A Tale of Two D&D Adaptations

Old-school vs. New-school Entertainment

When it comes to the various books, movies, and TV shows that have shaped me as a person, there are few that can compare to Dungeons & Dragons.

I didn’t really play the game until my freshman year in high-school, and even then it was only myself and another friend who were willing to give it a whirl. To say the experience was eye-opening is perhaps an understatement. I stumbled through my first session with little grasp on how the rules worked and fit together. I was aware of hit points, armor class, and your average ability modifiers, but the rest was simply an enigma to one like myself; so many situational rules to make one’s head spin (give me a break, it was 4th edition). That and the overall pace of the game was a mess.

In short, I didn’t have a clue on what I was doing. But I knew that I was passionate about the premise. Plundering dungeons, slaying monsters, and gathering treasure? What wasn’t there to like? And even though the rules were befuddling to a young kid like myself, I was willing to stick with it just to see that promise fulfilled.

After all, many other games had derived themselves from this formula, and had succeeded greatly in the process; titles such as The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger - all of them took their roots from this one genre of game.

And besides, this wasn’t my first exposure to D&D.

Dungeons & Dragons was also a Saturday morning cartoon which premiered in 1983. It was a landmark series for its time, with a cult following that’s grown over the course of four decades. I thought this would be a good time to discuss the show, as it turns forty this coming September. In addition, Hasbro is giving the tabletop game another shot at the silver screen, what with the release of Honor Among Thieves coming out these last few months.

It seemed only fair to compare the two, especially with the former being so loved by fans as the latter is getting surprisingly positive reviews, both by critics and general audiences alike.

I’m not ashamed to say that I’m biased on this subject, as reruns of the ‘83 cartoon were primetime entertainment for my family and I as a kid. The story begins by following our main cast of adventurers - Hank, Bobby, Presto, Diane, Eric, and Sheila - as they are regular people climbing aboard a D&D amusement park ride. Before they know it, they’re transported to a strange realm of swords and wizardry - a world that’s full of elves, thieves, orcs, and all sorts of fantastic creatures. It’s a beautiful place, and they’re joined by a (rather annoying) unicorn as a sidekick. All the while, our heroes want nothing more than to return home.

As was the case for many cartoons of its time, pretty much all of this was conveyed in the first minute or so of its opening. With the episodes themselves, they focused a lot more on the party finding their way home, with Dungeon Master - this world’s variant of a wise mentor figure - being their guide. On the other side of this is Venger, an all-powerful dark wizard who’s got the whole world in his hands, so to speak, being a supreme dictator as well as a constant threat to our heroes.

Compared to what someone would normally expect from the hobby, Dungeons & Dragons instead takes place within its own unique setting. There’s no Faerun or Greyhawk here; no Mystara, Krynn, or Athas. Instead, as is the case with so many campaigns, the story has its own worldbuilding to contribute, a trait which allows it to be more digestible for a casual audience. There’s still recognizable characters like Lolth and Tiamat, and many iconic monsters make an appearance here as well. However, the flavor is markedly different, as a lot of mileage is derived from Venger and his quest to steal our party’s magic weapons - the only tools which can stop him from total world domination.

Despite all of this, however, the episodes themselves are remarkably simple. On average, one of the main cast is given their personal journey before a final showdown with the main villain, that someone usually being Venger. There is the odd episode where the entire party is challenged, but as a whole, the formula doesn’t stray too far from the norm. Yet, as they say, the devil’s in the details, and it’s in this aspect that the show truly shines.

A lot is implied simply through worldbuilding, in particular through Venger’s own actions. If you dig just a layer or two deeper into what’s going on, then you’ll find that the series deals with a lot of harsher subjects. Slavery, betrayal, war - all of this accompanies your lighter tales of dragons, unicorns, and epic adventures.

Oh, did I mention that this was also a children’s cartoon?

Perhaps my favorite story deals with the heroes’ decision to slay the villain outright, as another chance at them returning home erupts into flames. Up until this point our big baddie has stopped them at every turn, and naturally they’ve had enough. It’s a haunting setup, and the story doesn’t shy away from showing us the darker implications of their plan. Even as an adult, seeing a ten-year-old boy swear bloody vengeance still hits pretty hard. And the climax gives us some thoughtful insight on what separates our heroes from the villains.

This is another aspect which I’ve always appreciated. The hero’s journey isn’t merely a superficial one. Mercy, redemption, and friendship are all recurring themes within these episodes. And as a contrast to the “by the power of friendship, we shall prevail” trope, as seen in a lot of anime sagas, what’s here is a lot more subtle. The world of D&D isn’t a kind one, and some individuals that the party meets aren’t heroes by any stretch. Necromancers, traitors, WWII Nazis - they are only a few among the darker cast of morally gray characters. Yet even they are given a chance to redeem themselves and make a positive change.

In the hands of a more ideologically driven writer, this could have easily fallen into pieces; yet the clever plot setup and character writing do a lot more to make the world feel like a living place.

This extends to the final episode, which was unfortunately left un-animated after being canceled, a product of failing ratings. Still, the script had been finished by this time, and it would be later voiced by some of the original voice talent (specifically Katie Leigh returning as Sheila) in animated form. A project by the most passionate of fans, if I’ve ever seen one.

Dungeons & Dragons wasn’t a perfect show by any means, yet it was one that left a profound impact on my life. It stuck in my mind just like many other team-based cartoons of the era, and over time my appreciation for it only compounded, as by then I had discovered the hobby along with a slew of computer role-playing games.

So how does Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves compare? Well, a lot’s changed since the 1980s, and what was once considered taboo for the time is now commonplace. D&D is a primary example of this, and despite my grievances with the later editions, I hold to the idea that this was for the better overall.

With the release of its 5th edition in 2014, the world’s greatest role-playing game was now easier than ever to pick up, roll a character, and play with friends. Video games such as Baldur’s Gate, Pillars of Eternity, and Divinity: Original Sin, along with YouTube series like Critical Role, elevated the game to mainstream appeal. And ever since then, the idea of dungeon-delving and monster slaying was met with greater acclaim than ever before.

Yet it wasn’t perfect. As the D&D brand has barreled along in recent years, more and more cracks have begun to show themselves. The shift of focus from playing a game of knights and wizards to becoming a bona fide lifestyle choice - what with full-on cosplay, neon-hair side shaves, and cry sessions to match - the public’s perception of the game isn’t what it once was. That and a few other controversies have soured Wizards of the Coast’s name to a lot of people. Now the idea of buying anything new with D&D has become a heated controversy.

With that being said, I’ll go ahead and make the following assertion: I had fun while watching Honor Among Thieves. The movie wasn’t a masterpiece, yet there were several things that I think it did well.

The film follows Edgin, a bard whose goal it is to resurrect his wife and rebuild what he’s lost in life. And unlike your typical case of death and resurrection in D&D - where one can simply go to a cleric and cast raise dead - being killed by a Thayan wizard has a few unexpected caveats associated with it.

This has caused him to assemble a ragtag group of individuals - scoundrels, wizards, and the sort - to search for the Tablet of Reawakening. There’s been some problems and a few betrayals to hinder them, but with any luck, Edgin might just discover the artifact that will grant him his wife back, not to mention foiling a bigger scheme that’s in the works.

Like before, the premise is relatively simple - perhaps a little more involved, even, than the animated series. This makes sense, as the story is really about heists at its core. In one way the experience can feel a bit more “authentic” than its counterpart, as the rules are more closely adhered to as well as it being set in the Forgotten Realms. Yet it can also feel closer to a video game at times, as shoddy effects try their best to uphold some of the more dramatic fights.

It’s certainly an odd mix, as I’ll reiterate that I did have an enjoyable time with it. The set pieces were generally well done, and the campier moments weren’t too out of place when compared to the rest of the world. There were a few parts which felt like they could have been ripped straight out of movies like Jurassic Park and The Avengers, but otherwise the direction and storytelling were both competent.

The characters, in particular, were a pleasant surprise for me. Edgin perhaps shocked me the most, as he was especially cunning and likable when compared to your typical male protagonist these days. Holga, Simon, and Xenk had more depth as well than at first glance, as it seemed like a lot of heart was put into developing their various backstories. It wasn’t anything complex, mind you, but it was more than what I was expecting.

Lastly, I was a fan of the smaller details included from the Forgotten Realms setting. It’s pretty clear that at least some effort went into respecting the lore of Faerun, at least when it came to the various cities, gods, and factions that make up the place. There’s several allusions to Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter, Aarakocra, the red wizards of Thay, and tieflings, just to name a few. And what’s more, the writing stands on its own to where you don’t need any prior knowledge of the Sword Coast in order to enjoy it.

That in itself is pretty commendable, at least for such a complex multiverse.

Yet the movie isn’t without its problems. First off, Doric the druid was the weakest of the cast by a good margin. I enjoyed the idea of her being a half-human, half-demon tiefling who’s not a forced allegory for racism - a trope that D&D media has seemingly hammered into the ground by this point. Yet that’s still not enough when her character does little more than shapeshift into an owlbear and, sometimes, a stag. (Shocking, I know!) It doesn’t help that her acting seems pretty wooden, potentially a product of the script not knowing what to do with her. But it does feel like wasted potential regardless.

Even though this movie eschews a lot of woke messaging, to my surprise, there were one or two bits which sifted through the cracks. The most notable of which is the legendary wizard Elminster, who is now a few skin tones darker for seemingly no other reason than means of “representation”. I get that this is also the case with Simon, Elminster’s half-elf grandson, but I think this could have easily been tweaked to be part of Simon’s mixed heritage. As a result, Simon would have remained the same race and character as he is now… as well as Elminster’s original depiction being preserved.

Although the film isn’t too much in your face about it, it is nevertheless annoying to see pre-established characters being revised, apparently for “modern audiences”.

On a final note, I will say that Honor Among Thieves is pretty strong in a thematic sense. The film has a positive message about the virtues of family, confidence, and self-sacrifice, which is refreshing when compared to so many others that nearly do the opposite.

That being said, only time will tell how much of an effect this movie will have on me. As for the moment, I’m willing to bet that it won’t be very much, though I’ll likely re-watch it a couple times in the months to follow.

One could make the case that the 1983 cartoon had its own fair share of problems, and they would be right. The series certainly isn’t perfect (I’m looking at you, Uni). Yet there are several layers of character, themes, and philosophy that you can dig into if you really want. Honor Among Thieves preserves some of this within its narrative, but it comes off as a touch shallow by comparison. A downgrade, but one that’s not without its set of virtues.

It’s enough to save the film from being just a dumb action blockbuster, and I’m all the more grateful for it. Yet as for long-term appeal, the saga of Hank, Diana, Eric, etc. will always be a more compelling tale for this otter.

For those who are curious, you can watch the entire cartoon series for free on YouTube, in addition to the finale made by its fans.