode "All Fool's Day" there is an indication that he is afraid of dark stairs, but he doesn't show signs of claustrophobia
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
at other points, such as in the castle's kitchens. He may be acrophobic
Acrophobia
Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, especially if there is little...
, as evidenced by his fear of stairs, and when riding Dragon he at first did not want to open his eyes and look down. He is afraid of the wizard who also lives in the castle.
He and Pepper, the kitchen maid, are openly affectionate to one another, giving hints to a budding romance between the two.
Gunther Breech
Gunther is voiced by: Noah ReidNoah Reid
Noah Reid is a Canadian actor.-Personal life:Reid was born in Toronto, Ontario. He attended Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for high school and is a graduate of the Canada's National Theatre School. He is also an accomplished musical performer with winnings in various...
and motion-captured by: David Hoskins
Gunther is fourteen years old and is the loner of the castle. He struggles to balance his loyalty to his merchant father and his loyalty to the Knight’s Code of Honour. Gunther's father Magnus believes that being a knight is simply about being a good swordsman, and has no problem with coercing Gunther into dishonorable activities. These situations reveal Gunther’s greatest strength: his quick and resourceful thinking. Gunther often manages to resolve the sticky situations his father creates without damaging the Merchant's reputation. Although Gunther cannot be relied upon to always make an ethical decision, he usually will act morally by the end of an episode.
Working for his father often causes Gunther to fall behind with his studies. Because Jane does not have the same problem, Gunther occasionally attempts to level the playing field (for example, in the episode "Knight Light", when Dragon inadvertently reveals Jane's fear of the dark, he asks Sir Ivon about having the maze test at night, without explicitly mentioning Jane's fear of the dark, thus finding a loophole in the Knight's Code of Honor, since Jane said it was against the Code to reveal a weakness about a fellow knight). He can easily best Jane when it comes to strength, but lacks her nimble feet and people skills and so is far less popular with others. Gunther is secretly jealous of Jane, and the two of them are in constant competition for which of the two is the better Knight in training.
Magnus Breech
Magnus is voiced by: Clive Walton and motion-captured by: Aaron AlexanderMagnus, Gunther's father, is a wealthy merchant. He is greedy, and does things such as making a fake dragon egg and having Gunther steal a dragon's tooth just to get money. He hates Dragon, and is always trying to get him to leave the kingdom, one way or another. His family is not well thought of in Kippernia, as they started their fortune by trading with enemy forces when the castle was under siege two generations ago.
King Caradoc
The King is voiced by: Juan Chioran and motion-captured by: Nick BlakeA good-humored soul, Caradoc Cedric Bartok Kippernook has little patience for the affairs of state (though he is concerned for his subjects and will listen to their concerns openly). He much prefers hunting, fishing and dancing – a lifestyle that has put considerable financial strain on the kingdom. This is shown when he spends a large amount of money on a portrait of his queen. He also loves cabbage. He is the younger brother to the real "King Caradoc" (died before crowning), keeping his brother's name so people remember him (his boyhood name was "Rathbonne"). In many ways, he can be childish, and is prone to bursts of innocent and child-like enthusiasm. In some ways, his children (the young prince and princess) can seem even more mature than he is. He loves his family and cares for his subjects very much, and has the utmost concern and loyalty for them.
Queen Gwendolyn
The Queen is voiced by: Alex BelcourtQueen Gwendolyn Hulda Ankarcrona Kippernook comes from Scandinavia. She is the daughter of noble family and came to England on a business trip with her father, where she eventually fell in love with and married Caradoc. She is beautiful, kind, and gentle, and because of this everyone is in awe of her. Jane believes the king's support and her mother's gradual acceptance of wishing to be a knight is because of the queen's urgings in private. Gwendolyn desires to build a peaceful world for her children to live in. She can, however, be somewhat shallow over her own physical appearance at times. She is very conscious of how other people view her. She feels the pressures of being expected to be beautiful and ladylike since she is the queen. Her favorite food is peas.
Prince Cuthbert
Prince Cuthbert is voiced by: Cameron AnsellCameron Ansell
Cameron Ansell is a Canadian voice actor, best known for voicing Arthur in the television series of the same name, Cheng in Skyland, and Prince Lumen in Spider Riders. He is currently voicing Franklin....
and motion-captured by: David Hoskins
Prince Cuthbert Hakan Kippernook is the eight year-old heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of the kingdom. Born a sickly child, he was pampered and doted on by his parents as well as the court staff. A selfish child, he tends to take what he wants and is very hard to impress. His life hit a sour note on the birth of his sister, which meant he had to now share all the affection that was previously reserved for him. Cuthbert usually thinks about short-term goals; he is focused on avoiding work and enjoying food, but he also desires his parents to be proud of him. The prince had been kidnapped by Dragon (prior to the start of the series), precipitating the friendship between Jane and Dragon (when Jane went to rescue Cuthbert, she befriended Dragon). He seems to hold no ill feelings or resentment towards Dragon for his kidnapping, however.
Despite his flaws, Cuthbert has a soft spot for animals, and considers hunting a cruel and unnecessary sport.
Princess Lavinia
Princess Lavinia is voiced by: Isabel De Carteret and motion-captured by: Ban AbdulLavinia Pernilla Kippernook is a sweet, caring little girl who is six years old. She looks up to Jane as a true hero. She sometimes dreams of becoming a knight like Jane, and will often pay more heed to Jane than she will her parents. Lavinia sometimes wears a pair of costume dragon wings which were made for her by Smithy so she could pretend to be a dragon. She enjoys playing games, looking through Rake's garden and hearing stories from Jane. Like her brother, she also has a soft spot for animals, loves Dragon, and finds hunting to be a rather poor and cruel sport. Her favorite food is strawberries.
Sir Theodore Boarmaster
Sir Theodore is voiced by: Aron TagerAron Tager
Aron Tager is an American actor and artist.- Background :As an artist, Tager has had numerous exhibitions of his work and has sculptures installed at the following locations: Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington, VT; Shaftsbury Elementary School, VT; Delaware County Community College,...
and motion-captured by: Nick Blake
Sir Theodore is a wise knight. As Jane's mentor, he displays patience and understanding. He was best friends with Jane's paternal grandfather, who was also a knight and who died in battle protecting the castle. He has sworn to Jane's mother to never tell Jane about it, but with the way Jane pokes around, it's only a matter of time before the truth is revealed. His family comes from a long line of dragonslayers, which is revealed one day when Jane stumbles upon his family's ancestral sword, hidden in his clothing chest. The sword is made of special metals that can pierce the skin of a dragon (since most ordinary metals and weapons have no effect against Dragon's thick skin). When confronted with his family's past actions, Sir Theodore begs for Dragon's forgiveness for his ancestors' cruel behavior. Dragon shows that all is forgiven by melting Sir Theodore's sword into molten rubble. This leaves Jane with the only known sword capable of harming Dragon. But since Jane will only use her sword to defend Dragon, and never to harm him, he trusts her with its use.
Sir Ivon Mackay
Sir Ivon is voiced by: Ben CampbellBen Campbell
Ben Campbell may refer to:* Ben Nighthorse Campbell, U.S. Senator from Colorado* Ben Campbell , , bassist for rock bands Atlas and Zed* Ben Campbell, a character in the 2008 film 21...
and motion-captured by: David Hoskins
Loud, enthusiastic, short-tempered, and very Scottish, Sir Ivon is Gunther's mentor. He has a deep love of weapons of any kind, from swords and axes to the fearsome chopping-machines he invents himself. None of the gadgets he invents work. The episode Jester Justice shows his "Bowling Ball of Doom", "Boomerang of Vengeance", and "Fearsome Fool Flattener". They all backfire. Despite his love of violence and fighting, he has a kind underlying nature, although this is often cancelled out by his impatience. He tries to do his best by Gunther, but it is clear he is oblivious to the Merchant's manipulations, and often gives his young apprentice odious chores as punishment for his short-comings.
Awards and nominations
The show was nominated for an Annie AwardAnnie Award
The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
for Best Animated Television Production in 2007.
External links
- The Royal Archives – official site (archived)
- Nelvana press release regarding production of programme
- YTV's Jane and the Dragon site
- Weta Workshop's Jane and the Dragon Section
- Qubo's Jane and the Dragon page
- Qubo's Jane and the Dragon Meet the Cast page
- TFL.org approved Fanlisting
- Article describing the motion capture technology used on the show
- Brief article (with images) from Weta about filming the motion capture sessions