Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt
Character	Good
Species	Great wolf
Gender	Male
Bonded with	Drake
Jewel	Forest Stone
Home	Crystal Palace
First episode	"Jewel Quest, Part I"

Thunderbolt or simply just Thunder (called Éclair in France) is a major supporting character in Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. A magic animal special friend of The Pack leader Drake, Thunder serves him as his trusted wolf mount since the two bonded with each other through their shared Forest Stone. Thunder later inspired character of the magic wolf Stormbringer in Avalon: Web of Magic.

In the show

The great wolf is strong, noble, and very dedicated to his rider, Drake. As the leading members of The Pack, the well-matched pair is absolutely committed to fight against evil. Like his human friend, Thunder is always looking to ride into a great adventure and will push himself to the max for his friend to run faster and jump higher. And like Drake, Thunder too is very protective of Tamara, the youngest and most vulnerable of the current Jewel Riders, and is ready to leap into danger for her.

Drake with Thunder (and Princess Gwenevere) in "Wizard's Peak"

Thunderbolt understands Drake better than anyone and knows the young man may someday become a great leader of the kingdom of Avalon. He often offers a kind word of encouragement and support to help Drake when things do not go right. Sharing his magical Forest Stone with Thunder allows Drake to use the wolf's keen senses to help them on the Pack's patrols through the Great Forests that border Avalon's capital city of New Camelot.

Behind the scenes

The character that would become Thunderbolt had began as Golanth (a "Bronze King" dragon) in the show's original project to adapt Dragonriders of Pern. He could be found as just as "the Wolf" in the Enchanted Camelot phase of the production. His design did not change much during the final transition to Jewel Riders, but his toy figure exists only in a prototype and was never mass produced. Like the other wolves of the Pack, Thunder was sometimes shown as much larger in pre-production sketches than he is in the show's aired version.

Legacy

Stormbringer's Avalon cartoon design

Later, Thunderbolt partially inspired the character of Stormbringer, a female mistwolf in the Avalon: Web of Magic novels. Stormbringer is even actually named Thunder (Tonnerre) in the French edition.

References

Characters

List of characters List of episodic characters Main characters Jewel Riders (Princess Gwenevere, Fallon, Tamara, Sunstar, Moondance), Lady Kale, Morgana, Archimedes, Drake Major characters Merlin, the Pack, Shadowsong, Queen Anya, Ian, Rufus and Twig, baby animals Other characters King Jared and Goliath, Grimm, Thunderbolt, Cleo, Spike, Travel Trees, Guardian, ancient wizards, Lord Batton, Gliders, Kit, Arienda and the Faery Wraiths, Outlaws, Wintermane