Lion-O facts for kids

Lion-O is a brave superhero and the main hero of the ThunderCats stories. He is the leader and the "Lord of the ThunderCats." Lion-O looks like a Lion and uses two special items: the legendary Sword of Omens and the Claw Shield. The Sword of Omens can shoot energy blasts and lets Lion-O see things far away with its "Sight Beyond Sight" power. The Claw Shield is a glove that can launch grappling lines.

Lion-O's Adventures in the 1985 Series

In the 1985 TV show, Lion-O was only thirteen years old when his home planet, Thundera, was destroyed. During the long trip to a new planet called Third Earth, something went wrong with his special sleeping capsule. This caused him to grow up into an adult body, even though he was still a child inside.

Because of this, Lion-O had to learn how to be a true leader and grow up quickly. He was clever and skilled, but he needed to gain more wisdom.

Later in the first season, Lion-O faced special challenges called the "Anointment Trials." These were tests of strength, speed, cleverness, and intelligence. He had to compete against each of the other ThunderCats. Lion-O had to do these trials without his weapons, and the other ThunderCats could not help him. The bad guys, called the Mutants, tried to use this to their advantage, but they failed.

Lion-O finally won a big battle against the evil Mumm-Ra. He found out that Mumm-Ra, like an ancient Egyptian mummy, needed his sarcophagus to be powerful. After defeating Mumm-Ra, Lion-O was officially crowned the true Lord of the ThunderCats. Many creatures from Third Earth came to celebrate his special ceremony.

Lion-O's Story in the 2011 Series

In the 2011 version of the show, Lion-O is a teenager who often feels misunderstood. He can sometimes be a bit quick-tempered. However, he is also one of the most patient and understanding ThunderCats, along with Cheetara.

At the start of this series, Lion-O is the only one who believes that old technology and the evil Mumm-Ra still exist. This is even though technology is sold all over Third Earth. Lion-O also believes that all the different races on Third Earth should be treated fairly. For example, he once defended two Lizard people from some Thunderians. His father, Claudus, stopped the fight.

After Mumm-Ra sadly killed Claudus, Lion-O became the new Lord of the ThunderCats. When he finds himself in a tricky situation, he often says, "Whiskers!"

In one episode called "Legacy," we learn that Lion-O had an ancestor named Leo. Leo played a part in defeating Mumm-Ra a long time ago. Lion-O's main weapons are still the Sword of Omens and the Claw Shield.

Lion-O in ThunderCats Roar

In the ThunderCats Roar cartoon, Lion-O is shown in a more funny way. He is often a bit slow to understand things and can get scared easily.

Lion-O's Name Around the World

Lion-O's name changes in different languages:

• In Spanish, he is called León-O.
• In German, he is known as Leo.
• The French version calls him Starlion.
• In Brazilian Portuguese, his name is simply Lion.