The Atomic Rocket Fuel is a 1960 Felix the Cat cartoon, and the 54th episode of the Felix the Cat (Joe Oriolo) series.
At Professor's lab, Poindexter is working on a giant telescope, and Felix, who is babysitting him again, asks what he's gonna do with it, and Poindexter announces his plan to view the orbit of the moon. Just then, Poindexter sees a spaceship through it, and realizes its sending out signals in code. He writes them down, and finds out its a message from Master Cylinder, who says he's orbiting around the Earth and can't stop, and is calling for help. Poindexter offers to help him, but Felix understandably balks at this and he refuses to allow Poindexter to go. Poindexter reluctantly complies, but pulls out a Kaleidoscope, which intrigues Felix. Felix looks through it, but gets dizzy from how fast it spins and passes out. Poindexter hops in a spaceship and flies out of the lab, and Felix wakes up, just in time to see Master Cylinder descending into the lab on Poindexter's ship. Felix is shocked when Poinsy announces that he is their guest, and wonders what the Professor will say. Master Cylinder mockingly laughs at the notion, and then picks up Poinsy, ordering him to build an anti-gravity generator. The kid gets to work right away and hands it to him. Master orders him to nail it to the floor and activate it. Poindexter pushes the button, and the device then lifts the entire lab off the ground and into space. Felix tries to escape, but falls out of the house during this, calling for Poindexter as he plummets down.
Felix then notices a plug trailing out of the floating lab, and grabs onto it for dear life. Down on the ground, Professor arrives at home, hoping to get a good nights sleep, just in time to see his lab is gone. Assuming it's stolen, he runs off to call the police. Felix climbs back into the lab, and sees Master and Poindexter waiting for him, who is glad he's safe. Felix asks Master where they're going, and he announces that they're going to his estate on Venus, planning on exploiting the lab and Poindexter for his own ends. Just then, Poinsy pulls out his Kaleidoscope again, and Master asks to see it. The toy quickly makes the cyborg dizzy, and Poindexter proposes throwing him out, showing that the Anti-Gravity Generator makes Master weightless now. Poinsy chucks him out of the lab with all the effort of throwing a box, and he presses the reverse button on the generator, which makes the lab return to Earth. Back on Earth, Professor arrives on the scene with a cop, but he realizes the lab has suddenly returned. Professor walks inside, but Poindexter warns Felix not to tell him what happened. Felix notices Professor is pale gray from shock as he collapses from the shock of his house returning, and Felix has a hearty laugh as the cartoon irises out.
Tropes:
- Chekhov's Gun: The Kaleidoscope Poinsy used to knock out Felix early in the episode is what helps them overcome Master Cylinder in the end.
- The Farmer and the Viper: Poindexter learns the hard way that Master Cylinder is not someone who deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt. As soon he rescues him, Master Cylinder immediately uses the situation to his advantage to take Poindexter hostage and cause Felix trouble.
- Flying Saucer: Poindexter uses one to go help Master Cylinder. It's a more compact, standard looking one than the one he previously used in his debut episode.
- Irony: Professor, of all crooks, is forced to call on the police for help when he finds out his lab was somehow stolen.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Master Cylinder shows his gratitude for Poindexter saving him by immediately roping him into another scheme.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Poinsy saves Master Cylinder, which allows him to become a nuisance for Felix and him yet again.
- Save the Villain: Poindexter is so good-natured, that he wants to save Master Cylinder, who had threatened both his and Felix's life on numerous occasions. It ends up biting him in the ass once he goes through with it.
