The POWs (Season 1)

The POWS: The Learning Curve - Episode 2

The episode opens with a montage of the three—Peewee, Oscar, and Woody—working like beavers under the omnipresent eyes of Professor Vortex. They are perfecting their skills and learning to harness the powers within them in synchronized lessons: Peewee shapes water into impossible models of Mandarin Palaces and the like, while Oscar conducts fire around his body like an orchestra conductor, and Woody performs plant life manipulation feats.

A distress call from the Megalopolis Police Department disrupts their training. A series of baffling robberies has the city in its grip: valuable scientific equipment has been stolen from several labs and research institutions. The police are at the end of their tether because the robberies are carried out with such precision that only very few remains of evidence stay behind—almost supernatural in style.

The POWS decide to investigate. The most recent crime scene is a high-tech laboratory experimenting with sources of energy. After investigating the damage, Peewee notices water traces, Oscar discovers scorching marks, and Woody finds disturbed soil and plant life. This leads them to conclude that the thief may possess powers elemental in nature, akin to theirs.

As they land into the thick and thin of the mission, the first big eventuality springs up—how to coordinate the ground activities. Sharp contrasts in personality background and operating methods lead to misunderstandings and fallouts. Peewee's strategic thinking is often at loggerheads with Oscar's impulsive character, and part of the time, Woody's shyness and uncertainty cause hesitation, driving the team to frustration.

All this comes to a head at the next targeted lab during a stakeout. When the thief—an extremely elusive character manipulating the environment to conceal himself—shows up, the POWS leap into action. However, being the uncoordinated and non-team-like individuals that they are, he gets away, leaving them beaten and disheartened.

Later, the trio contemplates what went wrong in Professor Vortex's laboratory. He tells them that honesty is essential when teamwork is involved, and there should be trust, communication, and understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Determined to do better, Peewee, Oscar, and Woody decide to put aside their differences and work harmoniously with each other.

That night, they wait outside the last lab on the thief's list. This time, they wisely combine their powers: Peewee creates a water screen to channel the thief toward one door, Oscar flashes flames to illuminate dark crannies, and Woody summons vines to bar any other way out.

Their plan works, and they catch the thief off guard and subdue him. He is revealed to be an ex-scientist named Dr. Shade, who was given powers of shadow manipulation because his experiments went wrong. Dr. Shade confesses that he stole the equipment to build a device to amplify his powers and get revenge on the city for ruining his career.

As Dr. Shade heads to prison, the POWS are revitalized with a new sense of confidence and unity. They know they have awesome powers; however, what holds them together as a team is much stronger: the bond they share.

The episode ends with them standing together, watching the sunrise over Megalopolis. It might all just be a start, but they are truly proud of themselves for a successful first mission and for setting a strong foundation as a group.

To be continued...