Reminds me of the mahou shoujo genre. Sure, stuff like Puella Magi Madoka Magica can be quite riveting, but there are times where just seeing kind and wholesome Ojamajos and Cardcaptors is enough to entertain our minds and hearts.
@@ilyte1 IMO, what happened to the kings and emperors after the world wars will happen to the super hero genre, and in its place will rise cultures that praise bad people, like the Soviets, or the third reich.
I never understood _why_ Boyle wanted the project shutdown. Fries managed to perfect cryogenic preservation. Whoever figures that out in real life is going to be _very_ rich.
Could be the reason. Victor would essentially become a millionaire due to his research, and Boyle likely wanted to steal it for himself. Give a few months to a year in between, and no one would notice.
He didn't know it was perfected, and technically, Freeze doesn't know. It's only perfected once someone has frozen someone, then unfreeze them and see if they are still alive.
There was a line that was in this episode that in my opinion they made better in Arkham Origins it was the humanitarian line Batman delivers to Ferris Boyle
@@GrievousReborn "Take a Seat...Humanitarian..." The Cold Cold Heart DLC is pretty much a playable experience of the Heart of Ice storylinet. And I agree, the line is even cooler.
"No, what she wants is to walk in the warm light of the sun, her hand in mine....But because of HIM, she'll only feel the icy touch of a man whose emotions run as cold as the blood in his veins!" Love that line, like a modern update of some of the lines from this very show.
I said this before in another video; I like to believe the reason Victor Fries refers to himself as Mr. Freeze and not Dr. Freeze is because he values his title as a husband more than his title as a doctor.
That.... actually makes a lot of sense and is quite beautiful. Most doctors I know do drop the title around the house. Yeah sure they got a degree and that's awesome but for the neighborhood kids or friends at church Mr./Ms./Mrs. work just fine.
@@waynepolo6193 ... are we sure about that? I mean he doesn't SEEM like a medical doctor, he's a cryogenist... which kinda works there too. Like he's no longer the doctor who invented a way to save his wife, now he's the mister who attacks the people who killed her.
Twitter: “Batman is a fascist who just beats a poor people because he’s rich and can get away with it.” Batman: Actively goes out of his way to save and stabilize a man who is freezing to death, and would have left Bruce to die if the roles were reversed.
In another episode: Batman goes undercover to save underprivileged people, gets caught up in a hunan traffic ring and has a dream where he sheds a tear because he knows his wealth isn’t enough to save everyone
@UltraGalaxyify have you actually seen the movie? In the context of that line, it's meant to be a joke about batman being overly stoic. Also, it's quite a good family drama
My head canon was always that Freeze's henchmen worked for him because they were in his previous position - either themselves or a loved one had been diagnosed with something terminal, and Freeze's cryotherapy was their only shot of "surviving" long enough to receive a cure.
@@PhilosophicallyAmerican both ideas would be interesting also makes the thug's line "But johnny is one of us" more meaningful because they aren't just a gang but guys all in the same situation.
That's what I was thinking too. Ex employees maybe ones that could've benefited from Freeze experiments. Which made leaving the one crook behind a bit hypocritical. Or if Freeze knew that batman was a good guy and that he would have the means to actually save the man.
Victor is honestly the single most relatable villain in the series. I cannot condone what he does, but it's completely understandable why he does it, and what drives him. The ending of the episode also shows that he is, indeed, not as cold as he claims to be, but that's obvious from the white hot fury that still burns in him. Because no man would go to the lengths he did, to survive the way he did, without some kind of deep, burning drive.
3:13 I just realized his helmet is in the same shape as the snow globe. It's a bit obvious but it does hit home that he is trapped in a perpetual winter just like the figurine.
When Shady said Mr. Freeze shouldn't down play his degree it got me thinking. Maybe him going from calling himself Dr. Freeze to Mr. Freeze is a reference to Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Nora was implied deceased in this episode, though I do like how they brought her back, giving Mr Freeze a cool motivation for continuing as a villain. Also I love how many camera angles there somehow are on Freeze's videotape.
You know what I’d do if I had a villain I wanted to make recurring, but their motivation for becoming a villain didn’t really apply to them continuing to be a villain? I’d show that nobody wanted to hire an ex-villain.
Batman: throws the chicken soup at Mr. freeze, breaking open his helmet B “It seems that SOUP-per suit has a few flaws.” MF “That’s not funny.” B “ Well, you don’t have to give me such a… COLD reception.” MF “Stop it.” B “It’s just a joke, Victor. CHILL.” MF “Please just send me to jail!”
Fun fact - the DVD box set has the creators mention that they didn't realize they'd never added a titlecard anywhere in the intro sequence until they got it back from the animation studio behind it. They saw nothing wrong with the result. And for an entire *episode* about Batman being a good person, I highly recommend "Harley's Holiday", which ends with one of the most heartwarmingly hilarious bits I can recall in Batman media.
I adore Harley's Holiday because it balances the sympathy for Harley with the fact that she still can be seen as an antagonist (because personally I'm not a huge fan of the "Harley gets redemption/is a good guy in every media from now on" writings that keep happening). But it also doesn't outright state she's one or the other; it shows that she's not completely on her way yet, but that there's also still hope for her.
I was at a talk he gave in Star Wars Celebration London. He has amazing control over his voice. He has this ability tae make it feel like he is taking directly tae you when he's addressing the crowd. Pretty much everyone I spoke tae agreed on that.
It's funny how people were saying not to talk about heart of ice because it's been talked about to death, but then baby-doll got second place despite it also having been talked about to death
@@Animestar21I think the problem with Baby Doll is, it’s very difficult to make plots with her. She’s not physically intimidating and relatively speaking she has the least likely chance to escalate her crimes. Hell, in her second episode where she teamed up with Killer Croc, she basically had to get angry enough to relapse and then just hung around Croc all episode. If it were up to me, I’d introduce her as supporting cast member, you could play up Bruce’s genuine attempts to help some of his villains that have a higher chance of redemption. She’d be perfect as one of his first attempts. It’d be great because you could fully explore a lot of Batman’s lesser rogues, play up Bruce’s empathy and kindness as well as develop the lesser villains he’s already beaten. Like imagine Bruce hiring Victor to work on a cure for his wife, opening up a lab that can work on cryogenic research and conditions that cryogenics could help stall or due to her background in television production, he could hire Baby on as part of Wayne Techs PR division for commercials and advertisements. We saw how he faced them as Batman, now here’s his chance to talk to them as Bruce.
15:25 I like the little detail that Freeze actually learned his lesson from previous debacle, and this time supplied his henchmen with proper winter equipment lol.
The episode and adaptation that would single handly change Mr. Freeze for future adaptations to come. Yep one of the best episodes of the series and Superhero shows in general.
Man, a solid 95% of Mr. Freeze's dialogue in "Heart of Ice" gives me chills. The delivery is so thematically appropriate, cold, and precise. The writing here sure as hell is award-winning.
Dr freeze is probably the most tragic villain as we see it keep happening to him over and over again. Even in the future he doesn't get a chance to be happy more than a moment.
Don’t watch the Harley Quin episode with his wife returning. It’s a disgusting tragedy once again destroying great characters for the sake of ideology and the “new” morality.
you mean in Batman Beyond? Doesn't his wife get better though? It's bitter sweet, but in the end his wife was cured, even if he wasn't able to see her anymore due to his criminal record. It really showcased that he didn't care so long as the woman he loved was happy and healthy.
You have to admire the DCAU team for making a nothing villain like Mr. Freeze into a sympathetic and beloved character. Also Happy (belated) 32nd anniversary to BTAS.
I just noticed how Freeze is shedding tears at the end, and you even see the glass around his snow globe starting to fog. After all this time I finally get that they were trying to convey a sense of hope, that Victor might have potential to recover if his can feel like that and even giving off tiny amounts of heat.
I actually REALLY appreciate Batman: The Animated Series being willing to give us more somber endings to episodes. It taught kids early on that sometimes, even doing the right thing will not end with some grandiose triumph over evil.
I personally like the idea that Victor dropped the 'Doctor' title when he went from Fries to Freeze because he was reborn as the frozen fiend...and as such that identity never earnt a doctorate. Also surprised you didn't point out the joke in Ferris' last name being the exact opposite of Freis/Freeze
It's also possible that the henchmen joined Freeze because they also have a grudge against Boyle, afterall he's already shown he doesn't actually care about people, and it's possible that he's screwed over more people than just Freeze
That's an interesting idea. Not gonna lie, if someone with superpowers came to me with a plan to fuck over some of my former shitbag employers... I'd definitely at least think about it.
I choose to believe he goes by Mr. instead of Dr. because its easier to link it to his married status, and his wife’s unfortunate state is more important to his story.
The moment where Batman chooses to help the Henchman over chasing Mr. Freeze might be my second favourite moment in the series, the ending of Trial being my absolute favourite.
and it comes right after Freeze just abandoned the guy. His heart is so cold he doesn't even realize Batman would probably listen and be sympathetic if he would just show he cares about his henchman Instead Batman shows care for him, so you KNOW that guy quit henching after this.
This episode was so great, it won an Emmy for best writing which is very rare and difficult for a TV series to achieve. While his actions are inexcusable, you can’t help but feel sorry for Mr. Freeze. He isn’t really a villain at heart, he’s just a husband wanting to save his dying wife and no one wants to help him. It just shows you how cruel and selfish people and society overall can really be.
Mister Freeze is sufficiently well-written to _deserve_ this consideration. We've since been flooded with "the bad guy was actually not bad all along" media that completely misses the point of sympathy, to the point where I just assume it's on purpose now.
8:17 It's like Amanda Waller said to Terry Mcginnis: no one cared about their fellow man as much as Batman did (except maybe Terry himself). Beneath that cape and cowl was a man with a heart.
In all fairness, if Mr. Freeze (in this canon at least) was a medical doctor with a focus on research, then he may not refer to himself as "Dr. Freeze" because he broke the Hippocratic Oath he took and as such no longer considers himself to be a doctor. While he does still have the qualifications, and even officially the title, he doesn't use it himself as he still respects the profession and those who uphold the Hippocratic Oath.
12:30 Freeze was a doctor with specialty in cryogenics. Perhaps because of his turn to crime, which involves hurting people, he drops the Dr title as he drops his Hippocratic oath?
The bit where you said "I miss the days when superheroes where genuinely good people" got a like from me. Hearing you say that during your TT Robin video made me a life long fan.
Fun Fact, the theme song is pretty much the same as 1989 Batman movie, written by Danny Elfman. He also composed for Beetlejuice and Nightmare before Christmas among many other works
Shirley Walker was the composer for Batman TAS and other DCAU shows. She was the real goat. When Bruce Timm and his crew produced Batman Beyond they thought she couldn't do a good soundtrack for that kind of show. But the classic composer did it, she created a great soundtrack inspired by industrial rock and electronic music. She unfortunately died at a relatavely young age.
9:00 In the DVD commentary they talk about how the animation house was going all out on this episode because they were new and were trying to establish themselves. One example is the shading/frosting on Freeze's helmet, instead of just a line.
I recently had a theory. Cause I frequently joke about how Mr. Freeze doesn't call himself Doctor Freeze. Is it at all possible that he is trying to create a kind of separation between Dr. Victor Fries and his supervillain persona?
Or possibly, another theory, it was because of his very own scientific work/experiments that damned him to never once feel the warm touch of another ever again
Honestly, my most prominent memory involving Mr. Freeze is Batman & Freeze: Subzero. Namely since, he actually gets a good ending. Nora gets cured, and even if Fries can't live with her, he knows she's fine, and is content living in the Antarctic with his pet polar bear
Then in The New Batman Adventures, she gets remarried and leaves Gotham, so Mr. Freeze, now just a head due to his deteriorating condition, wants to destroy Gotham in response.
Mr Freeze has always been one of my favorite Batman villains and one thing I do like about him is that in some versions they make his backstory more sympathetic as his reason for turning to crime is to save his wife.
*when Fries was ready to sacrifice his life to save Nora* "If that time has come, then I greet my end with open arms. It is not insane, for if you truly love someone you will do anything for them. Goodbye my love, love the life I could never give you"
Something to note about the discussion of the fight between freeze and mr.humanitarian is that, while it is true that freeze was stealing from the company, ending the experiment wouldn't just punish him, but also Nora, an innocent, who would lose her only oportunity for salvation. I don't know how they could've solved this, but the way it was done was definetly one of the worst possible solutions.
If we wanna keep the tears rolling you could always take a look at "Meltdown" from Batman Beyond. Get Freezes first and last appearances under the belt.
I quote this episode way too often. The “think of it Batman” one. I look at my wife and daughter and think about what lengths id go to to save them, or to punish someone that harmed them. “Oh yes, i’d kill for that.”
12:22 I'm fairly sure he calls himself "Mr." to emphasize his relationship to Nora over his a life's work, maybe even viewing that work as time he should have been spending with his wife.
Remember when superheroes gave you something more to aspire to than simply physical strength? When they were vulnerable and actually had to overcome their shortcomings instead of simply having none to begin with? Shady Doorags remembers
Reminds me one of my favorite episodes in Batman Beyond is the Mr. Freeze episode. A tragic villain who keeps getting betrayed when he does trust someone. Also Terry's very different opinion from Bruce was well done.
You know Arkham origins actually had a dlc that covered that universes version of this episode. In that version there actually was a bigger reason Ferris did what he did. Albeit a much scummier one. He had hired on Freis to secretly develop cryogenic weapons, not medical equipment. At the end after Freeze is stopped, Boyle straight up tries to kill him and Batman to silence them. Going as far as to try and sadistically beat the Immobile freeze to death, planning to have him live long enough to watch Nora die.
micheal ansara, the VA of freeze, does a excellent job of bringing this version of freeze to life. it should be noted that he was a highly accredited tv and movie actor, who played kang, one of the original klingons in star trek TOS.
I think I just realized why I like your content so much. You treat us like we've always been around even if we get new faces around here. You create this space that feels like I'm just hanging out and watching a buddies video. Keep up the great content!
Freeze is a villian that's had an impact on many people because his actions are rooted by one of the most human emotions imaginable: compassion and love. His anger is only fueled by remembering what he's lost or the people preventing him from saving Nora.
I love this episode’s animation, especially the way Batman is drawn. The blue highlights on the suit look beautifully vibrant, and I love how much more of the cape they take up depending on the lighting of a scene. I also love how long his cape is, and how it drapes over his arms like a blanket when he sits.
Batman is far from being a fascist. He is the peak of human potential showing compassion and empathy for his fellow men and women. But also willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Courage, honor, and justice. This man really is a legend.
Yeah I feel this problem came about because so many comic antiheroes took elements form Batman which in turn made people start thinking/writing Batman as an anti hero and that also includes the shortcomings of antiheros (overly violent, edgy, and needlessly antagonistic towards other heroes)
He chose "Mister Freeze" for a reason when he introduced himself. He earned that degree. Which means Doctor Fries knew the difference when it came to what he did as a doctor versus what he chose to do as a villain. And this episode shows the humanity in Batman's mission to Gotham.
That’s honestly kinda hilarious, that the freeze gun, one of the most classic weapons in science fiction (and Mr freeze’s gun specifically- iconic comic villain weapons) is nothing more than the equivalent of a garden hose sprayer filled with nitroglycerin
12:33 If anything, this shows Mr. Freeze's deep devotion to his wife. He'd rather choose the title that links him to his beloved rather than being prideful in his profession despite how impressive he is in the field.
One thing I love about this episode is one of its more subtle details. Freeze never attacks anyone with lethal intent other than Ferris Boyle; sure he'll freeze them to get them out of the way, but he doesn't aim to kill, even the giant freeze ray doesn't actually hurt anyone at the party. Hell he knew Batman would be a thorn in his side and just leaves him restrained yet alive. This says that deep down Victor is still in there and is still someone who doesn't want to hurt anyone aside from the one who ruined his life and killed his wife (this was before they retconned her as being alive btw).
10:46 And you said you wouldn’t have anything else to say on this episode. This is a great analysis of the city of Gotham in this show that I’ve yet to see anyone talk about. Fantastic work!
Here’s a not-so fun fact: Nora was originally intended to be dead (it wasn’t until Batman/Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero that it was retconned that she was still alive).
Actually there was an episode of BTAS that came out BEFORE the direct-to-video movie was released that revealed that Nora was alive and that she was taken by the same guy who kidnapped Fries from his cell, and the crazy part is where Fries was taken that Batman and Robin found him in was basically Rapture before Bioshock was even conceived
@@erichfiedler1481 Cold Comfort, you mean? Yeah, according to Timm and Dini themselves; Nora was supposed to be DEAD in that episode. They couldn’t say it outright because of the FOX Censors. Heck, that episode ended with Freeze on his knees looking up at Nora’s tube in mournful sadness. Sub-Zero was done by Boyd Kirkland and some of the remaining people who worked on BTAS minus Timm and Dini. It was also originally supposed to have Bane as the main villain, but WB told them to have it focus on Freeze instead because of them getting Arnold Schwarzenegger to play him. Serum Lake and Watchtower Database have a bunch of videos that goes over this stuff.
The BAS intro is perfect. I love the lack of sound effects. All the impact is performed by the instruments. It's like musical instrumental poetry you can beat someone up to. My favorite part is the piano slide dodge.
"Stealing is wrong because it's not yours to take." I could just as easily say "vigilante justice is wrong because it requires acting outside the limitations that are intended to protect citizens of a society from wrongful persecution." Batman accomplishes a lot of his work by breaking and entering, unlawful obtainment of information, and assault. All with no external check on his actions. Yet we both would be willing to defend Batman, because we have enough context to see that what he actually accomplishes does reveal the corruption of his targets and secures the safety of would-be victims. Likewise, I would absolutely defend Dr. Fries "stealing" from the company employing him on the grounds that, not only is he continuing to lead an experiment that serves to immensely benefit the company (if successful) by freezing his wife; I would also contest that, at the point where the CEO decides to knowingly allow someone to die when he has the power to help, he is complicit in manslaughter by doing nothing. Fries is in a position where not-"stealing" from Boyle would also make him guilty of allowing his wife to die when he had the power to help. There is no option Fries saw that would not have resulted in guilt, but the "stealing" option at least had the benefit of lesser guilt. Boyle is rich. He'll recover no matter what happens. His wife may not. None of this is to defend Freeze, the villain, threatening the lives of several people, but given everything about his underlying motivations, I'd be happy to put Freeze in the same category as Poison Ivy as "a character who wants enough to do the right thing, that they could be a great hero in their own right if given the help they need." The melancholic end where he almost seems to cry (despite previously stating that he has no more tears left to shed) suggests that it was never the chemicals that froze Fries's heart. It was Fries himself in response to Boyle's coldness towards his wife being in need.
8:52 Oh, I really hate that whole "Batman is just a rich asshole who beats up poor people" bullshit. Basically screams I never Read, Watched or PLayed anything Batman related.
Mr. Freeze: "Vengeance!"
Batman: "No, just-ice."
Badum tiss
Artiguana: cool
Go back to Schumacherverse you foul demon!
This joke is underbaked. It’s RAW
@@blueraccoon1088
Arctiguana* nice ben 10 refrence
"I miss the day when heroes were good people"
I agree with the many other voices you have locked in your basement that enjoy your show as much as I do
funniest moment in the video haha
I think they still are. A few pieces of art don't change what they really are and they won't stop us from doing those characters justice in the future
Reminds me of the mahou shoujo genre. Sure, stuff like Puella Magi Madoka Magica can be quite riveting, but there are times where just seeing kind and wholesome Ojamajos and Cardcaptors is enough to entertain our minds and hearts.
@@ilyte1 IMO, what happened to the kings and emperors after the world wars will happen to the super hero genre, and in its place will rise cultures that praise bad people, like the Soviets, or the third reich.
@@greygaston1263 wtf are you talking about?
I never understood _why_ Boyle wanted the project shutdown. Fries managed to perfect cryogenic preservation. Whoever figures that out in real life is going to be _very_ rich.
Could be the reason. Victor would essentially become a millionaire due to his research, and Boyle likely wanted to steal it for himself. Give a few months to a year in between, and no one would notice.
because it is a comic. someone must be comically evil and when it isn't the antagonist, it has to be the person motivating him.
But how would Pharmaceutical companies continue to make billions on products that just manage the symptoms?
He didn't know it was perfected, and technically, Freeze doesn't know. It's only perfected once someone has frozen someone, then unfreeze them and see if they are still alive.
Assuming someone hasn't already figured it out, and corporations or the government are covering it up.
Victor Fries may have a doctorate degree, but after turning into Mr. Freeze, he was so cold that he didn't _have_ any degrees.
(*rimshot*)
That jokes works on so many levels, and I love it.
Ba dum tss! 🏴☠
Not sure what to go for:
1) Oh, he had plenty of degrees... below zero.
2) Maybe not, but he did have some Kelvins.
Neither one tops yours.
Get out 👉🏽
I’m giving you the cold shoulder
That was an ice one.
There’s a line in the Cold, Cold Heart DLC of Arkham Origins that goes so hard
“I’m sorry Victor, I can’t give you peace but I can give you justice”
There was a line that was in this episode that in my opinion they made better in Arkham Origins it was the humanitarian line Batman delivers to Ferris Boyle
@@GrievousReborn "Take a Seat...Humanitarian..."
The Cold Cold Heart DLC is pretty much a playable experience of the Heart of Ice storylinet. And I agree, the line is even cooler.
“You cannot threaten a man who has lost Everything!”
I forgot how awesome that line is.
"No, what she wants is to walk in the warm light of the sun, her hand in mine....But because of HIM, she'll only feel the icy touch of a man whose emotions run as cold as the blood in his veins!"
Love that line, like a modern update of some of the lines from this very show.
I said this before in another video; I like to believe the reason Victor Fries refers to himself as Mr. Freeze and not Dr. Freeze is because he values his title as a husband more than his title as a doctor.
That.... actually makes a lot of sense and is quite beautiful.
Most doctors I know do drop the title around the house. Yeah sure they got a degree and that's awesome but for the neighborhood kids or friends at church Mr./Ms./Mrs. work just fine.
Plus yknow, he's doing harm now.
@@KairuHakubi Dr. Victor Fries has a PhD, not his MD. It’s a good joke, though, and a reasonable assumption.
@@waynepolo6193 ... are we sure about that? I mean he doesn't SEEM like a medical doctor, he's a cryogenist... which kinda works there too. Like he's no longer the doctor who invented a way to save his wife, now he's the mister who attacks the people who killed her.
Awww.
- Heart of Ice wins the poll
- Me:I love Democracy, I love the Republic.
A being of Culture I see.
With thunderous applause
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
My loyalties are to the republic, TO DEMOCRACY!
Democracy sometimes works 😂
Batman Beyond "But You'll die!"
Mr. Freeze "Believe me, your the only one who cares"
Hey man. You didn’t need to cut the onions. The scene at the end had the onion ninjas out already.
@@crazyscotsman9327 All The Onions!
Bad day for rain
My chicken soup line:
“What was that stuff?”
“Something to… warm the soul”
Twitter: “Batman is a fascist who just beats a poor people because he’s rich and can get away with it.”
Batman: Actively goes out of his way to save and stabilize a man who is freezing to death, and would have left Bruce to die if the roles were reversed.
In another episode:
Batman goes undercover to save underprivileged people, gets caught up in a hunan traffic ring and has a dream where he sheds a tear because he knows his wealth isn’t enough to save everyone
Once funny Hispanic comedian in a lousy super hero movie: Batman's a fascist!
@UltraGalaxyify have you actually seen the movie? In the context of that line, it's meant to be a joke about batman being overly stoic. Also, it's quite a good family drama
Depends on the Batman really. Zack Snyder Batman? Fascist. BTAS Batman? Genuinely good guy.
@@hunterlangley8287Please elaborate on the former.
My head canon was always that Freeze's henchmen worked for him because they were in his previous position - either themselves or a loved one had been diagnosed with something terminal, and Freeze's cryotherapy was their only shot of "surviving" long enough to receive a cure.
honestly that's a interesting idea
Or they also got shafted by GothCorp.
@@PhilosophicallyAmerican both ideas would be interesting also makes the thug's line "But johnny is one of us" more meaningful because they aren't just a gang but guys all in the same situation.
That's what I was thinking too. Ex employees maybe ones that could've benefited from Freeze experiments. Which made leaving the one crook behind a bit hypocritical. Or if Freeze knew that batman was a good guy and that he would have the means to actually save the man.
All yall are making me wanna cry in this comment section it makes me wanna sympathize with them and Johnny even more.
"Compassion. Charity. Where were those pretty words when she needed to hear them?"
That line is what made me fall in love with Mr.Freeze.
"It would move me to tears *if* I still had tears to shed." Is my personal favorite hahaha
Victor is honestly the single most relatable villain in the series. I cannot condone what he does, but it's completely understandable why he does it, and what drives him.
The ending of the episode also shows that he is, indeed, not as cold as he claims to be, but that's obvious from the white hot fury that still burns in him. Because no man would go to the lengths he did, to survive the way he did, without some kind of deep, burning drive.
@@BaconMinion I agree 100%. Victor is a prime example of "I don't agree with what he's doing, but I understand why he's doing it.".
@@Obozo_Gaming agreed
3:13 I just realized his helmet is in the same shape as the snow globe. It's a bit obvious but it does hit home that he is trapped in a perpetual winter just like the figurine.
how did I never notice that before. snow globes are.. GLOBES. not weird pill tubes like that. That was 100% on purpose.
@@chrimsonphantom Moreover...you never see the part where he shakes the Nora snow globe viciously to make the snow move around.
When Shady said Mr. Freeze shouldn't down play his degree it got me thinking. Maybe him going from calling himself Dr. Freeze to Mr. Freeze is a reference to Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
A good Batman can empathize with a villain. A bad Batman can be indistinguishable from a villain.
And a perturbed Batman loves chocolate milk.
@@chikumori5530and a lazy Batman eats nachos IYKYK
@@erichfiedler1481Batman does NOT eat nachos!
@@limewater4074 Batman: *eats nachos*
The Batman 2004's Batman isn't lazy though, hehe.
8:00 "behind that fierce exterior, I've never known anyone to care as deeply about their fellow man as Bruce Wayne"
- Amanda Waller
Nora was implied deceased in this episode, though I do like how they brought her back, giving Mr Freeze a cool motivation for continuing as a villain. Also I love how many camera angles there somehow are on Freeze's videotape.
You know what I’d do if I had a villain I wanted to make recurring, but their motivation for becoming a villain didn’t really apply to them continuing to be a villain? I’d show that nobody wanted to hire an ex-villain.
Batman: throws the chicken soup at Mr. freeze, breaking open his helmet
B “It seems that SOUP-per suit has a few flaws.”
MF “That’s not funny.”
B “ Well, you don’t have to give me such a… COLD reception.”
MF “Stop it.”
B “It’s just a joke, Victor. CHILL.”
MF “Please just send me to jail!”
Honestly, I can see Dick/Nightwing doing this.
@@judgem0rt1s23
Man, you’re totally right, I want Nightwing to become Batman again just so he can do something like this
well yeah. it has purple gloves that really don't fit with the rest of it
Something Batman knows all too well (okay not THIS Batman)
"Batman, I am literally dying"
@@paytonjones432"A trip to the Cooler will fix that."
Fun fact - the DVD box set has the creators mention that they didn't realize they'd never added a titlecard anywhere in the intro sequence until they got it back from the animation studio behind it. They saw nothing wrong with the result.
And for an entire *episode* about Batman being a good person, I highly recommend "Harley's Holiday", which ends with one of the most heartwarmingly hilarious bits I can recall in Batman media.
The last episode about Arnold Wesker is another good example of Bruce's compassion.
Yes. "Harley's Holiday" is great.
Also. "I think I left a mess all over your cape" is a great line.
I adore Harley's Holiday because it balances the sympathy for Harley with the fact that she still can be seen as an antagonist (because personally I'm not a huge fan of the "Harley gets redemption/is a good guy in every media from now on" writings that keep happening). But it also doesn't outright state she's one or the other; it shows that she's not completely on her way yet, but that there's also still hope for her.
Nice guys like you shouldn't have bad days.
However, "Harley's Holiday" does lose sympathy points come events like Static Shock's "Hard as Nails" and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
I love how Ferris Boyle is voiced by Mark Hamill. It really shows his acting range.
I love how how Freeze went after a guy named BOYLE.
And it was before they cast him as Joker.
I was at a talk he gave in Star Wars Celebration London. He has amazing control over his voice. He has this ability tae make it feel like he is taking directly tae you when he's addressing the crowd.
Pretty much everyone I spoke tae agreed on that.
Mark is a terrible person but a great voice actor and actor.
@@junebug4004 how is he a terrible person?
It's funny how people were saying not to talk about heart of ice because it's been talked about to death, but then baby-doll got second place despite it also having been talked about to death
It think it’s because unlike Freeze, Baby-Doll was never worked into the comics despite being an absolutely perfect addition
baby doll is kinda boring imo, honestly Harley's Holiday and Birds Of A Feather are way better examples of the sympathetic villain trope in BTAS.
@@Animestar21I think the problem with Baby Doll is, it’s very difficult to make plots with her. She’s not physically intimidating and relatively speaking she has the least likely chance to escalate her crimes. Hell, in her second episode where she teamed up with Killer Croc, she basically had to get angry enough to relapse and then just hung around Croc all episode.
If it were up to me, I’d introduce her as supporting cast member, you could play up Bruce’s genuine attempts to help some of his villains that have a higher chance of redemption. She’d be perfect as one of his first attempts. It’d be great because you could fully explore a lot of Batman’s lesser rogues, play up Bruce’s empathy and kindness as well as develop the lesser villains he’s already beaten. Like imagine Bruce hiring Victor to work on a cure for his wife, opening up a lab that can work on cryogenic research and conditions that cryogenics could help stall or due to her background in television production, he could hire Baby on as part of Wayne Techs PR division for commercials and advertisements. We saw how he faced them as Batman, now here’s his chance to talk to them as Bruce.
I, for one, can't wait until he talks about Baby Doll.
I was happy to hear sbout either! Just was more curious about baby doll
So the doctor was Freeze, and his rival was Boil
I am angry I did not notice that.
@@ShadyDooragsI know right?! Seriously, I never put together either and it should have been freaking obvious in hindsight.
@@ShadyDoorags don't feel too bad, I honestly didn't even notice this until people started commenting on it in this video. 😅😂🤣
Ferris = Fahrenheit. Boyle = Boil.
I see what you did there
“I miss the days when super heroes were good people”
Me: he said the thing 😊
15:25 I like the little detail that Freeze actually learned his lesson from previous debacle, and this time supplied his henchmen with proper winter equipment lol.
One of the lines Freeze can say in his Arkham city boss fight is "I learn from my mistakes Batman, do you?"
7:52 I agree with your caricature of us. We do love hearing "I miss when...", cause we miss it too.
Kevin Conroy gave Batman a soul, and Michael Ansara deserves all the accolades.
Batman as a franchise is lesser now that Kevin is gone.
@@BaconMinion right? 😢
The episode and adaptation that would single handly change Mr. Freeze for future adaptations to come.
Yep one of the best episodes of the series and Superhero shows in general.
Man, a solid 95% of Mr. Freeze's dialogue in "Heart of Ice" gives me chills. The delivery is so thematically appropriate, cold, and precise. The writing here sure as hell is award-winning.
A point I never see anyone mention is the fact that Ferris "Boil" and Victor "Freeze" were mutual antagonists.
Ferris is definitely the worst of the two but I see what you mean.
Oh my goodness how did I notice Boyle being a pun too?!
Dr freeze is probably the most tragic villain as we see it keep happening to him over and over again. Even in the future he doesn't get a chance to be happy more than a moment.
Don’t watch the Harley Quin episode with his wife returning.
It’s a disgusting tragedy once again destroying great characters for the sake of ideology and the “new” morality.
you mean in Batman Beyond? Doesn't his wife get better though? It's bitter sweet, but in the end his wife was cured, even if he wasn't able to see her anymore due to his criminal record. It really showcased that he didn't care so long as the woman he loved was happy and healthy.
@@FormerGovernmentHuman Sir, this is a Wendy's.
@@jemdemonbelle2097 Boyle destroyed _two_ lives. It's still a tragedy that Victor Fries's suffering did not end.
@@SaltpeterTaffy well, yes, I don't deny that.
You have to admire the DCAU team for making a nothing villain like Mr. Freeze into a sympathetic and beloved character.
Also Happy (belated) 32nd anniversary to BTAS.
I just noticed how Freeze is shedding tears at the end, and you even see the glass around his snow globe starting to fog. After all this time I finally get that they were trying to convey a sense of hope, that Victor might have potential to recover if his can feel like that and even giving off tiny amounts of heat.
I actually REALLY appreciate Batman: The Animated Series being willing to give us more somber endings to episodes.
It taught kids early on that sometimes, even doing the right thing will not end with some grandiose triumph over evil.
I personally like the idea that Victor dropped the 'Doctor' title when he went from Fries to Freeze because he was reborn as the frozen fiend...and as such that identity never earnt a doctorate.
Also surprised you didn't point out the joke in Ferris' last name being the exact opposite of Freis/Freeze
Or possibly because it was his doctoral/scientific work that was the cause of his accursed transformation
Perhaps Mr. Freeze denies his doctor title due to his blatant violation of the hippocratic oath: first, do no harm.
Or.. you know... he lost his doctor degree... (that was a pun, a thermostat loses degree when it gets cold)
It's also possible that the henchmen joined Freeze because they also have a grudge against Boyle, afterall he's already shown he doesn't actually care about people, and it's possible that he's screwed over more people than just Freeze
That's an interesting idea. Not gonna lie, if someone with superpowers came to me with a plan to fuck over some of my former shitbag employers... I'd definitely at least think about it.
I choose to believe he goes by Mr. instead of Dr. because its easier to link it to his married status, and his wife’s unfortunate state is more important to his story.
The moment where Batman chooses to help the Henchman over chasing Mr. Freeze might be my second favourite moment in the series, the ending of Trial being my absolute favourite.
and it comes right after Freeze just abandoned the guy. His heart is so cold he doesn't even realize Batman would probably listen and be sympathetic if he would just show he cares about his henchman
Instead Batman shows care for him, so you KNOW that guy quit henching after this.
Of course, things changed come The New Batman Adventures' "Cold Comfort".
This episode was so great, it won an Emmy for best writing which is very rare and difficult for a TV series to achieve. While his actions are inexcusable, you can’t help but feel sorry for Mr. Freeze. He isn’t really a villain at heart, he’s just a husband wanting to save his dying wife and no one wants to help him. It just shows you how cruel and selfish people and society overall can really be.
Mister Freeze is sufficiently well-written to _deserve_ this consideration. We've since been flooded with "the bad guy was actually not bad all along" media that completely misses the point of sympathy, to the point where I just assume it's on purpose now.
@@SaltpeterTaffy I mean we've moved so far beyond that we're solidly wedged in "good is evil and evil is good"
And then the SubZero movie and The New Batman Adventures' "Cold Comfort" did make him less sympathetic.
This is why batman needs robin, he would have thought of a good pun for chicken soup like that!
Batman: "Mr. Freeze"
Freeze: "That's Mr., Dr., Professor to you!"
8:17 It's like Amanda Waller said to Terry Mcginnis: no one cared about their fellow man as much as Batman did (except maybe Terry himself). Beneath that cape and cowl was a man with a heart.
17:34 This soup came in cluck.
Dinner is served, and so now will you.
Justice always comes in hot.
That last one is a suitable counter to Freeze's "revenge is a dish best served cold" line from the beginning of the episode. 😂🤣😂
In all fairness, if Mr. Freeze (in this canon at least) was a medical doctor with a focus on research, then he may not refer to himself as "Dr. Freeze" because he broke the Hippocratic Oath he took and as such no longer considers himself to be a doctor. While he does still have the qualifications, and even officially the title, he doesn't use it himself as he still respects the profession and those who uphold the Hippocratic Oath.
Could also to show his change of priority.
That episode is why Mr Freeze became my favourite Batman villain.
12:30 Freeze was a doctor with specialty in cryogenics. Perhaps because of his turn to crime, which involves hurting people, he drops the Dr title as he drops his Hippocratic oath?
The bit where you said "I miss the days when superheroes where genuinely good people" got a like from me. Hearing you say that during your TT Robin video made me a life long fan.
Fun Fact, the theme song is pretty much the same as 1989 Batman movie, written by Danny Elfman. He also composed for Beetlejuice and Nightmare before Christmas among many other works
Danny Elfman is truly the goat.
Also made the Simpsons theme song
Not 100% but it's heavily inspired by the Danny Elfman theme. Hell, if it wasn't for 89, we wouldn't even have TAS or the Timmverse as a whole.
Shirley Walker was the composer for Batman TAS and other DCAU shows. She was the real goat. When Bruce Timm and his crew produced Batman Beyond they thought she couldn't do a good soundtrack for that kind of show. But the classic composer did it, she created a great soundtrack inspired by industrial rock and electronic music.
She unfortunately died at a relatavely young age.
This episode completely changed Mister Freeze as a character and thrusted him into Batman villain popularity and I love that.
9:00 In the DVD commentary they talk about how the animation house was going all out on this episode because they were new and were trying to establish themselves. One example is the shading/frosting on Freeze's helmet, instead of just a line.
Good old Spectrum Animation. Shame they later went bankrupt, while the weaker AKOM still runs.
I recently had a theory. Cause I frequently joke about how Mr. Freeze doesn't call himself Doctor Freeze. Is it at all possible that he is trying to create a kind of separation between Dr. Victor Fries and his supervillain persona?
Ala Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader?
@@Beohun Yeah pretty much
Or possibly, another theory, it was because of his very own scientific work/experiments that damned him to never once feel the warm touch of another ever again
@@BeohunMore like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
An Emmy winning episode, back when Hollywood awards actually felt like they meant something.
Mister Freeze is the only doctor who doesn't flip out when someone calls him Mister
He flips out when they don't.
Honestly, my most prominent memory involving Mr. Freeze is Batman & Freeze: Subzero. Namely since, he actually gets a good ending. Nora gets cured, and even if Fries can't live with her, he knows she's fine, and is content living in the Antarctic with his pet polar bear
Then in The New Batman Adventures, she gets remarried and leaves Gotham, so Mr. Freeze, now just a head due to his deteriorating condition, wants to destroy Gotham in response.
Mr Freeze has always been one of my favorite Batman villains and one thing I do like about him is that in some versions they make his backstory more sympathetic as his reason for turning to crime is to save his wife.
22 minutes, and an Batman villain nobody cares about becomes someone everybody cares about.
*when Fries was ready to sacrifice his life to save Nora*
"If that time has come, then I greet my end with open arms. It is not insane, for if you truly love someone you will do anything for them. Goodbye my love, love the life I could never give you"
Something to note about the discussion of the fight between freeze and mr.humanitarian is that, while it is true that freeze was stealing from the company, ending the experiment wouldn't just punish him, but also Nora, an innocent, who would lose her only oportunity for salvation. I don't know how they could've solved this, but the way it was done was definetly one of the worst possible solutions.
Mr. Freeze in BTAS gives off a strong Robocop vibe despite being a villain, he even sounds vaguely like Peter Weller!
If we wanna keep the tears rolling you could always take a look at "Meltdown" from Batman Beyond. Get Freezes first and last appearances under the belt.
I quote this episode way too often. The “think of it Batman” one. I look at my wife and daughter and think about what lengths id go to to save them, or to punish someone that harmed them. “Oh yes, i’d kill for that.”
that line is one of the best
I would, too.
12:22 I'm fairly sure he calls himself "Mr." to emphasize his relationship to Nora over his a life's work, maybe even viewing that work as time he should have been spending with his wife.
"How did he pay these guys?"
With cold, hard, cash.
We will never have a beautifully written masterpiece like Batman: The Animated Series ever again.
Remember when superheroes gave you something more to aspire to than simply physical strength? When they were vulnerable and actually had to overcome their shortcomings instead of simply having none to begin with? Shady Doorags remembers
Reminds me one of my favorite episodes in Batman Beyond is the Mr. Freeze episode. A tragic villain who keeps getting betrayed when he does trust someone. Also Terry's very different opinion from Bruce was well done.
It was a nice bookend to this episode.
I liked the part where he said that he misses the days when heroes were good people, needs more of that in the videos
*Me when I see a new Shady Doorags video*
I'd shed a tear, if I still had tears to shed.
You know Arkham origins actually had a dlc that covered that universes version of this episode. In that version there actually was a bigger reason Ferris did what he did. Albeit a much scummier one. He had hired on Freis to secretly develop cryogenic weapons, not medical equipment.
At the end after Freeze is stopped, Boyle straight up tries to kill him and Batman to silence them. Going as far as to try and sadistically beat the Immobile freeze to death, planning to have him live long enough to watch Nora die.
micheal ansara, the VA of freeze, does a excellent job of bringing this version of freeze to life. it should be noted that he was a highly accredited tv and movie actor, who played kang, one of the original klingons in star trek TOS.
7:07 I love how the henchman care about each other but they leave him behind
They didn't want to leave him behind, but Freeze threatened them, sometimes fear makes you do things you otherwise wouldn't do.
@@christianjohnson5379 I know I know! I’m not calling them cowards
This reinforces how much I love Freeze as a villain. His motivations are just being with Nora again
I think I just realized why I like your content so much. You treat us like we've always been around even if we get new faces around here. You create this space that feels like I'm just hanging out and watching a buddies video. Keep up the great content!
Freeze is a villian that's had an impact on many people because his actions are rooted by one of the most human emotions imaginable: compassion and love. His anger is only fueled by remembering what he's lost or the people preventing him from saving Nora.
Freeze still respects the profession of Doctor. and Doctors, Do no harm. Thats why i believe he goes by Mr Freeze
I love this episode’s animation, especially the way Batman is drawn. The blue highlights on the suit look beautifully vibrant, and I love how much more of the cape they take up depending on the lighting of a scene. I also love how long his cape is, and how it drapes over his arms like a blanket when he sits.
By using chicken soup to defeat, Mr. Freeze. Batman is a winner with chicken dinner.
Kind of funny how everyone ragged on Arnold's Freeze for the Ice puns yet Mr. Freeze makes plenty of them in the episode.
Batman is far from being a fascist. He is the peak of human potential showing compassion and empathy for his fellow men and women. But also willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Courage, honor, and justice. This man really is a legend.
Yeah I feel this problem came about because so many comic antiheroes took elements form Batman which in turn made people start thinking/writing Batman as an anti hero and that also includes the shortcomings of antiheros (overly violent, edgy, and needlessly antagonistic towards other heroes)
@@christopherauzenne5023 Batman has flaws sure, but that doesn’t change the fact the Cape Crusader is a fighter for justice.
The episode that redefined a character forever.
He chose "Mister Freeze" for a reason when he introduced himself. He earned that degree. Which means Doctor Fries knew the difference when it came to what he did as a doctor versus what he chose to do as a villain. And this episode shows the humanity in Batman's mission to Gotham.
Also the gun could be loaded with Nitroglycerin. It makes things freeze in an instant and can turn items as brittle as a champagne flute
That’s honestly kinda hilarious, that the freeze gun, one of the most classic weapons in science fiction (and Mr freeze’s gun specifically- iconic comic villain weapons) is nothing more than the equivalent of a garden hose sprayer filled with nitroglycerin
12:33
If anything, this shows Mr. Freeze's deep devotion to his wife. He'd rather choose the title that links him to his beloved rather than being prideful in his profession despite how impressive he is in the field.
One thing I love about this episode is one of its more subtle details. Freeze never attacks anyone with lethal intent other than Ferris Boyle; sure he'll freeze them to get them out of the way, but he doesn't aim to kill, even the giant freeze ray doesn't actually hurt anyone at the party. Hell he knew Batman would be a thorn in his side and just leaves him restrained yet alive. This says that deep down Victor is still in there and is still someone who doesn't want to hurt anyone aside from the one who ruined his life and killed his wife (this was before they retconned her as being alive btw).
Mr. Freeze, a villain so epic he was given a co-billing with Batman in his own movie.
10:46
And you said you wouldn’t have anything else to say on this episode. This is a great analysis of the city of Gotham in this show that I’ve yet to see anyone talk about. Fantastic work!
To paraphrase a different series: The hammer of justice is non-biased
The batman series is the absolute goat of cartoon intro, a intro that lives rent free in my head with batman playing out the intro every single time.
Here’s a not-so fun fact: Nora was originally intended to be dead (it wasn’t until Batman/Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero that it was retconned that she was still alive).
Actually there was an episode of BTAS that came out BEFORE the direct-to-video movie was released that revealed that Nora was alive and that she was taken by the same guy who kidnapped Fries from his cell, and the crazy part is where Fries was taken that Batman and Robin found him in was basically Rapture before Bioshock was even conceived
@@erichfiedler1481 Cold Comfort, you mean? Yeah, according to Timm and Dini themselves; Nora was supposed to be DEAD in that episode. They couldn’t say it outright because of the FOX Censors. Heck, that episode ended with Freeze on his knees looking up at Nora’s tube in mournful sadness.
Sub-Zero was done by Boyd Kirkland and some of the remaining people who worked on BTAS minus Timm and Dini. It was also originally supposed to have Bane as the main villain, but WB told them to have it focus on Freeze instead because of them getting Arnold Schwarzenegger to play him.
Serum Lake and Watchtower Database have a bunch of videos that goes over this stuff.
"Chicken noodle soup, great for stopping the Cold"
Baby Doll is a must see. That one just brings me to tears every time.
"Why couldn't you just let me make believe?!"
Batman knew just how to stop someone with a tragically frozen heart, and that’s Chicken Soup for the soul
I think he calls himself Mr. Instead of Dr. Because he values his wife more than his PhD.
The BAS intro is perfect. I love the lack of sound effects. All the impact is performed by the instruments. It's like musical instrumental poetry you can beat someone up to. My favorite part is the piano slide dodge.
So many fond memories of watching Batman:TAS and Justice League: Unlimited with my Dad and Sister. I gotta watch these again
I can not express how much I want another Batman The Animated Series
"Revenge is a dish best served cold."
It's funny because he's a Klingon.
"Stealing is wrong because it's not yours to take."
I could just as easily say "vigilante justice is wrong because it requires acting outside the limitations that are intended to protect citizens of a society from wrongful persecution." Batman accomplishes a lot of his work by breaking and entering, unlawful obtainment of information, and assault. All with no external check on his actions.
Yet we both would be willing to defend Batman, because we have enough context to see that what he actually accomplishes does reveal the corruption of his targets and secures the safety of would-be victims.
Likewise, I would absolutely defend Dr. Fries "stealing" from the company employing him on the grounds that, not only is he continuing to lead an experiment that serves to immensely benefit the company (if successful) by freezing his wife; I would also contest that, at the point where the CEO decides to knowingly allow someone to die when he has the power to help, he is complicit in manslaughter by doing nothing. Fries is in a position where not-"stealing" from Boyle would also make him guilty of allowing his wife to die when he had the power to help. There is no option Fries saw that would not have resulted in guilt, but the "stealing" option at least had the benefit of lesser guilt. Boyle is rich. He'll recover no matter what happens. His wife may not.
None of this is to defend Freeze, the villain, threatening the lives of several people, but given everything about his underlying motivations, I'd be happy to put Freeze in the same category as Poison Ivy as "a character who wants enough to do the right thing, that they could be a great hero in their own right if given the help they need." The melancholic end where he almost seems to cry (despite previously stating that he has no more tears left to shed) suggests that it was never the chemicals that froze Fries's heart. It was Fries himself in response to Boyle's coldness towards his wife being in need.
BEST intro? My vote would be for the X-MEN, but I respect your opinion. The intro to Batman is truly great.
RIP Kevin, you will be missed, loved, and can't wait to see you again
8:52 Oh, I really hate that whole "Batman is just a rich asshole who beats up poor people" bullshit. Basically screams I never Read, Watched or PLayed anything Batman related.