Once Burned

"Once Burned" is the twentieth episode of Batman Beyond. It depicts the return of Ten. Desperate to rob the Derby, a high stakes poker game held in Gotham City, Ten finds herself running into trouble with both the criminal players and Batman. After explaining that she is only trying to save her family from the Jokerz, she manages to convince Batman to help her try and free them. However, having been betrayed by Ten before, Batman is wary of her. Meanwhile, Melanie Walker meets up with Terry McGinnis and the two share the same troubles as Batman and Ten.

Plot
Up on a Gotham Sky-Rise Apartment, a group of poker players grumble about the indecision of one of their players, Bennie. The conversation indicates that they are all criminals. Bennie claims he hears someone outside and sends his goons to check. While searching, the goons are assaulted by Ten.

The game continues, and Ten tosses her own exploding card onto the table, taking the bet money. She quickly tries to make her getaway but her card glider is shot and destroyed. Trapped, she hides from the angry gang while the shooting attracts Batman’s attention. Batman arrives and throws the take over to the players but they continue their shooting. Using a gas bomb, Batman manages to distract the players long enough to allow himself and Ten to escape.

Terry tells Bruce about the incident and learns that he got too close to the Derby: a high stakes poker game that’s been around since before Bruce was Batman. Bruce believes that Ten only went for her greed. Terry insists that she was only desperate but Bruce chalks it up to his youth and naivety. Terry returns home and finds Melanie waiting for him. She asks to harbor her until dark. Terry is reluctant to help her but she claims that the Jokerz had kidnapped her family and want the money from the Derby for ransom. Dana calls up and Terry decides to tell her that he can’t study with her for now, proving that he’s willing to trust Melanie.

That night, Melanie tries to apologize to Terry but he's not interested. Terry’s family comes home and Melanie takes this as a sign to leave. Concerned over Ten’s fate, Terry calls up Bruce and claims that he wants to take the night off to study with Dana. Later, he learns the location of the Derby from Maxine and heads out to stop Ten.

Batman arrives to find Ten preparing to rob the Derby once again. Though he insists that she stops, she refuses. After a brief struggle, Batman catches Ten and learns of her motives. Deciding that theft isn’t the answer, he takes Ten to the Jokerz hideout so that they can rescue her family. While making their plans, Ten gives Batman a message for Terry and the two move in. The duo is soon discovered by the Jokerz and is attacked. During the fight, Ten escapes leaving Batman behind. Unaware of Ten’s desertion, Batman finds a sleeping member of the Jokerz and learns that they are unaware of the Royal Flush Gang’s abduction. The gang catches Batman and he is in a bad situation until the batmobile arrives and he manages to escape.

Ten goes back to the Derby and proceeds to rob the game, this time managing to escape. She goes to a warehouse and tosses the ransom to a figure shrouded in the dark. However, she soon discovers that the figure is King. King and Queen reveal that they were never kidnapped and the whole thing was a ruse to test Ten's loyalty. Devastated by their actions, Ten realizes that her parents don’t love her and she doesn’t want to be a gang member anymore. Batman soon arrives and is attacked by the gang while Ten runs off. The fight doesn’t go well for Batman until the poker-playing gangsters arrive and start shooting in revenge for the robbery. The Royal Flush Gang attempts to escape but they soon discover that Batman also called in the police. Both the Royal Flush Gang and the poker players are caught and arrested. Meanwhile, Ten disappears into the shadows.

Later, Terry and Dana go to a dance club and Terry soon finds the letter that Ten gave to Batman. Deciding to put Melanie behind him, Terry throws out the note without ever reading it