Watching Three Cheats to the Wind, really brought me back to my school days. The whole story focuses on Drew, who is supposed to be the artsy one of the group, struggling to finish her essay on the book Les Miserables. Things get wild when a monster literally eats her schoolwork, which leaves her in a terrible spot. Instead of just doing the hard work over again, she gets tempted to take the easy way out and cheat to get the grade. It is a very human situation because when pressure builds up in life, people often look for a shortcut even when they know better. Here’s a question Drew, “Why carry schoolwork into the heat of battle?”

While Drew is dealing with her school drama, Emperor Gorganus sends down a ridiculous octopus monster named Octodroid to make a mess on Earth. This creature has the power to turn the fresh water supply into salt water, and it even goes after a nuclear plant to drain out the cooling systems. When the kids show up to fight, the monster uses its powers to suck the moisture right out of their bodies. This forces the teens to combine their powers and form their big warrior Knightron to finish the job. The rubber suit action is totally cheap and silly, but it keeps the energy high while the real message of the story plays out.

The ending is what makes the whole episode work for me because it shows that shortcuts always backfire. Drew realizes that cheating on her essay is just like trying to face a monster without doing the proper training. You cannot fake your way through the real world, whether you are dealing with a tough school teacher or a giant octopus creature trying to dry you up. Once she rejects the dishonest path and fixes her mistakes, the team is able to save the planet. It is a simple lesson about personal integrity wrapped up in a wacky afternoon kids show, proving that doing things the right way is the only way to earn true respect.