Narrator: In the 1980s, cartoons were a taking turn for more action and adventure. Gone were the musical and mystery cartoons that dominated the 1970s, but cartoons with edge, humor, excitement and most importantly action. Cartoons such as Voltron, Silver Hawk, Ghostbusters, Robotech and Transformers were popular in the early to mid '80s. One man was watching cartoons such as these and thought he had a good idea for a cartoon starring his friends and himself.

Lion-O (sitting at a pool behind a large mansion. He's wearing swim trunks and shades): I saw all these cartoons and thought, "My friends and I can make a better cartoon."

(Picture of the Thundercats)

Narrator: His friends were, Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, WilyKit and WilyKat. They all grew up in Los Angeles. WilyKit and WilyKat were orphans when they were younger and the adults became their guardians.

Tygra (wearing a suit and sitting in a office): When Lion-O brought the idea to us, I thought he was using it to boost his own ego. Lion-O was always cocky and having a show with him as the lead character would only make his head grow bigger.

Cheetara (wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt sitting in front of a mansion): I thought it was another one of Lion-O's get-rich-quick schemes. Lion-O was always looking for a way to avoid real work, and once again he has drag us into it.

Panthro (in a pair of shorts and sleeveless undershirt. Behind him were people working out on weights and exercise machines): I thought it was a good idea.

Narrator: With doubts and approvals, Lion-O brought the idea to Rankin-Bass Productions in L.A. They approved of the idea but hired some extra characters. Snarf to be Lion-O's nursemaid. Mutants to be the villains, and a real Egyptian evil priest to make it look real.

Lion-O: Rankin-Bass or RB for short hired archeologist to search for a real mummy. They found Mumm-Ra. It took some convincing but Mumm-Ra agreed to do it.

Mumm-Ra (Sitting behind his pyramid): They let me film at my pyramid and promised a lot of money and their souls. EYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Lion-O: That last part isn't true.

Narrator: In September of 1985, Thundercats premiered and the show was an instant hit among children all around the world. Toys were immediately taken off the shelves, and money was rolling in for the young stars. The stars of the showed off their new fortune with mansions, fancy cars and women.

(Picture of Lion-O wearing a robe and gold chains with two women by his side.)

Lion-O: I knew it would be a success. Who would deny the Sword of Omens and us?

Tygra: See what I mean when I said big ego? However, I was happy about our success.

Panthro: We were an overnight success. We had the music, action, good cast and good stories. Everything you would want in a cartoon.

(Picture of the Thundercats)

Narrator: The Thundercats were not only popular with kids but with adults as well. They were on the cover of Life, Time, and TV Guide. Lion-O, Tygra, and Panthro were on the covers of GQ, WilyKit and WilyKat were on the cover of Disney Adventures and Nickelodeon, but Cheetara were on more covers than anyone.

Cheetara: When Thundercats premiered, all these magazines companies wanted me on their cover. Apparently, I was a sex symbol among men, and I had to admit, I liked it.

Lion-O (Rolled his eyes): Naturally.

(Picture of Cheetara on magazines in posing a seductive look)

Narrator: Cheetara was on the cover of Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, and Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition to name a few, but there was one magazine she wouldn't pose for.

Cheetara: Playboy. I would only reveal myself to the man of my life.

Lion-O (Laughs): Did she actually say that?

Narrator: Or men. Lust for two particular characters raised on the set.

(Picture of Lion-O and Tygra)

Cheetara: When you're a single woman working long hours on the set with very fit men wearing skimpy, skin tight clothes, something is bound to happen.

Narrator: Cheetara was linked to being the lovers of Lion-O and Tygra.

Cheetara: Yes, I did sleep with them. I never noticed how attractive they were as friends as they didn't know how attractive I was until we wearing those figure showing tights. Our affair may seem weird, but it worked. I slept with them and I know they slept with other women on the set. Thankfully, the tabloids didn't find out. The writers indirectly wrote it in the show by having me close to Lion-O and Tygra from time to time.

(Picture of Lion-O, Tygra, and Cheetara making a heroic pose)

Narrator: The affair didn't last long.

Cheetara: It's not like we wanted a relationship. I just got fed up with Tygra always talking about Lion-O's ego, and how it would ruin us. I think Tygra was upset with Lion-O for letting the writers make Tygra be addicted to stuff, like the Keystone. I stop sleeping with him, and Lion-O and I became exclusive. That was in February of 1986, I think.

Narrator: The Thundercats celebrated the end of the 1st season with high hopes for the next. However, they didn't know trouble was waiting for them. Troubles that would stop the shooting of the second season. One trouble was that Cheetara was two months pregnant.

Cheetara: When I found out I was pregnant, I was shocked but happy. I was more concerned on how the father would handle it.

Lion-O: I was excited but stunned a little. Apparently, protection doesn't work all the time.

Narrator: Only the cast and crew knew about Cheetara's pregnancy. She moved in with Lion-O, and stayed out of public site when she began to show.

Cheetara: If the public knew I was pregnant by Lion-O and not married, it would have meant the end of Thundercats. Back then it wasn't right, but now in the new century, it is.

(Picture of Cheetara at eight months and Lion-O laying his head on her stomach, smiling at the camera)

I think the pregnancy brought us closer. It made us fall in love with each other. Although RB wanted us to marry, to keep everything legal, we just weren't ready yet.

(Picture of Cheetara holding her baby boy in her bed and Lion-O beside her)

Our son, Leonard, was born on December 1, 1986. That was the happiest day of my life. I never thought I could love someone so tiny so much. (Voice breaking) Just thinking about his birth brings tears to my eyes.

Lion-O: I never so happy when I held him in my arms for the first time. He even made an appearance on the show. In "Time Switch", when Cheetara was holding me at the Cave of Time, that was actually Leonard.

(Picture of Lion-O and Cheetara dressed up on their wedding day)

Narrator: Lion-O and Cheetara were more happy and in love that they wed on January 1, 1987 in a private ceremony with the Thundercats and RB at their home. Happy times were here for Lion-O and Cheetara, but earlier in the year the cast suffered problems that postponed Thundercats. At the end of May in 1986, the Thundercats were hit with a lawsuit by pimps and prostitutes who claimed the Thundercats stole the word "Ho" from them.

Pimp (Dressed in a hat, opened shirt and gold chains. He had on many rings. Beside him was one of his prostitutes dressing a sheer black dress): When I saw Thundercats saying "Ho", I said "What the (Bleep)? They had no prostitutes on the show, although I thought Cheetara was one. No credit was given to the pimps and prostitutes who created that name. My lady here called their spokesperson, but he said they didn't take the name from us. So, I said "Bump this (Bleep). I'm gonna sue those mother (Bleep).

Narrator: The trial began in June of 1986 and lasted a month, and the pimps didn't win. The Thundercats thought their troubles were over until they received a lawsuit from one of their own. Panthro.

Panthro: I made the discovery of my problem after the trial. Nobody knew this, but I'm not really blue but brown. RB and Lion-O thought it'll be better if I was blue. I was hesitant at first, but I agreed to paint my body blue. When the trail was over, I retreated to my home in the country. I tried washing the paint off with some special paint remover, but it didn't come off. I went to the doctor, and he told me that the paint has permanently altered my skin color.

Narrator: It turns out the paint Panthro used was sold on the black-market by a now former employee of Rankin-Bass Productions. It even affected Panthro's hair.

Panthro: Another secret the fans didn't know was that I had hair. I cut it off for the show because RB and Lion-O thought my baldness gave my character a hard, tough look, but in the summer, I let it grow back.

(Picture of Panthro in the late 1970s with a medium size afro)

My doctor told me that the paint killed the hair on my head and all over my body.

Lion-O: I didn't know the paint was bought off the black market, and I certainly didn't know it was permanent, but Panthro still partly blames me for it. Besides, women found him attractive. I say making him bald was a good thing.

Panthro: He is partly blamed for it. He was the leader of our group and got us in this, so he is responsible for our safety. I had to admit, though. I liked the women attention.

Narrator: Panthro sued Rankin-Bass Productions at the beginning of taping the second season. Since he refused to work and Cheetara was pregnant during that time, production for the second season was put off. Reruns of the first season was aired through 1986-1987 instead. When fans heard about the trial and that new episodes for Thundercats will be off for a year, they were shocked.

(Cheezey, Lady Thundera, RD Rivero, Thundera Tiger and Thundercub sitting in Behind the Cartoon's studio.)

Cheezey: I was in the fifth or sixth grade when this happen. I, like all the other fans, were shocked that Panthro was really brown and not blue. They should have let him stay brown instead of changing him to blue. A brown panther is more realistic than a blue panther.

Thundera Tiger: Panthro had every right to sue Rankin-Bass, and he should've got all the money he asked for. However, I don't see why they had to make him blue. If they had to changed his color, why not red to represent his hot temper at times.

Thundercub (Holds a picture of Panthro with an afro and snickers): He looks funny with hair.

Cheezey (Looks at the picture and laughs): It looks like a toupee. (Clears throat) I mean, what happened to him wasn't funny.

Narrator: Panthro sued Rankin-Bass Productions for 100 million dollars. The trail went on for five months, and he only got 50 million, partly because of his carelessness of not testing the paint instead of putting it all over his body.

(Picture of the Thundercats)

With the trial over and the 1986-1987 season over, the Thundercats returned to work, but the trial had cost them dearly. Ratings had dropped and less money was rolling in. The Thundercats had to get their viewers back.

Tygra: We thought the best thing we could do was add new characters to the show.

(Picture of Bengali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O)

Narrator: Struggling actors Bengali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O were added to the show.

(Picture of Snarfer)

Snarfer, Snarf's nephew who only appeared for two episodes for the first season was also added to the show for more comic relief.

(Picture of the Lunataks)

Lunataks were added to be the villains of the show to keep the Thundercats on their toes.

(Picture of Ma-Mutt and Mumm-ra)

Even Mumm-Ra got a companion.

Mumm-Ra: I guess they figured even evil has a longing for a friend or companion.

Narrator: The Thundercats and the new cast premiered in the movie 'Thundercats HO!" The movie was an instant hit and money was rolling in once again, ratings were up, and the hearts of the fans were won again. However, tension was rising on the set.

Tygra: Lion-O didn't like how formidable the Lunataks were. He was upset that they made him look like the cocky idiot he was from time to time. He wanted them fired but RB wouldn't allow it since fans liked the Lunataks.

Cheezey: I liked the Lunataks, especially Alluro. I think fans really liked the Lunataks because the Thundercats finally had some competition.

Lady Thundera: I think it wasn't right of Tygra to call Lion-O a cocky idiot.

Thundera Tiger: She's just saying that because she had a crush on Lion-O.

Narrator: The Lunataks were tough enemies for the Thundercats, but scandals erupted in the cast as well as jealousies among the Thundercats and Lunataks. Alluro's pay was cut drastically after a source taped Alluro using his Psyche club over RB to increase his pay.

Video Tape: (Alluro raise his club over the RB producers)

Alluro: You will give me more money because I'm the most important character on the show.

RB: Yes, Alluro, we will give you a raise.

Source: (Snarfer in the dark) I thought it was wrong and besides I'm the most important character. Yep.

Narrator: Jealousies between Cheetara, Pumyra and Chilla began to start off-camera.

Pumyra (Sitting on her sofa. Bengali was beside her): Cheetara was a total (Bleep) off-camera. Can I say (Bleep) on TV? She was jealous of me and Chilla because she thought we were taking the males attention away from. She shouldn't be looking for males attention since she was married and had a kid. Personally, I think she thought she was so sexy since magazine companies wanted her on the cover.

Bengali: Yeah, I noticed the tension between them, which may explain why Pumyra didn't have much lines or any real importance to the show. Cheetara had superiority on the show; being married to Lion-O and a role model to girls who wanted to be strong and independent. So, she had some say on what goes on with the show.

Chilla: She was jealous of me. She thought more guys liked me more than her, although that is true. Living with big-headed Lion-O, having phenomenal powers, and being on the magazine covers made her cocky as well.

Cheetara: And she called me cocky? I admit I was a little jealous of Chilla and Pumyra, but I'm not responsible for Pumyra not having not much to say on the show or being written out in season four. I don't see why they are complaining. They appeared in a good number of episode. I only appeared for a few lines and rarely throughout the show because I had Leonard to take care of and Lion-O had to work everyday day.

Narrator: Another scandal that broke out was the relationship between Tygra and Bengali. Rumors were spreading in tabloids such as the National Inquirer that they were lovers.

Tygra: First of all, let me say that I am not gay. I was Cheetara's lover once. Bengali and I are just friends. I think the rumors have gotten started because there were two tigers on the set and no one else had another person from their species. I'm not to happy about the fans that post fanfics saying I am.

Bengali: I couldn't believe it when I read it. I'm not gay either. I was dating Pumyra on the set. However, any relationship that was going on wasn't revealed until after the show ended.

Lady Thundera: I'm going to respond to that since everyone is still laughing at the video tape of Tygra's interview that you just showed us. Let me say this real quick since Cheezey's about to replay it again. Speaking for most of the fans, we don't think they're gay. I don't write stories like that but the ones that do, write it for fun and it's not meant to be taken seriously. So don't get mad at the fans, Tygra.

RD Rivero (Trying to stop laughing): I got to say something, but I can't stop laughing. It was the way he said it. (Imitates Tygra) I am not gay. (Laughs harder with everyone else. RD Rivero slowly stops laughing) Okay. I can say it now. With two male tigers on the show and no female tiger, one can't help but wonder.

Narrator: Tygra and Bengali sued the tabloids and each got a 20 million dollar settlement.

(Picture of Snarf and Snarfer)

Even the furry creatures were having trouble on the set. After consider being annoying by fans and critics, the Thundercats were getting fed up with them as well.

Lion-O: I love Snarf, as a friend, but after having him as my nursemaid for years, he just got to be annoying. Sometimes I felt like kicking him like a football to see how far he would go.

Cheetara: Not only was his character was annoying, but he was getting to be that way, too. "Don't do this. Don't do that." He would sometimes sing in his trailer. We all had to wear earplugs to survive that day.

WilyKit (In business suits sitting in front of a desk. WilyKat was sitting in a suit besides her): He really was a nuisance. Remember when he sang in "Hair of the Dog?"

WilyKat: I was glad we weren't on the set when he did that.

Bengali: Let's not forget, Snarfer even though we would like to with his "Yep" and "Sorry Uncle."

Snarf (Snarf and Snarfer sitting in a restaurant): I am shocked and appalled. And for you fans "I'm off to get some candy fruit.."

Snarfer (Laughing): They cut you off, uncle. Hee. Hee. I don't care what they think. I got paid for what I was doing and I was on tv. How many fans can say that?

Cheezey, Lady Thundera, RD Rivero, Thundera Tiger and Thundercub: Smart (Bleep).

Narrator: Despite what the Thundercats thought, Snarf and Snarfer stayed on the show because he provided comic relief. The 3rd season was a success, but fans couldn't help but wonder how Thundera reformed again.

Thundercub: Two major things that all of us don't get are the reformation of Thundera and the gyroscope. Explain, please.

Tygra: Let's not go there.

Cheetara: The writers were writing a story, not caring on anything scientific. It was a fictional story and anything can happen in fictional stories. Let's just leave it at that, and besides that little confusion, the 3rd season was great. I can't say the same for the fourth, but trouble only began again at the beginning of the fourth and final season.

Tygra: When we returned from summer hiatus to start the fourth season, the producers gave us a quick summary on what will happen. In the fourth season, we were all suppose to go back and fix Thundera. The only enemies we were to battle were Mumm-Ra and some new enemies on New Thundera. Personally, I thought it was a piece of (Bleep), and Pumyra agreed with me on that.

Narrator: RB and Lion-O didn't like Tygra and Pumrya's disagreement against the fourth season and their refusal to cooperate, so they were written out for the most part and only made one or two appearances.

Cheetara: I thought the season should have ended at the 3rd season after hearing what was going to happen in the fourth season. It was dull. No real excitement or major threats. I discussed it with Lion-O, but he refused to acknowledged it.

WilyKit: Lion-O liked it because he will still be in every show, and would still be getting paid the most money.

WilyKat: I knew it was the last season. They overused a good thing.

Narrator: After Tygra and Pumyra's departure, tension was beginning to rise again on the set. Particularly between Lion-O and Cheetara.

Cheetara: I was upset that Lion-O let Tygra get written out. He was part of the original cast and a star on the show too. I knew many fans would be upset and disappointed that Tygra was written out. He, of course, thought I had feelings for Tygra. That wasn't true. Tygra was a friend now.

Lion-O: Almost everyday we would fight. On the set and at home. If it wasn't about the show, it would be something else. Then in the middle of the fourth season, she moved out of our bedroom and to the closest bedroom next to Leonard's. We both felt anger towards each other and needed time apart but not away from our son.

Panthro: We can all tell they were going through some tough times and I brought up divorce to them, but they didn't want to do that. They felt they could work out their problems in time.

Narrator: Despite their problems, Lion-O and Cheetara continued to work together until the series finally ended. Afterwards, the Thundercats went their separate ways until medical problems caused two Thundercats to go to the courthouse.

(Picture of WilyKit and WilyKat)

WilyKit and WilyKat, those mischievous twins that twins all over the world wanted to be had a medical problem that went to the courts.

WilyKit: When we started the show, we were 12. Now we are in our late twenties and we still look the same.

WilyKat: Why and what or who caused this? We blame Lion-O. Lion-O and RB thought we looked cute as kids and thought that if we grew, we would lose twins attention. So Lion-O had us sleep in the time capsules from "Exodus" all four years of Thundercats to maintain our youth.

WilyKit: Unfortunately, it worked too well. After the series ended in 1989, we got our own homes because we were living with Lion-O and Cheetara during the series and thought we could live a normal life.

WilyKat: After a year of not aging, we went to a doctor and was medically examined by him and then a team of specialist. They told us that because we slept in the time capsules every night during Thundercats our bodies stopped growing.

Narrator: They told Panthro about their problem and he convinced them to sue Lion-O and RB productions.

Lion-O: I was shocked that they would sue me. RB and I gave them a contract to sign in 1984 specifically saying that the side effects of the time capsule, if there were any, were not our responsibility.

WilyKit (Holding the contract): On the contract it says and I quote, "The product in use for WilyKit and WilyKat to use to keep the twin viewer attention may have a secondary outcome that may originate WilyKit and WilyKat expansion to be inaccessible."

WilyKat: We're 12. How the (Bleep) were we suppose know that all the mumble-jumble lawyer (Bleep) meant that the time capsule may stop our growth. Lion-O assured us that nothing would go wrong.

Narrator: The trail last three months with WilyKit and WilyKat only getting 80 million dollars. The judge found the twins in fault for not hiring a lawyer and have him read the contract. With some of their money, the twins created SFS, Short Forever Society. They have hired top scientist to find a cure and counselors to counsel short people with this problem too. A cure is yet to be found.

(Picture of Lion-O and Cheetara together)

The trial even affected Lion-O and Cheetara's marriage.

Cheetara: When I heard all the facts of the trial, I was furious with Lion-O. I couldn't believe he allowed this to happen to Kit and Kat. All this time he kept this from me and the twins when they were living with us. I took it as the last straw and separated from him in 1991. I took Leonard and moved into my house before I moved in with Lion-O.

Lion-O: It wasn't a total separation. We saw each other almost everyday because I would go and see Leonard. As for us trying to reconcile, it wasn't working. I guess she felt I was a different person, someone she couldn't trust.

Narrator: The 80 million given to WilyKit and WilyKat didn't affect Lion-O and RB. Money was still rolling in for everyone from toy sales, syndication and videos. All the actors return to quiet life. Bengali and Pumyra married, Panthro open gyms across the country, Lynx-O retired, WilyKit and WilyKat had SFS to run, Snarf and Snarfer open a restaurant, but Tygra was still going through problems of his own. After he was written out, he went to drinking. In 1994, his drinking was getting worse and he knew he needed help.

Tygra: When you wake up in a trashed room with naked men and women, your breath smells like Vodka and vomit, and you don't have a memory of the night before, it's time to get help.

Cheetara: Tygra called me one day and said he needed help. I dropped Leonard with Lion-O and left to see Tygra. He explained to me about his drinking. I helped him check in the Betty Ford Clinic. Together with help from everyone, he was able to kick the habit.

Narrator: In 1997, Cartoon Network decided to bring the show back on television with Toonami. A reunion party was held on March 15, 1997 in Atlanta. The mutants, lunataks, and Mumm-Ra attended. The Thundercats were going to come but when word got out that Lion-O was attending, they refused to show up. All except for Cheetara and Leonard. Still separated, they talked but only about the show.

Cheetara: Lion-O was surprised that no one come for the reunion party. Afterwards, Leonard and I shared a private jet with Lion-O back to L.A. Leonard fell asleep which gave Lion-O and I a chance to talk. He finally admitted he was at fault for what happened to Panthro, Kit, and Kat. I, too, had to admit it was my fault Pumyra and Bengali didn't come. We never were friends on the set and there were rivalry, and since Bengali was her husband, he didn't come. We admit faults in the group and in our relationship.

Lion-O: Our talk made us see our faults and even though we couldn't make up to the group because they didn't talk to us, we were able to repair our marriage and ended our six-year separation. She moved back in with me and we renew our vows January 1, 2000.

Narrator: On March 17, 1997, Thundercats premiered on Cartoon Network. Old fans from the 1980s were brought back and new fans were just now knowing the hit series from the 1980s. During this time, the Internet was very popular and fans begin posting Thundercats on the web.

(Pictures of Cheezey, Thundera Tiger Thundercub, and other Thundercats fans webpages)

The fans were also posting fanfics, stories about Thundercats written by fans. Fans all over the world read and wrote stories from different people all over the world who are big fans of Thundercats.

Thundera Tiger: The fanfics give us a chance to see Thundercats from a different perspective. It's very addictive because there are so many talented writers and good stories out there.

Narrator: With Thundercats back on tv. Fans thought it was time that the cast got back together. Cheezey, Thundera Tiger, Lady Thundera, RD Rivero, Thundercub, and a lot of other Thundercat fans got together to form their own reunion for the Thundercats. Together, the young men and women somehow were able to have it at the Trump Towers in New York on June 10, 2000.

Cheezey: We thought it was time for a reunion. Since they didn't want to reunite in 1997, we decided to take matters in our own hands.

RD Rivero: Let's just say we got connections.

Lady Thundera: It wasn't hard getting Lion-O and Cheetara to come, but we did have to tell a white lie to get the others to come.

Pumyra: They told us Lion-O and Cheetara wouldn't be there because they had a prior engagement.

Cheetara: When we got there, everyone just froze and looked at the young men and women who organized it upset. I thought a fight may break out because Pumyra didn't like me and almost everybody hated Lion-O. They started to leave but the organizers convinced them not to leave.

Narrator: After everyone calmed down, Lion-O and Cheetara made there apologizes to the group. Apologies were accepted and all was forgiven. The Thundercats became close again and were friends just like they were on TV. Lion-O and Cheetara are expecting a girl in September. Bengali and Pumyra are expecting a child January 2001. Panthro has recently married and has a boy. The blue paint didn't affect his child. Tygra recently married and decided to work even though he has millions. He's a scientist working on cures to various diseases. WilyKit and WilyKat has their organization. Lynx-O has retired, and Snarf and Snarfer continues to run their restaurant.

(Picture of all the Thundercats)

After lawsuits, trouble marriage, arguments, and jealousies on the sets, the Thundercats have settled their bitter quarrels and are good friends. The only thing that fans wonder now is if there would be a special Thundercat movie in the future?

Pumyra: I don't know.

Tygra: Probably not.

WilyKat: No. It's best to leave Thundercats where they are.

Lion-O: Maybe.

Cheetara: Everyone have different schedules, lives, and careers now. I know I can't do anything now because I'm pregnant. Nothing is happening now, but in the future, who knows. Never say never.