Air Date: September 20, 1985
Writer: Burton Armus
Director: Georg Fenady
Production Code: 60201
The fourth season premiere opens with Michael and KITT investigating suspicious activities at a warehouse—unaware that Devon Miles has been replaced by a double. They're ambushed by the "Juggernaut," a massive armored vehicle with a battering ram that's impervious to KITT's attacks. KITT is completely destroyed in the attack, leaving Michael shaken.
With Devon acting strangely and the Foundation's resources unavailable, Bonnie has no choice but to enlist help from an unlikely source: a Chicago street vigilante known as "The Street Avenger." His real name is Reginald Cornelius III (RC3), and he runs a garage with his crew of mechanics. They rebuild KITT from scratch in their back-street shop—going beyond simple repairs to add new features, including a rocket-fast "super pursuit" mode.
Meanwhile, the real Devon has been kidnapped and is being held hostage to prevent him from exposing a plot to steal a dangerous radioactive isotope. Michael must race against time to save Devon and prevent the theft.
This episode marks the first appearance of Peter Parros as RC3 (Reginald Cornelius III), who would become a core cast member for the final season. RC3 starts as a rough-around-the-edges vigilante who cleans up Chicago's streets with his fists and a rubber rifle that looks real. His street smarts and mechanical expertise prove invaluable in rebuilding KITT.
Peter Parros beat competition including Blair Underwood to the role. He later recalled auditioning by rapping to the producers: "I'm badder than Mr. T., and prettier than Muhammad Ali, so hire me for RC3!"
The rebuilding of KITT in this episode is significant because: