"Schoolhouse Rocked" is the second episode of Season 2 of The Powerpuff Girls, and the 26th episode overall. It first aired on Cartoon Network in the United States on June 25, 1999.
Synopsis[]
A truant officer enlists the Gangreen Gang at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, and Ms. Keane forbids the girls to fight them at school. The Gangreen Gang threatens to put both the students and the girls’ careers in danger.
Plot[]
The episode opens showing Bubbles fighting Fuzzy Lumpkins. When Bubbles defeats Fuzzy, it is revealed they are actually part of a video game being played by Ace of the Gangreen Gang. The Gangreen Gang is at an arcade, walking around and scoring points in the games for tickets.
While looking for Grubber, the Gangreen Gang meet a truant officer named Mr. Jack Wednesday, at an arcade. He tells them that they need to go to school, as they tell him they have never gone there. They are sent by their sleazy leader to Pokey Oaks Kindergarten.
At Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, Ms. Keane introduces the members of the Gangreen Gang by their real names: Sanford D. Ingleberry (Snake), Arturo de la Guerra (Li'l Arturo), Grubber, William W. Williams (Big Billy), and Ace. The Powerpuff Girls alert Ms. Keane that the new students are in fact some of their worst enemies in their crime-fighting duties. Ace convinces Ms. Keane to give the gang a chance, which Ms. Keane instructs the Girls to do in turn.
During snack time, the Gangreen Gang are tasked with passing along the milk and cookies. However, while doing so, the Gang use the milk and cookies to bully all the kids; for instance, Ace spits on a cookie, drops it on the floor, and stomps on it. Snake pours milk over the heads of two children. The Powerpuff Girls try to stop them, but are told by Ms. Keane not to fight with fellow students in the classroom.
During show-and-tell, the Gangreen Gang each present unique aspects of themselves to the class. Grubber grotesquely alters his body shape to change it into a physically fit form, speaking eloquently before reverting to his normal appearance. Big Billy reveals the hidden portion of his head beneath his hair - particularly, his one eye. Li'l Arturo shows a switchblade he calls “Maria”. The Powerpuff Girls believe he is holding a dangerous weapon and start to attack him. Ms. Keane, seeing only a comb on Maria, tells the Girls to return to their seats.
During craft time, the Gangreen Gang have jars of paste. Ace promises he will have fun with the activity, and globs of paste subsequently strike the heads of several students. Bubbles and Buttercup want to stop the Gang, but Blossom insists on following Ms. Keane's rules until getting hit by the paste herself. When Ms. Keane catches the Girls participating in the fight, she gives them a time-out from recess.
At recess, the Gangreen Gang throw dodge balls into the faces of the students. The Girls try to tell Ms. Keane, but she demands that they be quiet. Just when it looked like all was lost, Ms. Keane realizes she misjudged the girls badly and finally tells them that they can "play dodgeball with them" by going outside. The Powerpuff Girls then smash the Gangreen Gang in their faces with dodge balls. After the game, Mr. Wednesday comes to the school, berating Ms. Keane's teaching style before being hit in the head with a dodge ball by Ms. Keane. Ms. Keane apologizes to the girls for not trusting their instincts.
Characters[]
- The Powerpuff Girls (Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup)
- The Gangreen Gang
- Fuzzy Lumpins (video game only)
- Ms. Keane
- Narrator
- Students of Pokey Oaks Kindergarten
- Mr. Jack Wednesday
- Arcade players
Locations
- Townsville
- Townsville arcade
- Pokey Oaks Kindergarten
Trivia[]
- Morals: Trust your instincts. While you should give someone a chance if they have done something wrong before and want to improve, there is nothing wrong with stopping them if they clearly show they do not truly want to change their ways.
- This episode and Stuck Up, Up, and Away are the first to premiere during Cartoon Network's Cartoon Cartoon Fridays programming block.
- Princess Morbucks goes to Pokey Oaks Kindergarten and is the antagonist of the previous episode, but she is absent in this episode despite its setting.
- During the "The Day is Saved" narration, when the Powerpuff Girls appear, the pulsating heart effect is much slower. This version remained in use for some episodes until "Meet the Beat-Alls".
- Live-action footage is used for the arcade game played by the Gangreen Gang.
- Bubbles fighting Fuzzy Lumkins in the video game could be a reference to the opening theme, where she beats him in a similar manner.
- Bubbles' right pigtail is missing during the first time the girls are told to back to their seats.
- Running gag: Ms. Keane telling the Powerpuff Girls to go back to their seats whenever they try to fight the Gangreen Gang.