Original Air Date: May 05, 2012
Episode Written by: Todd Casey, Directed by: Tomoya Takahashi
Article by: Purrsia
WB Summary:
The ThunderCats must infiltrate the mines of Mount Plundarr where Ratar-O is holding Cats as slaves. There they learn the legend of the Sword of Plundarr, which they must now retrieve while also freeing their people.
Purrsia's Synopsis:
Inside of Mount Plun-Darr, Thunderian slaves lead miserable existances working to dig out the famed Sword of Plun-Darr. Their rat masters are only part of their worries, as there's said to be a curse that kills anyone that seeks the Sword. Ratar-O bought his slaves from the lizards, so he figure numbers are in his favor. He and his henchman, Mordax, enjoy making the slaves sweat over who is going into the mine after the Sword next.
Outside the mines, the adult Thundercats, along with Pumyra, try to decide what to do. They know from Pumyra that they're after the Sword of Plun-Darr. Lion-O knows from the Book of Omens that this Sword rivals the power of his own Sword of Omens, so they know they can't let it fall into Mumm-Ra's hands. He realizes this Sword has to be a priority even over the other stones. They also must free their enslaved people.
Cheetara volunteers to find the Sword while the others free slaves, but then Tygra wants to go with here (if the Thunderkittens had been there, they'd have hacked up another hair ball due to the flirting, haha).
While Lion-O, Panthro and Pumyra go to free the slaves, Tygra and Cheetara use their respective powers of invisibility and super speed to sneak some disguises figuring they'll blend in with the slaves and infiltrate the mines. Cheetara is thinking this is a bad idea. And she seems to be right when a guard closes their shackles.
Meanwhile, Pumyra sees slaves being mistreated and can't control herself. She's all set to finish off the rat holding the whip, but Lion-O convinces her to show mercy. But unfortunately for Lion-O, Mordax is not like the lizard back in Thundera, and the trio of slave freers only end up being captured for their kindness.
Down in the mines, Cheetara and Tygra volunteer to be the next to look for the sword. Their hands are freed, and they are lowered down into the the mine - but not before hearing about this so-called curse. Cheetara is a bit worried, but Tygra shrugs it off as a tale to keep the slaves scared. When the cable to their elevator snaps, the two narrowly escape plunging to their deaths. Cheetara cites the curse, but Tygra's bravado remains in check.
In the meantime, Mordax brings his new captives before Ratar-O, excited to have the Sword of Omens to give over to the rat leader. Soon, Ratar-O launches into a tale about the Sword of Plun-Darr and how his ancestor, Ratilla, found it in the swamps. According to Ratar-O, his ancestor's discovery of the Sword was a great boon to the rats and they rose to power. But the arrogant cats thought they abused this newfound power, and sent the wizard Jaga - weilding the Sword of Omens - to get the Sword of Plun-Darr from Ratilla. Jaga, he explains, put the curse on the Sword once he defeated Ratilla and sunk it into the earth, letting a mountain rise over it. Essentially burying it forever, to keep it out of the wrong hands. Once the cat slaves get the sword for him, Ratar-O will rule supreme.
Cheetara and Tygra continue to dodge waht Tygra still likes to think of as coincidence and bad luck. Until they happen upon the Sword, which is buried in some kind of quartz-like crystal. Cheetara senses the energy around it was Jaga's work, and knows how to free the Sword. It works, but now it seems the whole cavern will cave in on them.
The tremors disturb what was supposed to be Lion-O and company's executions, and instead Ratar-O's home crumbles around him. In the mine, Tygra wants Cheetara to make a run for it but she refuses. They spend what they assume could be their last moments sharing a deep kiss. When the tremor passes, they're pleased to see they survived.
Ratar-O's abode is in ruins, but everyone also has survived there. Only, a few are pinned under large slabs of stone. So it comes down to Lion-O vs Ratar-O. When Mordax appears and has the upper hand over Lion-O, the earlier display of mercy pays off. The henchman, tired of being treated worse by his own kind than he was by Lion-O, throws down his weapon insisting Ratar-O kill Lion-O himself. Furthermore, he tosses Lion-O his own Sword and sheath. Now the real fight can begin!
Ratar-O is defeated and he heads back underground. The slaves are set free, Lion-O instructing them they'll be safe in the settlement outside the old ruins of Thundera. Tygra and Cheetara stroll up with their find, but Cheetara warns it's not a weapon for cats to weild. She suggests they take it to the Tower of Omens to keep it out of the wrong hands. But it looks like the wrong hands are within reach, when Mumm-Ra's army is seen on the horizon...
Quotes:
"Funny how things change. Not long ago the cats had all the other animals pinned under their claws. Now, the once great hunters have become the hunted!" - Ratar-O, to two cats attempting to escape the mines.
"Enough flirting. Let's do something about those slaves." - Panthro, breaking up everyone's lovey dovey exchanges.
"You're lucky you're cute." - Cheetara's response after Tygra tried to make light of their shackles getting locked.
"Sometimes mercy can be an even greater weapon than the sword." - Lion-O's plea to Pumyra to show mercy to a rat.
"So you're the child king of the ThunderCats." - Ratar-O, upon meeting Lion-O.
"I know it sounds strange, but the magic I sense it feels like Jaga's work. And that magic flows through me as well." - Cheetara
"Maybe you should start with me. He's got to get us out of this." - Panthro, suggesting he be executed first, instead of Lion-O.
"If this is our last moment together, then we better make the most of it." - Tygra to Cheetara.
"You're a tyrant who rules by fear. Your people are just slaves on the other side of the whip." - Lion-O to Ratar-O
"Funny how things change. Not long ago the cats had all the other animals pinned under their claws. Now, the once great hunters have become the hunted!" - Ratar-O, to two cats attempting to escape the mines.
"Enough flirting. Let's do something about those slaves." - Panthro, breaking up everyone's lovey dovey exchanges.
"You're lucky you're cute." - Cheetara's response after Tygra tried to make light of their shackles getting locked.
"Sometimes mercy can be an even greater weapon than the sword." - Lion-O's plea to Pumyra to show mercy to a rat.
"So you're the child king of the ThunderCats." - Ratar-O, upon meeting Lion-O.
"I know it sounds strange, but the magic I sense it feels like Jaga's work. And that magic flows through me as well." - Cheetara
"Maybe you should start with me. He's got to get us out of this." - Panthro, suggesting he be executed first, instead of Lion-O.
"If this is our last moment together, then we better make the most of it." - Tygra to Cheetara.
"You're a tyrant who rules by fear. Your people are just slaves on the other side of the whip." - Lion-O to Ratar-O
Classic Compare/Contrast:
As compared to the classic series, there's a few similarities. First, Ratar-O's design and weapons are very similar to the classic show. His history, not so much - although they did keep the name of his ancestor, Ratilla, intact. Ratilla's design is quite different. But he did go up against Jaga trying to keep the Sword of Plun-Darr, which is a similar plot from the old show. Also, Jaga buries it to get rid of it here, just as he did in the old show. Though this show handled it better.
As compared to the classic series, there's a few similarities. First, Ratar-O's design and weapons are very similar to the classic show. His history, not so much - although they did keep the name of his ancestor, Ratilla, intact. Ratilla's design is quite different. But he did go up against Jaga trying to keep the Sword of Plun-Darr, which is a similar plot from the old show. Also, Jaga buries it to get rid of it here, just as he did in the old show. Though this show handled it better.
Purrsia's Two Cents:
Some things didn't bother me as much on the second watch-through, such as Tygra's over-confident statements. I sensed something behind the bravado on second watch so it made it less grating, haha.
I'm not sure where this Pumyra flirting with Lion-O thing is going, but it still strikes me a bit weird she's SO loyal (and apparently, into him) so soon after wanting to kiss his ass to death. If I were Lion-O, I'd steer clear of her...makes for a scary girlfriend! Also kinda wondering about the kittens and how they were so easily left behind. I know they're still after Tookit and their stuff from the last ep, but struck me as odd the adults would just move right along without a mention or thought.
Otherwise, it was an interesting and necessary side-trip - and hey at least they mentioned the stones and why this was more important than that mission. This ep had quite a few humorous moments in it too, good one-liners. The rats had a nice history, and their motivations were well understood. All considered, it was a pretty good ep!
Some things didn't bother me as much on the second watch-through, such as Tygra's over-confident statements. I sensed something behind the bravado on second watch so it made it less grating, haha.
I'm not sure where this Pumyra flirting with Lion-O thing is going, but it still strikes me a bit weird she's SO loyal (and apparently, into him) so soon after wanting to kiss his ass to death. If I were Lion-O, I'd steer clear of her...makes for a scary girlfriend! Also kinda wondering about the kittens and how they were so easily left behind. I know they're still after Tookit and their stuff from the last ep, but struck me as odd the adults would just move right along without a mention or thought.
Otherwise, it was an interesting and necessary side-trip - and hey at least they mentioned the stones and why this was more important than that mission. This ep had quite a few humorous moments in it too, good one-liners. The rats had a nice history, and their motivations were well understood. All considered, it was a pretty good ep!
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