Captain Pollution

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Captain Pollution is a fictional character and supervillain in the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers, featured in the two-part episode, 'Mission to Save the Earth (Season 1 Episodes 22 & 23)'. Captain Pollution is a twisted clone of the main hero in the same vein as Bizarro, Superman's opposite and enemy.

Captain Pollution is the polar opposite of Captain Planet, created from Doctor Blight's dark variants of the Planeteers' rings. He is summoned when the powers of Deforestation, Super Radiation, Smog, Toxics, and Hate combine, just like Captain Planet and the powers of nature. Also, Captain Pollution gains his power or recharges when surrounded by pollution. In the feature episode, he can be seen bathing in a pool of toxic acid as a way of relaxing.

Captain Pollution was ultimately defeated by Captain Planet barraging him with an array of natural powers (running him through the ground, through the lava, through the water, and into the air). The five evil rings were destroyed, and Captain Pollution was dumped on Commander Clash's island, powerless.

He would later return in the season 4 premiere A Mine Is A Terrible Thing To Waste, where the island he was stranded on became soaked in nuclear waste, reviving him. Captain Planet had arrived solo to deal with the mess and was immediately attacked. Captain Pollution led Captain Planet on a worldwide chase, inducing various ecological disasters. Oddly, while the rings had initially been destroyed, Captain Pollution is revived through the rings once more; most likely, his body split and formed new rings so his components would have some place to go. (Given that the episode states the rings were destroyed, this was likely not an animation error.)

Captain Pollution managed to absorb so much toxic waste that he literally grew in size and power. However, the Planeteers managed to escape Looten Plunder's death trap and locate Captain Planet, rescuing him and recharging him with the Geo Cruiser's solar battery. Revitalized, he tricked Captain Pollution into driving them both into the ground- and straight into an underground lava flow. The natural lava flow was too much for Captain Pollution, whose body literally dissolved. It is unknown if Captain Pollution was finally destroyed or merely sealed away.

Captain Pollution is a twisted visage of Captain Planet, with a sickly yellow skin, purple "clothes," a cracked globe emblem, and bright orange hair which grows out of control. His body is covered in orange bumps, quite possibly to represent blisters or sores. He talks in a demented surfer accent, and laughs at the damage he causes.

While Captain Planet is formed in a bright flash of light (excluding the occasions where he would rise from the ground), Captain Pollution's roots are much more sinister: the powers converge, a skeleton forms in the center, and bands of energy wrap around it, bringing Captain Pollution into being. The fact he has an internal skeleton contrasts with Captain Planet's crystalline body.

He was voiced by David Coburn in both appearances.

Note that, in the Marvel Comics series based on the cartoon, Captain Pollution was created by Zarm.

[edit] Toys

Captain Pollution did receive a toy in the Captain Planet toy line, though it saw no co-selling on other packages or catalogs. Captain Pollution was a heavily retooled Captain Planet, with body sores, cracked globe and wilder hair. "Toxic ooze" play slime could be pumped through tiny holes in the chest through the back. However, the toy diverges from the animation model by giving the villain green sores and dark purple boots, gloves, and hair.