Thunder. Thunder. Thunder! ThunderCats – Hooooooooooo!
ThunderCats are on the move, ThunderCats are FINALLY loose! This release of the ThunderCats Classics Lion-O causes so many mixed emotions for me. It has been a long time coming, not only since the line was announced but also to just get a modern collector action figure line based on the ThunderCats property. I am been positively anxious to get this figure, and I have such mixed emotions because (spoiler alert!) this figure itself is amazing, but since I know the reality we are currently facing in regards to the future of this line, I am really, really sad.
Since Matty Collector will be shuttered this December, there is no longer an outlet for this line via Mattel. Really, Masters of the Universe Classics is the only other line truly featured on that site, but that property has been swept up by Super7 for future releases, so it looks like we are good there. ThunderCats as a property is not owned by Mattel in the way that MOTU is, so obviously the licensing particulars are much more complicated. I know we are all REALLY hoping something can be worked out and that Super7 might be able to continue the line with the Four Horsemen and finally get us the ongoing line we have been hoping for, but as it stands, Lion-O along with the previously released Thunder Kittens and the upcoming Jackalman, Pumyra, Panthro, and Decayed Form Mumm-Ra are all we are going to get.
So I am leading this article with a plea to ANYONE involved to listen and make this happen. I KNOW the Horsemen want it to happen, so hopefully Warner Brothers (the licensee), Super7, and Mattel can get it to work. Somehow, some way, we MUST get (at the very least) Tyrga, Cheetara, Snarf, Ever-Living Mumm-Ra, Monkian, and (my favorite) S-s-s lythe to round out the core group. They are so essential, and even if we cannot get anything past that (I would, of course, hope for more), at least main group will be done. I am keeping every finger and toe crossed for good news about this in the not too distant future, but we won’t be sure about anything until a formal announcement is made.
I had to get that off my chest, and make sure my plea is out there. For now though, we are going to concentrate on the present, and, specifically, on Lion-O himself, the star and leader of the ThunderCats. Like as said above, just looking at the figure itself, it is really nothing but win because this figure is pretty damned awesome. There are definitely some aesthetic values and choices you have to be onboard with to completely buy into this line, but for me, this Lion-O figure is not only the best Lion-O ever made, but it is also the perfect complement to my MOTU Classics He-Man. I know I am not the only one out there in collector land who has always closely associated MOTU and TCats, but this is now the ultimate connection between the two properties, at least in toy form.
To put a simple spin on this Lion-O figure, if you liked the look of the prototype, you are going to love the figure. Lion-O came through production beautifully, and even with some pleasant surprises I was not personally expecting. Since the Wilykit and Wilykat are outliers in terms of the their figure form, Lion-O is really the first release in this line that shows how closely associated it is to MOTU Classics. There is some part-sharing going on (though, not as much as you would have originally expected), but the ThunderCats’ classic aesthetic has certainly been adapted somewhat to match more closely with MOTU Classics. Frankly, I am absolutely fine with this as it promotes continuity on my shelves, but if this bulkier look isn’t to your liking, you might have some issues overall with this figure that I do not. I am saying that because I am likely not going to touch on things like the fact that Lion-O has thicker arms and thighs than we have traditionally seen in the past, so understand I am chalking that up to the aesthetic adaptation and design choice for the overall line itself.
It should come as no surprise that the Four Horsemen hit another home run in terms of sculpt and design with this figure – it is kind of what they do. So while some features, like the aforementioned arms and legs have been adapted, this is unequivocally and unmistakably Lion-O and, man, he makes for a great action figure. All of the pieces came together very nicely, but the real highlight of Lion-O is the portion that is normally recognized in a stand-out figure: the likeness, and particularly in the head sculpt. From every angle, even the back, you know exactly who this is, and even if you took off the hair and removed all of the paint, the likeness to the classic Lion-O is very strong. If you recall, the Horsemen went back and reworked at bit of the paint applications after some feedback from the initial prototype, and not only did they improve it, but all of their adjustments came through the production process very well. Frankly, this is more “classic” Lion-O compared to the original head sculpt of the MOTU Classics He-Man, so even though the TCats original style has been adapted, the likeness is spot-on.
Lion-O’s classic costume if faithfully represented here, and I think the blues match well to the original scheme. This new Lion-O has been colored in a way that more closely matched the animated look, so like the change in the face, the vintage toy coloring was altered from the original prototype. Personally, I liked the brightness of the orange from the toy version, but I love this more subdued color, too, as it matches the cartoon very well. Most of the articulation on the base matches He-Man and his cohorts, but Lion-O features standard hinged wrists, and, best of all, he has fluid and usable rocker ankles! I am not talking about previous Mattel-style rockers, I mean Marvel Legends-style ankles, and I can tell you this: it is a GREAT improvement over anything previously released in the MOTUC line. I am thrilled that they have gone in this direction and I really hope it remains a standard for as long as we get T-Cats figures.
Lion-O also comes with, what I would consider to be, all of his required accessories. Of course the iconic Sword of Omens is included in both its battle-ready extended form, as well as the smaller sheathed form. The smaller version has the “eye” insignia, while the larger version has the ThunderCats symbol. The cool part is that the larger sword can be positioned in the famous “sight beyond sight” pose thanks to the added articulation and the also-included swappable hands. The Claw Shield is also included, and again, in two different forms. You get, of course, the shield that can be swapped for Lion-O’s left hand, so he will be ready for battle; however, you also get the shield with the sheathed sword that can hook onto Lion-O’s belt peg. Now, I will be usually displaying my figure with the Claw Shield on are ready to attack, but I like that there are options here. If I did have to nitpick just a bit, I would say I wished the sword hilt was removable from the belt version of shield, that way, you could pose Lion-O with his sword at the ready, and the shield at his side.
Man, I really, really, really, really, REALLY hope that the Horsemen, Super7, and Mattel will find a way to keep this line going as Lion-O is just awesome. I FINALLY have an awesome collector’s addition Lion-O with hopes of a full line, but that is now in jeopardy. I am getting my favorite of the ThunderCats, Panthro, in December, but my favorite Mutant, SSSlythe, is still nowhere to be seen. I MUST have him, along with, at the very least, the rest of the core cast. Lion-O is certainly good enough to stand on his own, but I really hope that things will turn out right in the end and that the ThunderCats, ALL of the ThunderCats will finally be on the loose.
