"The Bat in the Belfry" is the pilot episode of the 2004 animated series The Batman.
Synopsis
Chief of Police, Angel Rojas, assigns Detective Ethan Bennett with a new partner, Ellen Yin, and tasks the pair to capture Batman, after he publicly acknowledges his existence. Soon afterwards, a break-out of inmates at Arkham Asylum leads Batman to discovering that the culprit is a crazed clown criminal calling himself the Joker.
Plot
Batman raids the penthouse of criminal gangster, Rupert Thorne. After watching his men quickly subdued by the caped crusader, Thorne attempts to escape by leaping out the window onto the ledge of a water tower across the street. Batman follows him however and easily knocks him out with his martial arts. Later that evening, Batman returns to the Batcave where he changes into his civilian identity of millionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. His butler, Alfred, has prepared an Anniversary cake for him. It has been three years since he has taken up the mantle of the bat. Bruce dedicates his cause to the memory of his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. The next day Bruce watches the news and sees Chief Rojas vowing to bring down Batman.
Meanwhile at Arkham Asylum, an orderly discovers that a new patient has voluntarily checked himself in. The patient is a ghoulish clown calling himself the Joker. He escapes from his cell however and begins attacking the staff. He uses his patented Joker gas to render them unconscious, the effect of which leaves a garish grin upon each of their faces. Afterwards, he sets upon releasing all of the other patients. Bruce Wayne meanwhile is attending a Gotham Gators basketball game with two Women when he receives an emergency summons over the Batwave. He learns about the Arkham breakout and quickly leaves the stadium leaving the girls on their own. At Gotham City police headquarters, Chief Angel Rojas introduces detective Ethan Bennett to his new partner, Ellen Yin. Yin is a former Metropolis detective and has relocated to Gotham to help Ethan track down the mysterious vigilante known as the Batman. They learn about the Arkham breakout and race down there to lend a hand. As Batman arrives at the asylum, he finds a giant Jack in the Box in the entranceway. Gotham City police attempt to get closer, but the box explodes sending them scurrying. Batman manages to sneak inside where he finds the Joker. The Joker is completely insane, but still manages to question the sanity of a man who decides to dress up as a giant bat. The two fight one another, but the Joker manages to escape. Batman takes one of the Joker's victims and brings him back to the Batcave to examine him.
The Next day Ethan Bennet pays a visit and tells Bruce how he thinks the Batman is helpful. Later, Batman discovers that the Joker intends on releasing his Joker gas upon the entire city, killing everyone. He tracks the Joker down to his old hideout at the Monarch Theater and the two fight each other once again with the police following them. The Joker evades capture and escapes via a giant hot air balloon. As the balloon sails off across Gotham Bay, Batman follows him in his Batboat. He manages to sabotage the balloon, sending it crashing into the water. The Joker's gas is released harmlessly into the bay and Batman apprehends the villain. The Joker is sent back to Arkham Asylum where he describes how he has bats in his belfry.
Voice Cast and Characters
- Rino Romano as The Batman
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Joker
- Alastair Duncan as Alfred
- Steve Harris as Detective Ethan Bennett
- Ming-Na as Detective Ellen Yin
- Victor Brandt as Rupert Thorne
- Miguel Sandoval as Thug #1
Trivia
- This is the only episode in which Edward James Olmos plays chief of police Angel Rojas. Jesse Corti proceeded him and played Rojas in every other episode in which he appeared.
- Rupert Thorne is the first villain Batman faces in the series, but his first major threat is the Joker.
- There is a laughing fish in the harbor.
- It is unknown who voiced Chad.
- Ellen is from Metropolis, Superman's city.
- Ellen and Ethan jumped into a moat with lots of security features, but triggered none.
- When Ethan visited, Bruce shouldn't have been scared. It is likely that he was joking.
Transcript
External links
- "The Bat in the Belfry" at IMDb