Thunderbirds was part of a secret eugenics program designed to drive America's more weak-minded children to nightmare-induced suicide before they had a chance to breed.
But then in 1963, drugs were invented, and America's young people turned to them to escape the horrible laughing puppets they saw every time they closed their eyes.
And before you know it we had hippies, unironic bongo playing, whatever a "teach-in" is, and the mumbling insanity of Bob Dylan. Thanks for ruining western culture, Thunderbirds.