Cleanso

"Cleanso" (also known as "Cleanzo") is the sixth episode of the second season of Metalocalypse, twenty-sixth overall.

Synopsis
After yet again hitting rock bottom, Dr. Rockzo tells his origin story and asks Toki for help. His Norwegian friend helps him quit cocaine and become sober.

Plot
"He's a lunatic rebel with a hyperactive disorder and a license for rock, ready to roll. His name is Dr. Rockzo. He's a rock n' roll clown and he does cocaine." A voiceover introduces Dr. Rockzo and talks about his past. His real name is Leonard Rockstein; he was the son of a physical therapist that saw a want ad for Zazz Blammymatazz in the newspaper. He responded to the ad and became an instant addition, with Bink Bonk Blammymatazz describing him as "a firecracker in clown paint". Zazz skyrocketed to fame almost immediately, but things turned ugly as Dr. Rockzo insisted on being paid in cocaine and his addiction became more pronounced. He was kicked out of Zazz Blammymatazz and after a short-lived solo career, he established himself as a party clown for hire. As his life spiraled further out of control, he had an unsuccessful reality show about himself and then broke into a top-secret police storage facility, stealing over 1,000 pounds of cocaine.

Taking credit and midnight calls
Dethklok is watching the news report about his grand theft and all except Toki express their distaste for the clown, Skwisgaar even suggests he deserves a horsewhipping. Toki tries to defend his friend by saying he's just misunderstood. Nathan points out that Murderface falsely named himself Dethklok's songwriter and accuses him of never having written anything, which starts off an argument in which William claims he is capable of writing songs and Nathan disputes that the whole point is that he didn't. Murderface tries to claim credit for writing the bass lines but Skwisgaar interjects that he wrote them all and had to teach them to William. As they keep squabbling Nathan challenges Murderface to write one complete song, which he accepts, even pulling out a book about songwriting. Late at night, Toki receives a call on his cell phone. It turns out it's a badly shaken Dr. Rockzo who needs his help.

Hitting rock bottom
The Tribunal discusses Dr. Rockzo and his recent crime. General Crozier mentions that they have used Dr. Rockzo in the past and he obtained top-secret Dethklok information but they have been unable to use him again because Dethklok shuns him. Vater Orlaag mentions that Toki has a history of showing strong trust for clowns, which may cause Dethklok to reconnect with him despite their strong aversion. Salacia ends the meeting by giving the instructions "follow the clown." Toki wakes up Pickles because he needs a ride to pick up his friend. The two of them take the Dethbike and find Dr. Rockzo prostituting himself on the streets. Toki is surprised at how awful his friend looks and Dr. Rockzo confesses that he drugs himself with cocaine, pain, crystal meth, heroin; in his own words "I do it all."

Back at Mordhaus Nathan and Skwisgaar want to see Murderface write his own song, heckling him along the way, calling him names of famous people in a sarcastic way. Murderface cannot take it anymore and begins his original song: "A million miles from nowhere, dragon lands burns hot, by the fire of a horse's ghost a minnow would be lost. Ch-ch-changes. Tits. A fish. A fish with tits, titty fish." A loud noise distracts him and he uses the opportunity to smash his guitar and complain about how he cannot finish his song. The loud noise turns out to be Dr. Rockzo, who is in the middle of withdrawal, dancing in the kitchen and threatening Pickles and Toki with a large knife. Pickles shoots Rockzo, making TOki believe he died, but Pickles was using tranquilizer darts instead of bullets, a leftover from the CD release party. This commotion attracts the rest of Dethklok, who are not happy to see the clown again.

Getting clean
Charles calls a meeting and says Dr. Rockzo may not stay in Mordhaus since he is a wanted criminal, he mentions that he will be firm about turning him in. Toki begs for a chance for Dr. Rockzo to prove he is a good person without the drugs and then turn him in, a condition that Charles accepts. Toki asks where his friend is and Charles responds that he is "taking a little nap". In reality, Dr. Rockzo is being tortured by the Klokateers ala Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back. Charles walks in on this and pretends to be shocked that the torture is happening and gives orders to stop, though under his breath he says "give him one more". He then tells Rockzo that Dethklok is going out for ice cream and hookers and asks if he would like to join, to which a delirious Rockzo says yes.

As it turns out, the outing was a trap so Dethklok could stage an intervention with the help of Dr. Twinkletits. Nathans starts the intervention by reading a letter he wrote about how much he hates Dr. Rockzo, Twinkletits says that for the intervention to work they have to be supportive and asks Murderface for support. Murderface says he would rather express himself in song with the help of his new book "how to write a reggae smash hit". He sings two lines but gives up and smashes his guitar, upsetting Dr. Rockzo as he storms out of the room. Fearing that he's losing his patient, Twinkletits asks Toki to read his letter. Toki doesn't get further from "Dr. Rockzos, you is my friend" before the clown starts crying and saying that he will quit drugs with the love of his friends as he puts his arms around Toki and Nathan, much to the disgust of the latter.

Rockzo then sings Goodbye, Snowy Road in reference to all the cocaine he did and he goes through rehab as the song plays. As the song ends Leonard Rockstein is standing in front of the police station without makeup or his usual outfit, ready to turn himself in. Toki is sad to see him leave but he understands it's the right thing to do. Rockstein shows his appreciation of Toki by making a balloon sculpture in his likeness and he offers to make Nathan one as well. Dethklok is credited with the apprehension of Rockstein and newscasters ask him about his ordeal, to which he replies "I'm Dr. Rockzo, the rock n' roll clown and I used to do cocaine. I am c-c-c-c-c-clean!"

The episode ends and as the credits roll Rockstein's nose starts bleeding and then falls off entirely.

Songs featured in this episode

 * "Goodbye, Snowy Road"

Guest Voices

 * Devin Townsend

Trivia

 * Murderface describes himself as Dethklok's songwriter during a press conference about Rockzo, once more trying to take credit for something he did not do like in Dethsiduals
 * When Crozier says "top secret Dethklok information" the image on the Tribunal monitor is the layout of the concert stage shown in The Metalocalypse Has Begun. It's possible Dr. Rockzo's stolen documents helped them plan the attack.
 * When Toki's trust of clowns is mentioned, there is an image of him sitting on the lap of a man who has a strong resemblance to the serial killer John Wayne Gacy. However, the real Gacy was never in Norway and he was arrested before Toki was born, though perhaps this is the Metalocalypse incarnation of Gacy.
 * Toki's trust of clowns is further explored in Dethzazz.
 * Toki needs Pickles to drive him because he doesn't have a legal license, something that comes up in Dethrace.
 * Dr. Rockzo charges $20 for "an HJ" (a handjob).
 * Nathan and Skwisgaar sarcastically compare Murderface to Simon &amp; Garfunkel; Loggins and Messina; George and Ira Gershwin; Rodgers and Hammerstein; Crosby, Stills, Nash &amp; Young and Walter Becker, Steely Dan and Donald Fagen.
 * The torture device used on Dr. Rockzo is similar to the one that was used on Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back.
 * "Goodbye, Snowy Road" and "Without You" are both songs about mood-altering substances sung by men addicted to them, Dr. Rockzo and Pickles respectively.