It's election season at Dakota High School, and Richie decides to get involved in the race for Student Council President with a campaign based on fixing the cafeteria's vending machines. This wins him the ire of Madelyn Spaulding, a would-be Academic Alpha Bitch who is also in the running, along with the more popular Joey Bombora. When the stress of being ignored and teased pushes Madelyn too far, she discovers that she is a Bang Baby with the power to brainwash other people into obeying her every whim. Static (whose electric powers protect him) must now find a way to thwart Madelyn's political ambitions before she turns everyone into one of her "brain puppets."
Tropes for this episode include:
- 0% Approval Rating: Madelyn Spaulding. So much so that nobody but Virgil signed her petition to vote for her as School Council. And he only signed it because she was rambling, and he didn't want to be late for school.
- And Your Little Dog, Too!: "Get that superhero, and his little tape, too!"
- Arbitrary Skepticism:
- Virgil dismisses the idea that Madelyn is turning people into brain puppets, but subverted because he thinks if she did have such powers, she wouldn't use it for something as minor as Freshman Class President. It isn't until he sees it first-hand does he agree.
- Sharon completely laughs off the idea that Madelyn is mind controlling people, claiming he watched way too many sci-fi films.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Madelyn can control other people's minds to do what she wants, then later sics an army of them to capture Static.
- Death by Secret Identity: Madelyn accidently fried her brain when trying to mind control Static, causing her to forget she was even a Bang Baby.
- The Ditz: Joey Bombora. He may be friendly and good-hearted, but he doesn't seem particularly bright. This is indicated when he gets chummy with Richie, despite that he's his competitor in the school election (though that may just show what a nice guy he truly is, and why people were already putting up posters for him in the beginning of the episode). Virgil has doubts that someone as simple-minded at him could win the election, but Richie shrugs that it never stopped anyone before. This serves as a set-up for when Madelyn easily turns him into a brain puppet and makes him drop out of the election.
- Foil: Between Madelyn and Richie as candidates for the school election. Madelyn is willing to force Joey Bombora into dropping out of the election (with her mind control powers) just to be made a candidate. Richie on the other hand is willing to reinstate Joey into the election and accepts his own loss with complete grace.
- Foreshadowing: The homeless man who was with Madelyn when the Big Bang went off would end up appearing very soon...
- Graceful Loser: During his concession speech, Richie congratulates Joey and expresses certainty that he can do the job.
- Heroic Willpower: Despite Madelyn directly trying to turn Virgil into a brain puppet, he fights back her mind control and overpowers her instead with an electrical shock wave.
- Hiding in Plain Sight: Virgil pretends to be a brain puppet to blend in with the other victims of Madelyn.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: After Virgil blasts Madelyn’s powers back at her, it sends her into a near-catatonic state, erasing her memories of being a metahuman, and of Virgil’s secret identity.
- Mundane Utility: With her power to read minds and compel actions, Madelyn sets out to win the school election. It's only when poised for victory that she thinks about aiming higher.
- Nice Guy: Joey Bombora so much so that Richie thinks he could win on the basis of that. And he does, too.
- Not Helping Your Case: Sharon seemed genuinely worried when Virgil tried to tell her something was wrong with the kids at his school and almost convinced her Madelyn was a Bang Baby, but as soon as he used "brain puppets" she thought he was joking.
- Oh, Crap!: Madelyn gasps after reading Richie's mind and learning Static's true identity.
- Power Nullifier: Though she can read his mind, Static's electrical powers prevent Madelyn from taking control of him.
- Refuge in Audacity: An indirect example. When Virgil tries to explain to Sharon about Madelyn being a bang baby with telepathy and mind control powers, Sharon laughs it off. Probably doesn't help that Virgil referred to Madelyn's victims as "brain puppets", which is what sets off Sharon laughing at the idea.
- The Reveal: A flashback shows that Madelyn was out in the streets when the Big Bang happened, granting her her powers.
- Shout-Out: After many in the city fall under Madelyn's control, Virgil finds Richie and tries to talk to him. Richie responds by pointing at him with mouth agape while screaming, which references the famous ending to Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).
- Take That!: Virgil states that Joey can't be stupid and become president, with Richie countering that hadn't stopped it from happening before.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Richie when he spots Madelyn eyeing him and Virgil.
- "You!" Exclamation: Madelyn to Virgil after learning his big secret.
