In preparation for the New ThunderCats series coming in 2011, I thought it would be fun and interesting to have a regular discussion about an episode from the original. Since there is a year or less until the new series starts airing and there are 130 episodes in the original, there will need to be about 2 episodes discussed per week to be close to finishing up before the new one starts.
Discussions will not be formal. I will watch an episode and take notes as it plays. Generally, notes will be about the interesting things going on in the episode, with little focus on the full story. There is an episode guide for those wanting plot, synopsis, morals, etc on this site already. All are welcome to use the initial post as a starting point for discussion, and feel free to watch the episode as well and discuss anything you feel is interesting that I may have overlooked.
The first four episodes will be handled a little differently as there are 2 versions of them; aired individual episodes (dvd release), and the pilot movie (VHS release). Since not everyone has the opportunity to watch the VHS tape I will be going into great detail of what is said for the scenes that are only in the movie version, those sections will be noted by increased indent and MV – at the start of a scene and something to help indicate where the scene takes place.
P.S. I know Slithe is actually spelled S-S-Slithe, but that gets annoying to try and spell over and over with no mistakes. So I am just spelling it as Slithe.
And so, let’s begin!
Episode 001 – Exodus
New characters introduced:
Jaga – a Jaguar ThunderCat
Jaga’s spirit – the spirit form of Jaga to help guide Lion-O
Lion-O – a Lion ThunderCat
Panthro - a Panther ThunderCat
Tygra – a Tiger ThunderCat
Cheetara – a Cheetah ThunderCat
WilyKit & WilyKat – breed of ThunderCat unknown, believed to be either a Bobcat or Wildcat, both of which are not much bigger than a house cat when full grown. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat
Snarf – a Snarf
Slithe – a Reptilian Mutant
Jackalman – a Jackalman Mutant
Monkian – a Monkian Mutant
Mutant Minions – Reptilians differ greatly from Slithe, but Monkians and Jackalmen look just like the leader of their species.
The VHS movie of Exodus is about 5 minutes and 10 seconds longer than the individual episode. And those 5 minutes add a lot to this episode.[INDENT]MV – The extended opening comes before the standard intro to an episode, this section can be found on YouTube.
Wider angle of ThunDera, not as dark but lava still shooting out, flagship and 2 other ships visible leaving the planet
Individual character intros/bios play, Mutants shown with at least 3 motherships pursuing the ThunderCats
Leads into the regular intro
[/INDENT]Planet with molten lava shooting out as the flagship leaves. Panthro, Jaga, Cheetara, and Tygra on the flight deck discuss whether or not to have young Lion-O watch his planet be destroyed. Cheetara appears to be protective of Lion-O, almost like a second mother.[INDENT]MV – For having their home planet about to explode, the ThunderCats are taking it extremely well, laughing and joking about leaving people behind… That just seems so weird!
Jaga (in DVD release): If he is to rule, he must learn to take the bad with the good.
Tygra: Jaga is right
WilyKat: Yeah, Jaga is always right.
Panthro: (laughing) Not always, if he was, he would have left a smart mouthing little squirt like you behind WilyKat.
WilyKat: Oh yeah? Better brains than brawn.
WilyKit: Even better brains and brawn.
Jaga: We’ll have no squabbling among us! Cheetara, fetch the boy.
Returns to Cheetara entering Lion-O’s room.
[/INDENT]Lion-O (& Snarf) sound asleep with toys scattered in his room. If you were escaping a planet that was about to blow up, would you take the time to bring toys and games? And would you be sleeping like nothing was different? Or was it normal for the ThunderCats to hop on a space ship and take a couple laps around the planet? Lion-O really should have been able to figure out something was not right.
Lion-O has no knowledge of what is about to happen to ThunDera. He has a jolly attitude running up to Jaga and asking ‘what’s up’. But interestingly, young Lion-O does not recognize his home planet on the telescreen. Lion-O is shocked only when told that the planet he just saw explode was ThunDera, Jaga reassures Lion-O that the Code of ThunDera will live as long as he as lord of the ThunderCats carries it in his heart.
Suspension Capsules can be seen in the background. Why have them if you already know where you are going and it will be a short trip? But there are 8 capsules shown, each person can have their own.
When the Sword of Omens is shown to Lion-O there is no claw shield shown with it in the sword chamber.
Jaga explains history and info about sword. Just as a note for future episodes, it is made crystal clear in this extended scene that the Eye of ThunDera was a well guarded secret. However, the Sword of Omens does not share the crystal clear explanation. Was the sword guarded and hidden? Or was the sword a sign of leadership with the Eye of ThunDera hidden in plain sight? If the sword was hidden, how did Jaga get it aboard the ship without the other ThunderCats knowing?[INDENT] MV – Jaga (in DVD release): and they Eye of ThunDera rested peacefully in the mystic Sword of Omens, guarded and known only to me.
Tygra: The Eye of ThunDera? I thought it was a legend, a myth…
Jaga: It exists. It will serve Lion-O as hereditary lord of the ThunderCats, and through him, it will serve you as well.
Returns to regular edition for discussion about clothing and weaponry. Clothing only shown going to Cheetara, Tygra and Panthro. Kittens and Lion-O apparently get clothing off screen. And since everyone else got clothing due to the unknown, why doesn’t Snarf get something, even if it would just be a backpack with first aid supplies or something?
MV – Jaga (in DVD release): Have you identified the enemy?
Tygra: Yes, they are from the planet Plun Darr.
Panthro: Mutants, always those blasted Mutants.
Cheetara: The ships bear the insignia of Reptilians, Jackalmen, Monkians.
Tygra: They are fighting together, as allies?
Returns to Mutants attacking ship with the ThunderCat symbol, but flagship gets no hits? Other ships had other nobles? It seems odd that if all of the ships were carrying ThunderCats that the flagship would only be carrying 8 people (including Snarf). Jaga guesses right that the Mutants are after the Eye of ThunDera, but if it was such a closely guarded secret that even ThunderCats didn’t know of its existence, how did the Mutants?
MV – Jaga (in DVD release): Flagship to convoy, assume defensive formation.
Monkian (on mothership): They’re forming a circle.
Slithe: A slim hope. We watched those ships loading via spy star transmission, they’re so packed full of Thunderian pilgrims and their possessions they could carry little by way of armament. Attack!
Returns to Mutants destroying all of the other ships.
MV – As the Reptilian is starting to melt hole in ship we get an early and extended look into the fact that the various Mutant races apparently don’t get along the best and are in a power struggle of sorts. I’m getting ahead of myself here, but since Ratar-O had more power than any other Mutant we ever meet, maybe Slithe, Jackalman, and Monkian decided to steal the Eye of ThunDera and use it to overthrow Ratar-O. Guess the Mutants didn’t get the memo about the sword refusing to work for evil.
Slithe: We won’t need you for this, my Reptilians and I can handle it.
Jackalman: So that you can possess the Eye of ThunDera for yourself? No way.
Slithe: Why don’t we decide which of us will possess the Eye, once we possess it? But have it your way.
Monkian: Oh we will Slithe, and we don’t need your permission!
Returns to the alarm going off and Panthro announcing they’ve been breached
[/INDENT]Look at all of these Mutant minions. There are at least several minions of each race shown here. But each ThunderCat is able to come out victorious in a match against multiple Mutant minions.[INDENT] MV – In the DVD release, there is an abrupt break in sound at the end of the confrontations and the start of Mutants going through the cargo. Jaga is so feared he can stop Mutants dead in their tracks just by extending his arms out to block them from going around him, no weapon or show of strength needed.
Jaga confronts Reptialians: Where is your leader, that wretch Slithe?
[/INDENT]Jackalman has never seen the Eye of ThunDera, but Slithe has, most interesting. So the Mutants know more about the ThunderCats secrets than the ThunderCats do. But yet the Mutants don’t know what Snarfs are? I’m finding it tough to find an explanation for this combination.[INDENT] MV - Slithe’s death threat edited out, obvious break in DVD release
Lion-O: You shall not have it while I live.
Slithe: That would suit me just fine
Returns to Jackalman’s comment about Lion-O barely able to hold onto the sword. Lion-O scares Mutants off and their ship flees.
Jaga: Anyone hurt?
Tygra: Just a few scratches, Jaga.
Panthro: Yeah, no real damage.
Cheetara: Lion-O! Where’s Lion-O?
[/INDENT]Returns to Lion-O waking up Snarf, others enter. Wait a minute, the Sword of Omens is all powerful. Why didn’t it warn them about the impending Mutant attack? Why didn’t Jaga take it with him to defeat the Mutants? They knew what the Mutants were after, and yet they left it to be guarded by a boy and a Snarf, smart, real smart… And why didn’t the other ThunderCats hear the roar and come running?
Hole patched, can maneuver some, but not enough to get to the Galaxy they were heading for. So I am guessing they had a pre-planned planet or galaxy to move to, but would require going around stars and other objects in space.
Tygra explains to young Lion-O that 96% atmospheric compatibility means they could breathe the air. You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d almost make some comment that Tygra was talking to Lion-O either like a teacher to a student or an older brother giving his younger brother a lesson about something.[INDENT] MV – As the conversation goes to the fact Third Earth is light years away.
WilyKat: We’d have to make the trip in the suspension capsules.
Snarf: Suspension capsules? You’ll never convince me those things work.
WilyKit: Me either, when in doubt, chicken out, I’m not going!
WilyKat: Oh yes you are, yes you are.
WilyKit: Let me go! You hear me, let me out WilyKat! I’ll get you for this!
WilyKat: (laughing) Gosh, you’re beautiful when you snarl, you know that WilyKit?
Jaga: Is there another choice Panthro?
Panthro: Sure, we last remaining ThunderCats perish in space.
Jaga: It is settled then, you will all get in the suspension capsules now.
[/INDENT]Capsules slow aging down, but not enough for Jaga to make it to Third Earth. Well, how old is Jaga to start with? He definitely does not look young; his hair is solid white, and has a huge bald spot on the top of his head, and a full beard. But maybe he is just pretending to not be able to make it; sacrificing himself to give the others a better chance.[INDENT] MV- between Tygra’s and Panthro’s reaction to Jaga saying he would not make it in the capsule anyway.
WilyKat: Yeah, he’s just being practical.
WilyKit: Whatever you say Jaga, you are always right!
[/INDENT]Why does Lion-O turn blue? Was that the way Anime depicted extreme sadness back in the day?[INDENT] MV – There are extra scenes of the ship cruising through space, nothing significant though, no dialog.
[/INDENT]Jaga ages a lot, turns on auto-pilot, and dies. But he dies like a Jedi, just vanish leaving behind only his clothing. Now it appears there were only 7 capsules on the ship. So where’d the 8th one go?
Snarf is the only one to have capsule open on its own, but has no memory loss. Lion-O has major amnesia issues – forgets about capsules, mutants, the sword, other ThunderCats. Maybe hitting his head on the capsule exiting it caused the amnesia.
Mutants didn’t appear to age but show up ready to fight. Either they have really long lifespans or they too had suspension capsules. Suspension capsules make sense, as they did not try a second attack. But how did they know where to go if they were all asleep? The sword is asleep again, and fails to warn of impending danger.[INDENT] MV – Just before Lion-O jumps down in the middle of the Mutants.
Lion-O: Those capsules. I… There’s something important about them somehow… Something inside them that… Let me see. No Stop!
[/INDENT]5 second pep talk reminds Lion-O of a lot. How did he know how to summon other ThunderCats? Why did the sword shock him anyway? He had already handled it twice; once looking at it, once holding off Slithe and Jackalman.[INDENT] MV – When Lion-O summons the other ThunderCats, they wake up with eyes glowing, lids fly off and each one jumps out with weapon(s) ready to fight
Returns to regular fight scene.
WilyKat: What’s the big deal about height?
WilyKit: Yeah, and if you’re wily enough, being big just gets in the way!
[/INDENT]Many Mutants, defeated, Slithe orders them to teleport back to the “ships” but there is only 1 ship. Guess Mutants can’t count.
Biggest questions left unanswered:
Why didn’t the Eye of ThunDera try to warn them of the two Mutant attacks (in space, on Third Earth)?
How the heck did the Mutants know more about the Eye of ThunDera than the ThunderCats (other than Jaga)?
The Mutant mini-spaceships look very sophisticated, why were they not used later in the series?
The age-old question: did Lion-O age faster in his capsule, or are the ThunderKittens actually a breed that does not get much bigger than children of other breeds?