Integration

[vantheman77]

Originally the first season was going to have 26 episodes, but they decided to have 13 instead as this would create a long-term plan for the new Thundercats. This was an anti-climactic end to the first season and it was an episode full of one-sidedness. I can see that the writer for this and Into The Astral Plane probably hasn't watched the rest of the new series.

The fight between Lion-O and Tygra showed Tygra besting Lion-O in swordsmanship, something that Lion-O should be best at and this clearly detracts from Lion-O because Tygra beats him in everything as this made Lion-O look bad. Not to mention that Tygra ends up getting Cheetara thus betraying Lion-O, which was what the elephant people foretold. I don't believe this is the end of the sibling rivalry between Lion-O and Tygra as things will likely continue to be a problem between the two. The only real moment for Lion-O was when he got the Spirit Stone and he figured this out all on his own. Lion-O could've gotten the stone by himself.

However, one would have expected sympathy for Tygra but not so when they revealed the flashbacks of his younger years when he deliberately tried to kill Lion-O. He told Lion-O he would never betray him then and now, that wasn't the case at the end of the episode.

So far, the Thundercats have both the Book of Omens and the Spirit Stone as they're on the lead over Mumm-Ra, whom they need to build up as a real threat. So far, he's been portrayed as a trivial threat instead.

Panthro and Grune have their duel which was what the season was building to that ends with tragedy on both characters. This was the real highlight than Lion-O/ Tygra and the Spirit Stone. They've done something I never thought they'd do and that's to show Panthro losing his arms. If you saw the second wave of figures, we can see where this is heading for Panthro. Grune may be dead or sucked into the Astral Plane, along with Panthro's arms. It's basically a symbolism of Panthro losing part of himself, along with his friendship and rivalry with Grune. It was funny seeing Snarf playing nursemaid to Panthro.

Whatever teases they've had between Lion-O and Cheetara is out the window as she chose Tygra over Lion-O. I doubt things will ever be the same between Lion-O and Cheetara, but if I were Lion-O I'd rather break off to undergo the real trials of the king, which we won't see until the next season.

The twins also had their moments when Wilykat starts to emerge as a Thunderkitten warrior willing to defend the Elephant village and took out several lizards with a big gun. Wilykit got the Elephants to fight for their village. The elephants could be a good match for the giants.

This and Into The Astral Plane belonged to Tygra more than anyone else - he saved the Thundercats with the Thundertank, bested Lion-O in the duel of swordsmanship, and got Cheetara.