Mater's Tall Tales (2008 — 2012)

Mater’s Tall Tales (2008–2012) all adhere to a common structure: Every episode begins with McQueen and Mater encountering something which prompts Mater to recount a ‘tall tale’ about his past exploits. The narrative then shifts to a flashback of Mater’s story. Around the middle of the episode, the focus returns to Mater and McQueen, where McQueen often challenges the veracity of Mater’s account or asks for further details. This leads Mater to insist that McQueen was also involved in the events.

1. Rescue Squad Mater. As a fire truck, Mater is called into action to rescue Lightning McQueen from a burning building. Thanks to his quick thinking and bravery, Mater successfully saves McQueen’s life. Later at the hospital, Mater surprises everyone by revealing that he is also highly qualified in the medical field with an impressive list of credentials.

2. Mater the Greater. Mater, the daredevil with a fashion sense reminiscent of Evel Knievel, bravely takes on a stadium full of spectators. His first attempt at jumping a line of cars falls short, but he quickly moves on to other stunts. Later, Mater boldly declares that Lightning McQueen could not even clear Carburetor Canyon with the help of a rocket.

3. El Materdor. As Mater, the brave matador, battles a stampede of bulldozers in sunny Spain, Lightning McQueen’s vibrant red paint draws the attention of the relentless machines.

4. Tokyo Mater. Mater kindly offers to transport a stranded Japanese car, the Ito-San, back home after being inspired by its resemblance to the Toyota Century. However, their journey takes an unexpected turn as they end up in Tokyo, Japan after crossing the vast Pacific Ocean. Soon enough, Mater finds himself facing a challenge from the Drift King Kabuto – a vehicle that bears a striking resemblance to Boost, leader of The Delinquent Road Hazards. The stakes are high, with the victor being crowned ‘King of All Drifters’ and the defeated being stripped of all custom modifications, turning them into a plain ‘stock’ car. In this intense race, Mater receives assistance from Lightning Dragon McQueen as they defend against an attack from Kabuto’s ninjas. Together, they race towards victory and successfully defeat Kabuto to claim the title.

5. Unidentified Flying Mater. Mater strikes up a friendship with a tiny flying saucer named Mator, and the two enjoy a night out together. But when Mator is apprehended by military personnel, Mater cleverly comes to his rescue with the assistance of Lightning McQueen and Mator’s own mothership.

6. Monster Truck Mater. Mater, also known as ‘The Tormentor’, is a professional wrestler in the world of monster trucks. He has climbed the ladder from amateur to become the World Champion, taking on various adversaries throughout his journey. Among them are I-Screamer, Captain Collision, The Rasta Carian, Dr. Feel Bad, and Paddy O’Concrete. In his latest match against the fierce Monster of Dr. Frankenwagon, Mater enlists the help of his trusty tag team partner, Frightening McMean (Lightning McQueen).

7. Heavy Metal Mater. Mater, the renowned frontman of a heavy metal group, initially begins his musical career in a humble garage band known as ‘Mater & The Gas Caps’. However, with the release of their hit track ‘Dadgum’ (which unintentionally takes on a heavy metal sound due to the drummer’s wild attempt to swat a fly during recording), Mater catapults to stardom. This popular tune is inspired by Mater’s signature phrase. During a massive concert, Lightning McQueen makes a surprise appearance on stage and together they solidify their place in rock history.

8. Moon Mater. Mater and Lightning McQueen make history as the first tow truck and racecar to touch down on the moon. Their mission: to rescue the stranded Impala XIII and safely tow him back to Earth. Upon their successful return, they are met with a well-deserved hero’s welcome.

9. Mater Private Eye. Mater, a detective, is handling an obvious case of fake tires when Tia reappears. She enlists Mater’s help in locating her sister, Mia, who has been kidnapped along with her car. As Mater gathers evidence and zeroes in on the culprit’s hideout, he is joined by Lieutenant Lightning McQueen, who ultimately helps bring the wrongdoers to justice.

10. Air Mater. Mater is led by a tow service to Propwash Junction, a town inhabited by planes. Impressed by the flying machines in the area, he becomes intrigued by the possibility of learning to fly. Spotting Skipper’s Flight School and their enticing offer to teach anyone how to fly, Mater seizes the opportunity. Not only does he successfully learn how to fly, but he also masters flying backwards, impressing a group of stunt planes called the Falcon Hawks. When one of the stunt planes sustains an injury during practice for a show, they turn to Mater and ask him to step in as a replacement. Without hesitation, Mater joins the team as their newest member. Luckily for him, Lightning McQueen – who is also part of the stunt team – comes to his aid when he runs into some trouble.

11. Time Travel Mater. After acquiring the power to travel through time by accident, Mater finds himself in 1909 in the middle of a desert. It is there that he meets Stanley, the founder of Radiator Springs who happens to also be a travelling radiator caps salesman. Mater realizes that without Stanley, Radiator Springs would not exist and makes a plan to preserve its future. He brings McQueen from the future to meet Stanley and purchase a radiator cap from him. Sensing an opportunity for growth, Mater suggests that Stanley settle in this spot and build a town to serve broken down travelers. To Mater’s delight, Stanley agrees.