Heartbreakers is the seventeenth episode of RoboCop: The Series.
Plot[]
Vice President of OCP's Special Projects division Wilson Eberhart accesses OCP's highest security and researches RoboCop, eventually learning his identity of Alex Murphy.
Two men break into Mirsky Microwave, stealing a device called the Heartbreaker. A pair of RoboCop's fellow policemen encourage him to join them in betting on a football game, but he declines. Diana appears to him and agrees that he should allow himself some leisure time. Nevertheless, he arrives at the scene of the break-in, where one of the perpetrators, Conrad Brock, manages to get away with the Heartbreaker, which he uses to kill RoboCop's backup, the two officers who spoke to him moments before.
Elliot Jessup, the thief that was caught by RoboCop is questioned by him and Sergeant Parks. He insists that he cannot tell them his accomplice's name and was not aware that anything they stole would be used as weaponry. RoboCop determines that Jessup is lying. When pressed harder, Jessup says he is part of a secret OCP project led by Wilson Eberhart. As they walk the perpetrator out, his accomplice stands in the crowd outside and uses the Heartbreaker on him, killing him. RoboCop scans the crowd, but finds nothing amiss.
The Chairman confirms to RoboCop and Parks that OCP subcontracted Mirsky Microwave to create a nonlethal, laser-guided microwave gun. RoboCop and Parks believe that such a weapon caused the cardiac arrests that killed the two officers and Jessup. Eberhart enters and confirms the possible deadliness of the Heartbreaker, as the Defense Department wanted it that way. Having found top secret printouts at Jessup's apartment, RoboCop and Parks also suspect a breach in OCP's MetroNet system. Eberhart denies personally knowing Mirsky, but says he was a Mirsky engineer and might have independently decided to steal the Heartbreaker to sell it. The Chairman asks for the Heartbreaker to be found and for the MetroNet leak to be stopped.
Eberhart goes to his office to find Brock with the printouts identifying RoboCop as Murphy. Eberhart fears that they will be unable to retrieve the power enhancer and scope they owe their client and wants out. Brock decides to go after Murphy's family to have leverage with RoboCop.
RoboCop secures the power enhancer in the evidence room, whereas the scope remains at the factory being worked on. Meanwhile, Charlie and Gadget look into the MetroNet breach. Charlie creates a digitally constructed simulation of himself and, using a headset to enter the simulation, meets Diana, who tells him that the breach was likely caused by an OCP employee rather than a hacker.
At the Murphy home, Jimmy plays a Commander Cash computer game, but quickly switches to corporate history notes when Nancy asks if he is studying. She heads out to go to the store, but while driving down the street, she is led into a trap and kidnapped by Brock and Eberhart.
RoboCop reports to a location specified by an anonymous caller who claims to have information on Heartbreaker. But upon his arrival, RoboCop is met by a television screen that reveals that they know he is Murphy and shows footage Eberhart captured of Mancy being kidnapped. The kidnappers demand the power enhancer and scope for the Heartbreaker in exchange for Nancy. Back in his TurboCruiser, RoboCop unscrambles the voice that played on the television screen. He goes to the Murphy home to take Jimmy to a friend's house, but neglects to say what has happened to Nancy.
Nancy sits in a cell, where her every move is followed by a camera. She tries to figure out who the kidnappers are and why they abducted her, but she is provided no answers.
Gadget plays basketball with her friend Tommy as RoboCop returns to Metro South. She tries to tell him that she beat Tommy in five straight games, but he does not respond, so she runs after him. He heads to the evidence room, overriding his directive to uphold the law in order to take the power enhancer. As RoboCop leaves Gadget tells Charlie what she just witnessed. Charlie consults Diana, who is just as perplexed by RoboCop's behavior.
RoboCop brings the power enhancer, but does not have the scope because he has no access to it. The kidnappers tell him that if they do not have the scope by midnight, they will kill Nancy. Back in his cruiser, Diana appears to him and expresses the worry she and Charlie have for him, correctly determining that his behavior is related to Nancy. She insists on helping him and he ignores instructions from dispatch and Parks. Diana deactivates RoboCop's signal and Parks regretfully puts out an all-points bulletin on him. Police officers quickly spot RoboCop and chase him.
Nancy climbs above the cell's door, out of sight of the cameras and a peephole in the door. Brock enters to look for her and she drops on him, attempting to escape through the open door, but is caught by Eberhart. Brock prepares to kill her with Heartbreaker, but then decides to use it on Eberhart after he suggests an escape. Nancy is returned to her cell.
RoboCop shows Diana the voice recording, which he has determined to not match anyone at Security Concepts. She goes to search deeper for a match. Faced by police cars at Mirsky Microwave, RoboCop emerges from his TurboCruiser and the officers begin to open fire. He tells them they do not need to prove they are brave, then walks past them to enter the facility for the scope. The officers request "lots of" assistance.
As the deadline nears, RoboCop emerges from the building, faced by backup led by Parks, who approaches RoboCop. The cyborg assures Parks he will surrender once he completes his job, asking Parks to trust him. Parks allows him to proceed until the midnight deadline. Having learned of the entire situation from Diana – who matched the voice recording with Brock – Charlie contacts Parks and fills him in.
Having found Nancy's location, Diana appears to RoboCop to lead him there instead of delivering the scope. He bursts into Brock's office, where Nancy is held at gunpoint with Heartbreaker, which will supposedly fry her brain at such a short distance. Brock is distracted by an animation on his television screens and Nancy breaks free. Brock uses the Heartbreaker on RoboCop, who manages to reverse the polarity and vaporize Brock and the Heartbreaker. RoboCop approaches Nancy and praises her courage. Despite Brock hinting at a connection between them, RoboCop does not disclose that he is her late husband. Parks arrives, asking where Brock is. RoboCop points to the pile of dust left behind, commenting that Brock could not "take the heat." He also reveals that he had not actually stolen the scope, just the case. Parks asks why RoboCop did not tell him of the situation earlier, but Murphy did not want to take any chances with Nancy's life.
Diana appears to RoboCop again, asking how she should deal with Charlie, who is obviously enamored with her. He suggests that she let Charlie down easy. With this in mind, she tells Charlie that she is being transferred to a top-secret assignment and promises to get in touch with him once she is settled. The two share a dance together as Gadget curiously watches him in his lab, wearing his headset. She brings RoboCop in. He says that Charlie is happy and that he will explain this to Gadget someday. They head out of the lab, leaving Charlie alone as he and Diana complete their dance in the simulation.
Cast[]
- Richard Eden as RoboCop
- Yvette Nipar as Lisa Madigan (credit only)
- Blu Mankuma as Stanley Parks
- Andrea Roth as Diana Powers
- David Gardner as Chairman
- Sarah Campbell as Gadget
- Stephen Shellen as Conrad Brock
- Ed Sahely as Charlie Lippencott
- Jennifer Griffin as Nancy Murphy
- Dan Duran as Bo Harlan
- Erica Ehm as Rocky Crenshaw
- Peter Costigan as Jimmy Murphy
- Alon Nashman as Elliot Jessup
- Chris Leavins as Wilson Eberhart
- Catherine Swing as Martina Marx
- Reg Dreger as Officer Davis
- Robert Hollinger as Officer King