Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Twelve-year-old Bastian Balthazar Bux had lost the wonderful imagination he had as a child somewhere between growing older, watching TV, going to school and playing with his Gameboy. But when his mother dies suddenly, Bastian's limitless imagination is reborn. Bastian comes across a magical book, "The Neverending Story", in a curious little bookstore. Inspired by the book, Bastian creates an enchanted world called Fantasia, inhabited by dragons, dark knights and assorted heroes and villains. The adventure of a lifetime begins when Bastian projects his Fantasian alter ego, Atreyu, into a battle against the sinister force of The Nothing. This terrible force threatens to destroy Fantasia and its ruler, the Childlike Empress. Only Atreyu, a 14-year-old Woodland boy and unlikely hero, can save her and find a cure for The Nothing. Bastian's experiences in the real world; such as his mourning, his new, sometimes tumultuous life with his dad, his problems with a school bully and his terror of a new, sadistic substitute teacher, are mirrored by Atreyu's experiences in Fantasia. Along with Atreyu, Bastian overcomes obstacles, learns important life lessons, and gains insights that help him adjust to the sudden death of his mom.
Loading. Please wait...
Episode 1
Sat, Oct 6, 2001
After Bastian's mother Laura is mortally injured in a car accident, Bastian finds a magical book called "The Neverending Story" and starts to read it. In the book, a young warrior named Atreyu is tasked to save the world of Fantasia. Atreyu sees The Childlike Empress, who tells him about The Nothing and her sister, the Dark Princess.