Return of a Friend

Return of a Friend is the seventeenth episode of Spider Riders. It first aired in Canada on August 13, 2006 on Teletoon and Kids WB.

Summary
Slate, an old friend and comrade of Igneous, returns to Arachna Castle for a visit. Hunter is dismayed that the former duo are not getting along, especially when Slate challenges Igneous to a duel to prove their strength, only to discover that Grasshop is blackmailing Slate.

Plot
While out with Hunter and Igneous, Sparkle gets lost. Neither one can find her and Sparkle is beginning to worry. However, another person does find her. Slate, an old friend of Igneous. They return to the palace and it turns out that Lumen knows Slate as well. Corona explains that Slate was an old friend of Igneous, and the two have know each other for years. And that Slate was a fellow knight who trained alongside Igneous. The next day, Hunter and Igneous head out to fight the Invectids and Slate tags along. Together, Igneous and Slate work together to easily defeat the invaders. Hunter is very impressed by their skill and teamwork.

Later, Hunter finds Slate brooding over a broken pendant. He asks Slate why he quit being a knight so long ago. Slate says that he simply wished to go back to his home village. His village was so small that the Invectids could destroy it easily, so he had to stay in order to protect it. Slate then asks Hunter if he has friends. Hunter replies that he does and Slate states that it's important to look after your friends. Igneous shows up, surprising Hunter by revealing that Slate challenged him to a duel of honor and that he has no choice but to fight. Slate is seen being watched by a Messenger Bug. Igneous asks Hunter to take care of Prince Lumen and Princess Sparkle for him. But Hunter decides he can't let Igneous and Slate go through with the duel, so he and Shadow head to Slates village.

Slate remembers back to when the Invectids, lead by Grasshop invaded his village. Grasshop made a deal with Slate that if Slate did one task for him, Grasshop would not harm the village. Grasshop then took a piece of Slate's pendant, as a symbol of the bargain. Because of this, Slate had to challenge Igneous.

Igneous appears to Slate and the two knights draw their swords as Grasshop and several other Invectids watch. Hunter shows up and easily defeats Grasshop's men. Grasshop protests, but runs away once Hunter takes back Slate's pendant, meaning Slate no longer has to keep his word. Hunter brings the pendant to Slate, telling Slate and Igneous that it's alright to stop. However, the pair wish to finish their duel. Luckily for Hunter, they only end up breaking each other's swords. Apparently, this isn't the first time it's happened either. Slate takes his pendant back and leaves. Hunter is confused by the fact that Igneous and Slate had to finish the duel but is happy that there friendship is as strong as ever.

Characters

 * Hunter Steele
 * Corona
 * Igneous
 * Princess Sparkle
 * Prince Lumen
 * Slate
 * Battle Spider Shadow
 * Battle Spider Flame
 * Grasshop

Quotes

 * "Oh, goodie! The show is starting! I wish I had popcorn..."- Grasshop, watching the battle between Igneous and Slate.


 * "Huh? Wait a minute...Where did everybody go!? Are you playing hide and seek?"- Grasshop realizes that his army has disappeared and postulates possible reasons.