True to its title, "The Story Begins" introduces the audience to the Defenders Of The Earth's colorfully animated cast of characters. It is Flash Gordon, whose spaceship crashes near Mandrake and Lothar's mansion, who tells us of evil Ming's plan to destroy the earth. In addition to being panicked over Ming's plans for the destruction of earth, he is anguished over the well-being of his wife and son Rick whom he was forced to leave behind.