The Wonders of Technology
Disclaimer: I do not own ThunderCats. Warner Bros. owns it.
A/N: This is, in a way, an ode to technology, the technology of ThunderCats, more specifically, where tech is considered the bloodstream of the universe by some, or as the scourge of free life itself as they know it for others. I'm not necessarily voicing my own views of technology here. This is how the Animals and other inhabitants of Third Earth viewed it, especially the Cats. In fact, from a certain point of view, this poetry can be seen as Lion-O's thoughts about the subject that interests him most.
Birds love it and live it. Lizards fight with it. Berbils tinker with it. The Soul Sever manipulates it. Mumm-Ra rules and goes to war with it.
All others hate and fear it.
Frightening. Intriguing. Fascinating. The ThunderTank is a Panther's pride and joy.
Robot bears upgrade machinery. Frustrating. Taxing. But worth it.
Guns. Lasers. Tanks. Bombs. Goggles. Warships. Flamethrowers. Laser axes. Weapon hybrids. Mighty Warbots. This is the palate of the Lizard army. How frightening can it get?
Sliding doors. State-of-the-art security system. Electric shock spears in the hands of Ravens.
Bird ovens can make the finest millet seed casserole. And don't forget the tasty, boiled, beetles-on-the-half-shell.
Berbils are themselves machines with life. One grows candy fruit. One makes tech parts. One has a family.
Airships. Artistic flying machines. Beautiful SkyCutters.
A Bird watches a reality show on a television monitor. More Birds go to eat at restaurants. Enjoy crispy, fried, salty mealworms. A Vulture and a Crow gobble up Carrion Cordon Bleu.
A high-tech slot machine spins its wheels in a Bird casino.
A group of younger Birds have a ball playing in arcades and on portable video consoles. What colorful fun!
Music of all types play on disks and downloads in machines, too.
Skyscrapers decorate the city all around its circumference. Lights illuminate it at night.
Warblerfolk board the subway to other parts of town. Sparrows ride in dimensional elevators. More online games in Internet cafés. The fun never stops for the Chicks.
Perfect computers. Handheld PCs. Sophisticated robots for education, weaponry, and companions. Lifelike birdriods.
Fountains and natural life are fostered on Avista. Who knew a metal floating city could hold a piece of nature?
A Dog plays and tinkers with junk technology. He makes robots that resemble insects. How cute!
The Soul Sever seeks to make robots with souls. He severs and steals the souls of innocents to further his own mad cause.
Another being dies because of his faulty programming and calculations. When will he stop?
Why do so many others fear and shun technology?
Mumm-Ra is the answer.
Technological cages held his Animal slaves. Machines of war supplemented the Ever-Living's army. Disposal waste machines cast any rebellious slaves into the vacuum of space.
And he used a superweapon to destroy an entire star system, so he could forge his ultimate weapon, the Sword of Plun-Darr.
Originally the owner of the great Tech Stone, this Stone of Power gave Mumm-Ra's tech all the power it needed, and encased the Ever-Living in terrifying armor.
Now most Cats won't use it. Most Dogs won't use it.
No Elephant, Monkey, Jackal, or Rat will even consider using it.
Fishmen will sometimes use it, but only if it's primitive.
The Tech Stone long serves the Birds of Avista, improving their technology and keeping their city afloat. It is truly a work of wonder.
But Mumm-Ra gets it back, and now he and his Lizard army are more powerful by far than the Birds.
Technology is a wonder and a curiosity. But with the Tech Stone lost to Mumm-Ra for now, the free Animals are losing control of their technology and their lives.
