Ep 13. Tantrum

Virgil Hawkins (voiced by Phil LaMarr) is a normal high school student who also doubles as Static, a superhero with electrical powers. In episode 13 of season 1, titled "Tantrum", we find Virgil struggling with the dual identity. He cancels his date with Frieda to take care of some vigilante work, but Frieda is left expecting him to show up at the dance recital she's performing at. Meanwhile, a new villain is causing chaos in Dakota City. Tantrum (voiced by Michael Dorn) is a giant, muscled man with anger management issues. He becomes enraged when things don't go his way and goes on a rampage, causing destruction everywhere he goes. Static tries to stop Tantrum's destructive path, but he soon realizes that Tantrum's powers are fueled by anger. The angrier Tantrum gets, the stronger he becomes.

As the episode continues, we get some insight into Virgil's struggles with being a superhero and a high school student. We see Virgil feeling guilty for cancelling his date with Frieda, but also feeling responsible for stopping Tantrum. At the same time, we see his mom pressuring him to maintain good grades in school and excelling in sports. The pressure of juggling between two worlds takes a toll on Virgil, causing him to doubt his abilities as a superhero. His best friend Richie (voiced by Jason Marsden) tries to console him and offers to help, but Virgil is hesitant to put him in danger.

Meanwhile, Tantrum continues his path of destruction, destroying everything in his path. Static tries to reason with him, explaining that he can't take his anger out on innocent people and that his actions will only land him in jail. But Tantrum refuses to listen and goes on a rampage, causing destruction everywhere he goes.

As the episode reaches its climax, we see Static facing a difficult decision. He realizes that he can't beat Tantrum by fighting him physically. Instead, he needs to find a way to calm him down. Static gets an idea and uses his powers to generate a high-frequency sound that only Tantrum can hear. The sound neutralizes Tantrum's powers and calms him down. Tantrum is then taken into custody, and Static is hailed as a hero.

The episode ends with Virgil reconciling with Frieda and promising to make it up to her. He also learns that it's okay to ask for help and that he doesn't have to do everything alone. Static's growing popularity and becoming a hero in the eyes of Dakota City's citizens leave an open door for him to continue saving the day.

"Tantrum" is an exciting and action-packed episode that also explores Virgil's inner turmoil as he tries to balance his dual identity. The episode does a great job of showing that being a superhero is not just about fighting villains but also about juggling responsibilities and managing personal relationships. In the end, Static learns an important lesson that will have an impact on his future adventures.