Young guy from the poor Northeast region of Brazil comes to Rio de Janeiro to try his luck. Naturally, he is faced with many adversities along the way.

In the early seventies in Rio de Janeiro, detective Mariel Moryscötte de Mattos belonged to a special police force called "The Golden Men". This powerful group of the elite of the police was created with the intention of eliminate crime from Rio de Janeiro, and they had privileges above law to expedite their action against the outlaws. However, absolute power in wrong hands corrupts, and this group formed the "Death Squad", executing criminals without the conventional trial from the justice.

Dr. Jegue is a fumbling inventor and scientist, who in his spare time helps his friends Kiko, Sassá, and Quindim in a mechanic's shop. The four are great friends of Carlos Alberto, a stock car driver who suffers from the frames of rival Hugo and his gang. By doing scientific research in his mini-lab, Jegue discovers two powerful formulas: one extracted through the Quince tree, an abundant fictitious plant in the Northeast; and another that turns Dr. Jegue into a big, bearded, moody man with powerful strength. The Marmeleiro formula is tested in a race at the Interlagos Autodrome in the old track and the news of a "new fuel" becomes the main news of the country. Soon, buyers from all over the world come to Brazil to try to buy the formula, offering a lot of money for it, but Jegue, not ambitious, decides not to sell the formula anymore and leaves it in his country.