The Bat in the Belfry

Original Airdate: 9/11/04

Written By Duane Capizzi

Characters Introduced: Batman/Bruce Wayne, Alfred, Chief Rojas, Ethan Bennett, Ellen Yin

Villians Introduced: The Joker, Rupert Thorne

Episode Summary

The episode starts with Rupert Thorne's gang robbing a vault. They know Batman is watching, but don't know where. When Batman emerges from the darkness, he easily beats up Thorne's lackeys. Thorne jumps out a window to the next buildong, but doesn't get far before Batman stops him. The police find Thorne and his gang tied up in the street.

Away from the crime scene, Batman gets into the Batmobile and drives into a abondoned building. He then drives down a tunnel that leads into the Bat Cave. Alfred is there waiting for him. There is a cake with three candles on it. It has been three years since Bruce became Batman. Bruce blows out the candles in the memory of his parents.

The next morning, Bruce and Alfred watch the news. Alfred says that Bruce has to go to the basketball game that night so no one would suspect that he was Batman. Bruce doesn't want to go, but eventually agrees.

At the police station, Chief Rojas introduces Bennett to his new partner, Ellen Yin. He gives them orders to bring in Batman.

At the Arkham Asylum, someone has released all of the inmates. Bennett and Yin get the news about it and head that way. At the basketball game, Bruce gets the message through the Bat-Wave, and goes to the asylum also.

When the police get there, they find a giant jack-in-the-box. It explodes, blocking the only path to the asylum. This doesn't stop Batman from getting to the asylum. When he gets inside, he finds a guard who is paralyzed by Jokers gas. Batman then runs into the Joker and talks to him. Joker talks about his old hideout and how the asylum is better. They begin to fight, but Joker gets away, leaving another jack-in-the-box. Batman thinks that it will explode, but it doesn't. When Batman leaves the asylum, Bennett sees him. Bennett then suspects that Batman may be involved.

At the Bat Cave, Bruce realizes he needs a sample of the gas in order to help the guard. He then thinks about what the Joker said about his old hideout. Bennett comes to the mansion. It seems that they are old friends. Bennett asks Bruce about his opinion of Batman. Bennett says that he doesn't think Batman is a criminal. After he leaves, Batman begins to look for the old hideout.

He finds the hideout and the Joker there also. The Joker is planning to pop a hot air balloon filled with his gas all over the city. He begins to fly across the city towards a statue. Batman gets on the balloon and the two begin to fight. Batman uses the Bat-Boat to knock the balloon over the bay. The gas is released in the water. Batman then takes a sample of it and leaves back to the Bat Cave. The Joker is then arrested.

The next scene shows the Joker in the Arkham Asylum as one of the inmates.