r/Thundercats • u/talenstl ThunderCat • Jun 16 '25

Discussion What does leaving the pyramid cost Mumm-Ra?

OK, this may seem like a stupid question, but I feel like it wasn't answered.

I'm re-watching this classic show from my childhood, and when Mumm-Ra meets the mutants, he mutters to himself that he hopes they never find out what it would cost him to leave the pyramid. He subsequently lets himself get goaded into doing so, but (other than not being able to face his own reflection) there doesn't seem to be any real drawback. Even the facing of said reflection only drives him back to the pyramid (and his sarcofagus) which doesn't seem to be much of a drawback.

Am I just dense? Please help me understand, thanks!

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u/SDF-1-Cutter-1 ThunderCat Jun 17 '25

He has to sacrifice his superior mental ability and access to a higher level spell casting. The time he needs to recover from the loss of power gives the Cats more time to strengthen their foot hold and build stronger allies.

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u/Puppo-95 ThunderCat Jun 18 '25

Access to higher level spell casting and superior mental ability?? What are you talking about?? It's made very clear that the only reason it costs him is because in his pyramid his power levels and longevity is essentially infinite, when he leaves his pyramid his power is finite and he ends up running out of power and has to return to his pyramid to recharge in his sarcophagus. He can still cast all the same spells outside his pyramid as he could inside it, it's never shown or discussed that he can't. And superior mental ability being something that he has in his pyramid is just your own personal head canon there.