Thundercats - Season One, Volume Two (1985)
Thundercats DVDs

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Did Thundercats producers Rankin/Bass ever consider that their '80s animated adventure series would become such a pop-culture touchstone decades later, with hip-hop artists dropping references to the show in the songs and comedians using Lion-O as a punchline? Probably not, but it certainly accounts for this massive second volume of episodes culled from the series' first season. Where volume 1's episodes focused on the Thundercats' escape from home planet Thundera, arrival on Third Earth, and struggle against Mumm-Ra and his mutant army with the help of the Sword of Omens, volume 2's 32 episodes focus on a series of challenges Lion-O must face in order to become the Lord of the Thundercats. Said trials pit the leader-in-training against his own compatriots: Lion-O must best Panthro in a strength challenge ("Trial of Strength"), outrace Cheetara ("The Trial of Speed"), make his way through a maze devised by WilyKit and WilyKat ("Trial of Cunning"), outwit Tygra in a battle of illusions ("The Trial of Mind Power"), and, finally, take on his deadliest foe, Mumm-Ra ("The Trial of Evil"). Of course, there are plenty of other colorful villains on hand to give Lion-O and his companions pause throughout the season, including appearances by hunter Safari Joe ("Fond Memories"), mutant robot the Driller ("Mechanical Plague"), and newcomers the Ice King ("Secret of the Ice King"), and the tiny terrors the Micrits ("The Micrits"), among numerous others. The episodes are spread over six discs, and are rounded out by a featurette on Thundercats' long-lasting appeal, which includes an interview with executive producer Arthur Rankin Jr. --Paul Gaita