Where In The $#@! Is Carmen Sandiego?

Isn't that what we all want to know?
I remember a few years ago, it wasn't very many, when The Chief died. From the "...Carmen Sandiego" television series, that is. I hear she was on many, many things, and I feel certain I've seen her in other roles, but I'd never remember her as anyone else. I'd never care to. It's not really the same with Lawrence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis, but that might just be in light of only having seen "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" in seriousness in the past couple of years. It's not even his role as Morpheus. It's...I don't really even know.
She was The Chief.
It was funny to me that you never knew what you looked like - maybe that's because you were actually, for once, just supposed to be you instead of you as someone. But everyone knew what The Chief looked like, even if only her torso or head. She was always on screen. She gave you your leads. She told you what was up, what was down.
I never found Carmen Sandiego. I played "Where In The USA..." and "Where In The World...," both care of Broderbund, on our old, old Packard Bell PC. I played them both a lot. A whole lot. However, the closest I ever got to her was being in the same city at the same time, but then one of those cronies would take the heat, easy. I can't say I hated it though. What would it have been like if you'd found Carmen Sandiego? Sure, she would have busted out of jail in short time, and put you right back on the chase, but would it be the same? I don't think so. You never knew, you never knew who was going to be in which city, and what seemingly insignificant description you'd have to rely on to suddenly pull an entire flight map out of the blue. It didn't really make sense, but it didn't have to. That was the point, you wanted to catch Carmen Sandiego, because she kept stealing the most ludicrous things, and no one knew where in the world she was, but did you really? Or did you just want to keep chasing until you knew everything else there was to know aside from where she was always hiding, or what you could do to catch her once and for all?
That's a good question.
Lynne Thigpen died at 54 almost 5 years ago now. A brain hemorrhage killed her.
I am not depressing. People die all the time. She was The Chief, though. ACME Detective Agency.

If you know me, you're probably thinking that this is all some really drawn out, elaborate allegory for the human interaction with the great ideas and truths of the universe, our place in the grand scheme of things, our continuing uncertainty as far as what we are supposed to do or know, or just...well, if you were to think that, you'd probably catch it all. If you knew me, you might think that.
You might not be wrong, but as far as I know, I'm just talking about Carmen Sandiego.