I know that Bruce Tim and the gang said one strategy they used to get things past the censors was put in obvious stuff to get their attention while they snuck in what the really intended to put in the episode.
Your channel has reminded me why I like Batman in the first place and that is Batman The Animated Series. I like the Tim Burton movies and even have a soft spot for the rest that followed, I've had fun with the Adam West version, but I have never cared for the comics. BTAS is what really did it for me. I remember watching it as a kid, finding the intro awesome, the stories well-written, unsettling, thought-provoking and touching, the characters interesting. These analyses of characters and story arcs you do are great and quite nostalgic for me.
"Not every villain has to have a tragic backstory or strong motivation." THANK YOU for saying that! I've seen so many videos where people decry villains as being "poorly written" just because their backstories and/or motivations are simple, it's refreshing to see someone who's okay with it.
I agree 100%. Although i love complex villains, having someone whos simply "I like Money" or "I like fame" is a nice change of pace. Heck, makes the world more believable for me, since a good majority of people do have very simple motivators like that.
the main problme i have with villian with a tragic story is that it take away the hate for the villian the main point of the villian is you hate them and want to see them lose to the hero like i do love villian with tragic stories but not all the time and tbh am tired of the fanboys trying to justify what joker and thanos did
I think, ultimately, this is why Roxy isn’t as fondly remembered as, say, Mr. Freeze or Two-Face. BTAS and TNAOB were known for complex and compelling characters who are (as our host points out) dark reflections of Batman. I compare it to going to a favorite restaurant known for high end authentic Sicilian Italian cuisine…and being told the Chef’s Special of the Week is spaghetti and meatballs. Now spaghetti and meatballs can be good but it’s a bit underwhelming. It’s a good episode and I can see why it’s a creator favorite…but I’m more fond of complex villains with compelling motivations.
Where Edwin Alva failed in Static Shock, his suspected sponsor Amanda Waller (seriously, the tech used by Alva Industries in the latter parts of Static feel like they're all for Project CADMUS) succeeded in Justice League Unlimited. And in other works, we really need more extraordinarily mundane yet somewhat humanistic adversaries like Ozymandias (Watchmen, especially the comics) and Agent Bishop (TMNT 2003) rather than godlike, nonhuman archetypes like the Core and Andrias Leviathan (Amphibia) and perhaps the Collector (The Owl House).
This actually gives me an idea for an Arkhamverse Roxie - where a post-Knight Batman gasses Roxie, but the Fear Toxin bolsters further instead of deter or weaken her; because fear & thrill is what motivates her dangerous actions.
Alternately, she's a normal stuntwoman who gets exposed to Fear Gas by accident, and finds that normal work just isn't cutting it anymore. So she turns to crime to find the Ultimate Thrill. Or both.
Have her be addicted to adrenaline and the thrill of such, could work in other media's and could be done right if the writers or such can figure out how to do it tbh
I also agree with this, there has to be a small part of Batman that enjoys his work even if it's buried under all that trauma and desire to try to make a city that wouldn't create him.
@22Tesla He loves the car in my opinion The fact that both bruce wayne and batman are depicted driving Fancy Souped-up cars Is my evidence Chicks dig the car
"Not every villain has to have a tragic backstory or strong motivation." True, but there's a difference between what we consider a strong motivation and what a character considers a strong motivation. We as people may not consider Roxy's motivation as strong or compelling, but Roxy herself very clearly feels a strong pull for her motivation, thrill-seeking. That's good: It's better for a character to have a consistent motive than a relatable or strong one. And honestly, people like Roxy do exist in real life: Some people have an extremely strong tolerance for fear stimuli, meaning that situations that other people would find terrifying don't even register as slightly scary to them. This isn't courage, but outright fearlessness. Instead of feeling fear, what they feel is the adrenaline rush. Euphoria and excitement with no drawbacks. As such, it can be addictive, creating literal adrenaline junkies. That's ultimately Roxy Rocket: Someone who doesn't feel fear who is "chasing the dragon" and in this case, that dragon is named "Adrenaline". That, at least, makes her motives understandable: Almost everyone has something that they are addicted to, even if they don't recognize it as such. The brain is wired to be drawn to pleasurable experiences, and some people are more prone to addictions than others.
The Last Wish also has that. You have goldilocks (a sympathetic villain trying to find family), Death (a primal force of nature doing his job) and Big Jack Horner (who's just an evil sociopath that is well aware he's a bastard and loves every second of it).
I remember when I was first staring watching this series, it was my teacher of all people (who was a comic fan since the 60s), who told me about this episode. “I swear to god, there’s a BTAS episode where the main villain has a straight up orgasm!” I did not believe him, and was SHOCKED he was right when I watched it
I love Roxy. She may not be tragic, but she is fun to watch. I do wish she was more well known, but we have seen what happens when a popular character is overexposed (Harley Quinn). At least she is not forgotten. The sexual innuendos flew over my head as a child, but now that I am older, I can see why some of the creators loved this episode.
The best writers come from those who can make an episode fun for kids AND adults "at the same time". Animaniacs kind of comes to mind with how many adult jokes they slipped in. XD Gosh that was a fantastic era. Sadly seems like now a days, "adult jokes" have to be so blatently in your face that you have 13 year olds swearing like sailors JUST to see how many "grown ups" they can offend with thier new "vocabulary". Thank you internet for giving us writers that genuinely make us MISS the censors....
Great video! I liked this episode, even though it's not often considered among the better TNBA episodes.Roxy is a fun character, and the voice acting by Charity James was fantastic. I would have liked to see more of her in the DCAU other than this and the brief appearance you mentioned.
@@SerumLakeExactly. Like you said in the video, there's room for both. And sometimes as fans we're more in the mood for this sort of joy ride style.
Gotta say, Roxy fits well in Batman's Rouges Gallery. They both possess complete control of a situation no matter how tense it is. The only difference is Batman is calm under pressure in tense situations, Roxy lives for those situations. And yet she has control over it. Plus, from what I heard, she's flashy but effective and seems to not cause pain for the sake of her thrill. She causes damage to property but never harm to human life intentionally. The same is true for Batman.
She only has one episode focusing on her, but it absolutely sold me on her. Any villains who is willing to give up their success or lives for their primary motivation gives them true depth.
@@SerumLake In that sense, yeah sometimes characters are best remembered for their hit single. Roxy does seem like the type who is best used as a one off villain, given she is very comparable to Catwoman and would likely have stolen the thunder. Kind of reminds me of Mr Myxlplx in a sense, a wacky character who really leaves a strong impression because they force an otherwise serious character to break out of thier comfort zone for hijinx, but in Batman's case, Roxy is pretty much as far as you could take such a concept without leaving the heart of the show, since Roxy's still more "grounded in reality" and not just relying on "acid trips" to turn Batman to a cartoon character.
There are a lot of cases where it's really nice to see villains who are defined by tragedy or have understandable motives, but for me I have always gravitated towards villains who just love being villains just to spite the hero. I mean name one redeeming thing about the Joker. Lex Luthor may delude himself into thinking that defeating Superman is for the better of mankind, but we all know it's about his own insecurities. In the case of Roxy Rocket, they don't always succeed in making her interesting. And I'd be foolish not to mention that the episode feels like someone let Bruce Timm be a little too horny for his own drawings, and it certainly was not the last time.
I always thought Roxy was a cool concept and a fun character. Not every villain needs to be violent or up to some greedy scheme. In a realistic Gotham, sometimes Batman would have to deal with people who are just a bit of a nutter.
I'd say her calling her encounters with Batman 'dates' goes a beyond just 'courting' him. At the climax (pun partially intended) she's practically glowing with excitement that she "knew it would be this way! The final stunt is the best!" Her immediate disappointment that she's going to live after all is as close to depicting a failure to reach an 'almost there' orgasm as one could possibly get away with in a theoretically 'for kids' show.
That really is quite a metaphor.... almost wonder if they did decide to let her die doing what she loved... I think I'd have liked either ending cause it would justify her being a one off villain and tell a rare story of a villain who died doing what they loved, which feels right at home with Batman's handling of those kind of messages. Though her being disappointed and getting the "reality check" was just as impactful, the girl was absolutely defeated and you can really feel her life suddenly not having meaning anymore.
Ain't no way Serum Lake made a whole video about Roxy Rocket! 😂 Jokes aside, I'm glad she's got some recognition from you. I really love this character and I'm glad you finally talked about her. 🚀🚀🚀
I think roxy does reflect a side of Batman that doesn't really get put out there, but must exist on some level, and that is the thrill of the chase. Vatman doesn't live for it like Roxy does, but on a different level, Batman probably gets some enjoyment out of chasing some villains around (like Catwoman). It is probably very internal, as it is not his goal to seek thrills in a chase, as his motivation is Justice over thrill-rides. I like Roxy, as she is daring and prepared to do a lot to make her money, and I do like her intelligence, as you so demonstrated in your discussion. She isn't a top 10, but she is certainly an interesting character to watch... in ne episode... whenever I happen to be watching.
Knowing Bruce Timm and the way Roxy was making those suggestive comments when she and Batman were on the rocket, I can completely believe why this is one of his favorite episodes in the series. Also wish she appeared more in the DCAU.
Personally, I feel like the Penguin had both desired and rejected Roxy in The Ultimate Trill. After all, she's a beauty who would suit the successful businessman he had became. But the risks she comes with her is the reason why Cobblepot rejects her. He doesn't want the unwanted attention she brings with the cops and Batman, since it means the fact that he's a fence would get revealed and leads to the police going after him. And as such, means that the Penguin's character in The Ultimate Trill shows how he had developed from a man with a facade of wealth to somone who knows what to do and what he wants.
I think it’s ironic that Penguin is the mirror image of Roxy. He used to be a thrill seeker before they turned him into the kingpin of Gotham, but modern Penguin would only see classic Penguin as a liability. Great Video!
Kim Possible has tons of villains like this, characters with simple motivations and simple gimmicks to balance out the more complex ones. Like Motor Ed, who is literally just a car guy made into a villain but he's seriously entertaining.
*Phrases my life is richer for having heard:* _.when she and Batman straddle the rocket towards their certain doom_ 🤣 *Out of nowhere:* Your video reminded me that in early 1993, on a trip to Florida with my family, I ended up spending a day in an elementary school class taught by Graham Nolan's mum. She was very kind and exceedingly proud of her son. (Who was already blazing trails at DC.) Is there any of his work you're particularly fond of?
I really like Roxy Rockwt from BTAS i wish she could have shown up in Justice League Unlimited and teamed up with Circe & Cheetah. I kinda see Roxy as a Wonder Woman Rogue
Roxy could have easily shown up in Arkham knight as a side quest. Think of it as an opportunity to add more variation to the batmobile sections. Basically 3, maybe 4 Need for Speed style "races" where you had to disable her vehicle.
I thought of a story idea where roxy and firefly team up given their shared history of working in films and being fired for their extreme tendencies. It would be somewhat similar to that Superman tas episode where livewire and parasite teamed up. I can kinda see them as kindred given their backgrounds.
Agreed. On that note, it blew my mind when I learned that Red Claw was voiced by Kate Mulgrew, best known for playing Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager.
Ironically enough this is the only episode of the entire BTAS I have ever watched period. I’ve seen the movies for it, I’ve seen Beyond and Return of Joker, and never this series. Granted the only other DCAU series I saw was Justice Leauge and that was when I was a kid. I saw the episode just browsing the TV sometime in my late teens and thought that was a fun ride. I’ve known about it yet haven’t seen that yet…well I think I should be making sometime soon.
Granted, The New Batman Adventures isn't exactly the same as Batman: The Animated Series/The Adventures of Batman & Robin (basically the first 65 and last 20 eps respectively). Still, highly recommend them, alongside Mask of the Phantasm (better seen after "The Worry Men" on production order), SubZero (after "Batgirl Returns" on production order), and Mystery of the Batwoman+Chase Me (after JL's "Maid of Honor"). Hmm, what about Superman: The Animated Series/The New Superman Adventures (the latter is basically Season 2 onwards)? Justice League Unlimited? Maybe even the Crisis on Two Earths movie? Your call on Static Shock and Gotham Girls.
Not the first to say it but she'd make a better nightwing villian, since shes a redhead (lol) and he's a bit of a thrill-seeker. I could see him half enjoying her antics and flirting back, where she'd enjoy his stupid jokes and good looks.
Another great one Serum! If you really are looking for more Roxy, check out the Game Boy Color game, Batman: Chaos in Gotham. She's a boss in that one. Hope the game makes you explode with enjoyment! ...I'm sorry, I got too into the Roxy spirit of things with that pun.
Is it safe to assume that the Batman villain, Roxy Rocket, has a paraphilia disorder: Autassassinophilia. A sexual aerosol of being in life threatening situations.
I honestly like it when superheroes have more then one varient of thier costume, not just identical copies, or just specialized suits, different looks, but just spare suits, that each have a differnt slightly different appearance. But I really like the lego batman costume carsell or ironman's iron legion
I'll say the same. However, they really should have a logical reason as to why they're around. Looking at you, Batman Arkham games and their buttloads of Batsuit fanservice, even if they're of the futuristic Batman Beyond.
Roxy was a lot like Livewire in this era of the DCAU, in that they just let their freak flags fly. The episode isn't complicated, but that's ok. The fact that she was just a villain who "got off" on what she did, is interesting in itself, since that's actually a thing in criminology. Batman still doesn't have a lot of female rogues, and the ones he does have, there's always an effort to 'redeem'. So I appreciate Roxy for being an unapologetic bad girl. And she's wild in a way that creatives would censor today, so I appreciate her all the more.
I ADORE ROXY!!! I wish there was more of her out in the comics, this episode made me really appreciate her character!! Not ALL Batman villains gotta be on the Joker’s level, she’s just a ton of fun!!! Also, she’s one of the few who really did go straight in the comics, so she has tons of potential to be a hero!!! What an awesome video!!! 😁😁 keep up the great work!!
She seems like an interesting character but I'm not sure if hero is the right job for her. From that gas grenade in the helicopter resulting in a crash, it's clear that she has a tendency to endanger people either because she has no qualms about it or she's just plain reckless. It's pretty hard to imagine such a trigger happy person having the care necessary to be a crime fighter. If she does become one, she would be quite the inefficient and reckless one Regardless it's interesting to see Batman assuming that she's just another tragic figure only for her to say "Nah I'm here for the thrills." Says a lot about Batman and his mentality and I think there's some interesting stories that can be told with Roxy. She could try to become a hero but it becomes clear that she does it because of the adrenaline rush and not any sense of moral obligation
I remember the first time and only time I seen Roxy Rocket was in the Superman TAS and thought Roxy was one of Superman's villains before finding out she was one of Batman's villains that DC used for that crossover episode😂
I have warmed up to this episode. Initially I didn't care for it, as I found it to be less dramatic and sillier than I cared for but I don't see anything like this made anymore so I find it to be a nice product of the time it was made.
One opinion I have heard (from Casually Comics) is that Roxy Rocket would better fit with other superheroes, specifically one of the Earth Green Lanterns. An overly confident/thrill seeker with people who are all about confidence/will would be an interesting relationship
@@michaelandreipalon359 the problem is that Batman already has a female villain that commits lower violence crimes of jewel theft, and who flirts with him. Catwoman. So Roxy's impact is already overshadowed by a much more popular and important character. And Superman has proven (in the DCAU, last I recall) that Roxy isn't much of a challenge for him, catching her very easily. So being a stable villain isn't too compatible. Your Flash suggestion *is* very interesting though. A fast villain, but one that has an air aspect with her machine, making her more unique than yet another speedster. And another person that banters, so they can play off each other. Plus she is more light-hearted, compared to the darker villains of Batman, so she may fit more in with Flash's rougues gallery. I admit, you have me sold on the Flash idea.
Actually, the ep's not that bad. Even the highly unnecessary "Prophecy of Doom" isn't skippable either. For me, Batman Beyond's "Countdown", all of The Zeta Project, and Static Shock's "Hoop Squad" should be worth skipping even to a DCAU afficionado.
great video serum also I watch most of btas I been enjoying it so far and I will tell my option on series 1 Once series 2, 3 and tnba released on netflix I will give my full option on the series
You know...her being a former stuntwoman would make her a great foil for Blue Demon who was a special effects artist & them with Clayface, a former actor, would be an interesting dynamic
Thanks so much for having me on to talk Roxy Rocket, shipmate- seeing this pop up on noticifications was pretty exciting....IT WAS THE ULTIMATE THRILL- sorry I tried not to pluck such low hanging fruit, but I'm simply not above it (I didn't really even try that hard not to)
I wish we got more of her. She reminds me of the line “it’s not about the money, it’s about sending a message”, but in her case, it’s about having fun.
I'm curious what a team-up between Roxy and Scarecrow would look like: Maybe she'd enjoy the fear toxin's effect, with the feeling of "surviving" her hallucinations fueling her dopamine-addicted brain enough that he could manipulate her into stealing for him, in return for that next high; like Spellbinder did to the students with his VR device in Batman Beyond.
There have been many characters who did not originate from the comics but were made for the shows like Super Friends, BTAS, Batman Beyond, and Teen Titans ( classic). It is not just Harley Quinn, but Baby Doll, Roxy Rocket, Apache Chief, Samurai, The Wonder Twins, Gleek, Silky, Mercy, etc.
Well I don’t consider her my favourite but if you think that Penguin lost the Iceberg Lounge who would you think he would go back to his old ways if he has nothing left? Bizarro okay
I have never watched/ read/ or experienced (except for THE suicide squad) any bat man material outside of your channel an I gotta say, Roxie is my favourite of the characters you’ve dissected, a villain with no complex or over the top motivation? Just a girl looking for a new adrenaline rush each day? And she’s a red head? I’m down.
Penguin seems to have a thing for redheads, i'm not sure if anyone outside TVTropes has commented on it- his first crush in BTAS was Veronica Vreeland, another redhead.
Give the new,s of where is the joker we don't know any joker creep creep creep hmmm actually I actually like it you can call him the creep no too negative dum please I said drum roll please owe you can call me the creeper
If there was an episode of Batman where the double entendre and the innuendos were out of control then this is the episode for any Batman fan. What I’m kind of surprised is that this was on a WB cartoons show and knowing the censorship that they try to utilize back then I think she began to change but I kind of raises an eyebrow A bit since this was around the time of Spider-Man the animated series and X-Men the animated series where they had to take some liberties with their characters and also the animation. For example in the Spider-Man episode Morbius the living vampire and blade the vampire Hunter had to change a lot of that due to the fact that both characters feed on blood, but they change the name from blood to plasma, which is basically the same. And I remembered in one of the interviews that Bruce Tim had done was that he wanted to introduce the character Nocturna Who in the comics was a true Vampirus, however they couldn’t use her due to reasons I guess.
Give me the news of where is the joker we don't know any joker creep. Creep creep hmmm I like that you can call me the creep no too negative dum roll please I said drum roll please owe I,m the creeper
The censors must have been on vacation when they made this episode.
I watched this with my little brother and genuinely considered covering his ears at points 😂
The advantages of being outside the stringent yoke of Fox Kids.
I know that Bruce Tim and the gang said one strategy they used to get things past the censors was put in obvious stuff to get their attention while they snuck in what the really intended to put in the episode.
I feel like I need a cigarette 🚬 😅watching this
Your channel has reminded me why I like Batman in the first place and that is Batman The Animated Series. I like the Tim Burton movies and even have a soft spot for the rest that followed, I've had fun with the Adam West version, but I have never cared for the comics.
BTAS is what really did it for me. I remember watching it as a kid, finding the intro awesome, the stories well-written, unsettling, thought-provoking and touching, the characters interesting. These analyses of characters and story arcs you do are great and quite nostalgic for me.
Excellent video review
"The hottest night spot in town; The Iceberg Lounge."
Clever.
"Not every villain has to have a tragic backstory or strong motivation."
THANK YOU for saying that! I've seen so many videos where people decry villains as being "poorly written" just because their backstories and/or motivations are simple, it's refreshing to see someone who's okay with it.
I agree 100%. Although i love complex villains, having someone whos simply "I like Money" or "I like fame" is a nice change of pace. Heck, makes the world more believable for me, since a good majority of people do have very simple motivators like that.
the main problme i have with villian with a tragic story is that it take away the hate for the villian the main point of the villian is you hate them and want to see them lose to the hero like i do love villian with tragic stories but not all the time and tbh am tired of the fanboys trying to justify what joker and thanos did
I think, ultimately, this is why Roxy isn’t as fondly remembered as, say, Mr. Freeze or Two-Face. BTAS and TNAOB were known for complex and compelling characters who are (as our host points out) dark reflections of Batman.
I compare it to going to a favorite restaurant known for high end authentic Sicilian Italian cuisine…and being told the Chef’s Special of the Week is spaghetti and meatballs. Now spaghetti and meatballs can be good but it’s a bit underwhelming.
It’s a good episode and I can see why it’s a creator favorite…but I’m more fond of complex villains with compelling motivations.
Either do it right or keep it simple. Too many poorly written villains are written with half-baked backstories.
Where Edwin Alva failed in Static Shock, his suspected sponsor Amanda Waller (seriously, the tech used by Alva Industries in the latter parts of Static feel like they're all for Project CADMUS) succeeded in Justice League Unlimited.
And in other works, we really need more extraordinarily mundane yet somewhat humanistic adversaries like Ozymandias (Watchmen, especially the comics) and Agent Bishop (TMNT 2003) rather than godlike, nonhuman archetypes like the Core and Andrias Leviathan (Amphibia) and perhaps the Collector (The Owl House).
Hilary J.Bader: "How many dirty jokes do you want for the Roxy episode, Bruce?"
Bruce Timm: "YES"
Based Timm*
So, three jokes?
Anywho, the Fox Kids peeps would have been scandalized by all this.
This actually gives me an idea for an Arkhamverse Roxie - where a post-Knight Batman gasses Roxie, but the Fear Toxin bolsters further instead of deter or weaken her; because fear & thrill is what motivates her dangerous actions.
Alternately, she's a normal stuntwoman who gets exposed to Fear Gas by accident, and finds that normal work just isn't cutting it anymore. So she turns to crime to find the Ultimate Thrill.
Or both.
Have her be addicted to adrenaline and the thrill of such, could work in other media's and could be done right if the writers or such can figure out how to do it tbh
Punch to the adrenal glands.
Jokes on you im into that shit
Roxy also makes a cameo in Justice League: Action as a space-taxi service that is muscling in on Space Cabbie's turf and stealing his customers.
THAT VILLAIN!!!
@@pufferfancyfish as per usual the real villain was capitalism all along
I LOVE IT
IMHO Roxy represents how deep down Batman enjoys what he's doing and that he gets a thrill from fighting crime.
Interesting theory.
I also agree with this, there has to be a small part of Batman that enjoys his work even if it's buried under all that trauma and desire to try to make a city that wouldn't create him.
@22Tesla He loves the car in my opinion
The fact that both bruce wayne and batman are depicted driving Fancy Souped-up cars Is my evidence
Chicks dig the car
Glad that Roxy wasn't forgotten and reappeared in STAS and even Justice League Action. She's truly one of Bruce Timm's most underrated pin-up girls
I love how shes just a Bomber Pinup girl. Its great
Fine point there.
"Not every villain has to have a tragic backstory or strong motivation." True, but there's a difference between what we consider a strong motivation and what a character considers a strong motivation. We as people may not consider Roxy's motivation as strong or compelling, but Roxy herself very clearly feels a strong pull for her motivation, thrill-seeking. That's good: It's better for a character to have a consistent motive than a relatable or strong one.
And honestly, people like Roxy do exist in real life: Some people have an extremely strong tolerance for fear stimuli, meaning that situations that other people would find terrifying don't even register as slightly scary to them. This isn't courage, but outright fearlessness. Instead of feeling fear, what they feel is the adrenaline rush. Euphoria and excitement with no drawbacks. As such, it can be addictive, creating literal adrenaline junkies.
That's ultimately Roxy Rocket: Someone who doesn't feel fear who is "chasing the dragon" and in this case, that dragon is named "Adrenaline". That, at least, makes her motives understandable: Almost everyone has something that they are addicted to, even if they don't recognize it as such. The brain is wired to be drawn to pleasurable experiences, and some people are more prone to addictions than others.
This comment
I actually think Roxy represents Batman’s Daring side, and how far they pushes themselves physically & Mentally in a dangerous situation…
this reminds of what someone said once "you need a combination of deep and not deep villains for a good show "
Every single remotely enjoyable science fiction series certainly proves that to be true.
The Last Wish also has that. You have goldilocks (a sympathetic villain trying to find family), Death (a primal force of nature doing his job) and Big Jack Horner (who's just an evil sociopath that is well aware he's a bastard and loves every second of it).
I remember when I was first staring watching this series, it was my teacher of all people (who was a comic fan since the 60s), who told me about this episode. “I swear to god, there’s a BTAS episode where the main villain has a straight up orgasm!”
I did not believe him, and was SHOCKED he was right when I watched it
The more we know...
I love Roxy. She may not be tragic, but she is fun to watch. I do wish she was more well known, but we have seen what happens when a popular character is overexposed (Harley Quinn). At least she is not forgotten.
The sexual innuendos flew over my head as a child, but now that I am older, I can see why some of the creators loved this episode.
I'm also in the "Roxy is cool because she's fun" camp.
The best writers come from those who can make an episode fun for kids AND adults "at the same time". Animaniacs kind of comes to mind with how many adult jokes they slipped in. XD Gosh that was a fantastic era. Sadly seems like now a days, "adult jokes" have to be so blatently in your face that you have 13 year olds swearing like sailors JUST to see how many "grown ups" they can offend with thier new "vocabulary". Thank you internet for giving us writers that genuinely make us MISS the censors....
This episode should’ve been titled “That’s What She Said”.
Errm, how so?
That comment with that pfp. LOL. 😂🤣
Great video! I liked this episode, even though it's not often considered among the better TNBA episodes.Roxy is a fun character, and the voice acting by Charity James was fantastic. I would have liked to see more of her in the DCAU other than this and the brief appearance you mentioned.
As much as I love the tragic and tormented villains, I like the fact that Roxy isn’t some tormented soul out for revenge.
@@SerumLakeExactly. Like you said in the video, there's room for both. And sometimes as fans we're more in the mood for this sort of joy ride style.
Gotta say, Roxy fits well in Batman's Rouges Gallery. They both possess complete control of a situation no matter how tense it is. The only difference is Batman is calm under pressure in tense situations, Roxy lives for those situations. And yet she has control over it. Plus, from what I heard, she's flashy but effective and seems to not cause pain for the sake of her thrill. She causes damage to property but never harm to human life intentionally. The same is true for Batman.
She sounds really great as an anomaly in his rogues gallery, largely impersonal and fun daredevil.
She only has one episode focusing on her, but it absolutely sold me on her.
Any villains who is willing to give up their success or lives for their primary motivation gives them true depth.
I’m kinda glad they used her sparingly, otherwise she may have outstayed her welcome.
@@SerumLake In that sense, yeah sometimes characters are best remembered for their hit single. Roxy does seem like the type who is best used as a one off villain, given she is very comparable to Catwoman and would likely have stolen the thunder. Kind of reminds me of Mr Myxlplx in a sense, a wacky character who really leaves a strong impression because they force an otherwise serious character to break out of thier comfort zone for hijinx, but in Batman's case, Roxy is pretty much as far as you could take such a concept without leaving the heart of the show, since Roxy's still more "grounded in reality" and not just relying on "acid trips" to turn Batman to a cartoon character.
Not only was this episode the first Roxy appearance...it was the storyboard debut (in the DCAU) of Darwyn Cooke.
What I’d give to see those storyboards! Darwyn Cooke was such a talent, I love his Parker books.
There are a lot of cases where it's really nice to see villains who are defined by tragedy or have understandable motives, but for me I have always gravitated towards villains who just love being villains just to spite the hero. I mean name one redeeming thing about the Joker. Lex Luthor may delude himself into thinking that defeating Superman is for the better of mankind, but we all know it's about his own insecurities. In the case of Roxy Rocket, they don't always succeed in making her interesting. And I'd be foolish not to mention that the episode feels like someone let Bruce Timm be a little too horny for his own drawings, and it certainly was not the last time.
I always thought Roxy was a cool concept and a fun character.
Not every villain needs to be violent or up to some greedy scheme. In a realistic Gotham, sometimes Batman would have to deal with people who are just a bit of a nutter.
She would make for a really good Suicide Squad member.
I'd say her calling her encounters with Batman 'dates' goes a beyond just 'courting' him. At the climax (pun partially intended) she's practically glowing with excitement that she "knew it would be this way! The final stunt is the best!" Her immediate disappointment that she's going to live after all is as close to depicting a failure to reach an 'almost there' orgasm as one could possibly get away with in a theoretically 'for kids' show.
That really is quite a metaphor.... almost wonder if they did decide to let her die doing what she loved... I think I'd have liked either ending cause it would justify her being a one off villain and tell a rare story of a villain who died doing what they loved, which feels right at home with Batman's handling of those kind of messages. Though her being disappointed and getting the "reality check" was just as impactful, the girl was absolutely defeated and you can really feel her life suddenly not having meaning anymore.
Ain't no way Serum Lake made a whole video about Roxy Rocket! 😂
Jokes aside, I'm glad she's got some recognition from you. I really love this character and I'm glad you finally talked about her. 🚀🚀🚀
I think roxy does reflect a side of Batman that doesn't really get put out there, but must exist on some level, and that is the thrill of the chase. Vatman doesn't live for it like Roxy does, but on a different level, Batman probably gets some enjoyment out of chasing some villains around (like Catwoman). It is probably very internal, as it is not his goal to seek thrills in a chase, as his motivation is Justice over thrill-rides.
I like Roxy, as she is daring and prepared to do a lot to make her money, and I do like her intelligence, as you so demonstrated in your discussion. She isn't a top 10, but she is certainly an interesting character to watch... in ne episode... whenever I happen to be watching.
Brings me back to Satoshi Kon's Millennium Actress in many ways.
I wish we got to see a version of Penguin in Movies than is like the versions of the character like from the animated series.
Knowing Bruce Timm and the way Roxy was making those suggestive comments when she and Batman were on the rocket, I can completely believe why this is one of his favorite episodes in the series. Also wish she appeared more in the DCAU.
Personally, I feel like the Penguin had both desired and rejected Roxy in The Ultimate Trill. After all, she's a beauty who would suit the successful businessman he had became. But the risks she comes with her is the reason why Cobblepot rejects her. He doesn't want the unwanted attention she brings with the cops and Batman, since it means the fact that he's a fence would get revealed and leads to the police going after him.
And as such, means that the Penguin's character in The Ultimate Trill shows how he had developed from a man with a facade of wealth to somone who knows what to do and what he wants.
I don't want to be the guy that goes with her on her stunts
I DO want to be the first guy she runs into after her stunts
Better watch out in case she ropes you in for her schemes and shenanigans.
I think it’s ironic that Penguin is the mirror image of Roxy. He used to be a thrill seeker before they turned him into the kingpin of Gotham, but modern Penguin would only see classic Penguin as a liability.
Great Video!
Kim Possible has tons of villains like this, characters with simple motivations and simple gimmicks to balance out the more complex ones. Like Motor Ed, who is literally just a car guy made into a villain but he's seriously entertaining.
Roxy rocket is one of the villains who simply followed orders from characters like the penguin
*Phrases my life is richer for having heard:* _.when she and Batman straddle the rocket towards their certain doom_ 🤣
*Out of nowhere:* Your video reminded me that in early 1993, on a trip to Florida with my family, I ended up spending a day in an elementary school class taught by Graham Nolan's mum. She was very kind and exceedingly proud of her son. (Who was already blazing trails at DC.) Is there any of his work you're particularly fond of?
That’s very cool! I enjoyed his work on The Joker: Devil’s Advocate, and Vengeance of Bane (of course!)
So luckyyyyyyy!
I could see her being an inspiration to Adrena Lynn from Kim Possible which came out years later.
Good assumption there.
I really like Roxy Rockwt from BTAS i wish she could have shown up in Justice League Unlimited and teamed up with Circe & Cheetah. I kinda see Roxy as a Wonder Woman Rogue
Roxy could have easily shown up in Arkham knight as a side quest.
Think of it as an opportunity to add more variation to the batmobile sections.
Basically 3, maybe 4 Need for Speed style "races" where you had to disable her vehicle.
So, the Firefly mission there?
@@michaelandreipalon359
Like that yeah.
I thought of a story idea where roxy and firefly team up given their shared history of working in films and being fired for their extreme tendencies. It would be somewhat similar to that Superman tas episode where livewire and parasite teamed up. I can kinda see them as kindred given their backgrounds.
OK, you really sold us well on this.
Roxy and Red Claw were two of my favorite characters from Batman Animated Series that I wish were used more in the mainstream Batman universe
Agreed. On that note, it blew my mind when I learned that Red Claw was voiced by Kate Mulgrew, best known for playing Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager.
Oh damn, I COMPLETELY forgot about this episode. I haven't seen it in umm....a long ass time, but I always enjoyed it. She's a great character.
I want Roxy to meet with Ricochet Rita, a fellow stuntwoman from Marvel's Longshot miniseries.
And Rita works for Mojo so I'm sure he'd love to fund all of Roxy's insane stunts.
Roxy is a thrill seeker and she just loves to ride big shaped rockets.
I imagine Roxy would get along with Harley Quinn; high-octane thrill ride seekers.
Ironically enough this is the only episode of the entire BTAS I have ever watched period. I’ve seen the movies for it, I’ve seen Beyond and Return of Joker, and never this series. Granted the only other DCAU series I saw was Justice Leauge and that was when I was a kid.
I saw the episode just browsing the TV sometime in my late teens and thought that was a fun ride. I’ve known about it yet haven’t seen that yet…well I think I should be making sometime soon.
Granted, The New Batman Adventures isn't exactly the same as Batman: The Animated Series/The Adventures of Batman & Robin (basically the first 65 and last 20 eps respectively). Still, highly recommend them, alongside Mask of the Phantasm (better seen after "The Worry Men" on production order), SubZero (after "Batgirl Returns" on production order), and Mystery of the Batwoman+Chase Me (after JL's "Maid of Honor").
Hmm, what about Superman: The Animated Series/The New Superman Adventures (the latter is basically Season 2 onwards)? Justice League Unlimited? Maybe even the Crisis on Two Earths movie?
Your call on Static Shock and Gotham Girls.
Not the first to say it but she'd make a better nightwing villian, since shes a redhead (lol) and he's a bit of a thrill-seeker. I could see him half enjoying her antics and flirting back, where she'd enjoy his stupid jokes and good looks.
First Batman episode i ever saw! Started imitating batman and that’s how i made a good friend back then, long story :))
Another great one Serum! If you really are looking for more Roxy, check out the Game Boy Color game, Batman: Chaos in Gotham. She's a boss in that one. Hope the game makes you explode with enjoyment! ...I'm sorry, I got too into the Roxy spirit of things with that pun.
Is it safe to assume that the Batman villain, Roxy Rocket, has a paraphilia disorder: Autassassinophilia. A sexual aerosol of being in life threatening situations.
Strange that the word has "assassin" in it.
I honestly like it when superheroes have more then one varient of thier costume, not just identical copies, or just specialized suits, different looks, but just spare suits, that each have a differnt slightly different appearance. But I really like the lego batman costume carsell or ironman's iron legion
I'll say the same.
However, they really should have a logical reason as to why they're around. Looking at you, Batman Arkham games and their buttloads of Batsuit fanservice, even if they're of the futuristic Batman Beyond.
Roxy was a lot like Livewire in this era of the DCAU, in that they just let their freak flags fly. The episode isn't complicated, but that's ok. The fact that she was just a villain who "got off" on what she did, is interesting in itself, since that's actually a thing in criminology. Batman still doesn't have a lot of female rogues, and the ones he does have, there's always an effort to 'redeem'. So I appreciate Roxy for being an unapologetic bad girl. And she's wild in a way that creatives would censor today, so I appreciate her all the more.
Roxy also made an appearance in Justice League Action, where she runs a taxi service in space, competing with Space Cabbie.
I ADORE ROXY!!! I wish there was more of her out in the comics, this episode made me really appreciate her character!! Not ALL Batman villains gotta be on the Joker’s level, she’s just a ton of fun!!! Also, she’s one of the few who really did go straight in the comics, so she has tons of potential to be a hero!!!
What an awesome video!!! 😁😁 keep up the great work!!
She seems like an interesting character but I'm not sure if hero is the right job for her. From that gas grenade in the helicopter resulting in a crash, it's clear that she has a tendency to endanger people either because she has no qualms about it or she's just plain reckless. It's pretty hard to imagine such a trigger happy person having the care necessary to be a crime fighter. If she does become one, she would be quite the inefficient and reckless one
Regardless it's interesting to see Batman assuming that she's just another tragic figure only for her to say "Nah I'm here for the thrills." Says a lot about Batman and his mentality and I think there's some interesting stories that can be told with Roxy. She could try to become a hero but it becomes clear that she does it because of the adrenaline rush and not any sense of moral obligation
Roxy Rocket is a classic example that a villain doesn't need to have a stronge motivation or tragic backstory to be fun and interesting.
I remember the first time and only time I seen Roxy Rocket was in the Superman TAS and thought Roxy was one of Superman's villains before finding out she was one of Batman's villains that DC used for that crossover episode😂
My favourite villain of the animated series
I have warmed up to this episode. Initially I didn't care for it, as I found it to be less dramatic and sillier than I cared for but I don't see anything like this made anymore so I find it to be a nice product of the time it was made.
I gotra say I think Roxie looks better in the comic, design wise. Also TNBA seriously threw away an opportunity to use Catwoman again, SMH.
One opinion I have heard (from Casually Comics) is that Roxy Rocket would better fit with other superheroes, specifically one of the Earth Green Lanterns. An overly confident/thrill seeker with people who are all about confidence/will would be an interesting relationship
I'd rather she stay a Batman/Superman adversary. Maybe even a little bit of the Flash.
@@michaelandreipalon359 the problem is that Batman already has a female villain that commits lower violence crimes of jewel theft, and who flirts with him. Catwoman. So Roxy's impact is already overshadowed by a much more popular and important character.
And Superman has proven (in the DCAU, last I recall) that Roxy isn't much of a challenge for him, catching her very easily. So being a stable villain isn't too compatible.
Your Flash suggestion *is* very interesting though. A fast villain, but one that has an air aspect with her machine, making her more unique than yet another speedster. And another person that banters, so they can play off each other. Plus she is more light-hearted, compared to the darker villains of Batman, so she may fit more in with Flash's rougues gallery.
I admit, you have me sold on the Flash idea.
@@tinaherr3856 Why, thank you.
It's nice to have a Batman villain that isn't some psychopath that's fine with killing people
I appreciate the slight poke at The Underdwellers, the only episode of BTAS I skipped when rewatching it last year.
I felt bad saying it...this comment made me feel better, which makes me think I probably didn't feel that bad to start with
Actually, the ep's not that bad. Even the highly unnecessary "Prophecy of Doom" isn't skippable either.
For me, Batman Beyond's "Countdown", all of The Zeta Project, and Static Shock's "Hoop Squad" should be worth skipping even to a DCAU afficionado.
great video serum also I watch most of btas I been enjoying it so far and I will tell my option on series 1 Once series 2, 3 and tnba released on netflix I will give my full option on the series
they don’t call it kids’ “dubba dubba” WB for nothin’
Beats Fox Kids anytime.
You know...her being a former stuntwoman would make her a great foil for Blue Demon who was a special effects artist & them with Clayface, a former actor, would be an interesting dynamic
You know Serum
Maybe living in Gotham isn't so bad.
There would be worse ways to die, right? 😂
Thanks, but I'd rather still live on Dakota.
This was a great episode. My personal favorite is Old Wounds
Thanks so much for having me on to talk Roxy Rocket, shipmate- seeing this pop up on noticifications was pretty exciting....IT WAS THE ULTIMATE THRILL- sorry I tried not to pluck such low hanging fruit, but I'm simply not above it (I didn't really even try that hard not to)
No hard feelings.
Roxy rocket is best girl! Any opposed fight me IRL! Amazing video as always by the way.
I see it a lot like SCP: We kinda *need* more light hearted or non-evil bad guys. All, always angst, ALL the time is kinda... eh.
"you can tell a lot about a person based on their favorite episodes" I sure hope not, my favorite are the HARDAC ones.
She also appeared in Justice League Action.
I wish we got more of her. She reminds me of the line “it’s not about the money, it’s about sending a message”, but in her case, it’s about having fun.
If it doesn't feel good why do it at all?
Wow you can tell a person by their favorite episodes mine are Mad Love and Mean seasons
I'm curious what a team-up between Roxy and Scarecrow would look like: Maybe she'd enjoy the fear toxin's effect, with the feeling of "surviving" her hallucinations fueling her dopamine-addicted brain enough that he could manipulate her into stealing for him, in return for that next high; like Spellbinder did to the students with his VR device in Batman Beyond.
There have been many characters who did not originate from the comics but were made for the shows like Super Friends, BTAS, Batman Beyond, and Teen Titans ( classic). It is not just Harley Quinn, but Baby Doll, Roxy Rocket, Apache Chief, Samurai, The Wonder Twins, Gleek, Silky, Mercy, etc.
Roxy look like Veronica Lodge from Archie comic...
Paid attention to 2:12, huh?
I think Roxy would make a nice addition to Harley Quinn's band of misfits, or at least an episode of why she doesn't fit in with them.
Not as crazy as Harley, not a zealot like Ivy. They'd get along until they didn't, maybe even due to collateral damage, which would be a funny irony.
Well I don’t consider her my favourite but if you think that Penguin lost the Iceberg Lounge who would you think he would go back to his old ways if he has nothing left?
Bizarro okay
No, he should be in permanent solitary, as hinted in planned yet cut scenes for Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker's flashbacks.
I have never watched/ read/ or experienced (except for THE suicide squad) any bat man material outside of your channel an I gotta say, Roxie is my favourite of the characters you’ve dissected, a villain with no complex or over the top motivation? Just a girl looking for a new adrenaline rush each day? And she’s a red head? I’m down.
She was the most sexually charged character in the whole DCAU, and that is saying something when talking about Bruce Timm characters.
Penguin seems to have a thing for redheads, i'm not sure if anyone outside TVTropes has commented on it- his first crush in BTAS was Veronica Vreeland, another redhead.
So she was basically a female Cavalier.
7:26 I love this part
Give the new,s of where is the joker we don't know any joker creep creep creep hmmm actually I actually like it you can call him the creep no too negative dum please I said drum roll please owe you can call me the creeper
Roxy Rocket....aka badly can we obliterate the censorship radar
Ugh I joined at the last minute and didn't even get to see the end due to these spam ads
Two face is the best batman villain
Smash
My favorite villain of this series.
13:58 yeah! That's who I voted for in 13:52!
You know who could be a good contender for Roxy's kindred spirit? The Creeper
Imagine if we had characters like her in Batman Beyond; think that would help make it closer to ehat the Warner Execs wanted?
If there was an episode of Batman where the double entendre and the innuendos were out of control then this is the episode for any Batman fan. What I’m kind of surprised is that this was on a WB cartoons show and knowing the censorship that they try to utilize back then I think she began to change but I kind of raises an eyebrow A bit since this was around the time of Spider-Man the animated series and X-Men the animated series where they had to take some liberties with their characters and also the animation. For example in the Spider-Man episode Morbius the living vampire and blade the vampire Hunter had to change a lot of that due to the fact that both characters feed on blood, but they change the name from blood to plasma, which is basically the same.
And I remembered in one of the interviews that Bruce Tim had done was that he wanted to introduce the character Nocturna Who in the comics was a true Vampirus, however they couldn’t use her due to reasons I guess.
So shes like pharah
Give me the news of where is the joker we don't know any joker creep. Creep creep hmmm I like that you can call me the creep no too negative dum roll please I said drum roll please owe I,m the creeper
i am not saying lesbian is 90% of reason i love Roxy as villian
but
Would Roxy rocket fly into a nuclear explosion wave?
Roxy's cool
Roxy and Superman The Animated Series's Livewire were I think attempts to create new Harley Quinns but they weren't as successful as Harley.