The Sum of His Parts

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The Sum of His Parts is the fifth episode of the series and the first season.

Synopsis

On a sunny day, the Teen Titans are having a picnic in the park. As they play a two-on-two round of football, Cyborg suddenly shuts down. After rebooting, he tells the other Titans that his main power cell is dying and that he needs to go back to the Tower to change it. On his way, he runs into a young boy with a hand prosthesis who declares himself Cyborg's biggest fan because they are so much alike. Before he can properly relate to the subject, an alarm calls Cyborg off, and he races to help his teammates.

File:Sum Of His Parts a.jpg

Little lost Cyborg

Mumbo has just robbed a jewelry store and prepares to evaluate his loot in Tito's Junkyard when the Titans attack him. They are soon joined by Cyborg, who has jury-rigged an emergency battery pack. But during the fight the pack gets smashed up, and before he can extricate himself from the hind part of a garbage truck, Cyborg's power cell is completely drained, and along with the refuse he is tipped over into a container with a hole which leads to a system of underground tunnels. Mumbo hijacks the truck for his getaway, and the Titans, thinking that he has taken Cyborg hostage, pursue him. After a long chase through the city, the Titans finally manage to bring down Mumbo, but they realize that they have been going after the wrong target, and so they quickly rush back to the junkyard.

Fixit's reawakening

Meanwhile, Cyborg eventually comes to and finds himself in the underground abode of a strange hermit calling himself Fixit, who has recharged his power cell. Though thankful, Cyborg attempts to get back to the surface to rejoin his friends, but Fixit obstructs him, first subtly, then by force. Thinking of Cyborg as a kindred spirit and in urgent need of "repairs", he intends to replace Cyborg's remaining human parts with cybernetic implants to relieve him of his biological imperfections, as he once did with himself. Cyborg can't break free or fight back, rendered helpless by Fixit's technopathic powers. But as Fixit prepares to link his mind with Cyborg's in order to download the latter's memories into his new brain, he catches glimpses of the day in the park and of Cyborg's feelings for his friends. The emotions behind them shock and overwhelm Fixit, making him realize that he had lost his own humanity by having made himself a machine. Cyborg offers him to help regain what he has lost, an offer Fixit accepts.

Later on, back in the park, Cyborg re-encounters the kid again, who has brought along a friend. When the boy points out what he has in common with Cyborg, Cyborg goodnaturedly points out that the most important thing about them is not their artificial parts, but what they are attached to.

Title

Refers to Gestalt Psychology belief: The whole is more than the sum of its parts. Meaning Cyborg is capable of more than just his different parts.

Memorable Dialogue

• Cyborg: Four and a half pounds of baby back ribs! Man, I love picnic food! [starts scarfing away]
• Starfire: Agreed, Cyborg. This tangy yellow beverage is truly delightful.
  [starts slurping more of her drink. Robin and Cyborg slowly stop eating and start looking at her, flabbergasted]
  Cyborg: Um .. Starfire?
  Robin: That's mustard.
  Starfire: [lovingly rubs the mustard jar on her cheek] Is there more?
• Mumbo: [as a human] So, do I still have to go to jail?

    (no answer)

         Mumbo: I thought so.

•  Mumbo: Now for my next trick, I'll require a lovely asistant. [he pull starfire down with his magic, put her into a box and create a saw] It's only fair to warn you. I have no idea what I'm doing.

See Also

The Sum of His Parts/Transcript

Trivia

• The villain Psimon was originally going to appear in this episode. However, he was replaced by Fixit. Ironically, the two resemble each other.
• Robin's mask is seen off his face when Cyborg pulls him.
• When Beast Boy is counting, he counts in "Gotham Cities" (1 Gotham City, 2 Gotham City, etc).