I never really felt anything watching that scene. As a kid or even a year ago. But now that I know what it's like to watch someone I love die, I know what it hits way harder.
"If you cannot picture Batman comforting a kid, you don't have Batman, you have the Punisher in a cape." Batman is no less caring than Superman, he just hides it. Because he's hurt. And doesn't want to hurt more. But even more than that? He wants to ensure no one else hurts like he has. This really shouldn't be THIS hard to grasp.
I admit, I don’t know Punisher that well, but I’ve seen that quote before with others defending that even he has a soft spot for kids. That said, yeah… a Batman who wouldn’t comfort a kid is not really Batman.
@@aqwkingchampion13 I saw a video that featured stills of a recent issue of Batman or DC comics where Superman's son Jonathan (who is 10-12 years old) is missing/lost, and Batman and Nightwing help in the search party. They find Jonathan in canyon/mountainous region feeling down on himself. Nightwing cheers him up by revealing Batman carries lollipops in his utility belt, gives him one, and entertains him with juggling tricks from his circus days. Batman having lollipops packed in his belt reinforces his care for children, because in the events of rescuing them, saving them, or just giving them support after a witnessing a crime or traumatic event; comforting them with lollipops is like having hot cocoa and weighted blankets on hand without having to pack either in the Batmobile or Batwing.
@@aqwkingchampion13To be absolutely fair to Frank (The Punisher) while he does have a soft spot for kids and the innocent, he's not really able to allow himself to be as vulnerable as we've seen Bats when it's called for. Because at his core, he's still that kid in the alley himself, and he wants to make sure no one else knows what that's like. In a similar vein to the comment above while the adults of Gotham...well the criminals anyway, are rightly scared shitless of him the kids aren't. They know better and will talk to him without a hint of fear. There's a whole heap of comics where this is demonstrated, and is yet ANOTHER strike against the SS game. Given it's unfortunately set in the Arkham universe, recall that Harley and Joker chopped up kids and made their parents play a "game" of figuring out which parts were theirs. And Bats STILL gave Harley a chance to atone. Because evil deed or not, she was also a victim...and then the current iteration has the conceit to act as if she has the moral highground. Pathetic on both her part and whomever wrote that scene. Batman deserved better, Kevin deserved better, we deserved better...**and Harley herself deserved better**.
I think Justice League Frontier has a couple scenes that really show how Batman handles kids. The first is when he rescues the kid from a cult. After the cult has been dealt with, he tries to get the kid off of the altar, but the kid freaks out because he's scared of his savior. Batman is so bothered by this that, in a later scene, he implies that's part of the reason why he changed his outfit and teamed up with Robin. Superman: Hmm. New look, a sidekick. Do you mind if I ask? Batman: As a matter of fact, I do. Let's just say I set out to scare criminals, not children. Superman: Fair enough.
@ShadyDoorags And it does too much, way to many pedophiles out there calling themselves "MAPS", wish people could say MAP and mean multi animator project now
It does. Not in the same way the hero world sucks, but I guarantee that if a Batman or Superman existed, we'd have new problems...but not the inescapable ones we have now@@ShadyDoorags
"Hey Doc, this injection isn't going to make my junk fire another man's seed, is it? Because I don't want it if it's going to make my junk fire another man's seed."
Oh now wait a second Can you imagine if you don't want children how many women you can get pregnant and take them to court and hear those wonderful words.... "You are not the father" Yes I'm just being a jerk because I can.
According to Bruce Timm, this was not only supposed to be the series finale of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, but the overall FINALE of the overall DC Animated Universe (as the final scene echoes the very first scene of the first episode of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES). However, Cartoon Network ordered another season's worth of episodes. Easily the most iconic scene showed constantly on social media after Kevin Conroy's passing is the swing set scene.
you have to love that after all the years of WB messing with them, telling them "make Batman a kid" telling them "You're not allowed to use any Batman characters in Justice League, it'll confuse people." telling them "this more mature, adult show you're making now? Yeah we're gonna censor the violence harder than the old Saturday morning show, oh and higher than other sillier shows on our network aimed at younger kids" They gave them one last middle finger and it was "nawwww you can have more episodes, we were just kidding about you being canceled."
@@KairuHakubi Best story was the WB meeting after BATMAN BEYOND was nearing the start of its third season. WB was still urging Bruce Timm they weren't getting the age range they wanted (around 6 to 9). Timm was already starting to develop JUSTICE LEAGUE, but WB was saying, "We need YOUNGER" and started pitching Timm their idea of a show of young kids competing to become the next Batman (which basically them pitching a POKEMON version of BATMAN, as this was the era when POKEMON was starting to burst into the MEGATON franchise it became). Timm left the meeting just bewildered, and one of the advertising execs said to him, "Get JUSTICE LEAGUE away from these morons!" (Timm later stated, "Well, if the Commerical guys are telling you this........." ;big reason why they went to Cartoon Network, which was gaining big hit numbers with DC reruns)
@@van8ryan i had no idea Warner had separate groups like that, and you were allowed to take your show pitch from one to the other. Imagine that at any other job. "Mr. Tate doesn't like my ad campaign, I'm going to take it to a different part of the same company.." what's hilarious is, didn't Japan actually do something like that, with kids summoning Marvel heroes via cards or something?
5:43 The writer, Dwayne Mcduffie (🙏God rest his soul) confirmed that the black & white scenes are all in Terry’s mind. Also: 9:38 “Can you imagine your Batman comforting a scared child? If yes, congratulations, that's a genuine Batman! If no, you haven't written Batman, you've just written Punisher in a funny hat”. - Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions
I love the little detail that Terry only even entertains the idea that Bruce was behind all this because he's hurt and upset. That's his guy, and deep down he knows that
I'd have enjoyed seeing Adam West (the Bright Knight) and Kevin Conroy (the Dark Knight) swapping stories about their roles. And now that Arleen Sorkin has passed, I just imagine her spotting Kevin Conroy up there and just saying "Hey, B-Man. 😊"
I really liked this ending as it showed how terry managed to surprise bruce. Bruce ended up alone which is heart breaking to see but terry seeing those mistakes found a balance between being batman and finding happiness which batman isn't allowed to find in most series or stories. This is "kid's cartoons" and its still more deep and interesting that most rated R stuff I've seen
@@fandomking8939 yeah, that scene in the animated Killing Joke was just plain disturbing realising it's literally just him putting his fetish into a movie.
I've always attributed her catching/surprising him to the fact she had to deal with Batman throughout her career. A guy sneaks up on you that often you either resign yourself to getting surprised or learn to spot him before he can sneak up on you. Her being able to sneak up on Terry is just her using what she learned from watching a master of the craft do his thing basically every day.
I think she's the 2nd person in that universe to find out who batman is and has been working with them for years so she definitely has the know how to catch Terry.
I think she's an Intelligence Officer. She seems to work for the DCAU's version of "We can't say it's the NSA or CIA but she's definitely a government agent" She works for homeland security in the comics so it would make sense. It's why she doesn't seem to carry a miltary rank like General Eiling did. But if she did have connections to the Intelligence community, she could still have considerable power over miltary units like we see in the show
I blame sweet baby inc. More. Rocksteady made the Arkham games. They know how to make good batman stories. It wasn't until sweet baby inc. Came in that these super hero games started getting bad.
@@lonewolf9578 Even so, the b-team has proven to be competent enough at making Batman games, considering Origins. I agree with the other guy about Sweet Baby's """popularity""" as a subsidiary that's the problem, they're not good at sticking to the writing style of the stories they're contracted to pad out, and they're completely shameless about inserting their own opinions into the work.
@@KairuHakubi Batman is the greatest fictional hero that ever lived I definitely would want him to have my back in a dark alley. One of the most heartbreaking Scenes for an animated series I Ever seen . You can't find that in today's Animated series.
@@dariandavis7228 If it were done today, Ace would be a girl boss that used her powers to cure her brain tumor and then Scarlet Witch the whole city into a Utopia, and Batman would be a plushie because he's like the Defacto adopted dad. And then the rest of the plot would basically be Scarlet Witch.
@@freelancerthe2561nah that’s more of marvel’s thing if it was modern dc at least not the new Superman movie it would try to set up beyond retroactively without properly setting up the entire timeline
I never thought Terry being Bruce’s biological son was a retcon. Terry and his brother’s hair is black while his parents are a red head and brunette. When this was revealed it didn’t surprise me. Truthfully I wonder if this is one of the reasons why their parents got a divorce because Warren thought Mary was cheating on him, but he still loved his children.
The writers of the show have confirmed it was actually a retcon, though. Terry and his brother having black hair whilst their folks had red hair was just something they did without thinking about the broader implications. When they realized what those implications were afterwards, though, they ran with it and canonized the fan theory because they decided it was a good idea.
I think it was planned pretty far back. Remember what Superman said in the episode where we see the future League for the first time? Terry's like "I guess Bruce and I have more in common than I thought" and Superman's all "More than you know." Now, HOW he knew about it, no idea. i don't think he has fuggin.. DNA-vision...
@@KairuHakubi To be honest here, at one point in the comics superman could literally shoot a rainbow beam and if you've seen the superman all star movie.... it ain't THAT hard to believe honestly. Clark got some damn good eyes
I wonder how the twip ends up. Honestly, a lesson I'm astounded Waller didn't take into account is that it doesn't matter how great a person your genes come from, if you're raised by someone else, you could end up just a stronger, more capable monster. and that kid is not exactly impressing me so far. Neither was Terry at first, freakin hoodlum. I mean yeah Waller was going to try to have his parents killed, but did she not take into account "oh wait, he doesn't have a loving Butler to raise him. he's going to be taken into the foster system, abused, taught very generic middle-of-the-road morals from the federal government, then released without making sure he's functional" ??
Yeah, I, too, wasn't super fond of the idea of Terry for all this time was Bruce's son since I do prefer the idea of Batman's legacy not being defined by blood since Batman forged friendships and found a new family with his allies and the Batfamily none of which are related to Bruce, that's why before this reveal, Terry felt as if he earned the mantle since he was messed up kid who had a criminal record but decided to turn life around when his father was killed and chose to make Gotham of the future a better place. I just felt like this reveal does make the mantle feel less meaningful if it just bestowed down to the next of kin, but nevertheless, this episode was still good; besides, this show was et in its own continuity, so it was no big deal, plus that moment with Bruce and Ace is a really great scene that shows how far Bruce's compassion truly goes and how much love he truly has for others, even when he chooses not to show it.
Agreed at first it seemed like they had to do it to connect them, but thats the thing its just a thing that happened its not what made or defined him it definitely added both good and bad, but it did not ruin what was made up to that point
@@milkiassamuel780truthfully, it's something I like, especially since Terry and Matt's mother has Red Hair, Terry and Matt's father had Red Hair, Matt has Black Hair, and Terry has Black Hair. And considering Matt's age, him dying it didn't make sense as his parents wouldn't allow it based on what we saw of Mr. and Ms. McGinnis in the show.
@@milkiassamuel780thing is, being Bruce's son doesn't nullify all the bad he did early in life, nor all the hard work he put in to earn the title, nor the fact that he had his own family that made his entire life completely distinct from Bruce's
Terry is probably the best "new superhero of the same name" ever, and its because he is his own superhero. The guy has a unique suit, powerset, setting, rogues gallery, and relationships with legacy characters.
Yes, I usually dislike the modern hero replacements because it’s always done in the most disrespectful way possible. Terry is a blue print example how a new character can take the mantle of a classic, by respecting the OG and making them awesome in their own right.
The best scene that shows that was the climax of return of the Joker. Jokers taunting him about being a fake Barman and Bruce says Joker likes to talk, to block it out and power on through, but Terry realizes he also likes to talk and then starts fighting dirty and taunting the Joker. Shows how he is his own version of the character
You know now that you mentioned Batman Beyond you HAVE TO do the Mr Freeze Episode of Batman Beyond now...that is just a heartbreaker of an episode in which Victor Friez is on the road to redemption but due to some greedy a-holes he was essentially FORCED into becoming a villian again only to give his Life to save Terry
"Believe me... You're the only one who cares". I think the only other last words from a "villain" to even compare to the simple misery in their final moments is Solomon Grundy.
As painful as the scene of Bruce struggling to pick up his medication is, I think it helps confirm his status as a mortal man in the end, he started Batman Beyond struggling with his health and at the end he can barely function anymore which is a sad but expected end to his character if he avoided dying in battle. What matters is having his son there to take over for him after he dies. This is the Batman I look back to with his passing, the one who will sit by a child to give them a final moment of comfort and remember them, no hack writer can take that away.
I would always forwards pass the scenes of old Batman because it hurt my heart to see him on such a sad state. But you make an excellent point of why that is a necessary moment
7:00 Pretty sure the lines about the tea set are one of two things: 1. That an old person like her (and like Bruce) no longer have friends/family they may have taken for granted when they were younger, and a commentary on not doing more to maintain those bonds (something Terry's in danger of doing by being Batman and dumping everyone else for it) 2. Her emphasis on the set as a whole and not having enough people around to use all of it might be a reference on how that basically happened to the Bat Family, with people scattering to the winds and Batman/Bruce being left alone with regrets/memories
Turned 34 a few months ago and stuff like this is starting to hit closer. "Eventually you live long enough that life stops giving you things and starts taking them away."
Amanda Waller is the most ridiculous DC characters ever More than Half the villans in the suicide squad should be able to remove the chip and rip her to pieces She has more plot armor than any of the superheroes
@KairuHakubi Waller literally Rivals Batman in Prep-time and has expendable resources. She mirrors Bats cause she knows Everything as He does and has her own secrets. PLENTY of chances of her Death and yet somehow walks off without or little consequence. I wouldn't be suprised if her power is like domino. Just LuCkY. 🙄
Whether or not the world “Needs” a Batman, the point is that Amanda Waller *believed* it did. I think that’s really interesting because, of course, she absolutely *hated* him. She knew who he was, inferred blackmailing him which did not work at all, which scared the hell out of her, but by the next season she’s saying she’s not the league’s biggest fan, but she can work with them. And given how cordial she is in the Ace flashback, it seems like she *did* eventually work with/alongside them. So my read on it is this: the Ace story *wasn’t* just a random story she pulled out to illustrate his goodness. I think it was *the specific incident* that made her believe the world *needed* a Batman. And I think that at that point in her life she was still ruthless enough to make sure it had one. By the time Epilogue happens, she’s mellowed, she’s got regrets, she knows she’s not long to this world, she’s pretty sure she’s damned, and she’s pretty sure she deserves it, and she knows she doesn’t have too much longer to wait to find out one way or another. Your hypothesis about the B&W scenes is interesting. I wanna say, “no, you’re wrong,” but, y’no, I’m not sure. Interesting. I’ll have to rewatch it.
I was just writing this same thing, its not the story saying that as a message, its just in there to add to Waller's character. She's done messed up things because they were actions she believed needed to happen.
She hated Bruce at first, because she was distrustful of he WHOLE Justice League at the time they first met. But she grew to respect and look up to him.
I also think in Waller's eyes. If the Justice League doesn't have someone like Batman on the team. A human with no powers, then they'll turn into the Elite or The Authority.
Fun Fact: Originally they planned to not to just be Bruce’s son, but also supposed to be the son of Selina Kyle revealing Waller also altered the D.N.A. of his mother along with his dad and it be revealed in a movie that was gonna be a sequel AFTER “Return of The Joker” as for why? No real clue. 2:50 Also there is actually a comic that dived into that .
I can understand people taking shade on that genetics twist on "Epilogue", but man, at least we got this episode and not that OOC Catwoman spectacle. Since when is Catwoman a mad scientist type who hungers for more Bruce Wayne?!
Just got through the batman beyond series. Its still so good. Wish ee got more of it as the last season felt lacking in the series finale. This justice league episode seeing terry was great and also somehow did a good ending for Bruce terry and waller to see where they end up.
I dunno, "The Call" seems a fitting episode finale especially in production/script order, while I agree with Return of the Joker being the real pre-Epilogue series finale in movie form.
I do like to think that sometime in the future, Terry DOES confront Bruce about the whole Clone thing, and that Terry insists on being his Son, but Bruce counters it, claiming that his Father is the one who raised him, Bruce was the one who trained him. I mostly feel like Terry's Dad deserves more credit, the man saw an injustice and took action...an action that cost him his life and brought Terry down the path of finishing his Father's mission. Bruce is definitely a huge factor in Terry's life (not just genetically) but I feel Mr McGinnis deserves the title of "Father" because his sense of morals were passed on perfectly to Terry. I also like to think the reason him and Terry's Mom weren't in the best relationship is that he suspected she cheated on him (I mean, Terry has black hair...that's pretty freakin' on the nose.) but I also like to think he still wanted to be in his Son's lives, still seeing them as his despite the genetic difference. Especially when we see how much the boys did genuinely care about their Father.
To this day Conroy’s Batman is the only version put to screen that perfectly encapsulated the essence of the character. He was dark and brooding but also could be vulnerable and understanding when necessary. He could be scary but also capable of kind acts. Most on screen adaptations tend to focus solely on the dark and brooding aspect of the character, making him some kind of loner edgelord. But they never seem to correctly portray the fact that he does what he does because he cares so much about his fellow man. Batman sitting with Ace is a perfect example of this. He can’t fly or shapeshift or run faster than light, he’s just a regular guy doing what he can for those around him, which in this case is comforting a scared child, holding her hand as she dies. He was the best one suited to be by her side, as he truly understood her pain. Such a fantastic scene. It never fails to make me emotional. RIP Kevin, thanks for the memories. 🙏
Well tbf the genes probably aren't what's wrong with the kidney, but yeah, if you get some old cells and have them replicate a bunch, then that organ probably isn't going to live as long as the guy you are putting it in.
That also sort of ended up being the same case with Mr. Freeze during that Batman Beyond episode. They gave him a new body using his DNA, but his new body started regressing to the same condition that destroyed his previous body. I think the problem, even though they never actually found a reason for the problem to begin with, might have been because they used the corrupted DNA of Victor Freeze from AFTER his accident that made him unable to survive beyond sub-zero temperatures. They should have gotten a sample of his DNA from BEFORE his accident.
It makes more sense for the “the world needs Batman” scene is imagery as Bruce has said a few times that Batman needs to die or should have stayed dead. The scene is just Terry projecting what he thinks of Bruce’s ego when ironically Bruce is the person who hates Batman the most. (The ace scene always gets to me)
@@battlesheep2552 And in the episode of JL where they fight the Justice Lords, BatLord says he “made a world where no eight-year-old boy will ever lose his parents because of some punk with a gun”, a statement which even the writers couldn’t create a counter argument for because that would be the greatest victory our Batman would ever have.
@@aqwkingchampion13 He couldn't think of a counter point in the moment since he had nothig. i like how they were driving around and they watch as a guy gets arrested just for arguing over his bill for his food was wrong "They'd love it here" "Who?" "Mom and Dad, they'd be so proud of you" "...just drive...."
@@devildavin That was great. It was like, actually acknowledging yes, their system *works.* works better than ours. But on the other hand, it sucks. It powerful sucks. And when you have a problem and your solution sucks, it's probably better to look for more solutions. Especially when the sucky solution is something you can always just do again later, because it's the easy shortcut.
I love the contrast between Terry's warped vision and the reality. In his anger and confusion he sees Bruce as a cold and callous person who cares little for the people he takes in, who is focused solely on the mission that it doesn't matter if he's left alone and bitter. They didn't have it in them, so why bother with them? Meanwhile in reality Bruce is such a damn dad I don't even need to explain.
Really kinda highlights the difference between the common idea of Batman (Terry's fantasies/potential choices) and the character himself (Bruce's actual appearance.)
Credit where credit is due. Taking the Royal Flush, a Teen Titans voice actors reference in Justice League and making a heart wrenching story out of it is nothing short of genius. And Hynden Walch's delivery is absolutely perfect. On top of that having the best Batman ever in the voice of Kevin Conroy and we truly have a masterpiece of a scene. Personally I felt that having Terry not related to Bruce was better for the story, showing that anyone could take up the mantle, they didn't have to be related to Bruce by blood. But it is what it is, great episode regardless.
@@zazaranger5 It's an easy thing to assume, considering how much voice work Tara does and how many characters she voices. She voices Queen in the first Royal Flush appearance since she voiced Raven on Teen Titans.
There one quote that always said with Batman “If your Batman can’t comfort, a child, then what you do is put the punisher in a silly Batman suit” or something of like
@@KairuHakubi Because it's unknown which, I decided to use "their" in the pre-woke gender-neutral sense. Don't mistake me for thinking there's more than two genders.
My ideal Batman story would have someone try to use the dead parents thing to get the upper hand on him, only to find out that he’s moved on completely and has mentally healed. Essentially I’d give him the personality of 60’s Batman and the mannerisms of Edward Cullen Batman. He’s a knight, not a soldier.
Yeah, that'd be awesome. There are two certain things that should go a specific way for Batman in my opinion. The first is that at some point later in his career someone discovers his identity and tries to leverage his trauma against him. Only to find out that the mantle of Batman isn't just some psychotic coping mechanisms but is instead the representation of the incredible man Bruce used his pain to become. The second is his death, the only two acceptable ways for Bruce Wayne to die is either calmly surrounded by family finally able to truly rest. Or he should specifically die in battle saving a child preferably a full family mirroring the death of his own family only unlike that night in Crime Alley this time someone WAS able and willing to step in and save the day.
I dunno. I just can't really see this working. How would you leverage the death of one's parents against them? And if you've completely healed and moved on from it, how would you be able to leverage it? The simple fact that someone could use it as leverage would indicate that he has not, in fact, moved on from it. A more realistic and sensical story would be one which someone was able to use it as leverage and during the course of that plot, Bruce was able to let go and move on. But I circle back to my original question, how does one leverage the death of one's parents against them?
I want to say that might be nice to finally see, given that is literally in his protocols for fighting himself. But at the same time, I don’t think it’s mentally possible for Bruce to get over the death of his parents as he’s been Batman since that night and Bruce, at least metaphysically speaking, is still in that alley with the corpses of his Thomas and Martha Wayne. Batman was born from that pain and will never stop carrying that burden with him because it’s what fuels him. Getting over the deaths of his parents eventually means that his time as a crime-fighter (in any capacity given that I still see him as Batman in Beyond despite Terry being in the suit; it’s not until the movie I think that Terry really became his own) is over. Yes, Bruce/Batman/Man-in-Chair still has the empathy to fight against Gotham’s criminal underworld, but he also has the money to legitimately Gotham from the inside-out to be less of a hive of scum and villainy. Him being Batman rather than the generous billionaire Bruce Wayne is a form of catharsis, pushing away those thoughts of his parent’s death as to avoid getting past that pain because, deep down, he truly doesn’t believe he can, which, at least in my opinion, is the greatest tragedy of the Batman.
Fun fact: The very last scene of this episode (and by extension Batman Beyond) where Terry flies past the police and startles them is a mirror of the very first scene from B:TAS with Bruce flying past the police and startling them.
And this episode really helped cement one of the reasons people love Batman so much, his empathy, though he doesnt' show it all the time he does genuinely want to help his rouges in any way he can which is part of the reason he doesn't kill them even if logically it would be the easier option. And in turn it causes him more suffering because he effectively condemns himself to continue to fight and protect even though it's a never ending battle.
There are definitely certain of his rogues that he has a soft spot for. Two face is top of that list, but not at all exclusive. Admittedly, I really wish someone would actually do something with the premise of the villains being broken people. TAS did it a few times with two-face, Harley, the Ventriloquist and Penguin, but I still think there's massively untapped potential. Flat out, I honestly wish Lex Luthor would make some sort of attempt at a kind of work reform program, then secretly funnel their talents into his criminal Enterprise while they end up the victim of his duplicity
"I don't care," is how I've felt about Bruce being Terry's father when people complain about the retcon. It doesn't really take away from their dynamic since neither knew about it unless Bruce looked at the DNA of Terry and his younger brother Matt which is possible. Instead, I tend to see it as Bruce if he did discover it not feeling alone and giving a bit of hope that not only Batman will go on but more so his parents' genetic legacy as well. And if there is one thing that Bruce regretted more as he got older is that he was the last of the Wayne's along with losing Wayne Enterprises to Powers which we know soiled his and his parents' public legacy. In ROTJ, Bruce is happy that he has finally regained Wayne Enterprises. In the end, the retcon gave more to Bruce than most realize- it gave him two sons to carry on his parents' legacies. That's if Matt didn't become some slacker or something.
People tend to forget that given how much emphasis Bruce puts on respecting family that he wouldn't besmirch Warren's name or importance to Terry. So by keeping it secret he's honoring someone who raised & loved Terry...probably seeing it as a bit of a situation between himself & Alfred
Batman tas is the gold standard for super heroes and batman as a character. His compassion for people, dedication to his goal and his unwavering will to get his mission done exemplified by every scene he's in made me love the character. However he came to life when kevin conroy voiced him.
In reguards to Waller's comments, i think that's foreshadowing to her comments at the end of Terry's visit. Waller is an old woman who is so alone that she doesnt have enough friends in the world to use the teaset with. She later on will tell Terry to let his loved ones in on his life, presumably because one day, when he's old like her and Bruce, they're all he's going to have. Arguably, maintaining a healthy connection with his loved ones might be a way Terry could end up in a better place than Bruce ultimately did, learn from his greatest regret and all that.
That’s what I always love about Shady’s video thumbnails. The way how they are designed with that same purple background and text, and cut of characters in them is a dead give away for us of who that video is made from.
It is so refreshing to see someone who actually understands this episode!! Every time I hear the “This episode tarnishes Terry’s character” argument, I just think… “wow Amanda spelled it out for you and you still don’t get it!!
Every time someone shows me the Flashback of Ace, my heart breaks. I also believed Terry's memories were false due to how the episode went and I'm glad they were. I don't have a problem with Terry being Bruce's son cause I never really saw him that way even when re-watching the series with that knowledge didn't change anything about Terry to me; I just always see him as more of Bruce's Protege/Successor rather than his son. So like you, I don't really care about the retcon, Terry is just Terry to me.
13:10 It doesn't help that this is supported by the fact that Terry's brother is also Bruce's son (since they both have Bruce's black hair). There were subtle nods of his brother having Bruce's mannerisms too, such as wanting to speak to their dead "father" from beyond the grave and him preferring Batman over the Terrific Trio.
9:40 is why I love watching this dudes channel 🤣😂🤣 I’m crying from the way he edited how he felt and ALSO the scene itself. A mans man if I do say so myself 🔥🔥🔥
Always funny when Shady pulls out references to completely unrelated things I know way too much about. DBZA, Hamilton this episode. Always gets a chuckle out of me.
A little part of me has a thought that while Waller and Batman don’t see eye to eye, Waller has immense respect for him. Not only for having the guts to stand up to her, but also being the only JL member to less likely go power mad.
@@zeldagameryt4018 There is a reason why Waller chose to tell THAT story in particular. It showcases what Batman should be, but it also tells why she *believes* that the world needs a Batman.
No, when Waller distrusts you, even dislikes you and is still forced to conclude the world needs you, then you did something truly remarkable and good.
11:14 Sorta surprised you didn’t go into further significance of The Phantasm, given that she was another close acquaintance that knew Bats enough to not do the deed. Granted that would’ve made a major tangent in the tangent, though would tie back into legacy through influence.
to me this should have been the true ending of the DCAU. its all started with Batman and it would have been great to see it end knowing Batman is still fighting crime. also i love that when Terry is flying through the city it plays the BTAS theme. yes we heard it s few times in Beyond, but it was when Bruce was in action. i feel this was a sign that Terry is truly is Batman. also nice reference that the end was kinda how BTAS started. with 2 guys in a blimp watching as something flys by them.
This is the moment I fell in love with Batman all over again as a kid. I didn’t see Epilogue until I was almost 30, but batman beyond was on air in my early teens. As a boy I loved Batman for being an edgy super intelligent badass without powers. As a man I love batman because he is everything a man should be. Strong, competent and capable. Able to go toe to toe with the worst monsters of the universe, but have the heart to show compassion to those that need it most. Sitting with Ace will always bring tears to my eyes.
Saw batman beyond and the batman. Both great shows. Tas batman while a way better character as we see his entire life from start to end. The batman i feel is batman when he found the good ending of staying with robin and batgirl since he's a lot more happy and able to understand teamwork I also like how superman in the batman is the solo guy while batman is basically leading the justice league.
Bruce comforting Ace plays to what he's said in the comics "Batman is meant to terrify criminals, not children." Also you want an example of how caring Bruce is? *He knocked out Orion a MEMBER OF THE NEW GODS because he disrespected Forager's sacrifice*
11:53 whats so funny about finding out that Amanda Waller is a Christian in this universe is that in another...she tried to get a "Get out of Hell free" card in another universe with the aid of the Suicide Squad. Also I should point out that Terry being Bruce's son? It was hinted at in "The Call" when Terry turns down the offer to join the Justice League and said "I guess I'm more like the old man than I thought" and Superman quietly comments "More than you know"
*The scene with Ace and Batman is shown* *I barely manage to suppress manly tears* *Shady then proceeds to crack a joke about not crying* Thanks, Shady. I needed that laugh after one of animation's most heartbreaking scenes.
12:21 I think Bruce gets a slight leg up because he doesn't have super powers, thus being more compassionate and patient, especially with the criminals he faces is significantly more challenging and yet he does it anyway.
It's always interesting how when he's talking to his rogues, he always uses their real names when he knows them. He tries to remind them they're more than just a crook.
@@battlesheep2552 well that, and if he started legitimizing their careers, he'd be playing into their insanity.. he calls HIMSELF Batman, nobody bad should be worthy of that.
I can see why "the world needs a batman" as the whole reason Bruce even has the bat gimmick is to instill fear into his enemies. A great quote from Arkham origins said by Batman states "When the mugger or the thief stop to think twice, that is fear." so the world very much needs Batman to give villains a reason to think twice. Also I did not know those sequences were in Terry's head. Not bad, but coulda been better conveyed
Seeing people talk about how absolutely perfect the Justice League and most DCAU stuff was makes my day. Really glad of the talent of Bruce timm, Paul Dini, and Dwayne McDuffie brought to make those shows LEGENDARY
And this is why I love the characterization of Nightwing. He is everything Batman represents but better and what he was always supposed to be. Hell this is how a “Passing the Torch” kind of story should be presented, with the new hero taking on the old mantle in a new way that is clearly recognizable as a proper representation of the old hero but still new and clearly their own person with their own path and their own way.
You really hit the nail on the head with your miles comparison at the end there. Terry is one of the best when it comes to the “mantle” or “legacy” character, he’s not a direct replacement overall (in terms of the entire universe/comics themselves) but instead takes place in his own story, with his own identity, his own rogues, his own conflicts which have nothing to do with Bruce. Miles is, and will probably always be, tethered directly to Peter and Marvel, Disney and certain types of fans will continue to insist on him being Spider-Man, he’ll never stand on his own, never have his own identity and just continue to leech off of other heroes. The only way to improve him is by cutting him away from everything Peter, have him establish his own hero identity, gather his own supporting cast and rogues. Till then he’s SMINO; Spider-Man in name only.
Miles is a legitimate Spider-man, but he isn't THE Spider-man, that's Peter Parker. The Spiderverse movies are doing a great job estqblishing a distinct identityz conflicts and personality for Miles that uses his relationship with Peter as a springboard for his journey.
@@AhmedX8Eh, is Miles really doing that? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Miles' conflicts have been a gender swapped Doc Oct, his uncle in a purple cat suit, a petty conflict with The Spot, and actively being at odds with the hundreds of Spider-Man knockoffs. Miles' two films actively try to fix his problem with leeching on Spider-Man, by having him leech on the hundreds of other Spider-Man knockoffs and some of Peter Parker's rouges gallery. Miles should be written to stand on his own, not to have to bounce off more knockoff characters and be essentially tied to a multiverse. It's like trying to fix a broken faucet in your home, by breaking other parts of your house. Sure, Miles has two villains with Spot and his uncle in the two movies. However, his biggest conflict is the other Spider-Men which ultimately overshadows the previous two conflicts. This is because the Spider-Men conflict is more interesting and impacts other characters outside Miles. I'm not saying one story is more inherently interesting than the other, although putting a large multiverse story alongside two smaller personal stories is not a good way to get people to care about a specific character. I mean people wouldn't care about Peter if the death of Uncle Ben was being interrupted by the MCU avengers gathering heroes from different universes.
@@AhmedX8Plus, does Miles really have a personality outside saying, "I'm not Peter Parker and I make my own destiny"? The movies try to show him being a quirky yet lovable misfit compared to the other Spider-Men. Unfortunately, it just makes him feel very generic and like he's another character that the other Spider-Men are bouncing off of. It creates a dynamic that makes the Spiderverse films more of a constant group crossover, rather than an individual character's story.
@@MikeFireheartYou forgot Kingpin, who became one of Miles' villains (not that his rogues gallery is important right now, he's getting started, that's why I didn't mention it). The whole point of Spot is that he took his "petty conflict" with Miles as fuel to become a monster. They are using the Spiderverse to make Miles his own man. The first movie says anyone can be Spider-man and teaches Miles how he can take on the mantle his way. The second puts that lesson to the test by forcing him to break from literal canon to not just stay Spider-man, but be the type of hero Peter Parker exemplifies instead of the type of person who'll let his father die to preserve a multiversal constant. If all goes well with the third movie, Beyond the Spiderverse (hint-hint), Miles will prove to all the naysayers that he's more than some generic knockoff who can't stand on his own, just like MCU Peter did. This story can't be told without Gwen, Peter B., Miguel, Hobie, Pav, and all the rest. These "knockoffs" (other than Peter B who is, of course, Peter Parker) bolster the ideas I mentioned and contrast with Miles, showing what he could be and ehat he shouldn't be. If you watch Beyond or rewatch the other Spiderverse films (in full or through clips), don't go in expecting that Miles must be like Peter to be a worthwhile Spider-man, take the story on its own terms. Miles (and well, Gwen) is the heart of it. As for personality, he's the type to have tunnel vision, but when he slows down, he can show a surprising amount of empathy and ingenuity. He's pretty thoughtful, carefree, but poor at communicating and balancing his life. He also shares a lot in common with Peter, but that's sort of the point, he took a lot of cues from both Peters (even if Peter B wasn't a great teacher).
@@AhmedX8 Firstly, I did forget King Pin as he was forgettable, though I'm pretty sure he was Peter's villain first and didn't really get changed, compared to the gender swapped Doc Oct who was an entirely different character. Secondly, MCU Peter didn't prove he could stand on his own as he only developed character wise when the other Spider-Men got involved. Homecoming was essentially him proving himself to his sugar daddy Tony and Far From Home was him cleaning up after sugar daddy Tony's death. In other words, MCU Peter was solely glued to Tony until the previous two Spider-Men showed up. Thirdly, I'm pretty sure Miles' story could've been told without the hundreds of knockoffs, cause they just highlight his shallow character, especially Gwen who had to move on from her Peter's death. If Miles was able to work on his own and use his own strengths to overcome new villains, that would've separated him far easier than dragging the knockoffs into his story. Next point, I did watch the original Spiderverse and Miles was the most forgettable part outside his interactions with his uncle. That's not exactly a good start for a character, when every other introduced character is much more interesting with their stories. Finally, Miles having so many traits associated with Peter is the problem, because it restricts him from fully standing on his own and invites the warranted comparisons.
You don't even know how long I've been waiting for your comment on this cutoff. I want you to know that you do a great job with stuff like this. A sheer pleasure to watch, long may there be more! Greetings from Poland, cheers 🍻
Used to, I wouldn't cry at that scene. But over the last couple of months, death has surrounded my family, so the thought of someone preparing to die and knowing the only comfort will be someone holding your hand or holding you. . . It hits a more personal note for me.
My one issue with Epilogue is that it was effectively hampered by Batman Beyond, which effectively confirmed Bruce is doomed to be alone and more or less bitter till the day he dies. It's tragic because Justice League set up his relationship with Wonder Woman and part of me would've loved to see the two of them eventually become a couple and get married with Bruce finally getting the happiness he rightfully deserves. Sure Terry is there to help him in his final days but it's still a sad ending for such a great hero.
Well it makes sense to an extent. Most of the league spread off or loss their life. The comic have their relationship start the universe rather than be the end point if you want some confirmation. Issue is only how expansive tas is from batman to beyond as it has everything within it.
@@ivanbluecool Perhaps but given everything Bruce went through in his life it just feels weird the writers would effectively screw him over in the end.
@@thefanwithoutaface8105 well it is batman. Him and spider man don't get to be happy. Probably worst example of this is how Talia was taken over by her dad in the beyond episode or one comic that he was about to marry Catwoman but shenanigans have her leave because ", batman has to suffer"
1:51 I used to think that they were flashbacks too, but it's basically been confirmed that they're fantasy scenarios in Terry's head. It's also been confirmed that Bruce knew the truth for years at this point of the story, keeping it to himself out of respect for Warren McGinnis. Also, Waller's meddling may be the reason the McGinnis divorced.
So for me, I actually watched this episode before I ever watched Batman Beyond. So going into Batman Beyond, I already knew this big twist & it made sense to me. Terry & Bruce's son & father relationship was always there and Terry's other dad's death still hit hard in both the show itself & to me, which didn't make the later twist feel bad in any way to me. I still love this episode & Batman Beyond; also I didn't know those black n white scenes were in Terry's head until I watched this
My guess on the reason for the tea set is to emphizes the theme of legacy. Terry thinks passing on the tea set is to perserve it, but the real reason it was passed on was so that it can be enjoyed with friends. The same with the mantle of batman. It is not passing down the idea of batman, but the heart and the care for others that it holds.
7:06 Perhaps something to connect between her and bruce. That idea that they've both alienated everyone close to them and are now alone, and another indication to Terry that he should remember to not end up like either of them. Because while Terry is bruce's biological son, it could be argued that Waller is in a way his mother, as she was the one that created and tried to shape him, ultimately learning that she couldn't control him and it was best to let him go on his own path. In all honesty, this entire episode is about a man talking to his "real" parents, before coming to appreciate the life he had before he knew about them, and leaving with a new view on life.
I loved Terry as a character. He's a lot like Bruce, but different enough he never felt like treading old ground. In essence it felt like Spider-Man 2099 in a way. It makes me disappointed they never really used him more, but then I see where DC headed and is going and I'm kind of glad they didn't.
6:50 the question is “is it better to live or be crushed?” Waller is alone. She has no expectations of herself, nor does anyone expect anything. Terry has the weight of his expectations of himself, Bruce’s expectations of him, and the expectations Gotham has for Batman. The question is “is it better to be crushed under the weight of expectation, or to live an ordinary life of failure?” Terry demonstrated this with his “how can you live your own life while living someone else’s dream?” Saying that, he *has* to be Batman, he has to live up to what Bruce Wayne expects, and by doing so he loses his sense of identity; he can’t live his own life, he can’t have fun. He can’t live his childhood. Waller responds with “it’s been years since I’ve had enough friends to use the full set anyway.” She is responding with both “don’t worry about breaking the cup and plate” which happened just a moment ago, but also that *not* living up to those expectations, that if Terry really didn’t want to do this anymore, you end up with less love and less relationships than you would have had if you endured your trials. Basically he’s saying he isn’t himself, he’s Batman and not Terry. She’s saying there are worse things to become.
I agree with your sentiment, but will add that Batman is also a person who believes that you must embody your inner darkness and use it to defeat the darkness of others. It makes sense he would compulsively believe that heroes NEED to exist. His experience with his parents made him so, so desperately wish that someone had come to save HIM.
I dont know, that time he was trapped by the Black Mercy, he didn't see the Grey Ghost swoop in to save his parents, he saw his father beat up Joe Chill. He believes the world needs heroes, but I dont think he believes it needs the kind that wear masks.
Still to this day I just cannot watch Ace die without having to collect myself. It really is an amazing Batman moment and I wish writers would try to emulate that more than whatever agenda they want to push.
14:15 “You wanna know why so many people are ticked off at THIS?” Because there’s an empty shell casing sound hitting the ground even though she is firing a revolver. The Batman death made me upset but that shell casing sound was just a moldy cherry on the garbage pie.
I always loved that ending cause even Bruce must had known on some level at some point that Terry was his own, the fact he cared enough to make some soup and even reminds him to eat something. Almost reminds me of how Alfred took care of Bruce and always made sure he ate well and was kept in good health. Terry may have lost his father but he gain a new one not from blood but from chance of meeting one another.
One small detail is that the episode ends with him flying in the sky with the police asking what was that the same way the first episode of Batman the animated series begins.
13:15 there are some hints in beyond that there something between Bruce and terry like in the justice league episode where terry says he’s similar to Batman and Superman says “more then you think” so while it may not have been the exact idea, there is something close to it in the original series
The black-and-white “flashbacks” is a big WTF considering on paper Terry has been for years essentially Bruce’s PCA. Also it’s poetic that Waller was the one to teach Terry, Bruce’s greatest secret is that he sees people instead of freaks and monsters. The second lesson being not to make the same mistake they did, in making the new mountain a lonely one.
Anyone else notice that Terry looks a lot like a Jojo? More specifically looking like Jotaro without his iconic hat? Dude really filled out after finishing his teenage years.
While I generally agree with the idea that superheroes shouldn't be treated like destined chosen ones, I think in this case, the idea "the world/Gotham needs a Batman" is fine. The statement isn't that Gotham needs Bruce Wayne, or even a Wayne (though Terry counts in this instance), it's that Gotham needs a person with the talent and drive to do the job.
I just discovered your channel a few days ago, and I have never loved a premise so quickly as I have your episode analysis and reviews. You've got the magic touch, man. Well done!
That moment where Batman sits down with Ace was truly heartbreaking.
and then you go back to Batman Beyond and realize he named his dog after her
@@ericjohnson6120😞
🐐
Oh hey, I'm crying again. Neat!
I never really felt anything watching that scene. As a kid or even a year ago. But now that I know what it's like to watch someone I love die, I know what it hits way harder.
"If you cannot picture Batman comforting a kid, you don't have Batman, you have the Punisher in a cape."
Batman is no less caring than Superman, he just hides it. Because he's hurt. And doesn't want to hurt more. But even more than that? He wants to ensure no one else hurts like he has.
This really shouldn't be THIS hard to grasp.
I admit, I don’t know Punisher that well, but I’ve seen that quote before with others defending that even he has a soft spot for kids. That said, yeah… a Batman who wouldn’t comfort a kid is not really Batman.
Good ol' Trope Talk.
@@aqwkingchampion13 I saw a video that featured stills of a recent issue of Batman or DC comics where Superman's son Jonathan (who is 10-12 years old) is missing/lost, and Batman and Nightwing help in the search party. They find Jonathan in canyon/mountainous region feeling down on himself. Nightwing cheers him up by revealing Batman carries lollipops in his utility belt, gives him one, and entertains him with juggling tricks from his circus days. Batman having lollipops packed in his belt reinforces his care for children, because in the events of rescuing them, saving them, or just giving them support after a witnessing a crime or traumatic event; comforting them with lollipops is like having hot cocoa and weighted blankets on hand without having to pack either in the Batmobile or Batwing.
@@aqwkingchampion13To be absolutely fair to Frank (The Punisher) while he does have a soft spot for kids and the innocent, he's not really able to allow himself to be as vulnerable as we've seen Bats when it's called for. Because at his core, he's still that kid in the alley himself, and he wants to make sure no one else knows what that's like.
In a similar vein to the comment above while the adults of Gotham...well the criminals anyway, are rightly scared shitless of him the kids aren't. They know better and will talk to him without a hint of fear. There's a whole heap of comics where this is demonstrated, and is yet ANOTHER strike against the SS game. Given it's unfortunately set in the Arkham universe, recall that Harley and Joker chopped up kids and made their parents play a "game" of figuring out which parts were theirs.
And Bats STILL gave Harley a chance to atone. Because evil deed or not, she was also a victim...and then the current iteration has the conceit to act as if she has the moral highground.
Pathetic on both her part and whomever wrote that scene. Batman deserved better, Kevin deserved better, we deserved better...**and Harley herself deserved better**.
I think Justice League Frontier has a couple scenes that really show how Batman handles kids. The first is when he rescues the kid from a cult. After the cult has been dealt with, he tries to get the kid off of the altar, but the kid freaks out because he's scared of his savior. Batman is so bothered by this that, in a later scene, he implies that's part of the reason why he changed his outfit and teamed up with Robin.
Superman: Hmm. New look, a sidekick. Do you mind if I ask?
Batman: As a matter of fact, I do. Let's just say I set out to scare criminals, not children.
Superman: Fair enough.
"The world needs a batman"
-some writer from a world without a batman
To be fair, a lot of people think the world sucks.
@ShadyDoorags And it does too much, way to many pedophiles out there calling themselves "MAPS", wish people could say MAP and mean multi animator project now
It does. Not in the same way the hero world sucks, but I guarantee that if a Batman or Superman existed, we'd have new problems...but not the inescapable ones we have now@@ShadyDoorags
@@ShadyDoorags You can be Batman and their is a book you can get explaining how to
I mean, we do have a Batman, even if he isn't out fighting crime
"In the end, the world didn't need a Superman. Just a brave one."
I don't even need the context to cry at that. What a line.
"That's for Dan Turpin!"
"Who?"
*"THE GOOD MAN YOU MURDERED!!!"*
@@BigBWolf90”Had I known one human’s death would pain you so, I would have killed more”
"Hey Doc, this injection isn't going to make my junk fire another man's seed, is it? Because I don't want it if it's going to make my junk fire another man's seed."
Yeah, that decision was a weird one.
Oh now wait a second Can you imagine if you don't want children how many women you can get pregnant and take them to court and hear those wonderful words.... "You are not the father" Yes I'm just being a jerk because I can.
@@highlander723 Maury would have a field day with that shit.
"nah. it's effective and perfectly fine. you fire your seed away buddy"
"Did you ever notice how Both your sons look remarkably alike?"
The poor doctor in charge of DNA testing.
".....Yes?"
According to Bruce Timm, this was not only supposed to be the series finale of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, but the overall FINALE of the overall DC Animated Universe (as the final scene echoes the very first scene of the first episode of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES).
However, Cartoon Network ordered another season's worth of episodes.
Easily the most iconic scene showed constantly on social media after Kevin Conroy's passing is the swing set scene.
you have to love that after all the years of WB messing with them, telling them "make Batman a kid" telling them "You're not allowed to use any Batman characters in Justice League, it'll confuse people." telling them "this more mature, adult show you're making now? Yeah we're gonna censor the violence harder than the old Saturday morning show, oh and higher than other sillier shows on our network aimed at younger kids"
They gave them one last middle finger and it was "nawwww you can have more episodes, we were just kidding about you being canceled."
@@KairuHakubi Best story was the WB meeting after BATMAN BEYOND was nearing the start of its third season. WB was still urging Bruce Timm they weren't getting the age range they wanted (around 6 to 9).
Timm was already starting to develop JUSTICE LEAGUE, but WB was saying, "We need YOUNGER" and started pitching Timm their idea of a show of young kids competing to become the next Batman (which basically them pitching a POKEMON version of BATMAN, as this was the era when POKEMON was starting to burst into the MEGATON franchise it became).
Timm left the meeting just bewildered, and one of the advertising execs said to him, "Get JUSTICE LEAGUE away from these morons!" (Timm later stated, "Well, if the Commerical guys are telling you this........." ;big reason why they went to Cartoon Network, which was gaining big hit numbers with DC reruns)
@@van8ryan i had no idea Warner had separate groups like that, and you were allowed to take your show pitch from one to the other. Imagine that at any other job. "Mr. Tate doesn't like my ad campaign, I'm going to take it to a different part of the same company.."
what's hilarious is, didn't Japan actually do something like that, with kids summoning Marvel heroes via cards or something?
@@van8ryan "big reason why they went to Cartoon Network" then CN de-evolved into kids WB, doing to Teen Titans what WB wanted to do to Batman.
That makes a lot of sense! That episode DID feel like a series finale on hindsight. 😮
5:43 The writer, Dwayne Mcduffie (🙏God rest his soul) confirmed that the black & white scenes are all in Terry’s mind. Also:
9:38 “Can you imagine your Batman comforting a scared child? If yes, congratulations, that's a genuine Batman! If no, you haven't written Batman, you've just written Punisher in a funny hat”.
- Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions
I never knew that lol
Cool
Even if they weren't, as I always interpreted them to be recent history, I feel like everyone involved would be willing to forgive Terry.
Really when did he say that.
I like to think these events happened but this is how Terry remembered them or what he wanted to do in these moments
I love the little detail that Terry only even entertains the idea that Bruce was behind all this because he's hurt and upset. That's his guy, and deep down he knows that
Rip Kevin Conroy Godspeed and you will always be our Batman 🦇
😢 rip batman
He was truly the Batman.
Truly Kevin Conroy was, RIP!
They did him mad dirty by having SSKTJL be his last role ever
Apparently he already recorded lines for the Crisis on Infinite Earths movies, so those would be his last.@@oblivionfan345Tony
I miss Kevin Conroy
He was simply iconic.
He transcended from just being the voice of Batman.
He was Batman.
RIP Sir.
I'd have enjoyed seeing Adam West (the Bright Knight) and Kevin Conroy (the Dark Knight) swapping stories about their roles.
And now that Arleen Sorkin has passed, I just imagine her spotting Kevin Conroy up there and just saying "Hey, B-Man. 😊"
Without him, crime has no punchline
Even though he mostly was just the voice, to me he is to Batman what Christopher Reeve was to Superman.
I really liked this ending as it showed how terry managed to surprise bruce.
Bruce ended up alone which is heart breaking to see but terry seeing those mistakes found a balance between being batman and finding happiness which batman isn't allowed to find in most series or stories.
This is "kid's cartoons" and its still more deep and interesting that most rated R stuff I've seen
almost like shock value doesnt add depth.
In fact Bruce Timm’s work became less mature when he was able to make works intended for adults including R-Rated movies.
@@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassiveisn't he responsible for the situation with Barbra? Not her crippling, the other issue.
@@kieranadamson3224yes. He was a weird fixation on Bruce and Barbara being a couple.
@@fandomking8939 yeah, that scene in the animated Killing Joke was just plain disturbing realising it's literally just him putting his fetish into a movie.
To be fair Amanda has military training so she has experience. If anyone can detect Terry she can.
I've always attributed her catching/surprising him to the fact she had to deal with Batman throughout her career.
A guy sneaks up on you that often you either resign yourself to getting surprised or learn to spot him before he can sneak up on you. Her being able to sneak up on Terry is just her using what she learned from watching a master of the craft do his thing basically every day.
How'd you do that?
"Learned it from yo Daddy"
I think she's the 2nd person in that universe to find out who batman is and has been working with them for years so she definitely has the know how to catch Terry.
@@richborn6700😂
I think she's an Intelligence Officer.
She seems to work for the DCAU's version of "We can't say it's the NSA or CIA but she's definitely a government agent"
She works for homeland security in the comics so it would make sense.
It's why she doesn't seem to carry a miltary rank like General Eiling did. But if she did have connections to the Intelligence community, she could still have considerable power over miltary units like we see in the show
"That level of disrespect to Bruce can not and should not be tolerated."
Isn't that right, Rockseady?
I blame sweet baby inc. More. Rocksteady made the Arkham games. They know how to make good batman stories. It wasn't until sweet baby inc. Came in that these super hero games started getting bad.
@@dustinvance243Tbf rocksteady is also to blame considering pretty much nobody from before is there anymore
@@lonewolf9578
Even so, the b-team has proven to be competent enough at making Batman games, considering Origins.
I agree with the other guy about Sweet Baby's """popularity""" as a subsidiary that's the problem, they're not good at sticking to the writing style of the stories they're contracted to pad out, and they're completely shameless about inserting their own opinions into the work.
@@dustinvance243Correction: Paul Dini was on the writing team for Asylum and City but left Knight due to differences and you can SEE why
@@dustinvance243Sweet Baby didnt write the script, they came in after it was made for small tweaks. Rocksteady were the ones who made the script.
Sitting down with Ace was heartbreaking.
When he carried her out after she passed stills brings a few tears.
and then finding a stray dog and naming him Ace... i doubt that was intentional, but it's retroactively sweet.
@@KairuHakubi Batman is the greatest fictional hero that ever lived
I definitely would want him to have my back in a dark alley.
One of the most heartbreaking
Scenes for an animated series I
Ever seen .
You can't find that in today's
Animated series.
@@dariandavis7228 If it were done today, Ace would be a girl boss that used her powers to cure her brain tumor and then Scarlet Witch the whole city into a Utopia, and Batman would be a plushie because he's like the Defacto adopted dad. And then the rest of the plot would basically be Scarlet Witch.
@@freelancerthe2561nah that’s more of marvel’s thing if it was modern dc at least not the new Superman movie it would try to set up beyond retroactively without properly setting up the entire timeline
There's also Terry later rescuing a similar esper girl named Tamara from the Brain Trust in Batman Beyond Season 2.
I never thought Terry being Bruce’s biological son was a retcon. Terry and his brother’s hair is black while his parents are a red head and brunette. When this was revealed it didn’t surprise me. Truthfully I wonder if this is one of the reasons why their parents got a divorce because Warren thought Mary was cheating on him, but he still loved his children.
The writers of the show have confirmed it was actually a retcon, though. Terry and his brother having black hair whilst their folks had red hair was just something they did without thinking about the broader implications. When they realized what those implications were afterwards, though, they ran with it and canonized the fan theory because they decided it was a good idea.
@@MrNetWraith So? If what you’re saying is true then happy accident, it worked in their favor.
@@MrNetWraith That's not what I heard they said.
I think it was planned pretty far back. Remember what Superman said in the episode where we see the future League for the first time? Terry's like "I guess Bruce and I have more in common than I thought" and Superman's all "More than you know."
Now, HOW he knew about it, no idea. i don't think he has fuggin.. DNA-vision...
@@KairuHakubi To be honest here, at one point in the comics superman could literally shoot a rainbow beam and if you've seen the superman all star movie.... it ain't THAT hard to believe honestly. Clark got some damn good eyes
this episode always made me wonder about terry's younger brother.
also the joke about bruce wayne "spreading his dna all over town" is hilarious
I wonder how the twip ends up. Honestly, a lesson I'm astounded Waller didn't take into account is that it doesn't matter how great a person your genes come from, if you're raised by someone else, you could end up just a stronger, more capable monster. and that kid is not exactly impressing me so far. Neither was Terry at first, freakin hoodlum.
I mean yeah Waller was going to try to have his parents killed, but did she not take into account "oh wait, he doesn't have a loving Butler to raise him. he's going to be taken into the foster system, abused, taught very generic middle-of-the-road morals from the federal government, then released without making sure he's functional" ??
From what I recall his brother also became his 'robin' in future comics. And yes his younger brother has Bruce's dna too.
@@lilyluck884 did they seriously take another of WB's terrible notes and make it a thing in the comics.. good lord.
@@KairuHakubi how is that a terrible note?
@@pickedceasar1216 How is "make Terry's dorky little brother Robin" a bad network note? Do you really need me to elaborate on that?
I first disliked how Terry is Bruce's son. But I've softened and grown to enjoy it and this episode more.
Yeah, I, too, wasn't super fond of the idea of Terry for all this time was Bruce's son since I do prefer the idea of Batman's legacy not being defined by blood since Batman forged friendships and found a new family with his allies and the Batfamily none of which are related to Bruce, that's why before this reveal, Terry felt as if he earned the mantle since he was messed up kid who had a criminal record but decided to turn life around when his father was killed and chose to make Gotham of the future a better place. I just felt like this reveal does make the mantle feel less meaningful if it just bestowed down to the next of kin, but nevertheless, this episode was still good; besides, this show was et in its own continuity, so it was no big deal, plus that moment with Bruce and Ace is a really great scene that shows how far Bruce's compassion truly goes and how much love he truly has for others, even when he chooses not to show it.
Agreed at first it seemed like they had to do it to connect them, but thats the thing its just a thing that happened its not what made or defined him it definitely added both good and bad, but it did not ruin what was made up to that point
@@milkiassamuel780truthfully, it's something I like, especially since Terry and Matt's mother has Red Hair, Terry and Matt's father had Red Hair, Matt has Black Hair, and Terry has Black Hair. And considering Matt's age, him dying it didn't make sense as his parents wouldn't allow it based on what we saw of Mr. and Ms. McGinnis in the show.
@@milkiassamuel780thing is, being Bruce's son doesn't nullify all the bad he did early in life, nor all the hard work he put in to earn the title, nor the fact that he had his own family that made his entire life completely distinct from Bruce's
@no, but it does still imply his genetics were a factor, which is thr main thing people dont like. tylerhansen931
Terry is probably the best "new superhero of the same name" ever, and its because he is his own superhero. The guy has a unique suit, powerset, setting, rogues gallery, and relationships with legacy characters.
Yes, I usually dislike the modern hero replacements because it’s always done in the most disrespectful way possible. Terry is a blue print example how a new character can take the mantle of a classic, by respecting the OG and making them awesome in their own right.
@@AndreNitroX yeah, i think miles does it right too (at least in the animated movies idk abt the comics)
@@Zionswasd also a great example of a new hero taking over the mantle of a legacy hero
@@AndreNitroXWrong. Miles has got to be one of the worst examples, period. Guy can't even sell past 50 issues.
The best scene that shows that was the climax of return of the Joker. Jokers taunting him about being a fake Barman and Bruce says Joker likes to talk, to block it out and power on through, but Terry realizes he also likes to talk and then starts fighting dirty and taunting the Joker. Shows how he is his own version of the character
You know now that you mentioned Batman Beyond you HAVE TO do the Mr Freeze Episode of Batman Beyond now...that is just a heartbreaker of an episode in which Victor Friez is on the road to redemption but due to some greedy a-holes he was essentially FORCED into becoming a villian again only to give his Life to save Terry
i loved the episode and hated everyone in it for forcing him to revert to his old ways, it made me so sad to see him fall from newfound grace
Blue moon over April too.
“You gotta get out of here Freeze, the whole place is gonna go!”
“Believe me, you’re the only one who cares.”
@richardsmith3020 That was such a sad moment. In top 5 of Batman Beyond scenes....maybe higher.
"Believe me... You're the only one who cares". I think the only other last words from a "villain" to even compare to the simple misery in their final moments is Solomon Grundy.
As painful as the scene of Bruce struggling to pick up his medication is, I think it helps confirm his status as a mortal man in the end, he started Batman Beyond struggling with his health and at the end he can barely function anymore which is a sad but expected end to his character if he avoided dying in battle. What matters is having his son there to take over for him after he dies.
This is the Batman I look back to with his passing, the one who will sit by a child to give them a final moment of comfort and remember them, no hack writer can take that away.
I would always forwards pass the scenes of old Batman because it hurt my heart to see him on such a sad state. But you make an excellent point of why that is a necessary moment
Ace's death still hits pretty hard for me.
It's like wolverine in the x men movie said when rogue asks if it hurts when the claws come out "every time"
I also felt that with Wolverine but instead of Rouge it’s with X-23. “You were always the wrong guy.”
7:00 Pretty sure the lines about the tea set are one of two things:
1. That an old person like her (and like Bruce) no longer have friends/family they may have taken for granted when they were younger, and a commentary on not doing more to maintain those bonds (something Terry's in danger of doing by being Batman and dumping everyone else for it)
2. Her emphasis on the set as a whole and not having enough people around to use all of it might be a reference on how that basically happened to the Bat Family, with people scattering to the winds and Batman/Bruce being left alone with regrets/memories
Turned 34 a few months ago and stuff like this is starting to hit closer. "Eventually you live long enough that life stops giving you things and starts taking them away."
I love how shady is surprised that Waller caught terry she’s fucking Amanda Waller
Don't think he knows much about the stuff he talks about
Amanda Waller is the most ridiculous DC characters ever
More than Half the villans in the suicide squad should be able to remove the chip and rip her to pieces
She has more plot armor than any of the superheroes
@@maritofuentes4690also they consistently don't kill her when they have literally every opportunity
What are you saying? Waller's secretly got physical skills? Did they appear when she dropped the weight, like Goku taking off his weighted shirt?
@KairuHakubi Waller literally Rivals Batman in Prep-time and has expendable resources. She mirrors Bats cause she knows Everything as He does and has her own secrets. PLENTY of chances of her Death and yet somehow walks off without or little consequence. I wouldn't be suprised if her power is like domino. Just LuCkY. 🙄
Whether or not the world “Needs” a Batman, the point is that Amanda Waller *believed* it did.
I think that’s really interesting because, of course, she absolutely *hated* him. She knew who he was, inferred blackmailing him which did not work at all, which scared the hell out of her, but by the next season she’s saying she’s not the league’s biggest fan, but she can work with them. And given how cordial she is in the Ace flashback, it seems like she *did* eventually work with/alongside them.
So my read on it is this: the Ace story *wasn’t* just a random story she pulled out to illustrate his goodness. I think it was *the specific incident* that made her believe the world *needed* a Batman. And I think that at that point in her life she was still ruthless enough to make sure it had one.
By the time Epilogue happens, she’s mellowed, she’s got regrets, she knows she’s not long to this world, she’s pretty sure she’s damned, and she’s pretty sure she deserves it, and she knows she doesn’t have too much longer to wait to find out one way or another.
Your hypothesis about the B&W scenes is interesting. I wanna say, “no, you’re wrong,” but, y’no, I’m not sure. Interesting. I’ll have to rewatch it.
I was just writing this same thing, its not the story saying that as a message, its just in there to add to Waller's character. She's done messed up things because they were actions she believed needed to happen.
She hated Bruce at first, because she was distrustful of he WHOLE Justice League at the time they first met. But she grew to respect and look up to him.
I also think in Waller's eyes. If the Justice League doesn't have someone like Batman on the team. A human with no powers, then they'll turn into the Elite or The Authority.
@ I am certain you are right.
@@mahatmarandy5977 me?
“I am vengeance, I am the night. I am Batman!!!”
- Kevin Conroy (aka Batman)🦇
RIP Kevin Conroy and RIP Dwayne McDuffie
Fun Fact: Originally they planned to not to just be Bruce’s son, but also supposed to be the son of Selina Kyle revealing Waller also altered the D.N.A. of his mother along with his dad and it be revealed in a movie that was gonna be a sequel AFTER “Return of The Joker” as for why? No real clue.
2:50 Also there is actually a comic that dived into that .
So half troubled billionaire, half kleptomaniacal cat lady? Who would ever think that's a good idea.
Twice
Seriously wait!?... 🤨
@@BLASTERX-nz5lk Yeah, they wanted to make Selina is mom, but the movie that would’ve featured got canned.
I can understand people taking shade on that genetics twist on "Epilogue", but man, at least we got this episode and not that OOC Catwoman spectacle. Since when is Catwoman a mad scientist type who hungers for more Bruce Wayne?!
Also fun fact, the voice actors for the Teen Titans played the first appearance of the Royal Flush Gang in JLU
Just got through the batman beyond series. Its still so good. Wish ee got more of it as the last season felt lacking in the series finale.
This justice league episode seeing terry was great and also somehow did a good ending for Bruce terry and waller to see where they end up.
it wasnt it killed batman tas for a 2 season nothing burger.
I have mixed feelings about it but I do still like. Its a great series.
@@bastaityou serious?
i always felt as though retrun of the joker was the finale for batman beyind
I dunno, "The Call" seems a fitting episode finale especially in production/script order, while I agree with Return of the Joker being the real pre-Epilogue series finale in movie form.
I do like to think that sometime in the future, Terry DOES confront Bruce about the whole Clone thing, and that Terry insists on being his Son, but Bruce counters it, claiming that his Father is the one who raised him, Bruce was the one who trained him. I mostly feel like Terry's Dad deserves more credit, the man saw an injustice and took action...an action that cost him his life and brought Terry down the path of finishing his Father's mission. Bruce is definitely a huge factor in Terry's life (not just genetically) but I feel Mr McGinnis deserves the title of "Father" because his sense of morals were passed on perfectly to Terry.
I also like to think the reason him and Terry's Mom weren't in the best relationship is that he suspected she cheated on him (I mean, Terry has black hair...that's pretty freakin' on the nose.) but I also like to think he still wanted to be in his Son's lives, still seeing them as his despite the genetic difference. Especially when we see how much the boys did genuinely care about their Father.
The core Batman to me has always been a reflection of what it means to be human
Are reminder of our flaws, and our potiential for greatness
To this day Conroy’s Batman is the only version put to screen that perfectly encapsulated the essence of the character. He was dark and brooding but also could be vulnerable and understanding when necessary. He could be scary but also capable of kind acts. Most on screen adaptations tend to focus solely on the dark and brooding aspect of the character, making him some kind of loner edgelord. But they never seem to correctly portray the fact that he does what he does because he cares so much about his fellow man. Batman sitting with Ace is a perfect example of this. He can’t fly or shapeshift or run faster than light, he’s just a regular guy doing what he can for those around him, which in this case is comforting a scared child, holding her hand as she dies. He was the best one suited to be by her side, as he truly understood her pain. Such a fantastic scene. It never fails to make me emotional. RIP Kevin, thanks for the memories. 🙏
Hence why Terry is Beyond Batman.
Also a fun little note, the movie Terry saw as a kid was of Bruce Wayne's favorite child hood hero, the Grey Ghost.
What
Also based on the main inspiration for Batman.😊
*"So it wasn't all for nothing",* said one Simon Trent.
7:20 cloned cells have the *age* of the original cell to boot. Plus they'd be making a copy of an already failing kidney, they need a fresh one.
Well tbf the genes probably aren't what's wrong with the kidney, but yeah, if you get some old cells and have them replicate a bunch, then that organ probably isn't going to live as long as the guy you are putting it in.
That also sort of ended up being the same case with Mr. Freeze during that Batman Beyond episode. They gave him a new body using his DNA, but his new body started regressing to the same condition that destroyed his previous body. I think the problem, even though they never actually found a reason for the problem to begin with, might have been because they used the corrupted DNA of Victor Freeze from AFTER his accident that made him unable to survive beyond sub-zero temperatures. They should have gotten a sample of his DNA from BEFORE his accident.
It makes more sense for the “the world needs Batman” scene is imagery as Bruce has said a few times that Batman needs to die or should have stayed dead. The scene is just Terry projecting what he thinks of Bruce’s ego when ironically Bruce is the person who hates Batman the most.
(The ace scene always gets to me)
Not only that, he mentions in BTAS that his whole purpose is to create a world that does not need Batman
@@battlesheep2552 And in the episode of JL where they fight the Justice Lords, BatLord says he “made a world where no eight-year-old boy will ever lose his parents because of some punk with a gun”, a statement which even the writers couldn’t create a counter argument for because that would be the greatest victory our Batman would ever have.
@@aqwkingchampion13 He couldn't think of a counter point in the moment since he had nothig. i like how they were driving around and they watch as a guy gets arrested just for arguing over his bill for his food was wrong
"They'd love it here"
"Who?"
"Mom and Dad, they'd be so proud of you"
"...just drive...."
@@devildavin That was great. It was like, actually acknowledging yes, their system *works.* works better than ours. But on the other hand, it sucks. It powerful sucks. And when you have a problem and your solution sucks, it's probably better to look for more solutions. Especially when the sucky solution is something you can always just do again later, because it's the easy shortcut.
Millions of tears were shed the moment batman sat down with ace in her final moments
I never even considered that the black and white parts could be anything but flashbacks. So thank you for opening my eyes to that
I love the contrast between Terry's warped vision and the reality. In his anger and confusion he sees Bruce as a cold and callous person who cares little for the people he takes in, who is focused solely on the mission that it doesn't matter if he's left alone and bitter. They didn't have it in them, so why bother with them? Meanwhile in reality Bruce is such a damn dad I don't even need to explain.
Really kinda highlights the difference between the common idea of Batman (Terry's fantasies/potential choices) and the character himself (Bruce's actual appearance.)
Credit where credit is due. Taking the Royal Flush, a Teen Titans voice actors reference in Justice League and making a heart wrenching story out of it is nothing short of genius. And Hynden Walch's delivery is absolutely perfect. On top of that having the best Batman ever in the voice of Kevin Conroy and we truly have a masterpiece of a scene. Personally I felt that having Terry not related to Bruce was better for the story, showing that anyone could take up the mantle, they didn't have to be related to Bruce by blood. But it is what it is, great episode regardless.
I think Ace’s voice was actually Tara Strong
@@zazaranger5 Hynden Walch's wiki page credits her for role of Ace in both appearances.
@@Spooky_Spookerson you’re right I could’ve sworn it was Tara, it almost sounds like her
@@zazaranger5 It's an easy thing to assume, considering how much voice work Tara does and how many characters she voices. She voices Queen in the first Royal Flush appearance since she voiced Raven on Teen Titans.
Love how Bruce is slowly turning into Alfred, making sure the Bat gets enough food and sleep.
This is why I like the batfamily continuing Batman's legacy.
There one quote that always said with Batman
“If your Batman can’t comfort, a child, then what you do is put the punisher in a silly Batman suit” or something of like
Tbf, I think the punisher can easily confront a child
@@Kenfren I think they mean "comfort." It's clear that English isn't their first language.
@@filthycasual8187it is, just have autism and adhd 😢
@@filthycasual8187 his or her*
@@KairuHakubi Because it's unknown which, I decided to use "their" in the pre-woke gender-neutral sense. Don't mistake me for thinking there's more than two genders.
My ideal Batman story would have someone try to use the dead parents thing to get the upper hand on him, only to find out that he’s moved on completely and has mentally healed. Essentially I’d give him the personality of 60’s Batman and the mannerisms of Edward Cullen Batman. He’s a knight, not a soldier.
now that is a Batman I'd love to see
Yeah, that'd be awesome. There are two certain things that should go a specific way for Batman in my opinion. The first is that at some point later in his career someone discovers his identity and tries to leverage his trauma against him. Only to find out that the mantle of Batman isn't just some psychotic coping mechanisms but is instead the representation of the incredible man Bruce used his pain to become. The second is his death, the only two acceptable ways for Bruce Wayne to die is either calmly surrounded by family finally able to truly rest. Or he should specifically die in battle saving a child preferably a full family mirroring the death of his own family only unlike that night in Crime Alley this time someone WAS able and willing to step in and save the day.
I dunno. I just can't really see this working. How would you leverage the death of one's parents against them? And if you've completely healed and moved on from it, how would you be able to leverage it? The simple fact that someone could use it as leverage would indicate that he has not, in fact, moved on from it. A more realistic and sensical story would be one which someone was able to use it as leverage and during the course of that plot, Bruce was able to let go and move on.
But I circle back to my original question, how does one leverage the death of one's parents against them?
@@eirmundgundnand9442have them make Bruce feel it was his fault somehow? overwhelm him with guilt?
I want to say that might be nice to finally see, given that is literally in his protocols for fighting himself. But at the same time, I don’t think it’s mentally possible for Bruce to get over the death of his parents as he’s been Batman since that night and Bruce, at least metaphysically speaking, is still in that alley with the corpses of his Thomas and Martha Wayne.
Batman was born from that pain and will never stop carrying that burden with him because it’s what fuels him. Getting over the deaths of his parents eventually means that his time as a crime-fighter (in any capacity given that I still see him as Batman in Beyond despite Terry being in the suit; it’s not until the movie I think that Terry really became his own) is over. Yes, Bruce/Batman/Man-in-Chair still has the empathy to fight against Gotham’s criminal underworld, but he also has the money to legitimately Gotham from the inside-out to be less of a hive of scum and villainy.
Him being Batman rather than the generous billionaire Bruce Wayne is a form of catharsis, pushing away those thoughts of his parent’s death as to avoid getting past that pain because, deep down, he truly doesn’t believe he can, which, at least in my opinion, is the greatest tragedy of the Batman.
Fun fact: The very last scene of this episode (and by extension Batman Beyond) where Terry flies past the police and startles them is a mirror of the very first scene from B:TAS with Bruce flying past the police and startling them.
In other words,a DCAU binger really should start with "On Leather Wings" and end on "Epilogue".
And this episode really helped cement one of the reasons people love Batman so much, his empathy, though he doesnt' show it all the time he does genuinely want to help his rouges in any way he can which is part of the reason he doesn't kill them even if logically it would be the easier option. And in turn it causes him more suffering because he effectively condemns himself to continue to fight and protect even though it's a never ending battle.
There are definitely certain of his rogues that he has a soft spot for. Two face is top of that list, but not at all exclusive.
Admittedly, I really wish someone would actually do something with the premise of the villains being broken people. TAS did it a few times with two-face, Harley, the Ventriloquist and Penguin, but I still think there's massively untapped potential.
Flat out, I honestly wish Lex Luthor would make some sort of attempt at a kind of work reform program, then secretly funnel their talents into his criminal Enterprise while they end up the victim of his duplicity
At Least Kevin Conroy Understands Batman's Character as to why people Love Batman including myself. RIP Kevin Conroy.
I always felt like it was a great missed opportunity for Rob Pattinson's Batman to be the first cinematic outing for Terry McGinnis
Val Kilmer as old Bruce
Batman sitting down with ace is my favourite batman scene of all time
"I don't care," is how I've felt about Bruce being Terry's father when people complain about the retcon. It doesn't really take away from their dynamic since neither knew about it unless Bruce looked at the DNA of Terry and his younger brother Matt which is possible. Instead, I tend to see it as Bruce if he did discover it not feeling alone and giving a bit of hope that not only Batman will go on but more so his parents' genetic legacy as well. And if there is one thing that Bruce regretted more as he got older is that he was the last of the Wayne's along with losing Wayne Enterprises to Powers which we know soiled his and his parents' public legacy. In ROTJ, Bruce is happy that he has finally regained Wayne Enterprises. In the end, the retcon gave more to Bruce than most realize- it gave him two sons to carry on his parents' legacies. That's if Matt didn't become some slacker or something.
People tend to forget that given how much emphasis Bruce puts on respecting family that he wouldn't besmirch Warren's name or importance to Terry. So by keeping it secret he's honoring someone who raised & loved Terry...probably seeing it as a bit of a situation between himself & Alfred
Batman tas is the gold standard for super heroes and batman as a character. His compassion for people, dedication to his goal and his unwavering will to get his mission done exemplified by every scene he's in made me love the character. However he came to life when kevin conroy voiced him.
In reguards to Waller's comments, i think that's foreshadowing to her comments at the end of Terry's visit. Waller is an old woman who is so alone that she doesnt have enough friends in the world to use the teaset with. She later on will tell Terry to let his loved ones in on his life, presumably because one day, when he's old like her and Bruce, they're all he's going to have. Arguably, maintaining a healthy connection with his loved ones might be a way Terry could end up in a better place than Bruce ultimately did, learn from his greatest regret and all that.
RIP Kevin Conroy you god of batman
That’s what I always love about Shady’s video thumbnails. The way how they are designed with that same purple background and text, and cut of characters in them is a dead give away for us of who that video is made from.
I sorry but leaving out the “not remotely what I meant” line is a straight up sin
Yeah I was hoping that would get a mention. Gotta love how classic cartoons could slip things past the radar.
I was dissapointed he didn't put it in
You should be more sorry about that grammar.
It is so refreshing to see someone who actually understands this episode!! Every time I hear the “This episode tarnishes Terry’s character” argument, I just think… “wow Amanda spelled it out for you and you still don’t get it!!
Every time someone shows me the Flashback of Ace, my heart breaks. I also believed Terry's memories were false due to how the episode went and I'm glad they were. I don't have a problem with Terry being Bruce's son cause I never really saw him that way even when re-watching the series with that knowledge didn't change anything about Terry to me; I just always see him as more of Bruce's Protege/Successor rather than his son. So like you, I don't really care about the retcon, Terry is just Terry to me.
Finally those scenes in black and white make sense. I never imagined they were possible scenarios in Terry's head.
I literally just rewatched the J's Reviews of this episode. Wow.
This is one of my faves, hands down. Whole DCAU is amaaaaazing
13:10 It doesn't help that this is supported by the fact that Terry's brother is also Bruce's son (since they both have Bruce's black hair). There were subtle nods of his brother having Bruce's mannerisms too, such as wanting to speak to their dead "father" from beyond the grave and him preferring Batman over the Terrific Trio.
Batman's Legacy is sealed. He will forever be in the GOAT discussion.
Never made it through that scene Ace without crying
9:40 is why I love watching this dudes channel 🤣😂🤣 I’m crying from the way he edited how he felt and ALSO the scene itself. A mans man if I do say so myself 🔥🔥🔥
I like that a part of Terry’s uniqueness was shown in how he handled Joker.
This episode wasn’t the end of Batman Beyond, but also BTAS.
Always funny when Shady pulls out references to completely unrelated things I know way too much about. DBZA, Hamilton this episode. Always gets a chuckle out of me.
When Amanda Waller wants the world to have another one of you. You have done something right in your life.
Amanda Waller: "You make a damn good cup of tea...I want another one, just like this!"
Barista: **Sweating like a bagel in a synagogue**
A little part of me has a thought that while Waller and Batman don’t see eye to eye, Waller has immense respect for him. Not only for having the guts to stand up to her, but also being the only JL member to less likely go power mad.
@@zeldagameryt4018 There is a reason why Waller chose to tell THAT story in particular. It showcases what Batman should be, but it also tells why she *believes* that the world needs a Batman.
No, when Waller distrusts you, even dislikes you and is still forced to conclude the world needs you, then you did something truly remarkable and good.
11:14 Sorta surprised you didn’t go into further significance of The Phantasm, given that she was another close acquaintance that knew Bats enough to not do the deed. Granted that would’ve made a major tangent in the tangent, though would tie back into legacy through influence.
to me this should have been the true ending of the DCAU. its all started with Batman and it would have been great to see it end knowing Batman is still fighting crime.
also i love that when Terry is flying through the city it plays the BTAS theme. yes we heard it s few times in Beyond, but it was when Bruce was in action. i feel this was a sign that Terry is truly is Batman.
also nice reference that the end was kinda how BTAS started. with 2 guys in a blimp watching as something flys by them.
in fact, i believe the scene is a complete shot for shot reversal, as if making the DCAU symmetrical.
This is the moment I fell in love with Batman all over again as a kid. I didn’t see Epilogue until I was almost 30, but batman beyond was on air in my early teens.
As a boy I loved Batman for being an edgy super intelligent badass without powers.
As a man I love batman because he is everything a man should be. Strong, competent and capable. Able to go toe to toe with the worst monsters of the universe, but have the heart to show compassion to those that need it most. Sitting with Ace will always bring tears to my eyes.
Saw batman beyond and the batman. Both great shows.
Tas batman while a way better character as we see his entire life from start to end. The batman i feel is batman when he found the good ending of staying with robin and batgirl since he's a lot more happy and able to understand teamwork
I also like how superman in the batman is the solo guy while batman is basically leading the justice league.
Bruce comforting Ace plays to what he's said in the comics "Batman is meant to terrify criminals, not children."
Also you want an example of how caring Bruce is? *He knocked out Orion a MEMBER OF THE NEW GODS because he disrespected Forager's sacrifice*
(Clicks on video)
(Ace scene)
(Lies on the floor)
(Tries not to cry)
(Crys a lot)
11:53 whats so funny about finding out that Amanda Waller is a Christian in this universe is that in another...she tried to get a "Get out of Hell free" card in another universe with the aid of the Suicide Squad.
Also I should point out that Terry being Bruce's son? It was hinted at in "The Call" when Terry turns down the offer to join the Justice League and said "I guess I'm more like the old man than I thought" and Superman quietly comments "More than you know"
I dare everyone to show the episode to a person who never saw the show and see if they cry or not
*The scene with Ace and Batman is shown*
*I barely manage to suppress manly tears*
*Shady then proceeds to crack a joke about not crying*
Thanks, Shady. I needed that laugh after one of animation's most heartbreaking scenes.
12:21 I think Bruce gets a slight leg up because he doesn't have super powers, thus being more compassionate and patient, especially with the criminals he faces is significantly more challenging and yet he does it anyway.
It's always interesting how when he's talking to his rogues, he always uses their real names when he knows them. He tries to remind them they're more than just a crook.
@@battlesheep2552 well that, and if he started legitimizing their careers, he'd be playing into their insanity.. he calls HIMSELF Batman, nobody bad should be worthy of that.
I can see why "the world needs a batman" as the whole reason Bruce even has the bat gimmick is to instill fear into his enemies. A great quote from Arkham origins said by Batman states "When the mugger or the thief stop to think twice, that is fear." so the world very much needs Batman to give villains a reason to think twice.
Also I did not know those sequences were in Terry's head. Not bad, but coulda been better conveyed
Seeing people talk about how absolutely perfect the Justice League and most DCAU stuff was makes my day. Really glad of the talent of Bruce timm, Paul Dini, and Dwayne McDuffie brought to make those shows LEGENDARY
And this is why I love the characterization of Nightwing. He is everything Batman represents but better and what he was always supposed to be.
Hell this is how a “Passing the Torch” kind of story should be presented, with the new hero taking on the old mantle in a new way that is clearly recognizable as a proper representation of the old hero but still new and clearly their own person with their own path and their own way.
You really hit the nail on the head with your miles comparison at the end there. Terry is one of the best when it comes to the “mantle” or “legacy” character, he’s not a direct replacement overall (in terms of the entire universe/comics themselves) but instead takes place in his own story, with his own identity, his own rogues, his own conflicts which have nothing to do with Bruce. Miles is, and will probably always be, tethered directly to Peter and Marvel, Disney and certain types of fans will continue to insist on him being Spider-Man, he’ll never stand on his own, never have his own identity and just continue to leech off of other heroes. The only way to improve him is by cutting him away from everything Peter, have him establish his own hero identity, gather his own supporting cast and rogues. Till then he’s SMINO; Spider-Man in name only.
Miles is a legitimate Spider-man, but he isn't THE Spider-man, that's Peter Parker. The Spiderverse movies are doing a great job estqblishing a distinct identityz conflicts and personality for Miles that uses his relationship with Peter as a springboard for his journey.
@@AhmedX8Eh, is Miles really doing that? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Miles' conflicts have been a gender swapped Doc Oct, his uncle in a purple cat suit, a petty conflict with The Spot, and actively being at odds with the hundreds of Spider-Man knockoffs. Miles' two films actively try to fix his problem with leeching on Spider-Man, by having him leech on the hundreds of other Spider-Man knockoffs and some of Peter Parker's rouges gallery. Miles should be written to stand on his own, not to have to bounce off more knockoff characters and be essentially tied to a multiverse. It's like trying to fix a broken faucet in your home, by breaking other parts of your house. Sure, Miles has two villains with Spot and his uncle in the two movies. However, his biggest conflict is the other Spider-Men which ultimately overshadows the previous two conflicts. This is because the Spider-Men conflict is more interesting and impacts other characters outside Miles. I'm not saying one story is more inherently interesting than the other, although putting a large multiverse story alongside two smaller personal stories is not a good way to get people to care about a specific character. I mean people wouldn't care about Peter if the death of Uncle Ben was being interrupted by the MCU avengers gathering heroes from different universes.
@@AhmedX8Plus, does Miles really have a personality outside saying, "I'm not Peter Parker and I make my own destiny"? The movies try to show him being a quirky yet lovable misfit compared to the other Spider-Men. Unfortunately, it just makes him feel very generic and like he's another character that the other Spider-Men are bouncing off of. It creates a dynamic that makes the Spiderverse films more of a constant group crossover, rather than an individual character's story.
@@MikeFireheartYou forgot Kingpin, who became one of Miles' villains (not that his rogues gallery is important right now, he's getting started, that's why I didn't mention it). The whole point of Spot is that he took his "petty conflict" with Miles as fuel to become a monster. They are using the Spiderverse to make Miles his own man. The first movie says anyone can be Spider-man and teaches Miles how he can take on the mantle his way. The second puts that lesson to the test by forcing him to break from literal canon to not just stay Spider-man, but be the type of hero Peter Parker exemplifies instead of the type of person who'll let his father die to preserve a multiversal constant. If all goes well with the third movie, Beyond the Spiderverse (hint-hint), Miles will prove to all the naysayers that he's more than some generic knockoff who can't stand on his own, just like MCU Peter did.
This story can't be told without Gwen, Peter B., Miguel, Hobie, Pav, and all the rest. These "knockoffs" (other than Peter B who is, of course, Peter Parker) bolster the ideas I mentioned and contrast with Miles, showing what he could be and ehat he shouldn't be.
If you watch Beyond or rewatch the other Spiderverse films (in full or through clips), don't go in expecting that Miles must be like Peter to be a worthwhile Spider-man, take the story on its own terms. Miles (and well, Gwen) is the heart of it.
As for personality, he's the type to have tunnel vision, but when he slows down, he can show a surprising amount of empathy and ingenuity. He's pretty thoughtful, carefree, but poor at communicating and balancing his life. He also shares a lot in common with Peter, but that's sort of the point, he took a lot of cues from both Peters (even if Peter B wasn't a great teacher).
@@AhmedX8 Firstly, I did forget King Pin as he was forgettable, though I'm pretty sure he was Peter's villain first and didn't really get changed, compared to the gender swapped Doc Oct who was an entirely different character. Secondly, MCU Peter didn't prove he could stand on his own as he only developed character wise when the other Spider-Men got involved. Homecoming was essentially him proving himself to his sugar daddy Tony and Far From Home was him cleaning up after sugar daddy Tony's death. In other words, MCU Peter was solely glued to Tony until the previous two Spider-Men showed up. Thirdly, I'm pretty sure Miles' story could've been told without the hundreds of knockoffs, cause they just highlight his shallow character, especially Gwen who had to move on from her Peter's death. If Miles was able to work on his own and use his own strengths to overcome new villains, that would've separated him far easier than dragging the knockoffs into his story. Next point, I did watch the original Spiderverse and Miles was the most forgettable part outside his interactions with his uncle. That's not exactly a good start for a character, when every other introduced character is much more interesting with their stories. Finally, Miles having so many traits associated with Peter is the problem, because it restricts him from fully standing on his own and invites the warranted comparisons.
You don't even know how long I've been waiting for your comment on this cutoff. I want you to know that you do a great job with stuff like this. A sheer pleasure to watch, long may there be more!
Greetings from Poland, cheers 🍻
"Chief told me once that no soldier should be honored for doing what is expected."
- Niraj Shah
Not from DC, but it's a fine quote.
Used to, I wouldn't cry at that scene. But over the last couple of months, death has surrounded my family, so the thought of someone preparing to die and knowing the only comfort will be someone holding your hand or holding you. . . It hits a more personal note for me.
My one issue with Epilogue is that it was effectively hampered by Batman Beyond, which effectively confirmed Bruce is doomed to be alone and more or less bitter till the day he dies. It's tragic because Justice League set up his relationship with Wonder Woman and part of me would've loved to see the two of them eventually become a couple and get married with Bruce finally getting the happiness he rightfully deserves.
Sure Terry is there to help him in his final days but it's still a sad ending for such a great hero.
Well it makes sense to an extent. Most of the league spread off or loss their life.
The comic have their relationship start the universe rather than be the end point if you want some confirmation. Issue is only how expansive tas is from batman to beyond as it has everything within it.
@@ivanbluecool Perhaps but given everything Bruce went through in his life it just feels weird the writers would effectively screw him over in the end.
@@thefanwithoutaface8105 well it is batman. Him and spider man don't get to be happy. Probably worst example of this is how Talia was taken over by her dad in the beyond episode or one comic that he was about to marry Catwoman but shenanigans have her leave because ", batman has to suffer"
@@Timepilot94 I agree with everything, but I believe Bruce would recognize Talia's potential if she had diverged from her father's motives.
@@Timepilot94+ Andrea from the mask of the phantasm is a pretty good love interest pick. They just gotta figure something out for each other.
1:51 I used to think that they were flashbacks too, but it's basically been confirmed that they're fantasy scenarios in Terry's head. It's also been confirmed that Bruce knew the truth for years at this point of the story, keeping it to himself out of respect for Warren McGinnis. Also, Waller's meddling may be the reason the McGinnis divorced.
So for me, I actually watched this episode before I ever watched Batman Beyond. So going into Batman Beyond, I already knew this big twist & it made sense to me. Terry & Bruce's son & father relationship was always there and Terry's other dad's death still hit hard in both the show itself & to me, which didn't make the later twist feel bad in any way to me. I still love this episode & Batman Beyond; also I didn't know those black n white scenes were in Terry's head until I watched this
My guess on the reason for the tea set is to emphizes the theme of legacy. Terry thinks passing on the tea set is to perserve it, but the real reason it was passed on was so that it can be enjoyed with friends. The same with the mantle of batman. It is not passing down the idea of batman, but the heart and the care for others that it holds.
7:06
Perhaps something to connect between her and bruce. That idea that they've both alienated everyone close to them and are now alone, and another indication to Terry that he should remember to not end up like either of them.
Because while Terry is bruce's biological son, it could be argued that Waller is in a way his mother, as she was the one that created and tried to shape him, ultimately learning that she couldn't control him and it was best to let him go on his own path.
In all honesty, this entire episode is about a man talking to his "real" parents, before coming to appreciate the life he had before he knew about them, and leaving with a new view on life.
The sense with ace is the reason kevin Conroy is goat of being batman to give that character that will to not give up but also can be gentle
I loved Terry as a character. He's a lot like Bruce, but different enough he never felt like treading old ground. In essence it felt like Spider-Man 2099 in a way.
It makes me disappointed they never really used him more, but then I see where DC headed and is going and I'm kind of glad they didn't.
6:50 the question is “is it better to live or be crushed?”
Waller is alone. She has no expectations of herself, nor does anyone expect anything.
Terry has the weight of his expectations of himself, Bruce’s expectations of him, and the expectations Gotham has for Batman. The question is “is it better to be crushed under the weight of expectation, or to live an ordinary life of failure?”
Terry demonstrated this with his “how can you live your own life while living someone else’s dream?” Saying that, he *has* to be Batman, he has to live up to what Bruce Wayne expects, and by doing so he loses his sense of identity; he can’t live his own life, he can’t have fun. He can’t live his childhood.
Waller responds with “it’s been years since I’ve had enough friends to use the full set anyway.”
She is responding with both “don’t worry about breaking the cup and plate” which happened just a moment ago, but also that *not* living up to those expectations, that if Terry really didn’t want to do this anymore, you end up with less love and less relationships than you would have had if you endured your trials.
Basically he’s saying he isn’t himself, he’s Batman and not Terry.
She’s saying there are worse things to become.
I agree with your sentiment, but will add that Batman is also a person who believes that you must embody your inner darkness and use it to defeat the darkness of others. It makes sense he would compulsively believe that heroes NEED to exist. His experience with his parents made him so, so desperately wish that someone had come to save HIM.
I dont know, that time he was trapped by the Black Mercy, he didn't see the Grey Ghost swoop in to save his parents, he saw his father beat up Joe Chill. He believes the world needs heroes, but I dont think he believes it needs the kind that wear masks.
@@battlesheep2552 Fair point.
Still to this day I just cannot watch Ace die without having to collect myself. It really is an amazing Batman moment and I wish writers would try to emulate that more than whatever agenda they want to push.
14:15 “You wanna know why so many people are ticked off at THIS?”
Because there’s an empty shell casing sound hitting the ground even though she is firing a revolver. The Batman death made me upset but that shell casing sound was just a moldy cherry on the garbage pie.
I always loved that ending cause even Bruce must had known on some level at some point that Terry was his own, the fact he cared enough to make some soup and even reminds him to eat something. Almost reminds me of how Alfred took care of Bruce and always made sure he ate well and was kept in good health. Terry may have lost his father but he gain a new one not from blood but from chance of meeting one another.
One small detail is that the episode ends with him flying in the sky with the police asking what was that the same way the first episode of Batman the animated series begins.
13:15 there are some hints in beyond that there something between Bruce and terry like in the justice league episode where terry says he’s similar to Batman and Superman says “more then you think” so while it may not have been the exact idea, there is something close to it in the original series
The black-and-white “flashbacks” is a big WTF considering on paper Terry has been for years essentially Bruce’s PCA.
Also it’s poetic that Waller was the one to teach Terry, Bruce’s greatest secret is that he sees people instead of freaks and monsters.
The second lesson being not to make the same mistake they did, in making the new mountain a lonely one.
Anyone else notice that Terry looks a lot like a Jojo? More specifically looking like Jotaro without his iconic hat?
Dude really filled out after finishing his teenage years.
While I generally agree with the idea that superheroes shouldn't be treated like destined chosen ones, I think in this case, the idea "the world/Gotham needs a Batman" is fine. The statement isn't that Gotham needs Bruce Wayne, or even a Wayne (though Terry counts in this instance), it's that Gotham needs a person with the talent and drive to do the job.
I just discovered your channel a few days ago, and I have never loved a premise so quickly as I have your episode analysis and reviews. You've got the magic touch, man. Well done!