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Static Shock is an American animated television series based on the Milestone Media/DC Comics superhero Static.

Static Shock

It premiered on September 23, 2000 on The WB Television Network's Kids' WB! block programming. Static Shock ran for four seasons, with 52 half hour episodes in total. Part of the DC animated universe, the series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation from a crew composed mostly of people from the company's past shows. Although two of the comic's creators, the late Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan, were involved in the series, Static Shock had some alterations from the original comic book because it was oriented to a pre teen audience. Nevertheless, the show approached several social issues, which was positively received by television critics. Static Shock was nominated for numerous awards, including the Daytime Emmy. The show revolves around Virgil Hawkins, an African-American boy who uses the secret identity of Static after exposure to a mutagen gas during a gang fight gave him electromagnetic powers.

Background

Production

The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the Milestone Media/DC Comics character Static. Its supervising producer was Alan Burnett and Scott Jeralds was the main producer under the executive production of Jean MacCurdy and Sander Schwartz. The production team was mostly composed by people who were involved with Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, but also included Static's co-creator Denys Cowan.[2] Although the show hired the comic series creator Dwayne McDuffie as story editor and writer, McDuffie had no direct involvement on the development of Static Shock. The idea of a Static cartoon first emerged with DC's editor-in-chef Jennette Kahn during the time McDuffie was working for Milestone under Kahn.

She proposed to adapt some of Milestone comics; in 1993, Burnett was hired to write a pilot episode for a X-Men-esque series with Milestone superheroes called The New Guard. After attemptings on producing several other Milestone projects, Static was eventually the series "they went for". By the time Milestone and DC drafted their contract over DC distributing Milestone comics, the characters were from separate fictional universes. However, when crossovers between Static Shock and other DC animated series were suggested, it was established that they were from the same DC animated universe— "rather than having to muck around with multiple dimensions, or whatever”.

Although McDuffie stressed that the show remains loyal to "the spirit and the tone" of the comic book, some changes were done because of its timeslot and target audience of pre-teens. For example, guns appeared less frequently, Richie is not portrayed as a homosexual, and he is Virgil's confidant instead of Frieda. Virgil is also younger in the animated series, his costumes and use of his powers are different than the original, and his mother is dead in the show despite she is alive in the comics. The latter change was done because producers had the intention "to focus on a strong, complex relationship between an African-American father and son." Nevertheless, McDuffie was concerned by the change because he originally intended to oppose the stereotype of black people not having a complete nuclear family.

However, McDuffie said "that [it] worked out okay" as the crew could use the absence of Virgil's mother to create a "couple of great stories". Virgil's father, Robert, "for all intents and purposes, is a new character", as he was reconceptualized as a social worker. The same goes for Richie, who is described as an amalgam of different characters from the original comic. For the villains, Hotstreak was reused from the Static comics, Edwin Alva was brought from another Milestone's series—Hardware—, and the group Meta-Breed was created for the TV series.

The third season of the show saw some of the biggest changes; in addition of Richie's superhero powers and a new opening, Static changed his costume. Cowan stated that the change was done to give his clothes a "feel of the comic book", while McDuffie said it represented a growth that Virgil was passing through. This maturation made possible to "explore some of the darker places in his world," to have more varied conflicts, as the villains have also become more mature. He described it is as "a natural outgrowth of all that, as is the new, more naturalistic look of the show." This change was followed by the second season premiere—"The Big Leagues"—when Static meets Batman and Robin. Burnett said, "after that show, everybody went, 'Let's go in that direction.'" Writer John Semper, Jr. commented, "of course, I always lean toward the dramatic ... But the same old light-hearted Static spirit is still there." Richie gains superhero powers because it was becoming hard to fit him into the story and the producers wanted to keep the "chemistry" between voice actors LaMarr and Marsden. There was also a positive response from children in focus groups so "[t]he answer seemed pretty obvious."

The series' music director was Richard Wolf, while he, Stanley Clarke and Max Gousse were the composers, and Kennard Ramsey was the orchestrator. For action sequences, Wolf wanted to use "real adrenaline-pumping beat" of 125 beats per minute; however, hip hop music usually only reached 110 beats. The predominant score was electronica with some hip hop-type and DMX-type vocals. R&B and classic hip hop melodies were also used depending on the scenes, and each character had a specific theme. Wolf composed the opening theme for the first two seasons. Starting from the third season, the show had a new opening theme, written by Master P and Lil' Romeo (and performed by the latter).

Broadcast

Static Shock aired on the Kids' WB! programming block of The WB from September 23, 2000 to May 22, 2004. The first African American superhero-centered television series, it ran a total of 52 episodes. Reruns of the series were shown on Cartoon Network starting from December 2001, and on Disney XD from February 2009. The first six episodes were released to DVD on September 28, 2004, in a single DVD volume entitled "The New Kid". The complete first season was made available for download on iTunes on July 4, 2011.

Static Shock‍ '​s episodes handle a variety of issues, including gangs, gun violence, homelessness, bullying, racism, mental illness, bigotry, and drugs. Other episodes also featured the subject of Chanukah and Christmas celebrations.nThe series was also marked by several crossover episodes with characters from the DC animated universe like Superman, Green Lantern, the Justice League, and the Batman Beyond cast. Several episodes also featured guest voice actors, including basketballers (like Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Steve Nash) and musicians, such as the B2K group, Lil' Romeo and the Backstreet Boys' A. J. McLean. Guest crew was also featured, including cartoonist Rick Hoberg as storyboard artist, and Paul Dini and John Ridley as writers.

Influence

Static Shock was an extremely popular show, granting its new renewal for a second season just a month after its debut.[13] As of December 2000, it was the highest-rated pre-teen—from 2 to 11 years—show among all networks on its timeslot, and the third best on the Kids' WB! lineup. From its debut to July 2003, the show secured the second post among boys aged 6 to 11 years. Ratings increased after Richie's character obtained superhero powers; McDuffie affirmed that this is what secured the renewal for a new season. Indeed, the show's third season was its most popular and was the second best-rated Saturday morning program among boys aged 6 to 11 years, and tweens and male tweens aged 9 to 14.

From February to April 2003, ratings regularly performed over the 4.0 stake among the public aged 9 to 14 years; it even reached the 6.4 mark in May. Static Shock‍ '​s last season was only surpassed by the children's anime Pokémon, and the show's reruns on Cartoon Network were only surpassed by the adult animated sitcom Family Guy.

Static Shock was the only program on Cartoon Network to be among the top 30 most watched kids shows in a week of October 2004. It was also the best rated program of the channel among kids on a week of January 2005, and the best rated show on Cartoon Network's Miguzi block as of March 2005. For the 2004–05 season, it was the 18th most watched Saturday morning children's show of all networks. Static Shock was ultimately cancelled due to the low production of associated merchandising products.

Legacy

The show's popularity led to new demand for Milestone's Static comics: the first four issues of it were reissued as Static Shock: Trial by Fire in 2000 and a miniseries, Static Shock!: Rebirth of the Cool, was released between January and September 2001. In May 2003, Midway Games announced the production of a platformer video game based on the show for the Game Boy Advance. Although it was displayed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the game was later cancelled. For a period starting on July 4, 2004; Subway Restaurants released a series of toys based on the TV series to be offered in the United States and Canada. On September 1, 2004; Scholastic Corporation published two tie-in children's books written by Tracey West.

McDuffie's work on Static Shock placed him in the circles of animated series, and he became a writer and producer for shows like Justice League, Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited, and Ben 10: Alien Force. McDuffie was responsible for diversifying the DC animated universe's Justice League by including black and female characters. Moreover, Arie Kaplan credits McDuffie and his co-writers for giving "a depth and complexity" the group was lacking since the 1970s. A future, older version of Virgil appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Once and Future Thing, Part 2: Time, Warped".

Plot

In a warehouse situated somewhere in Dakota, a masked teenager thwarts an electronics robbery, wielding a variety of electrical powers and flying around on a manhole cover. Magnetically removing their metal weapons, he subdues them in short order, sticks them to the ceiling by their coats, and finally creates a sign suspended in midair, directing the police—just arriving on the scene—to the building. Watching his handiwork, he thinks back to two days ago, when in his own words, he was the last person anyone would call "hero material".

Virgil Hawkins, an ordinary kid living in a black neighborhood, heads from home, with his sister Sharon and father Robert, to high school, with one thing in mind: To ask Frieda Goren to homecoming, with some coaching from his best friend, Richie. As he works his way around to the subject, though, he runs afoul of Francis "F-Stop" Stone, and nearly receives a beating, but is saved thanks to the intervention of another of his friends, Wade. Coming home from school, though, Virgil runs into him again, flanked by his friends, and soon finds himself cornered in the back of an alley. There, he is held back as Francis pounds him mercilessly, only stopping when Wade happens by again. Warned by their lookout, the bullies make a break for it while Wade finds his beaten friend, and orders him to meet him under the bridge in half an hour, not listening to his protests that that's when he has to meet his dad.

Thirty minutes later, still not too sure about it, Virgil meets Wade, alongside the rest of his "crew", and is stunned when they ask him to join them. Wade tells him he won't always be around to save him from Francis, but that joining them will keep him safe. Virgil, well aware of the dangers of joining a gang—and, indeed, his father's stance on the subject—is unsure. A while later, he comes home, writing off his injuries on the very flimsy excuse of "football injuries" before he goes to his room. Upstairs, he receives a call from Richie, who has already heard about his apparently joining Wade (he protests that he just gave a sort of noncommittal nod), as has most of the neighborhood. Richie himself can't believe it, as Virgil's own mother died from gang fire. Virgil, realizing how bad the situation is, begins trying to think of a way out when Wade calls on another line, telling him to meet at the dock, now, and hangs up.

He arrives at the dock, finding Wade and the rest of his gang preparing for a huge throw-down with Francis' gang, as well as a great deal of large metal canisters. When he is handed a gun, Virgil realizes exactly how bad the situation is, and throwing it into the water, tries to back out; unfortunately, he finds himself face-to-face with Francis himself. Just then, police helicopters arrive, casting a searchlight on everyone and breaking up the fight. Everybody scatters, ignoring orders to stay where they are, until finally, a canister of tear gas is fired down—right next to one of the canisters, causing an explosion and the release of a cloud of purple gas. Everybody who breathes it in begins coughing, then exhibiting strange physical reactions; one's face begins to stretch, as another's eyes begin glowing, while police move in with gas masks on. Virgil himself crawls over a fence, on the edge of the spreading cloud, and falls over the side.

The next thing he knows, he is in his bedroom, both alive and free. Soon, however, Virgil also realizes that his own blanket is clinging to him with inexplicable fervor. He narrowly gets it off of himself, and goes to the bathroom to shave—when the razor begins buzzing as soon as he approaches it, even though it's not even plugged in. He drops it, stunned, and realizes that he himself is somehow giving off electricity. Excited, he calls Richie, and tells him to meet him at the junkyard, where Virgil is already showing an impressive control over his abilities, he glides around on the hood of a car, showing off. Richie watches and concludes that he could be a superhero, just as Virgil crashes into a pile of cars. Back at Virgil's house, they go through a series of potential costumes, before finally settling the one he will go on to use in the fight at the warehouse.

Back at the warehouse, Virgil lets the burglars drop from the ceiling to the floor, allowing the police to arrest them. A moment later, he notices that among the electronics in the warehouse are the new lab computers for his own school. Meanwhile, as the students work on setting up the homecoming, Richie tries to cover for his friend until Virgil arrives, in costume, personally delivering the computers and introducing himself as Static: "I put a shock to your system!" He then proceeds to single-handedly put up most of the decorations, turn the lights on, and blow an electric heart in Frieda's direction, causing her hair to stand on end, as he wonders why it's never this easy for Virgil. Richie, watching with the rest of the crowd, muses that he's "a natural".

Elsewhere, in a hospital, several of the gang members exposed to the gas continue to mutate in a variety of unsightly ways, with the doctors helpless to do anything and waiting for a haz-mat team to arrive. Among them is Francis, literally burning up, until he breaks free of his bed restraints, and blasts out the window. Landing on the streets below, surrounded by fire, he remarks that "This is going to be fun", and strides off into the city.

While visiting an electronics store, Virgil and Richie watch a news report covering recent events, beginning with Static's interruption of the warehouse burglary. Offended when he hears that one of the burglars has labeled him a "mutant", Virgil decides on the more dignified term "metahuman" for himself. Next up is the gas explosion at the docks, which has been nicknamed the "Big Bang", and its victims "Bang Babies"—people undergoing all sorts of mutations, possibly numbering in the hundreds. While Richie realizes the weight of this, Virgil has already distracted himself with a CD, discovering that on top of all his powers, he doubles as a human CD player.

He is forced to stop when he sees Frieda Goren nearby, watching somebody in the corner turn sweaty, hunching over, and finally mutating into a slavering werewolf; the man is another Bang Baby. It goes wild, tearing up the store, driving people screaming out the door, Virgil and his friends among them. Outside, they have the misfortune to run into Francis Stone, now the self-styled "Hotstreak". He pushes Virgil aside, and then shoots a blast of fire from his hands at the werewolf, sending it running away—Francis, they realize, is a Bang Baby as well. He is no less a bully for it, though, turning his attentions to the three people before him. Virgil is sent sprinting down an alley, shielding himself from a wave of fire with a trash can lid, while Richie tries to defend Frieda from him, getting most of his shirt burnt off for his trouble. Just as things are looking bad, Static comes flying in on the same trash can lid, drawing Hotstreak's attention away.

Then, for the first time in their metahuman lives, the two teenagers attack one another with their powers while the others retreat to a safe distance; Frieda finds a phone and starts dialing. Static gains the upper hand at first, using his defiance of gravity to his advantage and avoiding the fireballs flung his way as he tosses some metal from a construction yard his way. Hotstreak burns the counterattack in midair, and then suddenly catches Static off-guard when, shooting jets of fire from his hands, he propels himself from the ground and tackles Static bodily into a nearby park. Static lies stunned, as Francis stands above him and prepares to finish him, when he is suddenly soaked by a fireman's hose, soon joined by two more, subduing him. Frieda's call has saved Static, who when questioned by Richie about being put down for the count, can only say that he "choked".

At Virgil's home, his father and sister debate the growing Bang Baby situation over dinner. Sharon supports Static, but their father has a low opinion of him. Barely anything is known about the Bang Babies, but most appear to be using their powers to commit crimes and torment people. What's more, Virgil's father unknowingly puts his son at unease when he decides that Static could very well keep changing and become a monster, and not even know it himself.

The next day sees Virgil and Richie in the high school science lab, comparing samples of their own blood under microscopes, with inconclusive results. Next, Virgil visits a medical clinic, where his doctor agrees to run a test on his blood; whether or not they'll tell his father remains to be seen.

Later that day, in fact, his father addresses the city council, forcing them (with the support of the people) to acknowledge the urgency of the Bang Baby issue. When pressed regarding the investigation into the gas canisters and their owner, the mayor keeps her response vague, promising answers as they come and hurriedly moving back to the subject of the budget. That night, feeding the ducks at a pond, she meets with a gaunt older man, discussing the events of the meeting. Across the pond, Richie and Virgil hide in the bushes, listening in on their conversation with creative use of a trash can lid and Virgil's powers. He is Edwin Alva, an extremely rich businessman, who amid their discussion, claims that his company would welcome an investigation before driving away.

Virgil follows him, suiting up as Static and closely tailing his car. He again uses his powers to listen as Alva gives orders to York, his right-hand man, over the cell phone. Static breaks into the company building, finding the lab and coming in on York just as he finishes backing up and promptly deleting the company's data on their mutagen formulas from the databanks, rendering them safe from investigation until they're out of the spotlight—until Static steals the disk from him. York attacks the young metahuman with a handheld laser, and after a destructive battle, traps him inside of a transparent tube. Static finds that his electrical powers bounce right off of the surface, keeping him inside as gas begins to fill the chamber.

Coughing, still unable to directly damage his container, Static also begins to notice the growing air pressure inside the tube. Painful as he finds it, he sees his only chance at escape, and putting everything he has into another blast of energy, builds the air pressure to dangerous levels until the tube finally shatters. He crawls away, draws a table over to himself, and propels himself out of the lab, through the halls, past security and out of a window to escape, briefly bouncing off of a shocked Edwin Alva's car. Alva watches him go with a pair of guards, the gears already turning in his mind.

Meanwhile, in a secured room at the hospital, an orderly attempts to force Hotstreak to take a pair of pills. Eventually, he is satisfied, and leaves, unaware as he spits them, flaming, back out.

The next day, Richie and Virgil talk about the disk, sure they'll put Alva on lockdown and learn more about exactly what was in that gas, when they hear chaos coming from the town square. Hotstreak has escaped, and is wreaking havoc in the park, terrorizing everybody nearby and raiding a hot dog stand while he's at it. Virgil realizes he has to stop him before anybody gets hurt, and again taking the role of Static, grabs a garbage can lid and flies into battle. Taken by surprise, his fun ruined, Hotstreak goes berserk, unleashing a barrage of fireballs up at Static. Static tries to evade them, but one connects, destroying the lid he's flying on and knocking him to the ground—as well as burning the disk to ashes.

As Hotstreak advances, pressing his advantage, Static rises, bringing his full power to bear, and for perhaps the first time, fully getting into his groove as a superhero. He now meets Hotstreak head-on, throwing huge piles of debris his way. Much of it is destroyed by his fire, but Hotstreak is finally driven on the defensive and hit. Knowing he's at a disadvantage, he runs a short distance away, bringing the fight—both combatants now beginning to tire—to an unadorned clearing. Hotstreak declares that he has Static exactly where he wants him, in a place with no metal to work with, rendering him helpless. Static responds that he only brought them here to keep them away from any more innocent people, and as Hotstreak scoffs at this, adds that here in the city, there's always metal, visible or not—and promptly raises a sewage line from the ground, breaking through the surface to dump gallons of raw sewage onto Hotstreak, putting out his flame and handily defeating him.

Later that day, Virgil goes over the day's events, claiming that although, as Richie claims, he stopped Alva, it amounts an empty victory; the evidence was lost, and Alva is still free. That's when he receives a phone call from Doctor Harris regarding his blood test: Everything looks fine, although his electrolytes are unusually high, something normally attributed to too much salty food. Besides that, he's perfectly normal, a fact Virgil celebrates as soon as he hangs up, flipping off of his bed and surrounding himself with electricity before an incredulous Richie.

Virgil, Frieda and Richie are watching the school track team, Frieda for the purpose of reporting about it in the school paper. After the athletes finish, Derek Barnett, a popular track athlete who is admired by many girls (including Frieda), asks Virgil to give him academic tutoring. Later, Virgil is tutoring Derek at his home, but before they're able to do much, Derek begins getting cramps and excuses himself.

On the bus heading home, Derek's cramps begin getting worse and his latent superpowers awaken, causing him to transform into a monstrous glowing form. This scares the other passengers, who realize he's a Bang Baby, and they run away. Then, he accidentally shoots a ball of energy from his hands, destroying the bus' front window. Wondering what's happening to him, he runs out of the bus only to accidentally shoot energy balls at a police car, causing it to spin out of control, flip over, and bump into and activate a fire hydrant. Thankfully, Static zooms by and uses his electric powers to stop the police car and put it upright, then tears the roof off the car and rolls it up to plug up the fire hydrant. A crowd cheers for Static and Derek runs away. Derek is spotted by Ebon, a being with shadow powers, who uses his powers to whisk him off to the hideout of his organization of Bang Babies known as the Meta-Breed, consisting of himself, a woman called Talon who has bird-like features, and a man called Shiv who can create weapons out of energy.

Richie is hanging out with Static and shows him his new invention, the Static Saucer, a collapsible mylar disc Static can ride on by propelling it through the air with electricity (a flying technique he had previously done with miscellaneous disc-shaped items). The two discuss the fact that Derek has been missing for several days.

Later, Static is patrolling the city when the Meta-Breed attacks him, and Ebon takes Static to his hideout. He introduces Static to the Meta-Breed members, including Derek, who he introduces as D-Struct, but he later calls him Derek, cluing Static in to who he is. Ebon attempts to recruit Static, but is turned down.

Virgil and Richie try talking with Derek's mom and she confirms his absence. Then Virgil attempts to look up subways on the computer to find the Meta-Breed's hideout, but is unable to. Meanwhile, D-Struct is looking in a mirror and is briefly able to change himself back into his human form, but reverts back to the monstrous form quickly. Ebon tells him to embrace his new self.

The Meta-Breed embark on their plan to rob the Dakota Sportsman and Static clashes with them. Static tries to convince Derek to reject his new life, but Ebon tells D-Struct to attack him and he does so. The Meta-Breed return to their hideout and celebrate. D-Struct doesn't seem very happy, but Ebon tells him he has the most reason to celebrate because he killed Static.

Static is not actually killed and Richie is able to find the real hideout location, Milestone St. Static goes there, and finds the Meta-Breed sleeping. Static talks to Derek and reminds him of the people who care about him, including his mom. The other members of the Meta-Breed then attack Static, but Static got through to Derek and he attacks his former teammates alongside Static. The two then escape using an old subway car which Static energizes with his electricity. The Meta-Breed pursue them, but Static and Derek work together to fight them off.

Later, Derek embraces his mom in a hospital, where he's volunteering himself to be used in Bang Baby research, while Virgil and Richie watch. The two head home, with Virgil mentioning that he doesn't want to use the subway, alluding to his earlier escape.

Carmen Dillo rises from a dumpster to steal food from customers in a nearby restaurant and, when Static tries to stop him, he manages to flee into a construction site, where he knocks Static down. Just before Carmen can strike Static unconscious, a blob-like creature rises from beneath the ground and ensnares one of his feet. Static uses the distraction to place Carmen under arrest and sends the blob running away.

Later at school, while working on a walkie-talkie for their science class project, Virgil discusses with Richie that there's no possibility that creature could ever have been human. Frieda storms in, fuming because the funding for the newspaper club was cut and one of her editorials went unpublished. They jokingly suggest she should go on a strike, and Frieda takes it as a serious suggestion. Later, when Richie goes to get his coat, they are stopped by Mr. Janus, the cranky school janitor, who blocked off a section of the hall for cleanup, where Richie's locker happens to be.

Later that day, Static and Richie are testing their walkie-talkies (dubbed "Shock Voxes"), when Static detects another disturbance, this time at the Dakota Meat Packing Co. The blob from before has broken in and is eating the meat by dissolving it into its body. Static goes in for the fight, and the blob reacts by extending tendrils to attack him. Static then uses his powers to throw a truck through the blob, sending it scurrying away again, but Static can use the glass cap of a lamppost to pick up one of the blob's chopped-off tendrils. He later shows it to Richie, so they can analyze it in the school lab. While Virgil wants to wait until the next day to analyze it, Richie proposes they break into the closed school so they can analyze it immediately (a task they find easy). Unbeknownst to them, the blob is trailing them.

In the school, they find Mr. Janus again, and give an excuse to stay after hours. They then encounter Frieda and her newspaper partners, Leon, Kim and Omar, and they promise not to tell on each other. At the lab, Virgil and Richie have difficulty pinning the blob's tendril down, but manage to extract a piece of it for analysis. They find out it is an ordinary bacteria, mutated by the Quantum Vapor, as it seeped into the ground. Meanwhile, at the newspaper room, Frieda has just printed an unauthorized edition of the newspaper, when Mr. Janus comes along. They hide and he ends up locking them in. When the blob sample escapes, Virgil has to crawl through the vents after it and winds up in the newspaper room, along with Frieda and the others.

The giant blob heads to the school's football field, wreaking havoc all around. Richie gets in touch with Virgil and searches for them in the newspaper room. Just as Mr. Janus catches him, he spots the escaped piece bacteria and gives chase, but is cornered by the blob, which later finds the students as Richie, having stolen Mr. Janus' keys in the commotion, breaks them out. After the newspaper club members flee, Virgil uses his powers to fend it off, then goes off to change into Static.

He first saves Leon and Kim, and then Omar. In the process, Static notices the blob recoiling in fright from the wet floor, getting an idea. Later at the gym lockers, another part of the blob is attacking Frieda, when Static uses a wet mop and a bucket of disinfectant to fend it off. After saving Frieda, Static notices the blob fleeing into the city, and goads it into consuming him before slamming two canisters of disinfectant above his head together, making the chemicals rain down on it and effectively kill it.

The next morning, the press is swarming Frieda and her friends, who use the attention to publicize their unauthorized newspaper. While Richie feels Virgil deserves some of the credit, Virgil himself is good with laying low.

Rubberband Man breaks into a record company, trying to find the man who stole his hit song from him. A record executive says it was Ice-Pack. Ice-Pack is living off of RB Man's wealth now since he has that song. Meanwhile, Richie and Virgil arrive at an abandoned gas station; Virgil is underwhelmed by this "Dump", but Richie suggests it become his new Superhero headquarters; meanwhile they notice RB Man chasing Ice-Pack, then RB Man sends a limo into the air, but Static managed to land a limo on safely. Static tries to talk with him, but RB Man defeats him and continues chasing Ice-Pack.

Back at his house, Robert makes Virgil get a job, so he applies at Burger Fool. When Frieda plays Ice-Pack's music, a person gets mad and walks out of the restaurant.

Meanvile at the Spire Record, while Ice-Pack is signing CDs for his fans, RB Man shows up and kidnaps him, putting him on top of a spire. RB Man claims to have written the music Ice-Pack raps to, but Ice-Pack has no idea what he's talking about. Accusing him of plagerism; Ice-Pack admits he only sings the lyrics; not write them. As such he gives him a name; of his producer.

At Burger Fool, Frieda runs in the shock, saying that "Snake Man" just put Ice-Pack on top of a spire, so Virgil sneaks out to go to the situation. When Ice Pack starts to fall, Static catches him. As it turns out, Ice-Pack's producer was the one who ripped him off. RB Man, whose real name is Adam Evans, confronts the producer, D.J. Rock. Arriving at the Producers mansion to demand a recognition and payment; D.J. Rock admits to it and offers him financial compensation; this trick works and he locks RB Man in a vault; with a airtight seal his air supply will inevitably run out and he'll die of asphyxiation. Somewhere in Dakota Hills, Static shows up in producer mansion and figures out RB Man is stuck. Static frees him and RB Man immediately goes after the producer, trying to asphyxiate him. Static stops and taking producer on playground and chained him. Static tries to talk with RB Man, but no avail, he glued him on the carousel and defeats him. After that, RB Man and D.J., the producer, are both arrested, and D.J Rock swears that he will be free, but Static assures him that his theft is exposed.

Somewhere in the town, Richie told Virgil that he's fired for sneaking out from restaurant.

While in a cooking class with Richie, Virgil is called into the principal's office. It turns out Virgil has been accepted into the Vanmoor Institute, an elite high school for gifted children, to participate in a 6-week seminar, which excites Virgil (although he's disappointed he'll have to still keep up with his Dakota High classes).

At the Vanmoor Institute, Virgil is having a hard time finding the lab where his class will take place and isn't able to get any other students to help him. Finally, he meets two older students, Specsand Trapper, who "help" him by tricking him into going outside. Static eventually makes it to the lab and meets his three classmates, Ducan, Henry, and Daisy, and learns that they'll be taught by upperclassmen, who in this case are none other than Specs and Trapper.

Later, Static and Richie are hanging out at the abandoned gas station and a giant robot attacks nearby. Static fights it, but it gets away. Unbeknownst to Static or Richie, the robot is being controlled by Trapper and Specs is monitoring it from the lab, and he informs Trapper that he's recorded Static's energy signature.

The next day, at Virgil's class, he and his classmates are given an assignment by Specs and Trapper to develop an electronic eye that can track any energy signature. Then, the two meet with Edwin Alva, who has given them the assignment of catching Static alive so Alva can study him. Alva is not happy they haven't succeeded yet, but the two students tell him they're using the class they're teaching to accomplish their goal.

Specs and Trapper return to find the electronic eye successfully completed, having been programmed by Virgil. Specs and Trapper take the disc with the program on it and leave. As Virgil and Daisy leaving the school, Daisy mentions that the institute is funded by Alva, which concerns Virgil. The two return to the school and Daisy shows Virgil Specs' and Trapper's private lab, and Virgil secretly uses electricity to bypass the electronic lock. The two find Specs and Trapper working on a robot and learn it's designed to capture Static. They are then seen by Specs and Trapper and run away. Virgil gets away and changes into Static, and protects Daisy from the robot as it's about to grab her. The robot pursues Static and he tries to fight it, but it's covered with a ceramic that protects it from electricity. A small crowd, including Duncan, Henry, and Daisy, admire Static, and Daisy tells the other two that they need to get back to the school.

The robot continues to follow Static, who realizes it's using the program he created. Meanwhile, Specs and Trapper talk to Alva and tell him where Static and the robot are headed. As it turns out, Static is headed straight to Alva's home, causing the robot to crash through the window. Then, Static grabs Alva and holds him so that the robot can't attack him without risking hurting Alva. Specs still thinks he can manage to attack Static, but back at school, Daisy disconnects a wire in a box on the wall, causing the robot to deactivate. The robot falls in Alva's pool and Static then dumps Alva in the pool as well.

Static is back at Dakota High, having discontinued his participation in the Vanmoor program. It turns out Daisy has transferred there too, much to Static's delight.

At Freeman Community Center, a man is urging passersby to repent their sins. Suddenly, the water in the fountain in front of the building turns red. Robert and Virgil go outside to investigate. Virgil determines the water has been changed to cherry soda. Kids gather around for a drink, including a young boy with a green jacket, looking around suspiciously. Later during school, Virgil, Richie, and Daisy discuss recent weird happenings, including an apartment complex getting a snow of vanilla ice cream. Virgil then notices that a student, Aron, was recently released from reform school. Virgil tries being friendly, but Aron rebuffs him. Virgil and Richie agree that Aron seems to have not changed during his time away.

Back at the community center, a group of boys are playing basketball, and talk about the best players. The boy from earlier, Dwayne, says that a video game character, Dreadbot 3000, could easily beat any basketball player. The rest of the boys laugh at him for his answer. Dwayne gets mad and walks out, but notices a dog in front of him. A few seconds later, Dreadbot 3000 rampages his way into the community center, destroying walls, chasing the other kids, and even making time to dunk a basketball. Robert evacuates the building just as Virgil and Richie arrive. Virgil changes into his Static outfit and blasts the robot, but it has no effect. The robot then goes after Static, trying to blast him out of the air. Dwayne watches on from nearby. He is then approached by Aron, his stepbrother. Aron asks if the commotion is related to "bang babies." Dwayne dodges the question and asks if Aron wants to play video games later. Aron says no, wanting to watch the fight. The robot suddenly vanishes, leaving behind the dog form earlier.

Dwayne and Aron walk home together. Aron gripes about missing the Big Bang, and Dwayne describes it how it looked. Aron is suspicious of Dwayne, and becomes convinced after Dwayne conjures a hotdog from a popsicle stick. Dwayne pleads with Aron to not tell anyone, and Aron says he wouldn't do such a thing to his brother. Later, Aron tries getting Dwayne to create things, like money or a key for a sports car. Dwayne explains that he can only create things if he knows what they look like. He adds that taking the car is stealing. Aron says that it is wrong to steal, so the two of them should get back at people who dosteal. Namely, the people in a nearby bank.

While contractors assess the damage from Dreadbot's rampage, Richie and Virgil look over the records of kids that use the center's services. They notice one kid lives in the area where it snowed ice cream earlier that week. The pair go to the Fenton Projects, and go to Dwayne's home. They tell Mrs. Price that they are junior counselors at the community center and she invites them in. She says that she is glad Dwayne is doing better emotionally, since he kind of shut down after she married Aron's father. He only focused on video games and cartoons, but thanks to Mr. Hawkins, Dwayne is opening up more. She also indicates that Dwayne was out looking for their dog near the Dakota docks when the Big Bang happened.

At the bank, Dwayne has conjured an action figure character, Sumokiri the sumo wrestler. Sumokiri attacks the bank and breaks in, causing people to flee. Static arrives to stop Sumokiri before he can tear off the bank vault door. Static and the wrestler fight, but Sumokiri damages a water pipe, drenching Static and making him short out. Static is cornered, but police start to arrive. Aron tells Dwayne to call off Sumo-Kiri so they can both leave. Dwayne does so after Aron yells at him, and Sumokiri vanishes. Richie helps Static up, and they both notice Aron and Dwayne fleeing the scene.

At the community center, Dwayne plays basketball alone. Virgil arrives to talk to him. He tries warning Dwayne about Aron taking advantage of his brotherly love, but Dwayne gets angry. Virgil backs off, then regroups with Richie. Their word against Aron's won't be enough, so they decide to record Aron's true nature as proof. Virgil goes to Aron at school and invites him to a party. Aron isn't interested until Virgil mentions Freda will be there. Virgil then asks if he plans on bringing Dwayne since the two of them have gotten so close recently. Aron snaps at Virgil saying Dwayne is just his stepbrother, so they aren't really brothers. Aron leaves, and Richie approaches with a Walkman attached to his Shock Vox, which recorded the whole conversation.

Virgil and Richie go to the community center to find Dwayne, but he's not there. Virgil asks his father where Dwayne is. Robert says him that Dwayne went with Aron to the mall to shop. Robert admits he has bad feelings about Aron, thinking that he is a bad influence on Dwayne and all the progress he has made. Virgil and Richie rush to the mall.

At Dakota Mall, Dwayne has conjured up Loco-Martian, a caterpillar-like alien, and it robs a store of its clothing. Aron has convinced Dwayne that whatever clothes they don't want will go to poor people. Static arrives and tries to fight the monster, but no avail. He then remembers Loco-Martian's weakness: fire. Static shoots bolts at trash cans, causing small fires. Loco-Martian flees from the fires, and eventually gets cornered. With no other options, Loco-Martian fades away. Static sees Aron and Dwayne, then flies up to them. Aron lies to Dwayne that Static is trying to turn them against each other. Despite Static's warning, Dwayne uses more illusions to fight Static: the cabbage-like Plant Man and the four-armed Kung Pow. Static quickly defeats them, but notices PA speakers along the walls. He uses his power to hook Richie's Walkman up to the speaker and plays the recording. Everyone in the mall is able to hear Aron talking about his brother.

Dwayne also listens to this, but Aron lies and says that Static is trying to fool them. Aron's voice continues "We're not tight. He's not my brother, he's just a step-brother". Hearing this, Dwayne summons a giant robot T-Rex to fight Static. The robot knocks him down, and Aron orders Dwayne to finish Static off. Dwayne (and the robot) hesitate, not wanting to kill Static. Aron demands that Dwayne obey him, while Static pleads with Dwayne to do the right thing. Finally realizing that Aron was using him the whole time, Dwayne stops the illusion and runs to Static.

Dwayne says he isn't sure what to do, so he will wait to learn what the right thing is. Static assures him he will, and they go to leave. Aron tries to stop Dwayne, but Static zaps him onto the wall, leaving him to be arrested by police who have just arrived. Static then decides to head back to the community to let Robert know he had a stronger impact on Dwayne than Aron did.

The Meta-Breed are attempting robbery in a Dakota Mall, only to be stopped by Static. Ebon and Shiv get away, but Talon is arrested. Shortly thereafter, Richie is hanging out at Virgil's house. Following some prodding from Sharon, Virgil points out that Richie spends a lot of time at his house and with his family, but the reverse has never happened – Virgil hasn't even met Richie's family, despite the two being best friends. Richie seems evasive, but agrees to a day when Virgil can come over. But when the day comes, it turns out that it was a day when Richie thought his dadwould have to work in the evening, and it just so happens that he had the night off after all. Richie is not happy, and Mr. Foley seems to take an instant dislike of Virgil.

As Virgil has dinner with Richie's family, things feel rather awkward as the family eats in silence. Virgil attempts to start a conversation, but when he mentions rap music, Mr. Foley immediately criticizes it. Still, when the two boys go upstairs, Virgil continues to assume the best, pointing out it's normal for older generations to be disapproving of newer music. However, when Virgil walks down the hall, he overhears Mr. Foley talking with his wife, a conversation that makes it clear that Mr. Foley is explicitly racist toward black people. Disheartened, Virgil realizes that he's not willing to continue the sleepover. He communicates this to Richie and goes home. After this, Richie expresses his anger towards his dad, and shortly thereafter runs away from home.

The next day Virgil has a heart-to-heart with his dad about the strangeness of the fact that someone as good-hearted and open-minded as Richie can have a father who's a bigot. His father points out that there's no logic to racism and that what matters is that Richie has made up his own mind. Shortly thereafter, Richie's mom calls Virgil and asks if he has any idea where he is, cluing Virgil into the fact that he's ran away.

Richie is on the streets of Dakota, and narrowly escapes Carmen Dillo and Chompus. Meanwhile, Mr. Foley talks with Mr. Hawkins at the Freeman Community Center, trying to find out information about Richie's whereabouts. Foley is rather hostile to Hawkins, but Hawkins challenges him on his assumptions of racism and manages to get through to him somewhat, at least to the extent that he's actually willing to receive Hawkins’ help. Meanwhile, Virgil is searching for Richie as Static, and manages to find him. The two talk and Virgil convinces him that going home is the right thing to do. Unbeknownst to them, however, Ebon is watching and thus realizes that Richie is Static's best friend. Thus, when Static leaves, he takes advantage of the opportunity by kidnapping Richie.

Meanwhile, Mr. Foley and Mr. Hawkins are searching for Richie, and the Meta Breed are keeping the kidnapped Richie in their hideout. Their plan is to only let Richie go if Static breaks Talon out of jail. The Meta Breed try to get Richie to tell them how to contact Static, but Richie plays dumb, pretending that he and Static aren't actually that close. However, he secretly turns on his Shock Boxand begins to repeatedly mention his location in order to communicate it to Static.

The fathers are continuing their search, but they follow a bad tip given to them by a troublemaker and end up right at the Meta-Breed's hideout. They confront the Meta-Breed to ask them to free Richie, but they're not able to overpower them. However, Static zooms in just in time to fight them. At one point Ebon has the advantage over Static, but Mr. Foley helps by distracting the supervillain. Finally, the foes are defeated and Mr. Foley tearfully apologizes and hugs his son.

Later, Richie and his dad meet Virgil at the community center so that Mr. Foley can give the boys a ride to the local comic convention, signifying a more positive relationship has developed between Mr. Foley and the two boys.

At the Burger Fool restaurant, a fat kid named Heavy C is stealing kids' food. Having enough of him, they managed to defeat him easily. Suddenly, a winds started to blow them out of the restaurant. Having found out that he is a Bang Baby, he decides to use power for evil. Meanwhile at the Junkyard, Richie made for Virgildevices known as Zap Caps which can explode once Virgil charges them up. Virgil tells him that he needs to work with Daisy, but Richie is annoyed by this.

At the Dakota Union High School, Virgil is working with Daisy at the computer and seems to be fawning at her. Richie moves to his chair and reminds him about his superhero responsibilities, but Virgil rebuffs him then Richie leaves.

At his house, Virgil gets a call from Richie and is told that new Bang Baby causing havoc at the Water Park.

At the Dakota Dunes, a new Bang Baby named Slipstream is causing trouble. Static appears and fights with him, but Virgil gets constantly distracted by Richie and Slipstream takes the opportunity to knock him out. Then Richie comes to his aid, driving a bus to the water slide to knock Slipstream out, but Slipstream escapes, and nearly crushes Static.

Back at the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, Virgil and Richie begins to argue over their failure in capturing Slipstream and Virgil's thoughts about Daisy, and end up ending their friendship. At school, Mr. Lee is going to select two partners to workshop with science about air pollution, Virgil sits with Daisy and Richie sits with Omar.

Somewhere in the Town, while Virgil and Daisy talking about his feud between him and Richie, Slipstream appears and begins attacking Shelly Sandoval and blows up the News Reporter's Helicopter's tail, causing it to lose control. Luckily, Virgil as Static manages to hold the helicopter and safely lands it on the street, causing him to be praised by public, except Richie.

Later after the class, Daisy has enough of Richie's quarrel with Virgil and tells him to stop fighting and that she likes Virgil and him as friends. Then she gets a call from Virgil (as Static) about the "winds situation". After that, she scold Richie for not being there for him and leaves.

Back at the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, he see the News at Park that Slipstream has attacked again. This time, Virgil as Static is about to fight with him, but Slipstream splashes him with water and as a result Static becomes powerless. Richie, feeling guilty, takes the Zap Caps to help his friend defeat his enemy and he goes to the Water Park.

At the Park, Virgil tries to escape from Slipstream while being powerless. Then Richie arrives just in time, but Slipstream blows him towards the water. Richie, whose left arm is hurt, sees Virgil and they finally reconcile. They start to run and hide under a bridge. Richie has two Zap Caps left, Static comes up with an idea and asks Richie to give it to him. Static uses the Zap Caps to recharge his powers, and with his powers fully charged to the max, traps Slipstream in a large plate of metal and defeats him.

At School, Daisy is pleased that Virgil and Richie have become friends again and they try to convince Daisy to come with them, but Daisy says that he and Richie are all about superhero stuff to which they replied with their secret handshake: "You might say that".

Virgil, Richie, Sharon and Daisy are standing in line for a concert of a new musician called Stringer. When the tickets sell out in their turn, Sharon manages to obtain a backstage pass for her and the others. Meeting Stringer, they find out Sharon has been in a steady relationship with him for a while, even though she knows almost nothing about him. Before the concert, Stringer is informed by one of his technicians that they will not be able to use his pyrotechnics as, due to the concert hall stage being small, there is the risk of a fire. Stringer ignores the warning, stating that his fans deserve a full show, as Virgil and Richie, pigging out on sandwiches, watch. Sure enough, when the technician uneasily starts the fireworks, they burn a curtain, starting a fire in the concert hall. Virgil quickly changes into Static to guide the attendees to safety. After delivering the last survivors to the emergency workers, he overhears Stringer talking to Sharon and decides to set things straight with him. Stringer tries to dodge his questioning, but when Static grabs his arm, it stretches abnormally, revealing Stringer to actually be Rubberband Man, who escaped jail and was living incognito off his music. Furious at being outed, Rubberband Man fights Static, but is forced to escape as the police approaches, vowing to expose Static's secret identity to the world in retaliation.

In another place of Dakota, at the back alleys of a restaurant, a pair of Bang Babies are complaining that they are down on their luck, while other metahumans thrive off being heroes or villains. One of the, a young purple-haired woman, finds a newspaper and, seeing the headline about the reward on the fugitive Rubberband Man, decides that this might just be their big break, before she burns out the newspaper just by blowing at it.

The next day, Virgil comes downstairs to find the press hounding the Hawkins' house, as word of Sharon and Rubberband Man's relationship has gotten out. Sharon is depressed because, despite his deception, she still likes "Stringer", something Virgil snidely scoffs at because he still sees Rubberband Man as a criminal. Later, patrolling the city as Static, he is attacked by Rubberband Man and thrown in a dumpster, as an act of revenge. While he manages to pull off Static's mask, he doesn't get to find out who he is, because the Bang Baby duo soon shows up, presenting themselves as Puff and Onyx. Announcing that they are out for the reward on Rubberband Man, they attack him, but Static, having found a bandana to cover his face, bursts out of the dumpster and attacks them, buying enough time for Rubberband Man to escape.

Rubberband Man soon heads to the Hawkins' house, entering through Sharon's bedroom window, and confides to her his fears of being arrested again, saying he has to leave Dakota. She lashes out at him for keeping his identity a secret to her, but vows to help him out any way she can. She gives her father a phone call warning that Rubberband Man is under her care, and he promises to talk to Captain Fitz, a friend of his in the police force, to alleviate Rubberband Man's sentence when he turns himself in. Unknown to them, Puff and Onyx are just outside, in a hijacked news van, tapping into the call.

Later on, Virgil and Richie arrive, and Sharon tries her best to hide Rubberband Man from them, but he is soon discovered when Virgil sits on him, disguised as an armchair. Before anything can happen, the doorbell rings, and Sharon opens to a policewoman who claims to be employed by Captain Fitz. Virgil, however, recognizes the officer as Puff and slams the door in her face. Soon after, Onyx breaks down the door and grabs Sharon, followed by Puff demanding Rubberband Man shows up. Virgil quickly and discreetly uses his powers to turn out the lights, allowing Rubberband Man to escape and lead Sharon to safety. Puff and Onyx, and then Static, soon follow.

Rubberband Man places Sharon on a rooftop, but before he can get out to fend off his pursuers, Puff intercepts him and blows knockout gas at his face, causing him to topple down to a set of bleachers below. Just as Onyx comes in to take him, Static blows a hole on the bleachers, causing him and Rubberband Man to fall beneath them. He proceeds to goad Puff into following him down there, and she strikes at him by blowing her corrosive acid, which winds up destroying the bleachers' sustaining pillars, bringing down the whole structure upon them. Static and Rubberband Man emerge unscathed, and face off against each other, intent on settling their score, but Sharon quickly comes around, worried about Rubberband Man, and they agree to leave their fight for another time, as they cooperate to salvage Puff and Onyx from the rubble so the police may take them in.

Later at the police precinct, Robert informs Sharon and Virgil that Captain Fitz has agreed to help with Rubberband Man's case, saying he will be released in just a matter of months if his behavior is good enough. Sharon is delighted, but Virgil does not share her enthusiasm.

Robert Hawkins and Sharon Hawkins are at a fancy party at the Freeman Community Center which Virgil Hawkins is also supposed to attend, but he hasn't come yet. Edwin Alva and his son Edwin Jr.are also in attendance. Edwin Jr. thanks his father for getting him off school, but Edwin says his performance at school was poor anyway. Robert realizes he should start the ceremony without Virgil, and the party turns out to be a dedication ceremony for the center's new gymnasium, which was sponsored by Edwin. Meanwhile, it turns out the reason that Virgil isn't in attendance is because, as Static, he's fighting a few snake-like villains trying to rob a store.

A TV reporter at the party, Shelly Sandoval, talks with Edwin Jr., who responds by making an insulting reference to legal troubles his father has been in. Edwin rushes in to explain it away and then walks away with his son, reprimanding him. Virgil finally arrives at the party. His dad is not pleased with his lateness and accuses him of being irresponsible.

At home, Edwin continues to berate his son, both for his comments and for not giving him anything to be proud of. Edwin Jr. disputes this latter point, saying that he's learned how to control a hazmat gas that Edwin's scientists have been studying, but Edwin doesn't believe him, saying that not even he fully understands the gas. Edwin Jr. is upset by his father's words and runs away. Meanwhile, Virgil is talking with Richie on the phone about his father's unhappiness with him. Edwin Jr. proceeds to enter the lab where the gas, which turns out to be the Quantum Vapor that caused the Big Bang, is stored. He designs and wears a suit that is covered in poppable bubbles, similar to bubble wrap, around his ankles, wrists, and belt. He then siphons the gas into the bubbles, saying that he's modified the gas so that popping any bubble will give him a bang baby superpower.

Later, Edwin Jr. attacks an Alva Industries ship by throwing exploding fireballs at it. When the crew of the ship returns fire using the guns they're smuggling, he pops another bubble to turn intangible. Static intervenes and tries to save the ship, but fails and instead just saves the crew. Edwin Jr., who is now calling himself Omnifarious, is upset with Static for saving them and the two get into a fight, and Virgil recognizes him as Edwin Jr. As they fight, Omnifarious pops more bubbles to give himself more powers, including X-ray vision, which he uses to look through Static's mask, though he doesn't immediately recognize him. Later, Edwin and his son are having dinner when York comes in to inform Edwin of the harm Omnifarious has been doing to his company.

Virgil's dad tries to talk to him about why he's seemed different recently, but their conversation is interrupted by Virgil taking a call from Richie, who tells him about what Omnifarious has been doing. However, that conversation is then interrupted by a different phone call, this one from Omnifarious himself, who has realized Static's identity and warns him that he will reveal it if Static continues to interfere with him. Static and Richie discuss this at the abandoned gas station, and Static says that he can't just ignore Omnifarious, meaning his secret will be revealed, but he wants to personally tell his dad his secret before this happens. However, he also wants Omnifarious' father to know his son's secret, so Virgil breaks into Edwin's bedroom and tells him Omnifarious' identity. Although Edwin doesn’t believe him at first, Static persuades him to check his lab and he leaves to do so.

Mr. Hawkins and Sharon talk and reminisce about Virgil, and Mr. Hawkins realizes that he does trust him. Meanwhile, Omnifarious is refilling the bubbles in his suit at the lab when his father confronts him. Omnifarious pops some of the bubbles and gains more powers, which include growing large, and he grabs Edwin. This causes Edwin to call his guards, who are in flying machines, to stop him.

Virgil is about to reveal to his dad that he's Static, but his dad says it's not necessary to tell him exactly what he's been up to because he trusts him, then he leaves. Before Virgil can follow him and tell him the truth, he sees the commotion going on at the Alva Corp building and intervenes. Edwin is trying to call off his guards before they hurt his son, but he's unsuccessful because Omnifarious keeps attacking them, so they're attacking back in self-defense. Static causes an electromagnetic pulse to short out the machines, and the guards parachute out. With his guards gone, Omnifarious confronts his father directly and begins popping a multitude of bubbles to give himself more powers, enough to level everything his father has built, but he's popped so many that he ends up shifting between his different powers and mutations at an uncontrollable speed until he finally turns to stone.

Static expresses regret at having told Edwin Omnifarious' identity, saying he did it because he thought as father and son they could work through things, but as he flies off he realizes not everyone is as lucky as he is to have a good father. Edwin drops his head down in shame and sadness as the eyes of his stone son glow.

At the Dakota Mall, a young man is watching the jewelry, when the clerk remarks that he looks familiar. The customer introduces himself as Johnny Morrow, formerly a star of his own TV show, Johnny on the Spot. He used to be a national idol, lending his looks to plenty of merchandise, but after his show was cancelled, he fell off the radar and, as a result, became bitter and jaded. When he finishes telling his story, he announces his intent on robbing the jewelry store, accompanied by two other people who look exactly like him.

While this is happening, Virgil, Richie and Daisy are having a snack, discussing on Kid's Circus, a park that used to be built where the mall is now. The mall's alarms ring, drawing their attention to several simultaneous heists pulled off by Johnny's lookalikes, and Virgil feigns sickness to sneak out and change into his Static outfit. When Static confronts him, Johnny notices how the crowd idolizes and cheers for the hero, and warns him that the crowd will eventually turn against him. He, plus five of his lookalikes, assault Static, but he manages to break from pursuit and follows them into the funhouse of the abandoned Kid's Circus. Witnessing Johnny causing one of his "twins" to disappear, Static is shocked, until Johnny informs him that they are merely energy copies. Static starts to recall Johnny, who now calls himself Replay, making fun of his has-been status. He manages to trick Replay by electrifying the floor, causing his copies to disappear, but when their powers clash, the funhouse is destroyed and Static notices a doppelganger of himself next to him, escaping before a beam from the funhouse falls on his head and he loses consciousness.

With Virgil taking so long, Daisy and Richie give up on looking for him, and leave to see "Static" blasting a series of ATM machines and stealing the money from them. When Richie asks him what is going on, "Static", without replying, uses his powers to pin Richie against a high billboard, next to a few police officers. Static later meets with Replay on a rooftop and hands him the loot.

When Virgil arrives home, Robert and Sharon tell him about the thefts "Static" has been committing all over the city. Robert is disillusioned, and Virgil, confused, heads to Richie's house. Richie is frightened enough not to let Virgil into his house, and Virgil realizes that the Static that he saw on TV earlier is a copy created from his fight with Replay. Richie, however, still won't listen.

The next day, Virgil sees on TV a collective interview where Chief Barnsdale states that the force is taking measures to stop Static, when the copy raids Weinstein's Jewelry Mart. As Static races to stop the crime, the crowd becomes hostile and runs away in panic, before the police corners him, going so far as to strike him with missiles and commandeer helicopters against him. Static escapes through the sewers. Meanwhile, at Johnny's apartment, he gloats to the Static doppelganger on having ruined the original's life, when he finds a copy Shock Vox in the clone's coat. Static is outside Dakota, pondering what he can do now that he's being hunted, when he gets a call from Replay, who threatens him that his next action will be "personal". Realizing that his copy's Shock Box works just like his and Richie's real ones, he heads to Richie's house, asking him to change the Shock Box's frequency in order to tap into the copy's transmission. With it, he overhears Replay planning to "get revenge", so he searches the Internet about Johnny's old show and finds it was broadcasted by DKT, which had recently built a new studio downtown, which Replay intends to destroy like they destroyed his career, and frame Static for it.

Inside one of the studios, Replay and his copies are causing mayhem, and when Static arrives, the clone starts fighting him. Unbeknownst to them, Richie has followed, and realizes that Virgil was telling the truth. He then takes over the studio control room and turns on a camera at the scene of Static's fight, broadcasting Replay's intentions for everyone, including the police outside, to watch. Richie, from the control room, announces that Johnny's plan had just been shown on national television. Initially elated to be on TV again, Replay soon realizes he was tricked and, as he tries to escape, Static knocks his copy into him and electrocutes them both, knocking Replay out and neutralizing his copies.

Later, Virgil meets up with Richie, who reveals that, deep inside, he trusted his friend when he came to him asking for help. Virgil then treats Richie to cheesy puffs, causing him to start thinking that the one he's talking to may be the clone.

Virgil is standing on a hill, before his mother's grave, talking to her about the events of the latest days.

One day, during a field trip to the amusement park, Virgil and Richie are trying to get one of their classmates, overzealous Thomas Kim, to have fun with them. Later on, the park's train is accidentally sent off its proper course and Static promptly saves it. One of the civilians he saves remarks: "Whoever you are, your mother must be proud of you", which makes him feel bad as he remembers his own mother. Later at home, he stumbles onto a box full of video tapes, which his dad and Sharonare choosing from for a memorial service they are setting up in Jean's honor. As much as he misses his mother, Virgil does not want to take part on it because it would hurt him too much to do so. Distressed, he goes out as Static to freshen up, when a hulking, purple-skinned bang baby goes on a rampage in a restaurant. Static tries to fight him, but nothing he does has any effect and the monster easily knocks him out.

The next day, Virgil is commenting on what had happened the previous night with Richie during class, when their teacher, Mrs. Pettibone, hands out their essay test results. Thomas is upset that he got a 99% mark on the test, even though it was the highest mark in the class. Later in the parking lot, Ms. Pettibone is attacked by the same bang baby of the night before, who keeps saying she is "wrong". Static saves her and tries to fight him, with the same results. Later on, Sharon comes around asking Virgil to do a speech for his mother's memorial, but he gets upset and leaves her. His father then tries to comfort him, seeing that his son has not completely gotten over Jean's death and saying that he himself did not let it go so easily.

That night, Richie calls him informing that he has a proof of the bang baby's identity: Thomas' essay test. They decide to go to his house to investigate and, after finding out that Thomas is pressured by his father to excel academically, they hand him his test back. Angered, Thomas forces them out of his home and, in his anger, his facial features start changing.

Back home, Richie is watching a tape of when Virgil was a baby with the intent of making fun of him. When Jean appears on the tape calming him down, Richie finally understands why Virgil did not want to see it. Just then, the hulking Thomas bursts in through the door, and Virgil buys just enough time to let Richie escape and change into Static. Remembering what his own mother said about tantrums, Static lures Thomas away to the construction area of the amusement park, where he won't do much damage. As a result, Thomas soon turns back to normal and loses consciousness just as the police arrives.

As Virgil is finishing his story (mentioning also that Thomas' parents are taking better care of him now that they know his condition), Mr. Hawkins honks the horn of the car, calling him so they'll go to the church for the memorial. There, Virgil gives his speech about how, even though his mother is gone physically, her spirit is always there with them.

Ferret is causing havoc at a farmer's market in the Dakota Park, but Static promptly gives chase and almost manages to get him with ease. However, it does not happen, though, because both are knocked unconscious by several gas-filled balloons coming out of a nearby sewer.

Later, Ferret wakes up surrounded by Talon, Shiv, Kangor, Hotstreak and none other than the Joker, who decided to head to Dakota and start a new gang after his cronies were all thrown in jail by Batman and Robin. It just so happens that the other four bang babies in the room are his new gang, and Joker (who asks to be affectionately called "Uncle J") wants to recruit Ferret as well. While Ferret expresses his appreciation for the Joker saving him, he turns down the offer to join the Joker's new gang—the others try convincing him to join, but Ferret doesn't budge. Joker sprays him with laughing gas so that he would not feel uncomfortable, by his own definition.

The gang's first act is breaking into the Fire Station and stealing fire trucks, leaving the police, Virgil and Richie baffled about their motivations. Soon it is revealed that Joker's Gang, dressed up in fireman attire, is heading to Dakota First Bank. Static tries to stop them, to no avail. However, he hears Ferret's laughter coming from a nearby fire truck, and finds him still under the effect of Joker's gas, along with a tag reading "Missing You!". Static is even more puzzled and decides to check on Ferret later in the hospital, where he is soon joined by Batman and Robin, who tell him about Joker's escaping into Dakota. They then go out for leads, accompanied with Static, who takes them into the Industrial District, which could be where the Joker's hideout is. However, Static has to leave them since his father gets worried and calls him on his phone, asking him to come home. Batman gives him a communication device to be used in case he finds something. In the meantime, Joker's infuriated that Batman is hot on his trail, even though Shiv (who's the biggest fan of the Joker out of the others) tries assuring him about how the gang outnumbers the heroes. The Joker himself realizes that they do in fact have an advantage over Batman and his group: Batman did not know Joker knew Batman was in the city.

The next day, Virgil's commenting with Richie about what course of action he should take to assist Batman and Robin, when he spots Talon flying in circles and decides to follow. It just so happens to be a lure for the heroes, when she leads him to a tunnel in the Industrial District and he calls the Dynamic Duo with an impromptu Bat-signal (since the device given by Batman fell through a hole in Static's coat pocket and got lost). Minutes after they enter, they are knocked out by the metahuman criminals, letting Joker kidnap them and take them to their hideout. Static tries to give chase, but Kangor and Hotstreak throw him into the tunnel and make it collapse over him.

Eventually, Static makes it out of the rubble and, while patrolling after Batman and Robin, he finds the Batwing. With Richie's help, he finds that it's voice-activated and uses it to track the duo down to the hideout, where Joker has them chained so that they will be wiped out by Joker's latest weapon: a modified fire truck ladder which works as a catapult and fires heavy, spiked steel balls (all the while being filmed). Static, however, stops the weapon in the nick of time, freeing the Dynamic Duo and allowing them to fight Joker's gang. After they are all taken down, there is only Joker left; he tries to ram the truck into Batman, to no avail. With one last plan in mind, he asks for Batman to give him a helping hand—with a joy buzzer on his own.

However, it is Static's hand that grabs his, as he turns the joke back onto the Joker with an even stronger buzz that knocks him out cold. As the metahuman criminals and Joker are arrested, Static hopes one day he'll meet Batman and Robin again.

Richie is caught pretending to be a superhero by Static. Richie gets mad when he is told he can never be one and runs off. In a rundown part of town, Richie bumps into an old man. Helping him up, Richie gets shocked. Behind him, two boys laugh. Then, all three disappear. Later, a runaway truck almost hits a dog, but is stopped by Richie, who now has superpowers. Virgil and Richie test out these powers in the scrap yard. Richie almost gets hurt and runs away to find the old man. The man's name is Ragtag and the boys' names are Run and Jump. All three are metahumans. Richie has to go back to Ragtag to get more power. He gives himself the name "Push" and becomes a superhero, leaving Static in the shadows. He realizes that to keep getting power from Ragtag, he'll have to start stealing for him. Richie refuses to do it, and is attacked by Jump and Run. Static saves him, and Richie goes back to being normal, stating that he's okay with being average again.

Sharon makes Virgil dinner and he is giving her the usual complaints. He charges it up a little when she isn't looking to make it better-tasting and leaves, under the pretense of studying with Richie, when he is actually going off on patrol. When she touches the plate, her hand gets burned, making her think.

Meanwhile, two new metahumans, Boom and Mirage, a brother and sister, prepare to rob a night club. She does not want to do it, but her brother convinces her to go along with it to help their grandmother. Inside, Boom uses the speaker on his chest to destroy the speakers and announces the theft, and has Mirage cause tigers to come up through the floor, warding off the patrons. Static rushes to the scene during his patrol and, talking to Chief Barnsdale, he gets up to speed with the situation, when the newsmen arrives. Meanwhile, Sharon is complaining to some friends of hers about Virgil. Then they see Static on the news talking about the theft, and when speaking of other criminals who could have committed the theft, he says they are "so 2000"; at this Sharon gets suspicious about Virgil maybe being Static, remembering a similar remark that he made earlier about arcades. When she sees Static going the same direction as the Hawkins' house as her car halts on a traffic light, she starts to put the pieces together.

In the meantime, Boom is going over the loot, while Mirage laments their situation, as they had lost their parents and most everything they had, and are now living with their grandmother in the slums. Mirage hates the situation they are living in, but Boom reassures her that everything they are doing is to help their grandmother. She goes along, but still has second thoughts.

The next morning, Sharon treats Virgil with unusual affection, and subtly tries to get information on where he was the night before but, despite his awful lies, he manages to evade her questions. He goes up to his room and turns on the radio, when an absurd feedback comes on. At the radio station, Boom is stealing the prize money the station was giving away. Static rushes to the emergency, and Sharon rushes into his room just after he leaves through the window. Finding the Shock Box he left behind, and hearing Richie calling for Static through it, she finally has her definitive proof: Virgil and Static are the same person.

The police has Boom cornered in the studio, while Mirage, hiding at a corner, sends elephants to attack them. When Static attacks the animals, he finds out about the illusory nature of Mirage's powers; frightened, she undoes the illusion, and Boom sends out a louder sound wave, which knocks Static and the police on their backs and accidentally breaks off a chunk of the building next to Mirage. Static saves her just as a large piece of debris is about to hit her, and carries her to the hospital, as Boom watches. There, Static learns about her family ties with Boom; she says she is frightened, but she cannot leave her brother. As Static is outside the room relaying the situation to Barnsdale, Boom comes and takes her away.

That night, Sharon, still trying to prove that Virgil is Static, takes him to a Destroyers game where she can keep an eye on him, while Boom is swearing revenge on Static, while Mirage, terrified of what her brother has become. He promises this will be the last time and that no one will get hurt, causing her to come along. At the arena, Sharon confesses she had found out about Virgil being Static, but he keeps dodging her. Finding Richie, and spotting Boom and Mirage, Virgil rushes him to the men's bathroom to escape from Sharon, and there Virgil tells him about everything, setting off the sprinklers to scatter the crowd and changing into Static. He heads to the arena management room, where Boom is collecting his ill-gotten gains, while Mirage lashes at him for not keeping his promise of not letting anyone get hurt. When he orders her to quiet down after she says Static was right about him going insane, the hero appears and snatches the product of the theft from Boom. He blasts Static into the arena, where he has more room to fight back, while Sharon rushes back into the arena, cheering on her brother from the sidelines. Mirage, having had enough of the things Boom has been doing, creates a pillar of blinding light around him, giving Static enough time to surround him with glass panes, where his power backfires and he becomes incapacitated. However, there's still one problem to deal with: to convince Sharon that Virgil is not Static.

Afterwards, Virgil is still denying his Static identity to Sharon, while she gets offensive, when Richie calls their attention to Static, accompanying the police escort and "proving" Sharon wrong. It is then revealed that the "Static" they saw was another of Mirage's illusions, which she had created as a favor for Static.

Virgil stops a new gang of metahuman thugs called the "Ruffpack," who, after being tired of always being stopped by Static, vow to take him out for good.

Just after stopping the Ruffpack, Virgil gets an emergency call from his dad to come to the Freeman Community Center immediately—upon finally getting to the community center, Virgil's older sister, Sharon, informs him that their dad wants the two of them to meet an old friend of his. At first, Virgil assumes that it's going to be a friend of their dad's from back when he was in the Marines, but it turns out that their dad's friend is none other than NBA superstar, Shaquille O'Neal, who's going to be running a mini-basketball camp and who asks to be called "Shaq" after Sharon initially addresses him as "Mr. O'Neal”.

After Sharon and Virgil question how their dad and Shaq know each other, the two explain when Shaq was around Virgil's age, he attended a basketball camp where Robert Hawkins (who Shaq refers to as "Mr. H") happened to be working as one of the counselors.

At a private party held by Shaq, the Ruffpack strikes after Ferret sniffs out Virgil, who is attending the party along with his father, his sister, and Richie. The four escape along with Shaq in a limo, retreating back to Virgil's house. The next morning, Virgil and Shaq sneak out the back and head to the old community center (which Virgil claims is now mostly used for storage) where the pair play some one-on-one streetball. However, the Ruffpack strikes again and Virgil is forced to reveal his alter ego to Shaq, as the pair work together to take down the trouble makers. In the end, they manage to defeat the Ruffpack, and Shaq ultimately agrees to keep Virgil's superhero identity a secret.

The winter holidays are rapidly approaching, and the citizens of Dakota are celebrating. Everyone except Static. Having attended to three apartment fires, two train wrecks, and a cat stuck up in a tree, Virgil is running so late to Frieda's Hanukkah party that he's concerned she'll never talk to him again. Finally headed to her house, the bad luck doesn't end as Virgil witnesses another police siren nearby. Meanwhile, at Frieda's house, her grandfather explains why the Jewish people observe Hanukkah, as a celebration "to mark our victory over invaders." Sneaking in during the explanation, Frieda spots Virgil, pulling her attention from lighting the menorah. As everyone heads to the kitchen to eat, she attempts to confront him, but is pulled away by another party goer who wants her to meet her son Herschel. Taking the reprieve, Virgil catches up with Richie to discuss his patrol and social gatherings like Daisy's Kwanzaa party and Omar's Ramadan Feast. Suddenly, the power goes out on the whole block. Hoping that it's just the result of a power failure, Virgil initially blows off Richie's concern that this may be a crisis that needs Static's expertise. Richie finally convinces him to check it out, so Virgil uses his electricity to pick up a radio broadcast from Dakota Hills reporting an electric substation lies buried under a mountain of ice. Hearing that this affected dozens of houses, leaving them without heat on the coldest day of the year, Virgil asks Richie to save him a plate of party food for later.

Donning his costume once again, Virgil makes contact with the crew of workers at the sub-station, who are concerned it may take a week to cut through it all. Asking the crew to stand clear, Static charges the ice with his electric powers, and is met with cheers from the impressed workers. Just as he express that he's "done", Virgil is attacked by an unknown assailant, bombarding him with giant frozen spikes. Needing to recharge, Static leaps towards a transformer, but is pinned by one of the spikes. Struggling, he finally gets close enough to kickstart his abilities, and wards off the final attack. He challenges his assailant to show, but looking around, all he sees a cold and lonely unhoused girl. She asks Static if he has any change, and he blows her off, saying "Look I would love to help but now's not a good time”. Upset, the girl stumbles off in the snow muttering “no it’s never a good time”.

Back at Virgil's house, Richie pelts his friend with a snowball as soon as he walks out the front door. Hoping to cure Virgil's crankiness, Richie tells him that he called their councilman in the role of Static's "publicist" to set up for Static to light the 50-foot tall tree at the Dakota City Media Plaza on Christmas Eve. Upset because he already has plans, Richie walks off telling him "That's the price you pay for fame”.

Later on, Virgil and Daisy go to the Dakota Mall to buy a gift for his sister, Sharon. Daisy spots the girl from the sub-station again, and laments her circumstances given how young she is, to which Virgil agrees. Getting a good look at her, he suddenly realizes he recognizes her, and noticing frost coating the windows as she passes, he excuses himself to the restroom. Running into a nearby dressing room, he exits as his superhero identity, Static.

Meanwhile, in another store, the girl admires a glass sculpture of an angel. Exclaiming how beautiful she finds it, the shopkeeper places his hand on her and remarks "I don't thing you belong here." Not expecting to be touched, the girls powers go haywire, and she falls into a trauma episode repeating the sentiment that she doesn't belong. Out of control of her powers, the mall is covered in snow and ice. Completely frozen, the Mall's Christmas tree nearly falls on Daisy, but Static swoops in, just in the nick of time. "Hello there, Lois, isn't it?", he kids as he flies her to safety. As he continues to quip, Static is reminded that the girl's powers are still out of control, and is nearly pinned by a pillar of ice. Thinking quickly, he uses his powers to heat up the Static Saucer, and melts his way down as the ice continues to rise. Hiding away in one of the mall's stores, the girl witnesses a mother express her desire to protect her daughter. This recalls memories from her own mother; many Christmases ago, the girl danced around her living room as her mother, sick and in need of an oxygen tank to properly breathe, watched her place ornaments on the Christmas tree. After placing the final ornament, her mother presented her with a glass angel much like the one she would later admire in the mall. Breaking the ambiance, her stepfather forbodingly stepped through the room, slamming the door behind him, abandoning the family for good. Whether it be a result to the shock, or poor timing, the results remain the same, and the girl's mother died from medical complications in front of her eyes just moments later. An ambulance arrived on the scene, but it was already too late. As they took her mother's lifeless body away, the child services agent tells her "you have to come with me now”. In need of comfort, and not knowing where to find it, the girl ran away in tears, shattering the glass angel when she tripped and fell. She shouts no and starts crying.

Back in the present, the girl is suffering clear emotional distress due to the flashback. Having a moment of clarity, she flees the scene. Meanwhile Static finally reaches the bottom of the ice pillar, and cuts open an elevator door to free himself. Seeing no sign that the mysterious bang baby is still around, he quips that next time he'll be doing his shopping online.

At the Freeman Community Center community center, Virgil and Richie are volunteering at a food drive for the unhoused. Relaying the events from earlier, Virgil tries to piece together the girl's motives, but is having a hard time due to the strange nature of erratic behavior. Finally getting the box they were carrying to where it needs to be, Richie suggests that Virgil use his powers to help speed up the process, leading to a conversation between the two about Static's higher level of responsibility due to being a superhero. Agreeing to Richie's premise, Virgil's pal sneaks out, knowing his friend will pick up the slack.

Meanwhile, Robert Hawkins and Reverend Anderson are discussing how glad they are that the church and community center could work together on their homeless project, since the local politicians have decided that it isn't their problem. Walking in on their conversation, Virgil asks his father if he can be excused to go home. Obliging the request, Robert still reacts with a sense of concern when his son speaks flippantly about the work. He reminds Virgil that "this stuff" is the only way some poor families can get through the holidays. Chiming in, Reverend Anderson informs Virgil that by government count, there are more than seven million unhoused people in America. Half a million of them kids Virgil's age or younger, Robert adds. Shocked, Virgil asks how that can even happen, and is overwhelmed to hear so many possible answers. Reverend Anderson offers to discuss the topic more at a different time, but the mention of time reminds Virgil he's running late to Daisy's Kwanzaa party. Running out the door, Virgil almost knocks over Sharon along with another volunteer.

Back at the Hawkins' household, Virgil tries to pick out an outfit for the party, but his plans go on hold when he gets a call from Richie on the Shock Vox. It turns out Richie is running late as well. His parents, Sean and Maggie Foley were driving him to Daisy's party when all of a sudden, the girl's powers set off again, snowing in the turnpike for miles. Frustrated that his personal time is being cut into once again, Virgil grabs his superhero costume and heads out. Back downtown, Richie and his family are stuck inside their car as the snowstorm continues. Static arrives on the scene as the unhoused girl walks through the street muttering "not my fault”. Attempting to hold a conversation, Static asks if she has a name, but she seems to have forgotten it, only knowing that "the voices in the dark" call her "Permafrost". Telling her that what she's doing has got to stop, regardless of whether or not he knows what her problem is, Static unknowingly repeats the same words as the child services agent from her memory. "You have to come with me now", the words induce another trauma episode, as Static morphs into the child-services worker. Unable to process, she blows Static back with her powers, and begins running, dodging cars as they skid past her, launching projectiles at Static as he pursues her. Almost hit by an oncoming oil tanker, Static continues his pursuit despite the fact the truck skids towards the edge of the bridge they're traveling. With no other way to shake him, the girl finally buries Static in an avalanche of snow.

Digging himself out, Static tracks the girl towards the Dakota City Cable Car Company Repair Depot. Getting the lay of the land, Static falls and to his shock, lands on top of another person. It turns out that this old decrepit building is being used by the local unhoused community to shelter from the cold. Asking for help, Static is distraught to learn that the buildings inhabitants don't trust anybody. Finally describing the girl, Static is approached by a mother and her children who says she knows the girl. Leading Static to her frozen out chambers, the mother explains "She's not bad, you know? She just has problems up here”. Stunned by her living quarters, Static takes a look around to find that everything, even her belongings, is frozen, with one singular exception; a photograph of the girl with her mother, the stepfather ripped from the picture. Leaving with the photo, Static is spotted by the girl, under the impression he stole the last remaining piece of her humanity.

At the church, Static shows Reverend Anderson the photo. He recognizes the girl, and finally reveals that her name is Maureen Connor. She used to come to the church for meals, but disappeared more than a year ago, right after the Big Bang happened. Static asks him what he knows about her, and the reverend tells him about how she lost her mom a few years ago, and how her stepfather wanted nothing to do with her. "Before long, she ended up on the street." Sympathetic, Static posits that an experienc like that has "gotta mess with your head", to which Reverend Anderson replies that he's afraid that it has, "and sorry to say, she's fairly typical. Nearly half of all homeless people suffer from some type of mental illness." Unsure of how to approach the issue, Static asks how he can help someone like that. The reverend tells him to remember that "she's not some faceless category, "the homeless". She's a person like you and me. A person in pain". Wrapping up the conversation, Reverend Anderson asks to be excused as he has to continue preparing for Christmas Eve. He tells Static that the church is having an inter-faith service this year and welcomes him to join them. Static almost accepts the invitation before remembering Richie roped him into the tree lighting at the Dakota City Media Plaza. Realizing his dilemma, Static steps outside expressing that his father will slaughter him if he doesn't show up to the church service. Breaking the fourth wall, Static looks up to the camera and asks "You ever have one of those days?" before flying off on the Static Saucer. Later, at the media plaza, in front of the UBCbuilding, the tree lighting ceremony is underway. Unimpressed with the pace at which the councilman delivers his speech, Static hurriedly pushes him out of the way as soon as the councilman begins to introduce him. The councilman asks him to say a few words, but Static insists he's in a rush and going to be grounded until he's 90 if he doesn't hurry. Unfortunately for him, Maureen has caught wind of his whereabouts, and unleashes a snowstorm as he begins to charge up to light the tree. As pedestrians scatter, Static tosses Maureen towards the plaza steps, a fight ensues until Static asks if the two can talk it out. Upset that he stole her photograph earlier, Maureen declines, demanding its return. Promising to give the photo back, Maureen calms down, realizing this is the first time she's heard her name in quite some time. Static tells her he learned it from some people who care about her, but like the other unhoused people that Static met before, she's convinced that nobody cares about her. Static assures her that he cares and offers to help her. Revealing to Maureen that he had lost his own mother, Jean Hawkins, Static assures her that he can understand what she went through, how hard it is, and that the pain never really goes away. He asks her if that hurt was why she did what she did at the power station, and while she doesn't give a direct answer, expresses envy of the families warm in their homes who don't know how hard it is living on the street. She confesses to Static that when you're unhoused, "people look right through you. It's like you're not even there". After the remark, Static admits he’s been guilty of that.

Maureen thought that when she got the powers, things would get better for her, but they didn't. Beginning to cry, Maureen expresses that she's "more alone now than ever”. Static places a hand on her, but unlike the shopkeeper from earlier, this time to comfort her. Recognizing the kindness, Maureen turns to embrace him. As Static returns the embrace, snow begins to fall. He remains comforting her as the camera pans out to show the two underneath the watch of a glass angel.

Now back at the church, Maureen sits in Reverend Anderson's office. When the reverend greets her, Maureen notes that she knows this place. "It feels safe". Reverend Anderson reassures her that it is a safe place, and tells her the church wants to help, but they can't make her do anything that she doesn't want to do. After re-iterating that Maureen has to be the one to choose, she responds that she wants to get better. Reverend Anderson introduces Maureen to Joanna, who runs the churches program for the unhoused, and assures Maureen that Joanna will get her some warm clothes. Passing by Static on her way out, Maureen thanks him for his help. Static asks Reverend Anderson if Maureen will be alright, and he responds that he's unsure, but "you have to have faith”.

Later, during the church service, Virgil shows up shortly after Reverend Anderson begins the service. The reverend explains "Whether you are a disciple of Muhammad, a child of Abraham, or a member of the 'Body of Christ', you know that you are called upon to care for the needy and the poor." As the sermon continues, Reverend Anderson reminds the congregation that while our countrymay be blessed, those blessings are out of reach for others, making it our duty to offer them "safe conduct through life's difficult journeys" and be their "ambassadors of compassion”. As he speaks, we return to the Dakota City Cable Car Company Repair Depot, and see a free dinner for the unhoused community being served at Dakota Union High School. Having now experienced a connection with Maureen. Reverend Anderson's speech moves Virgil to tears. Richie asks him if he got something in his eye, to which he responds "No, I'm just starting to see what the holidays are really about”.

During science class, Virgil learns that the sun is currently having sunspots. He looks out the window and sees a building on fire. He gets to the scene and finds that his powers are going on overload. He figures out that the sunspots are causing it. The next day, Virgil assures Richie his powers were under control. Hotstreak has returned from jail, where he learned anger management. When Virgil is taking a test in history class, his powers start going crazy again. Later, on patrol, Static abruptly loses his powers. Thinking his life will be back to normal, he starts to do good in school again, along with having more time with his friends and finally getting a good night's sleep. Richie and him run into Hotstreak, who is causing trouble again, and a fight ensues. Static is able to fool Hotstreak into thinking he has powers for only a little while. Hotstreak learns that Static has run out of power, so he chases him. However, Hotstreak is eventually stopped when Static conducts electricity from a nearby rooftop fan. He gets all his powers back, and the sunspots are over with. Except that he forgot his study date with Daisy and admitted that everything really is back to normal upon seeing that Daisy had left the meeting spot.

On a subway train, two rebellious boys—Royce and Frankie—steal a briefcase from an Alva Industriescourier. In it, they find vials of Quantum Vapor in a high density liquid form. They quickly put it away when a cop car passes by. That same cop car stops Virgil while he's on his way home from school. The officer wants to see what's in Virgil's backpack, which contains Static's clothes. They are looking for the stolen briefcase. Panicked, he distracts the police with his powers and in the confusion makes a run for it.

Later that same day, Virgil's father wants them to meet his new girlfriend, Trina. It turns out that Trina was the same cop who Virgil ran away from. After finding out that Virgil had run away from the police as well as scolding Virgil for doing something that was very stupid, Virgil's dad explodes with anger and grounds Virgil until further notice. Trina attempts to woo the admiration of Sharon to little success. At school, Royce stashs the vapor case in his locker while giving Frankie the notes to research the substance. After school, Trina picks up Virgil and they go to Burger Fool, where they have a little chat. She tells him about the stolen vials and, since it is an altered form, that it will explode within 24 hours. He gets angry and walks away. In the computer lab, Royce and Frankie are looking up information on the gas. Royce smells some of it and accidentally spills a bit, which comes into contact with an insect and spider.

At home, Virgil laments his punishment while being in solitary confinement; he overhears Trina saying she doesn't want to be in the way of Robert and his kids. Then Richie calls Virgil telling him there's a "bug problem" at school, despite the fact that Virgil is grounded. Static arrives and defeats the mutated cockroach and spider. They mutated because they were exposed to the gas Royce had spilled earlier. Later at dinner, Robert establishes painfully clear his kids do not want him dating Trina.

The next day, Frankie musters the courage to tell Royce the substance is dangerous; til Royce arrives, his physical size and strength greatly increased even after only smelling the vials. Later that same day during a math exam, Royce mutates into a grotesque, hunched super-strong being. Virgil calls Trina, telling her that the bang baby gas is at school. Static disposes of the gas before it explodes. She and her partner show up and try to apprehend Royce, but can't. After a while, Static finally defeats him. Afterward, Robert and Trina can finally get back together after Royce is finally arrested and Virgil is still grounded, even though Robert is proud of him.

The Meta-Breed's newest member, Aquamaria, attacks a football stadium. Static arrives and fights her, but her water-based powers prove more than a match to him. Just when she is about to finish him off, Rubberband Man shows up and traps her by curling up in a ball around her. Despite Talon's protests, the rest of the gang leaves Aquamaria to fend for herself, as her "initiation". Rubberband Man claims that he has served his sentence and gone straight, but Static refuses to believe him. He leaves after seeing Rubberband Man catching all the attention of the media present.

Later, the rest of the Breed are in their hideout talking about Rubberband Man. Ebon soon leaves them, more aggravated than usual, and heads to Adam's apartment, asking him to join them or stay out of their way.

In the meantime, both Virgil and Sharon grow more and more jealous of Rubberband Man: him, because of the new hero upstaging Static; and her, because of her boyfriend being constantly surrounded by fangirls.

The Meta-Breed makes its move, raiding an electronics store, when Static shows up to fight them off, soon joined by Rubberband Man, who helps him before Shiv knocks him into the storage room, where Ebon confronts him again. While Static is kept busy with Talon, Carmen Dillo and Shiv, Ebon persuades Rubberband Man to join the Meta-Breed, revealing their relationship as brothers. After Static knocks out his opponents (returning Talon's sonic blasts with feedback so loud, everyone is rendered unconscious), he heads into the storage room to deal with Ebon. Static lights up the room very brightly, enough to weaken Ebon, but Rubberband Man instinctively shields his brother, allowing him to escape through a portal, much to Static's frustration. The heroes part ways, not realizing there was a surveillance camera upon them.

When the surveillance footage reaches the press, Rubberband Man's reputation is cast in doubt, as the tape clearly shows him helping in Ebon's escape. Virgil does not miss the opportunity to take his jabs at Rubberband Man, but Richie knows that some of his animosity is also peppered with jealousy.

Later that night, Rubberband Man shows up by the police precinct. When the lights go off in the metahuman ward holding the Meta-Breed, the guard is attacked by Rubberband Man and the Breed is sprung free. The event makes headlines the next day, causing public opinion to turn against Rubberband Man as a result. Despite seeing his doubts about Rubberband Man's villainy put to rest, Virgil still thinks there is something suspicious.

In the meantime, Adam flees his penthouse apartment just as the police breaks in to arrest him. He heads to the only place where someone could hear him out: the Hawkins' house. Virgil arrives after him, intending to talk to Sharon about Adam, and detects him disguised as a coat hanger. Rubberband Man quickly forces him to listen, revealing that he let Ebon get away because they are brothers, shocking Virgil. Just as soon, Rubberband Man leaves, asking Virgil to tell Sharon he's sorry. In an alley just outside, Ebon, who knew his brother would be there, convinces him to follow him to the Breed's hideout. Unbeknownst to them, Static manages to tag Rubberband Man's foot with one of the tracers that Richie invented for him before he disappears through Ebon's portal, and uses his powers to follow its signal.

Over at the hideout, Ebon formally announces Rubberband Man as the new member of the gang, pointing out that, as people see him as a bad guy, he has no other choice. Watching from a crack on the roof, Static pushes a wooden beam aside to discover a vinyl-like purple fabric, similar to Rubberband Man's costume. As he wonders why everyone thinks he sprang the Breed out of jail, Static reveals himself, revealing what he pieced together from the spare costume: the "Rubberband Man" who broke the gang out of jail was actually Ebon, who had framed his brother by fashioning a similar costume in such a way that, since both their bodies are equally malleable, anyone could be fooled in the penumbra. Ebon still tries to refute Static's claims, but when Static throws the costume at him, a furious Ebon pushes him through a portal into a pit of lava, but Rubberband Man saves him in the nick of time and pulls him back to the hideout. He then goes off to confront Ebon, leaving Static to deal with four opponents at once. He cleverly uses his powers to subdue the villains, managing to take Aquamaria down by causing her body to suffer electrolysis, evaporate and rain down.

Meanwhile, Ebon and Rubberband Man's settle their personal score, with Ebon reasoning that his brother cannot turn his back on his family, but Rubberband Man wants no part in his brother's life of crime, and proves his point by defeating him. When Static arrives, Ebon is already down, as Rubberband Man laments for the path his brother's life has taken, though he also has hope that Ebon can turn over a new leaf like he did. In the end, Static accepts Rubberband Man as an ally.

Later on, Adam shows up at the Hawkins' home, with flowers for Sharon. Virgil welcomes him warmly, but Sharon gives him the cold shoulder upon seeing him. After seeing how mad Sharon is, Virgil admits that if he were in Adam's position, he'd rather go up against the Meta-Breed than try making up with his sister. But Adam simply smiles and says, "Some things are worth the risk”.

Richie is complaining to Virgil about the vending machines at school, how they keep breaking down and that it takes a long time to get them fixed. Because of this, he thinks of running for the upcoming class president election, in order to provide a solution for this problem.

His two competitors are Joey Bombora and Madelyn Spaulding, placed in opposite poles of popularity. While Joey is popular among the students simply because of being himself, Madelyn's haughty attitude makes her an unfavored contender — which becomes even more so after she publicly berates Richie's campaign for being based only on vending machines. Soon enough, Madelyn finds out she possesses telepathic powers as a result of being exposed to Quantum Vapor. During the Big Bang, she was interviewing a homeless man for a school project when she witnessed the explosion in the distance. Somewhat distraught, she's sitting alone at a table when two punks come along and pick on her. Angered, Madelyn tells them to "buzz off", and soon they start doing so by actually "buzzing" off. At this moment, she finds out that besides having the power of telepathy, she can also control other people's minds as well — and begins to feel pleased with that.

The next day, Joey is to give a speech before the students. Madelyn, from behind the scenes, takes over his brain and commands him to resign his participation in the elections in favor of Madelyn; however, Richie witnesses her doing so and tries to warn Virgil, who initially does not believe him until they see Madelyn standing on a drum can in self-worship as other students circle around her, acting like mindless zombies.

While probing Richie's mind, Madelyn uncovers Virgil's identity as Static, and decides to make him her next target instead of Richie. That night, she uses her powers to tap into Virgil's mind while he is sleeping, causing him to have a nightmare of her. As soon as he wakes up, however, he finds out that it is more than a nightmare, as he opens the door and sees his father and sister with a dead-like stare in their faces, trying to stop him from leaving his room. Trapping them in his room, Virgil goes out to see that pretty much the entire neighborhood (or at least the high school students therein) — Richie included — has fallen prey to Madelyn and is now behaving like a horde of undead.

Blending in with the crowd, Virgil finds out that they are headed for the school, where Madelyn gives her speech to her brain-dead mental puppets. As he tapes the speech, he sees that Madelyn had let her power go up her head, as she proclaims her intention to take over not only Dakota, but the world as well. Static shows up with the tape in his hand, and Madelyn sics her "zombies" on him. Even though he manages to outsmart the mind-controlled students for a while (even when depowered after being showered in water), he is eventually caught by the brainwashed football team.

As Madelyn gloats over Static, he defiantly claims that she cannot rule over him. Upset, she decides to dominate him by force, while he fights back with his own powers. As a result, Static charges up enough electricity to blast Madelyn's powers back at her, break her hold over the students, and drive her into a near-catatonic state, erasing her memories of being a metahuman (and also possibly causing a severe mental reboot as a side effect). Joey wins the election and agrees to fixing the vending machines in his program for class president.

In a music store, a new metahuman named Replikon is starting a fuss. Rubberband Man is also in the store and recognizes him. It turns out they were in business together once. Replikon runs off with Static and Rubberband Man chasing after him, but they lose him.

Later, Adam Evans calls Virgil's house and asks if he can have his new CD back. Virgil takes it to him and finds out that A.J. McLean, a member of the Backstreet Boys, and Adam are going to sign a deal together. Virgil promises not to tell anyone A.J. is in town. A little while later, however, Virgil lets his secret slip to Richie. Soon afterwards, Richie tells Daisy and Frieda. They put this on the school's website and the news spreads fast. Soon the street in front of the music studio is filled with fans. A.J. and Adam sneak out a back way, but are seen. RB Man tries to hold off the fans for a little while, and that's when Static shows up to save A.J. Replikon hears about the deal and kidnaps A.J., impersonating him. The fake A.J. breaks off the deal, and tries to have a deal signed with Marvin Roper—Replikon himself. Static figures out it isn't really A.J. and saves the real one. Later, Adam Evans signs the deal with A.J., already becoming a star.

The episode opens with a crowd gathered around the entrance of the community center. Along with an ambulance, the EMTs are shown loading Richie who is injured onto the ambulance with Mr. Hawkins riding along. Virgil tries to get on the ambulance with them but his father tells him to go home. Then the scene flashes to the high school with Virgil looking out the window worried about Richie.

Virgil is revealed to be talking to Dr. Franklin, a psychiatrist, telling her everything that happened up until a week ago. He had met and befriended a shrewd, timid boy named Jimmy Osgood, who preferred to type up journals and surf the Internet on his laptop rather than engage in leisure activities with other kids. However he is regularly bullied by Nick Connor and his best friends, Kevin and Ray, this is shown when they repeatedly push the cover of his laptop down while he is typing and end up stealing his mouse as well. However, Jimmy starts making friends with Virgil and others, like Richie and Frieda.

Virgil and Richie decide to go over to Jimmy’s house, there Virgil gives him his sister’s mouse it is a old model but is still compatible with his laptop. Jimmy thanks him and invites them to his room, where he shows them his collection of action figures and various goods from movies and tv shows. Richie notices a model laser gun, this prompts Jimmy to ask them if they want to see a real gun: his dad’s gun. However this hits home for Virgil as his mother died from a gunshot. Virgil and Richie leave, with the therapist telling him that he did the right thing by leaving, but Virgil feels like it wasn’t.

Jimmy although depressed, regularly hung out with Virgil and Richie at the community center. Then Frieda asks them to help with the preparations for a Halloween party at the Community Center. Jimmy gives them invaluable help with his own style of special effects much to the joy of Frieda whom he developed feelings for. Later Virgil says he was looking for Frieda as he needs her input about the Halloween masks. Jimmy volunteers to find her, as he wanted to show her his work on some of the other Halloween decorations. However Jimmy inadvertently eavesdrops on Frieda and Nick talking, as a result Nick chases him through the maze while Frieda tries to stop him.

Nick, along with Ray and Kevin chase him into the locker room and pull a rather violent prank on him by stuffing him into his locker, Virgil and the others hear him calling for help and free him. He runs off in tears leaving the kid shattered enough to not show up for the next week. Virgil and his father, worried, pay a visit to Jimmy's home, where they found out that the boy was gone.

Virgil finds his "Battle Journal" (revealing his intent to exact vengeance on Nick and his friends); shocked by what he’s read, he shows his dad and Jimmy’s father. Mr. Osgood dismisses it until Robert tells him to take it seriously. Virgil tells the pair Jimmy knows where he can get a gun. Mr. Osgood says that it’s impossible as he has it locked up and has the only key to it. However when he checks his keychain, to his shock he finds that the key in question is missing and runs to his room and discovers his gun missing and everyone realizes that Jimmy took it. Mr Hawkins scolds Mr Osgood for leaving a gun in the house where his son could get it. Virgil tells the dads that Jimmy probably went to the community center. Mr Hawkins orders Mr Osgood to call the police and sends Virgil home before departing for the community center. Jimmy shows up at the Community Center when everyone is taking down the decorations after the Halloween party. As Nick taunts him, Jimmy pulls the gun out and points it at him; a teary-eyed Jimmy shouts that he has had it with all the bullying he was subjected to, causing Nick to realize he has pushed Jimmy too far; Nick then apologizes, looking remorseful, but Jimmy doesn't believe him. Fortunately, Frieda and Richie are able to talk him out of shooting Nick, and Jimmy lowers the gun. Just then, Ray and Kevin charge at Jimmy and tackle him to the ground; the impact causes the gun to fire, the stray bullet hitting Richie in the leg. Virgil as Static arrives too late, shocked - he takes the gun and magnetizes it to the ceiling of the gym. He checks on Richie and asks the other students there to call 911. Ashamed and aghast by the near-fatal occurrence, Jimmy curls up in a corner, sobbing. Virgil recounts that Jimmy "looked confused and angry".

In the end, Jimmy undergoes intense psychological treatment at a juvenile detention center, which Virgil and Frieda feel he doesn't belong in, while Nick and his friends are suspended from school and sentenced to community service as a well-deserved punishment for what they did to Jimmy, which wasn't to Virgil. Later, as Virgil and Richie (with his leg in a plaster cast) try to shed some light over everything, they see another helpless student being bullied in the school corridors. Virgil promptly offers him a hand in hopes that no other youngsters end up resorting to gun violence like Jimmy did. In the Epilogue, Virgil as Static talks to the audience about gun violence. He mentions how many students are arrested for simply possessing a gun on school grounds. He also mentions how many teenagers have lost their lives to gun violence every year. He tells the audience that if they see someone with a gun don’t stick around, find an adult and tell them right away. He tells them to do their part to keep the peace and files away.

In Gotham City, the police arrest a group of thugs that have been apprehended by Batman. In amongst the crowd of spectators is a girl in a red hood, with silver skin. She runs through the streets, unaware that Static is watching her from the rooftops. He calls after her, but a startled Allie Langfordcontinues to run. Static gives chase, eventually stopping her in a park. He pleads with her to come home, but she claims that she is no longer Allie, but "Nails". She shoots her metallic claws at him, but he uses his powers to throw them back. They miss, and Nails pushes a nearby lamppost, which takes him out long enough for her to escape. He then remembers how this whole thing began ...

In a basketball court in Dakota, Virgil, Richie and their friends are playing basketball. Allie walks by, noticing in her make-up mirror that her make-up is fading, revealing her silver skin underneath. As she hurriedly tries to fix it, Virgil runs in front of her to stop the basketball from hitting her. He and Richie ask her where she has been lately, but Allie storms away. As she passes the net at the end of the court, one of the kids scores a basket, causing the backboard to fall towards Allie. However, she is unharmed when the backboard shatters against her. The kid tries to console her, but she pushes him away, before trying to gather the blueprints she dropped. She angrily snatches one from Virgil, and when Richie suggests a trip to the nurse, she tearfully says "I wish..." before leaving. Inside the school building, it is shown that almost every single locker has been destroyed, with large claw marks everywhere, and Richie notices that Allie's is the only locker that is untouched. Daisythen tells them that Allie has run away from home, to which Virgil asks if Allie has any family in Gotham. She tells him no. In the school library, Virgil checks the computer Allie was using earlier, and finds out that the blueprints are for Gotham City. He then notices an email account that Allie had set up, with two e-mail addresses for "Ceres" and "Thalia", and a web address for the "Bang Baby Outreach" clinic, which claims to help people struggling with their abilities. Realizing that Allie is a Bang Baby, and knowing the dangers of talking to someone on-line, Static decides to go to Gotham and find her.

In Gotham, Nails makes her way through the city, losing her cloak when it gets caught on the edge of a rooftop. As she senses someone nearby, she warns them to leave. However, she is restrained by a wire, and as she falls to the ground, she discovers who is following her: Batman. Static then appears, offering to take Nails off his hands. Batman refuses, saying that he knows why she is in Gotham, and who she is planning to meet. Poison Ivy then appears, and uses her pollen seeds to trap them both within fast-growing trees. Static's powers prove ineffective against this trap, as Ivy helps Nails to her feet, claiming that it is "a fitting end for such wooden hearts". Harley Quinnthen calls out to them from a blimp above, saying that bad jokes are her thing. Before Nails can leave, Ivy insists they are here to help, before using her plants to carry them both up to the blimp.

After the trees fully consume them, Batman bursts out of his using his grapple. After breaking Static free, he remotely calls for the Batwing. Meanwhile, in an abandoned factory, Nails finds out that Ivy was posing as Ceres (the Goddess of the Harvest) and Harley as Thalia (the Muse of Comedy). She refuses to work with criminals, until they remind her that they are all she has. Ivy then tells her that, as a chemist, she has developed a successful cure for the Bang Baby syndrome. However, as it is an expensive cure, Nails will have to earn her share of it, and she reluctantly agrees.

In the Batcave, Static awakes to find Alfred Pennyworth extracting thorns from his arm. Static asks him who he is, to which Alfred replies that he is Batman. Unconvinced, Static thanks Alfred for his help before making his way to Batman, who is working on the Batcomputer. Batman asks him how he is, referring to him by his real name. Static is stunned, until Batman reveals that he dropped his student ID. Static then asks after Robin, and Batman states that he is "with the Titans. Static insists that Allie is, at heart, a good girl, but Batman disagrees, as she left them to die. Static pleads for Batman to give her a chance, as she is scared and confused. Batman agrees, but states that if she gets out of control, she will receive the same fate as Harley and Ivy.

Out at sea, Ivy controls seaweed to take over a large ferry. From the blimp, Harley throws down a bomb, which clouds the deck in gas, knocking out the entire crew. Touching down, Ivy tells Nails that it is now her turn to contribute.

Below deck, Nails bursts a door open, to a room full of crates. Breaking one open, she is shocked to find solid gold bars inside. She claims that she did not want to be involved in this big a crime, but Ivy reminds her that she has to pay the price to get the cure. Despondently, Nails helps to carry the boxes out.

Below Wayne Manor, the Batwing flies out of the cliff-face. Inside, Batman tells Static to remove his blindfold. Static is unhappy about Batman's lack of trust, but reneges after Batman threatens to let him out over the sea. They make their way to Gotham City, where the Bat-signal is shining. The Commissioner informs them both that seaweed is blocking the bay, stopping all shipping activity, including the federal gold transport.

Back on the ship, Nails is carrying crates onto the blimp. As she notices that they appear to be stealing a lot of gold bars, she refuses to do any more. Ivy then suggests they conclude their business, throwing to Nails the vial containing the cure. Opening the vial, Nails comments on how it smells like nail polish, to which Harley admits that it is. She then uses her glove gun to knock Nails into the sea.

Before the two can leave, the Batwing appears. A grapple is shot down below the water to save Nails, while Static makes his way down to deal with the villains. Harley proves herself a formidable foe, by easily avoiding his electric bolts. However, he then sends electricity bolts over every inch of the deck, which eventually converge on Harley, taking her out.

However, Ivy then sets her seaweed upon him, which Static is unable to fight. Just then, Nails frees him, as Ivy makes a run for the blimp. As she flies off, Nails shoots her nails, which bursts the blimp, causing Ivy and the crates to fall towards the sea. Batman is able to save Ivy, and drops her beside Harley.

Nails then approaches, looking for revenge. Static uses his powers to keep her at bay, warning her that if she does this, she will spend the rest of her life running from the likes of him and Batman. Nails stands down, and as Batman restrains the villains, Nails asks Static why he bothered to come after her. Static says it's the least he could do for a friend, before suddenly vanishing. Batman muses that "the kid's got style...".

Back in Dakota, in a hospital, Allie undergoes treatment that allows her to control her change into "Nails" at will, as part of a program being paid for by Wayne Industries. Bruce Wayne comes to check on Allie, and is introduced to Virgil, who comments on his generosity as they leave the room. Bruce says that he had heard of Allie's problems, and he believed that she had earned some trust. Just then, Alfred appears having brought the car around, and as Virgil makes the connection, Bruce states that "she's not the only one...".

Richie shows Virgil some projects he's been working on. They include Back-Pack (a remote-controlled robot that Richie can use for video surveillance or carry on his back), Zap Caps modified to trap the target in metal coils, and a police scanner programmed to sound an alarm when the word "metahuman" is broadcast. This last item tips them off to a break-out: the Meta-Breed has escaped. Kangor, Talon, Ebon and Shivmanage to get away from the police and Static, but Ebon notices Richie, recognizing him as having been with Static in previous encounters. After the escapees regroup at the old juvenile detention center, Ebon brings them into a plan: by tracking Richie's movements, they'll find Static.

Later at school, Richie is designing rocket-propelled rollerblades in his notebook, and he solves a complex mathematical expression after only a few seconds of reading it, surprising not only Virgil and Mr. McGill, but also Daisy and the other students in the class. After school, when Richie builds his invention and gets it mostly right, Virgil points out how far Richie's technological knowledge has gone beyond tinkering with a few gadgets. Richie supports this, saying his ideas are developing more rapidly and with more complexity. Virgil has to stop him in mid-panic to say that he thinks Richie is becoming a Bang Baby. Bang Babies have appeared with delayed reactions before, though this is a very late development. Virgil also remembers how his clothes from the Big Bang "reeked" of the smell of the gas, and that by wearing the same clothes from that night, Richie breathed some of the gas also. It's the best explanation they have, which still leaves them to accept what happened.

The next day, Richie is feeling glum. Of all the powers he might have gotten, he doesn't feel very proud of super intelligence. Virgil tries to reassure him, but their conversation is interrupted when Talon and Ebon attack. They knock out and kidnap Virgil, believing him to be Static. They lock him in one of the detention center's cells, and when Virgil wakes up, he stops himself from shocking the door apart just in time, suspecting that they want him to reveal that secret. His suspicions are correct, as Ebon is watching him on a security camera. Even when Virgil resorts to pacing back and forth, Ebon remains patient.

Richie gets to the hideout and picks up Back-Pack, several upgraded Zap Caps, his new rollerblades, and a helmet to use as a mask. He traces Virgil's location, and (after gradually getting the hang of his new method of travel) flies there. In the process of landing, he knocks out Talon with an aerial tackle, and he ties up Kangor and Shiv one by one. With Ebon's attention locked on the security monitor, he sends Back-Pack to tap into the system and cause the feed to play in a loop. He then frees Virgil, having brought along his Static outfit. When the two of them face off with the Meta-Breed, Ebon only looks back at the video of Virgil in his cell briefly. He then shrugs it off, admitting they got the wrong guy, and moves to capture Static for sure. Static turns to his friend and says, "May I? You've already done so much". He then brightens the lights, takes out the backup, and squashes Ebon against the wall with his own electrified disk.

Back at the gas station, Richie has put together a more advanced outfit to maintain his secret identity. He and Static think over a few names for his persona, and they decide on Gear. Just then, the police scanner goes off, and the two allies fly off into action.

Flying to Ghana on vacation, the Hawkins family passes the time on the plane by reading; Virgil an issue of "Cactus Man", Sharon, a fashion magazine, and their father, a "Tour Africa" pamphlet. Excited for the trip to the cradle of humanity, Robert Hawkins asks his children if they can "feel the electricity". Virgil, still sore from the 23 vaccination shots he had in order to leave the country, jokes that he can't feel anything. Breaking his children's back-and-forth, Robert tells them that this trip was a dream that he and Jean Hawkins had started saving for when the two of them were little. Virgil, trying to aggravate his dad, responds that he just wants to see the tigers, despite already being aware that there aren't any tigers in Africa. Robert begins to list some of thousands of animal species native to the continent, leading to Sharon and Virgil putting in headphones to drown him out on the remainder of the flight.

Finally arriving at the airport, Virgil struggles to retrieve his families bags from the luggage carousel. Checking to be sure nobody is watching him, he decides to use his Static powers to move the four bags to a nearby luggage cart. Stepping out of the airport terminal, Robert finds himself in awe of the beauty of his surroundings. Not as impressed as his father, Virgil tries and fails to flag down a taxi. Stepping in to help, Sharon reminds him that their father explained earlier that the passenger cars in Ghana are called tro tros.

After boarding the tro tro, the family is taken on a tour of Accra. The tour passes by Independence Monument and the W.E.B. Dubois Center. Explaining that W.E.B. DuBois was a proponent of Pan-Africanism, the belief in the unity of all Black people and their cultural connection to Africathrough their shared blood and history, Sharonasks Virgil if he can feel it. Starting to realize why this trip was so exciting for his father, he optimistically replies that he does.

Later, back at the hotel, Robert snores loudly, making it difficult for his son to sleep in the bed on the other side of the room. Restless, and filled with a new sense of excitement for his trip, Virgil sneaks to his suitcase and pulls out the Static Saucer.

Flying through the skies of Ghana at night, Staticattempts to contact Richie over Shock Vox, but being so far away from Dakota, this requires an extra jolt before the call reaches him back home playing videogames. Richie picks up asking his friend how the trip is going, and Static responds "It's amazing. There are black people everywhere." Not understanding why Virgil would find that exciting, Richie reminds him that's a given, being that he's in Africa. Trying to explain, Static tells his pal back home that ever since he'd gotten there, he's felt "different. Connected." Starting to slightly understand, Richie mentions that his dad, Sean Foley, "got all goofy too" when he visited Ireland. Finally spelling it out for his friend, Static tells him "I've been carrying this weight around all my life without knowing it, and now it's gone. [...] In Africa, I'm not a Black kid, I'm just a kid.", and asks Richie if this is what it feels like for him all the time. Perplexed, Richie responds "yeah, I guess?", leading to Static exclaiming "It feels good!" followed by a series of aerial tricks. The following morning, the Hawkins family boards a train to Kumasi, but unbeknownst to them a mysterious figure lurks around the corner watching over the family. On the train, the family is approached by Professor of Archeology at the University of Ghana, Dr. Anokye, who asks to sit with them and introduces himself to Robert. Robert tells the professor that his family are tourists, and Dr. Anokye responds that perhaps they're distant cousins, as it's possible their ancestors were separated from each other during the slave trade. "That's true." Robert tells his kids, "About 16% of all American slaves came from Ghana". He goes on to tell the Doctor that he wants to show Sharon and Virgil where the Ashanti kings used to live, leading Anokye to suggest they visit the Prempeh Jubilee Museum, but before he can finish his sentence, a loud thud is heard from the roof.

Just then, Osebo the Leopard rips open the train cars ceiling and drops in. Recognizing the criminal, Dr. Anokye clings tightly to his briefcase, but Osebo assures him he'll be taking it with him one way or another. Overhearing the commotion, the mysterious stranger sneaks up behind the villain and attacks. Revealing himself to be none other than Anansi The Spider, the most famous crime fighter in all of West Africa, the two begin to fight; Anansi reminding Osebo of the ancient stories in which "the spider always captures the leopard." Virgil teases that Anansi should "hit him with a web-blast", but Anansi informs him that he's not "that kind of spider". Revealing the Web of Tricks, Anansi makes it appear as though the floor of the train car disappeared, leading Osebo to cling to the ceiling. Realizing he had been fooled by an illusion, the villain attempts to continue the battle, but outclassed by Anansi, Osebo calls his henchman demanding they demolish the train.

Just then, guided by Osebo's collaborators, the train switches to a side track, assuring a crash if nobody is able to stop it in time. Aware of the danger, Anansi leaps through the hole in the ceiling, and runs along the side of the train towards the front car, avoiding Osebo's henchmen along the way. However, in Anansi's absence, the villain makes his move, and grabs Dr. Anokye's briefcase. Robert steps in, trying to stop Osebo, but is quickly flung aside. Shocked to see her father man-handled in such a way, Sharon makes an attempt to slow the criminal by stepping on his tail, but is brushed off just as easily. Wanting to protect his family, but unable to use his powers in the presence of onlookers, Virgill attacks Osebo with a flying suitcase, but it's not enough. The train shifts, throwing the pair out of balance, and Osebo escapes through the hole in the roof, boarding an awaiting helicopter. Though, not before Virgil is able to place a tracking device on The Leopard.

With his henchmen back on the train, Osebo radios for them to abandon the train just as Anansi enters the control room. Throwing the henchman out, the superhero pulls the braking mechanism, but it's too late. Without extra help, the train isn't going to stop in time. Realizing that the passengers are all focused on what's going on outside, Virgil powers up, and uses his electric abilities to help further slow down the speeding locomotive. Crashing through the cautionary fence at the edge of a cliff, the train stops just in time to not go over the edge. Unshaken, Robert reminds his son that he told him Africa would be exciting. Unaware that he received Virgil's aid, Anansi leaves to search for Osebo before he can be told about the tracking device.

Stuck in a remote village with his family, Virgilcontacts Richie back home in Dakota once again to relay the days events, but before they can work together to formulate a plan, the call is cut short by Sharon. She informs Virgill that Robert secured them a hotel room as they won't be able to leave until the following day before quickly leaving again after spotting a merchant selling Kente cloth. Alone again, Virgil spots Dr. Anokye eating a plate of fufu by himself outside a nearby restaurant. The professor offers him a seat and some of his food, but focused on the case, Virgil asks what it was Osebo stole from him. Revealing that it was a map of ancient Kumasi, Dr. Anokye tells Virgil he believes he's found the location of a long-lost palace at the bottom of Lake Volta that may possibly filled with artifacts worth millions. Interrupted by Anansi, the hero announces he's lost Osebo's trail. Asking if the hero can keep a secret, Virgil takes Anansi back to the hotel room and shows him the tracer. Explaining that his friend, Richie, was responsible for the design, Virgil informs Anansi that he's the only one who can track them. He reveals that this is because he's also a superhero, leading to Anansi enlisting his help in tracking down Osebo. With Robert and Sharon rapidly approaching the room to announce they found a local Burger Fool, Anansi casts an illusion to make them believe Virgil's asleep. With his family members fooled, the two begin their search, riding on opposite sides of the Static Saucer, as Anansi is able to stand upside down.

The pair finally locate Osebo and his henchmen loading crates of TNT into the back of a pick-up truck. Curious as to whether or not Static is an illusion, Anansi assures him that he's a "flashy" American. The villain tosses a lit bundle of dynamite at the heroes, and they leap off the side of a cliff to avoid the ensuing blast. Regardless, the duo is buried under rubble, convincing Osebo he's finally beaten The Spider. Unbeknownst to him, Static was able to generate an electric force field around the two, expanding it to free themselves from the debris after the villain left. Returning to the hide out, Anansi informs Virgil that Lake Volta is formed by a damn, and if Osebo were to destroy it, the lake would pour into the valley, allowing him to find the hidden palace, destroying thousands of homes in the process. At the damn, Number Two reports that he's seen no sign of the heroes on his lookout. Little did he know, Anansi and Static would descend on him mere seconds later. Lifting the henchman into the sky, Anansi demands to know the location of Osebo. Receiving the information they desired, the heroes somersault Osebo's underling in the air before tossing him into the nearby lake.

Making their way to the dam's bottom tunnel, the heroes get the drop on an unsuspecting henchman, with Static using his powers to wrap the metallic Static Saucer around his head until he passes out. Overhearing Osebo discussing his plans with his henchman, Anansi remarks "He's so happy. It's a shame to disappoint him." Taking advantage of the tunnels electric lighting, Static overpowers the overhead lamps, blinding the henchmen, allowing Anansi to take them out one by one before following after Osebo. Staying behind, Number Two attempts to sneak up on Static, who outclasses him once again.

Back on the surface, Anansi and Osebo meet face to face for their final duel. Surrounded by illusions of Anansi, the villain threatens to blow the damn with them both within the blast radius, but Staticarrives just in time to knock the detonator from his hand. Now in a safer position, the two rivals begin to fight. Osebo backs Anansi to a cliffside, but using his ability to walk on walls, the trickster causes Osebo to lose his footing and jump off the side. Catching his claws on the wall during his descent, Osebo's fall slows just enough to leave him unconscious, but otherwise fine when he hits the bottom.

Back at the hotel, Virgil and Sharon pack for their return trip. Entering the room, Robert tells the kids that he just read a story in the newspaper announcing that the Ghana government is funding an expedition to uncover the Ashanti palace now that Dr. Anokye has had his map returned. Robert leaves the room to head downstairs hoping to read more about the story, and Sharon accompanies him to check out the hotel gift shop. Following their exit, Anansi makes his presence known. Saying their goodbyes, Virgil tells Anansi "I never knew how important it would be to meet a role model like you. [...] a Black superhero”.

Virgil explains that it makes him feel validated to see the representation and tells his new friend "sometimes I wish there was a black superhero back home for folks to look up to." Placing his hand on Virgil's shoulder, Anansi assures him that there is, "and heis my hero too”.

While saving some workmen, Static and Gear get a little help from a new superhero who calls herself She-Bang. Gear wants to recruit her to the team but Static says no. Daisy and Frieda introduce a new girl at school named Shenice Vale. They have a bowling match between the boys and the girls, and thanks to Shenice, the girls are winning. When her parents show up, Shenice misses the strike, and Virgil thinks her parents wanted her to fail.

Hotstreak goes on a rampage after seeing a really bad movie, and beats Static and Gear. Shebang defeats him with no trouble. However, she leaves when reporters arrive.

At home, Shenice's parents tell her she can't be the superhero She-Bang, but she tells them she can't be a quiet girl and not use her powers. An agent tracking She-Bang trails Static, who leads them to her. They use sleeping gas to knock out She-Bang and Static and kidnap the girl. Static and Gear talk to her parents and learn that they created Shenice in a lab, giving her superhuman abilities. They fell in love with her and decided to escape instead of handing her over. The company who wanted her made wants her back to clone her. When the agents try to kidnap the doctors Vale, Static and Gear stop them and track them down to an airport. Static manages to get on the plane and saves Shenice. At the end, she tells them that her family will be going underground until all the people involved in her creation can be found and caught. After that, she hopes to return to Dakotaand help them fight crime.

Virgil accidentally bumps into a large boy at school and insults his size. The boy—Marcus—spent time in juvenile hall, but he wants to turn his life around, so he goes to Virgil's sister, Sharon, for counseling (she has an internship at the community center). A huge Bang Baby goes on a rampage through the city by attacking a policeman, trashing the auto show and destroying another kid's car.

Virgil and Richie investigate and learn that Marcus has a link with all the crimes, and think that when he gets angry, he turns into the monster and destroys what he's mad at. They don't have proof against him, though, so Virgil goes to insult Marcus, hoping he'll turn into the monster in front of everyone. When he doesn't, Virgil runs away to avoid getting beat up. Richie learns that Marcus couldn't have been the monster because he was in counseling with Sharon at the time of the attacks. The monster attacks Virgil and he figures that the monster is Marcus' ex-girlfriend, Tamara Lawrence.

Virgil changes into Static and fights the monster, who admits that it's her and she did it because Marcus broke up with her, and she got turned into a Bang Baby during the Big Bang. After defeating her, Virgil and Richie agree to look at all the facts first and to never judge people simply by appearances again.

Virgil apologizes to Marcus for insulting him, and Marcus is willing to forgive Virgil, mostly for Sharon's sake, since she and Virgil are siblings. However, Sharon starts angrily chasing after her brother after he makes one too many wisecracks.

Aboard the Watchtower, Batman is checking the stasis field shielding a left-over module from Brainiac from its environs. As Batman explains to Hawkgirl Brainiac's nature as a regenerative program, "a virus that won't die", an alarm goes off and Flash calls everyone to the control room. As it turns out, the Watchtower is in the path of a cosmic super string, and even with the shield up, most of the power is drained from the station's generator. Brainiac manages to take advantage of this, escaping from his drained stasis field and avoiding Flash's detection when he has a run-around to check all systems. To make the situation worse, the impact from the energy string has accidentally knocked the Watchtower out of orbit, and without power the station's thrusters cannot be utilized to remedy the situation. With no other options to recharge the core available, Batman suggests to turn to Static.

While this is happening, Static and Gear have fallen into an ambush by Puff and her team of metahumans dubbed the "Meta-Men", consisting of Onyx, Hotstreak, and Carmen Dillo. Fortunately, the Meta-Men are quickly subdued when the Justice League arrives, and Static and Gear soon on their way to the Watchtower. Upon arriving, Static isn't too thrilled about what he'd been called up to do until reminded that the Watchtower is on a collision course with Earth, "quite possibly Dakota", and he begins recharging the Watchtower until Green Lantern arrives to finish the job.

The moment is interrupted by a distress signal from space. Since the job requires all the League members, they have no choice but to leave Static and Gear alone in the station. The two young heroes quickly take advantage of the situation and enjoy a pizza meal in the station's kitchen. Unfortunately, Brainiac takes this as an opportunity to flush the two into space. They barely make it out of the kitchen before Gear manages to override the kitchen door and shut it. Realizing something is wrong, the duo check the Watchtower's computer and find Brainiac taking over. As he explains to the heroes how he works (he collects a planet's knowledge and then destroys it), he begins to attack the two. Once they manage to evade Brainiac and the robots he has assimilated, Gear sends a call to the Javelin to warn the League of Brainiac's escape, and they immediately make a U-turn. Jamming their frequency so Brainiac can't listen in, Batman tells Static to re-drain the Watchtower to subdue the virus. This plan proves easier said than done, as Brainiac catches them anyway. Gear plugs Backpack into the Watchtower's systems and downloads a song repeatedly, causing Brainiac to crash and allowing Static to complete the drainage. The Justice League returns Static and Gear home, congratulating them on saving the world. When all is said and done, Richie stays behind at the gas station to close down but is attacked by Backpack. His personal robot has been invaded by Brainiac, who is still intent on pursuing his destructive plans and now decides to use Richie as his means to achieve his goal.

In the days that follow, Virgil notices that Richie is acting rather strange. Meanwhile, back at the Watchtower, the Justice League has everything back online, but there has been an enormous and suspicious download that has taken place. Flash volunteers to go down and check with Richie, but he discovers that the boy has been assimilated by Brainiac and is captured. With both Richie and Flash missing, Static teams up with the rest of the League to find them. When they do, Flash ― already in Brainiac's control ― places circuitry boards onto everyone on the search party to assimilate them as well. When Static's falls off due to his electric aura shorting it out, Brainiac orders the League to take him out.

After Static evades the League and frees them from Brainiac's control, J'onn J'onzz reveals that he has tried to make contact with Richie while they were assimilated; Richie kept saying the same word: "control". When Static realizes Richie's referring to Backpack's remote control, he tells the League to hold Brainiac off just long enough for him to retrieve the remote. As they're preparing for this, Brainiac-Richie launches his new ship with which he plans to assimilate the Earth. When Static makes it into the ship, Brainiac captures the remote. But Static manages to short it out from a distance, shutting Backpack down and foiling Brainiac once again.

After the mess is cleaned up, the League clears Brainiac from Backpack and J'onn telepathically checks Richie to be sure Brainiac is no longer in him. John Stewart tells Static he'll be quite a handful when he joins the League.

After defeating Puff and Onyx, Static and Gearnotice a billboard advertising a new show called "Heroes", starring Static. Static visits the office of film producer Bernie Rast and confronts him about it, telling him he doesn't want to star in any movie. But Rast convinces him that kids need a role model, and Static reluctantly agrees. Rast, who is a rude and arrogant boss with his staff, tells Static that Gear isn't in the plan but Static convinces him to revise that. Static and Gear go on patrol with two camera helicopters flying with them wherever they go.

A criminal by the name of Starburst breaks into a bank and Static and Gear try to stop him. Their powers have no effect on him and Rast is furious saying they looked bad in filming. Gear lets Static fight Starburst because it seems his powers are similar to Static's. For the next two days Static fights Starburst with embarrassing results and bad press. Richie plays the footage of Static's last encounter with Starburst and notes that Static's attack should have stopped him, that is, if he were a metahuman. They discover a pack on his suit that could be the source of his powers but it would need to receive the powers from somewhere else. Static and Gear lay a trap for Starburst.

During filming Starburst reappears. Instead of fighting him, Static destroys the microphone and recorder that were on him. Starburst quickly loses his powers and they capture him easily. It's Rast's assistant, Brandon, who did it because he needed funding for the script Rast never looked at.

While patrolling, Static is noticed and cheered by some civilians. He starts showing off, but accidentally crashed into a patrolling Rubberband Man, who complains about his showboating. The argument is interrupted by the Shiv robbing a store. Static defeats Shiv while showing off again, but Rubberband Man is still angry at the former's lack of awareness of his actions. In a pool hall, Puff is annoyed to see the news report of Static's victory and speaks with Dante, a low-level street informant, about pulling of a robbery alongside Onyx.

Virgil's arrogance continues even out of costume, irritating his friends and family. While going to the movies with Daisy, Virgil is chewed out about his attitude lately. Virgil sees Onyx sneaked around and sneaks off to investigate. When Puff and Onyx try to rob the theater, Static confronts them, but begins showing off again. However, Puff tries to attack Static with acid gas darts while he's distracted and the latter deflects them, accidentally causing part of the roof to around Daisy. When Daisy tries to run, she trips on some debris and takes a hard fall. Puff and Onyx flee while Static takes the unconscious Daisy to the hospital.

Later, Virgil visits Daisy, who shows no signs of waking up anytime soon, in the hospital with her parents. Virgil apologizes for what happened to Daisy, but Daisy's mother tries to comfort him by telling him it wasn't his fault, not knowing how wrong she is. Richie finds Virgil taking out his frustrations at the junk heap with his powers. He tries to warn Virgil that he could risk exposing his identity if he keeps using his powers out of costume, but Virgil doesn't want to hear it. At dinner with Trina and Adam, Virgil is still depressed about Daisy and overhears Trina mentioning that Puff and Onyx have been tracked to the pool hall, only for them to be long gone. Adam offers to help, but Trina warns him not to pull a vigilante stunt, not knowing Virigil has snuck out. Static attacks the pool hall and demands Puff and Onyx's location. When the thugs refuse to cooperate, Static shows no mercy and trashes them. Before he can seriously hurt Dante, Rubberband Man stops him and tries to talk some sense into him. Static defends himself that he is trying to find the people who hurt Daisy, but Rubberband Man points out that it was Static's showboating that got her hurt and he is just as much to blame. Unable to argue, Static cools down and admits Rubberband Man is right.

A frightened Dante, reports to Puff and Onyx about Static's rampage. Puff decides to use Static's anger to throw him off and take him out. Virgil visits the still comatose Daisy and admits to her that the reason he showed off was because he couldn't tell anyone he was Static and he wanted to impress her, but that caused him to ignore her safety. Virgil reconciles with Richie, who helps lifts his spirits. Puff goes on her rampage and Virgil realizes her plan to lure him out. Static follows Puff into a condemned building and Puff and Onyx trap him inside and collapse the building. However, Static survives by forming a bunker of steel pipes. When the battle threatens to harm bystanders, Static protects them and teams up with Rubberband Man to catch them. Daisy finally wakes up and Virgil gives her a get-well message as Static.

During a break-in, Hotstreak is surprised by a new metahuman called Leech, who drains him of his powers and kidnaps him. He takes Hotstreak to a prison cell; Ebon is already there. Leech tells them his power is stealing other metahuman powers.

Bernie Rast convinces Lil' Romeo to star in a film that Daisy and Frieda will be directing because they won a promotional contest. Romeo doesn't want to do it, but Rast says he can get Static to star in it. At the film shoot Lil' Romeo dresses up like Static and when Static shows up, Lil' Romeo says Static is his hero. Static shows Lil' Romeo his powers and his weaknesses and gives him his own shock box.

Leech goes after Talon, and Static and Gear try to stop him, but they are too late to save her. At the next filming Leech shows up and grabs Lil' Romeo, thinking he's Static. Back at the prison, Leech realizes his mistake. Static calls on the shock box and Leech says he'll trade Lil' Romeo for Static. They manage to free Lil' Romeo but Static is caught instead. Lil' Romeo tries to remember where he was held prisoner and Daisy and Frieda narrow it down to an old studio in Dakota. Daisy and Frieda warn the police while Lil' Romeo sneaks inside the studio to free Static and the other metahumans. They almost make it outside but Hotstreak and the others double cross Static and Lil' Romeo and trap them in the studio with Leech. Lil' Romeo remembers Static's weakness and turns on the sprinkler system, which short-circuits Leech. The police come to take him and the other three metahumans to jail.

Virgil learns from his father that the Freeman Community Center is operating on a tight budget, which causes him to become frustrated at the perspective of closing it down due to lack of funds. On a Career Day field trip to Alva Industries, he, Richie and Daisy run into Specs and Trapper, learning from them that Edwin Alva hired them as part of a research team for a very important project. Virgil, however, still has his doubts whether they, or Alva, are setting themselves straight, so he sneaks into Alva Industries later that night to find out what are they up to. He finds out the petrified body of Edwin, Jr., who turned to stone after overdosing on Quantum Vapor, and discovers that said project is meant to restore Alva's son.

Alva soon enters the room, and learns that the project is proceeding according to schedule, "in spite of some delayed components", on Specs and Trapper's part. The duo persuades Alva to consider a project of their own, but Alva is intent on directing all resources to Edwin, Jr.'s restoration, and therefore has no time for any side projects. Upon hearing Alva chewing them out, Static leaves. In their lab, as Specs and Trapper complain that Alva never cared about his son until the incident, they are seen working on a pair of gauntlets and a helmet, with which Specs fires a laser beam that incinerates a newspaper clipping of Static.

The next day, Virgil and Richie are playing basketball one-on-one at the Community Center, and sadly commenting on the problems the institution has been facing. They soon see a fireworks display coming from the Dakota Stadium, and Virgil, suspicious because the stadium has been closed for months, heads off as Static to investigate. Arriving, he is attacked by Specs and Trapper, who now dub themselves Spectral and Speedtrap. Spectral uses his helmet to project colored lights with varying effects (red for fire blasts, blue for ice beams, yellow for force fields and so on), while Speedtrap's gauntlets can alter his target's speed, slowing it down (if striking with the left hand) or speeding it up (with a right-hand blast). Static fights as best as he can, but is soundly defeated.

Specs and Trapper capture Static and present him to Alva, but Alva doesn't want anything to do with kidnapping his former enemy. Static soon escapes and Alva fires Specs and Trapper not only for kidnapping Static and thus forgoing the schedule of his son's restoration, but also for the massive property damage to the restoration lab caused in the battle with Static. As Specs and Trapper mope about the situation, they find out their rooms in Alva Industries have been sealed off, and so they have been effectively kicked out of the facilities. Outraged, Specs decides that it is time to take drastic measures.

Later that day, while receiving an update on the project's restructuring, Alva hears a noise coming from the lab, and finds out from one of the researchers that Specs and Trapper broke in and took Edwin, Jr. with them. That night, an Alva Industries SWAT team is sent to the docks to retrieve Edwin Jr., but falls into a trap where they are attacked by rogue security drones that are under Specs' and Trapper's control. Only Static's intervention saves them, and when the threat is neutralized, Alva approaches Static, saying that he traced an e-mail sent by them to that location. Static has difficulty believing that Alva no longer has an agenda against him, and Alva pleads the hero to help him by informing that Specs and Trapper are holding Edwin, Jr. for ransom and, unless a certain amount of money is transferred to a bank account set up by them in an hour, his son would suffer the consequences.

Letting his conscience get the best of him rather than leave Alva to solve his problem alone, Static tracks Specs and Trapper to Vanmoor Institute, where the pair soon attacks him with their weapons. Knocking them down temporarily, he finds Edwin Jr., with an armed bomb placed next to him. Before Static can do anything, he gets frozen by Spectral and, when he and Speedtrap find out that Alva has not transferred the ransom money to their account, he sets the timer to explode earlier than scheduled. Static soon thaws himself out and knocks the duo down again. With the bomb's timer running out, Static uses Speedtrap's decelerator gauntlet to hold off the bomb, while he carries Edwin Jr. to safety. Static then saves them both from the blast soon after.

In the end, Specs and Trapper are handed over to the police, and Edwin Alva, Sr. (presumably as requested by Static in return for his help) donates a $10 million check to the Freeman Community Center, solving its financial problems.

A school bus drives down a winding mountain road while a teacher, Ms. Moore, explains that the class is on the field trip to see the natural flora and fauna of the area. Daisy proves her intelligence by speaking up and answering every question brought up by Ms. Moore. Richie jokes about Daisy being a teacher's pet, but Virgil suddenly sees a giant toy monkey jumping through the forest. The monkey chases after the bus then jumps in front of it catching the bus, causing mass panic. The students are allowed to evacuate but the monkey stops Ms. Moore and Daisy apparently finding its target. However, Static and Gear arrive and attack the monkey. Unfortunately, their powers are virtually useless against the monkey and it hits Gear injuring him. Static manages to distract the monkey but it forces him to the ground by hitting him with dirt, catches him with its tail, and prepares to crush him with its cymbals.

Just as Static is about to be killed, Superman flies in and forces the monkey to let Static go. The monkey isn't done, however, and smashes the bus down onto Superman. Static attracts the monkey's attention again and while he's almost killed by it Superman manages to destroy the monkey using the bus. Static and Superman check up on Richie and see that while he's not broken any bones, he's sprained his ankle. Superman then leaves while Static and Gear wonder about Superman and the monkey's presence in Dakota.

Virgil and Richie return to school and talk about Superman's arrival and suspect that they'll never see him again. Just then, they see another Metropolis icon: Clark Kent. He explains that he's there to get the story on Superman's fight with the giant monkey and Daisy suggests that he talks to Ms. Moore. However, when Daisy calls to Ms. Moore she quickly ducks into a room. Clark goes in after her and greets her as Darci. Darci explains that she took on the new identity as a way to evade Toymanbut he's found her again. Clark offers to help her escape but Darci refuses.

Meanwhile, a giant bouncy clown leaps into the school and starts wreaking havoc. The clown reaches for Daisy but Superman and Static arrive catching its attention. Static thinks that he's going to be able to take this situation on his own but the clown opens revealing another, smaller, clown inside. This second clown opens releasing another and this continues until there are six of them. While the heroes fight the clowns, one of them grabs Daisy and traps her inside its body. Static tries to save her but the clowns capture him and the one holding Daisy gets away. Fortunately, before the clowns can finish Static off, Superman rescues him. Static tells Superman about the clown that caught Daisy and Superman becomes frightened as he thought that Toyman was after Darci. However, Darci is gone too. Elsewhere, Daisy awakens strapped to a giant toy baker's oven. Toyman and Darci are there and they explain that Darci wants to be human and intends to be Daisy. Toyman activates his oven.

Meanwhile, Superman and Static go to Darci's house and investigate her home. They discover a room filled with robot parts and Superman finds a serial number stamped on an arm. By having Gear trace the number they find Toyman's hideout. Back at Toyman's hideout, Darci and Daisy lay down on the toy oven and Toyman explains that it will create a nanite duplicate for Darci to inhabit. Darci explains that she took the job as a teacher so she could choose her new body and she chose Daisy. Toyman activates the machine and both participants are pulled into the oven. The oven scans Daisy's body and sculpts the nanites into her image while Darci's mind is transferred into the new body.

Superman and Static burst inside and try to stop the experiment but Toyman starts attacking them with an energy-charged paddleball. The distraction lasts long enough for the experiment to complete and Darci emerges as Daisy. Toyman then releases a group of life-sized toy soldiers that are capable of neutralizing both Superman and Static's powers. The heroes are captured and Toyman thinks he's won altogether. However, Darci betrays and tries to kill him. She tells Toyman she only used him to get a new body and is ready to kill him until she sees that Daisy's escaped. Not wanting the original around to spoil things, Darci goes after Daisy and prepares to kill her. When Daisy tries to claim that no one will mistake Darci for her, Darci explains she studied her while in the school and will be able to mimic her behavior perfectly. Meanwhile, Static figures out a way to disable the soldiers and goes after Darci. Darci is ready to drop Daisy into a vat of molten plastic but when she sees Static coming she flips their positions around making it look like she's the real Daisy being dropped into the plastic.

Static grabs them both but he's been fooled. Daisy claims to be the real Daisy but Darci makes the same claim. Superman tries to scan the two Daisies with his X-ray vision, but the synthetic copy is a perfect match. Upon an angry remark by Daisy, Static gets an idea and makes the electrical aura that surrounds all humans visible. The fake Daisy doesn't have one and is weeded out. She isn't ready to give up, though, and wards the heroes off with an explosive ping-pong ball and then tries to run off. However, after just a few steps, Darci quickly falls to the ground in pain, and her body starts to melt. Toyman explains that he built a fail-safe into her in case she betrayed him again. He has an antidote, but when Darci tries to use Toyman's love for her to manipulate him again, he tosses it into a vat of molten plastic and lets her die.

The police take Toyman into custody, and Superman leaves. Static and Daisy head home, and Static claims that there's nothing like hanging out with his favorite hero. Daisy readily agrees, although she's actually referring to a different hero.

She-Bang returns to Dakota because she thinks her parents were kidnapped. She asks Static and Gear for help. They track down a thief who they believe is a new metahuman, but soon discover She-Bang's parents helping him steal items. They learn that the metahuman is actually Dr. Koenig, a scientist that used to work with her parents. His experiments on absorbing energy went wrong, transforming his body into a living rock that could absorb anything for energy. Koenig forces the doctors Vale to help him become normal again. A collar that can inject poison into them can be activated by remote and only Heavyman knows the code to release the collars. When the cure doesn't work the Heavyman tries to kill them and then goes after Static. The doctor eventually absorbs too much and becomes immobile. Gear uses Back-pack to find the code to break the locks from around She-Bang's parents necks. Static says that Shebang can join the team anytime she's in Dakota.

The city of Dakota dedicates a statue to the rescue workers who helped with the Dakota riots 5 years earlier, especially Jean Hawkins, who was fatally wounded by a stray bullet in the line of duty. After watching the televised dedication on which his family appeared, Virgil chooses to spend some time alone. Robert suggests to Sharon that Virgil hasn't quite come to terms with Jean's death, since he was only a child when it happened.

At a clock tower, Virgil somberly watches over an electrical projection of his mother when Gear passes by. Virgil admits to Richie that he's starting to lose his memory of what his mother was like and is scared of that happening. A sudden scream alerts Static and Gear to Ebon chasing a girl. As she is saved, the girl introduces herself as Nina Crocker when Ebon tries to corner her again. This causes Nina's Bang Baby powers to activate, encircling Static, Gear and herself in a bubble that takes them back in time by ten minutes. The group quickly evacuates before they can encounter their past selves in a paradox. At the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, Nina explains that she was exposed to the Big Bang by chance when she took a bicycle ride nearby, and her time travel powers started manifesting a month prior. She'd been searching for Static and Gear to join them, but Ebon found her first, intending to use her powers to help him avoid police pursuit. Using readings from Back-Pack, Gear creates a device from his VCR remote so Nina can accurately control her powers, rechristening Nina as a new hero named Timezone.

With this prospect, Static proposes going back to the Dakota riots to change history and save his mother, despite Gear's caution against altering the past. Timezone interjects, pointing out she has a say in this, but supports Static as she wants help people with her powers. Just as Gear sets the timer to go back, Ebon shows up and steals the remote. Static zaps both Ebon and the timer and short circuits the device, causing Timezone to take everyone back in time to the riots. Reaching the riots, Static and Gear find that they have split up from Timezone and Ebon, and separate to find them. While on the lookout, Static finds his mother and trails her, saving her from being crushed by a burning building. Taking her to a roof, Static reveals his true identity to a shocked Jean, and explains the source of his powers. Despite her surprise, Jean nonetheless tells Static she is proud of him, and the two share a hug.

Observing police helicopters circling the riots, Jean informs Virgil she is needed as a medical officer, but Virgil pleads with her to stay, admitting that in his timeline Jean was "hurt". Jean gently explains that she needs to go back to work and help others who are hurt, and suggests that Virgil saving her earlier might have changed the timeline. Just then, Gear calls Static to inform him that Backpack traced Nina's energy to Alva Industries, and finds Ebon driving away with Nina and a tanker of Bang Baby gas. Realizing Ebon wants to set off a larger Big Bang, Static flies off - but not before asking Jean to stay put, and the two share a heartfelt farewell. As Jean watches her son leave, she receives a call from her colleague about children injured in the riots.

Catching up to Ebon, Static tangles with Ebon while Gear barely stops the truck from heading into the riots, crashing it into the gas station that would become their future headquarters, causing a fire to break out. Upon learning from Nina that Ebon has the remote, Gear informs Static as Virgil manages to wrest the remote from Ebon, tossing it to Gear. Gear points out that the remote has become damaged and doesn't have much energy left. Before the team can figure out a way to remove the tanker, Timezone's powers begin triggering again, catching everyone in her bubble. To Static's horror, he sees Jean disembark from an ambulance to respond to the fire, but is unable to stop the time travel process.

Back in their own time, Timezone has managed to bring everyone and the tanker. Static demands to be sent back in time, but Gear points out the remote has become so damaged it can't take him back any further than two or three years. Gear suggests that Jean might still be alive due to their intervention, prompting Static to fly back home. At the same time, Nina decides that her powers are too dangerous, and takes the remote to travel back in time to prevent herself from ever becoming a Bang Baby, leaving Gear with an unconscious Ebon and the tanker.

Back home, Virgil runs from room to room calling for Jean, but finds her memorial photo still on the fireplace, realizing that Jean didn't make it. Sadly, Virgil asks why his mother didn't stay safe, but Robert comes in and explains that it wasn't in Jean's nature to stay on the sidelines when people needed help; she also had a stubborn streak which she passed to her kids. Musing, Robert recalls some testimony from Jean's co-workers that night: she kept saying she was proud of Virgil and referred to him as her "superhero." Robert is certain that Jean would be proud of Virgil if she was still alive, pulling his son into a hug. Looking back at his mom's picture, Virgil smiles as he finally comes to terms with her death.

The next day, Virgil and Richie are walking into school when they see Nina and some other girls playing basketball, now a normal kid without any powers. Richie figures that Nina must've stolen her own bike so she wouldn't go for a ride near the docks, and her history as Timezone was erased from existence. Virgil tries to wrap his head around the idea of the time paradox, much to Richie's amusement.

Sharon convinces Virgil to help her at a retirement home. He is desperate to leave, and when robots rampage downtown Dakota, Virgil has his excuse. He runs to the roof to change into Static when one of the elders, Mr. Grant, follows him and discovers his identity. Mr. Grant tells Virgil he is Soul Power, a superhero from the 1960s, and he wants to help Virgil stop those robots. Virgil reluctantly takes him along and Soul Power says his archnemesis, Professor Menace, created the robots so they are immune to electromagnetic powers.

The robots easily defeat Static and Soul Power, but Dr. Menace says he won't kill them because he wants his old enemy to see his victory. Soul Power thinks Dr. Menace is creating a weather machine to destroy cities, and goes to an old friend to gain access to global satellites to find Menace. His friend declines and Soul Power lifts the access card to view the satellites. He takes Static to his secret base, the Power Pad, and powers up the 40 year old equipment. They locate the weather machine and learn it was a trap. Menace uses Static and Soul Power to charge his weather machine. Soul Power's old sidekick, Sparky, arrives to help them. They track down Menace's real base of operation, which is under the retirement home. They battle Dr. Menace and discover his true identity: Dennis, one of the elderly residents of the retirement home.

Later, Virgil thanks Mr. Grant for teaching him a few new things, and Mr. Grant tells him that's what he does with knowledge—he passes it on. However, there was one thing Virgil noticed Mr. Grant didn't teach him—his Soul Power dance. Mr. Grant then shows him.

Static travels to Gotham City to help Batman and Robin capture a criminal named Timecode. The trio easily take down the gimmick villain and hand him over to the police. Batman confiscates Timecode's time machine and takes it back to the Batcave to study it. Upon fiddling with it, Batman activates the machine's internal power source, and by doing so, entraps him in its field. With Batman trapped, Static attempts to use his powers to retrieve him from the field but instead gets himself pulled in and sent over 40 years into the future. Landing back in the Batcave, Static calls out for Batman and Robin, not knowing that he has just time traveled into the Batman Beyond era. Looking around the Batcave, Static is spotted by the future Batman and the two engage in a fight, only to be eventually stopped soon afterwards by an aged Bruce Wayne. As Bruce clears up what has happened to Static, and having expected this occurrence to one day happen, he requests Static's help in stopping Kobra's upcoming plan. With the recent capture of the Kobra Leader by Gotham police, Kobra retaliated by capturing a prisoner of their own in order to undertake a prisoner swap. Static's original reaction is just to go ahead with it as there doesn't seem to be another option, but Bruce rebuffs that idea and instead suggests they rescue Kobra's prisoner before the trade goes down. Bruce only manages to get Static on board with the idea when he informs him that Static's older self is the prisoner.

As Batman (Terry) and Static head out, Static is surprised at how successful he has become in the future, but Batman points out that would be his older self and reveals that he is along strictly as backup. Static is surprised, but realizes that Batman is still upset from their previous fight in the Batcave, but Batman quickly denies his theory. Static further presses the issue, but Batman quickly changes the subject, warning Static that if something happens to him his future self might not exist. As they land, Static questions if anyone else is available to help them. Batman explains that Robin is now a civilian, the Justice League are out near Alpha Centauri, Gear is on the other side of the world, and much to Static's shock, Batman reveals that Static even has a son who also can't help them.

The duo head out onto the Gotham streets in casual clothing to go undercover. Virgil remembers most of it, but also witnesses a splicer walk by, experiencing more of the future. They approach the meeting point where Terry explains the plan is to use Bruce's contact as a way of possibly getting into Kobra. Terry instructs Virgil to wait for him while he goes to meet the contact, and informs Virgil to not do anything that may risk erasing his own future. As Terry waits for the contact to arrive, Virgil seeks out help of his own. Bringing Terry with him, Virgil's contact leads the duo into a secret lair where the mysterious person reveals himself and his friends to be Jokerz. A fight ensues but the duo easily takes care of the clowns and escape. While Virgil is happy that they were able to defeat them, Terry is less than happy as now thanks to Virgil, they missed their real opportunity and even admits that he can't comprehend how Virgil became one of the world's greatest heroes, which leaves Virgil both shocked and deeply hurt.

Meanwhile, the Gotham police warden makes his way towards the captured Kobra Leader's cell and releases him from his restraints in order to take him to the trade meeting point. The Leader mocks the warden by asking who Kobra had captured, mentioning Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Static before being told to be quiet by the warden, much to the Leader's pleasure. With a major police escort guarding the transfer to the trade spot, a Kobra member posing as a security guard releases his leader from his shackles, thus allowing him to escape by stealing an aircraft from the nearby Gotham Airport. As the police nab the Kobra member, he pronounces "Long live Kobra".

Batman contacts Bruce and tells him that he doesn't want to work with Static anymore which leads to a fight between the duo. However, Bruce quiets the pair and informs Batman and Static of the Leader's escape, and after clashing heads regarding Static's mishap with the Jokerz, Static leaves Batman and heads for Dakota to stop by the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude. Batman arrives shortly after, claiming to have run into a dead end.

A fight almost ensues between them again, until Batman finds a retinal scanner on the wall of the gas station. As Static tests it out, it successfully opens a drop in the floor to a secret lair under the gas station. Having a look around, Batman finds what looks like a Shock Box, and as Static opens it, a hologram of Gear (an older and larger version) appears with a recorded message telling Static to meet him at Platform 247. Batman and Static deduce that with the real Gear situated on the other side of the planet, Kobra must have planned this to set up the old Static in order to capture him.

Meanwhile, the Kobra Leader arrives at the Kobra headquarters, which appears to be a giant airborne platform. He is greeted by his fellow Kobra subjects as they bow down to him in awe. One of the members informs their leader that they have Static contained in a stasis chamber. The Leader is pleased but demands to "do a little splicing first" before dealing with Static. Transforming into a human-cobra hybrid, he heads to the chamber, just as Batman and young Static arrive at Platform 247 after a little help from Bruce. The duo break into a vent and crawl their way to where Kobra is holding the older Static. Attacking the Kobra Leader, the duo are seemingly outclassed by the Leader's strength, eventually taking him down with a supercharged knock-out gas bomb. Only then is Static able to release his older counterpart; now free, old Static easily takes out the remaining Kobra members. Having defeated Kobra, Static is amazed by his future self and now sees why Batman didn't think he was him, however, Batman admits to Static that "I'm starting to see the resemblance", now seeing him as a true hero. Static then tells his older self that he has "so many questions," but before he has the chance to ask anything, he is suddenly pulled back in time to his original era. His older self is able to tell him, "Believe in yourself, it's your greatest power." Arriving back in the Batcave next to Batman and Robin, it is revealed that Gear was contacted by Batman to help fix the time machine and retrieve Static. Having just experienced the future, Static starts blurting out details on his friends' future selves, but he is quickly halted by Batman who states he'd rather not know his future. Asked if he's going to be okay by Gear, Static replies with "I'm going to be just fine, oh and Gear, maybe you should lay off the fries" as a hint to Gear's future self.

Virgil and Richie are in their usual comic shop, talking about how the powers of one of their heroes has changed. They see that Madelyn Spaulding is working there, and they talk to her. She remembers very little of their last encounter, and nothing of their costumed identities. After they leave, she finds out that she still has powers, only they're a different type—and have grown considerably.

At the Dakota Police Department, Madelyn breaks out Hotstreak, Ebon and Talon. Static and Gear arrive to stop them from escaping. They are not doing well when She-Bang arrives to save the day. After Madelyn and her gang escape, She-Bang handles the press. Her openness—as opposed to the media-shy girl they first met—surprises the Dakota Duo.

It turns out that the people hunting She-Bang were arrested, so now she is back in Dakota and wants to be part of the team. Static is not happy about this. At school, Shenice is driving everyone crazy as well. When Madelyn and her gang show up again, they easily beat Static and Gear, no thanks to She-Bang.

Static and Gear tell her that they do not want to work with her. Her feelings hurt, she decides to take on Madelyn by herself. Madelyn captures her, having Static and Gear come to the rescue. They are able to free She-Bang and stop Madelyn. Afterwards, Static and Gear apologize for what they said and tell She-Bang that anytime she wants to join the team, it'd be fine with them.

Sharon and Virgil help Dr. Anokye set up a West African Exhibit at the museum. Anokye receives a call, then hides a golden spider in Sharon's coat pocket and tells her and Virgil to leave. On the way home, Virgil realizes he left his backpack at the museum, so he returns to get it. He sees Anokye is being attacked by a giant bug and changes into Static to stop it. Later, Anansi appears to tell Static that his old enemy, Osebo, is after the golden spider, the source of Anansi's powers.

Meanwhile, Sharon discovers the Spider in her pocket and begins testing it. Not realizing at first that its powers involve powerful illusions, she uses it to 'clean up' the dirty dishes in the kitchen before going to Richie for help in figuring it out, but Oniniattacks Richie's house and kidnaps Sharon. Static, Gear, and Anansi track them to their hideout to regain the golden spider and free Sharon.

Then, after Osebo, Mmboro and Onini are taken away by the police, Anansi kisses Sharon's hand and charmingly tells her that he's forever in her debt. Sharon then expresses that she had a good time and the whole thing was an adventure for her, but she couldn't help but think that she's "forgetting something". Then her father calls her, and says that he's in the kitchen looking at the dirty dishes — the dirty dishes that Sharon is going to be washing every night for the next month. Static turns away and snickers to himself.

Static is distraught at the news of his hero, Green Lantern, going on a rampaging crime spree. When Green Lantern comes to Dakota, Static confronts him. Despite Lantern insisting it's a misunderstanding, Static dutifully helps put Green Lantern in jail, though it discourages him on a personal level, as he so looked up to the Emerald Knight. Static later discovers Green Lantern's power ring in his own pocket and goes to talk to the disgraced hero. Static realizes that the one on a rampage is actually Sinestro disguised as Green Lantern, using power absorbed from his stolen power battery. After Sinestro masqueraded as Green Lantern and fought Static, he left the powerless real Green Lantern behind to take the fall. Static teams up with his fallen hero and provides a power source for Green Lantern to recharge his ring. Together, the heroes take down Sinestro and expose him as the culprit. With Green Lantern's reputation preserved and Static's own faith restored in his hero, Static and Green Lantern salute each other as respected comrades and bid one another farewell.

One night in Dakota, a newspaper blows by in the wind. Static, who is on patrol, catches the paper. "Late night robberies sweep Dakota.

Police unable to catch mystery thieves", the headlines say. He crumbles up the paper and tosses it in a trash can, noting his similar failures to catch them. Static spots a young girl wearing sunglasses and asks her why she's not home. He offers to take her back when she says she wants to go home, but she replies "it's not that simple". The doors outside the Jewelry store she was by burst open to reveal two teenagers also wearing shades. One of them tells Brickhouse to run when Static readies to attack and they both split up. He chases one of them, but hits a brick wall while the one being pursued passes right through it. The former attempts to capture Brickhouse after she tries to grab him, but she easily throws back the street post Static used to bind her after gaining strength. Knocked off his feet, he captures the two, but the leader of the heist tells Nightingale to get them out of their mess. The teenaged woman from earlier does so by binding him with an odd shadow energy.

Trapped in darkness, Static tries to get out, but the vision fades after he bumps into a post. Recovering, he finds the trio gone. After jumping out of the way of an oncoming truck, he leaves.

Underground in the Subway Station, Nightingale gets a talking to by Fade about why she didn't join in. Her reply concerning Static's safety angers Fade, and Brickhouse steps in proposing a fight. Ebon appears and breaks up the argument. Both reveal that they stole supplies (Diamonds and Microchips) and go deeper into the station to put them to use. Nightingale thanks Brickhouse for bailing her out, but she tells her not to press her luck. Light streams into the subway, and Nightingale shields her eyes in pain and runs to catch up to the group. In a makeshift laboratory, an inventor is busy working on an engine. He asks for the diamonds, and Brickhouse hands him their stash. Relying only on touch, he feels for the right diamond, and picks one that refracts light. A black, gaseous substance is released from the refracted light. Ebon asks Techif that's what they need. He replies "yes", and explains about Dark Matter's properties of blocking light. Nightingale shows that she can create Dark Matter as well, but she has a limit to how much she makes, as revealed by Tech. Ebon says they need one more component to put their plan into action, but they need to watch for Static now that he knows about them.

On the ledge of a building, Gear wakes a sleeping Static, who replies that the night patrols have been taking a toll on him. After some banter in which Gear deduces that Static knows Batman's identity, Backpack's tracker goes off. Metahumans are detected in Dakota Nuclear Reactor. It's the same Metahumans that were in the Jewelry Store, this time accompanied by Tech. Before they can get away with a canister of Nuclear waste, Static and Gear stop them. The distraction of a thrown car throws them off, and Ebon takes them away to the core of a nuclear reactor, with them hanging over the edge.

Nightingale attacks Ebon and the distraction allows Static and Gear to escape. All five get out of the area with the canister and Static convinces Gear not to go after them. Nightingale again gets a talking to by Fade and Ebon. She rebels and escapes with the remaining four in pursuit. Ebon captures her and puts her near bright light as punishment for rebelling. This causes her extreme pain and she tries to cover her eyes. Staic takes on Ebon, while Gear gets Nightingale to safety. Ebon and the rest of the Night-breed attack them, leaving the three outnumbered, Brickhouse's attack turns one of the lit lights to them and they retreat.

Nightingale explains that the Bang Baby incident rendered their eyes extremely sensitive to light and too much of it will kill them. She and her gang, along with many others, have been living in the abandoned subway station ever since. They stole at night to get what they wanted and lost trust in normal people because they feared them. During one of their plunders, they met Ebon. Calling them his "Army of Darkness", he asked that they join him in his plan to block out the sun.

Static, Gear, and Nightingale infiltrate the station meet up with Ebon. Ebon springs a trap by make the station cave in with bombs planted on the tracks. Thanks to Brickhouse, the three escape. Brickhouse reveals that she bailed them out because they are close friends and never trusted Ebon in the first place. This attack confirmed their suspicions. Nightingale convinces her not to attack Ebon after the plan succeeds. Brickhouse and Gear determine the location of the bomb: by the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude.

Outside the headquarters; Ebon, Tech, and Fade plant the bomb. The four stop them from going any further and a stray shot from a blind Tech knocks Ebon out. Fade attacks Static and Gear before Gear can disable the bomb. The bomb goes off and the city is covered in darkness. Static attacks Ebon and Nightingale goes to absorb the Dark Matter. Gear stops the machine before anymore Dark Matter is released. The skies are cleared and the sun come up. Static takes everyone underground.

The two offer to work with the people above to cure their condition, but the Night-breed chose to solve their own problems, as Fade says. Tech goes to work on a cure and the Night-breed leave. Static and Gear also leave to aboveground.

Static and Hotstreak are captured and taken to a mysterious island for scientific experiments. Now they have one goal: to escape the island alive.

Virgil and Richie are in Los Angeles excitedly riding in a limo heading for an all-star game where they'll have VIP seats. All of this is thanks to Virgil's Fatherraising money for a charity. As they drive through the city, a T. rex statue atop a building catches their eye. However, just as they pass it, its "skin" dissolves away leaving only its metal "skeleton". This is only the beginning. Rubber masks start to dissolve, as do the wheels on a bus.

Finally making it to the All-Star Stadium, Virgil and Richie stare at a group of basketball stars, Tracy McGrady, Karl Malone, Yao Ming and Steve Nash practicing. They are greeted and given a free basketball. However, before the team can autograph the ball, it dissolves away. Other rubber objects start to dissolve as well. Before Richie and Virgil can think about it, the team disappears and they decide that it's time that they get to work.

In costume, the duo examines the city and sees that cars everywhere have lost their tires. Back-Pack picks up the signal of nanites and pinpoints their source. Together Static and Gear head off to stop the disaster.

Meanwhile, a freight train carrying several compressors drives along the tracks and but is stopped by a giant robot. The robot snatches up a compressor and Gear and Static arrive. Gear confirms that the robot is composed entirely out of nanites and it attacks them. They give it their best shots but only succeed in momentarily damaging it. The damage is quickly repaired and it begins to use its malleable body to fight all the more effectively. Just then, a group of men in mechanical suits fly over. Static heads out to confront them but they pass him claiming that they're on his side. Static is skeptical but the robot hurls a compressor at the new threat and static is forced to catch it before it hits a group of civilians.

While Static deals with the compressor the team goes to deal with the robot. One of them expands his arms and lifts up a train car, which he hurls at the robot. The robot punches the car away but another man spins fast enough to destroy it. Yet another member of the team stretches his limbs to tie up the robot while another fires missiles at it but it still manages to fight them off and grabs another compressor. Static and Gear try to stop it but Gear is captured and Static is downed. The robot then escapes in a silver tornado taking Gear with it. The group checks up on Static and introduce themselves as Karl Malone a.k.a. Pulverizer, Steve Nash a.k.a. Point Man, Yao Ming a.k.a. Center Force, and Tracy McGrady a.k.a. Spin Drive: the Hoop Squad.

The Hoop Squad takes Static to its headquarters and explains that their game training was perfect for the usage of the bio-enhancer suits. They introduce him to Doctor Mason Andrews the designer of the suits and the main contact between the Hoop Squad and the NBA (National Biotech Authority). He explains that Static's powers should help them to beat Doctor Odium: a nanotech expert that used to work for the NBA but felt they were holding him back and when his proposal for experimenting on humans was rejected, he was fired, and turned to crime. Dr. Mason shows the team a video in which Dr. Odiumdemands one hundred million dollars in two hours or he'll release his nanites into ground where they'll create an earthquake and destroy the west coast.

Out in his laboratory, Dr. Odium brags to Gear about his accomplishments and says he sees a lot of himself in him but he doesn't like himself. Unfortunately, Gear drops his shock box and Dr. Odium decides he'll use it to lure Static and the Hoop Squad to a trap. Static and the Hoop Squad get a fake message from Richie and follow the trail into a sewer tunnel that is filled with nanites. Static decides that he'll destroy the nanites but he's told there's too many.

Fortunately, Spin Drive and Center Force dig their way out of the tunnel. While they are tunneling the nanites approach the group and nearly catch them but are swept away when the escape tunnel reaches water. After escaping, the Hoop Squad learns that Odium's nanites are in an abandoned oil field that was too near to earthquake fault system. Static realizes that the reason the robot stole the compressor was to pump the nanites into the fault. With this plan, he could create his earthquake.

Out in the oil field Odium starts pumping the nanites into the ground but the Hoop Squad and Static arrive. As soon as he sees them, Odium surrounds himself with nanites and transforms into another giant robot. He explains that he implanted his personality into the nanites and will now destroy the Hoop Squad. However, The squad starts pummeling him with their various capabilities while Static reverses the polarity of compressor causing the nanites to flow back into it. Desperate to complete his plan Odium runs to the compressor but Point Man destroys the compressor and the robot along with it. As soon as the robot is destroyed, Gear contacts the team and tells them that he's escaped and has the real Dr. Odium.

With their adventures done, the Hoop Squad plays in a basketball game now in their civilian identities while Virgil and Richie shout out to them in their superhero names. Mr. Hawkins, however, insists that "these are ball players, not superheroes".

At the Dakota Mall, Daisy is looking at a necklace that she wants to buy, but says she doesn't have enough money to. She sees a boy staring at her in a mirror. As soon as she turns around, the boy disappears. While Daisy continues to browse around, all of a sudden, someone moving extremely fast runs through the mall, stealing things. Static and Gear show up, but fail to catch the speedster. Later, at the Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, Virgil tells Richie that his sister scored two free tickets to the upcoming B2K concert. He also tells him because Daisy is the biggest fan of B2K, he's going to invite Daisy to accompany him to the concert. Richie recorded the fight they had earlier with the fast person, and he explains to Virgil that somehow the mysterious man is using super speed. Back at the mall, Virgil and Daisy are greeted by Eddie Felson, a boy they met at a science camp a couple summers earlier (and the same one Daisy had been seeing behind her reflections). He tries to ask Daisy out on a date, but Virgil chimes in, reminding Daisy that they have the B2K concert to go to. An angered Eddie immediately walks away.

The same super-speeding thief from before steals the necklace Daisy wanted. Static and Gear arrive but fail to catch him. Static overrides the alarm system in the mall, which causes all the shops to go on lockdown, so that they can trap this person inside. The mysterious criminal confronts Static and Gear, revealing himself to them and presenting himself as Speedwarp. He explains he can maneuver himself through super speed. While Gear tries to capture him using one of his Zap-Caps, Speedwarp causes everything around him to slow down to a standstill. He then turns the tables on him, causing the cap to entrap Gear instead. He does the same to Static by grabbing his flying disk in hyper time. He later grabs Static and uses his speed to send him into the same standstill, which he dubs Hypertime. While in it, he takes off the helmet of the frozen Gear and, learning that he is Richie, deduces Static to be Virgil Hawkins. Warning him to get out of his way, lest his secret will be exposed, Speedwarp eventually escapes without a trace.

At home, Eddie gets a call from Dr. McDonald on his answering machine. He tells Eddie that he has him on video, stealing The Time Gauntlet which grants him his super speed. Dr. McDonald wants Eddie to turn himself in and return the device before he gets into any more trouble. Eddie dresses up as Speedwarp and runs over to Dr. McDonald's office. He tries finding the tape but has no luck although he does see on the Doctor's calendar that he's now on his private plane leaving for an appointment. Speedwarp uses the hyper time, and he boards the plane the doctor's on. He grabs the tape which has him stealing the time manipulator, ties up the pilot with tape and finally sabotages the plane by unscrewing one of the turbines. Static and Gear find the plane in mid-air out of control, losing its parts like crazy. They manage to land the plane safely, and the doctor explains to them that Eddie was his intern, but eventually decided to steal, rather than work for him anymore. In the meantime, the police have Eddie's house surrounded, and he enters hypertime to escape. He does not mind that the stolen goods are confiscated, as there's only one thing that matters for him to take: Daisy.

Gear constructs a time belt for Static, telling him that he can only use it once on Speedwarp, which will make him go into hypertime too. He also tells him to make sure that Speedwarp doesn't touch it, because if he does, something really bad could happen (as the hypertimes would cross). He then takes the belt and goes to the B2K concert with Daisy, telling Gear that he's sure Speedwarp will find them instead of them having to look for him.

At the B2K concert, Speedwarp shows up and puts everything, once again, into hyper time. Everyone except Daisy is frozen. Speedwarp takes off his mask, and lets Daisy know that she was the only one nice to him at Science camp. That was why he stole the necklace earlier for her and tried to impress her. Daisy freaks out and starts to flee out into the frozen city — with Eddie accosting her at every corner.

Having been unfrozen after Speedwarp left the concert hall, Virgil notices Daisy is gone and heads off as Static to find her, putting himself into hypertime using the belt Gear made. However, unable to match Speedwarp's speed, nothing Static does works. Speedwarp then notices the belt on Static's waist and tries taking it from him, over Static's warnings. The two hypertimes collide as Speedwarp's time regulator short circuits, and he is permanently stuck in time — slower than everything else, that is. Back at the concert, Daisy returns to Virgil. They go back to enjoying the rest of the show together.

Over at Adam Evans house, Richie and Virgil play a racing game on Adam's GameStation2. "Jeff Gordon can stay home tonight, folks. Virgil 'Speed Demon' Hawkins is burning up the track”. Virgil taunts his friend. Losing the game as he crashes his car, Richie complains that Virgil had an advantage due to his brand new controller, but just then, the doorbell rings. Stretching into scene as he ties his tie, Adam informs the duo that Sharonis at the door. Virgil offer to trade his sister for Adam's game console, but Adam dismisses the notion as he invites his date upstairs. Richie compliments Sharon's "awesome" dress, and as the couple heads out Adam tells his guests they can hang out around the house as long as they'd like so long as they clean up before they leave.

Richie tells Virgil he's striking until he gets to use the game controller, and briefly looks around for something to read. Unable to find a book or a Magazine, he settles for a piece of Adam's fan-mail, but none of it is opened. Seeing another bag of fan mail across the room, Virgil notes that this seems odd. "Stretch Underarmstrong is a popular guy. You sure none of that mail was opened?".

Meanwhile, Adam and Sharon seat themselves on the outdoor patio of a restaurant across the street from Bank of US. Pushing in his dates chair, Adam seats himself as Sharon begins to check the menu. She runs her finger across the selections: Gut Buster Burgers, Five Alarm Nachos, Fish & Chips, and Famous Fried Chicken. Yet to make up her mind, Sharon asks Adam what he's going to order, but looking down at his copy of the same menu, the characters begin to morph into an illegible mess. What was once a list of delicious meals has become "Pe7 Eisueus Pfersun", "Loez Vteol Vnosch", etcetera. Unable to make an informed choice, Adam gives up and tells Sharon he'll have whatever she's ordering. Unaware of his problem, Sharon is enamored by what she believes to be a gesture of kindness. Embarrassed to tell the truth, Adam tells her it's because she has "such good taste”.

At Alva Industries, a guard patrols the complex. Unbeknownst to him, nearby a Bang Baby has camouflaged himself as part of the sidewalk. Walking directly through the fence as his body splits around the metal poles, the bang baby makes his way inside and places a detonator on the front of an electrical junction box, and blows a hole in the side of the building. This sets off the security alarm, alerting Edwin Alva up in his office that things are awry. Concerned that this may be a direct attack on the security mainframe, Alva demands his underlings deploy the defense botsand electrify the corridors. As the bang baby appears on a nearby monitor, he demands for that "creature" to be stopped.

Inside one of the buildings labs, the bang baby begins destroying machinery, but is met with resistance as a group of defense bots enter behind him. Reshaping his hand into a hammer, the bang baby dispatches them with ease as Alva watches the commotion from a monitor in the safety of his office. Perturbed, he offers double pay to whoever brings him the head of this bang baby.

Back at the restaurant, Sharon and Adam are enjoying their meals. Adam raises his glass to toast his date "who everyday makes me feel like a superhero”. Suddenly hearing a crash, the couples attention is diverted to the giant screens on the side of Bank US across the street. The screens, displaying a live feed covering the attack on Alva Industries, show the bang baby trashing more defense bots as he attempts to make his way back off the complex grounds. Unable to read the scrolling text for himself, Adam asks his date what it says at the bottom of the screen, covering his embarrassment by saying there's a glare obstructing his vision. "Live from Alva Industries complex, massive destruction by unidentified Bang Baby", Sharon reads. Better aware of the situation now, Adam morphs into his Rubberband Man persona, kisses his date on the cheek and excuses himself to go help. Impervious to the guards weaponry at Alva Industries, the bang baby continues to wreak havoc. Finally identifying himself as Tarmack, "the living chunk of the biggest baddest road you'll ever drive on", he breaks into a lab containing "the fusion engine". Finally face to face with Edwin Alva, Tarmack lifts the businessman into the air, claiming he "shoulda hired a bouncer", only to be interrupted by the entrance of Rubberband Man. Shaping himself into a ball, Rubberband Man thrusts his body through the air, knocking over the villain. Not far behind their comrade, Static and Gear arrive on the scene zapping Tarmack before he could attack Rubberband Man.

Frustrated, Tarmack runs across the room, and Alva demands the heroes to "Get him out of here”. Annoyed with the businessman's tone, Static reminds him "we don't work for you". Still wanting to perform their heroic duties, Static and Gear attack with little-to-no results. Instead of the direct approach, the duo decides to poke fun at Tarmack's name, leaving an opening for Rubberband Man to try to subdue the villain from behind. However, Tarmack is able to raise his body temperature to extreme temperatures, and Rubberband Man quickly looses his hold. Throwing Alva across the room, Tarmack escapes the compound with the fusion engine in hand, sealing the door to the lab behind him. Alva informs the heroes that they can still stop him by pressing the override button on a nearby console and sealing all exits. Standing the closest to the device, Rubberband Man stretches over to take care of things, but the letters all begin to shift again. What once read "override" now says "eovdirre", "Unit one" reads "uton nei", and "Main Control" has become "loam rtniocn". Realizing he's taking longer than anticipated, Alva yells "hurry", Static busts out of the room to chase the villain, and Gear rushes over to the console to help. Unfortunately, the button was pressed too late, and as security doors close through the corridor, Static and Tarmack are separated on opposite sides of one of them. In the lab, Alva begins to berate Rubberband Man in front of Gear. "You elastic buffoon! Do you realize what your hesitation has cost me?" Gear steps in to ask what Tarmack stole, and Alva reveals that the fusion engine he stole is capable of generating enough power to wipe out Dakota.

Hiding out in an underground layer, Specs and Trapper reveal that Tarmack is doing their bidding. Upset with the notion that his role in their operation is as unsophisticated as being considered a "delivery boy", Tarmack slams the fusion engine onto a nearby countertop. Shocked at Tarmack's lack of care, Specs berates the bang baby, his derision being echoed more coyly by his partner, and continued as Tarmack counts his money. On his way out, Tarmack unveils that he's unaware of what it is he just stole, but the duos disdain for him remains apparent as they respond "You wouldn't understand" and "think of it as a big boom box. With an extra big boom”.

Leaving the building, and frustrated with the open-display of doubt in his intelligence, Tarmack overheats a nearby dumpster and hurls it towards the doors from which he just exited.

Back at Alva Industries, Edwin Alva explains to Static, Gear, and Rubberband Man that the fusion engine is a "very compact, efficient", "highly experimental" nuclear reactor that is effectively "a source of endless energy", albeit unstable. According to Alva, "in the wrong hands it could start a chain reaction that would level several square miles." Static, upset that Alva would dare be careless enough to attempt this in the middle of the city, slams his fist on the table, almost ready to leap across it before Gear pulls him off. The two heroes ask Alva if he has any way to shut it down, and he tells them that he's downloaded the entire shutdown procedure onto a set of 3 mobile devices. Rubberband Man approaches the desk to grab one, and Alva, doubting his ability following the events from earlier, condescendingly points out to him what button to press to read the instructions. As the hero leaves, Static tells him he and Gear will call whenever they find anything.

Patrolling the skies of Dakota, Static and Geardiscuss using Back-Pack to scan a list of research satellites for anomalous electromagnetic data to figure out a lead on the fusion engine. Upset that they have to clean up Rubberband Man's mistakes, Gear speeds ahead, but Virgil seems to be piecing together his problem.

Elsewhere in the city, Tarmack, Onyx, Puff, Shiv, and Carmen Dillo are all hanging out at a local dive bar. As Tarmack is shooting pool, Carmen approaches to ask him to spot a few bucks for some nachos. Excited to talk about his big score, Tarmack throws a few dollars at Carmen while bragging he got "a cool thousand bucks" for the fusion engine. Realizing Tarmack got played, Carmen laughs at him and informs that Alva's offering a million for its return. Carmen likens the ploy to giving Tarmack "a buck to go rob Fort Knox" for him. Annoyed that his intelligence is in question again, compounded with frustration that it must be true, he did get played, Tarmack lifts Carmen by his shirt collar, and sticks him to a rotating ceiling fan, prompting Carmen to hold his mouth shut as he becomes audibly nauseous.

Back at Adam's house, Rubberband Man plays the keyboard beautifully, as Static enters through a nearby window, telling him "remind me never to hire you to DJ a dance party." Rubberband Man responds that he's not in the mood, and asks if Static's had any luck with locating the fusion engine. That not being the reason for Static's visit, he responds "let's talk about you." He places a newspaper on the keys in front of Adam and tells him there's a review of his new CD. Adam tells him that he doesn't read his reviews, to which Static asks "don't? or can't?" Adam reveals that he suffers from dyslexia. When he was younger, he was put in a special learning program where they showed him some techniques to deal with it like "changing words into something you can feel instead of look at”.

However, the learning process took patience, and Adam was never able to sit still as a kid, and so feeling dumb, Adam dropped out of the program. Static tells him he's not dumb, "look at what you've made of yourself. A hero, a famous musician [...] but you can't give in. You said you can read. It just takes some work. Do the work." Outside the window, Gear arrives and tells Static and Rubberband Man them Back-Pack's detecting a huge energy reading in Westwood Flats. Returning to Specs and Trapper's underground lair, the pair are installing the fusion engine into one of their new inventions when suddenly, Tarmackenters, demanding a larger stake in the operation or else he'll return the engine to Alva and collect the million dollars. Without argument, the duo oblige and unveil The Disaster Matrix, a device that can be used to channel enormous energies to any section of Dakota, reducing it to rubble. "Or we can use it to derail trains, crack airport runways.", effectively holding the city for ransom, and making millions in the process. With Tarmack now clued in, Specs assaults him with an optical blast followed by Trapper binding him in vines protruding from the fingertips of his gloves. With his opponent now subdued, Specs unleashes another blast, but Tarmack is able to contort his body around it, ensuring the blast hits the fusion engine. Arriving at Westwood Flats, Static, Gear, and Rubberband Man begin their search equipped with Alva's mobile devices. Rubberband Man rushes off into one of the buildings, blowing past a sign that reads "DANGER: CONDEMNED". Concerned for Rubberband Man's safety, Richie notes the sign to Static. Suddenly, the building begins to tremble as the blast from Specs has destabilized the fusion engine. Enraged at the other hero's perceived carelessness, Richie yells at him for not reading the sign. Cooling down, Gear leaves the scene as Back-Pack may have located the fusion engine. In private, Rubberband Man thanks Static for not telling Gear, but realizing his friend's dyslexia as nothing to be ashamed of, Static asks Rubberband Man "When are you gonna say something?".

Frantically trying to shut down the fusion engine, Trapper yells for Specs to unplug everything as he continues to hold Tarmack restrained. Interrupting, Static, Gear and Rubberband Man break into the room. Specs attempts to land an optical blast on the heroes, and a fight ensues. Seeing Specs outclassed, Trapper releases Tarmack and joins the fight. Now free, Tarmack grabs the fusion engine and flees. In hot pursuit, Rubberband Man stretches his way up through a nearby Subway station, locating Tarmack running through a shipyard. Once again taking the shape of a ball and hurling his body against Tarmack, Rubberband knocks the other Bang Baby into the water, the fusion reactor falling to the dock in the process. With a two minute countdown before the engine reaches "lockdown", Rubberband Man pulls Alva's mobile device and press the button to read the instructions. Once again, the letters he reads are misshapened and out of order.

Meanwhile, Static and Gear have finished subduing Specs and Trapper who inform them that Rubberband Man went after Tarmack on his own. Back-Pack detects an energy leak, filling in the heroes that the meltdown timer is active. On the surface, Adam anxiously tries to focus on the words. "Gotta make this bigger. Do the work, Adam." Using his powers, Rubberband Man turns the words into something he can feel, imitating the symbols and lifting them out from his arm. With less than a minute left, Static and Gear emerge from the Subway station and head towards the docks. Gear remarks that he's hoping Rubberband Man got there in time to shut down the fusion engine, but knowing Adam's secret, Static remains concerningly silent.

Static and Gear subdue Specs and Trapper while Rubberband Man follows Tarmack as he escapes with the fusion engine. At the docks, Rubberband Man bounces Tarmack into the water, incapacitating him. Unfortunately, the engine's magnetic containment field was damaged, triggering a meltdown which will cause a massive explosion unless Rubberband Man completes the shutdown procedure in two minutes. On the final step, with seconds remaining, Rubberband Man has trouble reading the final word. Realizing that it was too long to be "clockwise", he rotates the fusion engine's aluminum collar counter-clockwise and successfully shuts the device down with one second remaining on the clock.

Static and Gear arrive on the scene. Concerned Rubberband Man wouldn't have figured out the shutdown procedures, he expresses shock when the hero tosses him the fusion engine's magnetic core. "How did you...?" "I did the work”.

In the final scene, Static flies down and tells the viewers how Rubberband Man would have never learned to read had it not been for the classes he took in school. Disguised as a lamp post, Rubberband Man morphs to join the conversation, telling the viewer that no matter how good someone's language skills are, they can still have trouble recognizing graphic symbols and letters. Offering an example, he tells them he has issues differentiating "b" and "d" because his brain perceives space differently. "To a dyslexic, 'now' can look like 'won'" "Or something else entirely." According to Rubberband Man, 25 million Americans have some kind of reading difficulty, with dyslexia being the most common. Static adds that it doesn't have to hold you back, as some of the world's most accomplished people, like George Washington, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einsteinhad dyslexia. Rubberband Man and Static inform the viewer that many schools have programs for dyslexia or can help point you in the right direction to find a program if they don't. "Everyone can learn to read”.

Static and Gear are fighting a new Bang Baby, but they are losing. The Bang Baby runs off, but they do not follow. They have to go to a dinner. The Bang Baby goes home too, and watches a news report about a pro football player named Dulé Jones. Virgil and family are at the dinner and watch him speak. Later, Dulé arrives and offers to take Sharon, Virgil and Richie for a ride in his Hummer. As they are driving, they are attacked by the Bang Baby. Virgil and Richie run off and switch into their uniforms. They try to fight him, but lose. Dulé drives off leaving Sharon behind. When he gets to his house, the Bang Baby—named "Chainlink"—breaks in. He threatens to tell the world Dulé is a Bang Baby if he doesn't get some of Dulé's fortune.

Dulé agrees and returns to the Hawkins' house. Virgil and Richie agree that they should follow Dulé to protect him from Chainlink. Richie attaches a tracer to Dule's Hummer. The next morning, Dulé and Sharon are having breakfast when Chainlink calls Dulé. Dulé tells him to meet him at a factory. When he gets there, he tries to throw Chainlink into acid. The attempt fails, but Static and Gear come to try and help. Chainlink then runs away. Sharon also shows up and tells Dulé she is disappointed in him, because she doesn't want Dulé to make good, she wants him to be good.

Later on at the football game, Virgil and family are watching on the sidelines. After a touchdown, Dule walks to the middle of the field and begins to talk. As he is going to confess his secret, Chainlink drops down and begins to fight him. Static and Gear also try to help. As they are losing, star quarterback Rashid Randall and the other football players decide to help and are able to hold off Chainlink until Dulé was able to stop him. Afterwards, Sharon tells Dulé she is proud of what he did. Virgil and Richie then play catch with Rashid "The Rocket" Randall, an old friend of Virgil's father.

After capture at the hands of Static and Gear, Aquamaria agrees to be given the experimental cure for the mutagenic gas that transformed her into a Bang Baby. However, Hotstreak sabotages the process, causing her to become unstable and unable to solidify her form. In an angry rage, she threatens all of Dakota City.

During a patrol, Gear's boots malfunction as he's flying in the air, making him crash. He figures out that somehow a computer worm got into his boots. Gear decides to fly back to headquarters to fix this, while Static goes home. Inside, Static takes off his mask. But little does he know, a camera is watching him from outside his window. At Alva Industries, Dr. Roberts is talking to Alva. To her dismay, Alva is shutting down her "Project Omni", a global information-gathering network intended to find out Static's secret identity, but Alva no longer has a grudge against Static since Static helped him get his son back to human form. Dr. Roberts declares her refusal to work on anything else, prompting Edwin to fire her on the spot. After Edwin leaves the room, the doctor receives a transmission from the earlier camera, showing the footage of Static taking off his mask. With Static's true identity in hand, Dr. Roberts begins concocting a plan to leverage the information.

At the Freeman Community Center, Robert and Sharon are locking up ending a long day. Sharon goes to get the car, but as she starts it, purple smoke releases from her muffler. Puff emerges, and puffs some smoke on Robert, making him pass out as Onyx pulls up right next to Sharon in a van, blocking Sharon from getting out of the car. Onyx carries Robert to the van and drives off with Puff, Sharon following in hot pursuit. They get to a highway where Puff decides to get rid of Sharon by blowing out her tires, causing Sharon to lose control of the vehicle. Static arrives just in time to get Sharon out safely, while the car veers off the highway and straight into a building's window. To Static's horror, Sharon exclaims to Static that Puff kidnapped her father.

Static goes on a hunt for his father, locating Kangor, Carmen Dillo, and Shiv to intimidate them for information on where Puff and Onyx are hiding, but fails to find a lead. In the distance, Static sees a huge flame go up in the air. It turns out to be a signal from a parking garage where Puff and Onyx are. Static violently confronts the two; realizing that Static is serious, Onyx admits that they were hired to kidnap his dad, and Puff gives him a written address where Robert is being held. When he arrives at an old junkyard, an elevator shaft rises from the ground, bringing Static to a hideout with a big computer screen and all sorts of other electronics. On the screen is his dad in a room surrounded by lasers. Dr. Roberts reveals herself, calling Static by his real name: Virgil Hawkins. Showing the footage she recovered, Dr. Roberts introduces herself as Omnara and explains that she kidnapped Robert to get to Static, so he can help her steal her "Project Omni" back from Alva Industries. Static retorts that she could have used Puff and Onyx, but Omnara adds that they lack the skill or care to get the job down. Also, since she has Static's father captured, he has all the motivation he needs to fulfill her wishes. Static insists on seeing his dad first, which Omnara permits.

Brought to the room where Robert is held, Static tries to reassure his father, but Robert reveals that he has already figured out that he's Virgil, much to Static's surprise. Robert figured that there was no other reason to kidnap him to get to Static, and admits that a part of him has somehow always known Virgil and Static were one and the same. Virgil swears that he never meant for this to happen; Robert understands and admits that he doesn't blame him for keeping his identity a secret from him, but admits that it's still a shock to discover that his own son is a superhero. Robert then asks about Omnara and wants to know what she wants, and Static reveals her plan to him. Robert is shocked that Omnara wants Static to go through with theft, but Static promises him that he'll give up being a superhero once all this is done because he never wants to put his dad in danger again. Static flies over to Alva Industries, while Alva's security is firing all that they have to keep Static away. Static eventually beats all the security and breaks into Lab 14, where Project Omni is stored in several large crates. Alva runs out and one of the security men tells him what Static broke into. Alva figures out that Dr. Roberts is behind this. After Static successfully brings the crates back to Omnara, she starts to explain her plans with Project Omni to Static. First, she set up a huge global surveillance network, and used it to insert a virus across the globe, causing Static to realize that the same virus caused Gear's boots to malfunction. With her network, Omnara will gain the power to control every digital device on the planet, but finds that she's missing one crucial component: a helmet that will allow her to interface with Project Omni. She taps onto her network server and finds that the component is in an Alva Industries' truck convoy on the road, ordering Static to retrieve it. Reluctantly, Static flies over there and opens up the truck, carrying out the last crate of Omnara's project, but Gear shows up and tries to stop Static. Under coercion from Omnara, Static threatens Gear to get him to back down, but Gear refuses, causing them to begin fighting. After blows are exchanged, Static grounds Gear and berates him, calling Gear a "double crossing little worm" and that he should run a diagnostic. As Static flies off, Gear realizes Static's actual message.

With her final component in hand, Omnara connects it to Project Omni and puts it on, granting her full control over the network. Static demands that Omnara free his father, but she hits Static with an energy burst. Gear arrives and pulls Static out of the way, telling him that he got Static's clue and that he wrote up a counter-virus programstop Omnara. Static runs to where his dad is, using his electric powers to levitate Robert and carefully moving Robert between the gap in the lasers. Gear installs the counter-worm into the hard drive just as Omnara finishes uploading her consciousness into the network. She sees him and shoots another energy blast.

Static carries his dad out of the lab, along with Gear, and onto the streets. On the streets, Robert recognizes Richie through his outfit; although Gear tries to avoid the subject to keep his identity safe, Static admits to his father that it's Richie. Omnara then appears to them and reveals that she can now control all devices, and decides to launch several nuclear missiles to bomb each and every one of Alva's businesses in revenge. With Robert's permission, Static and Gear fly up to destroy them, but Omnara retaliates by taking control of various vehicles to try and take them out. Robert saves Static from being crushed by a bus, while Gear destroys a garbage truck after it tries to crush him as well. Omnara sends more cars to surround the three, but the counter-virus kicks in, overloading Omnara with information and causing a massive backlash, reducing her to a catatonic state. As Omnara is taken to the hospital, Static is relieved that now she won't be able to reveal his secret identity, but Gear reminds him of his father.

Still in shock over discovering the truth, Robert admits that although they've been doing it for a long time, he doesn't want them to be superheroes anymore, because the fact of their going out and facing danger every day worries him. Virgil and Richie are saddened, but Robert also adds that they were given the powers they have, and they'll have to decide for themselves when and how to use them, thus allowing them to continue being superheroes. Both Virgil and Richie thank him, but much to their shock and dismay, Robert also says that they'll have to tell Sharon the truth.

Back at the house, Sharon is furious that the insurance company rejected her claims for her damaged car because she wasn't insured for Bang Baby incidents, prompting her to go into a rant about Bang Babies. She eventually calms down and asks her father if there was something he wanted to tell her. Seeing that she isn't ready to know the truth about Static and Gear just yet, Robert decides to hold off from telling Sharon, much to Virgil and Richie's relief.

Sharon yells at Virgil for not doing his share of the housework. Luckily for Virgil, his father calls him to fix his shaver, which he does. Later at school, Virgil tells Richie about what happened. Mr. McGillpasses back the tests; Richie is surprised by the result.

Later, he tells Virgil that he got a B- on that test. Frieda and Daisy are angry at Virgil and Richie because they say they will help but they always disappear. Virgil says they can explain but they hear an alarm and Virgil and Richie disappear again. Kangor and Ferret are robbing a store, but Static and Gear come to stop them. Static takes on Kangor and Gear chases Ferret. When Kangor is about to crush Static he loses his powers. Static calls Gear over and they watch him change back to normal. Ferret sees this and goes to Ebon and the rest of the breed. Ferret tells them what happened to Kangor and he loses his powers, too. Static and Gear take Kangor to a hospital where Dr. Todd tells them he has been spraying a cure for Bang Babies and that all of them, including Static and Gear, will lose their powers and go back to normal. Later that night, Virgil and his father watch on television where Dr. Todd makes a public statement about the cure, revealing that they have been spraying the cure secretly throughout Dakota for an entire month. When Robert asks Virgil how he feels about this, Virgil admits that, although this is good for the people, he thinks Static would still be needed, even with the Bang Babies gone. When asked how Richie feels about all of this, Virgil admits that he could be taking it better.

At the gas station, Gear is freaking out about being normal again, revealing he is losing more of his powers, Static reveals the same, admitting that his powers are almost gone as well. Gear starts expressing his anger, pointing out that it's unfair for them to lose their powers after all the good they have done. Static tries to soothe Gear's worries by saying that things may be all right when they're normal again; Gear asks him if he truly believes that. Static doesn't answer and only asks how long it will be until they completely lose their powers and Gear answers, "I truly have no idea”. The two then decide to pay Dr. Todd a visit.

Ebon, Hotstreak, Talon and Shiv go to see Dr. Todd looking for bang baby gas. After threatening another scientist, Dr. Todd tells them where the gas is. Ebon and Hotstreak start arguing, so Talon gets the gas. She starts turning back to normal. Static and Gear arrive to stop them. After the battle, Ebon and the others escape with the gas, while a normal Talon is left behind.

At the hospital, Virgil and Richie go to see Talon, who's happy about finally being turned back to normal and is more than happy to help them. She also asks that they call her by her real name, which turns out to be “Teresa.” Teresa reveals to Virgil and Richie that Ebon plans on recreating the Big Bang, but making it even bigger than before, as well as creating/recruiting even more Bang Babies.

Later, Static and Gear struggle to stay in the air as their powers are almost completely gone. At the hospital, Teresa is asleep until she wakes up and notices Ebon, who kidnaps her. Gear can no longer read the information he gets from Back-Pack, although he can only understand two things: "Bang Babies" and "docks". Static figures Ebon is setting up his Big Bang at the docks, like the first one.

On a ship in the docks, Slipstream, Boom, the Monster and Shiv are all powerless, waiting for Ebon to restore their powers. A now human Ebon comes in saying he'll restore their powers if they become a part of his gang. Then Hotstreak comes in, with Teresa tied up. Teresa says Ebon was nobody before the Big Bang, and that's what he'll be again. Ebon tells Hotstreak to shut her up, but he agrees with her. The two start to argue and Static and Gear come. They take the gas and run.

They are caught and put into a room, where Ebon has Hotstreak reclaim the gas from Static. Ebon says that when he and the others come back with their powers, they will take care of them. However, Static replies that would only happen if they could get the gas back from Hotstreak, who had double-crossed Ebon the moment he got the gas and retreated. All of them, except Static and Gear, look for him. Ebon goes into the monitor room and finds Hotstreak. Ebon and Hotstreak start to fight and set off the gas. Teresa, who freed herself, sees this and runs. Teresa finds Static and Gear and frees them. Teresa tells them what's happening, and gets out of there while Static and Gear go after Ebon. The gas comes through the hallway, and Static and Gear breathe in a lot of the gas. Instantly, their powers are restored fully.

They find a giant two-headed creature composed of both the Fire and Dark/Shadow elements, which is Ebon and Hotstreak; having breathed in so much gas they fused together and had what little of their humanity further consumed. The fight begins, but Gear's weapons are useless. Static seems to have grown stronger though and has made some major hits. But Ebonstreak seems to have no real damage and is about to suck Static and Gear in a black hole he created in his chest. Static throws a gas tank in the hole and fires a blast at it. It blows up, sinking the ship and supposedly absorbing Ebonstreak into it for good. Static and Gear get out in time and are flying away. Static and Gear talk about if "Ebonstreak" would have survived such an explosion, and both figure that it is probably still alive. They also wonder how many other Bang Babies breathed in the gas. Static says Dr. Todd will no doubt spray the cure around again. Gear says he will make a cure for the cure, now that he is a genius again. Static smiles, saying "They can't get rid of us that easily" as they fly off.

Plot (Live Action)

Episodes

  • 52 (total)

Theme Songs

Opening
  • Gotta Be A Superhero Static Shock Theme (Season 1)
  • Got To Get Up, Gotta Go Static Shock Theme (Season 2)
  • Superhero Static Shock (Season 3 & 4)
Closing
  • Static Shock Theme (Instrumental)

Voice Cast

Japanese
  • ??? as Static/Virgil Hawkins & Future Static/Virgil Hawkins
  • Taiten Kusunoki as Green Lantern/John Stewart
  • ??? as Gear/Richie Foley & Future Gear/Richie Foley
  • ??? as Robert Hawkins
  • ??? as Sharon Hawkins
  • ??? as Daisy Watkins
  • ??? as Frieda Goren
  • ??? as Carmen Dillo
  • ??? as Kangor
  • ??? as Onyx
  • ??? as Ebon/Ivan Evans
  • ??? as Hotstreak/Francis Stone
  • ??? as Talon/Teresa
  • ??? as Shiv
  • ??? as Edwin Alva
  • ??? as Hotstreak/Francis Stone
  • ??? as Talon/Teresa
  • ??? as Shiv
  • ??? as Edwin Alva
  • ??? as Rubberband Man/Adam Evans
  • ??? as Carmen Dillo (Season 1 to 2)
  • ??? as Ferret
  • ??? as Puff
  • ??? as Trapper
  • ??? as Batman/Bruce Wayne & Old Bruce Wayne
  • ??? as Robin/Tim Drake
  • ??? as Trina Jessup
  • ??? as She-Bang/Shenice Vale
  • ??? as Brainiac
  • ??? as Edwin Alva Jr./Omnifarious
  • ??? as Maggie Foley
  • ??? as D-Struct/Derek Barnett
  • ??? as Sean Foley
  • ??? as Replay/Johnny Morrow
  • ??? as Thomas Kim/Tantrum
  • ??? as Boom/Byron
  • ??? as Mirage
  • ??? as Permafrost/Maureen Connors
  • ??? as Jimmy Osgood
  • ??? as the Joker
  • ??? as Nails/Allie Langford
  • ??? as Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel
  • ??? as Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley
  • ??? as Jean Hawkins
  • ??? as Timezone/Nina Crocker
  • ??? as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El
  • ??? as Toyman/Winslow Schott
  • ??? as Batman/Terry McGinnis
  • ??? as Ms. Pettibone
  • ??? as Mr. Kim
  • ??? as Mrs. Kim
  • ??? as Young Sharon Hawkins
English
  • Phil LaMarr as Static/Virgil Hawkins, Future Static/Virgil Hawkins & Green Lantern/John Stewart
  • Jason Marsden as Gear/Richie Foley, Future Gear/Richie Foley, & Carmen Dillo (Season 2 to 4)
  • Kevin Michael Richardson as Robert Hawkins, Kangor & Onyx
  • Michele Morgan as Sharon Hawkins
  • Crystal Scales as Daisy Watkins
  • Danica McKellar as Frieda Goren
  • Gary Sturgis as Ebon/Ivan Evans
  • Danny Cooksey as Hotstreak/Francis Stone
  • Tia Texada as Talon/Teresa
  • Brian Tochi as Shiv
  • Kerrigan Mahan as Edwin Alva
  • Kadeem Hardison as Rubberband Man/Adam Evans
  • Matt Ballard as Carmen Dillo (Season 1 to 2)
  • Chick Vennera as Ferret
  • Kimberly Brooks as Puff
  • Michael Rosenbaum as Trapper
  • Kevin Conroy as Batman/Bruce Wayne & Old Bruce Wayne
  • Eli Marienthal as Robin/Tim Drake
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph as Trina Jessup
  • Rosslynn Taylor Jordan as She-Bang/Shenice Vale
  • Corey Burton as Brainiac
  • Matt Ballard as Edwin Alva Jr./Omnifarious
  • Jean Smart as Maggie Foley
  • Bumper Robinson as D-Struct/Derek Barnett
  • Dan Lauria as Sean Foley
  • Neil Patrick Harris as Replay/Johnny Morrow
  • John Cho as Thomas Kim/Tantrum
  • Rickey DShon Collins as Boom/Byron
  • Gavin Turek as Mirage
  • Hynden Walch as Permafrost/Maureen Connors
  • Richard Steven Horvitz as Jimmy Osgood
  • Mark Hamill as the Joker
  • T'Keyah Keymah as Nails/Allie Langford
  • Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel
  • Diane Pershing as Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley
  • Alfre Woodard as Jean Hawkins
  • Rachael MacFarlane as Timezone/Nina Crocker
  • George Newbern as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El
  • Bud Cort as Toyman/Winslow Schott
  • Will Friedle as Batman/Terry McGinnis
  • Miriam Flynn as Ms. Pettibone
  • Michael Paul Chan as Mr. Kim
  • Haunani Minn as Mrs. Kim
  • Ambrosia Kelley as Young Sharon Hawkins

Cast (Live Action)

Difference Between TV Show and Film

Trivia

  • Static and his father appear in a lot of promo commercials for Kids WB. The show also aired on Cartoon Network with Virgil being used as a coming up next promo, and on Toonami in the UK. The show even aired on Disney XD in 2009 to 2011.
  • In the pilot episode, Static is trying on different superhero outfits and briefly wears the outfit of Superfriends character Black Vulcan (another superhero with electricity powers). Then he tries on Harvey Birdman, and Attorney At Law. Phil LaMarr (who voices Static) has a recurring role as Black Vulcan.
  • The season 3 theme song is performed by Lil' Romeo, who also appears as himself in "Romeo in the Mix".
  • When Ritchie gains superpowers in season three, he considers Hardware as his hero name. Virgil says it's already in use. This is a reference to the comic book "Hardware", published by the same company (Milestone Media/DC Comics) that published the original "Static" comics, which both created by series producer, Denys Cowan.
  • The only series showing someone in season 1 doing speed drawings of a respective character from the show before the end credits roll. This was call fast sketch, which was edited to be sped up, of a character before the credits.
  • Although the TV series was titled "Static Shock", the main character was named Static. The name of the comic book this series was based on was titled just "Static", which was produced by Milestone Media, distributed by DC Comics and ran for 46 issues from 1993-1997.
  • The idea of a Static animated TV series first emerged with DC's editor-in-chief Jenette Kahn during the time Dwyane McDuffie was working for Milestone Media under Kahn. In 1993, Kahn proposed to adapt some Milestone Media comic books; Alan Burnett was hired to write a pilot episode for an X-Menesque series with Milestone superheroes called "the New Guard". After attempts to produce several other Milestone projects, Static was eventually the series "they went for".
  • According to the late Dwayne McDuffie, Static was originally going to do a crossover episode with Teen Titans (2003) in Season 3, but because of scheduling, the two-part crossover episode would have aired before the first episode of Teen Titans (2003) aired. Someone at the WB network suggested the Justice League instead for the two-part crossover episode. However, the Justice League crossover episode did air before the two-part Justice League (2001) Season 2 premiere episode, in which the conclusion likely showed the events of how the Justice League acquired the small piece of Brainiac that played a major part in the crossover episode.
  • Season 3 featured a new intro sequence where Static and Gear fight Doctor Koenig the Heavyman, Hotstreak, Ebon, Talon, Professor Menace, and Brainiac in a "Shaq-sized" robotic body, as well as featuring a new theme song performed by Romeo Miller (a.k.a. Lil' Romeo), who also appeared as an animated cartoon version of himself in the episode Romeo in the Mix (2003). However, the Season 2 theme song can still be heard within the TV series as Static's theme music.
  • Beginning in Season 2, it was established that this TV series was part of the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) when the series crossed over with The New Batman Adventures (1997), having Static meet and team up with Batman and Robin.
  • Although Static's co-creator the late Dwayne McDuffie stressed that the TV series remain loyal to "the spirit and the tone" of the comics, some changes were done because of its time slot and target audience of pre-teens. For example, guns appeared less frequently, Virgil is also younger in the series, and his costume and use of his powers are different than the original comics.
  • By the time Milestone and DC drafted their contract over DC distributing Milestone Media comic books, the characters were from separate fictional universes. However, when crossovers between Static and other DC animated series were suggested, it was established that they were from the same DC Animated Universe - "rather than having to muck around with multiple dimensions, or whatever".
  • The TV series' music director was Richard Wolf, while he, Stanley Clarke and Max Gousse were the composers, and Kennard Ramsey was the orchestrator. For action sequences, Wolf wanted to use a "real adrenaline-pumping beat" of 125 beats per minute; however, hip hop music usually only reached 110 beats. The predominant score was electronica with some hip hop-type and DMX-type vocals. R&B and classic hip hop melodies were also used depending on the scenes, and each character had a specific theme. Wolf composed the opening themes for Season 1 and Season 2.
  • This TV series was an extremely popular one, granting its new renewal for a second season just one month after its debut. As of December 2000, it was the highest-rated pre-teen-from 2 to 11 years-series among all networks on its time slot, and the third best on the Kids' WB! lineup. From its debut to July 2003, the series secured the second post among boys aged 6 to 11 years.
  • Originally, the phrase "I'll put a shock to your system" was Static's catchphrase. It was even said at the end of the original intro sequence and at the end of the credits during Season 1. However, the phrase was phased out as the TV series went on.
  • When Richie's Bang Baby super-powers started to appear, he invented a scouting robot named Backpack which he controlled, allowing him to see whatever the robot saw and broadcast his voice through it. He also invented Zap Caps, which were Bang Baby restraining devices, and Chip Blades, which were roller blades with rocket boosters on the sides that allowed him to fly. After using all of these inventions to save Virgil Hawkins from the Meta-Breed, Richie took the superhero name of Gear and started fighting crime alongside Static. Richie also increased the range of Static's tracers and discovered a way to make Static's flying disc, the Static Saucer, fold up even smaller.
  • Richie Foley is based on a character from the comics named Rick Stone, who is a homosexual. Dwayne McDuffie said of the issue "It'll never come up in the show because it's Y-7 but as far as I'm concerned, Richie is gay [...]. The way I dealt with Richie's homosexuality was to write him aggressively and unconvincingly announcing his heterosexuality whenever possible ('Wow! Look at those girls in the swimsuits! I sure like girls!'), while Virgil rolled his eyes at the transparency of it”.
  • Static/Virgil Hawkins' father, Robert Hawkins, "for all intents and purposes, is a new character", as he was re-conceptualized for the TV series as a social worker.
  • Ebon was the head of a large group of Bang Babies called the Meta-Breed and the TV series' main antagonist. Ebon was an unusually powerful and strong metahuman. As a living shadow, he was able to create inter-dimensional portals and can manipulate pure darkness and other shadows, as well as transport others to various locations of his choice. Ebon was a character created for this series and did not appear in the comics.
  • Static/Virgil Hawkins' best friend, Richie Foley, was an amalgamation of different characters from the comics. Richie was aware of Virgil's secret identity and encouraged him to use his powers to become a superhero in Dakota City. This is in contrast to the comics, where Rick Stone never learned about his best friend's double life; in the comics, it was Virgil's other friend, Frieda Goren.
  • The TV series' popularity led to new demand for Milestone Media's Static comics: the first four issues of it were reissued as a trade paperback titled "Static Shock: Trial by Fire" in 2000. A new comic book miniseries, "Static Shock! Rebirth of the Cool", was released between January and September 2001. "Rebirth of Cool" featured Static changing his costume to the version used on this series.
  • Police Chief Barnsdale was a recurring character in the TV series, who had a tough time cracking down on crime in Dakota after the Big Bang. One of his first ideas to battle Bang Babies was the Metahuman Capture Division, which would use non-lethal force to capture them. Later, he would allow Static to assist with metahuman crime.
  • Season 2 featured a new intro sequence where Static fights Kangorr, Hotstreak, Puff, and Ebon, as well as featuring a new theme song. The "Static Shock" logo at the end of this intro sequence was against a light purple background.
  • In Season 3, Richie Foley gained super-powers and became Static's crime fighting partner Gear. This was done because it was becoming hard to fit him into the episodes and the producers wanted to keep the "chemistry" between voice actors Phil LaMarr (Static) and Jason Marsden (Richie) intact. There was also a positive response from children in focus groups, so the decision seemed pretty obvious to the TV series' producers. Ratings increased after Richie's character obtained super-powers; Dwayne McDuffie affirmed that this is what secured the renewal for a new season. In the series, it was explained that Richie gained his super-powers as a delayed reaction from being around Virgil Hawkins, whose clothes reeked of the gas created after the Big Bang.
  • On a vacation to Ghana, Static met an African superhero named Anansi, who was a spider-themed trickster hero. This character was based on West African folklore, where the spider is a trickster figure. Also, having Static meet a spider-based superhero was paying homage to Static's conception as a character, as one of the reasons Dwayne McDuffie wanted to create Static in the first place is because he was inspired by Marvel's early Spider-Man stories of a young self-made teenage superhero.
  • Static/Virgil Hawkins' mother was dead in the TV series, despite the fact that she was alive in the comics. This change was done because producers had the intention "to focus on a strong, complex relationship between an African-American father and son." Nevertheless, Static co-creator Dwayne McDuffie was concerned by the change because he originally intended to oppose the stereotype of black people not having a complete nuclear family. However, McDuffie said "that it worked out okay", as the crew could use the absence of Virgil's mother to create a "couple of great stories".
  • The super-villain group named the Meta-Breed was created for the TV series and did not appear in the comics. The version of it that first fought Static consisted of Ebon, Talon, Shiv and a reluctant new member, D-Struct (Derek Barnett). This group of Bang Babies were deformed by the Big Bang gas and forced to go underground to live in an old Milestone St. abandoned subway station.
  • The disc Static used to fly was called the Static Saucer. It was created by Richie Foley, who made it out of Mylar, a metalized nylon that is stronger than steel. The Static Saucer was lightweight and folded in half for easy storage, but when Static applied an electrical charge, it unfolded into a disc.
  • Static operated out of a secret headquarters in an abandoned gas station in Dakota, which was found by Richie Foley. When the rundown station was first shown to Virgil Hawkins, he called it the "Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude", which is actually an in-joke that refers to Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
  • The TV series' version of Daisy Watkins was less shy and more popular, like her friend Frieda Goren, and a friend of Shenice Vale as well. She was also a smart girl who attended the Vanmoor Institute, a school for gifted youth, but after her discovery that Daisy's seniors were revealed as criminals (who had been taken down by Static) and therefore arrested, her parents put her in a safer public school which Virgil also attended. When she came into contact with Static, she became infatuated with him, always putting her in dangerous situations several times. She also developed a relationship with Virgil Hawkins (not knowing that he was actually Static), developing an on again/off again relationship because Virgil's responsibilities as Static would get in the way of it.
  • In this TV series, Static's electricity-based powers were displayed with a visual of white with a purplish outline, as opposed to the comics where they were a little more realistic, with a visual of white with a blue outline.
  • In this TV series, Static's full name was Virgil Albert Hawkins. In the comics, Static's full name was Virgil Ovid Hawkins.
  • Throughout the entire TV series, Static and Richie communicated with a pair of walkie talkies named Shock Boxes.
  • Virgil Hawkins' first job was at a fast food restaurant called Burger Fool, which had a jester character as their company mascot. This restaurant is a spoof of real-life fast food restaurants Burger King and McDonalds, the latter with their clown mascot Ronald McDonald. Burger Fool restaurants and billboards made numerous appearances throughout the TV series.
  • The Freeman Community Center where Robert Hawkins worked was named after Augustus Freeman who, in the Milestone Media comics, was also a superhero named Icon.
  • In this TV series, the Big Bang gas was a purple-colored gas, instead of a yellow-colored one as in the comics.
  • In the TV series, Static had a weakness to water, which shorted out his powers when he came into contact with it. In the comics, however, water had no effect on his powers.
  • Beginning in Season 2, the TV series started featuring guest appearances from real-life celebrities voicing animated cartoon versions of themselves, from Shaquille O'Neal to Romeo Miller (a.k.a. Lil' Romeo).
  • In Season 2, Ebon's voice was slightly altered, giving it a more monster-like quality. However, Ebon's voice reverted back to normal beginning in Season 3.
  • In Season 2, Rubberband Man revealed that Ebon was actually his brother, Ivan. Since Rubberband Man and Ebon were both brothers and could both stretch their bodies, it is possible that the effects of the Big Bang gas may have had something to do with the genetic code of the person affected by it.
  • For Season 3, Static changed his costume to a darker-colored one. Denys Cowan stated that the change was done to give his clothes a "feel of the comic book", while Dwayne McDuffie said it represented a growth that Virgil was passing through. This maturation made it possible to "explore some of the darker places in his world" and to have more varied conflicts, as the villains had also become more mature. He described it is as "a natural outgrowth of all that, as is the new, more naturalistic look of the show".
  • Throughout the entire TV series, Static only threw a punch once, which was in Fallen Hero (2004) against Green Lantern's shielding force field.
  • The Season 2, 3 and 4 premiere episodes all featured a crossover with The New Batman Adventures (1997).
  • As in the comics, Hotstreak was one of Static's very first rivals - giving him a challenge nearly every time they met. The fights seemed to be personal in some way, since Static and Hotstreak already had history with each other prior to the Big Bang. Before the Big Bang, Francis "F-Stop" Stone was a feared school bully and gang leader who often went after Virgil for his wisecracks at his expense. This was consistent with the Milestone Media comic book version of Hotstreak, who was named Martin "Biz Money B" Scaponi. However, the TV series' version seemed to mellow out as the series went on and, given enough time, he might have reformed and become a superhero.
  • Edwin Alva Jr. was a Milestone Media character that was brought over to the TV series from another one of their comic book series titled "Hardware".
  • In the comics, Wade (whose full name is Larry Wade) was one of Virgil's closest friends. In this TV series, Wade attempted to get Virgil to join his gang. Giving him a gun and telling him to join him at the city docks, Wade was going to help Virgil stand up to his problems with Francis "F-Stop" Stone, who became Hotstreak. That night, the " Big Bang" accident happened; what kind of Bang Baby Wade became is unknown, or if he even survived that night, as he never made another appearance on this series.
  • Similar to the comics, Frieda Goren was Virgil's friend at school and his initial crush. She was best friends with Daisy Watkins and Shenice Vale, in contrast to the comics, where she found out that Static was her friend, Virgil Hawkins.
  • The TV series' production team was mostly composed of people who were involved with The New Batman Adventures (1997) and Superman: The Animated Series (1996), but also included Static's co-creator Denys Cowan. Although the series hired the comic series' co-creator Dwayne McDuffie as story editor and writer, McDuffie had no direct involvement on its development.
  • Rubberband Man was drastically changed for the TV series. This version of Rubberband Man was an African American guy who tried to get revenge on a music producer for stealing his song. His real name was Adam Evans, which is derived from the names of former Milestone writers Adam Blaustein and Yves Fezzani, who created the character. The Milestone Media comic book version of Rubberband Man was a small-time crook and Bang Baby named Kamron Stringer ("Stringer" was also an alias that Rubberband Man used in an episode of the series) who appeared on a talk show and challenged Static on live TV. Later, he joined Doctor Kilgore's new team of super-villains named the Collective.
  • Static's costume on this TV series was different than the one he wore in the comics. In the series, Static's costume was a white mask, a white shirt with a black lightning bolt and circle symbol on it, black pants, a purple coat with a yellow underside, yellow goggles, originally black and white boots and later gray boots. This is different from the comics, where he wore a blue leotard with yellow wrist gauntlets, a baseball cap and usually a yellow jacket.
  • In this TV series, Edwin Alva Jr. became a villain named Omnifarious in order to get back at his browbeating father. Like his father, Edwin Alva Sr., the character appeared in another one of Milestone Media's comic book series featuring another hero named Hardware. In the comics, Edwin Alva Jr. did not appear until after a reformed Edwin Sr. died a heroic death, then he became an ally of Hardware.
  • Shelly Sandoval was Channel 3's on-site reporter, who appeared often throughout the TV series and often reported on Bang Baby activities. The character's visual design was based on her voice actress, Maria Canals-Barrera.
  • Rubberband Man dated Static's sister, Sharon Hawkins, in an episode of the TV series. He met Sharon when he had escaped from jail and was going by the alias "Stringer".
  • The intro sequence for Season 1 featured the original theme song "Gotta Get Up, Gotta Go" and Static fighting Rubberband Man, Hotstreak. Dwayne McCall's giant robot T-rex, and Ebon.
  • During the 2001-2002 TV season of the TV series, only 11 of the 13 episodes from Season 2 aired on Kids WB!. These two episodes were withheld and then aired for the first time during the 2002-2003 TV season on Kids WB! while Season 3 was also being aired.
  • In Season 3, the animation for the TV series improved considerably, which gave it a more naturalistic look.
  • In Season 3, the Meta-Breed returned, with the team consisting of the three founding members Ebon, Talon, and Shiv, who were now joined by a new member, Kangorr. They began operating out of the abandoned Dakota Juvenile Detention Center, a place that the founding members were very familiar with.
  • In Season 3, John Semper became the show story editor. Semper is best known as the story editor, head writer, and producer for Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994). Static co-creator Dwayne McDuffie was a huge fan of Spider-Man and decided to create Static after Spider-Man had changed so much in the comics; for example, no longer being a teen hero and being married to a supermodel. Semper also did not care for the changes in modern Spider-Man comics and, for the most part, excluded 1990s comic stories from his Spider-Man TV series.
  • The Justice League crossover episode, A League of Their Own: Part 1 (2003), began with a teaser cold opening which was pushed for by story editor John Semper. This type of opening was used again later for the episodes Toys in the Hood (2003) and Blast from the Past (2003).
  • The TV series did a crossover episode with Superman: The Animated Series (1996) that had Static meet and team up with Superman for the first time. While the episode was a sequel to Obsession (1998), it actually took place during the time that Superman had joined the Justice League, since he had the same character design and was voiced by George Newbern, who took over the role in Justice League (2001).
  • In this TV series, Jean Hawkins was a paramedic who was killed by a stray bullet while helping people during the Dakota riots. The character was voiced by Michele Morgan (who regularly voices Sharon Hawkins) in a brief cameo appearance in Tantrum (2001), but when Jean Hawkins made her first full appearance on the show in Flashback (2003), she was voiced by Alfre Woodard.
  • In the Season 3 finale, Blast from the Past (2003), Static met Soul Power, an elderly veteran superhero with powers similar to his. Soul Power and his sidekick Sparky came out of retirement to team up with Static in order to defeat Soul Power's greatest foe, the evil genius Professor Menace. The original plan for the Season 3 finale was supposed to have Static meet Black Lightning, a DC Comics superhero who also had electricity-based super-powers. However, Black Lightning was not allowed to be used by DC because that would require them to pay royalties to Black Lightning's co-creator, Tony Isabella.
  • Season 3 was the TV series' most popular one of all and it was the second best-rated Saturday morning program among boys aged 6 to 11 years and male tweens aged 9 to 14. From February to April 2003, its ratings regularly performed over the 4.0 stake among the public aged 9 to 14 years; it even reached the 6.4 mark in May.
  • In May 2003, Midway Games announced the production of a platform video game based on the TV series for the Game Boy Advance. Although footage of the game was displayed at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo, it was later canceled.
  • Season 4 featured a new intro sequence that was just a slight update of the Season 3 intro sequence, where Static and Gear fight Doctor Koenig the Heavyman, Hotstreak, Ebon, Talon, and Professor Menace, as well as featuring the same theme song performed by Romeo Miller (a.k.a. Lil' Romeo). Also, since the footage was originally created for Season 3, Virgil still wore a orange shirt and blue jeans, Richie still wore his green and orange hoodie and, as Gear, Richie still wore his original light and dark green costume instead of the new green and white costume seen in Season 4. However, the Season 4 intro sequence featured clips of Static fighting the Nano Tech Robot from Hoop Squad (2004)and Static trying to prevent a statue from falling on a crowd of people from She-Back! (2004), which replaced footage of Brainiac in a "Shaq-sized" robotic body from Season 3's Justice League crossover episode.
  • Tarmak was a Bang Baby that appeared in Where the Rubber Meets the Road (2004) whose appearance resembled the original Milestone Media design of D-Struct in the comics. The animated version of D-Struct on this TV series appeared in The Breed (2000), with a different design that was glowing white with a purple hue.
  • During Season 4, a character named Doctor Todd appeared in a few episodes and was featured in a major story line that involved developing a cure for Bang Babies.
  • For a period beginning on July 4, 2004, Subway restaurants released a series of toys based on the TV series to be offered in the United States and Canada. These were the only toys released that were based on the series, as a retail toy deal could not be secured.
  • This TV series was not canceled because of low ratings, but because of the low production of associated merchandising products and not securing a toy deal. Season 4, the series' last season, was only surpassed by the children's anime TV series Pokémon (1997). The series' reruns on Cartoon Network were only surpassed by the adult animated TV sitcom Family Guy (1999). It was the only TV series on Cartoon Network to be among the top 30 most watched kids series in a week of October 2004. It was also the best rated series of the channel among kids on a week of January 2005, and the best rated series on Cartoon Network's Miguzi block as of March 2005. For the 2004-05 season, it was the 18th most watched Saturday morning children's TV series of all of the networks.
  • All of the reruns of Season 1 had the original Season 1 intro sequence and theme replaced with the Season 2 intro sequence and theme. This was even done on the DVD release "Static Shock: The New Kid", which featured the first six episodes of the TV series. When Season 1 was released on a two-disc DVD, "The New Kid" DVD bonus features were used for Disc 1 and some of the episodes on Disc 2 had the original Season 1 intro sequence and theme. However, a couple of episodes on Disc 2 still featured the Season 2 intro sequence and theme.
  • Season 3 is the only one of the four seasons of the TV series not to have Rubberband Man appear in any of the episodes in it.
  • A future 65-year-old version of Static appeared as a member of the Justice League Unlimited in the animated series Justice League Unlimited (2004) at the end of The Once and Future Thing, Part One: Weird Western Tales (2005) and in The Once and Future Thing, Part Two: Time, Warped (2005), which first aired in January 2005. The latter follows up on two episodes from Season 4, with Green Lantern mentioning that the last time he saw Static, which was in Fallen Hero (2004), he was too young to drive, and Batman finding out details about the future after he told Static not to tell him about the future at the end of Future Shock (2004). The 65-year-old Static had gray hair and wore a different costume that his slightly younger future self wore in Future Shock (2004), which is more like his second costume from this series, only with a different and darker-colored mask.
  • In Season 2, Richie started wearing a hoodie that had the exact same design as his green shirt, with the orange stripe only and colored a lighter shade of green. He also wore an earring in his left ear.
  • In Season 2, Robert Hawkins started dating Trina Jessup, an officer of the Dakota Police Department.
  • In Season 2, Carmen Dillo was shown to have joined the Meta-Breed as their newest member.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Virgil Hawkins wore a yellow and red button-up shirt with a blue collar and red cargo pants. Beginning in Season 3, he started wearing a orange long-sleeved T-shirt with a black collar and lines with the number 5 on the biceps and blue jeans.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Sharon Hawkins wore a white tank top with green pants. Beginning in Season 3, her wardrobe was revamped to a pink shirt with a white collar and yellow pants. Also, the white hair ties were no longer visible on her pigtails.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Robert Hawkins wore a light blue button-up dress shirt with a blue tie and dark gray pants. Beginning in Season 3, his wardrobe was revamped to a yellow and blue button-up dress shirt, a red tie, a brownish-gray vest and blue pants.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Daisy Watkins wore a red shirt jacket over a white shirt with a purple dress. Beginning in Season 3, her wardrobe was revamped to a red tank top with a blue daisy on it and blue jeans. Her hair was also a little longer.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Frieda Goren wore a red shirt, purple pants and purple sneakers. Beginning in Season 3, her wardrobe was revamped to a white tank top, red Capri pants and sandals.
  • In Season 3, a new group of metahumans called the Meta-Men banded together and included Puff, Onyx, Hotstreak and Carmen Dillo. They quickly disbanded after being defeated when Static and Gear teamed up with the Justice League to battle them.
  • In the Season 4 premiere episode, not only did Static do a third straight season premiere crossover with The New Batman Adventures (1997), the episode also had Static travel forward into time to the future and team up with the Batman from Batman Beyond (1999).
  • Beginning in Season 4, Virgil started wearing a yellow long-sleeved T-shirt with a black collar and lines with the number 5 on the biceps and khaki pants. This is a color swap of his Season 3 design.
  • In Season 4, Gear wore a new costume that was exactly the same as his original one; only the colors were different. The new color scheme swapped in dark green and white where it was originally light green and dark green, respectively.
  • In Season 4, Richie started wearing a hoodie that was light blue with a dark blue stripe. It was the exact same design as his green and orange-striped hoodie.
  • Beginning in Season 4, Daisy Watkins' wardrobe was revamped to a pink tank top with a blue daisy on it and light blue pants.
  • Beginning in Season 4, Frieda Goren's wardrobe was revamped to a purple tank top and light purple Capri pants.
  • Sharon Hawkins was one of the few characters in the TV series whose wardrobe revamp in Season 4. She was minor when compared to the other characters. Her wardrobe was revamped to simply pink pants and pink hair ties on her pigtails.
  • Rubberband Man (Adam Evans) changed his costume between the three seasons that he appeared in; in Seasons 1 and 2, he had a full-body purple suit that covered his head, but when Rubberband Man returned in Season 4, he had already switched over to a dark purple suit that left his head exposed.
  • In Seasons 1 and 2, Edwin Alva Sr. wore a grayish-black suit with a blue turtleneck shirt. Beginning in Season 4, he began dressing more in a business/professional style, wearing a dress shirt with a red tie.
  • In Season 4, Aquamaria re-appeared with a new character design that changed her from a bubbly girl to a slick femme fatale and she gained additional highlights around her eyes that resembled a mask. Yeni Alvarez took over from Erika Vélez as the voice of Aquamaria and the character lost her persistent habit of repeating everything she said in Spanish.

all information on Static Shock came from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_Shock

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