The FORTRESS of SOLITUDE

In keeping, I'm gonna talk more about the Thundercats. BLOOOOOW ME.

I've been watching the 130 episodes I have downloaded - I'm at about Episode 26, I think...long way to go - phew!

For those of you who don't know what Thundercats is, or what they are, or what it's about...die.

The Thundercats are a group of elite, high-society members that escaped their planet's destruction (a la Krypton in Superman The Movie). The convoy of mish-mashed ships (a la Battlestar Galactica) is attacked on route to Third Earth, the nearest planet that is habitable. The attackers are the Mutants from the planet Plun-darr (!) who are divided into different classes, based on species (a la Planet of the Apes) - Slythe, a lizard; Monkian, a monkey; and Jackleman, a jackal. They also later added Vultureman, a vulture (a la Spiderman's namesake villain) later on. All the convoy ships are destroyed and the Thundercats leader, Jaga, must sacrifice himself while the others are in hypersleep (a la Alien) and he appears as a ghostly apparition (a la Star Wars). The ship crash lands on the distant planet and the Thundercats become friendly with the strange natives to ensure everyone's mutual survival (a la Enemy Mine).

It is a pretty original idea, as you can see.

The Thundercats consist of Wilykit and Wilykat, the youngest, who are known for their cunning (or wiliness for the idiots who couldn't draw that connection);


Tygra, the homoerotic, studly intellectual (who is a tiger, duh) and who has the ability to turn himself invisible (like most tigers). He is the architect and scientist of the group.


Then we have Cheetara, the only adult female, who has the ability to run at the speed of light, apparently (she nearly always has warping streaks, a la Star Trek, following her running). I guess being the only sexually viable female in the Thundercats, the ability to run like the wind keeps one sane. By the way, she's a Cheeta. *cough* She is the psychic of the group (a la Star Trek: The Next Generation)


Panthro, the "Deadly" (apparently)...is the muscle behind the group, the heavy, the one who beats the shit out of people. He is also their armament specialist.


Then we have Lion-O, the "leader" of the Thundercats. Through the death of his mentor, Lion-O is thrust into power as a teenager and must deal - get this - with not only teenage angst, but the stresses of leading a band of Thundercats on an unexplored planet. I don't envy Lion-O, let me tell you.


Lion-O is constantly followed by Snarf. He is, for all intents and purposes, Lion-O's dog. He is also his nanny and acts like his nagging, annoying, bitch-of-a-wife.


Jaga is the original leader of the Thundercats and father to Lion-O. He assumes and Obi-Wan Kenobi type role and appears when Lion-O makes an immature decision, which is most of the god damn time.


Coming into Season 2 of the Thundercats, they decided they needed to make more money - which means, more toys - which means, more Thundercats.

They added 3 new Thundercats, who ALSO escaped Thundera's destruction, but were hitherto never mentioned before. They were rescued by a conveniently close travelling Berbil freighter which then crashed landed on a remote island in an ocean on Third Earth. How fortuitous, huh?

The first of the three is Lynx-O, who's appearance reeks of a "Very Special Episode" of Thundercats. He's blind and teaches everyone that you don't to have sight to be considered useful...did we ever think otherwise? Anyway...he's a lynx...coz there are very few recognizable subspecies of cat left to mine for character designs.


The second is Pumyra - a puma, you asshole. She has no discernible skill other than as sperm receptacle relief for Cheetara.


Lastly, we have Bengali - the white Bengal tiger. Added as a tribute to Zeigfried and Roy, no doubt - he is essentially Tygra painted white, with just as many homoerotic overtones. At least Tygra has a JO buddy now...


Together, this group defends Third Earth from the evil of the Mutants and Mumm-ra, the Ever Living.



...well that wasted 10 minutes. :) ...more later.