Unlikely Alloys

“Chaos In Crystal”‘s Dr. Leiter Greenbox (now voiced by Nick Chinlund) creates Zed (Charlie Adler), a “micro-brain repair unit” that can automatically fix any damaged machine.

When the injured Metallikats use Zed to rebuild themselves, the device’s programming is “contaminated with their criminal personalities.” Zed begins absorbing other machines (including Mac Mange), builds an ever-growing armored body around itself that’s eventually large enough to dwarf a skyscraper, and starts talking about “total world domination.” The SWAT Kats, Dr. Greenbox and Molly Mange reluctantly team up and enter Zed’s body in a desperate attempt to deactivate the metal menace from the inside.

Molly predictably acts up, but Greenbox’s reaction is even worse, overwhelmed by what his genius has produced, his mind snaps and he unites with Zed so they can take over the world together! SWAT Kats’ last episode (at least so far) is one of its best. Mook’s animation is fantastic, the story is strong, the Metallikats’ devotion to each other makes them semi- sympathetic characters, and Greenbox’s transformation is effective even though it’s abrupt. All this and Commander Feral’s first name is finally revealed, too! (It’s Ulysses.) A

In-Jokes: The SWAT Kats, when they first encounter Zed:

T-Bone: “Crud! What *is* that thing?”
Razor: “Giant monster of the week?”

Lance Falk: “Unlikely Alloys,” which was an unused idea from the first season, is Falk’s favorite of the SWAT Kats episodes he wrote. “It was Davis [Doi’s] idea to split the Metallikats up,” says Falk, who had planned to have both Manges join the fantastic voyage inside Zed’s body. “I [originally] had a big robot fight at the end, but Davis turned it into a love story. As bad as [the Metallikats] are, as much as they fight and bicker, they’re willing to sacrifice themselves for one another. I thought that was a very strong idea, and the instant I heard it I was mad at myself for not thinking of it.”

Animato summary written by Mark Lungo