“The Night of the Lord of Limbo” is one of the most memorable episodes of the series. An interesting fact, considering how few of the normal elements of the show are present. While im and Artie get into the prerequisite random fistfights, there are no gadgets, no Artie in disguise, and no wild science fiction elements period. The episode is another trip into the supernatural wit the X-Files motif of leaving no proof anything extraordinary occurred. It is still one of the best episodes.Artie disappears after he “volunteers’ for a live magic act. All that is left behind the stage is a Confederate saber on which is inscribed “NBV Vicksburg, Mississippi.” jim travels to a club for old Confederate soldiers in Vicksburg to find the owner and, hopefully, Artie.
The owner turns out to be Col. Noel Bartley Vaultrain, a man who lost his legs in the Battle of Vicksburg. Bc when Jim was a Union soldier, he encountered the wounded Valutrain and gave him first aid, but assumed he was mortally wounded, so left him there. Vaultrain survived, but has blamed Jim ever since for forcing him to live in a wheelchair. But he has now discovered how to travel through time thanks to inter-dimensional control He wants Jim to travel back with him to help restore his legs.
To prove his claims, he sends Jim into limbo where he is forced into a duel with Artie. He reluctantly fences with his apparently amnesiac partner until Artie gets shot and killed by highwaymen who come upon the scene. When Jim returns to reality with Artie’s body, he returns to life, convincing both Vaultrain is the real deal.
When all three travel back to the Battle of Vicksburg, Vaultrai’s legs are restored. He then reveals his true intention-- to use a hidden powder keg to assassinate Ulysses S. Grant when he commandeers the mansion as his field headquarters. Without Grant’s leadership, Vaultrain surmises the Union will lose to superior southern military acumen.
A Union shell crashes into the house, knocking over a column which crushes Vaultrain’s legs yet again. It also sets the house on fire. Vaultrain urges Jim to leave an return to the future, but he is reluctant. The Wild Wild West is not famous for its emotional subtlety but this is one case. Jim truly does feel guilty for forcig Vaultrain to live as a cripple, even if he did so unintentionally. He traveled back I time willig to help right things. Now, even after learning he was duped, still has the notio he ought to sacrifice himself for the damage he caused Vaultrain. He is only convinced to leave in order to keep artie from dying, too.“The Night of the Lord of Limbo” features one of the better stories in the series. It I easy to overlook some plot holes, such as why Voltraine appears as he was during the Civil War, but Jim and Artie do not or how Artie could head off to limbo on a stage in Washington, but every other time a special room is needed or, worst of all, how Latin lover Ricardo Montalban cn play a Mississippi plantation owner when his accent is very clearly not Southern.
But I can forgive all that. Especially Montalban, who makes a fantastic villain every bit as vicious in his dedicated cause as Khan Noonian Singh, the famous Star Trek villain he would play two months after tis episode aired. I cannot help but notice the similarities between the purpose of limbo and Fantasy Island. Mr. Roark, indeed.
I like the episode. It is good all around for its unique story elements and better than usual acting caliber of its guest tr.
Rating: **** (out of 5)
