Top 10 Thundarr the Barbarian Episodes | Superhero Pow

Thundarr the Barbarian is easily one of the best remembered, if not just best cartoons from the 1980's. So let's check out the episodes that made it so great!

[@stillaboveground2470]

I loved Thundarr the Barbarian! I recently bought the DVD and rewatched all the episodes for the first time in many years. I get a kick out spotting the Easter Eggs of all the cultural references hidden in the ruined landscape.

[@superheropow1]

Yeah, kinda more fun to watch now as an adult, for that stuff :)

[@robertchapman7451]

Challenge of the wizards is still my favorite after all theses years

[@Forcemaster2000]

I'd love to see Thundarr make a return in some way, it was awesome!

[@superheropow1]

You and me both. Live action movie, new cartoon- bring it!!

[@Theonlyonestanding415]

Yup this was one of my favorite cartoons...I wish it never stop till this day .

[@Gilgie101]

I was too young to appreciate this one, but I still have vivid memories of watching Thundarr. I dont remember any of the plot, but I never missed it.

[@BenBierman]

I loved this cartoon when I was a kid, still do. I hope they just keep making episodes and pick up where it Ieft off.

[@Andropov-l2w]

definitely one of the best cartoons of that time. thundar and galtar were epic

[@RogerLambert-s5f]

Princess Ariel was my favorite character, because she's HOT!❤❤❤🔥🔥🔥

[@superheropow1]

Alex Toth knew what he was doing :D

[@alexanderburdick7108]

I loved watching Thundarr!

[@Buzz-McCool]

I read somewhere that the reason Thundarr didn't get a second season was because ABC wanted to continue the "Happy Days/Laverne &Shirley/Mork" cartoon series. They'd have been smarter to continue Thundarr, needless to say.

[@superheropow1]

I've read that too- I don't remember the specifics- it was something like they wanted more space for more Garry Marshall shows. But the timeline doesn't match up. Garry Marshall only had two shows on when Thundarr was airing, and then only two shows on when Thundarr was removed. So maybe it's true- but it doesn't seem Garry got an extra show because of it.

[@alexandreleite2541]

This was my favorite cartoon growing up back in Brazil. I was around 8 - 10 year old when this cartoon was popular. Great memories. 🩵

[@DaveDTitan]

That animation when the guy switches faces was very impressive for being made in 1980.

[@BenBierman]

I don't give a damm what anyone says, I am specifically talking about cartoons and nothing else. THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN was A WHOLE, WHOLE, WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN CONAN THE ADVENTURER.

[@superheropow1]

Yes, Conan the Adventurer cartoon kinda failed to deliver (better than the live-action show and the Young Warriors sequel though). It got better as the show went on, but as cartoon barbarian go, Thundarr is the best :)

[@hoseaburnette6438]

Loved this cartoon!! Gemini was coldest bad guy! At age 11 I became an instant fan the first time I saw his face change!

[@superheropow1]

Jack Kirby for ya, great idea guy!

[@danieldickson8591]

And good on voice actor Henry Corden for giving Gemini's two faces such radically different voices.

[@superheropow1]

@@danieldickson8591 True- Gemini sounds like a psycho with the evil face :)

[@travisrhoton7013]

I agree. Secret of the Black Pearl was the best one.

[@austinrich]

What is the name of the ep where she makes a giant cat to sacre the giant rat

[@hotemet]

My favorite episode was "Fortress of Fear" from season two. Thundarr, Ariel, and Ookla face red-eyed robots, serpent people, and Argoth of the Many Eyes. They are forced to fight tactically and use the environment, with Thundarr being mastered at one point. And there is a one-eyed King Kong.

[@superheropow1]

So much imagination in that show! :)

[@sith7183]

One my favorite childhood cartoons. Me and my dad watched it every Saturday morning on ABC simpler times.

[@brionbraziel7968]

Thundarr the barbarian was canceled because it was giving hidden truths of today, not because of the violence, all cartoons funny or not have violence.

[@gabrielmatthews9494]

Hopefully one day someone with the right skills will make it into a movie! That would be so cool!

[@superheropow1]

Then we can all die happy :)

[@rsmllc2]

If you couple this top 10 list with the AI Film Forge video showing how stunning a modern FX visualization of Thundarr would look, you have the makings of a fantastic new CGI animated film franchise. You wouldn't even have to do it in live action, just animate the great new AI designs. Come to think of it, resurrecting many of these 80's cartoon IPs in the same way might be a fresh way to revive epic fantasy on the big screen, given the current big franchises (Star Wars et al) appear to have run out of gas.

[@garycleveland6410]

The episode "The Mind of Mindok" should be on that list.

[@williamriley5118]

I loved this show and Gemini was the best villain!

[@superheropow1]

Seriously, we need a live action Thundarr with Gemini!

[@jamesgrose6068]

I liked the one with the alien vampire

[@superheropow1]

"Stalker from the Stars" A great riff on Alien. :)

[@JamesPowell-q3v]

The pilot 🎉

[@Dtalian]

It perplexes me why this cartoon has very little fanfare! It should be/have been lauded and as big as He-man and The Superfriends. I mean, the animation was there. The writing without holes in it, the writing that made sense was there. The cool, interesting heroes and VILLAINS were there and well fleshed out. So I don't get why the show didn't really catch on!

[@superheropow1]

I believe it was very popular, but it appears the network and studio's financiers thought it was too much. So they let it go. Now why it hasn't returned in a big way, is beyond me! Maybe because it didn't have a toyline?

[@craigharvey-gurr337]

I’d love for Zack Snyder to direct a live action Thundarr The Barbarian movie someday.

[@rickb.9152]

Mindok The Mind Menace

[@antoniorivas9224]

I'm not sure where this episode would have ranked, at least as an honorable mention!?! I remember this episode where some man apes, led by someone called Simius, were on a mission to resurrect the "mighty one"! Which turns out to be a giant mechanical ape, King Kong! I really like this episode, & wish that they had more seasons or a modern reboot would be made, animated of course!

[@superheropow1]

Valley of the Man-Apes! That was one with a great concept, but the script wasn't as strong as the other. And yeah, they reboot so much stuff no one wants- just do Thundarr already!

[@davidnoel2977]

One of my favorite cartoons as a kid and I wish they would have kept going with it.

[@superheropow1]

Seriously, right!

[@paulpolpiboon9535]

THUNDARR!!!!!

[@bradyd.6332]

Sadly I only knew of Thundarr from that old commercial on Cartoon Network. Where he carpools with Fred Flintstone and Chicken from "Cow and Chicken"!

[@superheropow1]

Ha- I loved those commercials :)

[@briandaleske5139]

I strongly feel that (THUNDARR: THE BARBARIAN) cartoon show, deserves to get rebooted now. In addition if a new version, does gets made someday; I think a new twist should be added in the storyline for it.

[@superheropow1]

Any ideas what twist might be???

[@briandaleske5139]

@@superheropow1 The horrible events leading to the planet:Earth’s ruin, happed in a parallel dimension, to an alternate version of planet:Earth. Those events lead to rekindling of fading abilities, that being mana aka magical energy, and once rekindle those born with magic it had gotten stronger for most individuals. And that the new types of life-forms, that suddenly developed on the ruined planet:Earth, was the result of surviving WildLife, that were exposed to radiation from the destroyed Radioactive Power Plants From the wild animals from the zoos, to the animals of the forest areas, to the pets, along with the insects, and spiders. In addition I imagine some of the new life-forms, are a fusion of three different types, of wild animals. Plus to add I imagine, some remaining scientists, who were in hiding, I imagine they went mad in the head, and attempted to make monsters, in order to protect themselves, from the many dangers outside.

[@superheropow1]

@@briandaleske5139 So wanted to really dig into the backstory. Maybe if they ever did a Thundarr Begins movie :)

[@briandaleske5139]

@@superheropow1 A (THUNDARR: THE BARBARIAN) animated movie, before the cartoon show of it, does sound like a great idea.

[@kathleencandelaria4106]

I loved that Thundar was the dumb blonde.

[@superheropow1]

Ha! Great take :)

[@kennycooper294]

you didnt mention the stalker from the stars. one of my favorites

[@superheropow1]

That episode , sadly, fell into the category of a great concept but not a great episode. But as we said, they were all good :)

[@kllwc7772]

Gemini has the same chin as Thanos 😂

[@superheropow1]

Kirby sold from Starlin!??!

[@kllwc7772]

@@superheropow1 THE "Kirby"?

[@superheropow1]

@@kllwc7772 Starlin created Thanos, before Kirby created Gemini.

[@Gilgie101]

There is a great AI recreation of this that came out a few weeks ago. IE Nov 2024

[@stormryder4fr3]

I wish they had backstory Episode showing how they all came together

[@superheropow1]

Seriously right? Maybe one day in a live action movie. :)

[@nooctip]

There are go great episodes? The Demon Dogs will surely nip at your heels.

[@superheropow1]

As I said, they were all good- which ones stand out for you?

[@tzford]

Thundarr was canceled because Gary Marshall wanted cartoons for his sitcoms. Dumbest idea ever!!!

[@superheropow1]

Not sure this is true. I know Mark Evanier has mentioned this- but the timing doesn't match-up. Thundarr debuted with Happy Days, so he wasn't canceled to make room for Happy Days. The next season Thundarr (season two) aired along side Happy Days and the new Laverne & Shirley. The next season both Happy Days and Thundarr were canceled. Laverne & Shirley was on season 2 and Happy Days was replaced by Mork & Mindy. So Thundarr wasn't even canceled to make room for three Gary Marshall shows. If I had to guess, Thundarr was replaced with Pac-Man. But who knows, maybe we are missing something to the story :)