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TUG to the Cartoons of the 80’s Episode Guide: Karate Kommandos

Episode Guide: Karate Kommandos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karate Kommandos
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Episode Guide:

Episode 1: Deadly Dolphin
Air Date: September 15th, 1986
Writer(s): Dan DiStefano & Janis Diamond

Synopsis:

Introduction by Chuck Norris: “Sometimes the things we want most are toughest to get”

Chuck and Crew (6 total) are seen down with a group of dolphins running tests. A character named, Dr. Sanford is shown up above giving them instructions.

We see a submarine with Angel Fish on board who is trying to capture Dr. Sanford. She has a computer conference with Claw and Super Ninja outlining their plan to capture a place called ‘Sealab’. Angel Fish captures Dr. Sanford who, apparently, was also the chief architect of Sealab.

Norris and his crew try to get the doctor back but fail. They do capture one of the foot soldiers and are hopeful of getting information out of him on where they are taking the doctor. It turns out they took him to a supertanker in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We see Angelfish using what she calls a cat scanner to read the doctor’s mind on how she can get into Sealab.

Chuck and Tabe go after Sanford. They split up and go deck by deck giving us a chance to see both characters highlighted. After a while they join back up and rescue the doctor. The other four members of Chuck’s gang go after Sealab and Angelfish but wind up all getting captured in the process.

Superninja arrives and takes command of Sealab to Angelfish’s anger. She gets Claw on the monitor immediately. He says it’s simply for insurance. Claw is then seen on monitors around the world and he demands 1 billion dollars in gold or he will unleash the powers of the ocean from Sealab.

Chuck, Tabe and the doctor along with some dolphins on a navy ship head for Angelfish and Sealab. They look at blueprints and Chuck sees a water pipe that he says is their way in the lab. They will have to ditch their scuba equipment at the entrance though, so he decides they will ride dolphins in from there.

Chuck’s gang escapes their ‘cells’ by tricking the guard to come in when they are all hanging from the rafters. Around the same time Norris swims with the dolphins into sealab as Superninja turns on the tidal wave reactor. Norris shows up and fights Superninja and Angelfish. Eventually, Angelfish retreats. Chuck throws Superninja out of the window, cuts a cord and shorts the machine to stop the tidal wave.  In the final scene we see Angelfish is being tossed around by the dolphins as the good guys stand by laughing.

Moral Lesson by Chuck Norris:
“Don’t give up and you’ll be a winner”

Grade: 2/5

Episode 2: Target: Chuck Norris
Air Date: September 16th, 1986
Writer(s): Jack Bornoff

Synopsis:

Introduction by Chuck Norris: Sometimes you’ll meet people who will do anything they can to get their way. Like a Bully.

We start seeing a ship blow a whole through a dike which allows the ocean to start flooding Amsterdam. They then drive their boats into a Bank to steal a NATO ‘memory core’.

We see Chuck flying a 1-man helicopter observing the robbers and alerting Tabe and the rest of the crew on the direction they are headed. Each member jumps on one of the villain’s boats and dispatches with the bad guys aboard. Chuck hanging from the unpiloted helicopter swoops down and knocks the memory core over to Too Much, who catches it and exclaims, “Too Much” (for no apparent reason).

Claw is shown in his headquarters with Super Ninja, Imposter and The Leader. The Leader, who apparently was in charge of this last mission, is punished by being dropped through a trap door under his chair. Claw directs Imposter to go to New York to retrieve the Memory Core. He will be rewarded with 3 million dollars if he is successful.

Next we see Norris trying to fill up at a gas station but the attendant is, the Imposter. A group of cars try to ambush Norris which leads to the explosion of the gas station. Norris takes a message from the Director about how important the memory core is.

Norris and gang are at a fundraising dinner to raise money for a karate center for kids. One of the waiters is the Imposter and ninjas swing in the windows to attack. Chuck tries to get Too Much to safety by going down an elevator which is detonated and they have to jump into a pool, stories below, to save themselves. Superninja captures Too Much and drives away. Chuck pursues in his fancy red car with the shows logo painted on it. He turns on a homing device in the car to help the rest of the team locate them. The plane takes off with Too Much aboard. Chuck borrows a plane to pursue.

They land in a remote part of the mountains where Claw is with a rocket launcher of sorts aimed at Norris’ plane. Another aircraft grabs his plane with a giant claw. He releases him as he shoots the rocket. (this is a terrible villain plan) We see an explosion but can’t see what actually happened.

They end up throwing Too Much off the cliff as well, but he lands on a ledge nearby Chuck. They are on opposite sides and jump to a point in the middle.

Claw gives Imposter one million dollars and says the other 2 will be given once he gets the Memory core. He also warns him that Super Ninja does not think Chuck is dead.

We see Superninja attack a truck that is said to be carrying the core. He shoots sleeping gas to subdue the pilot and takes over the truck, drives it into a plane and takes off. When they open the truck Norris and gang are in Norris’ car in the back and attack. Superninja tries to retreat but Norris does like a 700 backflip long jump into the ocean and onto his boat to stop him. In the end Superninja hitches a ride on another ship and escapes. They kept the memory core safe and did capture the Imposter and some of the foot soldiers.

Moral Lesson by Chuck Norris:
A bully is no one to be afraid of. They are just cowards because they only pick on people smaller than they are.

Grade: 1.5/5

Episode 3: Terror Train
Air Date: September 17th, 1986
Writer(s): Matt Uitz

Synopsis:

Introduction by Chuck Norris: Some people think that violence is the only answer to life’s problems.

Chuck and the Gang are headed for a ship that has a laser robot on it. The Director cautions them not to let Claw near as it would be a big blow to the free world.  They are introduced to Mr. Yoshi who invented the robot.

Another mercenary working for claw orders an attack on the boat. (During the fight we see one scene in which Too Much is twirling a set of  numbchucks and then just tosses them away so he can kick the bad guy) They think they have the villains defeated but one of the bad guys takes Too Much hostage, jumps off the boat and speeds away. (This is the second time in three episodes that Too Much has been taken captive.)

Chuck orders his crew to get everyone else safe and head to the Bullet Train, while he goes after Too Much. Chuck steals a bike but apparently makes it better by telling the owners,  “Sorry guys, this is an emergency, I’m Chuck Norris, contact me through the American Embassy” Chuck is hot on the trail when he jumps off the bike and grabs a wing on the plane that the bad guys are on. (and stays on the wing for the whole take off). The bad guy then gets into a truck, which is on the plane and busts through the plane with the truck (that thankfully has a parachute attached to it. This episode is bonkers.) Chuck then jumps out of the plane, free falling until he lands on the truck. The bad guy with Too Much then jumps out of the truck and deploys his own parachute and cuts Chuck’s parachute.  Chuck simply free falls until he lands on the guys back.

Claw says he needs the laser robot for a frontal attack on Tokyo. He makes his mercenary, Tanaka, take his glasses off and shines a light into the camera due to his sensitivty to light… Super Ninja apparently has shown up in the meantime and takes his order from Claw.

Chuck and the guy with the parachute then LAND on the bullet train…(you can’t make this stuff up). Super Ninja shows up and blasts into the train. While the foot soldiers fight the gang, Superninja plants a bomb on the train and it becomes an episode of Speed. Somehow all the crew get off the train though.  They bring the laser robot to Tanaka and his henchmen shoot their helicopter which makes it explode into nothing.  The good guys are put in a cell which is filling with water and snakes. They fling a ‘sea serpent’ up until it latches onto a grate above them, Tabe holds the snake and Too Much climbs it like a ladder to the grate to free them. Tanaka drops his glasses which break and the gang cuts the curtains so he is blinded.

We get a ridiculous chase including bad guys on skis with bow and arrows and then sleds and Chuck cutting down a bunch of trees to stop the bad guys.  They catch up to the Bullet train and at 120 mph Chuck grapples on to the train and tight rope walks it only to see Super Ninja appear and they battle on the tight rope until Chuck outdoes Super Ninja. Norris then climbs on the wing of a plane flying beside the train and takes the bomb which had been cut out of the train by the laser robot. Pepper, Too Much and Chuck fly away into the distant sky with the bomb until we see an explosion. Somehow the plane isn’t damaged though and after a shot to the rest of the team who is worried about their survival, Chuck and company fly back into the scene and give them a thumbs up.

Moral Lesson by Chuck Norris: Violence should always be the last option. Better to walk away from a fight.

Grade: 0.5/5

Episode 4: Menace from Space
Air Date: September 18th, 1986
Writer(s): Mike Chain

Synopsis:

Introduction by Chuck Norris: Self control is a neccessary skill in life and pays off in the end

Norris and gang arrives at the ‘launch site’ and Director says they are counting on him. He says the Claw is planning to attack the shuttle ‘the Invincible’. We then see Super Ninja on a boat nearby with this week’s mercenary Croc. Croc then catapults himself, some soldiers and some crocodiles into the air and into attack. The commander at the base is bragging that no one could get through his defenses and that there won’t be any attack. The crocodile busts through the window and lands on the desk where Chuck wrestles him.

The gang battle Croc as Chuck faces off with Super Ninja, who’s ‘been waiting a long time for this’. Norris tries to use a helicopter to go after the shuttle but Super Ninja throws the grappling rope into it which winds around the propellor and sends Chuck into the ocean.

We then see Claw’s headquarters with Croc.  Claw says he will pay him as soon as the world pays me mine (Which seems like a bizarre and confusing stipulation) Claw then sends a video message to the President with an example of what the shuttle can do. He demands 10 billion dollars from EACH of the world’s powers. The military says it can’t help so the President says it’s up to Chuck.

Chuck and gang head for Croc’s HQ in a swamp boat and hit a mine (which doesn’t kill them). So, a bunch of crocodiles come after them and one by one each member disposes of a croc in a different manner. They use sleeping gas on the mess hall and beat up some other guard until they can confront Croc himself. They demand Croc gives them the location of Claw.

Super Ninja is on the shuttle readying the attack and awaiting orders from Claw. The gang arrives in Alaska looking for Claw. They cut the cable on the Sub that was communicating with the Shuttle. They destroy the Sub and run in on Claw. Claw throws an adult man at them and makes his escape through a hatch in the floor and onto a waiting boat.

They need rocket fuel so the GOOD guys steal Rocket fuel from a military base and head to meet Chuck at the museum where they are going to obtain a rocket ship. Norris gets blasted by the shuttle and has to eject. He takes a fire extinguisher to steer himself through space and into the Shuttle which was opened for firing. They use gravity to effect some people and moves and not others in a weird space battle sequence inside the shuttle. In the end, Norris and his team are successful once again.

The gang is all working out after and discussing what the Claw will do with Super Ninja. Chuck says “He probably took him out behind the woodshed” (which seems like an oddly evil thing for our good guys to say)

Moral Lesson by Chuck Norris: We only won because we were better trained which takes self control, like when you have to do homework before you can start playing.

Grade: 1/5

Episode 5: Island of the Walking Dead
Air Date: September 19th, 1986
Writer(s): Janis Diamond

Synopsis:

Introduction by Chuck Norris: We all have made mistakes and it can be hard to face up to them. You become a stronger person when you own up to your mistakes.

A Satellite that controls the communication for every military installation on the globe is the subject of this episode. Claw has a plan for Super Ninja to attack and gain control of the satellite. Super Ninja fails in his fight with “NORRIS!!” but they do destroy the antenna. They take one of the ninja’s captive (although this never comes into play with the rest of the story).

Claw brings the satellite down to earth and sends Super Ninja after it.

Chuck is giving Tank a ride and is attacked by one of Claw’s men to no avail. Chuck is informed that the satellite has been located thanks to an audio homing device so the gang heads to retrieve it. They split up into two groups.

We then see zombies walking around the island here and there. Too Much, Pepper, Reed and Kimo find the satellite but get captured by the zombies in the process. That leaves Tabe and Chuck to figure things out. Some Shaman guy is shown summoning more zombies and working with Superninja.

Norris and Tabe have much better luck fighting the zombies then the rest of the gang did, for some reason. They free the rest of the gang and are being chased by zombies, boulders and all sorts of other perils.

Super Ninja has a voodoo doll and is hurting Norris with it. Chuck hits it out of his hand with a flying star (but then is surprised that his foot stops hurting. Also, the zombies on both sides of the bridge disappear with no explanation. Then a couple reappear right after they jump into the water below.)

Chuck and company attack the headquarters where Claw is at. Claw flies away before Norris can capture him. They all get on a jet and fly away to avoid the zombies. Super ninja borads the plane as it takes off and him and Norris fight on the wing until he gets kicked off. The military sends navy fighter planes to take out Claw’s jet even though Norris and gang are on it. They make a CN out of smoke in the air to tell them who they are and make it back to safety.

Moral Lesson by Chuck Norris: Remember everyone makes mistakes but you are a special person if you love people in spite of their mistakes.

Grade: 1.5/5

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Kevin "OptimusSolo"

OptimusSolo is a Cartoon Historian and even has an actual History degree to go with it. He's also an avid Toy collector boasting an over 1,000 piece Star Wars collection and nearly 400 Transformer toys. He is one of the hosts of the Powers of Grayskull series. He also has a passion for cartoon Theme Songs, Star Trek, MacGyver, Baseball, and is a major Movie Geek!

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