# Does Lion-O's Sword of Omens grow and shrink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513 "2004-05-28T14:17:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/1 "2004-05-28T14:17:14Z")
Last night my husband and I were reliving the days when **Thundercats** was in the top 5 shows every 80s kid watched. Among other things, we started talking about Lion-O’s Sword of Omens and all of its powers. Of course, we especially remembered “Sword of Thunderia, give me sight beyond sight.” Eventually, the conversation lead to this question, “does Lion-O’s sword grow and shrink?” Sometimes when he is fighting the sword appears to be 5 feet long, and at other times, especially when it is sheathed at his side, it looks like a short sword or even dagger-like. Was this an actual power of the sword, or was it just an animation trick? Thundercats, Thundercats, Thundercats HOOOOOOO! ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/2 "2004-05-28T14:32:44Z")
Lion-O’s Sword of Omens would grow anytime Cheetara bent over. In truth, yes, the Sword of Omens grew. Specifically, it grew while Lion-O waved it around and said “Thunder …” (swipe with sword, it grew a bit), “Thunder …” (another swipe with sword, it gets a little longer), “ThunderCats! Ho!” (he brings the sword in front of him in a two-fisted grip, and it lengthens fully). The Sword of Omens was a basically a dagger, sheathed in that lion’s paw thing, until Lion-O prepared to use it in battle. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/3 "2004-05-28T14:35:54Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Lion-O’s Sword of Omens would grow anytime Cheetara bent over. And then Cheetara would say: “Thunder! THUNDER! THUNDERCATS!! OOOOOHHH!” That’s why she was known as “Thundercats Ho”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/4 "2004-05-28T14:44:03Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Lion-O’s Sword of Omens would grow anytime Cheetara bent over. ::sigh:: I so knew that was coming… > [@](#): > > In truth, yes, the Sword of Omens grew. Specifically, it grew while Lion-O waved it around and said “Thunder …” (swipe with sword, it grew a bit), “Thunder …” (another swipe with sword, it gets a little longer), “ThunderCats! Ho!” (he brings the sword in front of him in a two-fisted grip, and it lengthens fully). > > The Sword of Omens was a basically a dagger, sheathed in that lion’s paw thing, until Lion-O prepared to use it in battle. But, thanks. I can envision this perfectly now. Can’t believe I forgot he did that! :smack: So while we are talking **Thundercats** , do they ever say what Snarf actually is, other than Lion-O’s nursemaid? And why \*does \* Lion-O have the mind of a child? Will he ever get the mind of an adult? ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/5 "2004-05-28T14:46:00Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > And then Cheetara would say: “Thunder! THUNDER! THUNDERCATS!! OOOOOHHH!” > > That’s why she was known as “Thundercats Ho”. 😃 Man alive! You people are unbelievable! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/6 "2004-05-28T14:56:41Z")
> [@RitzyRae](#): > > ::sigh:: I so knew that was coming… I am nothing if not predictable. And devastatingly handsome. I am nothing if not predictable and devastatingly handsome. And funny. I forgot funny. Okay, I am nothing if not predictable, and devastatingly handsome, and funny. Empathetic! Dammit! I’m empathetic! So strike all that stuff before. I’m nothing if not predictable, and devastatingly handsome, and funny, and empathetic. Yes. Easy-going! How could I forget that? And I’m much more easy-going than I am predictable. Okay, so let’s rearrange … > [@](#): > > But, thanks. I can envision this perfectly now. Can’t believe I forgot he did that! The other thing the Sword of Omens would do, when Lion-O used the “sight beyond sight” trick, was change the handguard a bit; that part would curve upward as it did when the sword was fully lengthened, but the sword itself would stay in its dagger-size state. Geeky! I forgot “geeky.” ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/7 "2004-05-28T14:57:23Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Specifically, it grew while Lion-O waved it around and said “Thunder …” (swipe with sword, it grew a bit), “Thunder …” (another swipe with sword, it gets a little longer), “ThunderCats! Ho!” (he brings the sword in front of him in a two-fisted grip, and it lengthens fully). I think the two-fisted grip is the real key here. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/8 "2004-05-28T14:58:30Z")
So I was talking to some friends about Thundercats, and I said that my favorite Thundercat was always Panthro. And my friends _didn’t remember who Panthro was_! Losers! So I Googled for Panthro (this was in the days of prehistory, before Google introduced their Image Search) and I discovered . . . Thundercats slash. Which wasn’t all that disturbing . . . Kinda funny actually. Until I stumbled across the Loin-O/Snarf directory. There isn’t enough bleach on the planet to make my brain feel clean again. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/9 "2004-05-28T15:07:38Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > So I was talking to some friends about Thundercats, and I said that my favorite Thundercat was always Panthro. And my friends _didn’t remember who Panthro was_! I, too, thought Panthro was the coolest Thundercat. My least favorite was the Tiger-guy (what was his name? Tigra, or something like that?). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/10 "2004-05-28T15:11:22Z")
> [@RitzyRae](#): > > Man alive! You people are unbelievable! 😉 Why thank you! Most ladies have to wait until they know me much, much better to say that, but hey! Whatever makes _you_ happy! ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/11 "2004-05-28T15:17:08Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > So I was talking to some friends about Thundercats, and I said that my favorite Thundercat was always Panthro. It is a cartoon truism: The ‘black’ character is always the coolest. I submit: Thundercats: Panthro GI Joe: Roadblack (yes, we all know that Snake Eytes was really the coolest, but he was only physically black, not ethnically black) Transformers: Ironhide Transformers Beast Wars: Tigatron/TigerHawk The ~Real~ Ghostbusters: Winston Hey Arnold: Gerald Charlie Brown: Franklin (this one might need work) South Park: Chef Anything on Adult Swim 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/12 "2004-05-28T15:24:54Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I, too, thought Panthro was the coolest Thundercat. My least favorite was the Tiger-guy (what was his name? Tigra, or something like that?). Yes, Panthro was cool because he was so old and wise. Anybody who forgets about him is a loser! (Tygra \*was \* the other guy. And **Sauron** I will believe anything you say about yourself, because how can I do otherwise? Well, I will as long as you aren’t a giant searchlight of an eye that jiggles in terror…) I did like Cheetara, probably because I was the only girl in a neighborhood of boys, therefore I felt obligated to do so. BUT, what I found really irritating is when they’d whip out an overly large Sheera doll for me when we were playing Star Wars. Why?! Why didn’t they have a Princess Leia?! They had every toy imaginable, not to mention a 5 foot long G.I. Joe aircraft carrier!! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/13 "2004-05-28T15:25:15Z")
Cheetara was the only female cartoon character to appear on a US animated TV show topless. And the Baroness wore a black leather catsuit, spike heels, & had that whole Eastern European schoolmistress/domne thing going. Just _what_ were they _thinking_ ? Raised a generation of sex fiends. Which, on reflection… ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/14 "2004-05-28T15:30:24Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I, too, thought Panthro was the coolest Thundercat. My least favorite was the Tiger-guy (what was his name? Tigra, or something like that?). Yes, Tigra sucked. Literally, if you read the slash. As proof of how Thundercats slash and this thread have warped my fragile little mind, I read that as _Tiagra_ at first. (Ask your doctor about Tiagra! Side effects may include fur balls, heart palpitations, muscle spasms, impaired balance, and, in some rare cases, whiskers falling out. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals is not responsible for your inability to triumph over Mum-Ra the Ever-Living.) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/15 "2004-05-28T15:40:18Z")
[Thundercats outtakes](http://www.cheezey.com/thundercats/sounds/outtakes.html). Listen to them on headphones if you’re at work. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/16 "2004-05-28T15:50:21Z")
I have in my possesion action figures of Lion-O, Cheetera, and Pantro. Unfortunately, after years of being in my addic, they aren’t in the best shape. ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/17 "2004-05-28T16:01:46Z")
Does **Thundercats** come on TV anymore? Cartoon Network maybe? ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/18 "2004-05-28T16:36:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Transformers: Ironhide Maybe I’m just in the minority here or something, but: Ironhide was _black_? That’s news to me. I mean, Jazz, yeah… ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/19 "2004-05-28T16:57:37Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Cheetara was the only female cartoon character to appear on a US animated TV show topless. When did _that_ happen? More importantly, where can I find the video or, at least, screen shots? The Sword of Omens is one of those funky ultimate weapons that would save everybody a lot of trouble if the heroes would only think to whip it out at the _begininng_ of the battke. I mean, was there anything that sword couldn’t do? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513/20 "2004-05-28T16:58:14Z")
> [@RitzyRae](#): > > So while we are talking **Thundercats** , do they ever say what Snarf actually is, other than Lion-O’s nursemaid? And why \*does \* Lion-O have the mind of a child? Will he ever get the mind of an adult? I’m ashamed to admit this, but I can answer both of these questions. Snarf is a Snarf. It seems that the Snarfs were servants of the Thundercats, but after the Thundercat civilization was destroyed, they went off and colonized a planet of their own. It turns out that “our” Snarf is really named Oswald, and later in the series his nephew, whose name I can’t recall, joins the group, along with some other Thundercats. Lion-O has the mind of a child because, chronologically, he _is_ a child, about the same age as WilyCat and WilyKit. When the Thundercats’ ship was fleeing Thundera, the group was put into stasis pods, because it would take years to reach their destination. After the ship crashed on Third Earth, Lion-O’s pod malfunctioned, allowing his body to age while he slept. Years later, when the Mutants arrived and woke up the Thundercats, Lion-O had grown into a man, but was still mentally a child. Everyone else was still exactly the same as he/she was before entering the pods. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lion-os-sword-of-omens-grow-and-shrink/247513.md?page=2)