Integration

[Burning Bright]

After watching last week's episode I thought I knew what Tygra's test would be. Looking at the preview clip I was right, but Lion-O failing it is a twist I didn't see coming. I'm still wondering what Panthro's test will be. The "Strength" one from the old series just wouldn't work with this Lion-O and undersells this incarnation of Panthro as well. Oh, well, only a few more hours to find out.

I'm hoping that, starting with this episode or the next, the 4 adult Thundercats will have their full capabilities restored. Losing them for plot conveniences is poor writing, which this show didn't have for the first 13 episodes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balgus82

I mean honestly, Lion-O beat the Duelist right? And he was supposedly the best fighter in the land (at least with swords).

Yeah, that example right there was one of the particularly galling aspects to Lion-O's fight with Slithe in 'New Alliances'. Slithe should have been disarmed in under 15 seconds. In fact, that episode wasn't even consistent with Cheetara, Lion-O, and Tygra's combat capabilities between the beginning of the episode and the end. Inconsistency for plot goals is just amateurishness and/or laziness on the part of the writer. I can understand that they wanted Mumm-Ra's generals to be a more credible threat than the Mutants in the original series, but it could have been done through other means.

I'm hoping that writing will end once the pressures of jamming in Lion-O's new trials is done.

That could be done in episode 16 here if, for instance, Lion-O uses the knowledge that he gained from his trip into the Book of Omens about Mumm-Ra's 'pyramid' being a spaceship (or aspects of how some systems are controlled) to give himself (and the others) an edge in beating Mumm-Ra and getting the sword back.

Time will tell, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sining

Mumm-ra's wording is fairly interesting in the 2nd clip. He goes 'the king is dead, the sword will finally be mine' without considering the option that Tygra can be king. Does that mean the sword is only keyed to work properly for lions?

Mumm-Ra had no hand in the creation of the sword, so he may believe that is how it works (keyed on the bloodline of the original wielder), but he really doesn't know (just like he didn't know when he attacked Thundera that he couldn't simply pluck-out the War-stone as soon as he got the sword). Each of the four special stones appears to have some degree of intellect (as demonstrated by the Spirit-stone judging Lion-O worthy of having a shot at a second life), so they could judge on their own whether or not someone is worthy to wield their power.

Mumm-Ra could be grasping on the idea that I just presented about the stones. Since no one else was formally designated as the sword's new recipient before the previous king died, Mumm-Ra could believe that the War-stone will judge him worthy enough since it hasn't been presented with a better candidate.