Nothing to Fear

[The Laughing Fish]

That's right, the episode where Kevin Conroy makes that distinctive quote whenever he plays our favourite Caped Crusader - "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman!".

I liked how we got a good backstory for Scarecrow as the sadistic professor who got fired from Gotham University for his cruel experiments, despite that his mask in this episode wasn't intimidating.

I've been thinking of Batman suffering from hallucinations of his father telling what a disgrace he is to the family name. Does anybody else think that Bruce never really had that thought going through the back of his mind until that snooty professor told him his father would've been embarrassed by his playboy lifestyle? And judging by Bruce's carefree reputation, as it was implied by that professor, could this episode have taken place long before Bruce started to take a strong interest in philanthropy, like helping homeless men at the end of the episode The Forgotten?

Who else has a soft spot for this early episode of the series?

[Edd Grayson]

I like the episode a lot, but the quote was the object of a debate I had with another fan. He said that Batman is never ever about revenge, and yet Batman said here: I am vengeance, I am the night, I am BATMAN! 

[Catwoman]

His vengeance is forcing crime to sit between four grey walls and fade away, lonely, instead of burning out in a blaze of glory.

Now if only the security at Arkham could help him out a little on that quest. 

I LOVE this episode. The famous quote, oh yes, such an amazing scene. Batman's defiance in the face of his greatest fear (being a failure in the eyes of his father) is so great and the music that goes with it, it's just a perfect scene. The whole episode is wonderful. The Scarecrow makes sure we know how smart he is but it isn't so overdone it makes you want to throw something through your TV (looking at you, Arkham City Riddler....ug) and his henchmen are hilarious with how idiotic they are. I love the last scene with Bulloch and Gordon when they discover Crane ("Now, about that badge..." "*shrugs*" lol). Above all of that I think the ending is one of my fav Batman scenes ever, where he's standing at his parents' grave and leaves the rose. The music is epic and so is the setting, and then he walks away with the shadow making the shape of Batman. It is just so beautifully done. If the series ever had a "proper" ending, I would be torn on whether they should use this or the last shot of Mask of the Phantasm. Both would have been perfect.

Wow, Kitty got hit in her nostalgia spot. But yes it is a great episode.

[Catwoman]

This is what I'm talking about at the end.

[Catwoman]

What's better than just a simple screen cap?

The scene itself

[Edd Grayson]

Yes! Also, I could see that happening in the Burton films too. Music and mood and everything.

[The Laughing Fish]

Yes! Also, I could see that happening in the Burton films too. Music and mood and everything.

If you look back at the scene in B89 where Keaton's Bruce lays down the flowers at the alley where his parents died, you can see some similarities between that and the final scene of this episode.

The famous quote, oh yes, such an amazing scene. Batman's defiance in the face of his greatest fear (being a failure in the eyes of his father) is so great and the music that goes with it, it's just a perfect scene.

I reckon that if there is one thing that comes close to Batman having a superpower, it would have to be his willpower. He might not have superhuman strength or the ability to fly, but his determination and discipline to get through against all odds is above what a normal human being could manage. Spending his whole life training himself physically and mentally and having the psychological strength to break through traumatising spells like in that hallucination scene are great examples.

The Scarecrow makes sure we know how smart he is but it isn't so overdone it makes you want to throw something through your TV (looking at you, Arkham City Riddler....ug).

But you got to admit, once you solved all of his riddles and force him to walk around his hideout with a bomb strapped around his neck, it was worth wiping that smug grin off his face. Right?

[Edd Grayson]

If you look back at the scene in B89 where Keaton's Bruce lays down the flowers at the alley where his parents died, you can see some similarities between that and the final scene of this episode.

That's correct. So the series was more inspired by the film than Dini and Timm admit. 

[The Laughing Fish]

Dini and Timm always acknowledged that Burton had a strong influence on their show, don't you worry.

Although it should be said that Timm never liked the BR-styled version of his Penguin. WB demanded him to model Penguin based on the movie version because the film and the show were released in the same year. That explains why Timm drastically changed Penguin's appearance in TNBA.

[Catwoman]

The Scarecrow makes sure we know how smart he is but it isn't so overdone it makes you want to throw something through your TV (looking at you, Arkham City Riddler....ug).

But you got to admit, once you solved all of his riddles and force him to walk around his hideout with a bomb strapped around his neck, it was worth wiping that smug grin off his face. Right?

Oh, no, I didn't get to do anything like that. I've only played the Catwoman missions so far and his drivel there was bad eno....WAIT A MINUTE. I get to do WHAT?! Can I detonate the bomb?