prozacpark asked for our big dark fandom secrets that we would not stoop to submitting to fandomsecrets because they are just sort of pathetic/wrong and make us feel vaguely ashamed.

However, as longtime readers know, I am largely incapable of fandom-related shame. On this journal I have happily proclaimed my absolutely sincere love for, among others, Meat Loaf, Roxette and Gossip Girl. I know liking these things makes me desperately uncool. I am cool with that!

But I don't think I've mentioned how much I love Captain Planet and the Planeteers (and its sequel, which I can't remember the name of - but I treated them as the same show in my head).

This is a huge lapse, because this clumsy, earnest, totally glorious show is vital to an understanding of me.

There are five teenagers (three boys and two girls) of multiple ethnicities/cultural/class backgrounds. They are summoned by the magical/mythical spirit of the Earth to be its protectors against corporate greed and irresponsibility. They are individually gifted and powerful, but only when they work together - when their powers combine - are they able to overcome the most terrible threats to their fragile, beautiful world.

I watched the show for maybe five or six years. It didn't exactly make me who I am today, but it certainly had a not inconsiderable part to play in that process.

Also, Kwame was totally cute.