Static Shock – 21badstretch

Static’s old foe Rubberband Man is out of prison and trying to be a superhero himself. But when Meta-Breed leader Ebon rears his ugly head, ol’ Stretchy begins acting like a bad guy again. It’s up to
Static to find out what secret Ebon has over Rubberband Man before he gets sent back for a long stretch of more jail time.

Media by Bird Boy
Review by Matt Zimmer

Voices:
Phil LaMarr as Virgil Hawkins/Static
Jason Marsden as Richie Foley
Kevin Michael Richardson as Robert Hawkins
Michele Morgan as Sharon Hawkins
Matt Ballard as Carmen Dillo
Maria Canals as Shelley Sandoval
Kadeem Hardison as Rubberband Man
Gary Sturgis as Ebon
Tia Texada as Talon
Brian Tochi as Shiv
Erika Velez as Aquamaria

Rubberband Man returns this time as an ally to Static.

While fighting the Meta-breed Static gets an unexpected assist from
Rubberband Man who is now a superhero and helping the police since he got out of prison. Talon and Shiv take the news of the Breed's new recruit Aquamaria getting captured by Rubberband Man to Ebon who is very upset by the news. While Adam Evans is now a newfound celebrity Sharon is angry with him for not spending enough time with her. Later Ebon visits Adam and we find out they are brothers and Ebon offers Rubberband
Man the chance to join his gang. Adam refuses. Later when Static and
Rubberband Man fight the Breed again Static is enraged to see Adam help
Ebon escape. Adam apologizes and leaves.

Later a purple figure helps the Meta-Breed who was captured escape and the news is all around town that Adam Evans has been identified as the person behind the break-out. Adam tries to go to the Hawkins residence to explain himself to Sharon and reveals his connection to Ebon but says he wasn't involved with the break-out. Virgil tails him as Static and finds him back at the Ebon's hideout who again offers him to join his crew. Static finds a purple costume hidden in the rafters and informs
Rubberband Man that it must have been Ebon who framed him. Ebon then tries to kill Static but Adam saves him. Adam defeats Ebon but tells
Static that he refuses to give up on him. He changed his ways and so can his brother. Later Adam visits the Hawkins residence to try to make up with Sharon. Virgil says it will take a lot of effort on Adam's part as
Sharon is very angry and Adam tells him that some things are worth it.

I love this episode. It was quite a revelation that Ebon was Rubberband
Man's brother and it played out quite nicely. Rubberband Man has always been my favorite character on this show because of the journey he takes.
I am really impressed with the fact that he refuses to give up on Ebon.
I just wish this relationship has been expanded upon in another episode of the series. As it stands we must make do with this insight into him and take comfort in the fact that it is a really great episode.

The animation was serviceable in this episode. While there weren't really any fancy tricks in it as it was a pretty straightfoward story I didn't spot any really choppy spots or mistakes. I WILL say that new
Breed member Aquamaria was animated much better in her second and last appearance “Wet and Wild.” But as a debut for her the water effects were decent. This is one of my favorite episodes from the first two seasons and I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed it.

Story: *****
Animation: ****
Average: *****