Mumm-Ra’s looking to get the Sword of Plun-Darr back this week, something which of course our favorite cat king can’t allow.
So this week opens on the slopes of Mount Plun-Darr, with the cats staring out at Mumm-Ra’s army of lizards. It’s a mystery how the lizards found them this quickly, but Panthro suggests using the same trails as the cat slaves to get away. Except Pumyra doesn’t like that, since the slaves will be sacrificed for their safety. She suggests instead drawing the lizards into the mines, which Lion-O agrees with after she says that he owes it to his people. Good work, lady … appeal to his sense of honor.
Panthro doesn’t like it one bit though–and when Lion-O orders him, Tygra and Cheetara to the tank he is shall we say less than pleased. But they do what Lion-O says regardless. And so Pumyra and Lion-O run into the tunnels to lead them away.
Mumm-Ra decides to seek the sword himself, rather than send his lizards into the tunnels to get it. Apparently he doesn’t trust them. So he casts a spell to make the sword light its way to him. Which makes the sword glow on Lion-O’s back inside the tunnels. Lion-O comments on the evil of the blade, which then leads to a flashback about the creation of the blade.
Mumm-Ra’s general was a cat named Leo who helped him find stones to include in the blade. Mumm-Ra sends Leo and Panthera–another leader–away to send in an invasion force so he can get another stone while he communes with the ancient spirits. Panthera has the gall to suggest they rise up against Leo, despite Mumm-Ra’s promise of a planet for the cats to rule over themselves. She doesn’t like the idea of Mumm-Ra destroying another civilization, or of Leo helping him to do it. Meanwhile, Mumm-Ra’s communion with the ancient spirits reveals that he needs to make the sword from a star. Specifically one from the center of the galaxy known as Plun-Darr.
Back in the present, Lion-O and Pumyra wander through the tunnels. Lion-O’s not convinced Pumyra’s knows where she’s going, so he snaps at her. She snaps back … and then Kaynar blows a hole in the side of the mountain. He engages Lion-O, who uses the Sword of Omens to cause a cave-in. Pumyra flips out, but he uses the sword’s power to protect them. Pretty darn cool, eh? So long as they have the sword, however, Mumm-Ra can find them. Which means they need to keep moving.
Back in the past, Mumm-Ra causes the death of the Star of Plun-Darr to help him conquer the universe. Panthera tries to convince him to not do it, since there’s 10 sentient civilizations in that galaxy. But Mumm-Ra blasts her instead, and even despite Leo suggesting the peoples there could be brought under Mumm-Ra’s rule, the sorcerer launches a satellite that destroys that entire galaxy. Day-am, I guess that makes the satellite a death-star, eh?
The satellite shoots back to Mumm-Ra’s massive starship and a blacksmith is summoned. The ancient spirits leap into the smith’s head, which allows him to forge the Sword of Plun-Darr using the metal from the star at the center of that galaxy. Pretty darn cool, eh?
Mumm-Ra summons his various stones and sinks them into the glove accompanying the sword. Once he’s done, he tells Leo that true power isn’t given … it’s taken. Once Mumm-Ra leaves, Leo says “this can’t be the way,” and then he and Panthera stare at where the galaxy of Plun-Darr used to be. Who else guessed Leo was Lion-O’s ancestor once you saw him?
Pumyra and Lion-O run into Addicus, who tells them to give the sword over while they’re still alive. Otherwise he’ll just kill them and take it anyway. Instead, Lion-O jams the sword into the rock and breaks the bridge they’re on. In mid-fall, Lion-O saves them with the glove portion of the Sword of Omens.
This where they decide to split up–each taking one sword. Bad idea alert! Lion-O hands Pumyra the Sword of Plun-Darr and before he gets a few feet … she screams. Ah crap.
Lion-O races to Pumyra’s aid, only to find Mumm-Ra already has the Sword of Plun-Darr in his possession. With of course Pumyra tied up to a gemstone in the mountain. Pumyra tries to get him to leave, but Mumm-Ra shoots her with an energy bolt. Well that’s one way to shut her up. There’s the predictable byplay where Lion-O says he won’t leave her and Mumm-Ra saying Lion-O’s emotions are his downfall … and then Mumm-Ra shoots another energy blast. Which of course Lion-O blocks.
Back to the past, where Leo pulls Panthera aside and suggests they create their own sword to challenge Mumm-Ra. So Leo steals the remaining metal of Plun-Darr from the rats who are cleaning it up. He nearly gets caught by Mumm-Ra, but he gets away and takes the blade down to the blacksmith and Panthera. It doesn’t even need to be big … just enough to hold the Warstone.
Mumm-Ra in the present transforms into his Ever Living form. He fires a blast at Lion-O, but the Thundercat king dodges it and grabs the Sword of Omens. Lion-O wins the fight, but then Mumm-Ra throws a wrench into his plan. He shoots the gem holding Pumyra and tells Lion-O he can have either the sword or save the girl. So he saves Pumyra–hooray–and then sunlight bursts in and forces Mumm-Ra to flee. Go back where you came from, vampire!
Pumyra comes around and tells Lion-O it’s his emotions that make him a king she’d follow anywhere. Cue the slight romantic scene here. Fairly standard, that.
Lion-O tells the others Mumm-Ra has the Sword of Plun-Darr, which changes this to an entirely new war. And the answer? Well they’d best find the other stones quick.
If you missed the previous episode be sure to read our ‘ThunderCats: Curse of Ratilla’ recap to catch up.
