| "The Mumm-Ra Berbil" | |
|---|---|
| Series ThunderCats Season 1, Episode 47 | |
| |
| Air date | November 26th, 1985 |
| Writers | Jeri Craden Leonard Starr [1] |
| Producers | Arthur Rankin, Jr.; Jules Bass; Lee Dannacher |
| Starring | Bob McFadden; Earl Hammond; Larry Kenney; Lynne Lipton; Earle Hyman; Peter Newman |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous "Lion-O's Anointment: Third Day" |
Next "Mechanical Plague" |
"The Mumm-Ra Berbil" is the forty-seventh episode of season one of the animated adventure series ThunderCats and the forty-seventh episode of the series overall. No director is credited for this episode. The script was written by Jeri Craden with Leonard Starr as staff writer on the series. The episode first aired in syndication on Tuesday, November 26th, 1985. In this episode, Mumm-Ra uses the power of sorcery to transform himself into a Ro-Bear Berbil in order to infiltrate Cats' Lair.
Synopsis[]
At the Black Pyramid, Mumm-Ra addresses the Mutants on their past failures to defeat the ThunderCats and tells them of his next scheme. Disguising himself as a trustworthy Ro-Bear Berbil, he intends on infiltrating Cats' Lair.
The Mumm-Ra Berbil goes into the forest and feigns an injury. Snarf finds him and offers to bring him back to Cats' Lair to recuperate. Once he is put to bed, Mumm-Ra transforms into the one thing that Panthro fears - energy bat. He goes to the monitoring room and attacks Panthro. Panthro fights back, swinging his nunchuks, but Mumm-Ra is able to use his magic to lock onto the ThunderCat's mind.
Having mentally enslaved Panthro, Mumm-Ra then goes to the bedroom of Wilykit and Wilykat. Panthro upturns the furniture, disrupting the two, allowing Mumma-Ra the chance to get the drop on them. He has Panthro fit them with slave bracelets.
The commotion awakens Cheetara, who runs out into the hall to investigate. She sees Panthro and the kittens standing with blank expressions on their face. Mumm-Ra appears from behind her and gets the drop on Cheetara as well.
Snarf likewise awakens when he hears the ruckus and decides to check on the Berbil. When he enters his room however, he finds that the Berbil has disappeared. He then runs into Tygra (literally) and voices his concern. Tygra takes note of the fact that the others appear to be missing and correctly concludes that the Berbil must be Mumm-Ra in disguise.
Mumm-Ra appears before them. Tygra tells Snarf to run off to go find Lion-O, while he defends the Lair against Mumm-Ra. He lashes at him with his whip, but this proves ineffective.
Lion-O fights back!
Snarf eventually finds Lion-O, who had been away camping. Lion-O was grateful that he had found him or else he might have fallen into Mumm-Ra's trap as well. Lion-O and Snarf return to Cat's Lair, but it appears to be deserted. Lion-O tells Snarf to go check out the sword room while he investigates the control room. While Lion-O monitors the control rooms computers, Snarf becomes the next mental slave of Mumm-Ra. The mind-controlled Snarf proves to be even more effective than the regular Snarf and Lion-O has to keep on his toes to avoid him. The other enslaved ThunderCats enter the control room and begin focusing red energy from their eyes at Lion-O. Lion-O refuses to use the Sword of Omens against them. They keep firing energy blasts at him and Lion-O leaves Cats' Lair.
When Snarfs go bad!
Mumm-Ra catches up with him and attacks him directly in the woods. He fires blasts from his hands, and Lion-O drops the Sword of Omens while attempting to duck out of the way. Mumm-Ra then hurls the Sword of Omens at Lion-O, but the impact doesn't pierce him, merely drives him into a tree. Lion-O takes the sword and tries to terrify Mumm-Ra by casting the reflection of his true self back upon him. Mumm-Ra is prepared for such a tactic and dons a special pair of goggles.
Mumm-Ra is unrelenting and continues to fire blast after blast at him. Lion-O activates the Eye of Thundera and projects the signal of the ThunderCats into the sky. The sight of seeing the signal breaks Mumm-Ra's hold over the others. They quickly join the battle and Cheetara trips Mumm-Ra up with her bo staff. Panthro and the kitten pin him down. Lion-O then uses the sword to reflect Mumm-Ra's true image upon him. This causes him to lose power and he reverts into his decrepit bandaged form. Seeing him beaten, Lion-O decides to let him go.
The ThunderCats return to Cats' Lair where they realize that nobody had ever removed Snarf's slave collar from his tail. Lion-O removes it from him and then drops him on the floor, hurting his bottom. Snarf is a little miffed at being mistreated, but forgives Lion-O and the whole group share a laugh.
Cast[]
- Robert McFadden - Snarf
- Earl Hammond - Mumm-Ra and Ro-Bear Berbil
- Larry Kenney - Lion-O/Jackalman
- Lynne Lipton - Cheetara and Wilykit
- Earle Hyman - Panthro
- Peter Newman - Tygra and Wilykat
Notes & Trivia[]
- Based on characters created by Ted Wolf.
- "The Mumm-Ra Berbil" redirects to this page.
- This episode is production code number: 058.
- This episode is included on disc 9 of the ThunderCats: Season One, Volume Two DVD collection by Warner Home Video.
- No director is credited for this episode.
- Voice actor Bob McFadden is credited as Robert McFadden in this episode.
- The Mutants of Plun-Darr make a cameo appearance only in this episode. They also appear in flashback in the beginning of the episode. Jackalman is the only member of the group who has speaking lines.
- The ThunderTank makes a cameo appearance only in this episode.
- Owls apparently still exist in the future reality of Third Earth.
Allusions[]
- The beginning of the episode shows multiple flashbacks to the Mutants' numerous defeats at the hands of the ThunderCats.
Bloopers[]
- Just before Lion-O summons the ThunderCats with the Sword of Omens, the sword appears fully sized with the Eye of Thundera showing. Yet just before that moment and just after when he starts the call, the sword is properly small with the Eye closed. [2]
Quotes[]
- Mumm-Ra: Now... give me the innocent form of a gentle Berbil - a disguise no ThunderCat would expect! Mraaaaa haaaaa-haaaa haaaa!
....
- Lion-O: I will not use the Sword of Omens against you. You are my friends, and nothing Mumm-Ra can do will change that. I must help you, not destroy you.
....
- Mumm-Ra: Ancient spirits of evil, transform this feeble Berbil into the one creature on Third Earth which the Thundercat Panthro fears, the energy bat!
....
- Lion-O: It's almost daylight. Let's go rescue them.
- Snarf: Last time I saw them, Lion-O, they sure didn't look like they wanted to be rescued.
- Lion-O: That's only Mumm-Ra's spell, Snarf. Those guys are Thundercats, and nothing Mumm-Ra can do will change that.
....
- Lion-O: Oh, hi, Snarf. I guess you didn't find the Thundercats either.
- Snarf: Oh, I found them all right. And we'll all do Mumm-Ra's bidding.
....
- Mumm-Ra: Nothing will save you from the vengeful force of Mumm-Ra!
....
- Mumm-Ra: This is not a failure, ThunderCats, merely a setback. And each time we meet, I learn more. One day I'll prevail.
....
- Snarf: Desperate times need desperate remedies, I guess.
See also[]
Media
The World of ThunderCats
ThunderCats miscellaneous
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Leonard Starr is credited as Head Writer in this episode.
- ↑ TV.com; ThunderCats, "The Mumm-Ra Berbil"; Trivia.