"Cruella World" is the thirty-ninth episode of 101 Dalmatians: The Series.
Plot
Cruella is celebrating since, according to her new "Dipstick 2000 Crude Indicator," there is a high amount of oil in the swamp; oil which should be hers "because [she] wants it." However, due to government protection agencies, she is unable to drill there. Cruella tries to think of something big and noisy to cover her drilling equipment, which is when Scorch shows Cruella an advertisement for "Two Flags over Gruteley Amusement Park." This gives Cruella an idea.
At the Dearly Farm, Lucky is telling Cadpig, Spot, Duchess, Princess, and Sgt. Tibbs about how he got in a tackle with fifty yellow-bellied sap suckers. Duchess comments that the first time Lucky tells the story, there is only one, but Princess jokes how "those wild birds multiply." As Lucky continues his story, Spot notes that Lucky "runs around the barn, like [his] tail is on fire," annoying Lucky, but causing the others to laugh. Perdita, hearing this, cautions Lucky that if he wants to be believed, he shouldn't exaggerate his stories. Lucky, however, notes Perdita telling him that "a million, billion, gazillion times," much to her chagrin.
Rolly then calls Lucky, Cadpig and Spot to the television, where they see an advertisement for Cruella World playing, saying it's located next to the swamp. The Dalmatians seem excited and wish to check it out, but Perdita feels that Cruella World is "too scary for pups."
Lucky tries to talk her into letting them see Cruella World, claiming how he is able to fix a coaster from derailing, much to Cadpig, Rolly, and Spot's annoyance.
In the farm yard, Roger and Anita are heading to Cruella World, because Cruella invited Anita (and because Cruella is Anita’s boss), but Roger seems reluctant. He notices that Lucky seems eager to visit Cruella World and suggests that Anita take him instead. Anita, however, comments that there are no dogs allowed, only husbands. So Roger and Anita head to Cruella World, upsetting Lucky.
Lucky then heads to the swamp to look at Cruella World in the distance, wondering why they won't let him visit the attraction. He then catches Swamp Rat trying to sell a lot of items. Swamp Rat tells Lucky that due to the oil leaking from some pipes, the swamp is being polluted and the swamp creatures are affected. When Lucky investigates where the oil pipes lead, he finds that they lead straight into Cruella World. There, Cruella, with Roger, Anita, and the Mayor of Gruteley, are opening the park for its "gala pre-opening opening celebration."
Inside the park, Roger wishes to read, but Anita wishes to check out the attractions. Lucky himself is in awe because of the Park, but comments that the place smells like oil. He looks under the "Coup-Go-Round” (a Dumbo-like ride, except with Cruella's car in the place of elephants), and finds large oil-drilling equipment. Lucky quickly heads back to the Dearly Farm to warn the others about this.
Back at the Dearly Farm, Lucky explains to Cadpig, Rolly, and Spot about how Cruella World is really a front for an oil-drilling operation, which can potentially put the Dearly Farm at risk too. However, because they think he is exaggerating his stories again, they apparently ignore him. Lucky then tries to get the Colonel (currently being cleaned by Sgt. Tibbs) to get the "Bark Brigade" to help him on the Cruella World case. Sgt. Tibbs, however, believes that it's just Lucky trying to make an excuse for them to take him to Cruella World. Lucky then realizes that because he exaggerates so much, no one seems to believe his claims, but figures he'll need to tackle Cruella World by himself.
Lucky then heads back to Cruella World and tries to figure out how to stop the oil drilling. Horace and Jasper, who are working on the pump machine, notice Lucky and begin chasing him. The Baduns chase Lucky around the oil pipes, causing some damage to them, but they eventually capture Lucky.
Back at the Dearly Farm, Cadpig and Rolly wake up to find Steven trying to eat Spot. They help her out of the alligator's jaws and tell the swamp creatures to head back to their swamp. Cydne, however, tells them about the pollution in the swamp, and that they're trying to find a good meal on the Dearly Farm. Cadpig, Rolly, and Spot realize that Lucky was telling the truth and head to Cruella World to help out.
Back at Cruella World, Jasper plans on taking Lucky to the security office; however, Horace accidentally causes some equipment to hit Jasper, allowing Lucky to get away from him. Lucky tries to hide in "Great Moments with Cruella De Vil" (a reference to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland), but, despite disguising himself as the hat to the Cruella animatronic and getting tangled in Jasper's costume, they catch him again.
Cadpig, Rolly, and Spot then arrive and are able to rescue Lucky. Rolly apologizes for them not believing him, but Lucky admits it's his fault for exaggerating.
The Dalmatians and Spot head back to the pumping station, where Horace and Jasper follow them. As the Baduns try to catch the Dalmatians, their attempts cause problems around the park (such as the "Coup-Go-Round" speeding up and launching the carts on the ride, along with Roger and Anita, and the Cruella animatronic getting mad). The chase then causes Horace to accidentally have the pumps work on turbo, which causes the oil drilling to overload.
This causes oil to burst all around Cruella World, causing panic. Cruella then notices Lucky and tries to catch him; however, the head of a Cruella statue (that is shot up in the air, due to the oil bursts) comes and Cruella jumps into a puddle of oil to doge it. A workman then arrives, claiming to have plugged a leak. It turns out the oil that Cruella detects is actually her own oil leaking from her own pipe line, much to her horror. The authorities then realize Cruella's plan and charge her for polluting a nature preserve, ordering that she cleans up the swamp personally.
After celebrating their victory, Rolly promises to believe what Lucky predicts from now on, and Lucky claims he won't stretch the truth so much.
Later that night, Lucky awakens to notice an alien saucer land near the Dearly Farm. He considers telling Cadpig, Rolly, and Spot, but then figures that they wouldn't believe him if he did try to tell them.
Trivia
- Cruella World takes a lot of inspiration from the Disney theme parks. These cases include:
- A replica of Villa DeVil, a homage to the Disney Castle.
- Ye Olde Boutique Street, a homage to Main Street, U.S.A.
- The Coup-Go-Round, a homage to Dumbo the Flying Elephant, with Cruella's car instead of elephants.
- Pirates of the Cardigan a homage to Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Great Moments with Cruella Devil, a homage to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
- The Eletrical Fashion Parade, a homage to the Main Street Eletrical Parade.
- The Ascot Center, a homage to Epcot Center.
- The Haunted Blouse, a homage to The Haunted Mansion.
- The Country Underwear Jamboree, a homage to the Country Bear Jamboree.
- Some unnamed attractions also seem to show a shoe version of Splash Mountain and a handbag version of the Disney Skyway.
- As Lucky checks the swamp, there is a dinosaur, a penguin and an alien craft. The third object may actually be foreshadowing the one that Lucky notices in the episode.
- Swamp Rat describes oil as "black gold, Texas tea," which is how oil is described in the opening to the American sitcom Beverly Hillbillies.
- The theme park "Two Flags over Gruteley" is likely a homage to the "Six Flags" amusement park.
- When Cadpig and Rolly help Spot out of Steven's mouth, Spot exclaims, "Call the Colonel! I'm fried!" This is a possible reference to the KFC restaurant chains.
- This is the one episode where Perdita appears, but Pongo doesn't.
