Runaways

Runaways

Production
Episode	2.18
Original Airdate	September 29, 1987
Writer(s)	Bill Ratter
Chronology
Previous Episode	Hachiman's Honor
Next Episode	Hair of the Dog
All Episodes	Episode Guide

Runaways is an episode from the original series of ThunderCats. Written by Bill Ratter, it originally aired on September 30, 1987.

Official Summary

Feeling useless and unwanted by the other ThunderCats, the ThunderKittens become bored and decide to run away. Stopping at the Berbil Village for food, they inform the Berbils that they are on a secret ThunderCats mission. Lion-O learns of their disappearance and visits the Berbil village, and discovers that the ThunderKittens have passed through the village packing blankets. Deducing the ThunderKittens' plan to be away for a while, Lion-O worries and pursues them. While searching for a sleeping ground, the ThunderKittens mistakenly eat poisonous Brackenberries and fall ill. Kudi, who gives them an antidote, saves them. Observing the ThunderKittens' trust in Kudi, Mumm-Ra decides to disguise himself as Kudi to gain entry into the Cats' Lair. Lion-O finally locates the ThunderKittens and returns them to the Lair. At the Lair, Mumm-Ra/Kudi traps the ThunderCats and steals the Sword of Omens. Lion-O successfully calls the Sword to his hand and, by projecting the Thundercats' signal, defeats Mumm-Ra/Kudi. The ThunderCats apologize for ignoring the ThunderKittens and pledge attentiveness in the future to the duo.

Official Moral

The ThunderKittens run away from the Cats' Lair and they feel unwanted and unloved as a result of the ThunderCats taking them for granted and not including them in the chores of the community. Rather than expressing their feelings directly to their elders, WilyKit and WilyKat set out to prove a point by seeing if they will be missed when they leave and by making that ThunderCats worry. Unfortunately, they almost cause a catastrophe, both for themselves and the Thundercats' community, before they are reconciled.

At times in our lives, we may feel that we are not wanted when our parents, siblings, or appears to ignore us and take us for granted. At those times it is important that we talk with them and can say we are feeling that they seem too busy for us. Rather than drawing the unwarranted conclusion that they don't care, we should give them the opportunity to respond to us and to change how they are acting. It is important for them, as well as for us, to make time for the people who are significant in our lives. And it is important when something is not right in a relationship to talk about it directly with the other person. Communication and reciprocity are valuable parts of our relationships and of maintaining them harmoniously.

Summary

Thinking that they are being neglected by the other ThunderCats, WilyKit and WilyKat run away from home, but things go terribly awry when Mumm-Ra decides to take advantage of this situation.

Story

WilyKit and WilyKat, feeling that they are being ignored by the other ThunderCats, decide to run away from Cats Lair. They pack a couple of blankets and secretly fly away on their Spaceboards. After making a stop at the Berbil Village to stock up on rations, they head to a cave at Rocks End.

After settling inside the cave, the ThunderKittens begin eating Brackenberries which WilyKat plucked from nearby. Unaware that the berries are poisonous, the two eagerly gobble them all up and fall terrible ill. Fortunately, the real resident of the cave, Kudi, arrives and feeds them the antidote to the poison.

Inside Cats Lair, the ThunderCats notice that the ThunderKittens are missing and go looking for them. After an exhaustive search they locate the twins at Rocks End. WilyKit and WilyKat introduce Kudi to the adult ThunderCats and request that she spend a few days with them at Cats Lair. Hesitantly, the adult ThunderCats agree.

Eagerly watching all the proceedings from his cauldron, Mumm-Ra changes into Kudi and goes with the ThunderCats to Cats Lair. Once inside the lair, Mumm-Ra/Kudi starts wreaking havoc, damaging the controls and locking the ThunderCats in the control room. Mumm-Ra then changes into his real form and steals the Sword of Omens.

Lion-O then summons the sword to his hand and utters his chant. The Cat Signal emanating from the Eye of Thundera transforms into a panther and carries Mumm-Ra out of the lair and drops him far away. The adult ThunderCats then promise WilyKit and WilyKat that they will involve them more in their activities.

Characters

Lion-O

Tygra

Cheetara

Panthro

Snarf

WilyKat

WilyKit

Ro-Bear Bill

Kudi

Mumm-Ra

Ma-Mutt

Vehicles

ThunderTank

HoverCat

Spaceboard

Locations

Cats Lair

Berbil Village

Rocks End

Black Pyramid

Trivia

• Neither the Mutants, the Lunataks, nor any of the Tower ThunderCats feature in this episode.

Goofs

• Near the end of the episode, there are two scenes of Tygra in which the orange color on his nose is missing.

Media

This episode was released on the following media:

DVD

• Season 2 Volume 1 DVD
• Season 2 DVD
• Seasons 1 & 2 DVD

Episode Screenshots

External Links

• ThunderCats 1985 cartoon series on Wikipedia
• ThunderCats on ThunderCats.org