The Dark Knight Returns
Bruce Wayne: “I warn you, I can be a difficult taskmaster. I accept nothing short of excellence from all who work for me.”
Batman Beyond “Rebirth Part 2” (Season 1, Episode 2)
Terry McGinnis: “I think I can handle it.”
Bruce Wayne: “Very good then, Mr. McGinnis. Welcome to my world.”
A boy walks down an alley. He’s just seen a superhero movie and imagines himself as the hero. His wealthy parents follow him, avoiding the moviegoing throngs. The boy’s father pulls him close. He sees a man pointing a gun at them, demanding their money. Before they can move, a voice rings out.
“Now why does this feel familiar?”
The gun is cut in half by a shuriken. The boy’s eyes widen. This isn’t possible, he just saw this movie! He sees a bat-winged shadow swooping down at the mugger. Two punches and a kick knock the bad guy out. Their savior turns to them, barely visible beyond a scarlet bat symbol.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now. You might wanna avoid Crime Alley in the future.”
Rockets fire from his feet. The child watches him fly away, barely noticing his parents leading him from the alley. He’s real. Batman has returned.
The year is 2040. Gotham City has fallen into squalor since Batman’s mysterious disappearance. A new hero has taken up the mantle of the bat. So who is Batman Beyond? How did he become Gotham’s protector? What happened to the first Batman? Let’s find out.
Scene Select
Batman of the Future: Batman Beyond’s Backstory
Blight: “Who are you?!”
Batman Beyond “Ascension” (Season 1, Episode 7)
Terry: “You killed my father!”
Blight: “…Do you have the slightest idea how little that narrows it down?!”
Terry: “Sorry, it’s all you get.”
Batman Beyond debuted in the eponymous 1999 TV show. He was created by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and Alan Burnett. They had been hired to make a show about Batman attending high school, but realized that they weren’t ordered to make it Bruce Wayne in high school. That revelation led to a future series set long after Wayne’s reign.
In the far future of 2019, Batman was still fighting crime. All of his allies had died or quit. He suffered a heart attack while on a mission and had to hold a crook at gunpoint to survive. The incident traumatized Bruce and forced his retirement. Neo-Gotham became crime-ridden again without Batman’s protection.
Enter Terry McGinnis, a high school student fresh out of juvie. Bruce saved him from a street gang attack, but the encounter caused another heart attack. Terry brought Bruce to Wayne Manor, where he discovered his rescuer’s secret identity.
Terry discovers his father’s murder upon returning home. He steals a high-tech Batsuit from Bruce Wayne’s mansion and eventually defeats his father’s killer.
As Terry returns the suit to Bruce, he is offered a job as Bruce’s caretaker, a successor to the legendary Alfred. In reality, Bruce is secretly training Terry to become the new Batman,
Blast From The Past: Batman Beyond’s History
Bruce: “Joker’s vain and likes to talk. He’ll try to distract you, but don’t listen. Block it out, and power on through!”
Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker
Terry: Wait. I like to talk too…”
Batman Beyond fought many new villains, including hypnotic Spellbinder, seductive shapeshifter Inque, and assassin Curaré. His archnemesis was Derek Powers, a cruel CEO who had ordered Mr. McGinnis’ assassination. Exposure to nerve gas transformed Powers into a walking radioactive skeleton called Blight.
Several of Bruce’s enemies came back to haunt him. Mr. Freeze went on a suicidal rampage after a lover betrayed him. Bane, now an invalid by overusing Venom, was harvested by criminals to recreate the drug. The Joker came back to life by possessing a former Robin. Batman freed Robin and defeated the Clown Prince of Crime once and for all.
Batman Beyond’s greatest challenge came when he was offered a spot on the Justice League. Several incidents nearly killed his new teammates, leading to the reveal that Superman was being mind-controlled. Terry fought Superman and freed him. Clark offered him a spot in the League again, but the new Batman only accepted a loose partnership.
S.O.B: Batman Beyond’s Modern Stories
Bruce Wayne: “You’re a stubborn piece of work, you know that?”
Justice League: Unlimited “Epilogue” (Season 2, Episode 13)
Terry McGinnis: “…Just like my old man.”
Batman Beyond’s appearances were sporadic after his show ended. He teamed up with a time traveling Static to save Static’s future self. He also fought Project Zeta twice due to misunderstandings. Batman Beyond joined Batman and a previous Justice League to stop a time-traveling despot, sacrificing his life to save the world. The timeline was reset, retconning away his death.
Terry discovered years later that Bruce is his biological father. Longtime Justice League ally Amanda Waller realized that the world would always need a Batman and created Project Batman Beyond as Bruce aged.
She had a doctor alter Terry’s dad’s DNA so that any children he fathered would biologically be Bruce’s. Waller planned to recreate Batman’s origin, but the assassin refused to kill Terry’s parents in front of him.
Waller realized that her plan would betray everything Batman stood for. Terry becoming Batman Beyond later was simply comic book luck. The revelation helped Terry make amends with Bruce and return to duty as Batman.
Knight and Day: Batman Beyond’s Powers and Personality
[A mind-controlled Superman chases Batman]
Batman Beyond “The Call” (Season 3, Episode 10)
Terry: “How fast does [the Batmobile] go?”
Bruce: “Mach 3.”
Terry: “Is that faster than a speeding bullet?”
Terry is a skilled martial artist, gymnast, and an aspiring detective. He lacks Bruce’s experience, but makes up for it with street smarts and quips that distract enemies. Bruce monitors his missions from the Batcave, offering advice and occasional assistance via a flying Batmobile.
The Beyond power armor was the final Batsuit Bruce wore. It grants Batman super strength, speed, and durability. The suit contains collapsible wings, rocket boots, Batarang launchers, retractable claws, and a cloaking device.
Terry is a former delinquent and occasionally acts edgy. He butts heads with Bruce and is reluctantly willing to let villains die if he can’t save them. Despite that, Terry is a fun-loving teenager who juggles schoolwork with saving the world. He’s functionally Spider-Man in a Batsuit, complete with quips and several enemies reminiscent of the wallcrawler’s.
The Actors Who Play Batman Beyond
Will Friedle – Batman Beyond, The Zeta Project, Justice League Unlimited, Static Shock
Didya Get All That?
The Batman legacy continues like the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.
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