ARCH-NEMESIS

Like most popular superheroes, Gannon and Wyatt have an ongoing feud with an evil villain, the diabolical Klaus von Plague.

Klaus grew up in an industrial metropolis right next to the power grid. The powerful electric waves, radiation and air pollution rewired his brain as a youth, turning this prodigy into an evil scientist bent on destruction. Because his childhood was void of nature, it has become his mission to destroy the earth's environment, ultimately leaving the planet uninhabitable.

He operates from a secret laboratory in Antarctica, a location carefully selected for one reason - if he is successful in destroying the world's environment, Antarctica will soon be the last inhabitable place on earth.

In each episode, Klaus sets his sights on destroying a location of environmental, cultural or historical significance. Klaus's creative schemes are not always self-evident and often require Gannon and Wyatt to employ critical thinking to determine the end result of his actions. For example, he may work to remove a "keystone species" from an ecosystem, thus setting off the inevitable chain of events that ultimately destroy the environment. Or he may invent a device that significantly increases human energy consumption (i.e. the latest "must-have" handheld gadget), thus forcing an increased reliability on fossil fuels.

Klaus hires local villains to carry out his schemes, as he lacks any physical prowess. After countless humiliations on the athletic field as a kid, it became evident that his "brain" was his most valuable asset. Thus, he began utilizing his superior intelligence to convince others to do his dirty work. However, as good help is hard to find these days, he will occasionally show up himself when all goes wrong or he becomes fed up with Gannon and Wyatt's continual triumphs of good over evil.

Klaus believes in excessive consumption, waste (especially hazardous), anything non-renewable, landfills, deforestation, sprawl, pollution, and all things relating to the pillage and destruction of natural resources. He's found that the "evil" business can be lucrative, and he is inclined to enjoy the fruits of his evil labors by spending money on lavish items to help make his existence in Antarctica more bearable. As a pet, Klaus has a locust, the most destructive of all insects. Affectionately named "Locust," his pet keeps him company in his secret laboratory.