Name: Tygra

Race: Thunderian [Tiger, most likely, a Bengal variety of tiger.  It is hinted at in the cartoon, and more established in the comics produced in the United Kingdom that he is  Bengali's older brother.  Since it is suspected that Bengali obtained his name from the type of tiger he is, the assumption is that Tygra is a Bengal as well.]

Occupation: ThunderCat Warrior [Tygra is also referred to as the architect, having designed Cat's Lair, and many of the other structures built by the team.  He is also a scientist, and though no field of expertise is ever discussed, it seems he is likely a chemist from the types of things he has invented.]

Weapon: Bolo Whip [Also has been called an invisibility whip, because he wraps it around himself when he wants to become invisible.  Not only is it a conventional whip, but it also shoots energy blasts from the three-pronged tip.  Conveniently, it retracts into a compact six-inch sheath, which can be concealed easily.  The whip can be extended and made to act more solid, like the steps of a ladder, if so desired.]

Special Abilities: Tygra has some very interesting mind powers, allowing him to conjure up things and make others believe that something is happening.  Using the power drains him, and because of that, he is said to rarely use it.  In the show, he used it only once ["Lion-o's Anointment"], and the power is never mentioned again.  It is said that the "Tygra clan" has the power.  Tygra can also make himself invisible, but most of the time he has to do so with his bolo whip wrapped around him [much in the way that Dumbo can only fly with his 'magic' feather], and he can make someone invisible with him, but that can have some nasty side effects if done for too long.   

Love Interests:  For as long as I can remember, suggestions have been made that Tygra was homosexual, and after the addition of Bengali, the number of accusations increased.  His comment about Lion-o's growing up didn't help him much, either.  However, others will insist that there was something about Cheetara, and that the two were a pair.  Still others point to the fact that Tygra spent an awful lot of time walking around the territory of the warrior maidens, and that he had his eye on Queen Willa or her princess sister, Nada.  He was easily seduced by a vampire mermaid, and didn't hesitate too long to take some strange fruit from a talking flower.  Best guess: Tygra's just insecure, and given the chance, he'll jump at it, but he's still not trying to act too desperate.  You can believe what you want, I subscribe to the WIlla theory, and figure that there was a reason he didn't put up too much of a fight when he was left back on Third Earth.  And then again, while on Third Earth, did he become interested in Pumyra?  It would certainly have made sense, both were scientifically inclined (Pumyra as a healer, Tygra as a scientist.)  Let's face it - Tygra was likely ThunderCat by day, playboy by night.

Episodes of Interest:  You must watch "The Garden of Delights", and not the edited version that cuts Tygra's flying.  It was the anti-drug episode, and it's...just watch it.   For more of Tygra's obsessive nature, try "Crystal Canyon".  And of course, there's "Exodus", "Trouble with Time", and "The Fireballs of Castle Plun-Darr".  All are relatively early episodes, but Tygra gets left on Third Earth by the last episode, so you're going to have to take good Tygra episodes where you can get them.

Catch Phrase & Quotes:

"Grown some, hasn't he?"
        - to Cheetara, seeing Lion-o after the years they spent in suspension "Exodus"

"Do you have any more of the fruit, silky?"
        -stoned out of his mind (Just say no, kids), "The Garden of Delights"

"Now you see me...now you don't!"
        -popular phrase when turning invisible

"Never expect a favor for a favor."
        -after helping out the uncooperative mole men in "Time Capsule"

Final Thoughts:  The debate still rages on as to whether or not Tygra was, in fact, a gay ThunderCat.  More than once a year, someone will begin a discussion about it on a message board, and their are some highly opinionated fans out there that are quite convinced either one way or the other on the issue.  As an unrelated bit of information, Tygra also has a number of anti-fans online, and although he doesn't have quite as many as Lion-o has, they are quite a bit more brutal to this character than the Lion-o anti-fans are to the ThunderCat Lord.

Have a catch phrase or quote you think should be here?  Just dying to add some info I missed?  E-mail me!