Captain Planet Inspired Dog Names

Throughout television and film history, dogs have been used for a variety of things from lovable main characters to sidekicks to simple comic relief. But because of our strong attachment to them, they’re often commonly used as points of positioning, their treatment a defining factor of how a character comes across to the audience. Those who abuse animals are looked down upon, whereas even the worst villains can command at least some semblance of sympathy if they’re good to their furry and faithful companions. 

Like many other shows, Captain Planet has also used this in turn, featuring animals, especially dogs, in numerous episodes as either part of the plot line or as a device to help position the audience on the particular character. 

The first instance happens during the episode titled “The Guinea Pigs” in which Dr. Blight sends her cronies to kidnap animals for developing cosmetics — not unlike the real world at times. In the process, they happen to take Suchi, Ma-ti’s monkey friend and sidekick, as well as a dog named Chester, who happens to be the pet of a scientist who is doing much more friendly tests on animals in hopes of curing cancer. 

To thoroughly pull at the audience's heartstrings, Kwame and Ma-ti are also kidnapped in the process of attempting to save their animal friends and are locked up in a similar fashion and prepared to be the victims of Dr. Blight’s human experimentation. But before everything goes from bad to worse, Suchi is able to free Chester, who also helps him free the Planeteers who are then able to call Captain Planet for rescue. 

A far more influential episode appears at the end of the entire series and helps bring to light an issue that has plagued our canine companions nearly since the purebred market was initially established: puppy mills. In episode 113, titled “101 Mutations” Dr. Blight is actually found to be running a puppy mill, selling sick and unhealthy puppies to anyone willing to give her enough money. She is also seen mistreating numerous dogs throughout the episode, calling them “stupid animals” and keeping them in significantly unhealthy conditions such as tied up on short leashes and being housed with too many others in cages with dirt floors. 

Of course, at the end of the episode, Captain Planet and the Planeteers prevail and save them, but not before viewers are subjected to nearly 20 minutes of painstaking animation of mistreated dogs. Because of it, the episode (and show) has actually been referenced by numerous animal rights groups and used as a powerful resource in teaching children about such heavy issues, because it handles the topic with such care, a topic that, despite the show’s age, has proven time and time again to be as important a tool as any to introducing youth to the problems of adulthood in both the social and ecological fields.