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Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) movie poster

Timeline

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1983 · 84 mins · English
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Directed by
Charles Band
Starring
Tim Thomerson, Kelly Preston, Richard Moll, Mickey Fox, Jeffrey Byron, Larry Pennell

At the end of the universe, seeker Dogen saves Dhyana after her father is slain by the villainous Jared‑Syn. Determined to avenge him, Dogen seeks the hidden lair within the enigmatic Lost City, but only the weary, burned‑out seeker Rhodes knows its location. Their quest forces them to confront the hunter Baal and his massive Cyclopean minions before a final showdown with Jared‑Syn.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Skybike attack and crystal discovery

    A skybike, a one-man, open-cockpit flying machine, attacks Dogen. Dogen shoots it down and finds one of Syn's crystals on the pilot's body, carved with the symbol of a dead tree. This discovery hints at Syn's reach and the power behind the crystals.

  2. Nightmare dream-state reveals Syn and Baal's power

    Baal sprays the man with a green liquid that triggers a nightmare dream-state. In the dream, Syn appears and executes the man with a crystal, showing the deadly potential of the crystal-driven power. The scene underscores the stakes that drive Dogen's quest.

  3. Dogen convinces Dhyana to join the quest

    Dogen convinces Dhyana to help him, explaining the danger Syn represents. Dhyana agrees to join and pledges to guide him toward answers about the lost city and its secrets.

  4. Crystal identified as lifeforce and mask plan

    Dhyana explains the crystal is a lifeforce storage device and that the power against it lies in a magic mask from the Cyclopian lost city. She recounts ancient Cyclopian lore and the city’s hidden power. Zax confirms this and directs Dogen toward Rhodes in the mining town of Zhor.

  5. Dogen reaches Zhor and meets Rhodes

    Dogen arrives in the mining town of Zhor and encounters Rhodes, a washed-up soldier who denies the lost city’s existence. Rhodes’s skepticism sets a tough tone for the perilous journey ahead.

    Where
    Zhor mining town
  6. Dogen and Rhodes face miners; alliance forms

    Dogen saves a captured nomad soldier from a group of miners, and Rhodes helps fend off the attackers. The display of teamwork convinces Rhodes to reluctantly agree to help Dogen on the quest.

    Where
    Zhor mining town
  7. Cyclopian quest leads to mask and trials

    Deep in Cyclopian territory, Dogen and Rhodes locate a statue with a single eye and retrieve the crystal mask. They are attacked by snake-like creatures and later confront nomad warriors led by Hurok, who accuses them of trespassing. Dogen duels Hurok, and when he spares him, Hurok accepts Dogen as a friend.

    Where
    Cyclopian territory
  8. Syn manipulates Dhyana with the crystal

    Syn brings Dhyana before a massive crystal and forces her to touch it. Syn reveals the crystal is powered by captured souls, including Dhyana's father, which she finds revolting. She vows that her own warrior will come for her.

    Where
    Syn's crystal lair
  9. Dogen and Rhodes assault Baal; dream world sequence

    Dogen and Rhodes attack Baal's encampment, initiating a tense chase. Dogen wears the crystal mask and enters a dream world where a burning tree moans and he hacks at it with an axe, the tree’s life echoing the crystal's power. He senses the link between the dream and the real threat.

    Where
    Baal's encampment; dream world
  10. Baal defeated; pursuit to Syn's camp

    Baal launches another assault but Rhodes pushes him aside and is knocked out. Dogen rips the robotic arm from Baal's shoulder as Baal flees, then tracks a green fluid trail to Syn's camp where nomads await around Syn and Hurok. The confrontation tightens as Dogen closes in on Syn.

    Where
    Syn's camp
  11. Showdown at Syn's camp; crystal shatters; Syn escapes

    In Syn's camp, Syn denounces Dogen, but he insists he came for Syn. The crowd grows hostile as Syn activates the crystal to stun them, and Dogen uses the mask to deflect his blasts. Baal then grabs the mask and it shatters; Hurok kills Baal and Syn teleports away. Dogen jumps onto a skybike and chases Syn into the desert, but Syn escapes through an energy portal.

    Where
    Syn's camp; desert
  12. Aftermath: Dhyana safe and Rhodes's aid to town

    Dogen returns to the nomad camp and finds Dhyana safe with Hurok. He vows to fight Syn again and to destroy Syn's soul crystal when Syn returns. Dogen and Dhyana leave the camp, and Rhodes arrives in Dogen's truck to take them into town.

    Where
    Nomad camp

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:19

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Timeline questions answered

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

What is the crystal and why is it important

The crystal is a lifeforce storage device, an ancient relic tied to the Cyclopians' power. It stores captured souls, which is why Syn uses it to fuel his supernatural abilities. The crystal carved with a dead tree symbol was found on the pilot killed by Baal's forces, revealing Syn's reach across the frontier.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Dhyana explains that the Cyclopians once used such devices, hinting at the ancient power behind Syn's empire.

  • crystal
  • lifeforce
  • cyclopians
  • syn power
  • ancient relic
Q2

What does the magic mask from the lost city do

The magic mask is a powerful artifact hidden in the Cyclopian lost city that can counter Syn's crystal power. When Dogen wears it, he can enter a dreamlike realm where he confronts the burning tree at the heart of Syn's world. The mask also deflects energy blasts from Syn's crystal during the final confrontation.

Foreshadowing: Dhyana mentions early on that only the magic mask could stand against the crystal's power.

  • magic mask
  • lost city
  • cyclopian artifact
  • dream world
  • burning tree
Q3

Why does Dogen spare Hurok during the duel

When Dogen faces Hurok in a ceremonial duel, he chooses to show mercy instead of killing his opponent. This act of compassion transforms Hurok from an enemy into an ally, and he welcomes Dogen as a comrade. The nomad code respects those who show honor, and Hurok's respect for Dogen's mercy becomes crucial in the final confrontation.

  • hurok
  • duel
  • nomad code
  • mercy
  • honor
Q4

How does Syn capture souls with the crystal

Syn's massive crystal at his lair is powered by captured souls, including Dhyana's father. He forces Dhyana to touch the crystal and reveals that her father's lifeforce fuels his power. This soul-capturing ability is the source of Syn's supernatural cruelty and the driving motivation for Dogen's quest to destroy it.

Foreshadowing: The nightmare dream-state earlier shows Syn executing a man with a crystal, demonstrating how the soul-capturing works.

  • soul crystal
  • captured souls
  • syn lair
  • dhyana father
  • soul capture
Q5

What happens when Dogen enters the dream world with the mask

When Dogen dons the crystal mask, he enters a surreal dream landscape where he confronts a burning tree at the heart of Syn's world. He finds an axe and hacks at the tree, which moans as if alive, echoing the crystal's plea. This dream connection allows Dogen to sense the link between the dream realm and the real threat posed by Syn's soul crystal.

  • dream world
  • burning tree
  • mask vision
  • axe
  • psychic connection
Q6

Why does Rhodes agree to help Dogen find the lost city

Rhodes, a washed-up veteran in the mining town of Zhor, initially denies the lost city's existence and wants nothing to do with old wounds. He only agrees to help after Dogen intervenes to save a captured nomad soldier from miners, demonstrating his character. Rhodes recognizes that something larger and more dangerous is at play, making him willing to guide them despite the risks.

  • rhodes
  • lost city
  • zhor
  • veteran
  • alliance
Q7

What does Baal's green liquid do to victims

Baal sprays his victims with a green liquid that creates a nightmare-like state. In this nightmare dream-state, Syn's presence and execution with a crystal become terrifyingly real. The green liquid essentially traps victims in a hallucinatory state where Syn can appear and kill them, as demonstrated when it was used on the murdered prospector.

  • baal
  • green liquid
  • nightmare state
  • dream state
  • hallucination
Q8

What are the Cyclopians and why do they matter

The Cyclopians are an ancient people who once used lifeforce crystals and lived in a lost city. Their territory contains the magic mask that can counter Syn's power. Dhyana recounts their lore and explains that only the mask housed in their lost city could stand against the crystal's evil influence.

  • cyclopians
  • lost city
  • ancient civilization
  • crystal mask
  • territory
Q9

How does Syn escape at the final confrontation

During the showdown at Syn's camp, Dogen uses the mask to deflect the crystal's energy blasts. When Baal tries to seize the mask, it shatters. Hurok kills Baal, and Syn escapes by teleporting away through an energy portal before Dogen can stop him. Dogen pursues on a skybike but Syn slips through the portal and vanishes into the desert.

  • syn escape
  • energy portal
  • teleportation
  • skybike chase
  • final confrontation
Q10

Why do the nomads switch allegiance to Dogen

The nomad warriors initially block Dogen and Rhodes, with their leader Hurok accusing them of trespass. After Dogen defeats Hurok in a ceremonial duel but shows mercy, Hurok welcomes him as a comrade. Later, when Syn tries to have the nomads kill Dogen, Hurok refuses and insists on dialogue, defending Dogen against Syn's orders.

  • nomads
  • hurok
  • allegiance
  • trespass law
  • ceremonial duel
Q11

What does Syn do to Dhyana while she is captured

Syn brings Dhyana before his massive soul crystal and forces her to touch it. He reveals that the crystal is powered by captured souls, including her father's life force, which she finds revolting. Despite this torment, Dhyana's resolve hardens and she declares that her true warrior will come for her.

  • dhyana captured
  • syn lair
  • crystal torture
  • father soul
  • warrior vow
Q12

What is Baal's robotic arm and why is it significant

Baal wields a powerful robotic arm that gives him enhanced combat capabilities. During the final confrontation, Dogen wrenches the limb free from Baal's shoulder, stripping him of his power. Without his robotic arm, Baal is left powerless and eventually killed by Hurok.

  • baal
  • robotic arm
  • combat enhancement
  • defeat
  • power strip

Movie threads

More Movies Like Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Pulp Sci-Fi Fantasy Wasteland Adventures like Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn

Fast-paced adventures in fantastical, desolate worlds filled with strange dangers. Movies like Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn share a vibe of fast-paced, high-intensity action in imaginative wastelands. If you enjoyed the blend of sci-fi monsters, ancient relics, and a darkly fantastical frontier, this thread features similar stories with a high-stakes, pulpy feel.

  • desolate
  • intense
  • fantastical
  • atmospheric
  • tense
  • pulp
  • Tone: dark, fantastical
  • Pacing: fast, action-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically involve a clear, linear quest—often for revenge or to stop a supernatural threat—that propels the heroes through a dangerous and unique world. The journey is marked by a series of intense encounters, leading to a final confrontation where good challenges evil.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here due to their shared foundation in pulp aesthetics: a dark, fantastical tone, fast pacing driven by action, and a high-intensity experience centered on a desolate frontier or dying world setting with clear heroes and villains.

Relentless Revenge Quests like in Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn

Driven by vengeance, heroes chase formidable villains across hostile lands. If you liked the revenge-driven plot of Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, this thread finds similar movies with a straightforward, high-stakes quest for vengeance. These films share a dark tone, fast pacing, and a focus on a hero's determined pursuit of a powerful enemy across a dangerous frontier.

  • tense
  • driven
  • grim
  • vengeful
  • action-packed
  • focused
  • Tone: dark, grim
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is defined by an inciting act of violence that sets the hero on a path of retribution. The story follows their direct pursuit, with few diversions, building through action sequences and challenges until the final showdown. The emotional core is the drive for justice or vengeance, often culminating in a decisive but hard-won victory.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their central revenge plot, which dictates a dark tone and fast pacing. They share high intensity from the personal stakes and frequent action, set within worlds that feel like frontiers or lawless zones, creating a cohesive experience of focused, driven narratives.

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Every angle

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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