Defending a planet from alien forces is always an arduous task, and if Azmot were to remain safe for her citizens, King Zandor and Queen Tara were going to need substantial help. They found what they were looking for in a quintet of five strange creatures, in the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, The Herculoids, which debuted in 1967.

The Herculoids consisted of Tundro, an armor-plated rhino-like creature, equipped with 10 legs and a horn that also served as a cannon, firing explosive energy rocks. Igoo was an indestructible simian made entirely of stone. Zok was a flying dragon,with a tail and eyes that were equipped with powerful lasers. Rounding out the team were a pair of protoplasmic pals, Goop and Gleep, who could morph into any creature or inanimate object they desired.

The King and Queen, as well as their son Prince Dorno, didn’t just sit back and let The Herculoids battle things out; they were formidable warriors in their own right, each a skilled marksman with a slingshot, and capable of supplementing Tundro’s energy rock assaults. His Royal Highness was also equipped with a mighty shield that also served as both a parachute and a boomerang. And they all got plenty of practice, waging battle against such foes as the Beaked People, the Mutoids and the faceless people.

The Herculoids originally aired from three seasons, ending in 1969. Twelve years later, they would emerge on Saturday mornings again, with eleven all-new episodes, as part of the Space Stars show. More recently, the quintet has shown up on occasion on the Cartoon Network and Boomerang, still fling those energy stones and fighting off their space invaders.