[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhAobPugvsk[/youtube]

My favorite Thundarr episode was called "Valley of the Man-Apes." The "valley" in question turns out to be San Fernando Valley, CA (as evidenced by the Hollywood sign being partially visible in almost all shots in the background). In the episode, a society of ape-men are at war with a society of midgets who also reside in the valley. The midgets have a huge fortified wall around their city which the ape-men cannot breach. Thundarr and his companions find a group of ape-men excavating and pulling forth a huge mechanical hand covered with fur using primitive pulleys. Their leader raises his fists to the sky and shouts triumphantly "We've found another piece of the MIGHTY ONE!" Although it's never stated in the cartoon, the "mighty one" is supposed to be the animatronic King Kong prop used in the movies. The ape-men assemble the pieces and use magic to bring it to life and it assaults the midget city. Thundarr gets on some kind of flying vehicle and they kill the "mighty one" in a scene intentionally reminiscent of the climax of the King Kong movie.

The LA Apes had a huge feud with the NYC Apes.

The Mighty One put out a hit on Dr. Z.

Another good one, Darin!!

Ape men fighting midgets?

Oh, I'm there. Where's the movie of this?

Why is this series STILL not out on DVD? I'm at the point where I might have to buy one of the bootlegs.

Thundarr was designed by Kirby and Toth, I think it was created by Steve Gerber with Mark Evanier being one of the main writers.

Correct. Toth did the heroes and Kirby did many of the villains. Also Ookla the Mok was named after UCLA.

Was the Sunsword more manly than a lightsaber? I think it might have been...

I think for the next few days I will be using "Lords Of Light!!" instead of my usual curse words in honor of this thread!

My favorite cartoon during the time it aired.

Saturday morning cartoons rarely had it so good.
You watch a lot of things over your Lucky Charms, but few are so memorably magically delicious.
Kirby, Toth, Gerber and Evanier! I wonder what the other creators' bios are like? That's some heavy-hitting talent.

I have no recollection of this episode, but in all seriousness this description is so full of awesome it hurts. No lie. That sounds super cool.

I need to search around and find these two shows online. Revisit them for a bit.

Eric's family movies, that time they went to the zoo.

Surely they wouldn't have so cruel?

Bad enough those apes are caged and gawked at - but letting Eric in there with them?

I wish this show was on. I may run on Boomerang but I don't currently get Boomerang.

Ape men versus midgets? In a valley? With a giant robotic ape?

They need to cast Will Smith, Jack Black and Sandra Bullock....and have Clint Eastwood directing it. Maybe with music by Danny Elfman.

I want a movie with that plot to win an Oscar.

I would love to watch them again. Saturday morning staple.

If I ever write an autobiography, it will be entitled The Valley of the Ape-Men, and it will be dedicated to the midgets who struggle against ape-men, and the women who love them.