Moon Mater

Moon Mater is the eighth short in the Mater's Tall Tales series. It was released on DVD and Bluray on November 2, 2010.

Plot

One night, Mater and Lightning McQueen are driving around, and then they see the moon. They both stare at it in awe, which then Mater claims he has been to the moon. Then, he starts his story.

It all started when Mater was towing a car to Florida and suddenly, "Houston" had a problem. Autonaut Impala XIII is stuck on the moon and he needs a tow. Not knowing anywhere to find someone to tow him, Mater then shows up at the launch pad still towing the car. And with a little bit of training at "NASCA," he became an official Auto-naut. Now inside a space shuttle named Roger, Mater blasts off into outer space headed for the moon. Now landing on the moon, Mater spots Impala XIII. Mater connects his hook to the front of Impala XIII and blasts off back to Earth at 17,000 mph, with Impala XIII hanging on to him. Mater then says that 17,000 mph is nothing compared to Lightning, who shows up going at an even faster speed. Lightning, now even slightly lighting on fire, lands by shooting into the ocean, which then Mater does a safer way by using a very big raft and parachute. Now having returned to Earth, Mater and Lightning are celebrated with parades, interviews, and even Moon Mater Day!

Back in Radiator Springs, Lightning tells Mater, "That did not happen." "Well, suit yourself," replies Mater. Then all of a sudden, Roger shows up and tells Mater that "Houston" has another problem. So, Mater drives inside Roger and they blast off into outer space for another mission.

Characters

• Mater
• Lightning McQueen
• Impala XIII
• Roger
• Mia and Tia
• Ground Support Truck
• NASCA Truck
• Camera Cars
• Ground Control Pitties
• TV Show Host
• Marco
• Stu Bop

Trivia

• The newspaper on which the episode's title appears is the "Emeryville Gazette". Emeryville is a city in California where Pixar headquarters is located. This marks the second time the town is mentioned in the Cars world, the first time being in Cars.
• Moon Mater is the direct transposition in the Cars world of the Apollo program. A main difference is the use of a Space Shuttle to get to the moon, instead of a gigantic rocket (Saturn V).
• Autonaut Impala XIII's name is a reference to "Apollo XIII", which as Impala's XIII's mission almost turned to disaster.
• This is the first short not to be directed by John Lasseter.
• NASCA (National Automotive Space Car Association) is a portmanteau of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing).
• When Roger takes off to the Moon to rescue Impala XIII, he is taking off from a launchpad like an actual space shuttle, but at the end of the short, he takes off from a runway similar to an airplane.
• "Auto-naut" is a pun on "astronaut". However, near the end of the short, the TV show host talking to Mater says "astronaut".
• For some reason, neither the Earth's continents nor the Moon's maria are car-ified.

Gallery

• File:Moon sand.JPG
• File:Moon crater.JPG
• File:Moon close.JPG
• File:Moon at Moon Mater mission.JPG
• File:Another Moon view.JPG
• 
• 

  The Pitties prepare for Mater's launch.

• 

  Moon Mater with Mia and Tia.

• Roger, a space shuttle Mater rides to the moon.

  Roger, a space shuttle Mater rides to the moon.

• 
• File:MarcoMoonMater.png
• Mater, getting ready to launch.

  Mater, getting ready to launch.

• 
• 

  "Houston, if I'm lyin' I'm cryin'."

• Mater inside Roger.

  Mater inside Roger.

• 
• 
• File:Moon mater roger lunch.png
• Lightning McQueen, faster than 17,000 mph.

  Lightning McQueen, faster than 17,000 mph.

• McQueen lands in the ocean.

  McQueen lands in the ocean.

• 

  Impala XIII.

• 

  Ground Control Pitties.

• 

  Ground Control Pitty.

• 

  Camera Cars.

• Ground Support Trucks.

  Ground Support Trucks.

• Aircraft carrier (with Stu Bop and Marco on deck) and a Rescue Chopper.

  Aircraft carrier (with Stu Bop and Marco on deck) and a Rescue Chopper.

• TV show host.

  TV show host.