Thunder...Thunder...THUNDERCATS! HOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't tell you how many times I have said that as a child and also as a grown man. Ha! This was one of my favorite cartoons while growing up. The Thundercats debuted in 1985 and ran until 1989, and then had a reboot released in 2011. The Thundercats themselves are a heroic group of cat-like humanoid aliens. They left their home planet of Thundera, chased by their enemies the Mutants, and crash landed on Third Earth; which they in turn, renamed New Thundera. The story is kind of strange. When I was a kid, the Thundercats were absolutely the good guys, but now that I'm older it kind of looks like a Christopher Columbus situation. Where the Thundercats found a new planet and totally took over the place, renaming it and things in whatever way they wanted. So, who is really the good guys? The invading Thundercats or the native Mumm-Ra? That's for another post though, so let's meet the Thundercats!
Lion-o: The leader of the Thundercats. When the cats left Thundera, Liono was only a 10 year old boy, but was put into a cryofreeze that matured his body but not his mind. When the Thundercats crashed on New Thundera, Lion-o awoke to find himself fully grown but still behaving like a child. He was forced to learn how to use his abilities and grow up enough to actually lead the Thundercats. He was dubbed the leader and given two weapons. The "Sword of Omens" is an unbreakable blade that has two forms. The first, when dormant, is dagger sized; but when Lion-o says, "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!" The dagger's cross guard grows slightly and curves so that Lion-o can fit his eyes behind it. Doing this allows him to see over great distances. When called into action with Lion-o saying, "Thunder...thunder....Thundercats! HOOOO!!!!" The dagger grows with each utterance of "thunder" until it is a full sized sword. When in this form, the Sword of Omens can fire bolts of energy as well as send out a signal that alerts all Thundercats to Lion-o's presence and troubles. Lion-o also carries a "claw shield" and it looks exactly like it sounds. It's a shield that fits over Lion-o's hand and forearm and can fire grappling lines from its claws. It also acts as a sheathe for the Sword of Omens. Without his weapons, Lion-o is still quite formidable. He's strong, fast, and agile as well as cunning, skillful, and intelligent. While he may be a boy in a man's body, and sometimes behaves that way, he has passed the "Anointment Trials" with flying colors to be named the Lord of the Thundercats. He passed the trials without any weapons, and also fought Mumm-Ra and the Mutants as a final battle.
Panthro - is a great warrior and the mechanic/pilot of the Thundercats. He's physically the strongest of all the Thundercats and also an expert in martial arts. With some help from Tygra, Panthro built all of the vehicles used by the Thundercats including the Thundertank, which will be an added weapon in this tournament. Panthro carries a pair of nunchaku that have different colored cat paws for handles. Inside each one is a chemical compound and items that Panthro can use in battle. He wears spikes on his costume that can also be fired as projectile weapons or used for rappelling lines. He's a loyal Thundercat and one their greateset warriors.
Tygra - is described as the staunch, level-headed member of the Thundercats and referred to as Lion-o's second-in-command. He's responsible for all Thundercat structures on 3rd Earth/New Thundera namely the Cat's Lair and the Tower of Omens. He also has "mind-power", or telepathy, that allows him to create lifelike images in other people's minds. However, this ability is a great train on Tygra, so it's not an ability he can use often. He carries a whip with 3 tips that end in rock hard spheres. The whip can double as a bola, to be used to capture fleeing enemies.
Cheetara - is the only adult female on the team. She is described as being as lovely as she is brave and caring. She is often the voice of reason and has a "sixth sense" that can detect when something is unsafe or if evil is near. Kind of like a "spidey-sense" but not nearly as strong. Along with this sixth sense comes a slight ability to see the future, but using this power leaves her greatly weakened. Cheetara is also the team's speedster! No where near as fast as the other speedsters in this tournament, but fast enough. She's been clocked at over 120 m.p.h. during a morning jog. She also carries a retractable Bo Staff as her primary weapon that she can wield at great speeds and with tremendous force.
Wiley Kit and Wiley Kat - I'm putting them together because individually they are the weakest members of the team, but together they are as strong as a full grown Thundercat. Since they are so young, they aren't looked at as physically intimidating, however they are mischief makers and often use tricks, slingshots, and other gimmick weapons in their fights against evil. They are also the most agile members of the team, which lends a lot to their own defense. Technically they are older than Lion-o, but are still in their teenaged bodies. They are pretty inseperable and work together extremely well, with one expertly complimenting the other.
Jagara - takes the Thundercats up a notch powerwise. They are already a formidable team, but Jagara gives them an edge because she is an immortal sorceress. She is able to levitate, teleport, and use pyschokinesis (the ability to move objects with your mind). She is extremely powerful, but slightly less so than Mumm-Ra.
The Odds:
The Thundercats are a team of proven warriors, their teamwork and cunning make them WAY stronger than the SilverHawks (the space version of the Thundercats). In the first round they have a tough fight against the Avengers. I, for one, can't wait to talk about the Sword of Omens clashing with Captain America's unbreakable vibranium shield! It should be a great discussion!
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