The Twins of Destiny
The Twins of Destiny (known as Les Jumeaux du Bout du Monde in French) was a cartoon produced by French writer Jean Chalopin. It followed the quest of two children, Jules and Julie, in their travels across Eurasia seeking to to overthrow the Dowager Empress of China, and consequently, release their fathers from imprisonment.
The story begins in Peking, China during 1897. Two children, Jules (a Chinese boy), and Julie (an English girl) are born, fulfilling an ancient prophecy foretold by the soothsayer Lowtzay. That prophecy describes two children, born to different parents whose mothers both perish at birth ending the tyranical rule of the Empress of China. In addition, the prophecy also states that this dethronement to occur, the so-called "Twins of Destiny" must replace two stone tablets at the Temple of Heavenely Harmony in the Forbidden City. As foretold, this would lead to collapse of the Empire.
The Empress is informed of this prophecy from her astrologer, and sends several eunuchs to kill the infants shortly after their birth. Although thei father's are captured, a member of the "Society of Freedom", Shou Cow, rescues the babies and arranges to send them to France via an arrangement made with a Captain Torneay and his first mate Martin Garson.
Meanwhile, the Empress imprisons the fathers of Jules and Julie, petrifying them to stone with the aid of her court Magician. Upon hearing that the Twins have survived, a pirate, Kung Lee, is sent to kill the twins. Although he successfully commandeers the ship used to convey Jules and Julie to Europe, he cannot bring himself to kill the children. The Empress hears of this betrayal.
Ten years pass. The twins, now living in France with Captain Torneay, attend school. Several bullies taunt Jules because of his Asian heritage. At around this point in their lives, the Twins start to realise they have command over a supernatural power whenever they hold hands. Using this power, they break a branch that another child was going to hit Jules with. They start to experiment with this power, and perform limited acts of telekinesis (such as moving a model boat back to the edge of a pond). Shortly thereafter, a Chinese ambassador becomes aware of the twins presence when they meet at a theatre, and Jules and Julie must escape. Their gardener, Ho Quan, a member of the Society of Freedom, assists them. However, their caregiver (and arguably surrogate father), Captain Torneay, dies of a heart attack. Martin Garson is now guardian of the Twins.
Shou Cow makes contact with the Twins, and Jules and Julie are given an explanation to their supernatural abilities. They are given a mission - to travel to Peking and return the Stone Tablets to the Forbidden City. The Twins then begin to travel across Europe, avoiding capture by the Empire's henchmen.
Jules and Julie are required to work together to overcome many obstacles in their journey. After being separated from Martin, they continue to travel, with their powers slowly growing over time. They eventually meet the Great Sebatier, a travelling magician who helps the Twins evade the eunuchs, and assists them in their passage to the Middle East and beyond.
Later, Jules and Julie again meet up with Martin Garson and his new love-interest, Paulette. This romance is explored in a minor subplot. Upon travelling on a ship destined for the Asia continent, the twins and all aboard are shipwrecked. Upon awakening on an deserted island, the crew discover Giovanne, a seemingly supernatural being who explains the importance of their task & assists them in fully developing their powers. The Twins are told that they, in fact, have command over the Seven Powers, described below.
- Illusion
- The Twins can temporarily create illusions which, on several occasions, distract and confuses their enemies.
- Protection
- When holding hands, the Twins can protect themselves from attack. In one case, when travelling through India, the twins enter a Mosque and pay their respects to Allah. When a man enters to attempts to attack the children, they levitate, encapsulated in a barrier of light and are protected upon holding hands.
- Explosions
- Jules and Julie are also informed that they can cause objects to shatter and break apart.
- Levitation.
- This allowed the Twins to move and manipulate objects from a great distance.
- Mechanical Control
- Allowing the Twins to manipulate and operate complex machinery.
- Weather Control
- This allowed the the Twins to control weather patterns to a small degree.
- Mind Control
- This allowed the Twins to influence the thoughts of others. Giovanne explains, however, that this power should be used as a last resort, as it causes extreme fatigue. This was demonstrated during one part of the journey, when the twins sucessfully willed the Captain of a ferry to travel faster.
At the end of the series, the twins finally reach the Forbidden City, and enter via the sewers. Using the fourth of the Seven Powers, they break the roof, providing them with desperately required air and an escape route. Entering the Temple of Heavenly Harmony, they almost replace the tablets, but are stopped by a Eunuch, Po Dung. The Society of Freedom launches an attack on the city, and the Empress flees to the Summer Palace.
Using a scheme involving fireworks and a hot air balloon, the twins enter the temple. Jules places the tablets on on the altar, and their fathers, who are imprisoned in stone nearby, are freed. Po Dung and the other Eunuchs launch a final attack. Unfortunately for Jules and Julie, their powers start to fade. However, the twins manage to summon up enough power to make several final attempts at telekinesis, and manage to defeat Po Dung and the other eunuchs.
Giovanne makes a final appearance, congratulating the Twins on their success. He also reveals that he and the famous "Great Sebatier" are one and the same - a spirit whose goal was to assist the Twins in fufulling the prophecy. The rebels, now in charge of the Forbidden City, announce that China is free. Julie is set to return to her home in England, with her father. However, they are distraught at the prospect of being separated from one another, and the twins run away together in the moonlight.