Batman Beyond

[gunswordfist]

Well, I had mostly thought MOTP was the better film and ranked it in my top 30 list, but honestly after having watched them both back to back recently, I honestly might have to give the edge to ROTJ, myself. I think both films are amazing, but something about the writing in ROTJ feels a little stronger to me, and I like how Bruce Wayne gets just as much focus in the movie as Terry and The Joker. In fact, you could argue that Bruce Wayne gets MORE focus in that movie than Terry, so it still feels like a true Batman movie. Also, if I had to compare The Joker in ROTJ to his appearance in MOTP, it honestly feels less forced to me in ROTJ, whereas it feels like it could have been any villain in MOTP but they just found a way to write The Joker in their for his sheer popularity.

That said, don't get me wrong, both films are fantastic, and I would recommend MOTP to just about anyone. I just find that over time, I have come to slightly prefer ROTJ.

Oh yeah, The Joker is definitely much better in ROTJ.

[Avaitor]

I think my all-time favorite Joker scene is when he appears in the Jokerz lair and just kills one of the members in cold blood. It's like the true Joker has returned, and these imitators need to learn this.

[Spark Of Spirit]

If you're talking about the Joker, I don't think he was ever as creepy as he was in this scene.

[gunswordfist]

If you're talking about the Joker, I don't think he was ever as creepy as he was in this scene.

I was just thinking about that scene. I can't help but think that reveal is funny because of that cheesy music. I just watched that part like 20 times.

[gunswordfist]

I was just thinking about how 3 members of The Batfamily became Beyond versions of villains (2 of them being a stretch in that regard and one I won't get into at all)

[talonmalon333]

My friends and I marathon'd BTAS through the first half of this summer. And after finishing that, we began (and are still watching) Beyond (though like BTAS, this is a rewatch for me, though I admittedly forget a lot of the episodes). We agreed our favorite moment was in the episode that I think's called "Disappearing Inque". At the end when Terry is tied up, and Batman arrives and battles Inque in that huge suit. Course, he loses. But man, hearing that BTAS theme again, updated for Batman Beyond while staying true to the theme's roots, going along with the scene itself, gives me chills.

One of my favorite Batman lines is the episode where the sound villain tries to make him think he's crazy and is hearing voices. In the end, after Terry asks how he knew he wasn't hearing voices, his response is that "He called me Bruce. In my mind, that's not what I call myself". It's funny cause I've come to refer to Bruce Wayne strictly as Batman, and Terry as Terry. After all, Bruce is the one who's in charge here, the one who's really the Batman. Terry is just another Robin to him.

EDIT: And I just realized that, without even thinking about it, I was referring to Bruce Wayne as Batman all throughout this post before before I even established that point. That should sum it up.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Have you seen the JLU episode "Epliogue" yet? Even though its a JLU episode, its actually the epilogue to Batman Beyond, and takes place roughly 15 years after the end of the TV series. Its a really good episode and it shows how Terry has matured to the point where he functions as Batman completely by himself. Bruce Wayne is still alive, but he's extremely old and you can tell that he's not long for the world anymore, even though the episode can only so much as imply it what with no writer ever wanting to strictly end up killing off Bruce Wayne/Batman. To me, though, that episode is a clear message that Batman can still exist as a legend and an icon even after Bruce Wayne's time. That said, it also shows that whoever is unlucky enough to take up the reigns and duties of Batman will have a lot of tragedy and despair to deal with in some way or another.

Of course, I always felt that Terry's problems were more reminiscent of a character like Spider-Man's than Batman. I mean, stuff like wanting to get married but avoiding it for fear of endangering his loved one is something that's far more like Spider-Man than Bat Man, as Bruce would just avoid it without question and accept that he has to be unhappy for him to carry out his responsibilities as Batman. Then again, Terry was never meant to replace Bruce Wayne, but just to carry on the legacy of the cape and cowl. I actually think it was a smart move by the writers to make him a completely different type of hero than Bruce was as Batman, and it would be boring and lead to no chemistry between the 2 characters of Terry was the same exact sort of character. If that were the case, we wouldn't have gotten that awesome mentor and protege relationship between the 2 which I found to be the main driving force of Batman Beyond, personally.

[Avaitor]

The idea is supposed to be that Bruce Wayne has lost everyone he's ever been close to in one way or another. Often times from his cynicalness. Some of his loved ones just die, like his parents, Alfred and Commissioner Gordon, but otherwise, check out who's still around. Dick Grayson dropped the Robin alias after graduating to become his own agent as Nightwing, Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake left the mantle after the Joker's demise and hardly ever talked to to him since. He lost the chance to be happy with Andrea Beaumont, Selina Kyle, Talia Al Ghul, and who knows how many other potential women. And it's easy to assume that he left the Justice League out of his resentment to leaving Gotham's side and joining their team full time.

Terry is the latest in the long line of people to meet and experience Bruce Wayne, a brilliant man who's far too cold and adventurous for most people to handle. The series hints towards whether or not he may fall into that darkness, but we see by "Epilogue" that he never does. The entire series is almost like a sad ending for Bruce and a bittersweet start for Terry, when you think about it.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, the one clear bright spot that the episode pointed to was how Terry would always stick by Bruce's side until he died, so its not like Bruce would be completely alone on his deathbed. After all, Bruce is "like a father" to Terry. Also, Barbra Gordon wouldn't hesitate to come to his aid, as can be seen in both the TV series and Return of the Joker.

[talonmalon333]

I haven't seen that episode of JLU yet (currently watching Justice League). Because of that, I kind of avoided the rest your post, EK, in fear of spoilers.

[gunswordfist]

If the comic books canon counts, don't expect Grayson to be at his deathbed at all.

[Avaitor]

What happened with Dick and Bruce? They mentioned very briefly, I believe in ROTJ, that he and Bruce did not end on good terms, but that was it.

[gunswordfist]

What happened with Dick and Bruce? They mentioned very briefly, I believe in ROTJ, that he and Bruce did not end on good terms, but that was it.

I'll find the link. I conveniently came across the scan of that exact scene a little bit after I read Hush Beyond. I actually don't count it as canon myself, especially since one villain's family got changed and of course this will be a major spoiler for the comic.

[Dr. Insomniac]

First thing about the Batman Beyond comic: Never mention the Batman Beyond comic.

[gunswordfist]

http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2388095.html?thread=78840447

Found it. I believe Barbra only mentioned the rift the two had in the 1st Curare episode. In ROTJ, she just said a line about the stories Nightwing could tell him or something like that.