Super Johnny (Johnny and the Warriors of Chronos episode)

Super Johnny is the tenth episode of the first season of Johnny and the Warriors of Chronos. In this episode, Johnny gets addicted to Gladiolus, a plant that grants him super-strength.

Production and development
Super Johnny is about Johnny's addiction to Gladiolus, which many interpreted as the writers' way to draw attention to drug-abuse and addiction. The episode quickly gained controversy and the American Network, who was broadcasting the series at the time, stopped airing the episode in reply of the backlash. While some disliked the idea to feature drugs in a children's cartoon, others enjoyed the show's attempt at prevention.

In 1991, the Drug Free Marathon presented by Drug Free Youth broadcasted two hours of cartoons about drug abuse and addiction on the American Network. While almost all cartoons involved in the marathon were made specifically for the marathon, Toonation contributed by re-airing Super Johnny for the occasion. The only addition was a minute and a half lesson where Johnny, Marcus and Leana voiced by their original voice actors, telling kids that although Gladiolus only exists on Chronos, there are other kinds of addictive substances on Earth that are equally dangerous.

On the episode's legacy, Braydon Bright admitted that he never expected the episode to gain that much attention. In an interview with 2nz, he said:"'[...] When I wrote it, of course I thought about real-life addiction, that's where I drew inspiration, but I never saw it as some kind of prevention PSA. I didn't write serious stuff, I didn't have a great salary but I was expected to write some low-quality episodes to fill episode orders. To me, the episode was harmless, and I suppose Clover didn't see the problem with it since they let Toonation make it. Understand that drug prevention was more a 90s thing, so back there thinking it could a make change it kids' lives was insane. Still, it did what it did and I'm happy it became something better than I expected. Of course, the Super Johnny episode is the only thing I'm known for since I stopped writing after the series ended, and I don't take credit for what it became; it was an accident, but a happy accident nonetheless.'"

Summary
Johnny is fighting Raptor and Ragnar with Marcus, Leana, Cyborg, Fangs and Felina: the henchmen duo stole King Arthur's Magic Gauntlet and the Warriors are struggling to get get it back. While pursuing them on foot, Johnny points out a shortcut and they surround the runaways. With nowhere to run, Raptor is held off by Fangs and Felina while Johnny holds Ragnar with a spell that restrains him. When Marcus is about to take back his father's Magic Gauntlet, Johnny is unable to hold the spell long enough and lets go of Ragnar: the viking hangs to the Gauntlet and charges towards Johnny, who's in front of the only escape route. Ragnar easily shoves away the boy wizard and runs away with the weapon, followed by Raptor who successfully freed himself during the confusion.

After their defeat, the Warriors return to Camelot, Marcus claiming that a little defeat is not a problem, and that they'll prepare a raid on Dragonland to take back his father's Gauntlet. Regardless, Johnny feels like he caused the team's failure, blaming it on his lack of strength. Even if just joined the Warriors of Chronos, Johnny feels like he isn't strong enough to be a Warrior. Leana overhears him talking out loud and tells him that Johnny doesn't need strength: he has other qualities, and that strength will come with time. She also tells him that it isn't like he could magically become stronger, which gives Johnny an idea.

Johnny reads Merlin's spells book and finds information about a plant named Gladiolus, which once consumed grants super-strength. Johnny overlooks the notes about side effects to learn where the plant grows. He then goes to the Wild Jungle where he meets with Fulbright, a fox, who warns Johnny he cannot take Gladiolus from the ground because the plant, raw, is poisonous. Fulbright explains to him that he process the Gladiolus which he turns into elixirs that he sells to warriors and mercenaries. Fulbright gives a dose of Gladiolus to Johnny for free, telling him that he can try the elixir and come back whenever he wants.

The Warriors of Chronos are called to the Cat Tribes when rogue Vikings attacked the town and raided the Tribe's food stock. Before joining the Warriors, Johnny drinks the Gladiolus elixir and which makes him extremely stronger for the length of the mission. The Warriors notices Johnny's unusual strength but really starts to get worried when Johnny is able to hold off a Viking boat from sailing away. When Princess Leana asks Johnny how he did it, he rudely replies by saying it's none of her business.

Once the effects wore off, feeling sick Johnny returns to Fulbright to get more Gladiolus. About Johnny's uncanny tiredness, Fulbright explains that once someone starts consuming Gladiolus they have to keep consuming it or else they'll feel tiredness, fever and nausea. For the next dose, Fulbright charges Johnny a few gold coins and Johnny returns to the castle.

The Warriors of Chronos are called once again to the Cat Tribes; there were more rogue Vikings and they set fire to the Cats' camps. Johnny uses his newfound super-strength to fight the Vikings, but his bad temper comes in the way of his teammates. They do fight the Vikings off, but Marcus tells Johnny that he has to change his attitude, because the mission could have failed because of it. Johnny replies by telling Marcus he's just jealous of Johnny's strength, and that he's just saying that because Johnny did all the job on his own. He finishes by saying the Warriors are dead-weight to him, and affirms that he should just fight solo.

On his way to buy his next dose, Johnny is stopped by Leana and Marcus before he can leave the castle. They ask him about what's happening lately, and if there's anything happening they don't know about. Johnny doesn't answer and instead struggles to go outside, refusing to tell where he's going. Marcus and Leana finally decides to let him go, but only to follow him.

Right before Johnny can buy Gladiolus from Fulbright, which he raised the price again, Marcus and Leana interferes, and tells Johnny how disappointed they are that he turned to cheap tactics like Gladiolus. They chase Fulbright off and Johnny, felling sick, loses consciousness.

Johnny is returned to Camelot and he has a talk with Leana when he wakes up. Johnny admits that he has taken Gladiolus because he was tired to feel useless in the Warriors of Chronos, but Leana tells him that he is useful. Johnny is the brains of the team, and even though he is not able to fully control his magic, he is still, at the moment, a great help to the team, and he can only get better. Leana tells Johnny taking Gladiolus is really dangerous, as Gladiolus is first and foremost a poisonous plant. Merlin will put him through a series of treatment to stop Johnny's addiction and return him back to normal.