Fallon with her friend the unicorn princess Moondance and the Unicorn Jewel
In Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, many unicorns live in and outside Avalon in friendship with the good people of the kingdom. Eventually, all of the Jewel Riders get their respective unicorn special friends as their bonded magic animals. They assist the girls in their adventures and help them fight against the dark magic of Lady Kale and Morgana.
Sunstar captured by Lady Kale and her dweasels in "Jewel Quest, Part I"
Shadowsong with Tamara and some other unicorns of the other realms in "Shadowsong"
The three teenagers form magical bonds with their respective unicorns to save the world from evil. The first among them is Fallon's unicorn princess Moondance, soon joined by the female winged unicorn (or alicorn) Sunstar for Princess Gwenevere, and finally (in the second season) the male zebracorn Shadowsong for Tamara with unique magic powers. Another recurring unicorn is Cleo, one of Tamara's baby animals. In addition, Sierra and Kiernan are major characters in one episode, while Sunstar's father makes minor appearances in several more.
Cleo[]
- Main article: Cleo
Father[]
"Father unicorn" or "Royal nicorn" is Sunstar's loving father, briefly featured in both parts of "Jewel Quest". He reappears in "Vale of the Unicorns" as an advisor to Queen Sierra, overseeing the Trials in the Queen’s absence.
Kiernan[]
Kiernan is a young, brooding male unicorn that is a cousin of Moondance. He is featured in the episode "Vale of the Unicorns", where he is the one who retrieves the Unicorn Jewel and becomes destined to become the future King of the Unicorns.
Kiernan is described in the draft script as "an auburn, teenage unicorn with dark reddish mane and tail, dark yellow topaz horn and hooves."[1]
Moondance[]
- Main article: Moondance
Queen Sierra[]
Sierra is the queen of all unicorns everywhere, who resides in the legendary Vale of the Unicorns. She is featured in the episode "Vale of the Unicorns", in which Sierra decides to sacrifice herself so the Unicorn Jewel would not fall into hands of evil. After when the Jewel Riders rescue her from being trapped within the Wild Magic, she helps them in their quest to save Merlin and rid the world of Morgana. Queen Sierra is mother of Moondance and an aunt of Cleo.
The draft script described Sierra as "a gorgeous purple unicorn with silver jewel spots, long flowing silvery mane and tail, and diamond horn and hooves, with a white-gold crown circling the base of her horn."[1] She was considered to have also several different other coloring options.[2]
Shadowsong[]
- Main article: Shadowsong
Sunstar[]
- Main article: Sunstar
Other unicorns[]
Other unicorns in the show include:
- Teen unicorns - A group of mean-spirited young unicorns who torment Sunstar for her having wings in "Jewel Quest, Part I". They later gain respect for her once she is able to fly.
- Toria and Violet - The other contestants in "Vale of the Unicorns", pink- and violet-colored respectively. (In the draft script, Toria is described as a "sapphire blue female with light blue mane and tail, blue topaz horn and hooves," and Violet as an "aptly named female with dark purple mane and tail, amethyst horn and hooves.") Toria walks down one of the wrong tunnels and is apparently disintegrated (though a draft script says she is present at the end of the episode[1]). Violet is not seen again after entering the trials.
Behind the scenes[]
Development[]
The unicorns originate in the abandoned project to adapt Dragonriders of Pern, which would feature "horse-like" dragon companions for the show's three young heroes and three young heroines. They were described as "a believable lovable species of intelligent human-loving dragon to replace the horse. These gigantic, beautiful and loyal creatures possess distinct personalities, come in two basic sizes and two metallic colors. Like any perfect pet, a dragon will bond with a specific (and lucky) child for life."[3]
After the show's setting changed, they were turned a normal horse and a lion for the girls to ride on, and eventually into the unicorns. At the same time, the boys of the Pack got their giant wolves. The remaining dragons include Tamara's baby dragon Sugar and the evil Lady Kale's huge and nasty dragon Grimm.
Legacy[]
Unicorn in Avalon: Web of Magic
Many unicorns (including those named Clio and Violet) later appeared in the Jewel Riders reboot book series Avalon: Web of Magic. The series also features a human character named Sierra, a mage who helps the girls hide a herd of unicorn foals in the book Song of the Unicorns.