Episode 48: Overdrive
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Beast Boy: "Dudes! Cyborg is now more... Cyborg-y than ever! "
Starfire: "Agreed. He now opens up even larger cans of the butt-whoop."
Originally aired: July 18, 2005
Written by David Slack
Directed by Michael Chang


Cyborg is a guy with a "can do" attitude. And with the new Maximum 7 processor upgrade driving his circuits, it looks like he can do more than ever before. But when Cyborg meets his multi-tasking match in the duplicitous Billy Numerous, can Cy really push himself to the max?


Jason Marsden as Billy Numerous
Greg Cipes as Adonis [uncredited]


Billy Numerous appeared briefly in DECEPTION; This is his first 'full' appearance; Billy was created for the animated series.
Jason Marsden - the voice of Billy Numerous - has done a lot of voice work in animation; Jason provides the voice of Snapper Carr on "Justice League" as well as Firefly on "The Batman." Jason also starred as a young Burt Ward [who played Robin] in the TV Movie, "Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt" in 2003.
Pictures hanging on Cyborg’s wall include: A dance photo with Cyborg and Jinx from DECEPTION; Cyborg with his car, first introduced in CAR TROUBLE, and Cyborg in a football uniform, hinting at his life before his accident.


There were a few comic book tales in which Cyborg's robotic side threatened to take over his human side. After the Titans were captured by the Wildebeests, Cyborg was almost destroyed but was rebuilt by Russian scientists. This rebuilt Cyborg was a brain-dead cybernetic storm-trooper - as seen in NEW TITANS #77-78 [1991]. Cyborg eventually merged with the planet Technis and lost part of his humanity in the process; He returned as "Cyberion" in NEW TITANS #127-130 [1995]. Cyberion threatened to turn earth into a new Technis world in JLA/TITANS #1-3 [1998]. Later, Victor Stone was returned to Cyborg.

The Maximum 7 processor is made by S.T.A.R. Labs. In the comic book series, S.T.A.R. Labs is responsible for various medical and technological breakthroughs. Both of Cyborg's parents worked at S.T.A.R. Labs. The accident that killed Cyborg's mother and almost claimed the life of Cyborg occured during one of his father's experiments. Cyborg also later had a long-standing romantic relationship with Sarah Charles, a scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs.

In this episode, Cyborg coaches a little league team where the kids are wearing prosthetic limbs. In the comic book series, Cyborg befriended Sarah Simms, who taught children with prosthetic limbs [seen in NEW TEEN TITANS #8 in 1980]. These kids also appeared in the episode, SUM OF HIS PARTS.

For more information on the comic book versions of the characters - including many images - visit titanstower.com's meeting room page.


OVERDRIVE once again revisits Cyborg's plight of man and machine. The theme has been touched on in SUM OF HIS PARTS, ONLY HUMAN and DECEPTION. So is there anything more to say about it? There's a new angle here, as Cyborg bolsters his strength through outside performance enhancement.

There's an obvious steroids or drug parable here - but thankfully, the episode doesn't fall into "After School Special" territory. The episode becomes more about the strength of the human spirit; In the end, it's Cyborg's mind - his humanity - that saves the day.

The episode also takes on a fun and breezy pace. Cyborg's hour-by-hour comparisons are amusing to watch. The dialogue sparkles. And Billy Numerous is a hoot an' a half. Yes, some of these Cyborg-themed episodes do revisit some of the same issues. But this OVERDRIVE managed to find some new angles - and tell them in an entertaining way. Grade: B+

EPISODE SCREEN CAPS
provided by John The Artist