Original air date: 9/26/2003
Production code: PPG-509
Save Mojo: When the Powerpuff Girls try to stop Mojo Jojo from doing a crime, an animal activist group comes to his rescue protesting that the Powerpuff Girls can't harm him because he is an endangered animal.
Substitute Creature: When Ms. Keane gets sick, she hires a substitute teacher named Mr. Green to run the class in her absence. Unfortunately, because of his monstrous appearance, the girls assume he is a bad guy and try to save their classmates from him.
Save Mojo provides examples of:
- All Your Base Are Belong to Us: Mojo even attacks the girls’ own home to steal some of the professors’ equipment.
- An Aesop: If your views are opposing another side's views and it leads to nothing but bickering on both ends, the best solution is to compromise.
- Animal Wrongs Group: The animal activists; they actively prevent the girls from “harassing" Mojo Jojo”, not caring that Mojo is clearly a villain committing crimes and the girls merely want to stop him. The girls eventually turn it against Mojo by helping the activists move Mojo into the wild.
- Comically Missing the Point The animal activists don't seem to see that Mojo is obviously plotting evil.
- Crocodile Tears: Mojo happily pretends to be a helpless animal in order to gain the sympathy, and thus protection, from the activists.Mojo: [cries] I'm being oppressed.
- Last One's Ploy: Mojo gleefully exploits his status as an endangered animal to receive protection from the activists.
- Mama Bear: The episode ends with Mojo getting pummeled by a hulking Killer Gorilla after harming her two babies.
- New-Age Retro Hippie: The animal activists all look like these.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Mojo’s disguise at the beginning of the episode. The narrator even lampshades it, calling it pathetic.
- Take That! This episode is one at Animal Wrongs Groups and at the people who said PPG promotes animal abuse by having the girls beat up Mojo.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: One of the activists wears an undone vest that barely covers any of his otherwise bare chest.
- Waving Signs Around: The animal activists wave signs as a part of their protest.
Substitute Creature provides examples of:
- An Aesop: As Blossom said, don't judge people by their outward appearance.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Mr. Green may look like a villain from a 70's anime with his fiery cape and his eyepatch, but he is actually a good substitute teacher.
- Expressive Accessory: Blossom's bow droops when Mr. Green asks her to give the kids cookies.
- Imagine Spot: The girls repeatedly imagine Mr. Green doing horrible things to Mrs. Keane and their classmates, but none of these fantasies ever come true.
- Heel Realization: The girls realize they were the bad guys here for wrongfully assuming that Mr. Green was a threat.
- Reluctant Monster: Mr. Green looks like a demon, but truly likes children and wants to be a good teacher.
- Rule of Funny: Mr. Green's explanation for looking scary is that all substitute teachers do.
- White Hair, Black Heart: Mr. Green has white hair, but the Black Heart part is eventually averted as the girls learn he is not evil.
- Wham Line: "Powerpuff Girls, no! Mr. Green is nice!"
