George Hampton & Mike Moore
Reviewed by: KeMA
Snarf walks into the control room of Cats' Lair ThunDERa as Cheetara, Lynx-O and Lion-O listen to a distress signal coming from a project 27 capsule (ThunDERian) in space. Lion-O determines that a crew be sent to its location. Cheetara points out that the capsule's position is beyond the Feliner's range. Lion-O is confidant Panthro will put together something so the Feliner can reach the capsule.
Sometime later, Ben-Gali, Lion-O, Panthro and Cheetara are fueling huge booster attachments on the Feliner. Panthro has been successful in finding a way for the Feliner to get to the capsule, however, the fuel it takes to make the boosters run has taken much of the Thundrillium supply the Thundercats have. Lion-O plans to search for Thundrillium supplies with Ben-Gali, Snarf, Snarfer and Egbert while Cheetara and Panthro take the Feliner on the rescue mission.
Mumm-Ra and Mu-Mutt view the Thundercats' beginning on their search through his cauldron as he plans to sabotage their efforts.
Ben-Gali, joined by Snarfer, Egbert and reach an old mine's entrance hoping to find a vein or two of Thundrillium. However, it is full of Thunderstone deposits and Ben-Gali urges caution to his Snarf friends, because the mineral is very explosive. At one point, Snarfer decides to climb one slope of the old mine to see if there is any Thundrillium. Ben-Gali again urges caution and that the Snarf not go too high up the slope. Snarfer dislodges a Thunderstone ball in his haste. Ben-Gali and the Snarfs do their best to catch it as it bounces about, but fail.
Nearby, Lion-O and Snarf feel an explosion caused by the Thunderstone detonating in the mine. Another explosion soon follows. They notice smoke bellowing from a cliff nearby. The Eye of ThunDERa growls and shows Lion-O that Ben-Gali and his crew are trapped in Thunderstone Mountain. The two then seek out their friends.
Ben-Gali and the Snarfs realize the explosion has sealed off their only exit out of the mine and their only air supply source. Ben-Gali confides in Snarfer he is more concerned about running out of air than about the tunnel caving in as they make an attempt to escape. Ben-Gali muffles Snarfer's surprise so as not to alert the others of the danger. He then shares his hope that Lion-O and Snarf heard the explosion and are on their way to help them get out safely.
Lion-O and Snarf arrive outside the mine's cave in entrance not long after. Snarf urges Lion-O to use the Sword of Omens to get their friends out. Lion-O won't because he fears the Eye's power would set off the Thunderstone and possibly level the mountain. Lion-O decides that the best way is to get the Thundertank, however, it runs on Thundrillium and the power source is on empty. In order to save their friends, they must continue to find more Thundrillium, mine it, refine it and fill up the Thundertank.
Lion-O and Snarf return to the path on which they were on, and then Snarf trips on a foot-sized rock and falls off the side. Lion-O quickly tries to keep up with Snarf as he falls, even after Snarf plops onto a boulder and tries to keep from being crushed by it as it falls. Snarf lands safely (nearly impossible) near a lake. Lion-O makes sure Snarf is okay before checking out a glow nearby. They find a large supply of Thundrillium and begin to pick it out of the earth.
Meanwhile, Mumm-Ra grumbles about the Thundercats' success in finding an abundant supply of their fuel source. He decides to resurrect the most powerful alchemist of all time, Malcar. He calls on the Ancient of Spirits of Evil to bring Malcar to the Black Pyramid.
Mumm-Ra is taken back by Malcar's advanced age when Malcar appears. Mumm-Ra wants him to be at his strongest. Malcar quips he must have known Malcar would have returned at the same age as he was when he had died. Mumm-Ra figures out that he can send Malcar to the Canyons of Youth to return Malcar to an age when he was the most powerful in his alchemy.
In the meantime, Ben-Gali and Snarf continue to move rocks and earth as they wait for their friends to help them. They are clearly fatigued by their efforts.
Malcar returns to the Black Pyramid a young adult with his orb of Orro. The orb can convert iron to gold, stones to diamond and Thundrillium to Thundranium.
Lion-O and Snarf continue to mine the Thundrillium they found. Snarf isn't so sure they can get enough to power up the Thundertank in time. Lion-O encourages him to work harder.
Malcar suddenly appears and turns the Thundrillium Lion-O and Snarf have already mined from the earth into Thundranium. Lion-O attempts to call for help, but collapses due to the radiation from the changed mineral. Snarf does his best to stop Malcar, but is knocked into the nearby wall of rocks, becoming wedged.
Jaga appears to Lion-O, takes the Sword of Omens from the younger lord and plunges the sword into the pile of Thundranium to revert the radiated ore back to Thundrillium. In doing so, Malcar is weakened and returned to old age. Mumm-Ra observes this and asks the Ancient Spirits of Evil to return Malcar to the Canyons of Youth. Jaga disappears after helping Lion-O and Snarf. The two look at the reverted pile of Thundrillium and Lion-O decides they have enough to fuel the tank. Lion-O commands the ethereal weapon to make the Thundrillium into a block, so Lion-O can carry it. Lion-O then commands the Eye/Sword to take him quickly back to the Cats' Lair so he can fuel the tank.
During this time, Malcar continues to get younger once again in the Canyons of Youth. While Mumm-Ra waits for Malcar to reach his peak age, Jaga appears to stop Mumm-Ra from bringing Malcar to the pyramid again.
Ben-Gali and the Snarfs are having a time of breathing and can no longer work on freeing the rocks from the cave-in. However, Lion-O comes along in the Thundertank as Snarf makes his way back to the caved-in mouth of Thunderstone Mountain. When there, Lion-O uses the Eye's power to keep falling debris from his effort in the Thundertank to reach their friends in time.
Jaga successfully delays Mumm-Ra from retrieving Malcar at his peak age. Mumm-Ra abandons his attempt to stop the Thundercats this time, thus abandoning Malcar to his new future. Malcar becomes a baby who breaks his orb while attempting to entertain himself on the side of a lake in the Canyons of Youth.
Cheetara and Panthro arrive back at the Lair with the rescued survivor couple of the capsule. Cheetara introduces the mates to Lion-O, Ben-Gali and the Snarfs, plus baby Malcar. The survivors choose to adopt Malcar. Lion-O asks them to not teach Malcar magic. Apparently, Cheetara and Panthro had been briefed about Malcar's situation sometime before they landed, and therefore told the survivor couple because they all laugh with understanding at Lion-O's request. Baby Malcar is not amused at the realization he won't become an alchemist again.
-End-
"Don't just float there, Mu-Mutt! Do something!" - Mumm-Ra
"Whatever you do, don't teach him magic." - Lion-O
Captures from Malcar
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