Panthro MOTU Origins ThunderCats In-Hand Images

Hot on the heels of his early look at Tygra, Mr. Home Arcade is back again with in-hand images of the MOTU Origins ThunderCats Panthro, and this one comes with an exciting twist! Not only do we get to see Panthro up close in all his classic detail, but the card back artwork might be teasing what’s ahead for the line. The art is done by the talented MOTU artist @fetch.franciscoetchart and sharp-eyed fans will notice that Tri-Klops makes an appearance on the packaging, which has us womdering if a future wave could already be in the works. We know that Wave 3 will feature repaints of Lion-O and Panthor, and a new addition with Panthor-Man, while nothing official has been confirmed about a wave 4 just yet, the appearance of Tri-Klops on the card art is certainly interesting! Check out Mr. Home Arcade’s video review on his YouTube Channel!

Packaging

The packaging for Panthro from the MOTU ThunderCats Wave 2 line explodes with color, featuring a star-filled cosmic backdrop with fiery orange blasts and shards of rock flying across the card front. The Masters of the Universe and ThunderCats logos are prominently displayed at the top, with Panthro’s title, “Heroic Thunderian Battle Master,” printed below. The figure is housed in a clear plastic bubble, giving a full view of Panthro along with his array of weapons and accessories neatly arranged around him. On the back, bold artwork showcases Panthro in action, swinging his mace while standing ready beside his ThunderCats allies, with a stern portrait of his face dominating the side, highlighting the amazing talent that @fetch.franciscoetchart has to make these characters jump right off the page!

The card back artwork takes on extra significance as it not only highlights Panthro in mid-battle but also features Tri-Klops lurking in the scene, which could be a deliberate tease from Mattel. Given the history of MOTU Origins card art planting Easter Eggs for upcoming figures, the inclusion of Tri-Klops here raises the possibility that he may appear in a future wave of MOTU x ThunderCats crossover figures.

Figure Details

Panthro stripped of his armor shows off a clean, streamlined look that highlights his sculpted build and signature ThunderCats emblem across the chest harness. From the front, the spiked wrist cuff and sharp shoulder studs add some bite to the otherwise bare design, while the back view emphasizes the straps crossing over his muscular frame. His boots are tied off with laces at the calves, keeping the classic ThunderCat styling intact even in this pared-down form.

From the side views, Panthro without his armor shows off his bulky frame with clean lines running through the sculpt. His spiked harness curves tightly over the shoulders, with the silver studs jutting out prominently from both angles. The wrist cuff adds another layer of menace, matching the spikes above, while the smooth blue boots and tied straps at the calves finish off his stripped-down look. For parts reuse, the upper arms are taken from Battle Cat-Man, while the lower arms come from Lion-O, blending elements from both figures into this crossover design.

Completely stripped down, Panthro displays a no-frills look that highlights the raw sculpt of the figure. His muscular chest and abs are fully exposed, showing the definition in the torso without the harness or armor pieces. The plain blue trunks and matching boots with tied straps keep the design simple, while the stern expression on his face carries the intensity even without his trademark gear.

Panthro in his MOTU form comes decked out in bold gold armor that transforms his look into a more regal and battle-ready style. The front view shows the ornate chest piece with a high, ridged collar and a matching helmet that frames his face with sharp angles. His right arm is fully covered in layered golden armor with sculpted detailing, while his left leg is protected by a matching shin guard. From the back, the flowing golden armor drapes over his shoulders, adding weight and presence, while his belt cinches the look together with a metallic silver finish.

From the sides, the gold armor shows off its sculpted depth, with the high collar flaring dramatically behind Panthro’s head and the helmet’s crest extending forward in sharp detail. The layered arm guard hugs his right arm with ridged plating that runs all the way down to the wrist, while the leg armor wraps snugly around his shin with raised sculpting and ornate flourishes. These angles highlight how the metallic gold contrasts against the matte blue of his body, giving the armor a striking presence when viewed in profile.

Panthro comes with an impressive spread of gear, mixing both classic ThunderCats weapons and MOTU-inspired armaments. His signature nunchucks appear with chain links and red-and-blue handles, giving him that iconic look, while additional melee weapons like the heavy mace heads and large silver axe bring in extra power for the MOTU crossover flair. The golden armor pieces, including shoulder and leg guards, add ornamental detail, letting you outfit him in either stripped-down Thunderian form or fully armored for the battlefield.

Panthro shows off his classic fighting style wielding his chained nunchucks, with the spiked mace attachment dangling at the end for extra punch.

Here Panthro shows off the versatility of his weapons with two different displays of force. One pose has him gripping both handles, ready to bring the nunchucks down in a crushing strike. These setups emphasize not only the range of his accessories but also how dynamic the figure looks when put into combat stances.

Outfitted in his gold armor, Panthro is armed for heavy combat, wielding the double-bladed axe in one hand and a chained mace in the other. The mix of ornate plating and brutal weapons gives him a commanding look, blending elegance with raw destructive power.

Parts Swapping

Here we get a fun look at gear swapping as He-Man takes on Panthro’s accessories. He’s fitted with the spiked harness and wields the chained mace, carrying over that ThunderCats flair into his MOTU build. He’s fully loaded with the ornate gold armor, helmet, and heavy weapons, transforming his appearance into a hybrid warrior that blends both universes in a striking crossover style.

Here’s a close-up showing how Panthro’s arms are pieced together from existing parts in the MOTU x ThunderCats crossover line. His upper arms are taken from Battle Cat-Man, with the distinctive sculpt and detailing carried over, while the lower arms come from Lion-O, giving him a unique hybrid construction. This clever reuse blends elements from both characters to create Panthro’s final look.

Here’s a look at some fun parts swapping with Battle Cat-Man, showing how the crossover figures can mix and match their gear and body parts. Panthro’s armor and weapons take on a whole new look when fitted to Battle Cat-Man’s green body, creating a fierce mashup with bold striping and golden plating layered over his frame. Standing side by side, the two figures highlight just how interchangeable the line is, opening up endless custom crossover possibilities.

On the left is Mr. Home Arcade’s custom Panthro, created by the talented lunareclipsecustoms, standing alongside the official MOTU x ThunderCats Wave 2 release. His custom has a darker gray tone with sharper facial detailing, giving it a grittier edge compared to the brighter blue and more streamlined look of the new figure. His version was also used to imagine what these crossover figures might look like in standard MOTU Origins form before their official release, making it a cool piece of fan creativity that anticipated the direction Mattel eventually went.

Check out Mr. Home Arcade’s video review on his YouTube Channel!

Minicomic: The Power Sword of Omens

The front cover of the mini comic bursts with energy, showing Lion-O and He-Man raising their iconic swords together in unison, the Sword of Omens and the Power Sword glowing with crackling power. Behind them looms a giant serpent-shaped that screams Mumm-Ra, framed by purple clouds and lightning, with the Masters of the Universe x ThunderCats logo above and the title “The Power Sword of Omens” at the bottom. The back cover keeps things clean and focused, featuring the Masters of the Universe x ThunderCats logo above crisp images of He-Man, Tygra, and Panthro figures, each labeled with their titles. The layout showcases the figures in their action-ready poses, highlighting the wave’s lineup in a straightforward presentation.

Picking up where the Wave 1 minicomic let off, the story opens with the Thundercats and Masters of the Universe locating the Black Pyramid, where Tygra is being held. Inside its maze, He-Man, Panthor, and Cheetara discover Tygra unconscious but alive, and He-Man carries him out. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pyramid, Lion-O, Battle Cat, and allies find a tomb they believe houses Skeletor. As Lion-O prepares to strike when the casket is opened, he suddenly sees Tygra—but realizes it is a trap, shouting a warning just as Skeletor is revealed in disguise.

He-Man and his allies realize the Tygra they encountered is not real, warning Cheetara that the true Tygra is elsewhere. Skeletor then springs his trap, claiming the Power Sword and revealing his new monstrous form as “Skell-Ra the Ever-Living.” Declaring his plan to control the universe, he towers over the heroes, but He-Man stands ready to challenge him. As the battle begins, Skell-Ra vows to smite He-Man with the ancient evil of Grayskull, unleashing a powerful attack that shocks the heroes.

In the climax of the battle, the heroes fight to reclaim the Power Sword from Skell-Ra, with He-Man and Lion-O working together. He-Man tosses the sword to Lion-O, who strikes the final blow, sending Skell-Ra to defeat while declaring victory over the ancient evil. With the battle won, Lion-O and He-Man shake hands in mutual respect, acknowledging each other as leaders of their worlds. The closing narration states that as the Eye of Thundera shines over Eternia, the universe can rest knowing that evil has finally been vanquished.

Where to Buy!

Preorder for Waves 1 and 2 went live on various online retailers below: