Leonard Starr
Reviewed by Brandon Tomblin (aka Alluro Fan)
Site: TF Archive as Jhiaxus
Email: king_sexy18@hotmail.com
Before Lion-O loses his grip on the ledge, Hachiman comes to his senses and pulls Lion-O back on the bridge. Lion-O explains that there is Thundrainium down in the pits below and that it weakens Thundercats and takes their strength. Hachiman then realizes that Lion-O went through a dangerous risk in helping a friend, even when that friend was attacking him. Hachiman then appologizes for his actions and helps Lion-O back to the Sky-Cutter. Lion-O then explains that he's come to Fire Rock Mountain to free the Thunderians from the Mutants. Hachiman tries to rush back across the bridge by himself to save the Thunderians, but Lion-O stops hims and says that's it too dangerous for him to do it alone.
Back at Mumm-Ra's pyramid, the mummy sees that Hachiman has broken his spell and has renewed his friendship with Lion-O. To counter Hachiman's rebellion, Mumm-Ra uses the cauldron to contact Captain Shiner on the Vertis. Mumm-Ra then orders Shiner to go to FRM to destroy the Thundercats, who are all on their way there. Shiner agrees, but of course, it will be expensive as fuck for Mumm-Ra. After Shiner starts his approach toward FRM, he is met by Tygra and Cheetara in the Hovercat and Thunderclaw. They dock on the hull and enter the Vertis and do battle with Shiner and his crew. Tygra and Cheetara make quick work of the baddies and tie them up. They then program the ship to go full throttle into space in ten seconds. Tygra and Cheetara then race outside the Vertis and get back on their small vehicles just as the Vertis takes off into space. The two Thundercats then continue on to FRM.
Meanwhile, out in the sea, the Berzerkers catch up to their ship and retake control of it, much to the dismay of Turmagar and Snarf. They then turn around in the gomplin and begin to attack the Berzerkers. Suddenly, Wilykit and Wilykat show up on their space boards to help out. The gomplin is hit in the fight and Snarf tells Turmagar to get back to Tuskania to take care of it. Snarf says for Turmagar to just drop him off on the beach and he'll find his own way to FRM. Turmagar and agrees and they leave the Thunderkittens to battle the Berzerkers alone, which doesn't look good for the kids.
Elsewhere, on the land approach to FRM, Panthro is driving the Thundertank on the road when his sensors detect Monkian and the Fist-Pounder waiting for him. A battle then ensues between Panthro and Monkian; first in their vehicles, then hand-to-hand combat. Panthro then gets aboard the Fist-Pounder and turns it on Monkian, who now has to run away from his own tank! Panthro then exits the Fist-Pounder and leaves for FRM in the Thundertank.
Back in the sea, the Berzerkers are giving a major hurting to Wilykat and Wilykit until they see Monkian's Fist-Pounder heading off a cliff, right towards their ship. Before the Berzerkers can flee, the Fist-Pounder lands on the Berzerkers' ship and sinks it, along with the Berzerkers themselves. The Thunderkittens then head for FRM themselves.
At FRM, Panthro, Tygra, Cheetara, and the Thunderkittens have all come to assist Lion-O and Hachiman. Suddenly, Mumm-Ra appears at FRM and zaps Hachiman into thin air. Jaga then appears before Lion-O and tells him that Hachiman is alright and that Mumm-Ra just sent him back to his own time and dimension. Lion-O fears that all is lost, since they can't cross the Thundrainium pits, but Jaga has an answer for him: the Star Of Thundera. Jaga explains that the Star Of Thundera will render the Thundrainium harmless to Lion-O, or anyone else that possesses it. Jaga then says he will try to get it for Lion-O and vanishes. Mumm-Ra overhears this and exclaims that there is only one being who can stop Jaga: Grune The Destroyer! In space, Jaga is getting close to the Star Of Thundera, when Grune appears in front of it and challenges Jaga to a fight for the star. Jaga agrees and the two duke it out. Grune manages to knock Jaga backwards toward a black hole. However, before Jaga's spirit can be destroyed, he is pulled back by the Star of Thundera! The Star of Thundera also banishes Grune away, so he can do no more harm. The star then agrees to let Jaga possess its power, since he intends to use it for good. Jaga then makes a talisman out of the star and presents it to Lion-O as a necklace back at FRM.
Meanwhile, inside the cave at FRM, the Thunderians are nearing the exit. Suddenly, the door to the cave opens and Slithe and Jackalman exit, followed closesly by the Thunderians. Mumm-Ra orders the two Mutants to throw the Thunderians into the Thundrainium pits, but they are stopped and defeated by Lion-O and the Thunderians. Lion-O then tells the Thunderians that if they keep in contact with him, the Thundrainium can't harm them. The four then join hands and cross the bridge, when Mumm-Ra appears again and sees that Lion-O is wearing the Star Of Thundera around his neck. Mumm-Ra then transforms into his ever-living form and snatches the necklace from Lion-O. Mumm-Ra then flies back to the cave entrance and attempts to open the talisman to gain its power, but Jaga appears to Mumm-Ra and warns him not to do it. Mumm-Ra ignores Jaga's warning and does it anyway, and the talisman's power destroys FRM and Mumm-Ra with it. Afterward, Lion-O asks Jaga if the Star Of Thundera really did destroy Mumm-Ra, and Jaga says that it probably did, since all men who seek such power are ultimately destroyed and that the Star Of Thundera belongs to the universe alone. Jaga then disappears from the others.
Panthro then exclaims that the war is not over, because Ratar-O and Vultureman still have to pay for what they did to the Thundertank (in Part Three). Snarf finally joins the others and says that that won't be necessary, since the Rat Star is already disabled. Later, all of the Thundercats and Thunderians arrive back at 'Cats Lair. The three Thunderians thank the Thundercats for saving them, but Bengali and Pumyra don't even know their savior's name. Lynx-O then tells his comrades that their savior is Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats. When Lion-O asks Lynx-O how he knew, Lynx-O says it's because Lion-O sounds like his father. Lion-O then asks the wise old man to tell him more, since Lion-O was just a child when Thundera was destroyed. Lynx-O then says that he'll be glad to tell Lion-O everything when they visit. Lion-O then exclaims that the three will all be living at the Lair, since because they handled themselves so well throughout the ordeal, that they have every right to become Thundercats. And with that, Lion-O uses the sword to give Thundercat insignias to Lynx-O, Bengali, and Pumyra to officially make them a part of the team.
It's established in this episode that Hachiman is indeed from another time and dimension that most would agree is likely feudal Japan. Keep this in mind for later series appearances by Hachiman, though, as it gets a little weird.
This is also the only time in the series fans get to see how it is Thundercats are chosen other than lineage - and it's such a rigorous system lol Win them over and you're a Thundercat...oh brother!
As a whole, I'd give this 5-part series a four insignia rating on average. Though I loved the idea of new Thundercats and the way they were introduced, I thought there were too many other characters brought back and they STILL couldn't whip the ThunderCats (not to mention plot faux pas like Hammerhand...wasn't he supposed to be dead? (see "Spitting Image") LOL). And there were a few other fairly lame plot contrivances, including the Star of Thundera. We already have the uber-tool of a sword...did we really need another ultra-powerful item to serve as the deux ex machina? It may make for variety in your sarcastic "yeah, right", but I think one all-purpose problem solver is enough, thanks!
And one last note...this is just a pet peeve so I can't really dock an episode for this, but I truly hate it when a series goes into its new season and new music plays during some of the sequences. It just throws me off, man :: cringe :: Yeah I know, some of the old soundtrack stayed but it was mixed up just enough to annoy me nonetheless.
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Captures from Thundercats Ho! Part 5
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