Mentor

Mentor is the fourth episode of the Fifth Season of Static Shock that aired on February 5, 2005 on Kid's WB.

Plot
Jimmy shows Rubberband Man to his house in which they are greated by Jimmy's mom, Mrs. Osgood who is estatic that her son has a new friend let's them in and just like how Virgil and Richie reacted when they first layed their eyes upon his room, Rubberband Man is in awe at Jimmy's room and asked if he made any of it and he replies with 'most of it'.

Shortly afterwards Jimmy tells him why he invited him to his house, he wanted to learn how to navigate life post-villainy as he had been in the game for a longer time than he has, Rubberband Man, then tells him some advice he will never forget, but it all came to hault when Rubberband Man mentioned his brother and how he thinks he could change for the better, Jimmy heavily disagreed stating that it was because of him killing his brother that he was ever a villain in the first place, Rubberband Man in turn states that he is his brother and that ever says that he has changed he should believe and support him in which again Jimmy heavily disagrees with citing the incident that Ebon framed him for breaking out of jail and how that proves that he doesn't even care about his relatives and only cares about himself, after that Rubberband Man stops himself from yelling at Jimmy, takes a deep breath, and asks Jimmy if they could talk about something else, Jimmy agrees and they talk about how to avoid going back to jail again as someone who has a criminal record until Rubberband Man had to leave and Jimmy had to go to bed. The next day after school Jimmy, Static, Gear, and Rubberband Man agree to meet up at The Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, where Jimmy has to come up with a plan about how to defeat Ebon.

But when Rubberband Man said that he should go at least a little bit more easy on Ebon, Jimmy states that he deserves everything that has come to his way for what he had done to him and to other people, after this they get into a huge argument until Static and Gear step in and seperate them and suggests that they should compremise for the greater good and they agree, however when they were about to go with Jimmy's plan, Rubberband Man then dodges for Ebon and defeats him the way he wanted to, Jimmy is furious at Rubberband Man for supposidly "betraying" them for not going through with the plan, Rubberband Man contradicts this by saying that "the plan was too harsh and I needed to do something", the argument went on and on, until Jimmy yelled that "he was no worse than when he was a villain!", these words stung and Rubberband Man ran away with tears streaming down his face and after that both Jimmy and Rubberband Man refused to work with each other and Static and Gear had to find a way to make them be on good terms again but nothing worked and they still continued to argue, even when they weren't fighting against Ebon specifically.

That all changed however when Rubberband Man saw Jimmy being harassed by two guys named Marcus and Gavin, the former was Stella's boyfriend who along with his friend Gavin wanted revenge on Jimmy who was responsible for his girlfriend being in juvie and there was nobody else around, not even Static and Gear, so deciding that not even he deserves to get harassed like that so he swooped in and stood up for Jimmy against them and afterwards Jimmy hugged Rubberband Man thanking him and apologizing to him stating "something like rather Ebon should've been redeemed, should've never have gotten in the way of our friend and if his brother had also gone down that route, I would feel the same way that you did about your brother" and asks him if he could become his mentor again and Rubberband Man agrees, just then Static and Gear spotted them and were glad that they are now friends again and they ask what and after they explained what happened Static goes home and grabs some bandages so Jimmy can heal.

Continuity

 * The second time the fact that Ebon and Rubberband Man are brothers is touched upon again and the first time it's been acknoledged since Season 2.

Home video releases

 * Static Shock: The Complete Fifth Season (DVD)

Production notes

 * Ebon has an echo in his voice which he only had in the episode "Bad Stretch" and doesn't retain in any later episode.

Trivia

 * Stella ‘Backstabber’ Hunter was mentioned one episode before she would return in the episode "Stella's Enemy".

Cast

 * Phil LaMarr as Virgil 'Static' Hawkins
 * Jason Marsden as Richie 'Gear' Foley
 * Kadeem Hardison as Adam 'Rubberband Man' Evans
 * Gary Sturgis as Ivan 'Ebon' Evans
 * Richard Horvitz as Jimmy Osgood
 * Pat Musick as Mrs. Osgood
 * TBA as Marcus
 * TBA as Gavin

Quotes
"I'm so sorry Rubberband Man, something like rather Ebon should've been redeemed, should've never have gotten in the way of our friend and if his brother had also gone down that route, I would feel the same way that you did about your brother and can you be my mentor again?"

- Jimmy apologizing to Rubberband Man

Tropes
See Mentor/Tropes