Batman: The Animated Series, Top 5 From Season Three

Batman The Animated Series Season Three saw the birth of new characters to the show such as Bane, Scarface and even Ra’s Al Ghul and his daughter Talia, who appear in a number of different episodes. This season also saw the story of how Barbara Gordon became Batgirl and how Batman and Robin eventually came to trust her as their ally. With a new sidekick and classic foes, season three is a treat to watch.

5. Time Out Of Joint

We last saw The Clock King at the end of the first season when he was arrested after an attempt on Mayor Hill’s life, but he’s back and he has acquired a high-tech device that makes him move like the Flash. The episode really got interesting when Batman and Robin were given a pair of devices of their own. They use the devices on their motorcycles to create a high-speed chase. To me, the Clock King was one of those lesser-known foes like Calendar Man (guy obsessed with special dates through out the year…exactly). But in this episode he proved to be quite a handful for the Caped Crusader, due to the fact that he could move faster then a speeding bullet. Eventually Batman did save the Mayor from an exploding bomb. Looks like this was a day he could get ride of a bomb (reference to the 1966 Batman).

Favorite Moment: The Clock King has set a bomb on Mayor Hill’s podium so Batman uses the device to speed his movements to grab the bomb. We see the bomb exploding in his hands as he runs it to safety in a nearby river. Its not too often we see Batman with “superhuman” abilities.

4. Riddler’s Reform

Batman’s previous encounter with the Riddler left the villain’s brain fried, but the Riddler has returned and appears to have turned a new leaf. He claims to be selling “riddle-like” toys to a toy company, but he cant resist leaving the dynamic duo a few riddles to lead them to his real plan. Like the previous episodes featuring the character, The Riddler continues to impress me as a fan. Every show is a combination of a thriller and a mystery story. He also makes the episodes more enjoyable for us fans because whenever he leaves a clue or a riddle, we can solve it in our heads as Batman does on the show, its nice to get involved with the story.

Favorite Moment: The Riddler has trapped Batman inside a warehouse with no escape, the bomb goes off and the entire building explodes, but Batman escapes and stops the Riddler once again, but how? For this riddle to be solved, you’ll just have to watch the episode.

3. Bane

He may not have been the smartest villain or the most creative, but he was certainly the strongest and toughest opponent Batman ever faced. In the episode “Bane” criminal mastermind Rupert Thorne hires some muscle to take out his criminal competition, but when Batman’s prime suspect Killer Croc is beaten to a pulp by this “muscle”, he realizes its someone new. The overall story wasn’t that intriguing but the final meeting between the two rivals made the show. While the action came from the Bane and Batman brawl, the comedy came from Robin struggling to defeat Thorne’s assistant. There was also a little tribute to the famous comic book storyline “Knight fall” where Bane literally breaks Batman’s back off his knee (check it out). In this episode Bane holds Batman over his head and is about to do what is comic book counterpart did, but luckily Robin was there to save his partner.

Favorite Moment: Once Batman realizes Bane is more then a match for him, he pumps Bane full of too much venom and causes him to faint under the enormous pressure.

2. Batgirl Returns

Robin is left to watch over Gotham City by himself when Batman leaves on a business trip, but The Boy Wonder soon finds assistance when Batgirl returns. It was interesting to see the comedic interactions between the two sidekicks, especially when Catwoman enters the picture and persuades Batgirl to help her take down a crime boss named Daggot. Batgirl gets more then she bargained for after teaming up with Catwoman, but Robin comes just in time to save her from falling into a vat of chemicals. They discover that Catwoman escaped with the jewels she stole earlier in the episode, but they would have to wait until season four to go after here considering this was the last episode of Season three.

Favorite Moment: Shortly after meeting Catwoman, her and Batgirl go to interrogate some thugs in a bar. Yada, yada, yada, a brawl ensues.

1.Trial

Mad Hatter has taken control of Arkham Asylum’s staff and the villains are running free on the grounds. They devise a plan to capture Batman and a famous attorney who hates the Dark Knight and put him on trial. The funny thing is that the villains soon realize that it wasn’t Batman’s fault for their misfortune or criminal personas, but their own. Personally, I like it when I get to see unique characters, which normally fly solo, interact with others. The Joker, Two-Face, Scarface, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter and many more are featured, making for great action and an amazing overall story. The intensity really picked up when the villains became hostile and Batman is faced to simultaneously defeat all of them while saving himself and the attorney. It just proves how awesome he is, a massive super villain team up and he still comes out victorious.

Favorite Moment: The attorney throws a batarang, knocking out a light and allowing Batman to escape his chair. The criminals believe he has left the room, and then Batman says, “what makes you think I want to leave?”

Three down and only one to go. Coming soon, I will reveal my top 5 of what is called the “revamped” episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. You wont want to miss it because while this season is the last, it is also the best.