Starvin' Marvin in Space

"Starvin' Marvin in Space"

"Starvin' Marvin in Space" is episode 44 of Comedy Central's animated series South Park. It originally aired on November 17, 1999.

Plot

This episode begins with an alien landing on Earth to make First Contact in the African desert; it is instantly killed by a lion, and its ship is discovered by Starvin' Marvin. Marvin, who is fleeing from Christian missionaries who have taken over his village and are rather unkindly assuring them that their faith in Christianity will get them food, goes into the ship in search of a place free of missionaries to relocate his people. Meanwhile, the American government, having found out about this spaceship and wanting it for themselves, track down the boys and demand that they tell them where Starvin' Marvin might have taken it. The government then recruits Sally Struthers, the monstrously obese leader. She is the leader of an Ethernopian food drive that is nothing more than a front for her to get all the food she wants. They offer her Chocolate Yum Yum bars in exchange.

Marvin and the boys team up, and by accidentally pressing a button, they fly to the home planet of the ship's former owner, the planet Marklar, whose inhabitants speak a language that is identical to English except for the fact that every noun is replaced with the word "Marklar". The Marklar agree to allow the Ethiopians to live on their planet. Back on Earth, the boys try to round up the Ethiopians, but the government agents seize the spaceship. The boys are able to take back the spaceship, letting Marvin load his people on while the boys distract the government agents, pretending to be Tom Brokaw. The agents are easily able to see through the disguise. Despite this, they are distracted long enough to load the ship, but Kenny is lost and seized by the government agents when the boys try to make a break for it.

The boys try to make it to Marklar, but they are confronted by the missionaries, who have built their own ship and are trying to force Christianity to Marklar. During this time, Pat Robertson is shown attempting to raise funds for various absurd weapons and vehicles to aid the missionaries while in space, most of which don't even exist. A space battle ensues, before the boys have to face the government agents. The agents have had Kenny frozen in carbonite and given to Sally Struthers so she can support them. Cartman convinces Sally that she has influenced the boys that they need to help people more. This touches Sally, so she lets the boys go and captures the missionary ship instead. Then, the wormhole is opened again, and all the ships are taken to Marklar.

When they arrive on Marklar, the aliens are very confused by the humans' trying to explain their motives. Kyle explains the situation in the aliens' own language, and the Marklar are touched. They banish the missionaries and let the Ethiopians stay. The boys promise to visit again ("when Jesse Jackson becomes president", Cartman says sarcastically). Sally Struthers then takes the boys back to Earth.

File:Marklar greeting.gif

The Marklars

Trivia

• Like the following episode, "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics," the episode is dedicated to Mary Kay Bergman, who lent her voice to nearly all of South Park's female characters. Bergman committed suicide shortly after production was completed, this was the last show to use her voice.
• Starvin Marvin will return for the Season 12 finalle Starvin' Marvin Re-Returns