Ram-Amon: An Intentional Throwback To The Movie Version Of Thulsa Doom?

I doubt it was highly coincidental that Conan the Adventurer was shown 10 years after the blockbuster Conan the Barbarian (1982). Granted, this was by Hasbro so certain similarities couldn't be avoided such as Wrath-Amon was obviously a Serpentor Expy. Heck, Hasbro even went as far as to recycle a scene (sort of) in the finale when Wrath-Amon became a lizard (from which he came) while they did that to Serpentor during the post-movie DiC episodes. Now, for a curious tidbit about a minor character known as Ram-Amon - an obvious xerox of the Conan villain Thoth-Amon. I'm expanding this part because it looks like Hasbro made Ram-Amon as an intentional nod to Thoth-Amon and James Earl Jones' version of Thulsa Doom. The movie Thulsa Doom was essentially more Thoth-Amon in both form and substance. The real Thulsa Doom was a predecessor to the He-Man villain Skeletor. In this case, Ram-Amon was voiced by African-American Arthur Burghart. Burghart sounded like JEJ himself. 

Let's talk about the Conan (1982) movie and how I saw the movie as a child. I was expecting the movie Thulsa Doom to have some black ring since he was pretty much "Wrath-Amon". However, unlike Wrath-Amon, Movie Thulsa Doom was pretty much calm-headed, cunning, and wasn't actually action-oriented. These traits seemed to be transplanted into Ram-Amon - a villain who was less reliant on brute force (and had to call for the serpent men when Cartoon Conan attacked him) and mastered several dark arts. Even without the Black Ring of Set - Ram-Amon wasn't to be underestimated. The only thing missing for Ram-Amon was the ability to become a snake just like Movie Thulsa Doom. If he had it - he could've easily slithered out of the dungeon Wrath-Amon locked him in and presto! I guess the people working with the cartoon didn't want that. 

Movie Thulsa had every advantage over Wrath-Amon in some way. Movie Thulsa had several people turned into his hired killers. Movie Thulsa knew the art of subtle warfare such as when Princess Yasimina became his newest recruit so he could secure Zamora to expand Set's worship. I think Rexor and Thorgrim will give Windfang, Dregs, and Skullkur a run for their money. Movie Thulsa was more or less capable of controlling his emotions. Wrath-Amon frequently threw outbursts. Those characteristics were toned down with the creation of Ram-Amon. Movie Thulsa never solely relied on the Black Ring of Set either. Movie Thulsa could become a snake which could've been great for combat. 

I feel the episode "Birth of Wrath-Amon" almost made a throwback to the 1982 film. Cartoon Conan broke into Ram-Amon's house, tried to steal his property (the Black Ring of Set), and nearly murdered his pet (which that pet became Wrath-Amon). Like Movie Thulsa, Ram-Amon can be a coward who prefers to let others do the dirty work. That's why Ram-Amon created Wrath-Amon. How Wrath-Amon was born 200 years before the time travel is unknown. All Cartoon Conan did was change the way Wrath-Amon was born. If Wrath-Amon was never born then Ram-Amon would've pillaged Cartoon Conan's village instead. How Wrath-Amon was born before Cartoon Conan intervened was never explained. Ram-Amon, like Movie Thulsa, would prefer to let his Serpent Men guards do the fighting for him.

There were later episodes involving Ram-Amon again.  I think more easter eggs were dropped from the movie aside from Mesmira. Mesmira's too obviously Queen Taramis from Conan the Destroyer. Having some interaction between Ram-Amon and Mesmira feels like Movie Thulsa and Movie Taramis talking to each other. Ram-Amon's use of wizardry even without the Black Ring of Set can be seen as both Thoth-Amon and Movie Thulsa. Movie Thulsa never used any artifact to link himself to the serpent god Set. Later, Ram-Amon managed to shapeshift into the size of a Naga. Was that a purely intentional reference to Movie Thulsa becoming a snake? Later, Ram-Amon used a covert attack to knock out Cartoon Conan and his pals. It was some Stygian lotus - something that was referenced from both the movie and the books.

Conan the Adventurer's finale was also something Movie Thulsa would've looked forward to. Movie Thulsa made a speech of the purging is at hand, the Day of Doom, and the day of the cleansed away against all of Set the Serpent God's opponents. The finale had Set causing a Doomsday. Ram-Amon would later join the final battle. Ram-Amon captures Cartoon Conan and pals as a human sacrifice for Set the Serpent God. Ram-Amon also planned to re-open the Abyss to make sure the Day of Doom really happens. However, Ram-Amon, unlike Movie Thulsa, manages to escape for a Sequel Hook that never happened. 

Ram-Amon did escape to be some form of Sequel Hook. Sadly, it never happened as Conan and the Young Warriors gave us Sulinara instead. I felt that Ram-Amon should've been the main villain of Conan and the Young Warriors. Maybe, have it where Ram-Amon seeks the Star Jewels so he could bring back Set from the Abyss. Instead, Sulinara was rather too lame and the sequel deserved its sudden cancellation for being lame. 

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