I’ve copy, pasted the paragraphs below from another thread i had posted. The point is that Tygra was an unstable character, his personality was and still is a big mystery. ‘Gardens of delight’ is the first episode we catch a glimpse of his ‘evil’ persona. For me this is a great episode and i believe that the negative side of the remaining team members should have been also developed in a few episodes. But, except for Wilykat, the rest were portrayed in almost a flawless way. This alone adds points to Tygra
Check it out.
Tygra is an enigmatic character going from one extreme to the other. While under the addiction of hallucinatory substances,at which he is so susceptible, his behavior turns one hundred and eighty degrees revealing the “dark” side of his personality,check out the episodes Crystal Canyon, Turmagar the Tuska and Garden of Delights for reference. He is probably the only Thundercat who would go thus far… showing total absence of self restraint and self control. I don’t know if the writers purposely made him behave like that as a moral lesson to younger kids or just wanted to confer a mature aspect with hidden meanings for further analysis.
However,I find Tygra’s inner conflict as well as the way his character alters when addicted to substances of any kind very interesting, It’s my wish to see hiis mysterious side portrayed to the New Series as well. He is the only Thundercat member unveiling such a vulnerable personality and to this length.I think this element singles him out from the rest.
Somehow his overall position in the team was overshadowed by Panthro and his jovial soul. Tygra was always presented as the level-headed type who kept a low profile and on a regular basis was reluctant to reveal emotions and bringing to view his internal world, that’s why only in one episode, the Trial of Mind Power, we are being introduced, for the first and last time, to his mind-power abilities. I never quite understood the reason as a kid but after watching Thundercats older, I realized that if Tygra were to be further explored on the storyboards then this series wouldn’t be aimed mainly for young children. His multifarious personality could be accurately described with the following two examples which outline his eminent persona and antithetically occult idiosyncrasy. Much to our surprise we hear Lion-o exclaiming in the episode All that Glitters, “If I do not return, you will be the next Lord of the Thundercats’. The majority would expect Panthro, as the second eldest after Jaga, to be the second in command but Lion-o entrusted Tygra’s integrity and sophisticated manner. His critical stance towards serious situations combined with his earnest behavior marked him competent enough to be Lion-o’s successor. Oppositely, Tygra does have a dark and mysterious side that makes him a very intriguing character, remember ‘Garden of Delights’ where Silky gives him a narcotic substance-like fruit putting him under a hallucinatory spell and paradoxically instead of denying it or resisting the negative consequences he succumbs to the overwhelming desire right off the bat, implying so an unstable personality prone to malevolent addictions. something similar happened in ‘Tarmagar the Tuska’ where he was instantly bewitched by the Mermaid’s evil powers and couldn’t distinguish reality from fiction . Both traits are shown off while testing Lion-o in the Trial of Mind Power.
In that episode Tygra’s actions and methods weren’t anticipated at all. From the outset, where we watch Lion-o meditating alone, we catch a glimpse of something extraordinary that will occur today. On his way to reach first the ancient ruins, past the dessert of sinking sands Lion-o is doubting many times whether he is coming across real things or mere illusions questioning every move that he made building up our tension. Tygra looked like as if he always was one step ahead overlooking silently the contestant’s progress, slowly paving the way for an ideal conclusion. However, hardly did Lion-o catch the full meaning of the following worlds prior to the trial’s start “Before the day is over, you will face your greatest fear…” connoting a certain wizardry and mysticism on Tygra’s eerie talk. Right after Lion-o walks into that strait the ensuing 3 minute turn into a mind bewildering sequence of events where everything is happening under a bewitching atmosphere as we are transferred to another unreal spiritual dimension. Lion-o is compelled to see at first hand in live action the exact moment it took place the exodus scene and foremost the destruction of Thundera, a point in time that caused ceaseless pain as well as remorse on his conscience.Tygra forced Lion-o to witness the whole saddening scene bit by bit right in front of his eyes totally unable to act once again. This recurring nightmare was stressed many times before in season 1 and is a trademark factor of Lion-o’s formative years. Who would expect that he would have to suffer this turmoil by a friend and not from his greatest enemy??
Here’s a quote from the episode Crystal Canyon after Tygra gets hold of the Keystone and he is repairing the ThunderStrike. Read it and you will see what i mean:
Tygra: (Laughing ironically) Everyone thinks Panthro is Mr. Fix it, HaHa, but with the keystone i am every bit as good as he is, maybe better.
Then Tygra throws violently the screwdrive on Lion-o and Lynx-o who are approaching slowly from behind
Lion-o: Hey, take it is Tygra! it’s only us.
Tygra: Oh,right I knew that.. next time just don’t sneak up on me
Lion-o: Tygra, Lynx-o and I are worried about you,the Keystone is doing strange things to you, it seems it to have you in its power,it’s altering your personality.
Tygra: If it is changing me, it is changing me for the better,perhaps you find that threatening.
Lion-o: No,it’s just that I…
Tygra snaps interrupting Lion-o: Ever since i was a kid i was shy but with the Keystone i feel so confident, for the first time in my life. I feel like i could do anything, Anything!
Lynx-o: Lion-o speaks the truth Tygra you are slowly becoming a slave to the keystone.
Tygra: A SLAVE!! Huh Is, Is Lion-o a slave to the Sword of Omens?? No Lion-o is master of the Sword and Now i am master of the Keystone
Lion-o: Tygra listen to me…
Tygra:No more talk, I have work to do…(then siting at his desk, designing maniacally) The Thundercats are jealous that’s all…I can do anything i want with or without it [the Keystone]…
Hard to believe these words came from a Thundercat! Still it is a mature concept with many serious implications. I love the mad side of Tygra, hope it comes back on his modern version…
The scenes were Tygra flips out on Snarf or Lion-O and then apologizes reminded me very much of that cartoon and how they’d presented similar tense moments with Frodo and Sam. (Something I wish the live action version had done a little better, even though I liked it as well).
I guess that kind of thing is unavoidable with this old ‘80s cartoons. You know usually the Thundercats’ habit of thinking outloud was a little weird, but in this episode it probably would have helped, hehe. But again, despite that, I did enjoy this episode. 