Template:EpisodeInfobox/Season5
Lightspeed is the 60th episode of the Teen Titans series and the 8th episode of Season 5.
Synopsis
The six members of the H.I.V.E. Five
The H.I.V.E. Five under Jinx's leadership break into the Jump City Museum to plunder its current exhibit of Egyptian artifacts. The robbery itself goes as planned, but as soon as they leave the museum, the H.I.V.E. Five are surprised by an unknown speedster who strips them off the artifacts before they can stop him. Strangely, in place of the luck amulet she has stolen for herself, Jinx ends up holding a red rose in her hand, before the alarm goes off, forcing them to run for it.
Back at their headquarters, Jinx fumes at the interloper's meddling in their affairs because she fears that this will impede their chances at being taken seriously by the Brotherhood of Evil, but none of her teammates decide to pay more attention to the matter. But as they attempt another set of raids all over the city, the unknown speedster returns and foils them yet again, finally inciting their ire. Jinx gets the idea of capturing their new opponent and turn him over to the Brotherhood in order to improve their (or rather, her own) standing with them.
Kid Flash captured
Jinx returns to the museum to steal the luck charm once more and finally gets to meet her adversary face to face: a young boy by the name of Kid Flash. Kid Flash keeps flirting with her, but also adresses a doubt that has been secretly nagging her, namely that she is secretly dissatisfied with her life of crime. He tries to persuade her to abandon her career as a villainess, and at first Jinx seems willing to do so ... until she reveals that this was just part of a trap! Though surrounded by the H.I.V.E., Kid Flash manages to hold his own, using his speed for great effect, until Jinx finally manages to trip him up and knock him out. Once he recovers, Kid Flash finds himself in the H.I.V.E.'s headquarters, with the Five (or rather, Six, as he points out) first standing triumphantly before him before they start bickering about what to do with him. Finally, everyone but Jinx loses interest and leaves much to Jinx's annoyance, and once more Kid Flash tries to convince her that she can do better. Jinx in return holds onto her plan and calls up her idol in the Brotherhood, Madame Rouge, who agrees to come and pick Kid Flash up. But Kid Flash decides not to stay and wait for Rouge to arrive, but before he leaves, he races through the entire H.I.V.E., thoroughly dismantling the facility including Jinx's room (with a little bit of unintentional help from Jinx) much to Jinx's extreme anger, despite the H.I.V.E.'s frantic attempts to stop him.
Madame Rouge on the hunt
When Madame Rouge arrives, she expresses her disdain at the H.I.V.E.'s inability to keep Kid Flash imprisoned and their status as "children" in general, and goes after Kid Flash herself. Still determined to prove her worth to her, Jinx decides to hunt Kid Flash down as well and catch him before Rouge gets to him first. But again most of the H.I.V.E., with the exception of See-More, refuse to tag along, this time in fear of vexing Rouge.
In the city, Kid Flash appears before what he thinks to be Jinx but is actually Madame Rouge, who immediately sets upon him. Worn down and hurt, Kid Flash barely manages to get away and hide in a warehouse, where he is apprehended by Jinx. Before she proceeds to capture him with a forcefield device made by Gizmo, Kid Flash appeals to her one more time, telling her that she can use her bad luck powers for good as well, despite what she may think. Though torn, Jinx activates the device, imprisoning him.
Jinx taking up a new life
As Jinx exits the warehouse, she runs into Madame Rouge and happily presents her catch. Rouge, however, batters her aside, belittleling her admiration and efforts. Finally fed up, Jinx crushes the device, freeing Kid Flash, and when Rouge prepares to hit her again, Jinx responds in kind with one of her hex blasts, knocking Rouge back and exclaiming that she doesn't care who Rouge is anymore. Now Madame Rouge smiles, seemingly impressed. She leaves while saying that she and Jinx will be in touch. See-More appears after she is gone and tries to cheer Jinx up by inviting her to a robbery, but Jinx turns him down. After a quiet good-bye to him, she leaves and disappears into the shadows, but not without first noticing and picking up a new rose left for her by Kid Flash.
Quotes
- (Interrupting the usual standard intro)
Jinx: We're the H.I.V.E. Five and this is our show now!
- Billy Numerous: (While stealing mummy jars) Hoo wee! Them some fancy jars! (Duplicates)
Duplicate: I agree. I believe these should be the property of Billy Numerous!
(Billy Numerous duplicates into four copies)
Duplicates: Start grabbing!
- (After their museum robbery is foiled and Jinx has been left with a rose)
Jinx: I wanna know who did this. I wanna find them and I wanna make them pay. (Destroys rose)
Gizmo: Somebody has a boyfriend!
(He laughs. Jinx causes his chair to break)
- Mammoth: So we got busted. What's the big deal? We get busted all the time.
- Gizmo: Who needs 'em?
Jinx: Suit yourselves! But when I'm playing in the big leagues and you're still robbing parking meters, don't ask me for any favors!
(Jinx exits.)
Billy Numerous: Ya all wanna build a fort outta sofa cushions?
(The other boys eagerly join in)
- Billy Numerous: Yeeeaaahhh! It's time for crime!
- Billy Numerous: Run run run as fast as you can! You can't catch me... catch you... I'm Billy Numerous!!
- (Mammoth opens candy bar, but Kid Flash takes it before he eats it)
Mammoth: Hey! I payed for that!
- Kid Flash: Wait, wait, wait, wait! If you're called the "H.I.V.E. Five", how come there are six of you?
See-More: (Unsure) 'Cause i-i-it sounds c-cooler?
Billy Numerous: Ah, this is boring! (He leaves as he leaves a duplicste behind)
Duplicate: We're going to go watch wrassling! (He leaves as well)
Gizmo: You dweebs better not hog the sofa! (He flies away as Mammoth eats the rest of his chips and runs off. Jinx just annolys puts her head in her hand)
- Jinx: Why are you so interested in me?
Kid Flash: There's something about you that's different. I think you can do better. (Pauses. Produces a sandwich) Can I get some mustard? This looks a little dry.
Jinx: Have your fun, in a minute you're gonna wish your were never born.
Kid Flash: Oh right, you wanna see what makes me tick.
Jinx: You're an idiot. I'm turning you in to the Brotherhood of Evil.
Kid Flash: You're joking, right? (The Brotherhood of Evil symbol appears on computer screen) You're not joking.
- Gizmo: Who's the loser now?
- (Kyd Wykkyd appears suddenly behind Kid Flash, startling him)
Kid Flash: Someone should put a bell on you.
- Kid Flash: Ooh, what'cha making?
Gizmo: Ooh, you'll find out! (Realizing it's Kid Flash) AAAH!!!
- Kid Flash: (Going through Jinx's drawings) I never took you for the unicorn type.
- Madame Rouge: (Threatening Kid Flash) You like to play the games? This is the one called "Stay Alive"!
- Kid Flash: Why do you wanna be like her?
Jinx: I'm bad luck! Good was never an option for me. At least with the Brotherhood of Evil I can be somebody. I'll get respect.
Kid Flash: You don't need to hurt people to feel good about yourself.
- Jinx: I wanted someone to look up to. I thought you were cool.
Madame Rouge: Life is full of disappointments. You are one of them.
- (Madame Rouge tries to hit Jinx, but Jinx blasts her back)
Jinx: I don't care who you are! Nobody messes with me!
Madame Rouge: (Seemingly impressed) Hmmm. Ve'll be in touch.
(Exit Madame Rouge)
- See-More: The research lab's having a special on computers: Steal one, get one free!
Trivia
- This was the only episode out of the whole series ever not to feature the main Teen Titans. They only feature in the intro, but, when it is about to finish, it gets interrupted by the H.I.V.E. Five who announce that this is their episode (since Robin, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire aren't featured).
- This episode is told entirely from the perspective of the H.I.V.E. Five.
- When the H.I.V.E. Five plan a series of robberies, these include "an armored car on Main, three jewellery stores and a taco stand". See-More and Kyd Wykkyd hijack the armored car, but the others appear to choose other non-related targets: Gizmo robs an electronics store, Billy Numerous disrupts some junior hockey players at an ice rink and Mammoth goes to a small store for a candy bar — which he claims he paid for.
- Kid Flash is based on the DC comics' early version of the teenage Wally West, who was Kid Flash in the Teen Titans comics of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Michael Rosenbaum was specifically hired as the voice actor, as he has also voiced Wally West (in his adult incarnation of The Flash) in DCAU's Justice League series.
- The scene in the museum where Billy Numerous and his clones form a continuous maze in Kid Flash's way is a reference to the light cycle scene in the 1982 Disney movie Tron.
- When Madame Rouge shows up in H.I.V.E.'s HQ, Billy Numerous jumps behind a broken piece of furniture, possibly the couch. When the angle is changed, it almost looks like he's behind Jinx. Looking closely, you can see he is indeed still behind the broken furniture (or it could just be a case of Billy and a clone).
- A whole new side of Jinx is shown in this episode. Previously she'd been the 'snotty popular girl', but in this episode she comes out as being ambitious and craving respect — before being taken in by Kid Flash's persistent charm and disgusted by Madame Rouge's bullying and dismissive attitude.
- In this episode, the boy members of H.I.V.E. Five, Gizmo, Mammoth, See-More, Billy Numerous and Kyd Wykkyd think that joining the Brotherhood of Evil is a bad idea, and mock Jinx's eagerness to join them. However, in previous episodes, "Homecoming - Part 1" and "2", the boys are shown to be helping the Brotherhood. They even feature in the final battle in "Titans Together" — while Jinx turns against the Brotherhood and even causes Madame Rouge's own downfall.
- The candy bar Mammoth is eating is called Lightspeed which is the name of the episode.
- The events of For Real is mentioned that Titans East have returned to Steel City.
- The H.I.V.E. Five were initiated into the Brotherhood of Evil, though they forgot they were initiated.
- When Kid Flash knocks Billy Numerous' various clones into the goal, the light behind the net turns on and the goal horn sounds, possibly implying a motion sensor over the goal line. In any standard ice hockey arena, the light and horn are controlled by a judge who is positioned behind the goal and can see when the puck goes in, and are not activated automatically.