Episode 14: New Alliances
Original Air Date: March 24, 2012
Episode Written by: J.M. DeMatteis, Directed by: Yoshiharu Ashino
Article by: Purrsia



WB Summary:
The Thundercats go on the offensive taking down Mumm-Ra's lizard army piece by piece. Lion-O appeals to the soldiers to turn against their overlord, but Mumm-Ra won't see his army crushed so easily. He tasks Slithe with recruiting two new and vicious Generals -- Addicus and Kaynar -- to retaliate against the cats. Meanwhile, the Robear Berbils make Panthro a new set of robotic arms and soop up the Thundertank.

Purrsia's Synopsis:


After a brief recap of recent events, the story opens with the kittens trying out their new space boards. It's fun until they run into a group of lizards. Eventually, Lion-O and the others (less Panthro) over-power the lizards and take them as prisoners. To the shock of both the lizards and Tygra, Lion-O decides to give the lizards the choice of uniting with them against Mumm-Ra or to go home to their families. They opt to go home. Lion-O explains that after they won the spirit stone there were mass-desertions in the lizard army. He figures this is Mumm-Ra's war, not the lizards and thinks they're wise to it as well. Tygra however, doesn't think Lion-O can win them over just by cutting them breaks. Lion-O is optimistic at the very least, if they have more successful ambushes soon the Lizards won't have anything left of their army to stop the 'Cats from finding the next stone.

The crew then heads back to the Berbil village to check on Panthro, as he's there getting some new arms courtesy of the robotic bears. His first pair turn out a little too cutesy for his tastes, so the Berbils vow to make some modifications.

Meanwhile, at Mumm-Ra's pyramid the old mummy is taking Slithe to task for having such a pathetic army. In response, Mumm-Ra reveals his new Generals to Slithe - the wretched Atticus and Kaynar (Monkian and Jackalman in the old series) who, he explains, are motivated only by base emotions and currently incarcerated for crimes vile even to him. Slithe scoffs, noting a lizard army will never obey a monkian or jackalman. Mumm-Ra seems to only care that they learn deserting is not an option. The second part of Mumm-Ra's plan is to use those two to help recruit the armies of their respective people. So Slithe is sent to free the new generals.

When Atticus is found, he's about the be put to death by members of the bird nation for his crimes against them. The birds release him, assuming he's fallen to his death only to be shocked when he returns on the platform of Slithe's vessel. Atticus agrees to sign onto Mumm-Ra's army in exchange for his life, then presumably get the last meal he's owed from the birds - its strongly implied that he devours at least some of them.

The ThunderCats are back out putting the pressure on the remaining Lizard battalions. After another battle, Lion-O and Cheetara have a heart to heart about how Lion-O misread her signals. He's dismayed to learn she'd been told by Jaga to look after him and that's why she stayed so close. He'd told her and Tygra earlier that he was okay with their relationship but now he let her know that this changes everything. While back in the Berbil village, Panthro likes the look of his modified arms, but they're a little out of control - needs more work!

Kaynar is found being taken to solitary confinement in some prison, after he apparently eliminated some fellow inmates. Slithe and a few henchmen are there to free him, and its implied that Kaynar disposes of the bulldog guards that were escorting him before they leave. The new generals rounded up, they're ready to ambush Lion-O when he tries to save a group of deserting Lizards - which was against the best advices of Cheetara and Tygra to even try a rescue.
Luckily, Lion-O had sent the Thunderkittens back to the Berbil village where they tipped off Panthro to the danger - and he's ready to go with new arms and a suped up ThunderTank that's more like a traveling fortress now.

Panthro shows up just in time, as the fighting trio were in dire straits. Lion-O is disheartened about the new generals and probably also about Cheetara and Tygra having more unity together than to the group...

Quotes:

"You still haven't given up the idea that you can turn the Lizards good just by cutting them a break." - Tygra to Lion-O

"Well, you're back's real easy to watch." - Tygra to Cheetara after she thanked him for watching her back.
"I think I'm gonig to hack up a hairball." - WilyKat's amusing reaction to the mush.

"I'm not asking for loyalty. I want warriors who fight not for treasure but for blood." - Mumm-Ra

"A lizard army will never listen to a monkian and jackalman." - Slithe

"At least I'll have the voices in my head to talk to." - Kaynar's reaction to being put into solitary confinement for killing 7 prisoners.

"Whether they're deserters or prisoners, they're not our problem anymore." - Tygra's view on the deserters plight.

"We'll get through this. We just have to stick together." - Panthro, stating the theme of this episode.

Facts of Note:

The Berbils made the hoverboards the kittens ride.

Classic Compare/Contrast:

In this series, the Berbils made the hoverboards for the kittens. In the classic show, they were something the ThunderCats came up with on their own.
Slithe was not prior acquainted with Addicus (Monkian) and Kaynar (Jackalman), unlike the classic show where the group started out together in pursuit of the Thundercats and the Sword of Omens. The new versions of Monkian and Jackalman are far more fierce and bloodthirsty as well.
Looks like this suped up ThunderTank is going to be like a traveling fortress - melding the idea, perhaps of the old show's Lair and the ThunderTank.

Purrsia's Two Cents:

Love the character designs on Atticus and Kaynar - not sure about them both being murderous lunatics but at least Kaynar does it with a devilish sense of humor I could get used to. The voices, especially for Atticus if you're used to the classic show, can be jarring too. I do like how they were given actual names instead of going by their clan names, and Atticus using his feet in battle was pretty cool too.
As for the comments I've heard about this being like a long toy commercial, same could probably be said for the old series so I can live with that. Plus new gadgets and characters make things interesting.
Panthro's comedic moments with his new arms were amusing, definitely consider those scenes highlights. I would say my biggest beef with this episode was the moment Cheetara surrendered instead of fighting with Lino-O after Tygra was captured. I suppose on one hand you could say she did not want to risk Tygra being killed immediately, but then...all three were about to die so what did that get her? At least fighting would have given a *chance* to save them all. Hopefully more on her thoughts there will come out in the next episode, as it felt pretty wtf to me here.
As a minor critism regarding cheesy romance dialogue - yeah I'm not sure if I'm amused or if that strangled chortle isn't ME choking up a hairball. Hmmm.

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