"The Forgotten" is the eighth episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series. It originally aired on Fox Kids in the United States on October 8, 1992.
Synopsis[]
It's another peaceful day in Gotham City and Bruce Wayne volunteers at the Dock Street Rescue Mission, of which he is also a major benefactor. The priest thanks Bruce for his help and mentions that people are disappearing, mainly homeless people who frequent the soup kitchen, but one of his volunteers has disappeared as well. Although the priest has reported this to the police, they haven't bothered to look into the situation as the disappearance of homeless people has not ranked high on their investigative list.
That night, Bruce dresses up in a shabby outfit (labeled "Gaff Morgan"), fixing himself to look like an old vagrant. He also takes a lower-end car and drives it to the Old Bowery Wharf in an attempt to look inconspicuous. Gaff Morgan searches the city's slums and eventually a couple thugs "offer" him a job. After a brief fight, Gaff manages to disable both thugs and watches a stray cat on the fence. However, this distraction is all that a third thug needs to strike him over the head with a blackjack and knock him out.
Later, Gaff wakes up chained to a cot in a remote shack out in the middle of the desert. Two men, Dan Riley and Salvo Smith greet him and ask his name. Gaff, however claims not to know. The group goes to have their breakfast but the boss of the camp, Biggis, demands that they get to work or they'll "all end up like... him". An unfortunate man is pointed out at random and shoved into a small metal box, that magnifies the heat of the desert sun. Gaff tries to save the man but Riley stops him.
Back at Wayne Manor, Alfred greets Bruce but finds that he's not there. Finding this strange, Alfred starts to wonder what's happened.
Meanwhile, Gaff works away at a mine while he talks to his newfound friends. Unfortunately, he still can't remember anything but Riley tells him to hang onto his hope. Riley and Smith explain that they were both in the docks area and were kidnapped. Smith claims that he was unemployed while Riley was a steamfitter at the Gotham Navy Yard and a volunteer at the soup kitchen, the Dock Street Rescue mission, and was kidnapped. Gaff suddenly starts to remember something. Riley continues and mentions that he has a family. Just as the conversation finishes, there's a cave-in, a disaster that happens all too often due to the poor integrity of the mine.
Alfred continues to have problems as there are people who are asking for Bruce but he only tells them to call back another day. Looking to save his friend, Alfred checks the cars and sees that the Studebaker is gone. Using the tracking device, Alfred finds that it's in the Bowery, a low-income section of Gotham.
Elsewhere, Gaff wanders a hall filled with funhouse mirrors. As he looks at one of his reflections he hears laughing. One of the mirrors has the image of Bruce Wayne who is laughing hysterically. Confused, Gaff looks at the image which turns into the Joker and pulls him from the building. Suddenly, Bruce is wandering through the slums and generously gives cash to homeless people, but is soon overwhelmed by a mob of homeless people begging for handouts. Just then, Gaff awakens in a cold sweat and recalls the Dock Street Rescue Mission.
Work continues in the mine and Smith makes the mistake of blowing a raspberry at Biggis after Biggis hypocritically refers to them as "lazy scum". As punishment, he is sentenced to be thrown into the box but Gaff and Riley intervene. Though they fight well, they are soon overwhelmed and thrown into the ovens themselves.
Back in Gotham, Alfred finds Bruce's car in a junkyard and takes the tracking device. There he sees two thugs get into a truck. Thinking that they might lead him to Bruce, Alfred plants the device on their truck and waits to see where it ends up.
Out in the desert, Gaff and Riley sweat it out in the metal boxes. Time passes and Riley begins to lose his mind. Finally, he cries that he has lost his family. This sparks Gaff's memory of his earlier years of being with Martha and Thomas Wayne and he remembers who he really is. He shouts to Riley that they'll escape and breaks his way out of the box. Bruce runs from the mine and is quickly pursued by the mine's guards. He makes his way into Box Canyon, which is believed to be a dead-end, but Bruce begins to climb his way out.
Over the canyon, the Batwing flies, piloted by Alfred, but more the onboard computer acting as autopilot. Finding the tracking device, Alfred orders the Batwing to land, despite the computer's warning of the danger of Box Canyon. Fortunately, Bruce is nearby and meets up with his friend.
Shortly thereafter, the mine guards run to Biggis fearful of a giant bat. Batman makes his presence known and is attacked. Biggis joins in on the chase, offering a thousand dollars to the man who kills Batman. In the darkness of the mine, Batman easily manages to evade notice and disable the guards. Biggis tries to escape but Batman is right after him. During the chase, Biggis trips and drops his oil lamp onto crates filled with explosives. Batman shoves him onto a water flute and dives into the river after him. The mine is destroyed in the ensuing explosion while Batman and Biggis fall into a lake. Batman apprehends Biggis.
Back at home, Riley is reunited with his family and offers his home to Smith and Bruce. However, Bruce declines the offer and reveals his true identity, telling his friends that if they're looking for work, he can help. Bruce then heads for home, leaving Smith half-joking that maybe he can get amnesia and wake up a millionaire too.
Cast[]
- Kevin Conroy as Batman
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred
- Lorin Dreyfuss as Salvo
- Dorian Harewood as Dan Riley
- George Murdock as Boss Biggis
- Ian Patrick Williams as Ivan
- Richard Moll as Computer
- Jay Thomas as Guard 1
Gallery[]
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External links[]
- "The Forgotten" at Batman: The Animated Series Wiki
- "The Forgotten" at DC Animated Universe Wiki
- "The Forgotten" at IMDb