Original Air Date: June 9, 2012
Episode Written by: Paul Giacoppo, Directed by: Shinichi Matsumi
Article by: Purrsia
WB Summary:
The ThunderCats' search for the Tech Stone leads them high above Thundera to the floating bird city of Avista, where the stone is the power source for their city.
Purrsia's Synopsis:
The ThunderCats manage to salvage a flying vessel they found at the Soul Sever's lair, dubbing the new craft the Feliner. It will take them up where they need to go. Panthro is confident he can fly it til he realizes something he never knew before in the air - he's afraid of heights! Luckily, piloting is in Tygra's blood and he's able to save them from certain disaster after Panthro panics.
Seeing Third Earth from above makes Lion-O think again about unifying the kingdoms of Third Earth.
They finally get above the clouds and find the city of Avista. It is populated by a group of arrogant bird creatures, the Prefect of which is named Vultaire. After some formalities, the Cats finally let them know what they came for and promptly get laughed at. Even after explaining that Mumm-Ra might come after them (and the stone), and that having the stones is Third Earth's only hope, Vultaire is unmoved - not his problem.
So Tygra proposes a bold challenge - if the cats win they get the tech stone. If the birds win, they get the war and spirit stones. The challenge is who can pilot a ship better, something at which Vultaire is sure he can best a mere cat.
Despite Tygra getting a clunker of s ship compared to Vultaire's, and Vultaire pulling some dirty tricks, Tygra wins! But Vultaire renegs on his bargain and has the group of ThunderCats held, planning to get rid of them by morning. With Pumyra's help, the group escapes their quarters only to have Panthro, his fear of heights getting the best of him, tumble off the side of the building. Tygra and Lion-O manage to save him, and the group (sans kittens and Snarf, who were sent back to the Feliner) try to find the stone they feel they won fair and square.
They find the chamber where its held, the Book of Omens pointing the way, but are stymied by a passcode entry console. Pumyra has a solution, bringing back Vultaire by force to let them in. He obliges, but the cats and he have a confrontation in the tech stone chamber - he accuses the cats of once again taking whatever they want like always. He also tells them that the stones were separated for a reason and that its a mistake to unite them. Lastly, the stone's power is what holds up the city in the sky, and if they take the stone, the city will crash to the ground. Lion-O can't bring himself to do what Mumm-Ra did to get what he wants (sacrifice others), so he backs down. But Pumyra is having none of it. She goes for the stone, and gets zapped by the electric shield Vultaire "forgot" to disarm.
Alarms blaring, other birds rush in to surround the Cats...their fate will be determined in part two!
Quotes:
"We're too cute to die!" - the Thunderkittens, once Panthro started freaking out about heights mid-flight.
Cheetara: (in regards to the grand vista in-flight) Panthro, you're missing this!
Panthro: (eyes squeezed tightly shut) See fine from here.
"Third Earth looks so small from up here. All the nations look like a unified whole. Maybe one day..." - Lion-O
"It is our pleasure to welcome you to our home. Any cats who manage to make it up here, despite their limitations, are to be our guests during dinner." - Vultaire, welcoming and insulting the ThunderCats at the same time.
"As you can see, in Avista, technology provides for our every need." - Vultaire.
"Eat whatever's put on your plate!" - WilyKat to Panthro, throwing his own words of advice about manners back at him when the cuisine offered by Vultaire is rather gross and Panthro was curious about the Kittens' stash of candyfruit.
"Stupid magic bag." - Panthro's muttering retort.
"A cat dispensing with manners. Shocking. Please illuminate me as to what you seek in our rarified air. Wisdom? Culture? Elegance?" - Vultaire's response when Pumyra urges Lion-O to drop the formalities and get to the point of their visit.
"We're quite literally above it all." - Vultaire, concerning the problems of Third Earth.
"Remember we are superior to you in every way, and that is why the birds will always own the skies." - Vultaire.
"He's only been a pilot for a few hours and it's kinda gone to his head." - Cheetara, after Tygra issues his flight challenge.
"Shut your beak and fly!" - Tygra to Vultaire.
"Ha! You'll be lucky to leave with your lives. This agreement is void. You forfeit your wager." - Vultaire after he lost and the Thundercats demanded the tech stone.
"I can't *believe* that flying rodent." - Tygra, regarding Vultaire's changing of the rules to fit his favor.
When Panthro didn't want to have to avoid the hall and take the outside way to the stone, and feared Lion-O's order to do so, this exchange followed:
Lion-O: Thundercats...
Panthro: Oh no, don't you say it, do not you say what I think you're gonna say Lion-O!
Lion-O: Ho.
Lion-O: (about Pumyra, who just ran off) Where's she going?
Tygra: Who knows, but I bet she brings back trouble.
"Now, you being so refined and all, you *do* know how to open a door for a lady." - Pumyra, threatening Vultaire with claws beared.
Vultaire: You call us snobs, yet the cats have always looked down on others taking whatever they wished.
Lion-O: That's how cats were, but I've been working to change that.
"Uh, we just figured they were...lost." - Tygra, regarding the stones when Vultaire reveals they were separated purposefully.
"If you won't make the tough choices, I will!" - Pumyra to Lion-O
"Now Horace, take this trash and throw them off this city." - Vultaire's orders for the fate of the Thundercats, to be tossed like the junk scrap.
"We're too cute to die!" - the Thunderkittens, once Panthro started freaking out about heights mid-flight.
Cheetara: (in regards to the grand vista in-flight) Panthro, you're missing this!
Panthro: (eyes squeezed tightly shut) See fine from here.
"Third Earth looks so small from up here. All the nations look like a unified whole. Maybe one day..." - Lion-O
"It is our pleasure to welcome you to our home. Any cats who manage to make it up here, despite their limitations, are to be our guests during dinner." - Vultaire, welcoming and insulting the ThunderCats at the same time.
"As you can see, in Avista, technology provides for our every need." - Vultaire.
"Eat whatever's put on your plate!" - WilyKat to Panthro, throwing his own words of advice about manners back at him when the cuisine offered by Vultaire is rather gross and Panthro was curious about the Kittens' stash of candyfruit.
"Stupid magic bag." - Panthro's muttering retort.
"A cat dispensing with manners. Shocking. Please illuminate me as to what you seek in our rarified air. Wisdom? Culture? Elegance?" - Vultaire's response when Pumyra urges Lion-O to drop the formalities and get to the point of their visit.
"We're quite literally above it all." - Vultaire, concerning the problems of Third Earth.
"Remember we are superior to you in every way, and that is why the birds will always own the skies." - Vultaire.
"He's only been a pilot for a few hours and it's kinda gone to his head." - Cheetara, after Tygra issues his flight challenge.
"Shut your beak and fly!" - Tygra to Vultaire.
"Ha! You'll be lucky to leave with your lives. This agreement is void. You forfeit your wager." - Vultaire after he lost and the Thundercats demanded the tech stone.
"I can't *believe* that flying rodent." - Tygra, regarding Vultaire's changing of the rules to fit his favor.
When Panthro didn't want to have to avoid the hall and take the outside way to the stone, and feared Lion-O's order to do so, this exchange followed:
Lion-O: Thundercats...
Panthro: Oh no, don't you say it, do not you say what I think you're gonna say Lion-O!
Lion-O: Ho.
Lion-O: (about Pumyra, who just ran off) Where's she going?
Tygra: Who knows, but I bet she brings back trouble.
"Now, you being so refined and all, you *do* know how to open a door for a lady." - Pumyra, threatening Vultaire with claws beared.
Vultaire: You call us snobs, yet the cats have always looked down on others taking whatever they wished.
Lion-O: That's how cats were, but I've been working to change that.
"Uh, we just figured they were...lost." - Tygra, regarding the stones when Vultaire reveals they were separated purposefully.
"If you won't make the tough choices, I will!" - Pumyra to Lion-O
"Now Horace, take this trash and throw them off this city." - Vultaire's orders for the fate of the Thundercats, to be tossed like the junk scrap.
Facts of Note:
The kids named the new craft the Feliner
Panthro is afraid of heights.
The kittens still have the Forever Bag.
On Avista, a challenge cannot be withdrawn, only refused.
The kids named the new craft the Feliner
Panthro is afraid of heights.
The kittens still have the Forever Bag.
On Avista, a challenge cannot be withdrawn, only refused.
Classic Compare/Contrast:
Lots of nice references here, and an OS character is back as well!
First, the Feliner was also a ship in the OS, and the design here is recognizable for sure. Second, the leader in Avista is Vultaire - who looks similar to the OS's Vultureman. Vultureman always thought he was better than the other Mutants in the OS, and was the resident tech/genius...so it makes sense then his place in the new series. Although this version has a more refined air to him, which is a nice addition. He also doesn't have the speech patterns of the original character, with the cawing and whatnot. Over all, a nice revision on the character, and as my fave Mutant from the old show, I'm so happy to see him included in this reboot!
The ship Vultaire flew was nothing like Vultureman's old Flying Machine, which is probably for the better.
Another thing of interest was, they gave Panthro an irrational fear, which played into something similar the OS did...gotta give the "tough" one something unexpected to fear, right? Makes for great comedy too, and the new serise made good use of it as well. In the OS, Panthro had a fear of bats, but more amusingly, he also had a fear of spiders (recall, the "hairy baseball" ending scene to Fireballs of Plun-Darr). In the new series, his fear is heights which he only realizes once he's in the air trying to pilot a new flying ship. Uh oh!
Lots of nice references here, and an OS character is back as well!
First, the Feliner was also a ship in the OS, and the design here is recognizable for sure. Second, the leader in Avista is Vultaire - who looks similar to the OS's Vultureman. Vultureman always thought he was better than the other Mutants in the OS, and was the resident tech/genius...so it makes sense then his place in the new series. Although this version has a more refined air to him, which is a nice addition. He also doesn't have the speech patterns of the original character, with the cawing and whatnot. Over all, a nice revision on the character, and as my fave Mutant from the old show, I'm so happy to see him included in this reboot!
The ship Vultaire flew was nothing like Vultureman's old Flying Machine, which is probably for the better.
Another thing of interest was, they gave Panthro an irrational fear, which played into something similar the OS did...gotta give the "tough" one something unexpected to fear, right? Makes for great comedy too, and the new serise made good use of it as well. In the OS, Panthro had a fear of bats, but more amusingly, he also had a fear of spiders (recall, the "hairy baseball" ending scene to Fireballs of Plun-Darr). In the new series, his fear is heights which he only realizes once he's in the air trying to pilot a new flying ship. Uh oh!
Purrsia's Two Cents:
This was an excellent episode, the reveal of Vultaire perhaps clouding my judgment just a bit with bias ;) It did bring together a lot of what the arc has been leading to, finally - as I guess it should with one ep to go after this. But Lion-O mentioning the uniting of the tribes again, the tech stone found...the history lesson back to the early fates of the different animal clans...nice! There was an abundance of amusing moments, and witty lines too. Personally I thought it was funny to have Panthro that afraid of heights. And of course, for those following the romance ties, you had your Ty/Chee moments, and a few Lion-O/Pumyra ones as well.
Pretty interesting that Lion-O ended up faced with a similar decision as Mumm-Ra had regarding the tech stone - take it at the detriment of a people...although the birds can fly right? Seems like the city plummeting to the ground would effect the wingless cats more but eh...what do I know?
Probably the thing I found most far-fetched was Pumyra single-handedly capturing Vultaire and bringing him back unchallenged - with just her claws to threaten him with. Really?
P.S. Bonus 80s nerdery reference for the Simon game-like entry console...lights and sounds included :)
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This was an excellent episode, the reveal of Vultaire perhaps clouding my judgment just a bit with bias ;) It did bring together a lot of what the arc has been leading to, finally - as I guess it should with one ep to go after this. But Lion-O mentioning the uniting of the tribes again, the tech stone found...the history lesson back to the early fates of the different animal clans...nice! There was an abundance of amusing moments, and witty lines too. Personally I thought it was funny to have Panthro that afraid of heights. And of course, for those following the romance ties, you had your Ty/Chee moments, and a few Lion-O/Pumyra ones as well.
Pretty interesting that Lion-O ended up faced with a similar decision as Mumm-Ra had regarding the tech stone - take it at the detriment of a people...although the birds can fly right? Seems like the city plummeting to the ground would effect the wingless cats more but eh...what do I know?
Probably the thing I found most far-fetched was Pumyra single-handedly capturing Vultaire and bringing him back unchallenged - with just her claws to threaten him with. Really?
P.S. Bonus 80s nerdery reference for the Simon game-like entry console...lights and sounds included :)
Captures From What Lies Above Part 1
PURRSIA'S SCREEN SHOTS
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