The Return of Dogtanian (1991)
The Return of Dogtanian
1991France, 17th century. As a secret plot is on motion to overthrow King Louis XIII, the little daughter of Dogtanian, the brave muskehound of the Royal Guard, is kidnapped.
Seasons & Episode
Some time has passed when we again meet the Muskehounds living a life of leisure. The years have not passed uneventfully—Dogranian has married Juliet and has two children.
The Muskehounds, having arrived in Paris, head to the Palace to appear before a general meeting of the Muskehounds. Our friends notice that the King has changed—despite looking the same as ever. He says and does odd things and does not immediately recognise our friends.
Dogtanian’s family arrives in Paris where they are met by the Muskehound, Pip and Planchet. They go out into the street where they find one of the Cardinal’s guards fixing a notice announcing that the Muskehounds have been relieved of their duties as the King’s personal guards and replaced by the Cardinal’s guard.
The Muskehounds enter the King’s private office for their audience, but the King does not seem to take much notice of their request and our friends leave with their hopes dashed.
Pom arrives in Paris on a vegetable cart and runs to Dogtanian's house to tell him about his meeting with the imprisoned King. At first, Dogtanian cannot believe him, as he has only recently seen the King in person.
Dogtanian, the Three Muskehounds, Pom and the King spend the night in the forest and then prepare to continue their journey to Paris. The King decides to disguise himself as a Muskehound, so that no one will recognise him, and to avoid a possible second kidnap attempt.
Dogtanian takes Rofty to see an old magician called Exili, who lives in a cave in the forest, as he has been told that Exili might be able to help. Milady sees Dogtanian on the way to the Magician’s cave and alerts Richelieu, who is getting increasingly puzzled by the reappearance of the Muskehounds, and wants at all costs to find out what they are up to.
The King has fallen ill, and the doctors cannot diagnose what he is suffering from. His condition appears serious. A maid tells the Queen that she has seen someone suspicious in the royal kitchens. The Queen, fearing that someone may have poisoned her husband, sends for the Muskehounds.
The King is expecting a visit from the Count of Bavaria with whom he hopes to establish friendly relations which could be of great benefit to France. But, concerned about the possible machination Blanbec and his followers, he asks Dogtanian and the Muskehounds to keep an eye open in case his half-brother tries something else.
Dogtanian, knowing that they have been spied on, talks to De Treville and then to the King about changing their plans. They decide that Richelieu's guards should provide the escort for the Count of Bavaria, so that the Muskehounds can keep an eye on things, as Blanbec believes that they will be the escort.
Blancbec, dressed as King, receives the Count of Bavaria at the frontier. The Count is touched and highly flattered to see that the King himself has come to the frontier to meet him but Blanbec immediately starts to treat him haughtily and rudely, as his plan is to offend the Count and ruin the chances of an alliance.
Dogtanian arrives in Paris to see the King. First however, with the help of the Muskehounds, he has to get rid of the Cardinal’s men, who continue to accuse Dogtanian of organising the ambush in order to discredit them.
Dogtanian, the Three Muskehounds and the King (still disguised as a Muskehound) accompany the Count of Bavaria and his retinue to Paris. But Blancbec has been informed by a spy that the Count of Bavaria is on his way back to France. The cunning half-brother infers that only the real King could have persuaded the Count to change his mind, and orders his men to attack the party and capture the King.
In the light of this latest turn of events, Bonguau decides to bring his men, and together with the soldiers of the villainous nobles, they form a sizeable army. In order to draw out the outlaws, they attack a small village and start to pillage it. As anticipated, Pedigreen and the Muskehounds are not slow to arrive. Whereupon, the bulk of Bonguagu’s force, which has remained in hiding until this moment, falls upon our friends, who look like losing their fight.
Dogtanian and the Muskehounds are summoned to the Palace, where they are given the task of escorting Lady Dalma, a cousin of the King on her way from Italy to spend a time at the court. On their way to meet Lady Dalma, they cross paths with a coach which has just been robbed by a masked man dressed in black, who has taken all the jewellery belonging to the occupants.
The King holds a banquet to celebrate the arrival of Lady Dalma at the Palace. Naturally, Dogtanian, Juliet and the Three Muskehounds are invited. During the party, Athos is inseparable from Lady Dalma, so besotted is he with her. She asks him to accompany her to the bedrooms, as her shoes are hurting her and she wants to change them. Enchanted, Athos accompanies her and stands guard outside her door while she changes.
The King charges the Muskehounds with the task of catching the mysterious masked man in black. For his part, Richelieu suspects the Muskehounds; the masked man could be another Pedigreen Hood and be a friend of Dogtanian; after all, Dogtanian did not capture him at the banquet.
The King charges the Muskehounds with the task of catching the mysterious masked man in black. For his part, Richelieu suspects the Muskehounds; the masked man could be another Pedigreen Hood and be a friend of Dogtanian; after all, Dogtanian did not capture him at the banquet.
Blancbec, fed up with the Muskehounds always frustrating his plans, contracts Milady to kidnap Fleur, Dogtanian's daughter. Milady arrives at Dogtanian’s house when he is not there, pretending that she has a message from the Cardinal, who is prepared to work with the Muskehounds. Juliet tells her that Dogtanian will be back shortly, so Milady pretends to wait for him. Milady starts to play hide and seek with Fleur, and when Juliet is not watching, carries her off.
Monsieur De Treville decides to retire from his position as head of the Royal Guard, as he believes that a younger man should take over his difficult task. Widimer tries to apply for the post, claiming the glory for a series of successes, including the capture of Blancbec; but the appointment falls to Dogtanian. At first, he is reluctant to accept such a high honour, and tries in turn to persuade his three friends to accept the post.
France, 17th century. As a secret plot is on motion to overthrow King Louis XIII, the little daughter of Dogtanian, the brave muskehound of the Royal Guard, is kidnapped.