Plot
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore visits South Park Elementary School and warns the school's students about the terrible ManBearPig, a scary monster which is "half man, half bear and half pig" and roams the Earth attacking humans for no reason at all. He also demands throughout the episode that people will take him "serial" or "cereal", which he uses in place of the word "serious", referencing a real-life appearance made by Gore on The Oprah Winfrey Show before the episode aired, where he misunderstood a question regarding his favorite cereal.
Later, the boys' basketball game is interrupted by another visit from Gore, who is poorly disguised as the ManBearPig and claims to be "trying to spread ManBearPig awareness". Stan's father Randy picks up the boys to drive them home, proclaiming that Gore is just desperate for attention, because he has no friends. Al Gore phones Stan in the middle of the night inviting him to a ManBearPig meeting and convinces Stan to attend out of sympathy for Gore not having any friends. Stan and his friends go to the meeting where Gore states that "MBP" is hiding in the Cave of the Winds. The boys are persuaded to go when Gore guarantees them a day off school.
In the cave, Gore first starts asking the tour guide illogical questions and annoying the group. Gore forces the boys to follow him off the tour path to find ManBearPig. He begins firing a shotgun wildly after mistaking wind for ManBearPig, causing a cave-in that leaves the boys trapped in the caverns while Gore and all the other tourists evacuate the cave only moments before rocks come down, sealing off the cave entrance. Gore claims ManBearPig caused the cave-in and that the monster is still at large. While the boys search for a way out of the cave, Cartman discovers a small cavern filled with what appears to be a hoard of treasure. He hides the loot from the other boys and starts swallowing the treasure piece-by-piece to smuggle it out of the cave.
A rescue team has been assembled outside the cave to find the boys, while Gore whines about killing ManBearPig. Gore later diverts the flow of a nearby stream in order to cause a flood which fills the cavern in an attempt to kill the still-unseen monster. Meanwhile, the boys think that Cartman, bloated with gold and jewels, has become severely ill, and carry him while trying to find a way out of the cave. As the cave floods, Kyle risks his life to get Cartman to safety. The boys manage to escape just as a memorial service is being held for them. Gore is secretly celebrating having "killed" ManBearPig, believing that he is a hero. When Gore claims he rescued them, Stan yells at him and calls him a loser. Cartman tries to walk away, but he does not get far before he begins painfully defecating pieces of treasure. It is revealed to Cartman that the treasure was a prop used for tourist photo ops and is only worth about $14. While Cartman continues to expel more treasure in pain, Gore explains his intention is to make a film starring himself. He ties a cape onto himself and "flies" away, exclaiming "Excelsior!" (the catchphrase of Marvel Comics' Stan Lee).
Read more about this topic: Man Bear Pig
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