S01E41 · EPISODE 41 OF 65

Super Birds

Under Mon*Star's orders, Hardware constructs a giant Sky-Shadow to destroy the SilverHawks.

SILVERHAWKS · S01E41

● TITLE CARD · 1986-11-03

Tally-Hawk banks through space, the Sky-Shadow's red scaffolding at the edge of the frame.

The Galactic Council wants SilverHawk representatives, and Commander Stargazer, who cannot spare the manpower, settles it with a coin toss: heads for Quicksilver and Bluegrass, tails for the twins and the Copper Kidd. The twins and the Kidd go. On Brim*Star, Mon*Star tells the Mob that they cannot make a dishonest living in Limbo because of the SilverHawks, and that they will fail again unless they build a super Sky-Shadow, a massive bird of their own. The materials are delivered: two tons of raw steel, laser armament and circuit chips.

Stargazer sends Tally-Hawk to look, and the new Sky-Shadow gives him a tumble and singes his tail feathers. Stargazer sends Bluegrass out with Quicksilver in the Mirage, while Mon*Star transforms to take the giant bird out for a spin himself. Bluegrass works his lariat as if at the rodeo, but the Mob takes him, and Quicksilver is left stranded on a planet with no way off until Seymour gives him a lift, the fare to go on the SilverHawks' tab.

At Hawk Haven, Quicksilver reports that the bird is too powerful. The word amplified gives Stargazer his idea, and he calls Professor Power at the Artificial Sun: the Professor's Amber Amplifier can amplify the power of any object, so why not Tally-Hawk? The Professor says it cannot be done by the book, and Stargazer tells him not to go by the book. Quicksilver goes to help, the amplifier is programmed for a maximum power burst, and Tally-Hawk becomes a super bird just as Mon*Star and Sky-Shadow start hitting Hawk Haven.

Quicksilver and the super Tally-Hawk take on Mon*Star and the giant Sky-Shadow. When the twins and the Kidd come home from the Galactic Council, admitting that they missed being on duty, Tally-Hawk is back to size without any damage, and all they are told is that his duties were expanded while they were away.

Mon*star orders Hardware to create a giant version of Sky-Shadow to destroy the SilverHawks.

"Heads, it's Quicksilver and Bluegrass."

Quicksilver: "Thanks for the lift, Seymour!"

Commander Stargazer: "Expanded the blasted bird ten times its normal size."

How do you run a squadron when half of it is away at a conference? Bruce Shlain's script opens on a staffing problem at Hawk Haven. The Galactic Council wants SilverHawk representatives, somebody protests that Hawk Haven cannot spare the manpower, and Stargazer settles it with a coin: "Heads, it's Quicksilver and Bluegrass." Tails wins, the twins and the Copper Kidd leave, and that same week the Mob decides to build a super Sky-Shadow.[1]

The SilverHawks are short-handed, and they make do with whoever is left, while the Mob's answer to losing is to order a bigger bird. Mon*Star pitches the super Sky-Shadow to his gang on the grounds that they will fail again without it, "You punks have failed before!", and Stargazer soon has a report on his desk of steel, laser armament and circuit chips delivered to Brim*Star. Quicksilver gets home from a stranded planet in the back of Seymour's cab, and Stargazer, casting about for an idea, hears his lieutenant say "amplified" and the word gives him his idea.

The best scene is the call that follows. "Professor, remember that amber amplifier of yours?" Stargazer asks, and he describes the enemy, "Expanded the blasted bird ten times its normal size."[2] Professor Power is cautious, and warns that it cannot be done if they go by the book; Stargazer tells him not to go by the book. The office behind him is drawn in some detail, bookshelves and an electric fan included, and when the Mob starts shooting he is on his feet beside a gun barrel as big as he is!

The animation keeps track of how big the birds are. Early on, Tally-Hawk launches from Quicksilver's shoulder at his usual size; later he stands in Professor Power's lab with his wings spread over a SilverHawk no bigger than his foot. Mon*Star's transformed mask gets a close-up of its own, all spikes and teeth against the stars, and Bluegrass gets a rodeo turn with his lariat: "Just like in the rodeo." Seymour, told to put the fare on the SilverHawks' tab, gets the best exit line in the episode.[3]

The weakness is how easily the problem is solved. The Amber Amplifier can, in the Professor's own words, amplify the power of any object, so the answer to the super Sky-Shadow is already sitting in the Professor's lab. The Professor's doubt about the book is raised and dropped in a single exchange, and the experiment works first time. The likely reason is the slot. A giant bird has to be ordered, built, scouted, fought and matched inside twenty-two minutes, and a device from an earlier episode is the quickest way to give the SilverHawks a giant bird of their own.

It closes on the twins and the Kidd coming home, admitting that they missed being on duty, and being told only that Tally-Hawk's duties were expanded while they were away. The Mob built its bird out of two tons of raw steel, and the SilverHawks, three short, got theirs by not going by the book!

1 ^ The Galactic Council is never seen, and the twins' report on it at the end takes one sentence.

2 ^ The Amber Amplifier comes from Amber Amplifier, and Professor Power programs it here for a maximum power burst.

3 ^ Seymour's parting complaint is "What happened to cold hard cash?"

Stargazer settles which SilverHawks go to the Galactic Council with a coin toss, and the twins and the Copper Kidd are sent.
The report on the Mob's order for the super Sky-Shadow lists two tons of raw steel, laser armament and circuit chips, delivered to Brim*Star.
Stargazer describes the super Sky-Shadow as the Mob's bird expanded to ten times its normal size.
Professor Power's Amber Amplifier, from Amber Amplifier, is used on Tally-Hawk at maximum power burst to make him a super bird, and he is back to size by the end without any damage.
Quicksilver gets home from a stranded planet in Seymour's cab and has him put the fare on the SilverHawks' tab.
Bluegrass works a lariat in the space fight, rodeo style.
Stargazer's office at Hawk Haven has bookshelves, an electric fan and, when the Mob attacks, a gun barrel nearly as big as he is.
The closing science segment is about galaxies: the Milky Way holds over a hundred billion stars, and the Kidd scores seven points for the day.

We do not yet have a production script for “Super Birds”. If you have one, please consider contributing it to the archive.

What we are looking for: production scripts only. Writer’s drafts, shooting drafts, and studio copies of the actual script for this episode. We strongly prefer scans of the original printed pages over retyped text, since scans preserve the layout, scene headings, director notes, and any handwritten annotations that make the document interesting and verifiable.

What we are not looking for: fan-written transcripts of the broadcast dialogue, episode summaries, or AI-generated reconstructions.

Email a script for “Super Birds”

All contributors are credited on the Production Scripts archive page and on the relevant episode guide.

One name enters the series in this episode.

The Super Sky-Shadow

Cast, in order of appearance13

Places6

Craft4

Weapons and equipment8

Appearance lists compiled from the episode articles on the ThunderCats wiki, checked against this site's encyclopedia. Names we have no entry for are shown without a link rather than left out.

Commander Stargazer

Commander Stargazer

Quicksilver

Quicksilver

Steelheart

Steelheart

Steelwill

Steelwill

The Copper Kidd

The Copper Kidd

Bluegrass

Bluegrass

Mon*Star

Mon*Star

Yes-Man

Yes-Man

Melodia

Melodia

Hardware

Hardware

Tally-Hawk

Tally-Hawk

Seymour

Seymour

Professor Power

Professor Power

A large silver partner bird in profile against the stars; which bird it is cannot be identified.

Stargazer sits at his desk after the call asking him to send SilverHawk representatives to the Galactic Council.

Stargazer settles it with a coin toss: heads for Quicksilver and Bluegrass, tails for the twins and the Kidd.

The Copper Kidd and Steelwill wait at the door; tails has sent the twins and the Kidd to the Council.

Out of armour, the team hears the coin toss: the twins and the Copper Kidd will go as representatives.

Hardware listens at Mon*Star's meeting as the Mob is told it cannot make a dishonest living in Limbo.

Mon*Star tells the Mob they will fail again, unless they build a super Sky-Shadow.

Yes-Man listens, hand at his chin, as Mon*Star warns the Mob it will fail again.

Mon*Star tells the Mob they will fail again unless they create a super Sky-Shadow.

Hardware tells Mon*Star the giant bird will take time and a big order for materials.

Hardware, his bedroll glowing pink, crosses the stairs past Melodia and Yes-Man below Mon*Star's throne.

Hardware grins and points at a red curve of the new Sky-Shadow: "Looking sharp, Sky-Shadow."

A figure in white stands facing Commander Stargazer's private door, seen only from the legs.

Quicksilver sends Tally-Hawk out to scout Brim*Star after the Mob takes delivery of two tons of raw steel.

The giant Sky-Shadow stands in its scaffolding on Brim*Star as Stargazer sends Tally-Hawk to look.

Hardware grins as the new Sky-Shadow is set to give the trespassing Tally-Hawk a tumble.

Stargazer, watching the scouting run, remarks that the new Sky-Shadow will throw a lot of weight around.

Tally-Hawk swoops low over Brim*Star, where the red giant Sky-Shadow stands in its scaffolding.

Hardware, wide-eyed, watches Tally-Hawk close in on the new Sky-Shadow.

The giant Sky-Shadow's head, fangs bared, sits inside the scaffolding as Tally-Hawk gets in close.

The scaffolding around the giant Sky-Shadow is knocked apart in clouds of pink smoke.

Hardware sits inside the giant Sky-Shadow's red cockpit, holding a small control as Tally-Hawk is tumbled.

Hardware grins beside a red dome of the giant Sky-Shadow as Tally-Hawk gets his tumble.

Stargazer orders Bluegrass out, warning that the giant bird has enough firepower to take their heads off.

Hardware reports to Mon*Star that the new Sky-Shadow singed Tally-Hawk's tail feathers.

Mon*Star, seen from behind on his throne, says he will take the new Sky-Shadow for a spin; Hardware stands below.

Yes-Man pulls a lever at the console as Mon*Star calls for his transformation.

Yes-Man works the transformation controls, seen from behind, as the console lights glow.

The transformation machine glows red as Mon*Star's transformation begins.

Mon*Star's armoured form takes shape in the purple-tinted transformation sequence.

Mon*Star finishes his transformation, ready to take the giant Sky-Shadow out.

A chrome-gloved hand works the controls of a SilverHawk cockpit while a waveform crosses the screen.

A cockpit screen shows a single bright star in the dark.

Bluegrass, guitar slung, grins at the Mirage controls as the giant bird comes into view.

Transformed Mon*Star rides in the giant Sky-Shadow among the stars.

The giant Sky-Shadow bears down on the Mirage.

The Mirage flies through the stars as the fight with the giant Sky-Shadow begins.

The giant Sky-Shadow flies through the stars, its engines glowing.

Transformed Mon*Star, seen from behind, faces the fight in space.

The Mirage streaks through space trailing a blue beam.

Transformed, Mon*Star takes the giant Sky-Shadow out for the spin he promised himself, fist clenched.

The Mirage in close view as the giant Sky-Shadow chases it.

A ship, seen only as a silhouette, streams a rainbow trail across the stars.

Mon*Star, teeth bared, presses the attack on the Mirage.

The Mirage's engines glow orange as it drifts in space.

The giant Sky-Shadow flies on through space.

Bluegrass tells Quicksilver his engines say no can do, so they cannot get away.

Red claws of the giant Sky-Shadow sweep across the frame.

Quicksilver braces in a spray of dark shards during the giant Sky-Shadow's attack.

A chrome SilverHawk lies against a glass panel as the giant Sky-Shadow's red bulk closes in; the figure is not identifiable.

Quicksilver flies through open space, asking Bluegrass if he can snag him with some fancy roping.

The giant Sky-Shadow's red wings fill the frame.

Quicksilver's helmeted head in close view as he draws the giant Sky-Shadow on.

Quicksilver hovers, wings spread, in front of the giant Sky-Shadow.

Quicksilver, small against the giant Sky-Shadow's snout and fang, keeps clear of it.

Bluegrass, coils of his lariat looped round him, goes to work in space 'just like in the rodeo'.

Bluegrass, pleased with his lariat work, says "Nothin' to it, piece of cake."

Bluegrass and Quicksilver stand on the Mirage's hull in space.

Bluegrass grins at Quicksilver in open space just before the Mob springs its trap.

Bluegrass is caught in open space against the giant Sky-Shadow's red bulk after the Mob springs its trap.

The giant Sky-Shadow flies past red rock walls with a small blue figure below it.

Hardware bares his teeth as he advances across red rock, around the time the Mob takes Bluegrass.

Transformed Mon*Star sits in the giant Sky-Shadow, a weapon at his shoulder, inside the red rock cavern.

Hardware grabs Bluegrass on the red rock floor after the Mob takes him.

Hardware crouches on a wide red rock floor, small in the frame.

Bluegrass scowls against a metal wall as the Mob makes its threats.

Melodia fires her Sound Smasher, music notes streaming from it.

Hardware stands on a rocky ledge as Mon*Star vows the Sky-Shadow will wipe out Hawk Haven.

Bluegrass sits behind the rail of a red and teal open vehicle in a dark cavern.

A glowing red light on the tail of a yellow vehicle.

Quicksilver rides home in the back of Seymour's cab and tells him to put it on the SilverHawks' tab.

Seymour at the wheel of his cab as Quicksilver thanks him for the lift and tells him to bill the SilverHawks.

Stargazer, seen from behind at his desk, faces his office door.

Stargazer listens at his desk as the report comes in that the bird is too powerful and the Mob has Bluegrass.

Stargazer presses a button on his desk console to call Professor Power at the Artificial Sun.

Professor Power hears that the Mob has built a super Sky-Shadow ten times its normal size.

Quicksilver stands by Stargazer's desk as he is told to go and help Professor Power.

Quicksilver waits by a console at the Artificial Sun, Tally-Hawk perched beside him, as the amplifier is readied.

Professor Power says the amplifier cannot be done by the book, then agrees to try.

Professor Power explains that Tally-Hawk must withstand the strain of the amplifier.

Blue electricity crackles around a ring of machinery as the amplifier is set for a maximum power burst.

A beam from the Amber Amplifier strikes Tally-Hawk on his stand while Quicksilver looks on.

Enlarged by the Amber Amplifier, Tally-Hawk towers over a tiny SilverHawk in Professor Power's lab.

Tally-Hawk spreads his wings against the stars after the amplifier treatment.

Quicksilver flies through space with a fist clenched.

Professor Power answers Stargazer's call at the Artificial Sun.

A hand reaches for a red-lit console panel in the dark.

Stargazer calls the Artificial Sun to ask after the super Tally-Hawk as the Mob closes on Hawk Haven.

A giant silver bird in profile against the stars; which bird it is cannot be identified from this angle.

The giant Sky-Shadow's jaw and fang fill the frame as the attack on Hawk Haven begins.

A cloud of smoke fills a damaged room, a red shape behind it.

Stargazer laughs from his desk beside a heavy gun as the attack on Hawk Haven goes on.

Under fire from Mon*Star and Sky-Shadow, Stargazer shouts from his desk beside a heavy gun.

A bright blast erupts in space where a rainbow-striped beam strikes.

Transformed Mon*Star, teeth bared, faces the SilverHawks' counterattack.

Mon*Star's red armoured fist and shoulder fill the frame beside a blue structure.

A hand eases a small control lever on a metal console.

Quicksilver rides behind the head of the enlarged Tally-Hawk as the super bird spreads his wings.

Twin rainbow-coloured beams streak across space.

Two rainbow-coloured beams meet in a bright burst.

Quicksilver clings under the enlarged Tally-Hawk as the super bird flies through space.

Tally-Hawk, talons out, flies through a round tunnel in the rock.

Tally-Hawk flies past a ringed metal structure and a dark rock in space.

Bluegrass sits behind the glass canopy of an orange craft drifting through space.

Bluegrass at the wheel of a Mob car, smiling, as the fight goes on.

Transformed Mon*Star, seen from behind, in the final fight in space.

Tally-Hawk spreads his wings before a ringed metal structure and blue rocks.

A Mob car sweeps through space with twin beams blazing from underneath, Bluegrass at the wheel.

Transformed Mon*Star raises a long weapon from the cockpit of the giant Sky-Shadow.

Transformed Mon*Star, spiked mask in close-up, in the final fight in space.

A hit tears open the giant Sky-Shadow's red hull, showing machinery inside through the smoke.

Transformed Mon*Star stands in a smoke-filled breach of the giant Sky-Shadow, white beams streaming from his hands.

Transformed Mon*Star, weapon raised, hangs in space with white beams streaming past him.

Steelheart, back from the Galactic Council, faces Stargazer as the twins report in.

Stargazer listens with hands clasped as the team reports on the Galactic Council.

The twins and the Kidd, back from the Galactic Council, hear that Tally-Hawk's duties were expanded while they were away.

Back from the Council, the twins and the Kidd face Stargazer in his damaged office beside Bluegrass and Quicksilver.

The Copper Kidd weighs his answer to the three-point question about huge groupings of stars.

The Copper Kidd sits with arms folded as he is asked how many stars are in the Milky Way.

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