Kidnapped

Static Shock episode
"Kidnapped"
Airdate:	May 15, 2004
Production Number:	51
Airdate Order:	51
Animation Services by:	Koko/Dong Yang
Written by:	John Semper, Jr.
Directed by:	Vic Dal Chele

"Kidnapped" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the fourth season of Static Shock. It first aired on May 15, 2004.

Plot

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. He's shutting down her research because it's no longer of any use. Alva had Dr. Roberts committed to finding out Static's secret identity, but since Static helped him get his son back to human form, Edwin has no problem with Static anymore. Dr. Roberts refuses to continue working at Alva Industries, so Edwin fires her. But after Edwin leaves the room, the doctor receives a transmission from one of the cameras that has Static showing his true identity.

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. Sharon can't get out of her car and Onyx carries Robert to the van. Puff and Onyx drive away with Sharon following. They get to a highway where Puff decides to get rid of Sharon, who is still tailing her. Puff takes out her tires. Static arrives just in time to get Sharon out safely, while the car veers off the highway and straight into a building's window. Sharon exclaims to Static that Puff kidnapped her father.

Static goes on a hunt for his father while locating Kangor, Carmen Dillo, and Shiv to threaten them about anything they know about where Puff and Onyx are hiding. All three don't have a clue. In the distance, Static sees a huge flame go up in the air. It's at a parking garage where Puff and Onyx are. Static violently asks Puff about his father and finds out that they were hired to kidnap his dad. Puff gives him a message from the person they were hired by, sending him to where his father is kept. When he arrives at the old junkyard, he sees a big computer screen with all sorts of other electronics. On the screen is his dad in a room surrounded by lasers. A woman comes out and shows Static on the screen him taking off his mask from earlier. She figured out that he's really Virgil Hawkins. She calls herself Omnara and explains that she kidnapped Robert to get to Static. She did this because she has a little job for Static that no one other Bang Baby could accomplish. Also, since she has Static's father captured, he has all the more reason to fulfill her wishes.

She wants him to go to Alva Industries to steal one of the projects she was working on, which is called "Project Omni". But before Static agrees to do this, he wants to see his dad. When Static goes to see him, Robert reveals that he has already figured out that he's Virgil, much to Static's surprise. He knew it was him, that it wasn't that hard to figure out, and also explains 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 by this, 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. Alva runs out and one of the security men tells him what Static broke into. Alva figures out that Dr. Roberts is behind this. Omnara starts to explain her plans with Project Omni to Static. First, she put a computer virus in every computer in the world and put surveillance everywhere. (That's why Gear's boots malfunctioned earlier.) She wants to control every digital device and the entire network, but finds that she's missing one component. She taps onto her network server and finds that the component is in an Alva Industries' truck convoy on the road. Static flies over there and opens up the truck, carrying out the last crate of Omnara's project.

Gear shows up and tries to stop Static. He tells Gear to get out of his way, but Gear refuses, causing them to begin fighting. Static beats him and then clues him on what's going on. Static brings back the final component and Omnara uses it with the rest of her machinery. She connects herself to all of it. The download begins and she hits Static with an energy burst. Gear arrives and pulls Static out of the way, telling him that he got Static's clue. Gear made a counter-worm to stop Omnara. Static runs to where his dad is, freeing him by carefully moving Robert in between the lasers. Gear installs the counter-worm into the hard drive just as Omnara finishes the download. 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 then asks if Gear is really Richie; 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, so she uses Army missiles to bomb each and every one of Alva's businesses. When Static and Gear destroy them, she uses various vehicles to try and take them out. Robert saves Static from being crushed by a bus, while Gear destroys a garbage truck, which tries to crush him as well. Omnara sends more cars, but at the same time the counter-virus kicks in. Omnara overloads and is taken to the hospital, and Static is relieved that now she won't be able to reveal his secret identity. However, Gear reminds him of his father.

Still in shock over discovering the truth, Robert reveals 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 admits that they were given the powers they have, and they'll have to decide for themselves when to use them; he knows that stopping them would be wrong — 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 really angry that the insurance company is giving her a hard time because of her car being wrecked from earlier, while blaming the Bang Babies in the process. She soon calms down and asks her father if there was something he wanted to tell her. However, seeing that she isn't ready to know the truth just yet, Robert decides to hold off from telling Sharon, much to Virgil and Richie's relief.

Continuity

• Robert Hawkins finds out about his son's secret life; he uses this knowledge in "Power Outage" to shield Virgil from Sharon.
• Edwin Alva no longer holds a grudge against Static following the events of "No Man's an Island".

Background information

Home video releases

• Static Shock: The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)

Production inconsistencies

• The police chopper is a reused model from Superman: The Animated Series; it even retains the MPD "M". MPD equipment was also "used" by the Central City Police Department in Justice League Unlimited.

Trivia

• The Greek writing on Omnara's screen is actually gibberish; there are no hidden messages in English or Greek.
• This episode marks the final appearances of Puff, Onyx, Edwin Alva, and Carmen Dillo.
• This marks the fourth time a villain has learned Static's secret identity. Omnifarious was the first, Madelyn Spaulding was the second and Speedwarp was the third.

Cast

Actor	Role
Phil LaMarr	Static/Virgil Hawkins
Jason Marsden	Gear/Richie Foley Carmen Dillo (uncredited)
Kevin Michael Richardson	Robert Hawkins Onyx (uncredited) Kangor (uncredited)
Michele Morgan	Sharon Hawkins
Kerrigan Mahan	Edwin Alva
Kimberly Brooks	Puff
Wendie Malick	Omnara/Karen Roberts

Uncredited appearances

• Shiv

Quotes

Puff: I don't get it. We kidnap some guy, and he acts like it's the crime of the century.

Static: Mr. Hawkins, I'm glad to see you're OK. Robert: You can drop the act, Virgil. Static: You know? Robert: Wasn't hard to figure out. Why else kidnap me to get to Static? And maybe, maybe in the back of my mind, I've always known.

Robert: (after saving Static from a bus) That's the first time I ever had a bus try to catch me.

Gear: (as Omnara is loaded into an ambulance) Her mind is totally overloaded. Static: Well, I guess she won't be communicating my secret identity to anyone — ever. Gear: She won't, but will anyone else?

Robert: (to Static and Gear) But you were given these powers, and you'll have to decide for yourselves when to use them. For me to stop you just wouldn't be right.

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