Integration

[Epitaph]

While I liked parts of this episode, I agree with most of the posters that it felt...off. Nothing has really felt fresh or new about the new Thundercats since the Trials of Lion-O. The humour at the beginning was cute (Pumyra's face killed me), but that's really where it should have stayed. I like my Thundercats funny, but not when they should be worrying about the giant sand monster trying to squish them!

I think the writers have failed at keeping the urgent tone that the first 13 episodes had. Although they are in the same situation, and with the Sword of Plundarr in Mumm-Ra's hands, things may have even gotten worse, but they're still a disorganized species divided into sects and more or less leaderless, since Lion-O still has not made any real moves towards galvanizing his people to fight (what happened after he set them free? Do they even have anywhere to go? Mumm-ra's forces are still everywhere, who will protect them?) The Cats have made strides, but their situation is a bad one.

And although I've enjoyed the addition of Pumyra (she's so different from Cheetara, and so rough around the edges, although occasionally I get frustrated with the way she seems so jaded, and yet still expects Lion-O to fix everything for her, or he's not a worthy king), I don't feel the group has made any headway in their development either. Lion-O's growth seems stalled, and Tygra and Cheetara don't seem to do much anymore besides make goo goo eyes at each other, and occasionally serve as support in battles. Panthro is still Panthro (and thank heavens for that!)

I don't have a problem with Lion-O pursuing Pumyra, despite his rejection by Cheetara. He is, after all, supposed to be a teenage boy. I'm generalizing here, but in high school, bouncing from one relationship to another wasn't all that uncommon. Very few people found 'true love' in high school, rather someone they enjoyed being with at the time. But I don't think the relationship between the two of them should be shoved down our throats the way it has been. Hints are fun, obvious devotion to a romantic plot? Not so much.

I did enjoy Tygra being a doofus. I could totally see him chasing bugs like that as a child. But it felt out of place with the giant-monster-coming-to-eat-you thing. If they were going to do a filler episode with Lion-O's love life and silly potions, I kind of wish they had done it, but left the killer monster to another episode.

The animation, at least, continues to improve with every episode. The sequence where Lion-O fought the Sycorax near the beginning of the episode was gorgeous. Really loved that.

"If you can't beat 'em, run 'em over!!" Again, thank goodness for Panthro XD I never seem to have any complaints about him. Also, the caterpillar Lucy was completely adorable. I want one <3

Tygra's line at the end was also somehow refreshingly Tygra. And Lion-O's resigned attitude to a drugged Tygra? Made me smile. It's nice to see him with the 'Sigh, my brother is an idiot' attitude once in a while.




tl; dr: I feel like the writers need to get the characters' heads back in the game, and remember that they're fighting an evil tyrant for the survival of their race and the safety of their planet. I don't mind filler episodes, I really liked the ones that gave Tygra and Kit and Kat's backstory. But they should be done in a way that doesn't let us forget that we're on a mission to save the world.

...Whew. Sorry for the long post ^^;;