Synopsis
Thunderbirds 2086 is set roughly two decades after the original series, commonly assumed to take place around 2065—though on-screen dates vary—and follows the adventures of the Thunderbirds, a rescue squad within the International Rescue Organisation. Unlike the original International Rescue, which was small and family-run, the IRO is a massive organization with many branches, overseen by the Federation, the 2086 version of the United Nations. No direct narrative links are established between the two series, though it is implied that the original International Rescue evolved into its 2086 counterpart over those thirty years. The Tracy family is never mentioned in this animated series. In the animated show, the team itself is called the Thunderbirds, whereas in the original the name only referred to their vehicles. Aside from this, the animated series closely resembles the original, with most episodes centered on natural or man-made disasters that the Thunderbirds must investigate and resolve. Unlike the original, Thunderbirds 2086 also features an ongoing storyline about a separatist group called the Shadow Axis, led by the mysterious Star Crusher. The series strongly hints that Star Crusher is not human and may be some kind of alien being.