However, Lazard takes Crusher's place as the antagonist.
Going by production order, this is the tenth episode of the third season.
This is the first "Wild Wheels" episode.
The animation has been radically updated as of this episode, such as Blaze's face being redesigned (larger eyes, more expressive mouth) and gaining taillights on his bumper, and the vehicles' paintjobs becoming reflective. The animals were also redone to look more realistic.
Despite this, Tow Truck Tough used the original animation due to being produced before this.
There is no travel song nor STEM song in this episode.
Stripes uses Blazing Speed for the 4th time since The Wishing Wheel back in Season 2, and the first time in the updated animation style.
Sadly, starting with this episode, Blaze's flame is not seen glowing when he unleashes his Blazing Speed.
Two of Blaze's transformations, the falcon and the lion, will be used again in Falcon Quest and Ready, Set, Roar!, respectively.
This is the third post-Season 1 episode where Blaze uses Blazing Speed at the beginning of the adventure after Five Alarm Blaze and The Polar Derby.
This is the first time an elephant appears physically on the show. Blaze previously pretended to be an elephant in Blaze of Glory and he and Stripes had to pass the stomping foot of a stone elephant in The Wishing Wheel.
This is the third time AJ says the parts’ names with Blaze during the transformation sequence following Sneezing Cold and Pickle Power.
This is the first time Blaze shares Blazing Speed with Stripes alone. In previous episodes where Stripes travels with him, he did not share Blazing Speed.
The gorilla animation on Blaze's dashboard pounds it's chest with open palms, an accurate depiction of the behavior in contrast to most examples, which incorrectly depict it being done with balled fists.
From this episode onwards, the bears are redesigned, with their bodies now resembling actual bears.
When “Welcome to Animal Island” is sung for the first time, “Make yourself at home” is listed as indistinct in the captions.
When Blaze is a gorilla, his nose is heart-shaped.
Running Gags[]
Lazard trying out the stolen animal powers, which didn't turn out so good for him.
Allusions[]
The ending shot where Blaze and Stripes roar atop the lion head statue is reminiscent of the climax of The Lion King when Simba roars as he assumes his role of king. Blaze's lion transformation also bears an uncanny resemblance to Simba as well.
The song Welcome to Animal Island bears some sound-alikes to the songs "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from The Lion King and "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book.
The melody might also be similar to the Wiggles' song "Henry's Underwater Big Band".
Goofs[]
The captions list Bunk’s name as Bob, Lazard’s as Lizard, Bam’s as Ben, and Wartimer’s as Mortimer.
When Blaze says “Let’s use some falcon speed to get that glue globber!”, the captions list “get” as “grab”.
Twice in the episode, the term “animal powers” were incorrectly listed as “animals powers” in the captions; first when Blaze and Stripes get to Lazard's treehouse, and again after returning the powers and they confront Lazard.
Lazard sends out three humongo walls, but when Blaze smashes through them there are four.
AJ somehow manages to name Wartimer and Snout despite having never met them beforehand.
