I hated that show so much. How could the stupid planeteers fuck up so bad every single time that they had to summon the Captain at the end? Every time. Their incompetence annoyed me so much as a kid! You have a ring that controls the Air or the EARTH ITSELF you stupid fuck, and you have a problem dealing with a clumsy giant toxic monster thing? Fucking shoot it in outer space or make the earth swallow it so it melts into the fucking core! How did Gaia not fire their asses and take her rings back is beyond me.
Everyone's rings were both weakened by pollution (which considering they fought pollution in every episode was a HORRIBLE idea) and fairly ineffective.
What, you have a giant machine that is spewing toxic sludge into the water supply? How about I blow sand in your face! Ha! Didn't see that coming! How about I talk to a sea turtle? That will show your thugs with weapons!
How they didn't die in every episode is beyond me.
Still, if I was Mati or whatever his name was, I'd pick a far, non contaminated position to strike the thugs from a long and safe enough distance with my Heart ring by giving them cardiac arrests. Like a sniper.
Plus, couldn't the soviet girl use he Air ring to take non polluted air and surround them with some sort of an anti-pollution air shield as they enter the pollution zone?