Line #29 WesternAnimation/SkeletonWarriors


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6	[[quoteright:326:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/skeleton_warriors_01.jpg]]
7	[[caption-width-right:326:''[[{{Tagline}} They're bad to the bone!]]'']]
8
9	->''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ZlpTp_dJA These are the tales of the Skeleton Warriors...]]''
10	-->-- '''Golden Skull''' (voiced by Creator/TonyJay)
11
12	''Skeleton Warriors'' was a short-lived SaturdayMorningCartoon made by Landmark Entertainment Group and broadcast by Creator/{{CBS}} in 1994.
13
14	The story is set on the planet Luminaire, with the [[MineralMacGuffin Lightstar Crystal]] as the center of the series. Baron Dark tried to steal it, but he could obtain only half of the Crystal, empowering him with the ability to turn people into the eponymous Skeleton Warriors, while Prince Lightstar, the one who was guarding the crystal, obtained the other half. Then, a battle ensued, in which [[CaptureTheFlag each side tried to obtain the other's half while guarding its own]]. Lightstar isn't alone, since his siblings, Joshua (who was closer with Baron Dark [[HeelFaceTurn until]] their KarmicTransformation) and Jennifer, and their uncle Ursak formed the Legion of Light. Their half of the crystal gave them many powers, such as energy channeling (Lightstar), flight (Jennifer/Talyn) and shadow-travelling (Joshua/Grimskull).
15
16	Video games for Sony Platform/PlayStation and Platform/SegaSaturn were released, as was [[TheMerch a toyline]]. The cast also appeared in the 1994 UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade, and a Website/{{Kickstarter}} [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/georgegaspar/skeleton-warriors-glyos-compatible-action-figures?ref=card campaign]] for a revival of the toyline was successful.
17
18	----
19	!!''Skeleton Warriors'' provides examples of:
20
21	* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler: Prince Justin's sword is revealed to be made from a ''third'' piece of the Lightstar Crystal, and LikeCannotCutLike. This quickly evens the playing field between him and the Lightstar-empowered Baron Dark during the final battle.]]
22	* AbhorrentAdmirer: Shriek has a huge crush on Prince Justin, and she retains this even after being turned into a hideous Skeleton Warrior. Needless to say, Justin is repulsed by her attempts to court him.
23	* AboveGoodAndEvil: Though apparently a skeleton, the golden skull narrator seems to be more interested in the story he's telling than propping up either side.
24	* AbsentAnimalCompanion:
25	** In "...Long Live the King", Dark claims a skeletonized horse as his personal steed, which is never seen again.
26	** Talyn's hawk Serafina isn't seen again after "Overload".
27	* ActionFigureFileCard: The toys had them.
28	* ActionPet: Baron Dark adopts a savage skeleton dog he names [[GiverOfLameNames Bad Dog]]. Grimskull, meanwhile, gains a wolf named Stalker as a companion. Talyn also has a pet bird of prey she has before the start of the series.
29	* AfterTheEnd: Luminicity depended on the Lightstar Crystal to provide limitless power. When the Crystal is shattered, the resulting power surge causes widespread destruction and leaves the kingdom vulnerable [[ZombieApocalypse to the rising threat of the Skeleton Warriors]]. By the time the Legion of Light is formed, Baron Dark already rules much of the world, and the ruins of highways and cities dot the landscape.
30	* AlienSky: The planet has two moons.
31	* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: Prince Justin and his siblings Joshua and Jennifer.
32	* AndTheAdventureContinues: Baron Dark is defeated but the Steeles now have to clean up the mess left by the war and Dark's army is still out there.
33	* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: The fearful soldier Ferris, after being rescued at the start of "Heart and Soul", is skeletonized by Baron Dark during a battle shortly afterwards. He gets better, which leads to the discovery of a cure for the Skeleton Warrior transformation.
34	* AntagonistTitle: The eponymous Skeleton Warriors are the bad guys.
35	* AntiHero: Grimskull, who caused the whole mess courtesy of his jealousy and anger at his perceived inferiority to his brother, but repents his mistake and seeks to make amends. His appearance reflects his anti-heroic nature, looking like a desiccated ghoul with graying skin and [[SicklyGreenGlow glowing green sclerae]].
36	* AristocratsAreEvil: Baron Dark was already an evil noble long before he went after the Lightstar Crystal.
37	* AttackItsWeakPoint: The titular Skeleton Warriors, who can normally just reassemble themselves after any attack, have 'Heart Stones' inside their rib cages that if destroyed or removed would turn them back into human beings.
38	* TheAtoner: Grimskull intends to redeem himself after helping Baron Dark to steal half the Lightstar Crystal.
39	* BackForTheFinale: In "Past, Perfect, Future Tense" Grimskull befriends a wolf whom he names Stalker. Stalker isn't seen again until the two-part series finale.
40	* BadassBiker: Skeletons riding bikes, [[RuleOfCool yeah]]. ''{{Flying\|Car}}'' [[FlyingCar motorcycles]], no less.
41	* BadassFamily: The core group consists of two brothers, their sister and their uncle leading the resistance.
42	* BigNo: Baron Dark has this reaction upon learning Lightstar survived his meeting with the Araculans.
43	* BittersweetEnding: Baron Dark is finally defeated but the Lightstar Crystal is lost, Luminicity is destroyed and Dark's army is still out there. However, Lightstar points out that Dark lost far more than they did and Guardian assures them that their father is proud of them.
44	* BlackSheep: Prince Joshua/Grimskull, who originally sided with Baron Dark against Justin due to being jealous of his brother's inheritance of the throne. When the full extent of Dark's evil is revealed, however, he pulls a HeelFaceTurn and becomes TheAtoner.
45	* BloodlessCarnage: People get turned into skeletons rather then being killed. If the skeletons are knocked apart, the bones slither back into place.
46	* ButtMonkey: If something bad is about to happen to any one of the Skeleton Warriors, then it's probably going to happen to Dagger.
47	* CaptureTheFlag: By way of DismantledMacGuffin - Prince Justin owns one half of the Lightstar Crystal, while Baron Dark owns the other half. As a result, The Legion of Light and the Skeleton Warriors are both trying to capture the opposition's half of the Crystal, while simultaneously protecting their own.
48	* CharacterCatchphrase: Baron Dark develops one, for when he skeletonizes somebody:
49	-->'''Baron Dark:''' "Darkest soul, evil's courier, ''serve me as a Skeleton Warrior!''"
50	* TheCape: Justin wears a cape and is the heroic leader of the Legion of Light.
51	* TheCorrupter: Baron Dark is very manipulative, and tempts many to join or help him, such as Joshua and Zara.
52	* CoolUncle: Guardian is very knowledgeable about history, warfare, tactics, strategies and logistics. He's dedicated to his nephews and niece.
53	* TheCorruptible: Joshua was naïve enough to trust Baron Dark, allowing him access to the Lightstar Crystal, and can by controlled by Dark from a distance if he doesn't keep his guard up.
54	* CrazyPrepared: Ursak seems like this at first, but then it is {{subverted}}. In one episode, it showed that he helped build a machine that let him see the future. After seeing the rise of the Skeleton Warriors, he started preparing and waiting for the day that he knew would come, just not when exactly.
55	* DarkestHour: Episode 13. [[spoiler:Baron Dark joins both halves of the Lightstar Crystal, which grants him a slew of godlike powers and the ability to transform people into Skeleton Warriors regardless of their morality. He then leads a massive assault on Luminicity to convert all the remaining humans into skeletons, whether they're part of the Legion of Light or not.]]
56	* DarkIsEvil:
57	** His name's Baron Dark, he turns people in evil skeletons, and all of them enjoy the night far more then the day.
58	** [[DarkIsNotEvil Averted]] with Grimskull. Dark clothing and a shadow walker, but he's loyal to his family and genuinely seeks atonement for his crimes.
59	* DecapitatedArmy: Discussed by Baron Dark and Dr. Cyborn, after the Skeleton Warriors' WeaksauceWeakness is discovered. When a Skeleton Warrior is changed back into a human, Baron Dark can just "reskeletonize" them; but what happens if Baron Dark himself gets changed back?
60	* DemBones: The Skeleton Warriors themselves.
61	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Baron Dark left a data crystal for Grimskull to take. Naturally, Grimskull and the gang are suspicious, and yet they still decide to play its content... in front of the whole council so everyone can watch. It reveals that Grimskull betrayed the royal family and has caused the fall of the kingdom. Needless to say, the council was angry and turned on Grimskull. You think they would have been wise enough to play it in private before their big meeting.
62	* DisneyVillainDeath: In the series finale, [[spoiler:Baron Dark is finally killed for good when Lightstar throws him (and the Crystal) off a cliff into a pit of lava]].
63	* {{Dracolich}}: Episode 12 features a skeletonized ''dragon'', which Dagger tries and fails to train as his own personal attack beast.
64	* DrunkOnTheDarkSide: There are subtle hints that the skeletonization process has euphoric effects on the transformed; Baron Dark goes from being horrified at his transformation to openly embracing it in the time it takes him to return to his core followers. Those he transforms immediately revel in their new status, ranting about how good they feel. When one is accidentally changed back into a human (revealing their weakness) he runs back to Baron Dark and begs to be re-skeletonized.
65	* DumbassHasAPoint: Lightstar and Talyn, who are imprisoned with Shriek and Dagger, [[EnemyMine suggest that they work together to escape.]] Dagger immediately agrees and Shriek calls him out because he just want to save himself. Dagger ask her what her point is. [[{{Beat}} Shriek thinks about it for a second]] and agrees to help.
66	* EasilyForgiven: Subverted with Grimskull. While his family is willing to trust him, [[WelcomeBackTraitor the Legion of Light as a whole remains unconvinced]] for much of the series.
67	* EnemyMine: Lightstar and Talyn agree to team up with Shriek and Dagger to escape imprisonment. As a subversion, Shriek and Dagger didn't do anything useful and betrayed the siblings.
68	* EverythingsDeaderWithZombies: Or, better yet, with the eponymous Skeleton Warriors.
69	* EvilIsHammy: Baron Dark takes the cake in the hamminess department, though all the Skeleton Warriors are somewhat boisterous.
70	* EvilLaugh: All skeleton warriors laugh at their own evil deeds, Baron Dark most of all.
71	* FanDisservice: Shriek, who was your typical ChainmailBikini-clad villainess when she was alive and who retains the skimpy outfit even after she has been transformed into a hideous living skeleton.
72	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
73	** In the first episode, Baron Dark has a spidery humanoid named "Aracula" as one of his minions. It turns out in the 10th episode that Aracula is one of a whole race of Araculans, long-standing enemies of the humans of Luminaire, and that Baron Dark actually was responsible for the death of the King by sending him into the hands of the Araculans.
74	** In the sixth episode, Grimskull cuts off his connection to Baron Dark by tossing a mental construct of him into a pool of lava. [[spoiler:This is how Lightstar dispatches of Baron Dark in the finale]].
75	* FormerTeenRebel: One of the reasons Joshua was buddying up with Baron Dark because he was a kewl older friend with radical concepts his stick-in-the-mud brother and sister and parents didn't understand, man! After his transformation into Grimskull, he matured considerably.
76	* [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]]: Nearly all projectile weapons are lasers.
77	* GemHeart: The Skeleton Warriors are revealed to have "heart stones" inside their ribcages. If it's ever removed or destroyed, the Skeleton Warrior transforms back into a human.
78	* GoldenSuperMode: [[spoiler: Baron Dark acquires a set of golden armor after he joins the two halves of the Lightstar Crystal.]]
79	* HeelFaceTurn: Grimskull was with Baron Dark before their KarmicTransformation.
80	* HeroesPreferSwords: Justin's weapon of choice is a sword.
81	* HeroWithBadPublicity: Grimskull gets hit hard with this. He betrayed the royal family, but had a change of heart at the last moment. With his half-dead appearance, people around him don't trust him. It gets worse when the truth about his betrayal goes public. Even after he redeemed himself, there's still a lot of uneasiness around him.
82	* HiveMind: There are some indications that Baron Dark has a psychic link to those he has transformed, and they're all connected to some "darkness", though it's not really expounded upon.
83	* HopelessWar: Until the Skeleton Warriors' weakness is discovered, the good guys are fighting one. How do you win a war against an enemy who can't be killed, and who can convert any living human into their service?
84	* ImplacableMan: While they aren't as strong or skilled as the heroes, Baron Dark and the Skeleton Warriors are immortal and reform a few seconds after being shattered, meaning they can win battles through raw attrition. The Skeleton Warriors are well aware of this, and are quick to gloat about it.
85	* ImpliedLoveInterest: Talyn appears to fall for Ferris.
86	* IncongruouslyDressedZombie: When subjected to their ViralTransformation, newly-created Skeleton Warriors are clad in a tattered-up version of whatever outfit they were wearing at the time. Some, such as Baron Dark and his inner circle, acquire a slew of skeleton-themed decorations on what's left of their clothing [[EvilCostumeSwitch for no apparent reason]].
87	* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Baron Dark cannot turn those who are essentially good into Skeleton Warriors, Though they don't have to literally be pure and saintly, [[DownplayedTrope just more good than bad]]. Marginal cases, however, need a good guy's assistance.
88	** Averted when he [[spoiler: gains the other half of the crystal, and the power to turn anyone regardless of morality into his warriors instantly]].
89	* KarmicTransformation: Guardian believes that the Lightstar Crystal has chosen Prince Joshua to bear the mark of his betrayal with his transformation into the half-dead Grimskull. The punishment can be seen as twofold: both his grotesque appearance ''and'' the PsychicLink it gives him with Baron Dark may be seen as the punishment for his actions, as both torment him in different ways.
90	* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Baron Dark]] in the finale.
91	* LaResistance: The Legion of Light is this, in a world ruled by the undefeatable Skeleton Warriors.
92	* LastEpisodeNewCharacter: The third-to-last episode introduces Claw, a werewolf-like creature Baron Dark hired to patrol Luminicity for anyone who didn't fall in line with his rule. After skeletonizing himself, Claw became a high-ranking minion of Dark's alongside Dagger, Shriek, Cyborn and Aracula.
93	* LightIsGood: Lightstar, who can shoot beams of light from his hands, and the Legion of Light.
94	* LoveTriangle: Lightstar was in love with Zara who left because she was in love with Grimskull.
95	* MadeOfPlasticine: To an extent, at least; the Skeleton Warriors are fairly easy to shatter into bits with a strong impact. Not that it does much good since they have "the power of invincibility" and [[PullingThemselvesTogether can reassemble themselves with a thought]].
96	* MeaningfulName: EVERYWHERE!!!
97	** Talyn can fly and has enhanced vision, like a hawk.
98	** Lightstar holds the resistance's half of the Lightstar Crystal and shoots lightbeams.
99	** Grimskull's face looks like a skull, and he is grim because his betrayal in the first episode led to the current situation.
100	** Uncle "Guardian", who looks out for his brother's children.
101	** Baron Dark - loves the literal dark, and symbolic of the darkness he's brought to the land.
102	** Aracula has six arms and two legs, like a arachnid.
103	* MerchandiseDriven: The purpose of the show was to sell comics and Skeleton Warriors related toys.
104	* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Dr. Cyborn, the chief scientist of the Skeleton Warriors.
105	* MonsterProgenitor: Baron Dark becomes the first Skeleton Warrior, and gains the power to [[TheVirus spread the transformation to other humans]].
106	* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Aracula has six arms and carry different weapons ranging from swords, axes to flails, making him a MultiMeleeMaster.
107	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: '''[[AristocratsAreEvil Baron]] [[DarkIsEvil Dark]].'''
108	* TheNecrocracy: The Skeleton Warriors, under Baron Dark's rule, control their civilization with an iron fist. Anyone too good-of-heart to be transformed into a Skeleton Warrior is instead used as slave labor to build weapons, munitions and skycyles.
109	* {{Nepotism}}: When Grimskull's betrayal is publicly revealed, his brother's refusal to have him executed is perceived as this by the people.
110	* NoRomanticResolution: The show's two love interests, Ferris and Zara, don't appear again after their single episodes.
111	* NonHumanUndead: Aracula and Klaw - A spider-man and a wolf-man, respectively, turned into Skeleton Warriors.
112	* NoSell: Baron Dark's skeletonizing touch doesn't work on good guys, although it seems a certain confidence in one's moral standing is necessary too.
113	* OpeningNarration: Each episode starts (and closes) with a narration from a golden skull voiced by [[Creator/TonyJay Tony Jay]].
114	* PainfulTransformation: It doesn't sound fun being transformed into a Skeleton Warrior, but DrunkOnTheDarkSide ensues quickly.
115	* ParentalAbandonment: Jennifer, Justin and Joshua's father the king was dead before the start of the series. There's only a passing mention of their mother.
116	* ProperlyParanoid: Ursak/Guardian was always of the opinion that relying upon the Lightstar Crystal as Luminicity has for the last several hundred years was a bad idea, and spent his whole life preparing alternative means to protect the city if it was lost. He was considered crazy for it--until it happened.
117	* PsychicLink: Grimskull and Baron Dark have one as a result of their creation. Each can sense the other's presence, and if Grimskull doesn't keep his defenses up, Baron Dark can even control him like a puppet from a distance.
118	* PullingThemselvesTogether: The Skeleton Warriors will reassemble if broken apart in combat, [[GoodThingYouCanHeal which happens often]].
119	* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: Played with - Baron Dark turns humans that defect to him into Skeleton Warriors, even if they would be more useful staying TheMole. It is perfectly in character for him, though: He's not only [[MonsterProgenitor the sole infector]] of TheVirus (making everyone "joined in the darkness"), and subtly implied to be compelled to spread his state, but the conversion is shown to make the victim far more loyal to him. A rabid dog becomes obedient, traitors and mercenaries who were OnlyInItForTheMoney instantly settle for doing his bidding only ForTheEvulz. Magically-enforced loyalty is probably the safest way to deal with someone who has a track record of betrayal.
120	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: All surviving members of the royal family take an active role in the Legion of Light, with Justin serving as its leader.
121	* RaisingTheSteaks: Any living creature can be skeletonized, which is demonstrated on a dog, a [[HellishHorse horse]], and even a ''[[{{Dracolich}} dragon]]''.
122	* RevengeBeforeReason: When Justin learn that Baron Dark was responsible for his father's death, he start making rash decisions and is obsessed on taking out Dark Baron. It get worse when Grimskull is apparently dead.
123	* ScienceFantasy: The series leans more on the science end than the fantasy, but the Lightstar Crystal and the nature of the Skeleton Warriors are magical.
124	* SeeingThroughAnothersEyes: At one point, it's claimed that Grimskull might be transmitting information to Baron Dark without realizing it--something he can't deny is possible. However it turns out the ''real'' traitor was only sowing doubt.
125	* ShadowWalker: Grimskull uses shadows to teleport wherever he wants.
126	* ShapeshifterWeapon: [[spoiler: The completed Lightstar Crystal shapeshifts into a golden sword, when Baron Dark fights Prince Justin for the climatic battle.]]
127	* ShouldersOfDoom: Baron Dark wears elaborate epaulets made of skulls chained together after becoming the first Skeleton Warrior.
128	* ShoutOut: Shriek's line of "Get your paws off me you big ape!" from the episode "Ball and Chain" is taken from ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968''.
129	* SicklyGreenGlow: The skycycle engines and weapon blasts of the skeleton warriors.
130	* SixthRanger: The Skeleton Warriors get one in the form of Klaw, a wolf-man mercenary who intentionally skeletonizes himself [[spoiler: using Baron Dark's collapsing skeletonization ray]]. He ends up being more competent than all of Dark's usual henchmen combined, and is [[MadeOfIron noticeably more shatter-resistant]] than the average Skeleton Warrior.
131	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Shriek and Jennifer are the only major female character of their respective factions.
132	* TheSoCalledCoward: A Legion of Light warrior thinks himself a DirtyCoward because he ran from the Skeleton Warriors. However the flashback shows he only fled when his weapon ran out of power and he had no way of fighting them.
133	* SpareToTheThrone: When Grimskull's pre-HeelFaceTurn crime becomes publicly known, the people of Luminicity want him to be executed for this and the only way his brother can spare him without having to face a revolt is by being executed in his place. With Lightstar dead and Grimskull still being labeled a traitor, their sister will be the next in line to become the ruler of Luminicity regardless of the fact she never received any training for this. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Grimskull earned forgiveness on time to prevent any executions from happening]].
134	* SpiderPeople: The Araculans, six-armed goblinoids who spit sticky web-like slime from their mouths. They inhabit a vast, web-draped canyon called the Araculan Rift, and are enemies of the human race, having feuded with them for centuries.
135	* StrippedToTheBone: The fate of Baron Dark and all his minions, and a rare example of this trope as a compelling - if hardly positive - fate, as those returned to humanity will typically plead with the baron to re-skeletonise them.
136	* SurvivorGuilt: Ferris, the sole survivor of his unit in episode 3, is so tortured by the experience that his self-hatred gives him enough inner darkness for Baron Dark to skeletonise him, which was previously suggested to only be possible with overtly depraved personalities: what really seems to matter is how the victim perceives themself.
137	* ThemeTuneRollCall: Which also describes each character's powers, and provides the only lyrics that aren't the show's title:
138	-->''Lightstar! [[LightEmUp He has the power!]]\
139	[[ActionGirl Talyn]]'s a fighter [[{{Flight}} in the sky!]]\
140	Grimskull [[ShadowWalker moves within the shadows!]]\
141	Guardian shouts the battle cry!\
142	'''FOR THE LEGION OF LIGHT!'''''
143	* TokenFlier: Talyn is the only one among the heroes with the natural power of flight.
144	* TooDumbToLive: Dagger is the most simple-minded of Baron Dark's followers and frequently makes comedic mistakes. As early as the second episode, Talyn tricks him into getting blown up by giving him a live grenade and telling him it's a birthday present.
145	* TransformingConforming: Whoever is turned into a skeleton by Baron Dark can't die and is not easily hurt; in a disaster, their bodies are disassembled and assembled back. Then Talyn finds out that removing the stone heart from their spines turn them back into humans again, with all the consequent vulnerabilities.
146	* TranshumanTreachery: As soon as they get transformed into Skeleton Warriors, people get DrunkOnTheDarkSide, talking about the "glorious darkness" they are now in contact with, and calling untransformed people "human" right away.
147	* TwoGuysAndAGirl: The PowerTrio consist of two princes and a princess.
148	* TheVamp: [[TheBaroness Shriek]] ''wants'' to be this, but the problem is that she keeps making seductive banter towards Prince Justin ''[[{{Squick}} as a skeleton]].''
149	* UndyingLoyalty: While a feature of becoming a Skeleton Warrior is becoming loyal to Baron Dark, special note should be given to Dagger who was very devoted ''long before'' the events of the series.
150	* VillainRespect: Baron Dark has shown caution around Guardian from the beginning.
151	-->'''Baron Dark:''' Ursak maybe [[EccentricMentor eccentric]], but he's no fool!
152	* VillainousBreakdown: Baron Dark goes into fits of rage whenever things doesn't go his way.
153	* ViralTransformation: The Skeleton Warriors undergo this by becoming... well, [[ShapedLikeItself skeletons]].
154	* TheVirus: The Skeleton Warrior transformation works like this, with Baron Dark as PatientZero and [[MonsterProgenitor the sole carrier]]. Anyone with enough evil in their hearts is susceptible to the ViralTransformation, and becomes instantly loyal to Baron Dark afterwords.
155	* WarriorPrince: Princes Lightstar and Grimskull both lead their rebellion by fighting on the front lines.
156	* WarriorUndead: The eponymous Skeleton Warriors wouldn't be named such if they ''weren't'' at least competent soldiers.
157	* WeaksauceWeakness: Initially, the Skeleton Warriors seem nearly unstoppable - while they can be shattered easily, they reform themselves within seconds, and their leader can create new Skeleton Warriors simply by touching people. Everything changes after Episode 3, however, when the Skeleton Warriors are revealed to have [[GemHeart 'heart stones']] inside their ribcages. If these stones are ever destroyed or removed, the Skeleton Warrior instantly transforms back into a human being, which also breaks Baron Dark's control over their mind if they weren't a willing recruit.
158	** As noted above, this also creates a major strategic problem with having Baron Dark operating in the field, especially after Guardian invents a weapon which can break a heartstone at a distance. As Dr. Cyborn directly informs his leader, the Baron can readily skeletonize anyone who makes it back to their side -- but if Baron Dark is turned into a human, who's going to reconvert him?
159	* WeHaveReserves: Baron Dark, because of the skeleton warriors PullingThemselvesTogether.
160	* WelcomeBackTraitor: The Legion of Light toward Grimskull, due to the part he played in the rise of Baron Dark.
161	* WeWillUseManualLaborInTheFuture: Baron Dark make use of uncorrupted humans as slaves. Justified, as while they are imprisoned they can not rebel. And the shattering of the Lightstar crystal has left the city without power.
162	* WhamEpisode: Episode 12 ends with [[spoiler:Grimskull seemingly killed and Baron Dark finally in possession of the Lightstar Crystal's other half]].
163	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
164	** At the end of the series, [[spoiler:Baron Dark and the Lightstar Crystal are destroyed, but Dark's huge Skeleton Warrior army -- including his lieutenants and the several dozen innocent people he managed to skeletonize during the final battle -- remains unaccounted for]].
165	** [[spoiler:Dagger, Cyborn, Shriek, Aracula and several other skeletons are last seen being swept away by a wave of lava and Claw isn't seen again after Dark reforms the Lightstar crystal. While it's possible the skeletons hit by the lava were destroyed, Talyn says there are other skeletons still out there]].
166	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Skeletons are shot without hesitation. ImmortalLifeIsCheap though. And they'd just bring their victims to Baron Dark for recruitment.
167	* WhatMeasureIsANonSuper: The only use the skeletons see in those that are too good at heart to be converted is as expendable slaves.
168	* ZombieApocalypse: The Skeleton Warriors. [[PatientZero Baron Dark]] is able to inflict the transformation on humans, and quickly builds an army of near-unstoppable undead minions to conquer the world. By episode 12, the Skeleton Warriors are numerous enough to fill every seat in a huge stadium.
169	* ZombieInfectee: Grimskull is partially-transformed into a Skeleton Warrior when the Lightstar Crystal is shattered. He develops a PsychicLink with Baron Dark, a trait implied to be common to Skeleton Warriors, and faces constant distrust and suspicion from the Legion of Light. Baron Dark [[GenreSavvy is quick to take advantage of this]], and hatches several plots to cause infighting among the Legion by playing on their paranoia and making Grimskull look like TheCorruptible.
170	* ZombifyTheLiving: Baron Dark can convert people directly from human to Skeleton Warrior skipping the whole "having to die and rot" bit, and then adds them to his army. Some people go willingly and seem to retain some of their former selves, but your average unwilling convertee just seems to become overwhelmed by Baron Dark's psychic link.

Context WesternAnimation / SkeletonWarriors