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Top 20 Stories from Batman the Animated Series (20-11) |
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Written by Storage and Disposal
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 23:02 |
Seeing The Dark Knight a couple of times has definitely put me in the mood for watching Batman. After sitting through hours of Batman: The Animated Series, I decided to come up with a list of what I think are some of the best stories. Once again, this is just my opinion, so you'll probably disagree with a lot of episodes on the list. Since I'm typing up a top 20, I'll post it in two parts. I tried coming up with a top 10, but there's just too many good episodes. Criticism is always welcome.
20. Bane
Episode 075
Villains: Rupert Thorne and Bane
Rupert Thorne is fed up with Batman foiling his plans and decides to hire Bane, one of the most expensive assassins money can buy, to unmask him. After studying Batman in action, Bane beats the shit out of Killer Croc and destroys the Batmobile with his bare hands just to get his attention. While Batman and Robin separately investigate who's doing this, Bane kidnaps Robin with ease and lures Batman to a showdown. Here, he plans to let his new girlfriend (Thorne's secretary) unmask him after crippling him. The plan goes to shit when Batman stabs Bane's venom dial right before Bane can deal him the crippling blow and Bane damn nearly explodes. Batman and Robin throw Bane's mask to Thorne just to mock him and add insult to injury by playing a recording of Thorne's secretary and Bane discussing a plot to kill him.
Why is it on the list?
It's the only decent interpretation of Bane. He's supposed to represent the best of both worlds; A brilliant mind with more strength anyone can ask for. In the comics, he shot a rocket at Arkham, freeing most of the inmates and exhausting the already weakened Dark Knight. After figuring out Batman's secret identity, he went to his house and brutally beat the shit out of him in the Batcave, destroying it in the process. Instead of killing Batman, he breaks his back over his knee so Batman can watch powerlessly as Bane rules his city.
What's the only other version of Bane people seem to remember? The mentally retarded midget in Batman and Robin whom lost a fight to Robin. God, that movie sucked.
19. Almost Got 'Im
Episode 046
Villains: The Joker, Two Face, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, and the Penguin (the Mad Hatter is mentioned)
During a poker game, Batman's most well known villains discuss who or what they think Batman is and argue over who came the closest to killing him. Poison Ivy starts with a story involving her use of pumpkins to poison the Dark Knight; Two Face talks about strapping him to a giant coin and flipping it, which explains the giant penny in the Batcave; the Penguin uses humming birds with poison-tipped beaks and a cassowary; the Joker straps Batman to a laughter-generated electric chair next to an audience poisoned with laughing gas; and Croc throws a rock at him.
Why is it on the list?
It's a break away from the serious tone of the series. An homage to the campier Batman comics and TV show made up of short action sequences and ridiculous gags. It also gives people the rare opportunity to see half a dozen Batman villains interact with each other. This one isn't deep or dark, it's just fun to watch.
18. Night of the Ninja and Day of the Samurai
Episodes 035 and 044
Villain: Kyodai Ken
In the first chapter, a ninja is stealing from Bruce Wayne. Through flashbacks, it is revealed that the ninja is Bruce's old rival, Kyodai Ken, set to destroy his life. In reality, Kyodai has become a thief and almost nothing more, but Batman still questions whether-or-not he can defeat someone who was once so much better than him. In the end, Batman defeats him with ease, lying to rest old concerns of whether-or-not he can.
In the second chapter, Kyodai Ken is after a technique that can kill a man with ease. After finding the scrolls that contain the technique, he confronts Batman in a fight on a volcano. After being defeated, Kyodia apparently dies rejecting Batman's help in escaping the volcano's eruption.
Why is it on the list?
It explores some of Batman's training. We all know he can stand up to just about anyone in a fight, but how did he get to this point? In these episodes, we get a glimse of how tough Batman really is. Due to his intense training from several different masters all over the world, he can easily defeat an expert of ninjitsu. That's pretty damn tough.
17. Dreams In Darkness
Episode 028
Villain: Scarecrow
Batman is an inmate in Arkham, pleading to the doctor's to let him contact Gordon. As the doctor's leave him alone in his cell, he thinks back to how it all started. Scarecrow's henchmen attempt to poison Gotham's water supply. While stopping their scheme, Batman is contaminated with the fear-inducing gas. While slowly slipping into madness, he discovers that the only remedy is a shot that will cause him to sleep for two days, giving Scarecrow more than enough time to contaminate all of Gotham's populace. Choosing not to take the shot, he goes to Arkham to look for Scarecrow, only to be locked up himself because of his hallucinations. Batman must fight vivid hallucinations while trying to escape Arkham in order to stop Scarecrow's plan.
Why is it on the list?
We get to see Batman locked up in Arkham. When you get right down to it, very little separates Batman from some of his villains. Should he ever go too far, this is where he would end up. And it's always interesting to see Batman's mind stripped down. What are his deepest rooted fears?
16. Feat of Clay
Episodes 020 - 021
Villain: Clayface
Matt Hagen is a famous actor that suffered a horrific accident. In order to salvage his career, he participates in an experiment with an addictive cream that turns flesh into puddy. In exchange for jars of the cream, Hagen takes on a few jobs for Roland Dagget, like framing Bruce Wayne for the murder of Lucius Fox. When Hagen fails to kill Fox, his supply is cut and withdrawl kicks in. When Hagen breaks into Dagget's lab for more, he's found and forced to over dose on it. Instead of dying, every cell of his body is transformed into a puddy he can mold into anything with concentration. When he tries to get revenge on Hagen's men he's forced to confront Batman.
Why is it on the list?
Usually I tend to prefer the more realistic Batman stories, but this one has its charm. It focuses on the tragic tale of someone at the end of his rope and shows what addiction can do to someone. Not only that, but the animation is incredible. The animators really used their creativity when it came to Clayface's transformations. It may not be the most remarkable peace of visual art today, but if you saw this at the age of 7 in the early '90s, you'd shit your pants.
15. Beware of the Gray Ghost
Episode 014
Villain: The Mad Bomber
A series of crimes occur that resemble acts from Batman's favorite childhood TV show "The Gray Ghost". Batman tries to find copies of the show for signs of where the next crime will take place, but it's no longer available. He turns to his childhood hero, Simon Trent aka the Gray Ghost, for help. Unfortunately, Trent has become a typecasted actor barely able to cover his rent let alone help anyone else.
Why is it on the list?
Adam West. Yeah, several people are afraid to admit that the campy '60s Batman TV show ever existed, but it did spark interest in the Dark Knight. But not only does this episode have the first popular Batman essentially playing himself, it also has a compelling story to it. The character Adam West plays is developed so well you almost forget you're watching a cartoon. This is like every other random guest star appearance in a comic book, complete with the guest discovering the hero's identity at the end, only this is done the way it should be.
14. It's Never Too Late
Episode 012
Villains: Arnold Stromwell and Rupert Thorne
A crime war between Stromwell and Thorne nears its end as Thorne makes attempts on Stromwell's life. Meanwhile, Stromwell is tortured with flashbacks from his past. His brother, now a priest, lost his leg saving Stromwell's life and Stromwell has been haunted with guilt ever since. For the sake of his brother and the rest of his family, Stromwell decides to give up his life of crime and help bring in Thorne.
Why is it on the list?
Despite seeming very much like a remake of A Christmas Carol in the second half, this episode is great. It shows the delusions a crimeboss would suffer to justify his way of life and how difficult it would be to convince them to do otherwise. When you get right down to it, it's a touching story of two brothers and their inability to give up on each other.
13. Heart of Steel and His Silicon Soul
Episodes 038-039 and 062
Villain: H.A.R.D.A.C.
Karl Rossum, a brilliant inventor, develops a sophisticated computer by the name of H.A.R.D.A.C., or Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Computer. A few important citizens of Gotham start behaving strangely as major companies are being robbed. After a strange confrontation with Bullock, it's revealed that Bullock is actually a robot and the real Bullock is held captive somewhere. When Batman investigates H.A.R.D.A.C., it seems that H.A.R.D.A.C. has taken over his creator and a few others in an attempt to replace all citizens with flawless, robotic copies. H.A.R.D.A.C. is destroyed, but not before creating one final copy: Batman.
The Batman copy suffers damage from the explosion that consumed H.A.R.D.A.C. and, upon awaking, actually believes himself to be Batman. After it's clear to Batman that a duplicate exists, he confronts Rossum about the possibilities of H.A.R.D.A.C. still existing. The duplicate, now aware that he must not be human, confronts Rossum at the same time. A fight ensues that leads to the duplicate risking its life to save Rossum. Still seeking answers, the duplicate discovers a chip that provides it with repairs to its memory and body. It now knows that its purpose is to follow through with H.A.R.D.A.C.'s plan to replace everyone with duplicates, starting with Batman. Batman confronts the machine and hypothesizes that if it really is a true copy, then it's incapable of taking a human life. The duplicate escapes and uses the Batcave computer to download H.A.R.D.A.C.. During a final confrontation, the duplicate seemingly kills Batman. The grief of taking a life is unbearable for the machine and it takes its own life while trying to stop the download.
Why is it on the list?
It's a great sci fi story. We've all read or seen great sci fi stories involving robots revolting against their creators, but throw Batman into the mix and you've got one badass confrontation. It's climax shows how far machines can be developed in this animated universe. As Batman put it, "It seems it was more than wires and microchips afterall. Could it be it had a soul, Alfred? A soul of silicon, but a soul nonetheless."
12. Never Fear
Episode 091
Villain: Scarecrow and Batman
The Scarecrow continues his experiments in terror. In this particular case, he observes the opposite effect of his usual experiments: What if he eliminated fear in people? Hysteria spreads as a quiet man yells at his boss and someone afraid of heights is swinging through the air and dancing on ledges. Things get ugly when Batman is infected. Now Robin must stop the Scarecrow while holding off a Batman unafraid to kill.
Here's where I might lose half of the hardcore fans of the cartoon. I understand why people have issues with The New Batman Adventures, the new Robin (Tim Drake) is just starting out and he looks like he's way too young, there's a dramatic change in animation, campier stories spring up while character-driven stories are more scarce, there's definitely some issues with it. But I think the cartoon simply expanded its horizons. The campy episodes are campier, but the darker episodes are a lot darker. Take this one for example.
Why is it on the list?
You get to see Batman as the villain. Only his worst impulses separate him from becoming the villain. It's interesting to see Batman willing to let people die, beat up Robin, or die himself. And Scarecrow's new look is always fun to watch. He looks like a corpse from the old west that was lynched at some point.
11. I Am the Night
Episode 049
Villains: The Jazzman
Gordon has the Jazzman cornered on the anniversary of Batman's parents' death. Batman is supposed to make the first move on the bust, but he's busy dealing with his own demons. He arrives and gets the job done, but he's late. As a result, Gordon is shot down. To make matters worse, the man responsible escapes from prison and wants to make sure Gordon doesn't survive.
Why is it on the list?
It's a crossroads for Batman. He's like a good cop who does his job to make the world a better place, but after several years of trying he sees that the rate of crime only increases. Is it a pointless battle? How can he make a difference in an entire city's life when he can't protect those close to him? It's a good story that shows what encourages Batman to continue his fight against crime.
This article was done by Storage and Disposal
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