Unlike similar 1980s cartoon/anime classics like Mysterious Cities of Gold and Ulysses 31, the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon series was never completed as a whole season. The final episode remains unfilmed, even if a script may exist for it, but it's not the same.
Why wasn't Dungeons and Dragons completed?
Someone filmed the last episode, and posted it on Youtube. They spent a lot of time on it, and it looks like it could have aired as the finale. So, the show isn't ruined. It just took 30 years (and a fan) to complete it.
Here's a link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_6SeRRflo
Also there's this too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msDp_k-Fid4
The second link aired in Brazil where Dungeons and Dragons the cartoon transcended pop culture. It was one of the highest rated shows that ever aired there, and I believe that it has never been out of syndication there either.
As for your original question, the film studio didn't want to spend the extra money to finish off the series. That's why it was never finished.
"Someone filmed the last episode, and posted it on Youtube. They spent a lot of time on it, and it looks like it could have aired as the finale. So, the show isn't ruined. It just took 30 years (and a fan) to complete it."
Thanks for the link. I suppose I should rewatch the whole show, but I think this episode will be enough, just for resolution and closure.
"As for your original question, the film studio didn't want to spend the extra money to finish off the series. That's why it was never finished."
Cheapskates. Maybe there should be a new DVD/Blu-ray release of the show with this final fan episode included? That would be nice.
Yeah, just watch the episode. It was really well done, and provides the proper closure to the series that we never got. Now the series is finished- finally after almost 40 years!
shareJust saw it. It was a fitting climax to a story started long ago but only now completed, and I audibly went WHAT?? at the Venger revelation. I did feel sad that one of the characters, namely my favourite, stayed behind along with the unicorn, but well, it reminds me of the ending of Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4, and yet I'm glad there was SOME ending, even if it was not part of the original script ending (because the execs wanted the door open for another season).
EDIT: Just read the script, and it seems better than this added material at the end. The entire series ends with a choice, to return to Earth or stay in the Realm, and I wish they'd left it at that, not do what they did here. What if the one who stayed in the Realm had family wanting his safe return? That's the first thing I thought of! It's almost SELFISH of the one who stayed! Otherwise, if he was an orphan, fair enough.
I actually liked the cartoon ending, because he (Presto) had found the love of his life in the realm, and decided to stay with her. I'm not much of a romantic, but it made sense to me. However, I do get what you are saying about him possibly leaving family behind. However, over the course of the show it was never revealed if Presto has any family back home. So, the outcome didn't bother me. The original ending to the script left the ending ambiguous because the studio didn't know if they were going to be renewed for a fourth season. So, that's why the script ends the way that it does. I have heard that Bobby was going to go home, and that the rest of them were going to remain in the realm. I believe that I may have heard that on one of the D&D animated series boxed set interviews (they are available to watch on youtube).
I have never seen the Mysterious Cities of Gold or Ulysses 31- are they worth watching?
I don't know if either of them were aired in my area. I was quite far out on Long Island, and back when those shows were airing we only had round 5-6 channels out here.
I know that for most people Transformers originally aired on Saturday Mornings, but out here it aired VERY early on Sunday mornings. So, there were some cartoons that aired at odd times out here so I never saw them.
"I have never seen the Mysterious Cities of Gold- is it worth watching?"
I personally consider it my favourite childhood cartoon, and while it gets off to a slow start (half a dozen episodes sailing from Spain to the New World) it does get more interesting as time goes on. It's like a historical drama mixed with elements of an ancient highly-advanced civilisation, eventually leading to the last ten episodes which turns it into science fiction! And that's just the first season!
There are four seasons of MCoG, the first from the 1980s (made by the French and Japanese) that everyone knows, but later seasons were made from 2012 onwards by the French only which complete the massive story arc, I'd say in a satisfying way. The trouble was the lack of availability of seasons 2-4, which is compounded by the fact that the original language is French, while subs and dubs are available.
I'd suggest that you do some research on the show's content and popularity, avoiding spoilers if you can, if you want to look first before leaping into a binge. Luckily, the first season is available for streaming in English on Amazon Prime.