Line #37 WesternAnimation/TheHerculoids


1	%%
2	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
3	%%
4	%%
5	%%
6	[[quoteright:400:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/herculoids.jpg]]
7	->"Somewhere out in space live the Herculoids:\
8	Zok, the laser-ray dragon, Igoo the giant rock ape\
9	Tundro the Tremendous, Gloop and Gleep the formless, fearless wonders!\
10	With Zandor their leader, and his wife Tara and son Dorno, they team up to protect their planet from sinister invaders!\
11	All strong, all brave, all heroes!\
12	They're the Herculoids!"
13	-->--'''OpeningNarration'''
14
15
16
17	This 1960s AnimatedSeries from Creator/HannaBarbera was unlike its contemporary, ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost'', in that it was set on Amzot[[note]]Quasar in the 1980s ''Space Stars'' revival[[/note]], a primitive planet protected by King Zandor[[note]]Just "Zandor" in the original series[[/note]]. Zandor's wife, Tara, and their son, Dorno, were the only other known human inhabitants. For some reason, aliens kept trying to conquer an isolated, largely uninhabited jungle world full of monsters. Go figure.
18
19	When trouble arose, Zandor commanded a small army of exotic beasts: Gloop and Gleep, a pair of [[BlobMonster gelatinous]] [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shape-shifters]]; Igoo, an ape with [[NighInvulnerability rocklike skin]]; Tundro, [[MixAndMatchCritters a rhino-triceratops-like creature that could shoot burning rocks from its horn]], and Zok, a [[GiantFlyer flying]] [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]] capable of firing [[EyeBeams laser beams from its eyes]] and tail.
20
21	In the early 1980s, the Herculoids joined Space Ghost in the AnimatedAnthology series ''WesternAnimation/SpaceStars''. In 2016, they also joined most of the other 1960's Hanna-Barbera adventure heroes for the [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover massive multiplayer crossover comic book]] ''Comicbook/FutureQuest.''
22	----
23	!!This show provides examples of:
24
25	* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The Japanese dub has a different song than the original. See it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6pHynlUnaY&feature=related here]].
26	* ActionMom: Tara sometimes goes into battle to help. However, she also was a DamselInDistress most of the time.
27	%% * BadassFamily
28	* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Zandor and Zok in "Sarko the Arkman" go into space with no special equipment but this sometimes is averted.
29	%% * BigRedButton: "Malak and the Metal Apes" has one, used to activate a SelfDestructMechanism.
30	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: The title aliens of "Mutoids" were shapeshifters who had evil looking red eyes and fangs, but disguised themselves to look more human to outsiders. When we see one revert back to "monstrous", it's meant to be our first tip-off that they're evil, and Zandor even states that he was only fooled due to their altered appearance.
31	%% * TheBlank: The title villains in "Attack of the Faceless People".
32	%% * BlobMonster: Gloop and Gleep are friendly ones.
33	%% * ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: The eyes of the monsters of the Stone Forest in "The Lost Dorgyte".
34	* ComicBookAdaptation: The Herculoids were the main feature of the Creator/{{Toonami}} themed issues of ''Cartoon Network Presents'', with the host [[WesternAnimation/SpaceGhostCoastToCoast Moltar]] declaring them to be his favorite cartoon.
35	* ContinuityNod: In "Attack From Space" The Herculoids travel to the enemy planet using the space ship that Sarko left behind in his debut episode.
36	* {{Crossover}}: In [[TheSixties the sixties,]] they appeared in the ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost'' cartoon "The Molten Monsters of Moltar", part 4 of the six-part "Council of Doom" serial. The two crossed over more frequently on ''WesternAnimation/SpaceStars'' in [[TheEighties the eighties.]] And the Herculoids got to meet ''everybody'' from WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest to [[WesternAnimation/Birdman1967 Birdman]] in ''Comicbook/FutureQuest.''
37	* DamselInDistress: Tara. When she wasn't getting threatened or captured by the Monster of the Week, she was being kidnapped by the lizard-snake people to be their brainwashed queen. Mitigated by her usually trying to run ''from'' danger when she isn't being ambushed. Zandor and the Herculoids always managed to rescue her -and Tara's so nice and generally sensible it's understandable why they keep doing it.
38	* DeadlyDisc: Zandor's shield could be used like a projectile weapon.
39	* DeadlyForceField: Some alien invaders attempt to sweep away The Herculoids by generating a wide force field wall. This barrier is shown to reduce trees to toothpicks and boulders to gravel on contact. Fortunately, Igoo the rock ape deduces that such a force field would be equally deadly to those on its other side. Igoo uses a {{treebuchet}} to push the aliens from behind into their own force field.
40	%% * DeployableCover: "The Time Creatures" and "Invasion of the Electroid Men''.
41	%% * DisintegratorRay: Many {{villains}} had these.
42	%% * DivingSave: Dorno to Gleep in "Swamp Monster".
43	%% * DressingAsTheEnemy: "The Crystalites" and "Ruler of the Reptons".
44	%% * EvilLaugh: Most of the villains.
45	* ExoticWeaponSupremacy: The heroes had slingshots loaded with Tundro's explosive rocks. Very cool, very fancy as is appropriate for the heroes.
46	%% * EyeBeams: Zok's eyes.
47	* FastballSpecial: Gloop changes to a giant slingshot to throw Igoo, and also throws Gleep once.
48	%% * GiantEnemyCrab: One of the microscopic monsters in the "Tiny World of Terror".
49	%% * GiantFlyer: Zok the dragon.
50	* HammeredIntoTheGround: In a non-comedic example, "The Crystalloids" had Igoo the rock ape pounding a Crystalloid into the ground with a club.
51	%% * HandSignals: Igoo and Zandor in "The Raiders".
52	%% * HarmlessFreezing: Igoo in "Mekkor".
53	%% * HoistByHisOwnPetard: Gorvak, the leader of "The Android People."
54	* HornAttack: Tundro's signature attack, especially of the shooting variety. He launches energy rocks out of his horn to attack his enemies.
55	%% * HostageSituation: Tara and Dorno, occasionally.
56	* HypnoTrinket: In "Ruler of the Reptons", the Reptons use a crown to MindControl Tara.
57	%% * ImprovisedParachute: Multiple examples, all involving Gloop and Gleep.
58	%% * IncredibleShrinkingMan: Happens to the protagonists in "Tiny World of Terror".
59	%% * InstantSedation: Used by "Sarko the Arkman" on Zandor.
60	* IntelligibleUnintelligible: None of the animal Herculoids spoke in anything but stock shrieks, growls, and warbles, but the humans among them understood them just fine.
61	%% * InvincibleHero: Every member of the cast except for Tara and Dorno.
62	%% * ISurrenderSuckers: The Mutoid leader Mutak in "The Mutoids".
63	* JetPack
64	** "Queen Skorra": Queen Skorra's attack robots use jet packs to fly while fighting the Herculoids.
65	** "The Pirates": The pirates wear jet packs while flying their "flying torpedoes" (hover vehicles). When Tundro smashes one of the vehicles and Zok destroys another one with his laser eye beams, the pirates piloting them fly away using their jet packs.
66	%% * TheLastStraw: Zandor uses this against the gold-stealing "The Raider Apes".
67	* MarilynManeuver: A rare, male example with Zandor in "The Raiders Apes". His skirt lifts up with Zok flies passed him, revealing his briefs.
68	* MoneyMauling: Gotron almost escapes The Herculoids and justice aboard his longboat, which is laden with so much gold that it can barely move. Zandor pitches one more sack of gold at Gotron, which not only knocks him off his feet, but causes his boat to sink. Gotron never surfaces; either he can't swim, or his greed wouldn't let him unhand his gold.
69	* MuggedForDisguise: Several Crystalite guards in "The Crystalites" so that Zandor and the Herculoids could infiltrate their base.
70	%% * OurDragonsAreDifferent: Zok.
71	%% * PlanetaryRomance
72	* PlantMooks: When a glowing meteor lands on their home world, the Herculoids find themselves battling common, harmless flora suddenly gone monstrous, aggressive and hostile.
73	%% * PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: Zandor's shield.
74	%% * PutTheirHeadsTogether: "Invasion of the Electrode Men" and "Ruler of the Reptons".
75	%% * RedAlert: In "Prisoner of the Bubblemen" after Zandor and Tara escape.
76	%% * RedEyesTakeWarning: The title characters in "The Mutoids" and "The Crystaloids".
77	%% * ReversePolarity: In "Revenge of the Pirates", Zok does this with his eye beams.
78	* RobotWar: According to ''Comicbook/FutureQuest,'' Zandor and his family are refugees from a planet conquered by its robots, and that's why they chose to settle on a primitive planet without advanced technology. Whether this backstory is canon to the original 1960s series is debatable, but it's clear that Zandor is quite familiar with technology (for example, when he had to travel to another planet, he just took one of the antagonists' spaceships and used it without any trouble).
79	* RockBeatsLaser: Several enemies of the Herculoids have far more advanced tech, but lose to them either way.
80	* RockMonster: Igoo's body is made out of (or at least covered in) dense granite.
81	* RubberMan: Gloop and Gleep can stretch into any possible shape imaginable.
82	%% * SelfDestructMechanism: "Malak and the Metal Apes". Standard feature in the Metal Apes (robots).
83	* ShrinkRay: Used on the protagonists in "Tiny World of Terror" by Torrack who pits them against his microbe monsters.
84	%% * SkintoneSclerae
85	* SpaceAmish: The three humans certainly know about aliens and spaceships and such, and are even friends with Space Ghost, but they choose to live a primitive life.
86	* SpacePirates: The villains of the episode "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Pirates]]". They try to leave their treasure on the Herculoids' planet, then take Dorno hostage when their plan goes south. It doesn't go well for them.
87	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The title card spells one of the recurring bad guy's name as Sarko. Within his episodes it is pronounced as "Arko" with the S being silent.
88	%% * StockPhrases:
89	%% ** GladHesOnOurSide: Dorno says, "I'm glad you're on our side," to Tundro in "The Lost Dorgyte".
90	%% ** ItsQuietTooQuiet: Zandor in "Mission of the Amatons" and "The Island of the Gravites".
91	%% ** LeaveHimToMe[=/=]SeizeThem: The king of "The Mole Men", referring to Zandor.
92	%% ** WeMeetAgain: Mekkano in "Mekkano, the Machine Master"
93	%% ** WeWillMeetAgain: Sta-Lak says, "I will be back!" at the end of "Return of Sta-Lak''.
94	* SufferTheSlings: Dorno used a sling on those times when he actually participated in combat, throwing energy rocks similar to the ones Tundro fired from his horn.
95	* TakenForGranite: Subverted when a medusa-type villain tried to change Igoo into stone, who already ''was'' granite.
96	* ThroughAFaceFullOfFur: Gleep in "The Time Creatures". He angrily turns red after getting zapped by a laser from one of the hovering machines, then morphs into one of them and returns fire at it.
97	%% * ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks: Zandor in multiple episodes.
98	%% * TimmyInAWell: All of the animal members, but especially Gloop and Gleep.
99	%% * TrapDoor: "Sarko the Arkman" and "The Antidote".
100	* TreasureRoom: "The Raider Apes" had one in the villagers' cave system that was plundered by the Raider Apes.
101	%% * TreeBuchet: Igoo to Dorno in "The Raiders".
102	* TwoShorts: The 1960s show had two shorts per episode, both with the Herculoids.
103	%% * VoluntaryShapeshifting: The title creatures in "The Mutoids". And of course, Gloop and Gleep.
104	%% * WalkingShirtlessScene: Zandor and Dorno.

Context WesternAnimation / TheHerculoids