The
Deertown Aztecs are in actuality a former grade school
baseball team... turned
Aztecs. One day, on their way to an international championship game, their plane crashed in the
Central American jungle. The cause: immaturity and horseplay. Their pilot,
Corduroy Cordova, was the only one to jump out of the plane in time to escape, later becoming the caretaker of the Aztec City park. The children, left to fend for themselves, had a book entitled
Aztecs On My Mind, relying on it as their sole guide to eking it out in the wilderness and, thusly, patterning their lifestyles after "real live Aztecs" (though stealing food from the park's snack bar at night).
The Aztecs line up consists of chieftain Wally Head, second-in-command Dennis (as voiced by Peter Paul Bergman), Justin, Eddy, Davey, Lloyd, and Doug. All of them sport their old baseball helmets, covered in leaves and feathers, as well as other baseball implements incorporated into their wardrobe. Wally wears a necklace with a baseball glove on it and carries what he calls "a glowing skull" staff (a scepter with a baseball on it). Other Aztec dress includes the catcher's outfit, Aztec skirts, and various capes.
The Deertown Aztecs live in a booby trap filled temple pyramid, reminiscent of Indiana Jones in his hay day; a snake-filled pit, a rolling boulder corridor, and a giant lava bath with hacking blades. There is also a dungeon where they imprison Those That Have Fallen Out Of Their Favor. Their coach has been there for fifteen years.
The Aztecs kidnapped Arthur from his date with Carmelita in Episode 29. They thought he was Carmelita. Wally wanted "her" found so that he could have a bride. They smuggled Arthur aboard an airplane in a pet carrier and when he was brought to Wally he was punished for looking like Carmelita. Wally decided that he was to marry the lowest creature in the jungle and then be catapulted to his death in a sacrifice to their sun god. Arthur's wings were taken from him and he was outfitted in a ceremonial dress. He was saved by Carmelita while the creature (later to be named, Speak) was caught and saved by The Tick. The Aztecs were defeated when Wally tried to escape with Carmelita but was subdued by her before help could arrive. This strengthened the love between Arthur and Carmelita, infuriating Wally. But in the end, they were all good sports, lining up and shaking hands with The Tick after the "game".
One of the Deertown Aztecs' most annoying habits is the use of the word "Itlan". They use it much like the way the word "smurf" is used. This being based on "Air Itlan" (as in Tenochtitlan), which was apparently the name of the Mexican Airline that they chartered for the flight to their championship games. They adopted the word and used it until Wally banned its use when Carmelita told him that it was annoying.
Reference: The Ticklopedia (www.jps.net/lsnyder/)