Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman join forces to steal the Replica Ray, a powerful new invention that can create a perfect double of any object or person. Despite the best efforts of Batman and Robin, the villainous quartet successfully escape with the ray; shortly after, the crimefighters are lured into an abandoned TV dinner factory, where Catwoman waylays them with knockout gas.

On waking, the Dynamic Duo find themselves bound to an oversized TV tray, about to be fed into a massive oven. Out of a twisted attraction for him, Catwoman tries to spare Batman by brainwashing with her new "Batnip" drug. When the drug apparently fails, she joins her partners and leaves the duo for dead; nevertheless, Batman and Robin escape by melting their bonds in the tray's lemon tart.

In subsequent weeks, the Dynamic Duo continue searching for the villains, unaware that Catwoman's Batnip is in fact slowly corrupting its intended victim. As Batman, he grows increasingly hostile towards Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara; as Bruce Wayne, he fires Alfred over a perceived slight. However, his intelligence remains unaffected, allowing him to trail the villains to an Eastern Bloc space station.

The Dynamic Duo board the station just in time to save Catwoman, launched from an airlock by her former partners for being too "soft" on Batman. Though he remains civil to Catwoman, Batman shows the male villains unprecedented brutality, nearly beating each one to death. After returning to Earth and re-incarcerating the villains, he degenerates even further, not only refusing to return the Replica Ray but also ejecting Dick from Wayne Manor.

Eventually, the corrupted Batman uses the ray to duplicate himself into an army, and mercilessly tyrannizes Gotham City. At this point, both Robin and Catwoman (who had escaped the space station before capture) realize the Batnip's influence on Batman, and join forces to deliver the antidote, but are soon outwitted, captured, and almost cremated in the Batcave's atomic reactor. After a narrow escape, the duo infiltrate the state penitentiary, recruit a horde of Batman's lesser enemies (such as Egghead, King Tut, and Mr. Freeze) to their cause, and try again.

This second attempt is easily quashed by Batman's own army, but before Batman can personally kill Robin and Catwoman, he is slipped a universal antidote by a disguised Alfred (who had, years ago, been assured his firing would only result from mind-control, and given specific instructions on how to counteract it). Moments later, the Batman duplicates collapse into dust, as a result of the Replica Ray's molecular instability. From this, Batman deduces that Joker, Penguin, and Riddler had only stolen the ray to create decoys - namely, decoys of themselves, which would occupy the authorities so the originals could loot Gotham unopposed.

With Catwoman at their side, the Dynamic Duo pursue and eventually rout all three villains. To Batman's dismay, however, Catwoman quickly lays claim to her former partners' loot, and refuses to surrender herself. When Robin manages to recover the loot, Catwoman continues to reject Batman's pleas, and leaps into a smokestack - apparently to her death - rather than face incarceration again. Though saddened, the duo return to Wayne Manor as committed to justice as ever, ready to fight evil wherever it may strike next.

Cast

Notes

Trivia

Aunt Harriet seems to be aware of Bruce and Robin being Batman and Robin.

Links and References

↑ Identified as "Miranda Monroe" in the film proper, but listed as "Miranda Moore" in the credits

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[0] Identified as "Miranda Monroe" in the film proper, but listed as "Miranda Moore" in the credits

[1]

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Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

Appearances

Plot

Cast

Notes

Trivia

See Also

Links and References