The year: 1994! From out of space comes a runaway planet, hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction! Man’s civilization is cast in ruin! Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn…

A strange new world rises from the old: a world of savagery, super science, and sorcery. But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice! With his companions Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous Sunsword against the forces of evil.

He is: Thundarr, the Barbarian!

When I was a boy, I loved Saturday morning cartoons. My family didn’t often own a television (which, in retrospect, was a good thing, though I didn’t like it at the time), so I had to catch my cartoons at other kids’ houses.

One of my favorites was Thundarr the Barbarian, which effectively combined everything that was great about Star Wars, Conan, and Kamandi into a delcious campy whole. Even now I’m entertained by episodes on YouTube. Here’s “The Battle of the Barbarians” (in two videos):

“Listen! The sounds of destruction, and of humans in danger!”

“Who is this Barbarian? Attack!”
“Send me all your metal warriors, wizard!”

Ah, the good ol’ days.