As an old-school gamer who grew up with the iconic “Batman: The Animated Series,” I must say that Warner Bros. Animation has truly outdone themselves with “Batman: Caped Crusader.” Three years in the making, this darker and more mature take on the Dark Knight’s mythos has not disappointed me one bit.
Warning: SPOILERS for Batman: Caped Crusader Season 1 are ahead!
Approximately three years ago, Warner Bros. Animation unveiled that renowned creative mind Bruce Timm, known for his exceptional work on the iconic animated TV series “Batman: The Animated Series,” would bring a fresh perspective to the Batman mythos through “Batman: Caped Crusader.” This series is now accessible for viewing, assuming you have an Amazon Prime Video subscription. While it stays away from R-rated content, “Caped Crusader” offers a more mature and intense portrayal of Hamish Linklater’s Batman character as he safeguards Gotham City compared to the original series.
The transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face throughout the series is a fantastic illustration of this concept. This storyline, much like how it was portrayed in ‘The Dark Knight’ featuring Aaron Eckhart, was handled exceptionally well by the show. Although I found this aspect to be excellent, I still believe that the ending of Season 1 surpasses it because a significant villain from Batman’s rogues gallery has been established for future mayhem in Season 2.
Two-Face Isn’t A Supervillain, He Just Wants Revenge
Instead of the traditionally upright district attorney that Harvey Dent is often portrayed as, the character in “Batman: Caped Crusader” starts out as a corrupt official. Voiced by Diedrich Bader, who has previously voiced Batman and Harley Quinn, this Harvey uses his position to aid wealthy criminals in avoiding prison time by granting them favors and boosting his political standing. However, there are still boundaries that this Harvey won’t breach, and he suffers the consequences for it.
Near the end of the election season, Harvey Dent’s mayoral campaign experiences a significant decline, leaving him with only two options: withdraw from the race or accept crime lord Rupert Thorne’s financial aid and support to help him secure victory. At first, Harvey hesitates, as he dislikes engaging in corruption. But as circumstances force his hand, he reluctantly agrees. However, when Harvey refused to drop a case against Thorne, Thorne retaliated by sending his henchman, Tony Zitto, to throw acid in the district attorney’s face for betraying him.
It’s clear that after the attack, Harvey Dent manages to live but ends up with a disfigured half-face. Bruce Wayne attempts to bring him back into society, but Harvey’s mental state deteriorates, causing him to become fearful and paranoid. This pushes him towards seeking vengeance against those who wronged him. He initiates this by torching Tony’s apartment while he’s still inside as a start. Remarkably, he also attempts to murder Rupert Thorne (and his son) at their mansion, but Batman intervenes before it’s too late.
In the TV series “Batman: Caped Crusader,” the character Harvey Dent doesn’t take on the persona of Two-Face by wearing a peculiar suit or committing crimes based on the number two. Instead, this version of Harvey is more sympathetic and often shows regret for his criminal actions. However, he never officially uses the name Two-Face. In the Season 1 finale, Harvey sacrifices himself heroically by taking a bullet intended for Barbara Gordon, which I find one of my favorite depictions of the character. I’m glad the show chose to portray him this way, making it one of my preferred Two-Face interpretations.
The Joker Is Already On A Murder Spree In Gotham City
As the final moments of “Batman: Caped Crusader” Season 1 approach, we peek into a secluded cabin where an individual can be heard hysterically laughing. Upon entering, we find four lifeless bodies with various distorted expressions, and then observe the man in agony, strapped to a chair, until he dies with a grotesque smile on his face. Indeed, the villainous Joker has arrived, although only his eyes are visible as he lurks in the darkness, and all we can hear is him uttering “Perfect,” hinting at finally achieving the ideal facial expression for his deadly poison.
At the onset of “Batman: Caped Crusader” Season 1, there was some doubt about the Joker’s part given that this series’ Dr. Harleen Quinzel adopted the Harley Quinn persona independently. In retrospect, it might have been naive to assume this show would overlook the Clown Prince of Crime entirely, despite the late introduction… quite literally! Since no actor is credited for the Joker in the end credits, it remains unknown whether the voice actor heard here will reprise their role in Season 2 or if they filled in temporarily.
Regardless, I find the portrayal of the Joker in the Caped Crusader unsettling within mere seconds. This incarnation of Joker’s toxicity is exceptionally chilling and comparable to the animated version of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and the series Gotham. Since he has refined his concoction, it’s only a matter of time before he releases it throughout Gotham City. By the time Batman becomes aware of this new adversary and attempts to thwart him, there will have already been significant casualties. It’s important to remember that Joker possesses an arsenal of weapons beyond just this, such as electric joy buzzers, acid-spraying flowers, and a ‘BANG!’ dart gun. Additionally, he may resort to more traditional methods like shooting or beating people with a crowbar.
Amazon hasn’t disclosed the release date for Season 2 of “Batman: Caped Crusader” as of now, but we’ll keep you posted with updates and other important details about upcoming episodes when they become available. Until then, feel free to explore other top-notch Amazon Prime original shows that you might enjoy after finishing Season 1 of “Caped Crusader”.
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2024-08-02 06:37