The Lion of Sodor

"This is the finest statue I've ever seen!" "And the cleanest!"

- The Mayor and the Fat Controller

The Lion of Sodor is the second episode of the thirteenth series.

Plot
Thomas is given the job of transporting a crate which Cranky states that he needs to take special care of as it as it contains The Lion of Sodor, which he thinks is an actual lion (despite Cranky attempting to tell him otherwise). On route to Knapford, Thomas sees Henry and tells him about how he thinks he’s taking a lion. Surprised at this, Henry states that he’s only taking syrup. Remembering what Cranky said about taking care of it, Thomas asks for some of the syrup as he thinks the lion would like it and is given some. However, Thomas then reveals that it’s The Lion of Sodor which shocks Henry who also tries to tell Thomas what Cranky was trying to say (though Thomas doesn’t wait to listen).

Thomas later sees Edward and also informs him that he thinks he has a lion. When Edward responds that he only has fish, Thomas asks for some as he thinks that his lion would like some as well. He’s given some, only for Edward to again attempt (and fail) to inform Thomas the truth about the Lion of Sodor. Thomas then meets with Toby who he again tells about his “lion”, to which Toby states that he’s only got straw. Thomas also thinks that his lion would like some straw and is given some, but yet again doesn’t wait to hear Toby tell him the truth.

When Thomas arrives at Knapford station, the crate is opened up and everyone is shocked to see the Lion of Sodor is actually a statue and in a terrible mess. This causes The Fat Controller to be cross and Gordon and James laugh, and Thomas feels very silly and owns up to what he thought of his cargo. The Fat Controller and Henry explain that the Lion of Sodor was a special statue which got broken. Thomas' cargo was the new statue of the Lion. Feeling silly, Thomas agrees to get the statue clean. Taking advice from Henry and Edward, he gets it cleaned at the wash-down and then polished at the Sodor Steamworks. Once the Lion of Sodor looks very clean, Thomas takes Toby's advice to a short-cut via the windmill to get back to Knapford station, where the Mayor of Sodor is overjoyed to see the new statue.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Mayor of Sodor
 * Emily
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants
 * The Teacher
 * The Bird Watcher
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Blond-haired Boy
 * The Schoolchildren
 * The Welsh Bird Watcher
 * The Lady with the Big Hat
 * The Female Puppet Show Entertainer
 * Big Mickey
 * Victor

Locations

 * The Viaduct
 * Hawin Ab
 * The Coal Hopper
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Maron
 * Knapford
 * MC BUNN
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Victor's Shed
 * The Windmill
 * Maithwaite
 * Crosby Washdown
 * Kirk Ronan Junction

UK, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and South Africa

 * Ben Small as Thomas and Toby
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, the Fat Controller, and the Mayor of Sodor
 * Matt Wilkinson as Cranky

US and Canada

 * Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
 * William Hope as Edward and Toby
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, James and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Glenn Wrage as Cranky
 * David Bedella as the Mayor of Sodor

Trivia

 * Apart from laughing, Gordon does not have any dialogue in this episode.
 * This episode marked the first of a few things:
 * The Mayor of Sodor's first speaking role.
 * The first appearance of the Viaduct since the sixth series episode, Edward the Very Useful Engine and its first appearance in CGI.
 * This episode was shown in select US cinema in October 2010.
 * Buster's theme from the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company episode, Thomas and the Moles when he flattens the molehills is heard here.
 * This episode was used for a Television advert of Google Home in Japan.
 * The ending of the episode was shown on BBC News on 18th July 2010 when the BBC was discussing the subject of Thomas CGI take during their topic of Thomas' 65th anniversary of The Railway Series in that exact same year the episode was released.
 * In Poland, this episode premiered before Hero of the Rails, so the audience would not know about the Sodor Steamworks.
 * The Korean title of this episode shares the same title both on dub and subtitles.

Goofs

 * When Thomas arrives at the docks, the flatbed is missing its axles. Also, when he first arrives, it is lighter in colour.
 * In the scenes when the signal turns green and Thomas leaves, the mountain looks different.
 * Toby said he only has straw in his trucks, but he had flatbeds.
 * As Toby is trying to tell Thomas the Lion of Sodor is not an actual lion, steam comes out of Thomas' cab instead of his funnel.
 * The narrator said Thomas' driver put the syrup in the lion's crate, but it is really his fireman (identified by his moustache).

Merchandise

 * Take-n-Play
 * Magazine Stories - A Lion on Sodor
 * Books - The Lion of Sodor

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Lion of Sodor
 * The Complete Series 13
 * Milkshake! Gold

DVD Packs

 * 10 DVD Boxset
 * Sodor's Heroes!

US/AUS/ZA/ARA/MYS/POL/GER/SWE/NOR/FIN/DK/CZ/GER

 * The Lion of Sodor

US DVD Packs

 * Steam Team Collection

AUS DVD Packs

 * The Lion of Sodor and Splish, Splash, Splosh! Double pack

GER DVD Boxsets

 * With 15 Great Stories

FRA

 * Splish, Splash, Splosh!
 * Series 13

JPN

 * Sodor Maintenance Shop is Busy
 * Special Gift of Hiro and Thomas
 * Everybody Gather the Island of Sodor Athletic Meeting

THA/ITA

 * Creaky Cranky

CHN

 * Slippy Sodor

KOR
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 * Thomas and Friends Five Specials Set

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