"Hicksburg" is the seventh episode of the first season of The Zeta Project. It aired March 31, 2001. Zee and Ro visit a logging town where Ro lived with a foster family, in search of information about Ro's birth parents. But when Zee makes the poor choice of posing as a famous vid-star, he attracts unwanted attention to the fugitive pair.
Plot[]
Act one[]
A giant mech approaches Adam Heat, blasting a laser cannon at the action hero. Rolling for cover, Heat lands in front of crates labeled "munitions". Reaching in, he grabs a rocket gun and charges towards his robotic foe. The mech raises its clawed hand, ready to strike, but misses, plummeting its hand through the dock below. Taking the chance, Adam leaps onto the robot's arm, and scales his way onto its head. Springing off the other arm, Heat turns mid-air and fires the rocket. Landing nearby, Adam rises to his feet, turns to face the demolished mech, and says "Schway!"
On a city sidewalk, an adbot is showing this clip of "Neo-Hong Kong Robot Wars Part 41" to bypasses. Moving its focus specifically to Zeta, the adbot tries to get the Synthoid to pre-order a copy of the film. Uninterested, Zee turns to walk towards Ro, who is just making her way out of a nearby mall. Grabbing her pal, she tells Zeta not to talk to the adbot. As the duo walk away, the adbot speeds behind them realizing it can market the film to a teenager.
As Ro and Zee walk away, they discuss their upcoming trip to Hillsburg, or as Ro affectionately refers to it, "Hicksburg". She tells Zeta all about her previous foster family with Sherrif Morgan and his daughter Tiffy but doesn't seem to have too many fond memories. Zeta asks why she would want to go back, and she reveals that she's hoping they may have paperwork that will lead her to finding her real family.
Ro explains that her foster family had once told her she'd never amount to anything, but with Zee's unlimited cred card she can at least appear successful. As she finishes her though, the adbot finally catches up and attempts to peddle the new Adam Heat film to Ro. She kids that if she were to show up to Hillsburg with a vid-star like Heat, she'd surely impress the Morgans. As adbot continues his pitch, Ro pours what's left of her drink on him.
As Zee and Ro make their way into Hillsburg, Ro reveals she was sent there at the age of eight but ran away. Approaching a work area where loggers are cutting down trees with laser saws, she continues by telling Zee she doesn't want to spend much time in town, and requests that he acts normal as she'd like to impress her foster family. Zee assures her that he knows just what to do as the workers finally let them pass.
Upon arrival, Ro is greeted by her former foster sister Tiffy Morgan and Walt Merkin. Having been at odds with each other in the past, Walt and Ro have a quick spat before Tiffy assures Ro that Walt's matured and asks Ro to introduce her friend. Unbeknownst to Ro, Zee has taken on the guise of Adam Heat. Embodying the over-the-top charisma of Heat, Zee hands off his load of packages to Walt and kisses Tiffy, causing her to faint. Jealous, Walt attempts to interject, but Zee dismisses him as he lifts Tiffy to take inside.
Inside, Ro asks Zee for an explanation to his over-the-top antics, and he tells her that he was simply trying to impress, like she had asked. Dumbfounded, she tries to make sense of the kiss. Having momentarily transformed back to his typical disguise, Zee explains that it seemed all that Adam Heat does is hit or kiss, and kissing seemed like the better option. Flustered, Ro suggests Zee turn back into Heat quickly to avoid suspicion. Walt turns to ask if Tiffy is okay before leaving to get smelling salts.
Breaking open a smelling salts capsule, Walt helps bring Tiff back to consciousness, but she's still pre-occupied with the presence of Adam Heat. As Tiff voices confusion as to why the vid-star would be spending time with her runaway foster sister, Ro tells her that in the time since leaving she landed the gig of being Heat's personal assistant, and they're in town to research a role. Ro goes on to tell Tiff and Walt that the whole thing is a secret and hopes that they'll keep it low profile. However, Walt already told people about the supposed star's presence when he had left for the drug store. At that moment, a crowd begins to form around the Morgan house followed by a news vehicle.
Meanwhile, at NSA headquarters, Agent Lee informs Bennet about a news feed from Hillsburg that was reporting on Adam Heat while the actor was being interviewed live on Showbizt Planet from a vid-fest in Macao simultaneously. Agent West butts in that he was the first one to notice the discrepancy but is speechless when asked why he was watching the program in the first place. Continuing her presentation, Lee informs her superior that enhancing the image revealed Ro hiding alongside the ersatz Adam Heat.
Act two[]
The crowd at the Morgan house continue to chant for Adam Heat. Walt apologizes, and while his and Tiff's backs are turned Zee takes on his normal disguise to discuss the situation with Ro. Just then, a siren sounds outside, leading Zee and Ro to believe the NSA has picked up on their trail. However, Tiff informs them that it's just Sherrif Morgan, who had the "fastest rise through the ranks ever" in Ro's absence.
At dinner, Sheriff Morgan notices Zeta's untouched plate and asks "Mr. Heat" if he's not eating. Ro interjects that he can't due to Hollywood's "gain an ounce and you're dead" culture. Concerned, Wendell tells his daughter that this may be something she needs to consider if she wants to follow her dreams of being an actress. Embarrassed, Tiff tries to move the conversation forward by asking what Los Angeles is like. As Zee starts listing off base facts about the city, Ro elbows him and changes the topic to uncovering her foster records. Perturbed, the Sheriff tells his runaway foster daughter that he'll look after dinner.
Later, in Wendell's office, the search for Ro's records begin. The sheriff tells her that it's going to take a while, but Zeta begins to tear open a box saying he can go through them very quickly. Panicked, Ro rushes him off, reminding him that he can't let anything happen to Adam Heat's manicure. Wendell admits it's probably better if he does the job himself but suggests that maybe Adam Heat could help Tiff impress a local director by running a scene from Romeo and Juliet with her in the meantime. Zeta tells the group that he does have the entirety of William Shakespeare's work in his memory, but Ro interjects that it may not be a great idea. More bluntly, the sheriff suggests that they should, given that he's doing them a favor. After a quick shared glance, Tiff goes to call the director.
At the Hillsburg Community Theater, Tiff hands Zeta a Romeo outfit, and excitedly leaves the Adam Heat look-alike to go do her makeup. With his acting partner gone, Zeta studies the outfit and adjusts his hologram, accordingly, tossing the real costume over a wall. Bursting into her dressing room, Tiff starts powdering her face, and voicing her excitement. Jealous, Walt reminds her that he was supposed to be doing the scene with her. Brushing that aside, Tiff asks Walt to help by manning the projector.
Elsewhere, NSA agents Bennet, West and Lee prepare for their arrival to Hillsburg. As Agent West rattles off intel, Bennet asks if he's been in touch with Sheriff Wendell P. Morgan. Not having considered calling the sheriff, West is left dumbfounded as Lee takes charge on the task.
Ro sees an NSA wanted poster for Zeta in Sheriff Morgan's office.
Back at the Morgan house, Wendell is still searching for Ro's records. Claiming his departed wife, Mary Morgan, was the organized one, Ro expresses her sympathies for his loss. The sheriff tells Ro that they'd always wished she had found her family with them and that they had worried about her for years after she left. Glancing around the office, Ro notices the NSA wanted poster for Zeta. She gasps, and Wendell apologizes for her seeing it. He explains that there's plenty of bad in the world, but she shouldn't worry since the good guys will catch him.
As Sheriff Morgan heads to the cellar to check for more discs, Ro takes down and throws away the wanted poster. Just then, the phone rings. Picking it up, Ro finds Bennet on the line looking to speak to her former foster-father. As Ro hangs up the phone, Wendell re-enters the room. Witnessing the action, he asks if he missed a call, but Ro misleads him to believe it was a wrong number. Changing the topic, she rushes him out of the room so they can go see Tiff and Zee perform at the Hillsburg Community Theater.
Wendell and Ro enter the theatre as Tiff and Zeta are performing Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. As Tiff delivers her lines, Ro makes her way to the stage to get the Adam Heat impersonator's attention. Not paying attention to Ro's warnings, Zeta continues his act. Just then the set projector malfunctions, placing Tiff in a barn rather than a castle. She hollers at Walt as he tries to fix it, but the director instructs the actors to continue their scene.
Zeta's hologram begins to give way, revealing he isn't actually Adam Heat.
As the performance continues, Walt slams his fist against the set projector, causing it to turn into the Eiffel Tower. Disappointed, Tiff tells Walt that he's ruining her scene with Adam Heat, but walt lashes out in jealousy, kicking over the projector and reminding her it was supposed to be their scene together. Smashed on the ground, the projector unleashes a volley of electricity, which makes its way to the play's Romeo, revealing him to actually be Zeta. Recognizing the fugitive robot, Sheriff Morgan leaps to his feet and takes aim.
Act three[]
"No, Rosalie, this is another of your mistakes. You always made the wrong choices."
As Sheriff Morgan begins to fire at Zeta, Ro rushes him, imploring him to stop shooting at her friend. Wrestling for control of her former foster-father's firearm, Ro turns to the renegade synthoid and tells him to run while she holds his assailant off. Ro tries to break through to Wendell, but he refuses to listen to her, saying "he's wanted by the NSA, that's all I need to know." Still pleading, Ro tries to tell him it's all a mistake, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Wendell admonishes her and leaves the theatre.
Hopping into his police vehicle, Sheriff Morgan takes off after the fugitive Synthoid. Hurriedly, the still jealous Walt sprints after the vehicle and jumps into the truck bed. As they chase Zeta through rugged terrain, the sheriff runs over a downed tree, flinging Walt from the truck and into the path of Zeta. Terrified, Walt picks up a nearby laser saw from the logging site. He begins to swing the weapon at Zee, not listening when the robot attempts to tell him the sheriff may be in trouble. Having backed his target against a load of logs, Walt takes one last swing at him, but misses and severs one of the cords holding the logs stationery.
Jumping into action, Zeta fires his arm like a grappling hook and grabs the cart of logs to slow their descent, but the weight is too much and drags him along for the ride. Barreling towards the Hillsburg Community Theater, Zee retracts his arm, pulling himself close enough to the cart to board it. Climbing to the top, he grabs the uppermost log, and shoves it into the ground as a keel to steer.
Meanwhile, at the theatre, Tiff begins to ask Ro about her friend. Knowing the truth about Zeta, Tiff is even more impressed than she was by Adam Heat. However, with Ro still holding a grudge from when they were foster siblings, this leads to an argument. Tiff tries to convince Ro that she's changed since then, but Zeta's impending arrival cuts them short. Noticing the potential disaster, the theatre patrons attempt to make a run for it, but the exit is blocked. Noticing Zeta steering the cart, the two girls try to convince the crowd that they'll be safer if they stay inside regardless.
Back on the cart, Zeta's keel snaps in two, throwing him out of control and crashing the cart into several cars in the parking lot. Hearing the impact, Ro makes a break for it to check on her friend. Momentarily anticipating the worst, Ro's anxieties are quickly relieved when Zee pops up from underneath the pile of logs. Sheriff Morgan returns to the scene hoping to check on Tiff and Rosalie's safety but is quickly interrupted by the arrival of James Bennet and his NSA team. Walt attempts to sell Zeta and Ro out, but the sheriff quickly interrupts him and gives the agents false intel. As the agents leave, Zee and Ro come out of their hiding spot, and the young girl thanks her dad for standing up for them.
Back at the Morgan house, Wendell offers Ro a place to stay and find her family with them in Hillsburg, but she declines, saying she has to keep looking for her blood family. As the two share an embrace, Tiff speaks up to apologize to Ro for having been a brat years ago. She explains that she looked up to her then foster-sister for being a rebel and tells Ro she learned from that. Reaching into her pocket, Tiff admits that she had stolen something from her all those years ago and gives her a holographic picture of her previously unknown brother.
Continuity[]
- This episode marks the first usage of the slang term "Schway" from Batman Beyond.
- Zeta's lack of need for nutrition was first mentioned in "The Accomplice".
- First appearance or mention of Casey, Ro's long-lost brother. Ro's search for Casey was continued in "Ro's Reunion" and "On the Wire".
Background information[]
Home video releases[]
Production notes[]
- The Morgan family's cabin was designed, inside and out, by Paul Rivoche.
Production inconsistencies[]
- When Rosalie Rowan grabs Zeta away from the adbot, a background model can be seen walking into frame and stopping on top of a duplicate of itself that was already in frame.
Trivia[]
- The director for the Hillsburg Community Theater is seen wearing a Malcom X inspired baseball cap. This is likely a reference to director Spike Lee, who wore the same exact hat to the premiere of his 1992 film "Malcom X".[1] Notably, Static wore a similar hat on the cover of his first comic appearance the following year, though not the same color scheme.
- This is Clancy Brown's only non-villain performance in the DCAU.
- Perhaps coincidentally, Wendell Morgan and Walt Merkin share initials.
Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Zeta/Zee | Diedrich Bader Adam Heat (uncredited) |
| Rosalie "Ro" Rowan | Julie Nathanson |
| Agent Bennet | Kurtwood Smith |
| Agent West | Michael Rosenbaum Ground Wire patron (uncredited) |
| Agent Lee | Lauren Tom |
| Sheriff Wendell Morgan | Clancy Brown |
| Walt Merkin | Kyle Gibson |
| Tiffany Morgan | Khrystyne Haje |
| Adbot | Roger Rose |
Quotes[]
Tiffany: So, you're really on the run with a fugitive robot? |
- ↑ "(1992) Spike Lee - MALCOLM X PREMIERE L.A." - archived on YouTube by starstracks29