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The Disoriented Express
Season 5, Episode 04
Image11
Air date October 1, 1994
Episode guide
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The Ghost of Porkaloin Past
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Horns A'Plenty

The Disoriented Express is the fourth episode in the fifth season of Captain Planet and the Planeteers.

Main Characters[]

The main characters featured in this episode are:

Plot Synopsis[]

Dr. Blight kidnaps a wealthy philanthropist, Ella Salvador, with the intention of preventing the implementation of a new smog reducing railway system in overcrowded Latin American cities. Only Captain Planet can stop Dr. Blight.

Episode Summary[]

The episode opens with unusually well dressed Planeteers hovering over a heavily polluted city in Latin America in their Eco-Copter. After some light banter regarding their fondness for more casual clothing, Gi reminds them of the reason why such attire is required: they were invited as guests to Ella Salvador's Dedication Ceremony. Peering deep past the clouds of smog clouding the skies, Wheeler and Linka make remarks about the immense level of traffic down below until Ma-Ti notices a burning truck laying in the middle of the road. Due to the traffic, the rescue teams are unable to reach the tossed vehicle so the Planeeters spring into action. Due to their quick thinking, and Gi's liberal usage of her ring, the fire is quickly extinguished. However, due to the accident, several other drivers are put in life threatening danger and are thus rescued by Wheeler and Kwame. Finally, with the help of the Eco-Copter, Linka and Ma-Ti are are able to clear a path for the rescue teams. Gia then appears to a now completely disheveled Wheeler and the rest of the Planeteers in order to let them know that they have become "seriously late for the dedication." While the Planeeters swiftly reembark for the party, Gia bemoans the level of pollution in the city and hopes that it can receive some help.

At the dedication, Ella Salvador gives a speech regarding the exaust produced by cars and then juxtaposes it with her brand new project: The Eco Rail, an electric pollution free transit system. Ella invites everyone to board the train, and they travel about. But while remarking about how quiet it the train is an electronic device explodes right as the train passes, causing the controls to short circuit and stop working. With the train thundering forward, the Planeteers search for an emergency brake, but strangely find that it has already broken it's casing. Wheeler, Linka, and Kwame try to stop the train by deactivating the antenna on the top, but cant get close enough due to the sparks. Without any other options, they summon Captain Planet who finally is able to stop the train. The Planeteers aren't sure as to why the train would go haywire, but Ella Salvador is perplexed as the train runs on a fail-safe computer system. Her only conclusion is that there may have been sabotage. Gi pipes in, implying that the saboteur must be particularly adept with computers.

The scene then fades to a dark abandoned factory where MAL, Dr. Blight's evil computer assistant, let's the doctor know that, according to Cable News International, the Eco-Rail was hardly damaged thanks to Captain Planet and the Planeteers. In intense frustration over the Planters arrival on top of the failure to fully cripple the Eco-Rail, Dr. Blight hurls a brick into MAL's monitor, destroying it. Dr. Blight explains how she must get rid of Ella Salvador's transportation in order get rid of any threats to her gas guzzling, smog ultilizing "engine of the future", The Turbo Blight! Without copious amounts of smog in the air, the Turbo Blight is unusable. Thus she deems Salvador's Eco-Rail a threat to her scheme due to it's smog reducing potential. She then decides it is time get rid of Ella Salvador and The Planeteers "for good."

Next we cut to Ella Salvador's environmentally friendly mansion, where The Planeteers and Ella Salvador are waiting for leads regarding the saboteur. All of a sudden, the lights go out, and scream is heard from Ella Salvador. Using his fire ring, Wheeler illuminates the room, only to find that the only thing remaining of Ella is a ransom note. The police soon join The Planeteers and discuss the content of the note; the only condition is for the Eco-Rail to be dismantled at once. However, Ella left strict orders never to give into ransom demands, further raising the pressure on the Planeteers to find the kidnapper quickly.

We return to the factory to find Ella firmly tied to a chair with ropes while Dr. Blight is quite amused at having "derailed another Eco-Freak." This celebratory mood is swiftly shattered when MAL informs Dr. Blight that the city has actually ignored her ransom demands, and are continuing the Eco-Rail project. During Dr.Blight's state of frustration and bewilderment, Ella Salvador informs Dr. Blight that the project will continue regardless if she is alive or not. That's when the villainess activates her trump card, she placed a bomb in the transit rail yard which has enough power to blow up an entire neighborhood. The Doctor concludes with an ultimatum: If the project isn't dismantled immediately, the bomb will be detonated. Ella Salvador finally relents and agrees to order the dismantling.

The Planeteers, still at the Ella's mansion, remain perplexed. They still have no idea who could possibly want to stop the Eco-Rail project or why. Abruptly, a phone call interrupts their deliberations. It's Ella Salvador, and she requests that they give into the ransom demands. However, over the course of the phone call, she also requests that as they dismantle the train that they "interchange the 1-34 brackets", a subtle hint revealing the location of Dr. Blight's hideout. Utilizing her keen intellect, Dr. Blight discovers Ella's intentions and ends the call before she can reveal anything else about her plans. The search party remains confused, it is uncharacteristic of Ella to be willing to save herself rather than end the project.

Dr. Blight, possibly as punishment for revealing the information about her location, closes all of the windows and ventilation of her smog filled factory leaving Ella oxygen deprived and in great danger. Dr. Blight then hops into her new "Turbo Blight" air-craft in order to confirm that the Eco-rail is truly being dismantled. When Ella contests about her lack of oxygen, Dr. Blight turns the situation into one of her devious experiments.

We return to The Planeteers in the midst of their continuing investigation. They take note that the "1-34 bracket" doesn't exist, further confusing them. Wheeler, who had been dawdling throughout the entire investigation, remarks that she might have been confused with the "1-34 Interchange on the Freeway." The rest of The Planeteers, shocked at his stroke of genius, all exclaim "Wheeler!" With this information in tow, they finally recognize that this was a clue and hurry to the smog filled freeway. If they don't find Ella in time, the project will be dismantled.

The Turbo-Blight swoops over a busy construction yard where the dismantling process is beginning. Dr. Blight, seeing that they've finally acquiesced, exhales in revelry. She then orders MAL to take her back to her factory. She is excited to see the results of her oxygen deprivation experiment.

We return to Dr. Blight's factory and see Ella contorting and coughing violently in the smog filled room. It's clear that she'll likely die if someone doesn't rescue her soon. The Planeteers finally arrive in their Eco-Copter, they scour the sky for signs of anything that would indicate Ella's Location. They are surprised to find that one factory is in operation in the area when they were told that they were all abandoned because of the Free-way smog. Using his heart ring, Ma-Ti senses that Ella Salvador is inside and in great danger. They land the Eco-Copter on top of the factory and enter the factory through a side window. They rush to untie Ella, and Ella requests that they move quietly because her "hosts are nearby." Wheeler tries to use his fire ring to burn the ropes, but the pollution is too thick for his ring to be utilized. Kwame suggests that they take her outside, but Dr. Blight's voice cuts in through the intercom. The Planeteers have been discovered.

Dr. Blight orders MAL to seal the building and to set the intake fans on high (in order to take in the smog from outside.) Linka states that if they just had a window, they could summon Captain Planet, which gives Ella an Idea: to make their own window. Dr. Blight laughs maniacally at the taught of ending all her foes in one fell swoop. Ella quickly tries to use a nearby forklift, but the engine doesn't work due to the concentration of smog in the building. Ella points out that The Turbo Blight actually runs on smog so Kwame hops into the Turbo Blight and smashes it through the wall, which angers Dr. Blight. She implores MAL to "do something!" MAL asks for "any suggestions."

With the wall open, The Planeeters are free to summon Captain Planet. Once he appears, Dr. Blight swiftly hatches a plan to kill him. Using her control panel, she turns a smog exhaust pipe in the direction of Captain Planet and fires it at him, greatly weakening Captain Planet. Due to his weakened state, he is unable to fly away from the intake fan which threatens to slice him into pieces. Before he is fully sucked in, he luckily grabs the side of the of the intake fan, leaving him hanging above the blades. Dr. Blight laughs maniacally once more and remarks that "the tables have turned" and that soon they'll have to call Captain Planet "de-cap!" Over the course of her gloating, Ella Salvador bursts into the control room and drenches Dr. Blight and MAL with a water hose, which short circuits MAL. Before she is completely defeated, Dr. Blight points out that she is too late to save Captain Planet and that the time-bomb she planted is still ticking. Ella Salvador, finds a circuit breaker and rips out some electrical wiring which stops the fan and saves Captain Planet. Captain Planet intends to return to the rings due to his strenuous ordeal, but Ella informs Captain Planet about the bomb placed at the "Transit Rail Yard."

Captain Planet, with The Planeteers in their Eco-Copter close by, scour the yard for anything that will lead them to the bombs location. Captain Planet correctly deduces that Dr. Blight would be most likely to place the bomb in the location where it would do the most damage, that being inside of a railroad control shed. He lifts the shed high into the sky and it explodes without any casualties. Wheeler asks about capturing Dr. Blight, but Captain Planet isn't worried about her escape due to the condensed traffic. Despite her attempts, because of the traffic, her car (which she is inside of) is swiftly apprehended by Captain Planet. Thanks to Captain Planet and the Planeteers, the Eco-Rail project is finally finished. Linka comments that the air has already become much cleaner, but when Suchi takes a deep breath he starts coughing excessively. This causes Ella to mention that they "still have a long way to go."

Planeteer Alerts[]

Planeteer Alert 1
Gaia: We can reduce air-pollution if we all do our part.
Linka: Using mass-transit is one way.
Wheeler: Yeah, ride the train or a bus whenever you can.
Captain Planet: Carpooling is another great way to cut down on air-pollution.
Gi: If your area doesn't have mass transit, ask your parents or a teacher to write your local government and ask for it.
Ma-Ti: It is up to each of us to make a difference!
All Planeteers: The Power is Yours!

Planeteer Alert 2
Gaia: Each of us can do things to help stop the depletion of Earth's protective atmosphere.
Wheeler: Like using solar powered lights outside instead of electric.
Linka: Or replacing regular light bulbs with low energy, compact florescents.
Gi: Opening a window instead of using air-conditioner.
Kwame: And dispose of Freon in your air-conditioner and refrigerator, even in car air-conditioners, properly.
Captain Planet: So do your part, Reduce Reuse, Recycle!
All Planeteers: The Power is Yours!

Significant Moments and Facts[]

  • This is the first and only appearance of Ella Salvador in the show.

Quotes[]

Dr. Blight: Ella Salvador's mass transit system has got to go. It is a threat to my engine of the future.

Dr. Blight: The Turbo Blight not only guzzles fuel, it's cylinders are injected with smog!
MAL: A noxious resourse that, with any luck, will never run out.
Dr. Blight: Luck has nothing to do with it computer of mine, people just have to keep up their polluting ways that's all.

Dr. Blight: So you're the matyr type eh, let's see if you're the hero type too.
Ella Salvador What do you mean?
Dr. Blight: MAL baby, tell her about the bomb we put in her new transit rail yard.
MAL: Oh it's a real block-buster, guaranteed to wipe out an entire neighborhood with one big boom!
Dr. Blight: So Caramea, unless you order your people to dismantle the project immediately, I'll destroy your precious choo-choo and everyone near it!
Ella Salvador: sigh You win...

Gallery[]


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