Meanwhile, Thunderbolt's "trusty" sidekick, Lil' Lightning, tells Thunderbolt the producers want to replace him with a younger dog. In order to save his job, Thunderbolt decides he will go into the real world and perform an act of true heroism to prove himself. A relible reference book to Thunderbolt's many adventures, Patch provides the perfect guide for the TV star in his attempts at real-life heroics. As for Cruella - she's back and more obsessed with Dalmatians than ever. At first, an artist named Lars can calm her down, but he cannot make the perfect spot painting, so she locks him up and returns to her old ways. Lil 'lightning tells Thunderbolt and Patch that Thunderbolt was not going to be replaced but it is just a trick to make him quit once and for all and make Lightning the star. Patch becomes heartbroken when he finds out that his favorite wonderdog just a TV actor.