When the Earth Stood Still

**When the Earth Stood Still** is the first episode of *Kamen Rider Shift*. It reveals how Sam Vega became Shift, having earlier appeared in *Kamen Rider Warrior's season finale* .

## Plot

One night in Ridge City, a sudden strange phenomenon called Global Freeze occur where worldwide time surroundings become slower saves the human consciousness. New breed of monsters whom declared themselves as Rushers go on their killing spree. Some of the citizens cannot save themselves due to the slowdown period. An unknown warrior appears out of nowhere and battled the Rushers with his Micro-Racer companions. At the same time, famous race car driver, Sam Vega, is celebrating another race win with his best friend, Harris. Someone breaks into their house and Sam goes for his gun while Harris tries to apprehend the robber. The robber shoots at Harris. Sam tries to save Harris, but due to the Slowdown effect, he is unable to knock. One year later, Sam has retired from race car driving and is taking care of Harris’s ill sister, Stacy. He gets mail from the Ridge City Police Academy and it tells him that he is rejected by the Academy again. Sam goes to the Academy and tries to ask the Lieutenant Greg Jackson to give him another chance. Jackson tells him that just because he is the Former Chief’s son, doesn’t mean that he can rejoin the academy. As he leaves out, he is confronted by an old friend, Officer Sheri Thorne who asks him if he’s ok. He says yes and she gives him keys to his dad’s old police car, and he drives off in it. Sam looks at a picture of his dad and wonders why things became harder since he died. Sam accidentally open a secret compartment and uncovers a key and a note. The note says to use the key to find the Shift Garage. Sam is confused as to what that means. Sam sneaks into his dad’s old police base while it’s empty and presses the button on the key. A secret door opens, and Sam goes down it. Since she works at the base, Sheri follows after him and asks him about the place. Sam says that he is as confused as she is. Sam finds a car hiding under a sheet and gets in side it. A note on the steering wheel tells him to put the key in the keyhole and grab the belt in the passenger seat. Sam does so and the belt awakens attaches itself to Sam and begins to talk. Sam and Sheri are frightened by the talking belt, but the belt explains to them that he was made by Sam’s father, Clinton. He tells them that years ago when Sam was in the police academy, Clinton created him just for Sam to help him fight crime. He asks them if any strange monsters have been showing up and Sam says yes. The belt, Rush, explains that it’s time for Sam to fulfill his destiny, to become a hero, a Kamen Rider. Sam doesn’t know what Rush means. Rush then detects another Rusher attack. The garage door opens, and Rush tells the Sam to get in the car. They driver to where Rusher 029 is attacking, leaving Sheri behind. Rusher 029 initiate the Heaviness again, but Rush managed to summons one of the small cars from earlier, a  Micro-Racer called Flame Racer, to help Sam adapt into the Heaviness. The Rusher summon his aides, Rusher 042 and Rusher 088. Sheri arrives and shoots off the monsters while Rush explains to Sam how to transform. Sam transforms into Kamen Rider Shift. Sheri feeling that she’s seen the Shift suit before. Kamen Rider Shift fights the Rushers. Rusher 029 throws Shift into a warehouse. Rush sends Micro-Racers Spike and Shinobi Racer to help Shift. 029 is soon pelted by a discarded Shift Base Tire as Shift turns into Shift Flame. Annoyed, 029 tries to attack Shift, only for the strong fiery attacks of Shift to make him fall flat on his back and was soon jettisoned out of the warehouse thanks to his Flame Strike attack. 042 and 088 got back their bearings when 029 was ejected out of a warehouse by the Flare Strike attack from Shift's Flame Racer Tire, and it and 088 briefly fight Shift until Shift equips the Spike Racer Tire, and mortally wounds 042 with its Spike Tornado attack, reverting it to its Core. The Rider switches to the Shinobi Rush Tire, and mortally wounds 088 with its special attack, reverting it to its Core form. 042's Core eventually succumbs to death when 088 was destroyed. Now alone, 029 tried to attack Shift, only for him to reassume Shift Base and pelted the Rusher with the All Tire Attack, leaving the Rusher wide open to be destroyed by Shift's Rider Kick finisher. Sam felt relieved after he was able to do something heroic for the first time after his traumatic failure. Meanwhile, 029's Core manages to escape the battle. Rush shows Sam another secret entrance to the Shift Garage. Returning to the Rusher lair very much exhausted, he is given a Viral Core by his leader, Pride, to form a new body.

## Cast

* Sam Vega: Tomas Dean
* Rusher Zero: Diego Castro
* Sheri Thorne: Erica Grant
* Pride: No Kazuki

## Shift Cars

* **Car Used:**
	+ Protodrive
		- Type Change: Shift Speed Prototype
	+ Drive
		- Type Change: Shift Speed
		- Tire Exchange: Max Flare, Funky Spike, Midnight Shadow
* **Type Used:**
	+ Protodrive:
		- Type Speed (Prototype ver.)
	+ Drive:
		- Type Speed, Type Speed Flare, Type Speed Spike, Type Speed Shadow

## See Also

* Why Did My Time Stop? - Counterpart in *Kamen Rider Drive*