Curse of the Kobra: Part 1

"Curse of the Kobra" is the tenth and eleventh episodes of the third season of Batman Beyond. It depicts a plan of the organization Kobra to splice humans with dinosaur DNA and thereby create a new era. After Terry fails to stop Kobra from stealing a thermal bomb Bruce sends him to an old friend, Kairi Tanaga, for martial arts training. While there Terry meets up with Zander, an advanced student in her class. The two get along well enough but after they leave the class and go to Cheezy Dan's Zander shows both a violent nature and a deep interest in Maxine. Things take a turn for the worse when Terry finds out that Zander is really the new leader of Kobra. Zander has plans to splice all members of Kobra with dinosaur DNA, and then increase the temperature of earth so that only his people will be able to survive. Now Batman must face one of his greatest challenges ever.

Plot
A truck drives up to the Nova Research Center and the guard tells the driver he has to leave. The driver claims that he has isotopes and the guard allows him inside. The driver goes in and releases several members of Kobra into the building. Working quickly, the Kobra members run inside and steal an R-12 thermal bomb. However, when they try to load it onto their truck Batman makes his presence known and attacks. The goons are easy enough but the truck driver pulls out an electrified sanjiegun and manages to beat Batman into submission. With Batman down, the group escapes.

Terry returns to the Batcave and whines about his failure. Bruce tells Terry that he wants him to meet an old friend of his and gives him an address and instructions to ask for Kairi.

With address in hand Terry goes to see Kairi: a fish merchant. She tries to sell him fish but when he tells her that Bruce sent him she brings him into the back where he finds a dojo. While Terry waits for Kairi, he's attacked by two men wielding bō staffs. They easily manage to bring Terry down and are only stopped when Kairi tells them to. She assesses Terry's style and determines his weakness is leaving himself open on the left. She explains that she and Bruce used to study under the same sensei and she now owns the dojo. She agrees to help Terry but only if he promises obedience.

Later, Terry works on his balance by trying to balance a chair on his head. Kairi causes him to slip by throwing a piece of fish under his foot and tells him that things don't have to be fair. After finishing his workout, Terry goes outside and sees another student, Zander being escorted out by a couple of bodyguards. When Terry tries to greet him, the guards rudely shove him a way and take Zander off in a limo.

Terry leaves the dojo and takes a tram. Bruce contacts him over the phone asking how the lessons are going and Terry claims he doubts he'll ever get it. However, a man soon runs into Terry and when questioned, he claims that there's no time left for anyone. Members of Kobra arrive and start shooting at him. The man runs on but the Kobra members manage to catch, drug, and grab a vial from him.

Back at the Batcave, Terry tells Bruce about the incident and Bruce checks up on the man. His name is Dr. Padu Banjahri and he's a paleontologist working at the Gotham Natural History Museum.

Terry goes to the museum and enjoys a holographic display of a T-rex protecting her nest. After this is over, Terry and Max head into a closed display. While Max distracts one of the museum staff members, Terry goes to Dr. Banjahari's office and investigates. After checking his files, he discovers that he was recovering dinosaur DNA. Even Bruce can't make the connection of the stolen bomb and the DNA.

Once again Terry goes to the dojo and fails to beat his sparing partners. He's sent out for a dinner break and meets up with Zander. Zander seems friendly enough even offering Terry a rice cake. Terry makes mention about how he'd like pizza and Zander tells him that he's never eaten pizza as he's been groomed to be the leader of his people since he was born. Terry suggests that they sneak out to Cheezy Dan's and get some pizza.

Zander is confused when he comes to the strange place and doesn't even know what people are doing when they are playing video games. Max shows up and takes Zander to play a VR game while Terry goes to order a pizza. While playing the game, Zander proves to be a good opponent, but because he doesn't understand the rules of the game, he loses to Max. Zander is devastated at the loss claiming that he's never lost before. Fortunately, Terry arrives with the pizza and they decide to eat but Zander insists on a rematch. However, before the can eat, J-Man's gang of Jokerz arrives and steal the pizza. Zander demands that they give it back and they simply throw a slice into his face. This angers Zander immensely but Terry manages to quell him. The Jokerz aren't done through, though and blast Zander with a fire hose. This is the last straw and Zander almost single handedly defeats the gang nearly kills J-Man. His escorts arrive however, and order him to return with them.

Terry continues his training with Kairi, and learns that because of Zander's escape, his guardians removed him from the dojo. She tells Terry not to worry about it as she couldn't do anything more for Zander since his path had already been chosen for him and the training continues.

Meanwhile, members of Kobra release gasses from a vial into three chambers holding some of their members. The men breathe the vapors and begin crying out in pain. Zander arrives and watches as the men transform into reptilian forms. He's pleased at the results but decides that there's one more thing that he wants to do before their plans are set in motion. The doctor in charge of the operation wonders about what Zander could want believing that he's anticipated his every need. Zander, however, doesn't think so.

Back at home, Max talks to Terry about Zander and is rudely thrown off the line by Bruce. Her doorbell rings right after that and she discovers that it's Zander. Zander orders her to go with him. Max refuses him and closes the door. Angered by her defiance, Zander breaks in and tries to force her to with him. He succeeds but not before Max manages to call up Batman alerting him to her plight. Batman reaches Max's house just in time to give chase to Zander's car. However, when he reaches it, the truck driver attacks him with a pair of electrified nunchaku. Batman manages to disarm him but the driver attacks him head on. Exhibiting massive strength, he rips off Batman's wings and sends him falling. Batman is just barely able to save himself and Max is taken away.