Was Pumyra really the neglected one?

I've been pondering something lately. Its commonly held that out of all the Thundercats, Pumyra is the one who pretty much got the shaft. But then I realized that she at least got something of a focus episode with "Mumm-Rana's Belt" whereas Bengali never got any sort of focus episode. Granted, Bengali got to go to New Thundera and he generally would have more lines and appearances than Pumyra post "Thundercubs", but does that really make him a more featured Thundercat? Or would you guys say that it puts them on a little more even ground?

I think the neglected ones were Pumyra, Tygra and yes, Bengali all the 3 of them (although Bengali might seem as if he wasn't because he was present in a lot of eps).

• Pumyra because she's the TC that appeared in the least episodes and, when she showed up, she had a few lines, and also she was left in Third Earth.
• Tygra mostly because the same reasons (was the original TC that was absent from the greatest number of episodes -even more than the Thunderkittens by one ep-, in some episodes had little to no lines, and was left in Third Earth along with Pumyra), but also because of the "designated victim" thing that has been widely discussed. That is, whenever writers needed to get a TC in some *embarassing* problem or situation, it would be him (granted, the other TCs got in trouble or captured from time to time, but I think the times Tygra got the short straw were the most embarassing and humiliating).
• I agree with you about Bengali though (and thid has also been discussed previously not long ago in another thread). He didn't get any episode that focused on him. Pumyra got "Mumm-Rana's Belt", while Tygra got "Trouble with Time", "Garden of Delights", "Fireballs of Plun-Darr", "Out of Sight", "Crystal Canyon" and "Mossland Monster", even when all of them got him captured or mind-controlled (also in "Turmagar the Tuska"). He had some fine moments though in "Pumm-Ra", "Wolfrat", "Mumm-Ra Berbil" (he figured out the Berbil guest was Mumm-Ra in desguise), "All that Glitters" (Hey! He was the one to break the SoO, even whan that was a bad thing) "Time Switch" and you might say "The Mountain". Bengali got 0. Also, he has no special ability (A blacksmith? Serously?) or weapon. I also think of all the TCs, he's the one with the lowest count of fans out there.

It really is too bad that the writer's couldn't develop special traits for Pumyra and Bengali the way they managed to do for Lynx-O. At least with Pumyra there was an attempt by implying that she was a healer on Thundera, but this trait was mentioned and utilized a single time. Speaking of which, I always found it hilarious that fans have had to take that little crumb of characterization to help flesh her out (for example, didn't it seem out place to anyone else when Pumyra is suddenly taking x-rays in the Wildstorm comics?).

In any case, Bengali and Pumyra became redundant characters which is likely why they got used less and less as time went on. And its not like the writers were incapable - The Lunatacs were developed around the same time and they each managed to have distinct personalities and abilities. Even more interesting (or disappointing, depending on who you ask) is that even Snarfer seemed to get more of a personality than those two as well as arguably his own focus episode ("Totem of Dera").

Butterfly boy. From what I read somewhere Pumyra was the LEAST popular new thundercat. I don't know how true this statement is but it just comes of as BS to me.
As for Bengali he does get a semi-spotlight in the episode Malcar.

I know Pumyra was the least popular TC back in the 80s, when the show was airing, but nowadays she seems to have more fans than Bengali, even in this site you can see members stating that she was his/her favorite new TC, even over Lynx-O. I did like her over the other two, don't know if because I always root for the underdog, if because she was a new mostly needed female, or if because I got tired of blind-can-do-everything Lynx-o + not-interesting-at-all Bengali.

"Tygra_Rules, post: 117111, member: 9228" said:

I know Pumyra was the least popular TC back in the 80s, when the show was airing, but nowadays she seems to have more fans than Bengali, even in this site you can see memebers stating that she was his/her favorite new TC, even over Lynx-O. I did like her over teh other two, don't know if because I always root for the underdog, if because she was a new mostly needed female, or if because I got tired of blind-can-do-everything Lynx-o + not-interesting-at-all Bengali.

LOL
Well for me she's my fave new TC like the first time. I feel kind of bad for Bengali.

"mumm_ra_n_rana, post: 117113, member: 26022" said:

LOL
Well for me she's my fave new TC like the first time. I feel kind of bad for Bengali.

I never felt bad for him. First, because I always thought his introduction was an intent of replacement for my favorite TC Tygra (writers didn't know what to do with Tygra, but a tiger was a must on a show about big cats, plus there werethe comics, so bring on Bengali... Lynx-O added his 2 cents to this too by replacing Tygra as the "wise" member, but at least he was an interesting character with a well-defined personality and trait, no matter how tired I grew of it).Thing is, Benagli was IMO a bad, poor replacement. Second because he always acted like an annoying brat, whining more than Snarf or the kittens (and that's a lot). Third because his weapon was the most useless among the TCs IMO. And fourth, his personalilty was plain, bland and dull. It's hard to feel sorry for a character like him.

He's like the "Fear the Walking Dead" characters. I haven't get invested in any of them like in those in TWD (they can be considered the original TCs while the FTWD are the new ones LOL). All the FTWD characters could die tomorrow (in the show) and I wouldn't care. Same with Benagli. If he was left alone in Third Earth, or if the TCs found only Lynx-O and Pumyra, or if he fell in Firerock Mountain, I wouldn't care.

Maybe if another cat was introduced instead of a white tiger, like an ocelot or a caracal or a serval, I'd have found something different and interesting in him.

In his defense, I must say I think I found his dressed-up design *kind of* cool (except for the pointed head/hairdo); his pre-TC desing was poor as he didn't got stripes along his arms and legs, just one going down all the way and that isn't too tiger-ish LOL (I get the idea of that was dintiguishing him from Tygra, but still).

"Tygra_Rules, post: 117116, member: 9228" said:

I never felt bad for him. First, because I always thought his introduction was an intent of replacement for my favorite TC Tygra (writers didn't know what to do with Tygra, but a tiger was a must on a show about big cats, plus there werethe comics, so bring on Bengali... Lynx-O added his 2 cents to this too by replacing Tygra as the "wise" member, but at least he was an interesting character with a well-defined personality and trait, no matter how tired I grew of it).Thing is, Benagli was IMO a bad, poor replacement. Second because he always acted like an annoying brat, whining more than Snarf or the kittens (and that's a lot). Third because his weapon was the most useless among the TCs IMO. And fourth, his personalilty was plain, bland and dull. It's hard to feel sorry for a character like him.

He's like the "Fear the Walking Dead" characters. I haven't get invested in any of them like in those in TWD (they can be considered the original TCs while the FTWD are the new ones LOL). All the FTWD characters could die tomorrow (in the show) and I wouldn't care. Same with Benagli. If he was left alone in Third Earth, or if the TCs found only Lynx-O and Pumyra, or if he fell in Firerock Mountain, I wouldn't care.

Maybe if another cat was introduced instead of a white tiger, like an ocelot or a caracal or a serval, I'd have found something different and interesting in him.

In his defense, I must say I think I found his dressed-up design *kind of* cool (except for the pointed head/hairdo); his pre-TC desing was poor as he didn't got stripes along his arms and legs, just one going down all the way and that isn't too tiger-ish LOL (I get the idea of that was dintiguishing him from Tygra, but still).

Well that might explain why Mumm-Ra KILLED him in the TC comics "The Return". Either way since I am a fanfiction writer I've been working on giving him an actual personality. Of course he's coming off as a way too serious, fun sucking, fun police kind of guy who is paranoid but its better than nothing. XD

I liked the addition of all three and thought there was potential for each to have their own niche. However I just don't believe they were utilized well by many of the writers.

I liked Bengali, especially when he said ‘I know how you feel’ to the kittens when asked to stay behind as they always are

After watching the original ThunderCats several times, I can totally see why Pumyra and Ben-Gali were mishandled by the writers.

Why??

"Captain Shiner, post: 123889, member: 25266" said:

Why??

I believe that, after their introduction in ThunderCats, Ho!, the writers didn't seem to know what to do with the two young ThunderCats.

"Daremonger, post: 123890, member: 25241" said:

I believe that, after their introduction in ThunderCats, Ho!, the writers didn't seem to know what to do with the two young ThunderCats.

They really could have done much more with them. I've thrown out a few ideas for pumyra since she's supposed to have been the medic and all.

"mumm_ra_n_rana, post: 123891, member: 26022" said:

They really could have done much more with them. I've thrown out a few ideas for pumyra since she's supposed to have been the medic and all.

Her medical skills could've been put to fantastic use canon-wise. Glad you're utilizing that aspect of her character in your ThunderCats fanfiction. :)

Yeah, bizarre one, because they wanted to sell the toys, but they only pushed the older Lynx-o, rather than the ones who would appeal to kids. Incidentally, I had a Bengali and a Lynx-O but not Pumyra, I guess because I was a boy and didn't want to be bulled for owning a female toy...I distinctly remember in the school playground, this must have been early in 1987 jeez, not even six years old until the summer. We would play Thundercats and someone would have to be Cheetara, no-one wanted to be her, everyone wanted Panthro first, then Lion-O, this kid called Adam was nominated to be Cheetara and threw a strop and so I volunteered...and got called Cheetara for the rest of the week! No fair! Adam also gave me a He-Man toy 'Rokken' which I'm not sure ever featured in the show, I have that toy to this very day. Cheers Ad.

Anyway, I digress, it was a criminal underuse of Pumyra. I think the Lunataks arrival in the show was a mistake as it was further new injection into the show on top of recent further new injection, so it immediately sidelined the new tcats. I don't actually like the Lunataks period, but their arrival could have been delayed by a year, let the new tcats have a season to themselves dealing with the existing Third Earth problems. My view anyway

"Captain Shiner, post: 123894, member: 25266" said:

Yeah, bizarre one, because they wanted to sell the toys, but they only pushed the older Lynx-o, rather than the ones who would appeal to kids. Incidentally, I had a Bengali and a Lynx-O but not Pumyra, I guess because I was a boy and didn't want to be bulled for owning a female toy...I distinctly remember in the school playground, this must have been early in 1987 jeez, not even six years old until the summer. We would play Thundercats and someone would have to be Cheetara, no-one wanted to be her, everyone wanted Panthro first, then Lion-O, this kid called Adam was nominated to be Cheetara and threw a strop and so I volunteered...and got called Cheetara for the rest of the week! No fair! Adam also gave me a He-Man toy 'Rokken' which I'm not sure ever featured in the show, I have that toy to this very day. Cheers Ad.

Anyway, I digress, it was a criminal underuse of Pumyra. I think the Lunataks arrival in the show was a mistake as it was further new injection into the show on top of recent further new injection, so it immediately sidelined the new tcats. I don't actually like the Lunataks period, but their arrival could have been delayed by a year, let the new tcats have a season to themselves dealing with the existing Third Earth problems. My view anyway

I had the Stonedar figure. I believe they both along with a female character called Granita appeared in the She-Ra cartoon.

Yes, I think thats correct. I watched She-Ra on saturday mornings, decent cartoon, as good as He-Man.