Hardbeat

Episode Title Card

**Hardbeat** is the twenty-ninth (thirty-fourth (ninth) on Fox Kids) episode of the animated series, *The Magician*.

## Plot

A new kind of music comes to Electro City: Hardbeat. All the kids are wild about it and since DJ Mikkus create this new sound, he is coming to town, everyone wants to go to this party, including Cosmo. However, Hardbeat is also blamed for more and more violent outbreaks among teenagers, who aggressively attack innocent people and destroy property after attending Hardbeat parties. Ace is worried about Cosmo and asks him to help on a levitation number instead of going out, but Cosmo says he needs to go out more since he hasn't had any fun for a week.

Illegally recording live performance of Mikkus at the dance club, Cosmo plays the Hardbeat on his earbuds as he roller-blades home and his aggressiveness rises, letting him not only a young couple in a restaurant but also the police. Ace is called by Vega to pick him up from jail. He asks Cosmo not to go to another Hardbeat party, but Cosmo says rudely, "The last time I checked, you still weren't my father". Ace decides to accompany Cosmo and not only introduced to the dance club music, but also DJ Mikkus. Ace notices that someone is manipulating youngsters the kids and he openly confronts Mikkus, who says that if his music harming someone, he'd stop it. Mikkus hurriedly leaves shortly afterwards because Friedrich has issued an arrest order.

Cosmo sneaks out to a new party and Ace asks his friend, Ulene where the new dance club is. She leads him to an underground hall. There Ace discovers that someone is secretly adding ultra waves to the live performance sound that makes the listeners aggressive since their adrenaline level rises astronomically. All audio CD's on sale don't have this addition. The man behind it is Senator Dobbs who wants the whole city to fall under martial law, which will give him total control of the city. While the decision about this is being made at the council hall, Cosmo gets a gun and wants to shoot the senator because his drugged mind tells him that Dobbs is responsible for the teenagers getting arrested, because he is forbidding Hardbeat and for discrimination of his age group.

Ace outsmarts him, tells him he is not here to stop him, but that Cosmo is under the influence of a drug. He says that it is Cosmo's free will to do what he wants that he would never restrain him, but if he shoots now, he doesn't ace out his own free will but someone's orders. Cosmo fights down the intention to shoot and lowers the weapon. In the meantime, Ace has a plan and Mikkus follows his plan, he introduces the sound drug into the PA system of the council hall and all the members turn aggressive, no longer restrained. Meaning that Dobbs has to yell out that he is only interested in power and control over Electro City and that he is responsible for the Hardbeat troubles.

## Characters

### **Main**

* Ace Cooper
* Cosmo
* Angel

### **Supporting**

* Duc Paparazzo
* Captain Friedrich
* D.J. Mikkus
* Sensa-News Newscaster
* Ulene
* Hotchkiss

### **Villains**

* Senator Dobbs (reformed)

**Supporting**: Mona Malone • Captain Friedrick • Derek Vega • Duc Paparazzo • D.J. Mikkus • Hotchkiss • Skip Ramsdale • Senator Dobbs • Lieutenant Atika • Barsky • Gus Morland • Nataschia • Nausica • Zelda • Junior • Cyber • Jonathan Surge
**Villains**: Black Jack • Spade and Diamond • Yago • Sonny Boy • Faceless • Clockwise • Max Malden • Bill Peach • Multi-Flames • Josh Wosh • Rex-1 • Bob Redd • Dr. Cabaliye • Mr. Banks • Crenone • Demonia Deadly • Patrick Schumacher • Ritchie Vilanti • Aldus Teron • Glam • Blaun • Count Hebon • Sally Blade & Bodycount • Jimmy Hagen • Joe Tucker • Zoran Spring • X-Oshi
**Other:** Bud Budiovitch