Captain Jonathan Power is the master of the Power Suits that transform soldiers to one-man attack force. Major Matthew Hawk’ Masterson (Peter MacNeill), fighter on the skies, Lieutenant Michael ‘Tank’ Ellis (Maurice Dean Wint), ground assault unit, Sergeant Bob 'Scout’ Baker (Maurice Dean Wint), communications and espionage expert, and Corporal Jen 'Pilot’ Chase (Jessica Steen), tactical system expert, make up the most powerful fighting force. Their mission: to free all human beings from the tyrannical rule of Lord Dread.
The Story
Captain Power was the first episode of Captain Planet's cartoon. However, it was not a popular series for adults. Despite attempts at making the show more adult-oriented it failed to attract audiences. The dark post-apocalyptic storyline with allegories on topics such as Nazism and other sarcasms drove them away.
Toys
Mattel created three animated videos about a new recruit during the show's existence. He was given training by Captain Power and was able to fly an XT-7 fighter plane. The video also featured him on dangerous missions. These episodes were entitled Future Force Training and Bio-Dread assault.
Each of these videos allows viewers to play with a jet toy that will score points for shooting at the screen and lose points for hitting. By connecting to the "Interlocker Throne", the toy could interact live with television by connecting to the "Power On", which was a platform that targeted viewers and had a "Power On".
The Bio-Dreads
The Bio-Dreads are the evil robot enemies of Captain Power and his soldiers, whose goal is to wipe out all human life. The BioDreads of the warlord-class are powerful, deadly and can regenerate even after taking any damage.
They are very intelligent, and can learn from the past and the present, as well as their environment. They are also able to heal from any kind of injury, even those caused by Captain's missiles.
Martial Pacifist
While some of the characters of Captain Power, such as Pilot and Hawk, are very violent with their enemies, they never kill humans. This is in part due to Captain Power's sworn never-take-a-human-life stance, which is often reflected in the actions of the other members of his team.
The Resistance
Lord Dread's Power Team may not be the only resistance group. They have encountered survivors who are too human. Ripper, a paranoid General, heads a Resistance group that hides its members to the outside world. Lord Dread learns of the existence of the group and sends troops to destroy it.
Lord Dread
Lord Dread, once a close friend and confidant of Power's dad, appears in the final season to chase him down. He reveals his own memories of the Metal Wars, when he and his father were friends. This leads to a confrontation between the two and the revelation of Soaron's origins.
Merchandise-Driven
A heavy merchandise-driven aspect was another problem that frustrated writers who tried to make Captain Power less adult-oriented. During the pilot season, toys that could interact and communicate with the broadcast were released, including the "Interlocker Throne", "Phantom Stryker", and "Phantom Stryker", bio-dread ships. The toys were a big selling point for the show.