Starvin' Marvin in Space

"Starvin' Marvin in Space" is episode 311 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired November 17, 1999.

Plot Synopsis

This episode begins with an alien crash-landing on Earth, in the African desert; it is instantly killed by a lion, and its ship is discovered by a poor Ethiopian boy, Starvin' Marvin. Marvin, who is fleeing from Christian missionaries who try to control his village, goes in the ship in search of a place to relocate his people. Meanwhile, the American government, having found out about this space ship and wanting it for themselves, track down the boys and demand that they tell them where Starvin' Marvin might have taken it. They then recruit Sally Struthers, the monstrously-fat leader of an Ethiopian food drive that is more than anything a front for her to get food for herself.

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 where every noun is "Marklar." The Marklar agree to allow the Ethiopians live on their planet, but the Missionaries, greedy for an entire planet of unbaptized aliens, and the U.S. government follow in their own space ships to try to catch them. When they arrive on Marklar, the aliens are very confused by the humans' trying to explain their motives; when Kyle explains the situation in his own language, they banish the missionaries and government agents and let the Ethiopians to stay. The boys promise to visit again ("when Jesse Jackson becomes president," Cartman says sarcastically).

Parodies

• This episode parodies a great deal of Star Wars, for example, Sally Struthers is a parody of Jabba the Hutt.
• This episode greatly mocks Christians, most particularly missionaries, and their alleged concern in conversions rather than helping the needy.