Amidst the smoldering ruins of Thundera, Lion-O mourns his
father and contemplates revenge. He then
sets out to find Mumm-Ra’s lair with Tygra and Cheetara in tow. WileyKit and WileyKat tag along against
Lion-O’s wishes. When the quintet reaches
the treacherous Sea of Sands, they encounter Captain Koinelius Tunar and his
crew of fishmen. Tunar is obsessed with
capturing a creature known as Ramalak.
Lion-O and company find themselves as participants in Ramalak’s wild
quest, whether they like it or not.
As the new Thundercats
series presses on, it reveals itself to be a true odyssey filled with strange
lands and even stranger creatures. While
the series premiere was firmly rooted in medieval fantasy and Arthurian legend,
“Ramalak Rising” nearly feels like a throwback to the aesthetic of the original
syndicated series.
While watching, my cousin noted that he found the Pokemon style animation to be a turn
off. While I don’t whole heartedly agree
with him, I can see what he means. The
sharp chins and soft colors on display definitely lend themselves to a more
annoying and childish brand of anime.
The creature designs in this episode especially seem geared for one of
those Japanese card games. The original
syndicated series had a similar penchant for such strange characters. The emphasis on WileyKit and WileyKat’s
increased presence also serve to make the proceedings feel a bit more juvenile.
Despite the slightly less mature tone of this episode, there
are a few positives. The action scenes
are reminiscent of similar moments from Clash
of the Titans (both versions) and The Pirates
of the Caribbean films. They have a
grand mythic quality, and for the most part are just as fast moving as the ones
from the premiere. Unfortunately, it’s
more fun to see Lion-O and company do battle with humanoid creatures as opposed
to a giant tentacled beast. I also
appreciate the idea of a literal sea of sand with crashing waves in which ships
can stay afloat. The moment showing the
fate of Jaga is also well handled.
This episode also shows Lion-O developing a bit of an
impulsive and arrogant streak. This is
clearly lifted from the original Star
Wars trilogy, and suits the material well.
It’s nice to know that Lion-O won’t always be so likeable. In only three episodes, the character appears
to be evolving, and that’s a very good sign.
“Ramlak Rising” is okay for what it is, but I’d prefer that
the side/supporting characters be a bit less childish in their conception from
here on out. I’d much rather see Lion-O
encountering Mumm-Ra and the mutants instead of fishmen. I’m praying that
future episodes do not introduce a new incarnation of the Ro-Bear Berbils. The tone of the series premiere was nearly
pitch-perfect, and needn’t be sullied by the presence of the Thundercats equivalent of ewoks.
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