Captain Planet

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This article is about the character. For the series he is featured in, see Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
Captain Planet

Publication information
Publisher TBS Productions/DiC; Hanna-Barbera
First appearance Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Episode #1 (A Hero For Earth), Television
Created by Ted Turner, Barbara Pyle
In-story information
Team affiliations Planeteers
Notable aliases The Captain, CP, Planet
Abilities Superhuman strength, speed, and stamina, Flight, Invulnerability, Super-breath, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Shapeshifting, Control over the elements, Matter transmutation

Contents

[edit] Character history plus development

Robert Larkin III co-created Captain Planet with Ted Turner and media innovator Barbara Pyle in 1990 with the intent of entertaining viewers and increasing awareness of environmental hazards.

Captain Planet was summoned whenever the five Planeteers combined the forces of their elemental rings. This emphasized the show's premise that only by working together could people protect the planet and provide solutions to environmental problems. Likewise, Captain Planet's appearance did not identify him with any one culture or ethnicity, as his hair was Forest Green and his skin was Sky Blue.

[edit] Fictional Biography

 This section describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. Please help rewrite it to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective. (May 2009)

Within the fictional universe of the show, the Earth possesses a literal living spirit named Gaia. Unable to take more than a certain level of direct action herself, Gaia is forced to appoint "champions", a group of which form the basis of the show's titular "Planeteers". Each "champion" is gifted with a ring of elemental power by Gaia. When the team members combine the energies of these rings, they summon a being who is an amalgam of the elements each ring is attuned to. This being takes on a different appearance and persona based on the minds of the team members who summon him, allowing him to have human mannerisms in keeping with the era. Because he is connected to the minds of the team members when they summon him, the elemental being is also often aware of certain events that occur while he is not active on screen.

In the beginning of the series, Gaia assembles a modern-day team of "Planeteers" assembled from several nations. Four of the Planeteers have rings based on the Classical elements: Earth (wielded by Kwame), Fire (Wheeler), Wind (Linka) and Water (Gi). The fifth member (Ma-Ti) is given a ring called "Heart", which represents love, and enables telepathic communication with animals and Gaia.

When the modern-day Planeteers combine their powers to summon the elemental warrior, this incarnation takes on the appearance of a super-hero, who takes on the superhero-like name of "Captain Planet." Perhaps because he is linked to the minds of teenagers, Captain Planet displays a wry sense of humor and often uses puns while taunting the show's cast of villains.

In light of the show's enviromental and cooperation themes, whenever the Planeteers summon him, Captain Planet always declares "By your powers combined - I am Captain Planet!" When the crisis of the current show seems averted, Captain Planet discorporates back into the 5 rings with the words "the power is yours", implying a duty and the ability on the part of the planeteers (and the audience) to continue protecting the environment when he is gone.

Captain Planet's abilities are never clearly defined within the show, allowing him to always have a way of defeating his enemy and solving the problem before him. He can shape-shift and alter his structure to take on the properties of any element or material as well as transmuting other objects in a similar fashion. In various episodes he flies, has great strength, and displays telepathic/empathic abilities. One criticism against the show was that in many episodes Captain Planet seems to spontaneously develop a new ability to resolve a crisis or disaster and then never displays the ability again in later episodes. This invited criticsm that Captain Planet was a deus ex machina for the plot rather than a fully-developed character in his own right.

One of the show's few limiting factors on, was that while Captain Planet is active, the Planeteers cannot access the power of their rings. By the same token, Captain Planet is less powerful if only some of the Planeteers summon him. In one episode, the Earth and Heart rings are lost in space and so, when Captain Planet attempts to return to the Earth, these two elements are unable to return to their rings. As a result, rather than vanishing, Captain Planet reforms into a less powerful version of himself (such as no longer being able to fly) who no longer has access to the elements of fire, water and wind. Similarly, if Captain Planet is summoned without the crucial element of heart, he is characterized by a negative and uncaring temperament.

Captain Planet is weakened when in contact with pollutants, radiation, smog, etc. In one episode, when he meets The Führer, a character based on Hitler, he compares prejudice and hatred to a pollutant. Conversely, Captain Planet is often healed from the damage he sustains from pollution by absorbing solar energy, water, or other natural elements. In an episode where Captain Planet alters his form into wood, he is seemingly destroyed by a wood chipper. Though he reforms later, the shock to his system from this attack leaves him weakened.

Like Gaia, the Captain is bound to the physical realm of Earth. Although he is capable of flying into space, his powers and form begin to fade when he travels away from the planet. In an episode where Gaia is transformed into a human being, both Captain Planet and the rings lose their powers, leaving Captain Planet powerless and weak as a normal human.

Later in the series, several of Captain Planet's enemies create an opposite number for him called "Captain Pollution", whose abilities derive from radiation, deforestation, smog, toxics, and hate. This enemy is initially able to defeat Captain Planet, but he eventually overcomes Pollution when he realizes that his enemy is weakened by natural elements such as clean soil and natural lava.

The theme song to Captain Planet is:

Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Heart... Go Planet

By your powers combined I am Captain Planet.

Captain Planet he's our hero

Gonna take pollution down to zero

He's our powers magnified and he's fighting on the planet's side.

Captain Planet he's our hero

Gonna take pollution down to zero

Gonna help him put asunder, bad guys that like to loot and plunder.

(You'll pay for this Captain Planet)

We're the planeteers, you can be one too

cause saving our planet is the thing to do

looting and polluting is not the way

hear what Captain Planet has to say.

THE POWER IS YOURS!

[edit] Planeteer Alerts

Each episode ends with one or more Public Service Announcements. It shows the dilemmas that face the environment in relation to the episode (such as radiation or ozone depletion). One comes right after the show is over, before the final commercial break. The second -- if there is one -- comes before the end credits. There usually is only one, especially during the original series.

[edit] External links

Search Wiktionary Look up captain planet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Planet"
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