The Usual Suspect

Static Shock episode
"The Usual Suspect"
Airdate:	February 22, 2003
Production Number:	30
Airdate Order:	29
Animation Services by:	Koko Enterprise Co., LTD.
Written by:	Len Uhley

"The Usual Suspect" is the fifth episode of season 3 of Static Shock. It first aired on February 22nd, 2003.

Plot

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 Sharon for counseling. 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. The monster attacks Virgil and he figures that the monster is Marcus' ex-girlfriend, Tamera 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 never judge people by appearances again.

Continuity

• Sharon refers to the trip to Africa the Hawkins family made in "Static in Africa".

Background Information

Production Inconsistencies

• No director is credited.

Trivia

• This is Frank Welker's only appearance in which he does not provide the voice of an animal or creature. Instead, the monster is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who is often considered Welker's successor.
• Virgil hides under the same bridge in the park as he did in "Winds of Change"; it's apparently been rebuilt as he wrecked it fighting Slipstream.

Cast

Actor	Role
Phil LaMarr	Static/Virgil Hawkins
Jason Marsden	Gear/Richie Foley
Michele Morgan	Sharon Hawkins
Maria Canals	Shelly Sandoval
Gustavo Rex	Officer Rojas
Frank Welker	Officer Packard
Sean Patrick Thomas	Marcus Reed
Ariyan Johnson	Tamara Lawrence
Dee Bradley Baker	Monster

Uncredited Appearances

• Daisy Watkins
• Dion
• Frieda Goren

Quotes

Sharon: For a long time, you've chosen to diss my cooking. Now I've chosen to stop making your meals. Virgil: Say what? Sharon: Ahh, that was really cleansing. I feel empowered!

Marcus: Tamera? Monster: That's right, sweetie. Marcus: But how-? Monster: Remember that night you broke up with me? I went to the docks, looking for you, hoping to get you back. You weren't there. Marcus: So the Big Bang got you. Monster: Yeah, but not you--you walked away clean, from me and everything else. Marcus: So you blamin' me for what happened? Monster: Oh, yeah. Before, only my heart was hurting. Now, everything hurts. I tried to control it, but you've got no idea what it's like to live with a monster inside of you.

Marcus: Tamera said I don't know what it's like to live with a monster inside of me. She's wrong. Sharon: The difference is you can tame your monster. You can even make it go away. It's up to you.

Template:Epbrowser