Superman: The Animated Series
Episode 43
Knight Time
A crossover episode that rivals World’s Finest and told in only one episode. Batman is missing and Superman goes to investigate. He comes across Robin (Tim Drake) and agrees to pretend to be Batman to assist in quelling a crime spree which cropped up from Batman’s absence. The brilliance of the story is Superman getting a view on how Batman operates is. Through the episode we see Robin talk Superman through Batman’s methods. His stealth, intimidation, overall persona.
While questioning the Penguin, Robin coaches Superman on how to scare the answers out of the villain. Superman’s appeal to common decency doesn’t work on villains like the Penguin but he does respond to fear. Through their investigation they learn Batman’s rogues are trying to capitalize on his absence. Super-Bat shows up and makes easy work of the rogues. He seems to have a little trouble with Bane but that’s only because Superman is careful not hurt people, so finding the right amount of force to use takes precision and Bane has some heft to him. If Superman goes to hard he can kill someone. Punching someone weak like The Riddler is a light tap, finding the right balance for Bane needs adjusting.
Super-Bat and Robin question the Mad Hatter and trace a bunch of nanites (microscopic robots) to a Wayne Tech facility. The duo head there and discover Bruce but he’s under a mind whammy. It’s then discovered Brainiac is the villain behind everything. He got onto the Wayne Enterprises computer system after the Wayne Enterprises/Lex Corp attempted team-up in World’s Finest. Brainiac has been floating around the Lex Corp system since Stolen Memories and Ghost in the Machine. Luckily this is the last time Brainiac is regurgitated as hiding in a computer system to cause the head of billion dollar corporation problems.
Brainiac is building a rocket to get off the planet and resume his destroy all life in the universe plan. Super-Bat confronts Brainiac and Brainiac blows him up. He’s then revealed to really be Superman which Brainiac is confused about. They have an all out fight. Brainiac is annihilated in the worst way possible because they love to kill robots in the most graphic ways in the DCAU. The nanites all die and Bruce Wayne’s mind whammy goes away. Superman warns Wayne that Brainiac might have back-up files and Wayne promises to make certain everything is purged.
As Superman leaves he compliments Bruce on having an amazing partner which is surprising since he’s such a loner. This episode is as much a Superman episode as it is a Tim Drake - Robin episode. Robin coaches Superman on all of Batman’s methods. He’s a solid balance to the sulky Batman. Robin can easily make the more optimistic Super-Bat smile, to the confusion of Batman’s rogues. Batman would never smile.
The brilliance in character interactions in this episode are interstellar! It’s an episode that explores Superman, Batman, Robin’s characters in such small runtime. Batman’s rogues are the perfect characters to play off all these personalities. An absolute can’t miss.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
