Spoilers Off applies to Moment pages! You Have Been Warned!
Games
- Finally catching Carmen, at least in the earlier games up until Where in Time/Great Chase.
- The fact that Carmen can even steal nailed down artifacts like the Statue of Liberty !
2019 Netflix cartoon
Team Carmen
Carmen
General- The opening scene
. It is by far the most underrated as it shows Carmen walking throughout the entire world appearing in front of the many tourist sites with her outfit standing out in a black and white world as ominous music in the background plays. When she sees the authorities pursuing her, she runs from them from a camel chase on the Sahara to disappearing in front of a merlion statue. She doesn't show her face until she is directly caught in front of the police with car lights surrounding her in Paris. What does she do? She gives a smirk face and uses a grappling hook where it reaches the top of Big Ben as she spins around it transitioning to the torch of the Statue of Liberty and transitions again to tripping an agent in an Egyptian temple before running from other agents and sliding down a pagoda. Her final scene is where she falls down from a mountain before using a glider to traverse throughout the lands of Machu Picchu displaying her attributes and abilities.
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1
- Her Establishing Character Moment where she blatantly grapples her way into a locked house that's booby-trapped, finds a false wall in the atrium, and locates the jewel she was eyeing.
- She pickpockets Chase successfully, curb-stomps him, and outruns him on the rooftops.
- After Gray ambushes her on the train, cuts off her link to Player, and tells her that he's bringing her in to V.I.L.E. alive once the train stops in Paris, she calmly sits down, tells him that she wanted Gray to find her, and spends the ride talking about her past. Nerves of Steel, ladies and gentleman.
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 2
- Carmen's defection: she finds out in one night that the people she admired and loved all her life are reckless killers, and have kept her trapped on a Gilded Cage of an island for all her life. She has one friend on the outside, no money or an account to her name, and no freedom. So what does she do? She steals a boat, a hat and coat, and runs away from the island. She vows to take V.I.L.E. down, by stealing the objects they want.
The Lucky Cat Caper
- Carmen's pickpocket test, shown in the penultimate episode, has her frantically going through every pocket on Shadow-san's coat, so fast that he can barely keep up. Furthermore, he's deliberately trying to fail her. Were it not for the fact that he rigged the test, she would have passed in spite of his best efforts.
The Deep Dive Caper
- Carmen plots to hack into the ACME computer — and succeeds in doing so!
The Jolly Good Show Caper
- In this episode, Carmen quickly figures out Roundabout's scheme and played him like a fiddle throughout the whole episode to get the seemingly untouchable secret agent to reveal himself to the authorities and become the first casualty of VILE's board. In the process she also gets her hands on the Crown Jewels, which the episode notes has been attempted numerous times throughout history but has never been successful.
The Himalayan Rescue Caper
- When Crackle asks Carmen to walk away from the fight with V.I.L.E. because he doesn't want to hurt her, she swears that he won't. Then punctuates the point by blowing up Bellum's army of Robo-Robbers.
- Then when the last robot chases her down the mountainside, she ultimately drops it off a cliff to destroy it.
Player
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1- How did Player meet a young Carmen? By going through 27 layers of encryption from V.I.L.E. And, given the timeline, he was in his early teens at best.
The Deep Dive Caper
- Player hacks into ACME in order to get information on Dexter Wolfe. Slightly mitigated that the password was obvious, but still that takes serious balls.
The Jolly Good Show Caper
- He hacked all the security cameras in London to make it look like Carmen was everywhere, and mocks The Troll with his own White Hat logo.
Zack
The Duke of Vermeer Caper- His disguise as a Duke for the caper, keeping it together despite having only 24 hours of training.
The Opera in the Outback Caper
- He was able to get El Topo to leave by making up a story that the subliminal opera music was making the dingos go crazy and mauled "some French guy" (Le Chevre). El Topo believes him.
The Lucky Cat Caper
- His Badass Driver skills come in handy across the streets of San Francisco.
The Beijing Buillion Caper
- While in disguise in Peking Opera garb, he manages to trick Neal and make a good getaway, even utilizing the knockout gas in the security room by opening the door to let it out.
Ivy
The Sticky Rice Caper- Picking the lock on a moving truck while balancing on the back bumper in a pretty crazy feat of manual dexterity and Nerves of Steel. She almost falls off when the truck hits a large rock, but manages to keep it under control.
The Duke of Vermeer Caper
- Leads Chase on a high-speed snowmobile chase while disguised as Carmen.
The Opera in the Outback Caper
- Ivy climbs all the way up to the top of a space shuttle tower to stop the countdown and was almost able to evade Le Chevre.
The Stockholm Syndrome Caper
- With Carmen lost in the wilderness, Ivy has to step up to the plate to retrieve a data crystal with nuclear launch codes on them — and she manages to pull of a win that would make Carmen proud.
The Big Bad Ivy Caper
- She holds her own against VILE mooks and Madame Goldlove's bodyguard, Hugo by using melted chocolate to slip them up and even gets the final kick to knock Goldlove out.Ivy: Hey, Goldilocks! (swift spin kick to the jaw)
- Also, her completely improvised impersonation of Madame Goldlove, whom she has never met. She sells it like a pro.
Law Enforcement
Chase Devineaux
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1- As reckless as the man can be, you have to admire him for chasing Carmen on the rooftops of Poitiers, following her train in a smashed-up car, and refusing to give up. Even Carmen is impressed. Or you can shake your head like Julia, who wants to call for backup but provides sensible answers when Chase asks. Or alternate between admiring Chase for his persistence and shaking your head at him for his recklessness.
The Duke of Vermeer Caper
- Chase actually manages to cut off a lady in a red coat with brown hair on snowmobile in "The Vermeer Caper" with some quick thinking. It's his bad luck that it wasn't Carmen, but Ivy as a decoy. On the other hand, it gets him out of the Countess's dinner before the Janitors can knock him out.
The Chasing Paper Caper
- He remembers the Chief's admonishment to make sure that when he corners Carmen that he doesn't catch another copycat. Then he and Julia in an Offscreen Moment of Awesome find Carmen on the train where she's trailing Paper Star, and he recognizes her in her lighter street garb. Carmen gives him a Worthy Opponent smile as he sits in her compartment and claims he's not letting her get away on a train again. She does, because she's Carmen, but it's a step up from when they previously met face-to-face.
The French Connection Caper
- He isn't able to hold out completely, but he does manage to resist V.I.L.E.'s mind probe tech for a good while by scream-singing the French national anthem. Coach Brunt taunts him with the implicit warning of permanent brain damage if the device stays on him much longer, which Chase responds to by just singing louder.
- After his mind gets scrambled from the mind probing machine, Devineaux calls Chief by clicking the communication pen at the last moment before he blacks out unconscious after gets uncuffed by Carmen
The African Ice Caper
- Chase shows that he actually has deduction skills that would put ACME to shame; with just a few clues from his job in going through files at Interpol he was able to locate VILE's headquarters. For reference, The Chief has been searching for evidence for twenty years. A shame that he arrived after said headquarters was detonated though.
The Masks Of Venice Caper
- His endless pursuit of Carmen Sandiego and the sheer willingness to catch up with her who was on a speeding boat despite not having the stamina to run very far. What makes it really awesome is that he actually stops Carmen from "stealing" the masks by jumping off a bridge onto the speed boat in just the nick of time.
The Jolly Good Show Caper
- Chase beginning to realize that Julia was right and that Carmen does have good intentions.
The Egyptian Decryption Caper
- Holding his own against Tigress, and then ultimately defeating her by locking her in a sarcophagus.
- What makes really satisfying is that he managed to take down the one who ruined his "lucky" coat.
- Contacting Chief to dispatch local authorities in order to prevent Countess Cleo and the Cleaners from stealing the great treasures in Egypt revealing it in the process leading to one the greatest historical discovery in human history in the show.
The Viennese Waltz Caper
- A brief one but when Chase spots Graham Calloway/Crackle stealing in a museum he runs after him and Gray hops down a hole (that has a ladder) to evade him. Devineaux also does the same in order to catch up to him quickly which he lands on his feet smoothly. He tries to find him until he leaves him alone to meet up with Julia, almost getting himself killed by Crackle. This is very notable considering his track record of recklessness and clumsiness which have led to injury and in worst situations.Crackle: It's your lucky night, flatfoot.
The Dark Red Caper
- During ACME's raid on V.I.L.E. Castle, he takes down Coach Brunt with a net launcher.
- The best part? He's smiling proudly at capturing his target, Coach Brunt, the one who kidnapped and mentally tortured him, with him knowing he finally got payback after all those years.
Julia Argent
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1- She is much more competent than Chase, finding the Eye of Vishnu and proof that the apartment in the pilot belongs to a laundering company for thieves — that is, V.I.L.E. Considering that the Janitors tend to clean up any evidence, the fact that Julia managed to get it under Interpol wraps is amazing.
The Fishy Doubloon Caper
- When Chase goes missing from the parking garage where his car is, she uses some quick observation and deduction to head to the supply closet where ACME is recruiting him by following the trail of his trademark mints.
The Duke of Vermeer Caper
- As mentioned in offhand dialogue, she's adapted to ACME's tech and skills better than Chase has, giving him instructions on how to use his car's ejector seat and understanding Carmen's modus operandi. The Chief praises Julia for her knowledge on Vermeer's art.
The Chasing Paper Caper
- She has a conversation with Carmen unknowingly when Carmen is tailing Paper Star. Her genuine desire for some respect from Chase, as well as her love of travel and history that she shares with Carmen, is enough to convince Carmen to leave the stolen Magna Carta documents with Julia. As Carmen puts it, "They're in good hands now."
The Dark Red Caper
- When ACME was raiding VILE's castle, Julia kicks the door on Countess Cleo with no choice but to surrender giving Julia revenge for holding her hostage and nearly killing her.
ACME
The Viennese Waltz Caper- Both Agent Zari and her nameless partner manage to capture Shadowsan who was in the middle of a museum night heist who might I add was a former academic teacher of stealth and one of the most experienced elite member of VILE. The fact that the two agents apprehended him (albeit briefly) is certainly remarkable.
The Dark Red Caper
- You gotta give Julia and Devineaux credit for trying to hold their own against a brainwashed Carmen as they try to stop her from stealing the Eye of Vishnu and most their tactics work against her.
- Thanks to the info provided by a recovered Carmen, ACME launches a massive raid on VILE's new headquarters and arrests the entirety of its leadership - all set to an orchestral remix of the Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? theme tune.
- When Bellum tries to escape via jetpack, a squad of helicopters cut her off and restrain her. And when Maelstrom tries to slip away out a secret tunnel, the Chief herself is waiting for him.
VILE
V.I.L.E.
General- You have to give V.I.L.E. credit for being off the map and off the grid; Player mentions that he can never find Carmen's location on V.I.L.E. island.
Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1
- Gray managing to corner Carmen in the train and hold her at gunpoint. The fact that she claims she wanted to talk to him doesn't undermine the fact that he does catch her by surprise.
The Opera in the Outback Caper
- Building on Carmen's tendency to follow them around to make her part of their plan to pollute Aboriginal Land. In fact, the execution was almost flawless if they'd just stuck around the rocket for 2 more seconds.
The Chasing Paper Caper
- Paper Star is probably the most legitimate threat to Carmen outside of V.I.L.E. leadership. While Carmen ultimately defeats her, she still gains a partial victory by stealing Chase's ACME keycard, which Carmen had stolen from Chase. Her Refuge in Audacity in skipping into the staff chambers, and her unbridled glee on revealing the card to her teachers, make them pause.
The Lucky Cat Caper
- Mime Bomb, who had up until now had been seen as creepy comic relief, proves himself to be a cunning and resourceful thief. First, he steals a valuable postage stamp worth 10 million dollars. He hides the stamp in a Lucky Cat piggy bank that he uses in his street performer act, intending to pass it on to Tigress. Upon realizing that Carmen is watching him, he dupes Carmen by placing the Lucky Cat piggy bank in a store that sells Lucky Cats...only to reveal that he took the stamp with him before placing the Lucky Cat in the store. Immediately afterwards, he is captured by Chase and Julia. So how does he hide the stamp while still keeping it nearby? He slips it in Chase's coat pocket, knowing Chase will follow him.
The Hot Rocks of Rio Caper-Part 2
- Le Chèvre is the only one of the henchpeople present to realize that Shadow-san's probing of where the uncut diamonds are located is suspicious if, as he already said, was in contact with the VILE Faculty. Shadow-san has to physically silence him to delay the others from recognizing the same thing.
The Daisho Caper
- Lady Dokuso knows that Shadowsan is skilled enough to defeat her men with nothing but a pair of chopsticks. So to defeat him, she puts poison on said chopsticks.
The Fashionista Caper
- The entirety of Dash Haber fighting against Carmen. In his inital appearance, he only served as Cleo's subordinate. Here, Dash Haber's weaponry is a mechanically spinning blade that's on the brim of his hat that he can retract with his magnetic gloves which proves to be more than a challenge for Carmen leading to her failure to steal the smart fabric in Greece. Heck, it can even cut multiple lamp posts in half which almost killed Carmen.
The African Ice Caper
- A villainous one for Roundabout, who managed to become a member of the British Secret Service: using his connections to find out about the raid planned on the illegal mine, he was able to close down the mine before either Carmen or ACME could step in. This impresses the faculty enough that they elected to him to take Shadow-san's place.
The Haunted Bayou Caper
- Paper Star folds a sword out of aluminum foil to fight Carmen.
The Beijing Bullion Caper
- Neal, after botching the mission and realizing what awaits him if he returns to VILE, decides to pull a Screw This, I'm Outta Here and run off, preventing both law enforcement and VILE from catching him.
The Robo Caper
- Dr. Bellum who has long tried to make a robot for her pet project successfully completes her very own robot and the results speak for themselves during testing and it also able to beat Carmen Sandiego in its first ever heist displaying the automaton's wide arrange of skills especially during the fourth episode.
- The Cleaners who we have not seen them fight until now have proven to be a formidable challenge for Carmen when she tried to stop them from taking Gray away which completely tired her out.
The VILE History Caper
- The fact that VILE's origins date back to the middles ages means they've had to adapt to new technologies and life while remaining hidden for centuries. Think of the major events V.I.L.E must have been involved with from medieval times up until the 21st century without having their organization exposed in the process.
Shadowsan
The French Connection Caper
- The fact that Shadowsan the whole time was trying to keep Carmen from going down the path of a thief because he was worried about her throwing her life away. This was despite the fact that to ever get off the island, she'd need to become a V.I.L.E. agent, and while on the shores she'd be influenced. While he obviously didn't intend for her to defect and cause V.I.L.E. to target her, he did succeed in convincing her to choose another path.
The Hot Rocks of Rio Caper, Part 2
- When fighting against La Chevre and El Topo, both of them wielding swords, he effortlessly dodges every stroke before grabbing a shield and disarming them. He then makes them surrender by pointing two swords at them.
The Daisho Caper
- Shadowsan defeats a yakuza thug with nothing more than a pair of chopsticks.
The Fashionista Caper
- Shadowsan faces off against Dash Haber who uses his remote-controlled razor-brimmed hat to fight him. Keep in mind that when Carmen fought Dash, it was an extended battle with her narrowly avoiding his attacks, until she finally stopped him by tethering the hat with a grappling hook. When Shadowsan fights him, Dash throws his hat once, Shadowsan immediately grabs it and embeds it in the wall, and holds it perfectly still there until Dash gives up on trying to pull it back and runs away. Oh yeah, and this hat was shown to be able to cut through corrugated steel shipping containers earlier in the episode. It wasn't the wall it was buried in that was holding it there. It was Shadowsan.
The Jolly Good Show Caper
- He has a brief sword fight with Roundabout, with a Badass Boast.Roundabout: Back in my day, I was captain of my fencing team in Oxford, you know?
Shadowsan: Back in my day, I was yakuza.- Shadowsan detailing Carmen's plot to Roundabout and telling him that his mask of a secret agent has been exposed for the world to see.
The Robo Caper
- Despite having a leg injury, he still manages to dismantle a robotic arm of Robo Robber, that can move on its own and destroy a table, by using whatever item he had and his surrounding environment.
The VILE History Caper
- The entirety of his fight with Brunt in the ice cave.
- Serves as a moment of Cool Versus Awesome as this scene is essentially a fight between a samurai shinobi against a viking.
- One scene in particular is played in slow-motion where Coach Brunt breaks Shadowsan's sword and is about to slash a weakened Shadowsan who in the last moment, closes his eyes and swiftly moves away before hitting her pressure points through metal armor which stuns her. Shadowsan then uses Brunt's axe to completely knock her down breaking it in the process. It ends with Shadowsan's statement who is making it clear.
Shadowsan: You did not protect the face. You're ongoing threats to Carmen end here and now.
The Viennese Waltz Caper
- When he was captured by ACME and wakes up handcuffed, he manages to slip out of his handcuffs and knocks out both Zari and her partner by hitting their pressure points.
Other
The Luchador Tango Caper
- Lupe Pelligro, a Masked Luchador, finds Coach Brunt has Carmen. Carmen tells Lupe that this is not her fight...Lupe quickly disagrees and she ends up holding her own all while the audience thinks it's a real match.
- Bonus? She comes very close to actually unmasking Brunt. A mere luchador nearly exposed one of the heads of VILE to the world.
The Day of the Dead Caper
- Sonia, a pickpocket from Mexico City, teams up with Carmen to fight off Spin Kick and Flytrap. At the end of the episode, she stole the client list and is off to return all the art she stole back to their rightful place.
- What makes it more awesome? The person she stole that list off of was Carmen herself. Sonia was able to pickpocket Carmen goshdarn Sandiego, one of the best thieves in the world, without her noticing until much later! If that's not cool, what is?
- Actually, Ivy had the list when Sonia stole it, but Carmen didn’t see Sonia steal it, so that might still qualify as being awesome.
The Masks of Venice Caper
- Hideo, Shadowsan's older brother, sneaking up behind Zari and knocking her unconscious with a guard post to help Shadow-san and Carmen's heist with the masks.
The Beijing Buillion Caper
- Xifeng's Peking Opera skills made her collect some of Neil's thrown vases at Carmen and she later uses a beautiful flip-kick to knock Mime Bomb out.
The Big Bad Ivy Caper
- Right after regaining his memories of his time with V.I.L.E., Gray manages to single-handedly take down several A.C.M.E. operatives trying to restrain him.
