All 5 Real-Life Historical People In Time Bandits Season 1, Explained

Warning! This article includes SPOILERS for Time Bandits season 1.

Summary

• The Time Bandits series features historical figures like Madame Chung and Cassandra in comedic twists throughout the characters’ time travels.
• Some of the main differences from the 1981 movie are the unique historical periods and figures Kevin and the time bandits visit.
• Time Bandits season 1 explores famous figures like Odysseus and Casanova, with the potential for more if the show is renewed for season 2.

The Apple TV+ fantasy adventure series Time Bandits includes multiple historical figures as the characters travel through time, meeting them on their trips. The Time Bandits cast features an ensemble led by Lisa Kudrow and newcomer Kal-El Tuck. The show mainly focuses on Tuck’s character Kevin and the time bandits he travels through time with, but numerous guest actors have cameos as important historical people. The series is an adaptation of the original 1981 Time Bandits movie, though there are many differences between the two projects.

Some of the most notable differences come in the time periods Kevin and the time bandits visit and the famous historical figures they meet. Though the premise is the same, the Time Bandits series makes it a point to not copy the original movie in this way. This is another positive of the movie being made into a TV show, as Time Bandits season 1 has 10 episodes to give viewers brief history lessons with funny twists. With the potential Time Bandits season 2, even more historical periods and people could be explored.

11

Madame Chung

A Famous Chinese Pirate In The Early 1800s

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 1, Kevin and the time bandits end up in Macau in 1810 when the thieves accidentally go through a transtemporal portal located in Kevin’s room. To escape Supreme Being, they go back through the portal and unexpectedly find themselves on a Chinese pirate ship during a battle against the British Navy. It turns out that Kevin is a huge fan of their leader, whom he calls Madame Chung, having read about her in the fictional Pirates, Swashbucklers, and Filthy Scoundrels.

In real life, according to World History Encyclopedia, Madame Chung was named Zheng Yi Sao, also known as Ching Shih. She was born in 1775 in Guangdong, and in 1801, married Zheng Yi, a famous local pirate. Her husband initially fought in his cousin’s fleet, but when he was captured and executed, Zheng Yi took control of the family fleet and fled to China. In 1805, he united the local pirates into the Guangdong Pirate Confederation, which Zheng Yi Sao helped greatly with. When he fell overboard and died in 1807, she took over.

At the time she appeared in Time Bandits, she had the largest pirate fleet in history, with 70,000 pirates in her crew. When they met, Kevin advised her to hide up the Canton Rivers to defeat the English. This helped her win the battle, somewhat changing history. In 1810, Zheng Yi Sao officially surrendered to the Qing authorities, which allowed her to retain a substantial fleet and avoid prosecution. Madame Chung wanted Kevin to stay with her as a soothsayer in Time Bandits, but Penelope claimed him instead.

10

Ajax The Lesser, Odysseus & Diomedes

Greek Heroes & Key Figures In The Trojan War

Later in Time Bandits season 1, episode 1, the bandits took Kevin to Troy, as they wanted to steal the Trojan Horse. However, the time bandits have limited knowledge of history, underestimating its size and not knowing about the Greek soldiers inside. The story of the Trojan Horse was first told in the Odyssey by Homer, an epic Greek mythology poem written in the 8th century BC. While the time bandits couldn’t steal the Horse, Greek legend Ajax the Lesser allowed the bandits into the Trojan Horse and bragged about their brilliant plan.

As he was known for his arrogance, Ajax the Lesser was portrayed as an overconfident fool in Time Bandits. The hero of the Odyssey was Odysseus, a king of Ithaca known for his courage and wisdom, who was credited with creating the Trojan Horse plan. When things went awry in Time Bandits season 1, episode 1, Odysseus took the blame, even though it was Ajax the Lesser’s fault. He even apologized to another Greek hero inside, Diomedes. It was a brief scene, but it featured multiple Greek legends.

9

Xanthus & Ophelestes

Trojan Soldiers Who Were Killed In The Trojan War

Kevin and the time bandits boarded the Trojan Horse because it was the only way they could sneak into Troy undetected and reach the portal inside. Unfortunately, their plan backfired when two Trojan soldiers came to accept the supposed gift from the Greeks and found it “suspicious.” The soldiers were Xanthus and Ophelestes, who were both killed by the Greeks during the Trojan War, according to Homer’s Iliad. Xanthus was killed by Diomedes, and Ophelestes was killed by an arrow from Teûktros, a leader of the Salaminian troops.

Their appearance in Time Bandits season 1, episode 1 is also brief and purely comedic. They admired the horse, but immediately realized it was too good to be true and set fire to it. Ajax the Lesser, Diomedes, Odysseus, the other Greek soldiers, Kevin, and the time bandits were only saved when one of their superiors stopped them from burning such a beautiful gift. Xanthus and Ophelestes are minor figures in Greek mythology, but they were a funny inclusion in Time Bandits.

8

Cassandra

A Trojan Prophetess

The most impactful historical figure during the bandits and Kevin’s visit to Troy in Time Bandits season 1, episode 1 was Cassandra, another Greek mythological character in Homer’s Iliad. She wasn’t born a prophetess, but the god Apollo promised her the power of prophecy if she complied with his desires. When she accepted the power but refused to do the favors, Apollo cursed her, making it so that her prophecies, while accurate, would never be believed.

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 1, as in Greek mythology, she predicted the fall of Troy, but nobody believed her. This was another comedic bit, particularly when she predicted a guard would fall off a wall, and he didn’t take her seriously. This proved to Kevin that she wasn’t just a myth but a real prophetess, and it also potentially led to the guard’s death. Together, they bonded over not being believed, as the time bandits often dismissed Kevin and his knowledge.

Cassandra comforted Kevin, as he confessed he’d spent his entire life wishing he could go back in time, but now that he had, he wasn’t sure if he belonged. Though Kevin doubted it, Cassandra told him that he was important, as she saw his future. Based on what she saw, Cassandra also advised Kevin to “stick with [the] stupid thieves because [he was] going to save the universe.” Inadvertently, she also gave Kevin advice about a time portal he jumped through in Time Bandits season 1, episode 2, as she told him he’d jump off a cliff and survive.

7

Lady Sak K’uk’ & K’inich Janaab’ Pakal

A 6th Century Maya Queen & Future King

There are only two major historical figures in Time Bandits season 1, episode 2, “Mayans,” as Kevin and the bandits spent almost the entire episode in a Maya city. The city was ruled by a queen known as Lady Sak K’uk’. Her birthdate is unknown, but she was the second recorded female ruler of the city of Palenque. To legitimize her rule, she declared herself a creation goddess, though that wasn’t included in the Time Bandits episode.

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 2, Lady Sak K’uk’ was portrayed as a generous, welcoming queen, although Kevin was skeptical of her throughout. He had read the Maya took part in human sacrifice, and they were going to be their next victims and wanted to find a way out while the other bandits enjoyed their hospitality and looked for things to steal. Kevin’s information, which he got from Wikipedia, was proven wrong, and Lady Sak K’uk’ warned him against listening to invaders’ accounts of history.

There is evidence of human sacrifice in anciest Mayan culture through art, texts, and skeletal remains.

This was an important moment, as it was one of the first times Kevin realized he didn’t know everything in Time Bandits. Kevin isn’t wrong often, as that role is usually reserved for the bandits, but it’s a reminder that he’s just an 11-year-old boy who loves history, not a historian. Time Bandits season 1, episode 2 also featured the son of Lady Sak K’uk’, K’inich Janaab’ Pakal. As noted by History of Royal Women, he would become known as one of the greatest Mayan kings when she abdicated three years into her reign to allow him to rule.

6

Bumpy Johnson

Famous Harlem Crime Boss

Time Bandits season 1, episode 4 saw Kevin and the time bandits travel to 1929 New York City during the Harlem Renaissance. The group spent Time Bandits season 1, episode 3 in medieval times and didn’t encounter any famous historical figures. Yet, they mistakenly found themselves in business with Bumpy Johnson in episode 4. In Time Bandits, Bumpy Johnson ran a gang that illegally bought and sold alcohol during Prohibition, with scenes hinting at him being more dangerous than he appeared.

Bumpy Johnson was a famous Harlem crime boss who, according to biography.com, murdered over 40 people as Stephanie St. Clair’s bodyguard and chief enforcer. St. Clair eventually handed her crime operation over to Bumpy, whose real name was Ellsworth. Johnson’s history with Stephanie St. Clair, also known as Madame Queenie, wasn’t shown in Time Bandits, though both their characters were featured in season 1, episode 4.

The television series Godfather of Harlem tells a fictionalized version of Bumpy Johnson’s story. His character is played by Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker.

While Bumpy was feared, he was also loved and respected and referred to as “Robin Hood” for his good deeds, which included giving free meals and gifts to the people of Harlem. In 1951, he was given a 15-year prison sentence for conspiring to sell heroin in New York. He served most of his time at Alcatraz Prison in California and was released in 1963. Bumpy Johnson died five years later of a heart attack at 62.

5

Madame Queenie

Leader Of The 40 Thieves

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 4, Bumpy Johnson confused Penelope for Madame Queenie, the most famous crime boss in Harlem. His character both revered and feared her, though in real life, their characters worked together. As in the show, Madame Queenie was the leader of the local Harlem gang, the 40 Thieves. However, they didn’t deal with alcohol. Stephanie St. Clair was also known as Queen of the Policy Rackets, having developed a numbers racket.

St. Clair’s chief rival was Schutlz, who, along with Charlie “Lucky” Luciano’s Mafia, convinced her to turn her organization over. According to The Mob Museum, she turned to civil rights advocacy and was known as a fashion icon. In Time Bandits, Madame Queenie was portrayed as a ruthless crime boss with a soft spot for helping others. Madame Queenie died a year after Bumpy Johnson, who had been living with her, at 72.

4

The Earl Of Sandwich

The Creator Of The Sandwich

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 5, Kevin and the bandits traveled to Georgian England, where they crashed a party hosted by the Earl of Sandwich at his castle. Fittingly, the main meal at his party was sandwiches, which he was quite proud of as the sandwich’s inventor. Though he was only referred to by his title, his actual name was John Montagu, and he was the 4th Earl of Sandwich. In Time Bandits, the Earl of Sandwich was portrayed as arrogant and self-absorbed.

According to History Extra, the Earl had been playing cards and didn’t want to leave the gaming table to eat. Thus, he asked for roast beef to be placed between two slices of bread for him to eat with his hands. While the sandwich is named after the Earl, as Kevin said, his story has been disputed by some historians who believe he copied the idea from the pita and canapés he saw in the Mediterranean.

3

Giacomo Casanova

The Famous Ladies’ Man

At the Earl of Sandwich’s party in Time Bandits season 1, episode 5 was Italian adventurer and author Giacomo Casanova. While those were his trades, Casanova is best known as a ladies man, which is how he was portrayed in the fantasy adventure series. Women were considered one of his vices, as was gambling. According to Walks of Italy, his gambling debts even landed him in prison. He was imprisoned multiple times and was even exiled from Venice, but he was able to escape and continue his scams.

Yet, he is still better known as the world’s most famous lover. Part of the reason he managed to evade trouble so often was his natural charm. Casanova earned his reputation through his posthumous autobiography, which has turned his surname into a noun. In Time Bandits episode 5, his seductive abilities were played up as women and horses fainted in his presence, though he set his eyes on Judy, as he was intrigued by her lack of interest in him.

2

Mansa Musa

The Richest Person Of All Time

The sole historical figure in Time Bandits season 1, episode 6 was Mansa Musa, a king of the Mali empire who has been considered the richest person of all time. Given his title, the bandits’ natural reaction was to rob him, though they failed spectacularly. Mansa Musa was generous, gifting them and many others with gold, and befriending Kevin. Mansa Musa appreciated Kevin’s historical knowledge and enjoyed his stories in Time Bandits, though Kevin ultimately went with the bandits instead of staying with the king.

As stated by National Geographic, Mansa Musa was credited with turning the kingdom of Mali into a sophisticated center of learning in the Islamic world. The kingdom was already wealthy when he came to power in the early 14th century, but he expanded the trade and made it the wealthiest kingdom in Africa. In Time Bandits season 1, episode 6, Mansa Musa traveled to Cairo and met with the Sultan of Egypt on his pilgrimage to Mecca. The king gave away so much gold, that its value depreciated in Egypt.

1

Qin Shi Huang

The First Chinese Emperor

In Time Bandits season 1, episode 9, after a few episodes without encountering a famous historical figure, Kevin, Saffron, and the bandits time traveled to the Qin Dynasty in 220 BCE. There, they ran into Qin Shi Huang, the emperor at the time, who was building a wall. In Time Bandits, the wall was just a simple line of rocks, but it would eventually become what is now known as the Great Wall of China. The emperor was building it to keep out enemies and assumed the bandits were assassins, which is understandable given the many attempts on his life.

Having already encountered many historical figures at this point in Time Bandits, Kevin told him he was a soothsayer to get them out of trouble. Kevin told him he’d be the first emperor of China, to which Qin Shi Huang replied, “what is China?” According to Brittanica, Qin Shi Huang eliminated the six rival states that constituted China at the time and annexed their final enemy state, Qi, to make the first unified China. This made Qin Shi Huang the first Chinese emperor, and the last historical figure to appear in Time Bandits season 1.

Source: World History Encyclopedia, Brittanica, Brittanica, Brittanica, Brittanica, History of Royal Women, biography.com, The Mob Museum, History Extra, Brittanica