The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne

"The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" is the twenty-ninth episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series . It originally aired on October 29, 1992.

Plot
Out on a closed bridge, a solitary woman, Judge Maria Vargas goes to a meeting with a couple of thugs unaware that Batman is following her. The thugs demand money but she says that they were to make a trade. The men show her a videotape and she hands over the money. However, the thugs claim it's not all there and demand another hundred grand. Vargas insists she can't afford that much but the thugs refuse to listen. Batman decides it's time to reveal himself and attacks the thugs. During the chaos, the tape falls onto an I-beam hanging from the bridge and Vargas desperately goes after it. Unfortunately, she loses her balance and is knocked out on the girder. Batman manages to save her but the tape falls into the water below and the thugs escape.

The police later arrive and take Vargas to the hospital. Although she's not hurt badly, she'll be out for a while and cannot provide any information leaving Commissioner Gordon to wonder what she was so afraid of. He insists that Vargas was an honest woman and had nothing to hide so he's sure that blackmail was out of the question. Batman, however, isn't too sure about it. Continuing with his wonderings, Gordon mentions that Vargas had just gone on vacation at a relaxation resort the Yucca Springs Health Resort that happens to belong to Daggett Industries. Batman figures that there's a connection and decides to pay the place a visit.

Wayne heads out with Alfred and schedules an appointment with Dr. Hugo Strange, the same doctor that treated Vargas. Wayne is placed upon a machine that Dr. Strange explains will lower his defenses. Wayne isn't too sure he wants to be subjected to the treatment but Dr. Strange goes ahead with it anyway. He asks Wayne about his childhood, and while Wayne isn't willing to talk about it, but Dr. Strange's machine reveals his thoughts on screen. Seeing that Bruce lost his parents, Dr. Strange presses the issue and discovers that Bruce Wayne is in actuality Batman. Wayne leaves more stressed than before but unaware of the true nature of Dr. Strange's machine. Dr. Strange, however, is intrigued by his newfound information.

Later, Dr. Strange calls up the Joker and tells him that he has something that would be interesting. Meanwhile, Wayne decides to take advantage of Dr. Strange's absence and examines his machine. Discovering a batch of tapes he finds Vargas' and watches it. The tape reveals that as a child she accidentally started the "Great Gotham Dock Fire" when she was playing with matches. Realizing the purpose of the machine, Wayne checks to see his tape but discovers that it's missing.

Elsewhere, the Joker, Two-Face, and the Penguin arrive with some rather heavy bags. Alfred witnesses the three crime bosses entering the resort and discovers that the bags contain money. He calls Wayne who is erasing the tapes, and warns him to escape. However, Dr. Strange and his thugs discover and kidnap him. Unaware of this, Wayne realizes that Dr. Strange is going to auction off his secret and decides to make a new tape just before he destroys the machine. Dr. Strange and his thugs arrive, but they are too late to save the machine. They capture Wayne who is strangely apathetic and lock him up.

With his enemy locked away, Dr. Strange starts his auction, which quickly reaches the millions, but the Joker decides that they should "pool their assets." However, unbeknownst to Strange, Wayne has escaped. Batman connects a new link to the screen and the video shows Dr. Strange claiming that his plan was to imagine Batman to be anyone he wanted and Batman's enemies would believe it and pay a fortune. Enraged at this, the three villains attack Strange who tries to escape. However, the villains catch up with him at the airport and take him for an unfriendly ride. Desperate to save himself, Strange tells the villains that Bruce Wayne is Batman which falls on deaf ears. The trio prepares to throw Strange out of the plane but Batman, who had climbed onto the bottom of the plane, cuts the fuel tubes forcing them to land. The villains threaten Batman, but he manages to disarm them and the police arrive taking the three into custody.

Gordon reveals that Judge Vargas has confessed to her guilt but Batman points out that she had nothing to fear since it was an accident. Strange, however, is not convinced that he has lost. He has already figured out that Batman imagined the fake tape and he knows Batman's true identity. However, much to Dr. Strange's surprise and dismay, Bruce Wayne walks up next to Batman. Batman then explains that he knew of Dr. Strange's scheme and had Bruce Wayne pretend to be Batman. Now confused over the accuracy of his original theory, Strange is taken away.

When everyone is gone, Bruce Wayne removes his mask revealing himself to be Dick Grayson wearing Wayne's clothes and leg extension braces to look taller. Batman then decides to go home, believing he's had enough vacation.

Continuity
Harvey Dent/Two-Face makes reference to his past friendship with Bruce Wayne, as shown in episodes like "Pretty Poison."