Synopsis

A brief prologue shows Illiop--am amthropomorphic bear-like creature--Illana Ruxpin singing a lullaby ("Come Dream With Me Tonight") to her infant son, Teddy at their cottage home in Rillonia. Beside her is an old map and half of a golden medallion.

That night, around a campfire, Grubby prepares his special meal of Roasted Root. Teddy gives them a taste, but Grubby thankfully changes the subject before Teddy can confess his dislike of the food. Noting that Illiops haven't been an adventurous people for many generations, Teddy has always wanted to explore Grundo and find out if the map he now holds is truly the key to finding the mythical Treasure of Grundo.

The next morning, the two frineds enter Bounder Pass, where they see a sign, "Beware of Bounders". Unsure of what "Bounders" are, they proceed through the canyon where they ambushed by a pack of Bounders: large, round bipeds whose bodies are dominated by large, gaping maws, reptilian tails, and sharp horns atop their heads. Pursued by the Bounders, Teddy and Grubby run into Gimmick's Valley where they find the kind inventor Newton Gimmick (voiced by Tony Pope) collecting firewood. Gimmick lodges the branches in the Bounders' mouths to neutralize them and they scamper off.

Teddy and Grubby return to Gimmick once the coast is clear and introduce themselves. Gimmick recognizes that Teddy is an Illiop and invites the two back to his home for lunch. Along the way, Teddy shows Gimmick the treasure map and informs Gimmick of their quest for the Treasure.

Meanwhile, L.B.--the leader of the Bounders--returns to Tweeg's Tower, the home of his employer, Jack W. Tweeg (voiced by Will Ryan): a tall, green creatures with beady eyes draped in a flowing purple robe. Tweeg removes the firewood from L.B.'s mouth in the midst of trying once again to create gold out of buttermilk, which has not been going well. When L.B. mentions that Gimmick has some new guests, Tweeg spies on them using the spyglass on the tower's balcony. Believing that Gimmick is assembling an army to attack him and steal his buttermilk-to-gold formula, Tweeg sends L.B. down to listen in on the trio's conversation while Tweeg himself fires a cannon at Gimmick's house, where the three friends are having lunch.

Gimmick assures his startled friends that Tweeg's aim is terrible and they are in no danger from his cannon.

Teddy shows Gimmick the ancient map and half-medallion. Gimmick is able to read the words "Spirit Treasure Ledge" inscribed on it, but nobody can tell what it might mean. He then explains that the Treasure of Grundo is supposedly hidden in the Treacherous Mountains, which no one has ever climbed. Fortunately, Gimmick has an invention to help them reach the top: an Airship.

A large wooden boat sits in Gimmick's yard with a patchwork airbag tucked underneath. Gimmick explains that by filling the bag with hot air, the ship will rise and fly them to the top of the Treacherous Mountains. Excited to get underway, Teddy and Grubby begin loading firewood aboard the Airship while Gimmick goes back to the house for supplies. Along the way, he encounters L.B., only instead of shoving a piece of firewood into the Bounder's mouth, Gimmick instead shoves the treasure map in!

L.B. returns to Tweeg with the map lodged in his mouth, and Tweeg decides to create a fake copy to throw Gimmick and his frineds off the trail. He sends L.B. back to Gimmick's to plant the ruse.

While Teddy and Grubby begin loading the Airship's furnace with firewood to begin inflating the airbag, Gimmick returns to the house to find the map he lost. He finds the map L.B. planted and returns to the ship where Teddy and Grubby have begun to suspect that something about the craft seems a bit off.

As the airbag begins to inflate, the ship begins to rise off the ground. But Grubby's fears are soon realized as the Airship flips over and crashes, much to the awe of a onlooking flock of Fobs (tiny bird-like creatures with rat-like tails).

When next we see the Airship, the airbag has been moved above the mast rather than below the hull: a change Gimmick attributes to Grubby. It seems to be flying well enough until the group suddenly realize there is no mechanism for steering, causing the Airship to crash into a nearby tree.

Stranded, the trio are confronted by Leota the Woodsprite (voiced by Russi Taylor), a tiny, fairy-like creature Gimmick can scarcely believe exists. Irate over the new intruders, Leota quickly softens when Teddy compliments her beauty, and helps them design a propeller mounted at the ship's stern which, when spun quickly and pivoted, can change the ship's direction. The Airship launches once more, and the trio bid Leota farewell while Illana Ruxpin's voice can be heard singing in the distance ("Come Dream With Me Tonight").

Despite the newfound ability to properly steer the Airship, Teddy quickly discovers that they have drifted far off course. The land below now appears to be nothing but sand and rock. Grubby realizes that the map they're using is fake.

Running low on firewood, the team lands the Airship in the Great Desert, where they unsuccessfully scavenge for fuel. When Gimmick unexpectedly trips on a stray rock, he discovers it to be a lump of coal, which can be used as a substitute for the Airship's fuel. Grubby finds a cave full of coal, which they proceed to haul back to the Airship. As the sun begins to set, the friends make one last trip to the cave, where Grubby begins to get worried that it might be inhabited. Despite Gimmick's reassurance, they are suddenly surrounded by a horde of Mudblups: large bipedal creatures made entirely of mud!

The Mudblups herd the trio through the dark caverns to stand before the Mudblup King who sentences Teddy and Gimmick to a prison cell while ordering Grubby to be put to work. Teddy attempts to reason with the King, but it's no use, and they are taken away.

As the prisoners continue to speculate about their fate, a shady character in a trench coat enters the caverns wielding a film camera with an excessively bright light, blinding one of the Mudblups. When the cameraman leaves, the Mudblup feeds the prisoners. Teddy tastes the food, which is somehow both awful and familiar. As Gimmick eats his own portion, part of their cell's cieling falls in.

Note:

The original broadcast of "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" aired in two parts over two weekends. This scene marked the end of Part 1.

Climbing on Teddy's shoulders, Prince Arin is able to reach the surface, leading the three to escape. Teddy, Gimmick, and Prince Arin manage to find the Airship, but soon realize they can't leave without Grubby.

Leaving Prince Arin to guard the Airship, Teddy and Gimmick re-enter the Mudblup Caves, this time wielding bright lanterns. They manage to blind the Mudblups, clearing the way for them to find Grubby working in the kitchen. Grubby explains that it was in fact, his infamous Root Stew that was served to the prisoners. The trio escape just as more Mudblups arrive.

Now a team of four, Teddy, Grubby, Gimmick and Arin lift off in the Airship. After introducing Grubby to the prince, Teddy explains that they've put their quest for the treasure aside to help Prince Arin find his sister. Meanwhile, Tweeg and L.B. continue their journey closer to the treasure.

Our heroes set the Airship down at a waterfall, where they find an enormous, purple, furry creature bathing under the stream of water. Teddy politely asks the creature to move, but gets a curt response. Grubby tries a more confrontational approach, which draws the creature out. Initially irate, the creature's demeanor softens when he realizes the team is searching for a kidnapped princess, and offers to take them to The Wizard of Wee Gee, who may have some helpful information.

Teddy, Grubby, Gimmick, Arin, and their new frined the Wooly What's-It (voiced by Leonard Levitt) arrive at the Wizard's Fortress. Startled by Wooly's enormity, the Wizard only permits entry to Teddy, Grubby, Gimmick and Arin after the latter mentions that his sister is a missing princess they are trying to find.

The Wizard leads the group to a table. Our heroes take their seats while the Wizard enters a back room to meet with the same shady cameraman spotted in the Mudblup Caves. The cameraman, Louie, just so happens to have footage of the princess, which he sets on a projector.

The Wizard returns to his guests and leads them in a seance, but rather than summoning spirits, he uses his feet to pull several levers and pedals to give the illusion of an ethereal pressence. A mechanical arm on the table moves, pointing to a series of letters that spell out "GUTANG".

Explaining that Princess Aruzia is being held captive by the Gutangs, the Wizard directs everyone's attention to "The Magic Eye": a giant screen that dominates the far wall of the room. As footage flashes across the screen, the Wizard explains that the Gutangs have taken Aruzia to their fortress in the Hard-to-Find City high in the Treacherous Mountains--exactly where the treasure is supposed to be hidden!

Paying the Wizard for his services, the group bid farewell to Wooly and set off for the Treacherous Mountains. Meanwhile, Tweeg and L.B.'s journey has stalled at the foot of the mountains, where they've struggled to climb them. Defeated, Tweeg sulks just as the Airship passes overhead. As Tweeg begins to despair that he has lost his bid for the treasure, the Airship lands nearby.

Preparing to fly to the Hard-to-Find City, Grubby makes yet another batch of Root Stew while Prince Arin and Teddy construct slingshots. Just as the crew lifts off, Tweeg and L.B. sneek aboard the Airship, and they all fly up to the Hard-to-Find City under the cover of darkness.

While Tweeg and L.B. run off to find the treasure, Teddy, Grubby, Gimmick and Arin sneak up on four Gutang guards, tying them up and disguising themselves in the comfiscated armor. They move through the city until they reach the guardhouse that was depicted in the Wizard's Magic Eye.

The team manage to overpower the last two guards before freeing Princess Aruzia from her cell. Disguising her in a Gutang helmet, the group begin to make their way out of the city when Teddy recognizes one of the buildings as the shrine on the treasure map and they rush inside.

In a slot in the wall sits the other half of the medallion Teddy has been carrying. When Teddy places his half against it, the inscription can finally be read in full:

Only the pure of spirit may find the treasure of knowledge.

The two pieces fuse together and fall into Teddy's hands, now a complete medallion whose crystals begin to glow. Suddenly, huge chests of gold and jewels appear in the room. Before anyone can revel in the riches, a stone rises from the pedestal in the center of the room. Around the stone are wedged slots, in which reside six wedge-shaped crystals.

The group abandons the treasure, taking the crystals instead and making for the Airship. They pass Tweeg and L.B., who see them leave, then realize the treasure must still be inside. They race in and Tweeg begins to celebrate his apparent newfound wealth.

Meanwhile, the Gutang guards are finally coming to and quickly realize the princess has escaped. They sound the alarm just as Teddy and his friends reach the Airship and lift off.

The Gutangs quickly launch a fleet of single-pilot airplanes and begin trying to shoot down the Airship. They cast a net that ensares the propeller, making it impossible to steer the ship. A grappling hook is then fired, catching the stern, and the Gutangs begin reeling the Airship back to the Hard-to-Find City.

Teddy asks Grubby to bring out the Root Stew, which he places in a sling mounted to the side of the Airship. He begins firing the stew at the Gutangs, which gums up the propellers and controls of their flying machines, sending them spiraling down into the valley.

Arin joins Teddy in the fight, taking out a plane of his own. As the Gutangs look to launch a second wave of fliers, the Wooly What's-It suddenly appears on the landing platform, having scaled the Treacherous Mountains himself! He begins to chase away the Gutangs and smash their ballistas and planes.

Meanwhile, the supply of Root Stew quickly runs out as a final plane circles the Airship. As the plan circles near the cliffside, Wooly leaps off the mountain, landing on the airplane and sending it crashing to the valley floor.

The group sets the Airship down and find Wooly lying unconscious near the crash site as the pilot staggers away. Wooly wakes up and is introduced to Princess Aruzia. Everyone's relieved that they've managed to save Aruzia and escape. Aruzia repays Wooly's bravery with a kiss. Grubby remarks that they've left the treasure behind, but Teddy seems certain that the crystals they've taken are more valuable than the gold and jewels. He re-reads the inscription, wondering if it was destiny that drove them to the crystals, whose powers will make the rest of the treasure seem "like just an illusion".

Back in the shrine, Tweeg and L.B. are preparing to carry the treasure out when it suddenly disappears. Miserable, Tweeg is left to weep over his lost fortune.