Thomas and the Runaway Kite

"I'm the fastest engine on Sodor, I can catch up with your kite!" "I'll help you, Thomas!" "No thank you, Charlie, I'm much faster than you. I can catch this kite all by myself"

- Thomas and Charlie

Thomas and the Runaway Kite is the thirteenth episode of the thirteenth season.

Plot
It is the day of the Sodor Kite Festival and Thomas must collect the winner's cup from Brendam Docks. After collecting it, Thomas stops on Gordon's Hill, to find Stephen and Bridget Hatt flying their kite. Suddenly, they spot Thomas and wave to him. And in doing so, Stephen loses the Kite to the wind. Thomas races after it, and spends all day trying to catch it. After declining help from Edward, Percy, Emily and Charlie, Thomas soon realises he needs help after he uses up all of his coal. The engines eventually help him, and they successfully catch the kite when it lands on a signal. Thomas collects Stephen and Bridget and their kite is declared the winner, much to Thomas' delight.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Percy
 * Emily
 * Charlie
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * Lady Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Maron
 * Bluff's Cove Junction
 * Knapford
 * Gordon's Hill

Trivia

 * This episode was shown in select US theaters in January 2010.
 * This episode is similar to Topped Off Thomas.
 * In Germany, this episode's title is "Thomas on Kite Hunt". In Japan, it is called "Tracking of Thomas". The Welsh title is "Wild Kite".

Goofs

 * Edward is a wise old engine, so it is unlikely he'd want to chase a kite. In fact, why would any of the engines want to catch a runaway kite?
 * Thomas won't let Emily help him catch the kite, but it landed right in front of her.
 * It was unsafe for Stephen and Bridget to be out flying a kite near a railway line without adult supervision.
 * Thomas says he is "the fastest engine on Sodor". Shouldn't he have remembered just learning this lesson in Hero of the Rails?
 * Even if Thomas caught up with the kite, how would he catch it?
 * Brakevans should have been added to Henry, James, Thomas, Edward, and Percy's trains.

Merchandise

 * Books - The Runaway Kite