The Tale of Badge

The Tale of Badge
Season 5 , Episode 13
Air date	April 20, 1996
Written by	Wendy Brotherlin
Directed by	Iain Patterson
Episode guide
Previous The Tale of the Night Shift	Next The Tale of the Forever Game

The Tale of Badge is the Thirteenth episode of Season Five of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as the Sixty-Fifth episode in total.

This episode was also the Season 5 Finale, as well as the finale of the original series.

Intro

That night Stig walks in with firewood, puts it into the fire and asks what will happen if Gary doesn't show up? Betty Ann says he will. Kiki also asks what if Gary doesn't show up? Tucker gets up and goes over to sit on the Storyteller's Chair. He puts on Gary's glasses and does an impression of him which everyone laughs and finds amusing. First he does an impression of Gary telling everyone no fighting because the rules say no fighting.

Kiki laughing asks him what his story is about tonight? Tucker (still mocking Gary) says it's about magic and how he loves magic and how they do too because he's the boss and they have to like what he likes. They all laugh again, and Stig tells him they hear he likes Samantha, Betty Ann snaps at him trying to get him to cool off and not get Tucker going, while Sam now seems uncomfortable and possibly offended. Tucker (still mocking Gary) says that she's a babe and has her picture in his room and says he's going to go him right now and look at it and declares their meeting closed.

When Tucker gets up to walk away, suddenly he bumps into Gary, who puts his hand out to get his glasses back. Tucker realizing he's dead meat now gives them back. Tucker goes to sit down and Gary says that he isn't even mad, because Tucker just proved a point for his story much to Tucker's surprise. What Gary means is that everyone has a special talent. Tucker's is being a complete idiot, everyone else laughs after hearing this.

Everyone else has a positive talent that makes them special, some sing, some are really smart, and some draw and some play an instrument. Those are all obvious talents, because some people have talents that are hidden, waiting for someone or something to bring them out. If you're one of those people, you'd better hope that when you find your talent you can control it, or it might control you.

Gary, throws in the campfire dust to make the fire more intense while he submits his story for approval for The Midnight Society. He calls his story "The Tale of Badge" and begins his story.

Story

Gary tells the story. The story takes places during a teenage girl's sixteenth birthday party. The girl is Gwen who just turned sixteen, and her parents and her Irish Grandmother Willy have all sat down with her while she happily blows out the candles. Then they wish her a happy birthday. Then suddenly Gwen's younger brother Trevor comes in. He's feeling all excited and happily tells them all that he just won first prize in the science fair. Their parents are thrilled and immediately go over to him congratulate and applaud him.

Gwen once again feels upstaged and out done by her brother, and goes to her room feeling upset. Willy can see she feels this way and she is concerned. Willy opens the drawer on her dresser and takes a ruby amulet. Then suddenly an old chest in the drawer that has the word Badge carved on it begins shaking and rumbling, she tells it to stop it and it instantly does. Willy goes to see Gwen in her room, Gwen is feeling miserable. Willy tells her that she shouldn't keep letting herself feel outdone and upstaged by her brother. Because she needs to realize how special she is too.

Also her birthday is a very special one, because she is now sixteen and it's time for her to receive her Jasper's Light amulet. Willy informs her it's a family tradition. Because her Grandmother passed one down to her on her sixteenth birthday, also Willy's Grandmother did as well. Gwen thanks her says she loves it. Willy is about to show Gwen their family portrait book and explain their families history. Then Gwen's mom comes in, her Mom is disappointed. She was just on the phone with her band instructor from school, who revealed that Gwen quit the school band. Willy is very disappointed hearing this. Gwen doubting herself says she quit because she just wasn't any good. Willy gives her support and words of encouragement telling her she believes music is her gift and just needs to keep practicing.

The following evening, her parents are going out to a school parents meeting, and they need her to stay home and babysit her brother. Willy can't do it because she has a ladies club meeting, so she has no choice. Gwen, is reluctant to staying home to babysit her brother because it's her birthday and because she was invited to a party that evening. Then as Willy is placing the small chest back into her dresser drawer, Trevor is spying on her and sees where she puts the key. Gwen's parents leaves for the meeting, and she is happy to hear that Willy will be home by 8:00 pm and then she can go to the party, and they wish her a happy birthday and leave. Willy's ride shows up and she tells them all she'll be home at 8:00 pm sharp and she tells Trevor "Primum non nocere" hearing this Trevor just smirks as Willy leaves.

Trevor reveals it means "First do no harm", feeling frustrated she rudely calls him Greek boy and tells him to do whatever he wants but to just stay away from her. Trevor contradicts her telling her it wasn't Greek it was Latin, she feels annoyed and just storms off. Then as Gwen is busy talking to her friend on the phone, Trevor is snooping around Willy's room. He finds the key to her drawer and takes the small chest out. Trevor opens the chest, revealing the contents inside to be a while crystal and an old flute. Trevor blows the flute, a full blast, echoing note is heard. Then the crystal in the chest glows green and emits a little smoke.

Trevor sensing he did something wrong, worries and hides the chest outside a window. Gwen comes in asking him what the loud noise was, he denies it saying he didn't hear anything. Gwen feeling annoyed tells him to just get out of Willy's room. Trevor then walks back into the room and watches as fog starts heavily blowing outside. Then all the lights starting flickering on and off, and then all the power and phone lines are cut off. Gwen finds a flashlight, and goes to see if Trevor is all right. When she calls out to Trevor, someone is suddenly knocking at the door.

The voice is a man's and he says he is looking for the Setterwind and asks to come in. She feels scared and tells him to check next door. The man then says that there has been an accident and he needs her help. She tells him that he can get help at a gas station a few blocks away. When she looks out the doors peephole, she sees nothing but fog blowing. Gwen seems freaked and backs away. Gwen gives the man outside the door her final answer. She says she will call the police for him, but she won't let him inside. Trevor asks her if she's okay and who was at the door. Sensing it might who been a creepy man, she tells him that he doesn't want to know. Then suddenly, Gwen is scared as the doorknob begins twisting like someone is trying to break in. Then she hears Willy's voice who says it's just her and she forget her keys again. Feeling relieved, she opens the door.

Suddenly a horrifying goblin enters the house laughing maniacally. The goblin says that he's returned and his name is Badge. Gwen and Trevor both back away terrified. He pins Gwen to the wall addressing her as Setterwind but says that she is not the real Setterwind. Gwen confused, wants to know what he wants/ Badge just says he demands the Setterwind. Trevor tell him to let her go, then Badge grabs him and once again demands the Setterwind. Badge laughs manically as he pushes Trevor into the light of the front door. Trevor screams for help as he enters the light and vanishes. Badge demanded her to bring him the Setterwind and disappears at the front door laughing.

Gwen, runs through the front door calling for Trevor. Then suddenly she is teleported to Badge's lair. The lair is full of rotten plants and vines and slimy mud on the ground. She walks along and she is scared to see skeletons of other people, who were captured hung by the neck and left for dead. She falls on the floor and finds the chest with the crystal and flute inside of it. She hears Badge frustratingly say that for six centuries he was trapped in his prison. Badge tells her that if she brings him the Setterwind she'll give her brother back. Gwen is confused because she still has not no clue what a Setterwind is. Badge tells her he's been trapped for twelve lifetimes and now he is free. Also he says the Setterwind magic is no match for his, and if he doesn't get it soon he'll hang her in his lair forever. Then he sends her back to find the Setterwind.

Gwen runs back into her house with the chest, the power is back on but the phone doesn't work. She sits down panicking and hyper ventilating and looks at the chest and notices music notes above the word Badge. She realizes that music is her gift and tries to think about how it will help her. Then she looks through the portrait book and realizes the Setterwind are a family of witches, passing down from generation to generation.

She reads that first one Celina Setterwind created a spell to banish Badge By Darkest Night, I play the Song; To hold the Beast In Moments Long. I call upon the Jasper's Light To bind the Goblin In Setterwind Might. When looking through the book farther, she notices all the woman have a Jasper's Light amulet. Then she finds the portrait of Wilhemina Setterwind. She realizes that is Willy and she is the Setterwind. Then she notices her portrait is in there too and soon she'll be the Setterwind.

The when her amulet is glowing, she realizes it works, then she memorizes the spell and returns to Badge's lair. She calls him out and holds her amulets and recites the spell. Her amulet glows with power but nothing happens. Badge laughs and tells her it's not working because her magic isn't strong enough yet. Gwen panics and almost cries trying it again but nothing happens. Willy has also gotten home and senses the danger and panics when she can't unlock the front door. Willy calls out to Gwen and Trevor asking if they are all right, but gets no responses. Badge who is just about to hang Gwen, can hear Willy from outside and recognizes her as the one. Badge finally lets her unlock the door and she comes in and takes her Gwen's place facing Badge, and reminds her that music is gift and to play the song.

Gwen is sent back home, when she gets home everything seems normal again. She is confused about what Willy means by playing the song. She looks at the chest again and realizes that Badge is musical notes B-A-D-G-E. Then Badge corners Willy and tells her how long he's been waiting for her, and how he plans to hang her and steal the family magic. Badge grabs her amulet, but he is furious to find out her amulet has no power anymore. Willy smiles and informs him that he's too late, because she already passed the magic to her granddaughter. Gwen then plays each of the five musical notes on the flute one at a time. Slowly the crystal in the chest glows green more and more. Then a little earthquake happens and Badge is teleported back to the house. Then as Gwen plays the last note he is sucked back into the containment crystal. 

Gwen feels great about herself now, and everything is back to normal. Trevor and Willy are freed, and she is so happy he's safe she hugs him. Then Willy comes in and applauded her for a job well done. Willy informs her that soon enough she understand everything about the family magic. The Setterwind magic has been passed down from grandmother to granddaughter for the past six centuries. However their magic also has an evil side to it and a manifestation formed from it, that they must protect and guard at all times.

Hearing all of this, Trevor complains about how it's lame that all Gwen gets to do is guard the chest to keep Badge from escaping. He goes into details about all of the amazing and cool things she can do with her magic. Then as he is talking Willy casts a spell on him and he forgets all about what happened and what is in the chest. When he asks her what's in the chest, Willy tells him it's nothing for him to worry about. Gwen is amazed that Willy made him forget all about it. Then Willy proudly passes the chest down to Gwen telling her how special she really is and Gwen smiles proudly.

Ending

As the story ends, Gary says that everyone has their own special talent, and Gwen found out her talent far more special than she could ever have hoped for. Then Gary ends his story, everyone is impressed and says cool. Stig then tells them he has a special talent too, Kiki disgusted says she doesn't want to know. Stig stands up, Sam asks dreading and fearing it might be disgusting. Stig puts his hands to his mouth, and howls to the moon and howls a loud ARROOO! Suddenly wolves in the background howl back. Everyone is now afraid that the wolves will come after them. Then they all run home scared, Gary quickly puts out the campfire and leaves too and Stig tells them to wait up and runs after them.

Gallery

Click here to see the Gallery.

Cast

• Aidan Pendleton as Gwen
• Judy Sinclair as Willy
• Roland Smith as Badge
• Dylan Provencher as Trevor
• Sharman Sturges as Gwen's Mom
• James Rae as Gwen's Dad

Midnight Society Cast

• Ross Hull as Gary
• Joanna Garcia asSam
• Daniel DeSanto as Tucker
• Codie Wilbee as Stig
• Jodie Resther as Kiki
• Raine Pare-Coull as Betty Ann

Trivia

• Gary's last story.
• This was the last appearances of Sam, Stig, Kiki and Betty Ann.
• This was the Season Five Finale, as well as the ending of the original series.
• This episode was the last time the original ending credits music was played. When the series revival begun less than two years and ten months later the ending credits music sounded lower and more creepy.
• Aidan Pendleton who portrayed Gwen, had previously appeared in the show before. She first appeared in "The Tale of the Carved Stone", as Alison Denny.
• James Rae who portrayed Gwen's Dad, reappeared in the show again during the series revival. He next appeared in the episode "The Tale of the Hunted as Hank.