Batman Beyond Redeemed Bruce Wayne | Batman Beyond

[@alexandrefrauches132]

Batman's more dark attitude in TNBA could be a result of the years he spend fighting crime. Bruce created Batman to fight criminals and mobsters, and yet his life took a different path: Over the years he fought costume criminals, psychopats, super villains, aliens, demons... all experiences that would affect him in a psychological level.

[@Xavier-the-voodoo-king]

So essentially you're saying he's traumatized, nice attention to detail.

[@ericgaskins571]

Like a cop who has seen too much. The old "dance with the devil, devil don't change, the devil changes you" trope? Yeah that's definitely applicable. Nice observation

[@ericgaskins571]

Some of my friends in the military have a form of ptsd that is related to that. The human mind can only take so much trauma

[@seeleunit2000]

​@@Xavier-the-voodoo-kingI would say even more traumatized. And good luck receiving any actual therapy in Gotham.

[@StarKaiser2]

That's what I said as time went on he lost more and more of his compassion

[@zzco]

8:21 it's not that he thinks that some of his rogues gallery doesn't DESERVE help, it's that there comes a point where they move beyond his ability to help them. That's part of what made him a bitter old man in BB, that he realizes that despite his best efforts, nothing really changed.

[@ericgaskins571]

Could it also be that over such a long period of time(depending on the villain) batman knows they aren't gonna change? They just keep going back to their old ways.

[@zzco]

That kinda was my point, actually; it was the realization, after so many times of catching and sending whoever to Arkham, that he actually can't redeem ANY of them. And that's what made him into a bitter old man.

[@George-Hawthorne]

Vaas said it best, "Insanity is doing the exact same thing over and over again, expecting things to change." Batman kept dealing with Joker the exact same way over and over and over and over again thinking: "This time is gonna be different. No, no, no please... This time the joker will change." or "This time he won't escape." The reason nothing changed is because Bruce himself never changed. All those times he spared the Joker all the chanced he gave him despite the countless suffering he caused had been for nothing. That's why he doesn't like talking about him because the Joker proved Batman wrong. That's why Terry was able to defeat 'Joker," because he changed tactics and it worked.

[@zzco]

Yup!

[@Master-Works]

I hate future Bruce. He went too far. He disgusted me

[@MegaRayland]

“Well, Mr. McGuinnis- Welcome to MY world.” “It’s not Batman that makes you worthwhile; it is the other way around.” The two most significant lines that, in a sense, bookend the show perfectly.

[@Xehanort10]

11:52 I think him having to pull a gun to defend himself was just the last straw of a bunch of things that started with Joker torturing Tim.

[@SerumLake]

A pretty big straw though!

[@ThePlayTyperGuy]

What I love about this moment is that while it's presented as Batman hitting rock bottom, his action would've been considered perfectly within protocol for a police officer. If it had happened to Gordon, Batman would've convinced him *not* to quit. This shows the high standard Batman holds himself to as a hero. Too many other depictions have shown Bruce crossing a clear moral line that would be unforgivable for anyone, even if they weren't a hero. Just a perfect moment.

[@elijahharrison5541]

Xehanort10 The OG himself

[@idigamstudios7463]

@@SerumLake It's a great parallel though. Tim shooting the Joker is what disbanded the batfamily. Bruce being forced to pull a gun ended his tenure as Batman. In the end both straws were members of the batfamily forced to use the same weapon that robbed him of everything.

[@ShinDangaioh]

@@SerumLake In Justice League Unlimited Batman used a gun and killed Devil Ray. Okay, it was Deadman in Batman's body. Still...

[@elin111]

Something I notice about DCAU Batman is that he's quick to sympathize and get along with younger heroes, we also see this in Static Shock the few times he shows up. It is subtle but evident that Bruce wanted newer generations of heroes to make better life choices that he did.

[@SerumLake]

it also implies to me that he relates more to children than he does adults. I think it was Frank Miller that said that Batman has the mental state of a child because his mind is frozen at the age he was when his parents were murdered.

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

@@SerumLake Frank Miller might be a helluva roller coaster of a person, but I agree on that point of his.

[@optimus2g]

@@SerumLake To an extent yes, but not completely.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

The sad thing about Bruce Wayne is that life ultimately beat him down. All his efforts to try to reform his villains never seemed to stick, all his efforts to try and make Gotham a better place to live never seemed to stick, and all of his efforts to try and end crime in Gotham never stick. The tragedy of Bruce Wayne is that, despite a lifetime of effort, there was never a meaningful, lasting victory that left the world a better place, a "Mission Accomplished" moment. It reminds me of a bit from the Gwenpool comics, where Batroc the Leaper is told that people like he and Captain America are comic book characters with Batroc the villain and Captain America the hero, Batroc comments on how Captain America's story has no happy ending: "He has fought for decades with only ze illusion of meaningful victory. Ze world is no safer place because of him. He struggles for nothing. What a fun children's story that must be." And as some people have put it, Captain America's story is largely one of the happier ones. Spider-Man's tale of suffering is infinitely worse. Like Captain America, Batman has spent a lifetime fighting the same battles over and over again, never seeming to get anywhere. A hamster on a wheel, endlessly giving maximum effort just to spin in place. In The Animated Series, Bruce is young and hopeful enough to still believe that if he punches enough villains and makes enough improvements to Gotham, things will get better. In the Batman-Superman Adventures, he's getting bitter because he is starting to realize that his efforts are getting nowhere. Justice League gives him hope that if he helps make the world better, Gotham will become better. None of that works out in the end. By the time of Batman Beyond, he's lost all of his illusions, concluding that even with the aid of the Bat Family and the Justice League, Gotham just won't get any better no matter what he does. Even worse, at the moment he pulls a gun, he realizes that instead of him making Gotham better, Gotham has finally made him worse. Seeing himself in Terry McGinnis, the youthful, hopeful young man who still believes that he can make the city better snaps Bruce out of his funk and gives him hope again.

[@thedragon1363]

Well bats may be sad about not ending crime but he certainly has made the world safer n saved it countless times. Save an island from a nuke, help save the world from multiple aliens, not to mention the random civilians he's saved. All his villians are either reformed, in jail, or dead. Corruption in Gotham is better with him around but I think that's the thing he couldn't make it stick for a Gotham after him as corruption n crime began to rise again. Terry helps bats by letting him know at least there is a Gotham and while petty crime may never stop major threats n corruption will be stopped

[@tylerhill2202]

You pointing out how Gotham never really improves is what makes it so unique compared to other cities/locations in comics and fiction overall. Gotham in many ways is more than just a city, it is like a force. A force that changes and if not careful can corrupt a person under the right circumstances. In the storyline "No Man's Land" the United States government even considers letting the city to rot when a good portion of it is destroyed because they believe there is no hope for it. Reading DC comics that take place before years even decades before Bruce becomes Batman show that it was just as corrupt before he was even born. Some writers suggest that Gotham is actually cursed and the curse can never truly be broken. Deep down I think Batman knows he can't truly win but he keeps trying anyway because even if he can't save everyone he can always save someone.

[@aerrae5608]

And that's life's final lesson. A goal is wonderful, but one shouldn't discount the journey. To fulfill yourself between birth and death by doing something meaningful to you and others, you can't do better than that.

[@thewolfofwallstreet627]

I agree with everything you guys said. I think another thing worth pointing out is that batman did all of this at the sacrifice of Bruce Wayne himself. In the DCAU, batman had opportunities to live a normal life, but he always gave that up to be batman because he wanted to be selfless. There was one episode when the mad hatter trapped batman in a fantasy world, where Bruce could've easily gone on living the life he always wanted. But when he found out it wasn't real, he chose to go back to reality no matter how hard it was. Even in Justice League, Wonder Woman made it quite obvious that she liked Bruce on multiple occasions, yet Bruce pushed her away because he didn't want her to get hurt by his enemies. This is freaking wonder woman, a girl who could literally solo batman's entire rogues gallery, if not at least most of them, at once if she wanted to. Yet, Bruce still didn't want to take that risk. Granted, batman and Batgirl almost got together in the dcau, but it didn't work out because it was implied Bruce couldn't give up being batman. I think the reality is that Bruce's guilt won't ever allow him to be happy as Bruce Wayne. Granted, he almost found happiness as it was portrayed in batman mask of the phantasm, but when that didn't work out, it only fueled his decision to give up having a normal life as Bruce Wayne. I think the combination of what you guys just said and the fact that Bruce spent years giving up opportunities to have a normal life in order to be this selfless hero with nothing to show for it also got to him over time which might be another reason he became bitter before meeting Terry.

[@Nukinator]

@@tylerhill2202 it doesn't help that Gotham itself is evil at it's roots either and has been pretty much since it's inception and creation. Depending on which issues you look into it's more or less supernatural af why Gotham's Evil is so prevalent.

[@ScrambledAndBenedict]

"We're the Jokers!" "Suuuuuure you are" is such an underappreciated line lmfao

[@MIGBMWLOVER]

my favourite lione from the pilot!

[@devinlevan7031]

Translation: You f*cked up.

[@Supperdude9]

The reason why he's so bitter is because he had to retire. He's helpless. He's once again that helpless child who just watched the people he loved most get killed right in front of him. As Batman, when he's laying the smackdown on some bully criminal, he's defending his parents. He's actually doing something. It helped him fight back against that gnawing memory that ate away at his heart, and still does. But yeah, he also helped out the criminals when he could. Why? Because that's what his parents would do. His parents had so much humanity in them, and he followed their example. His rage, his anger - it all stems from the memory of losing them, of having the love ripped from his heart by a cowardly bully with a gun. And that is why his heart broke and he's so bitter. 20 years. 20 years he had to sit and watch his work undone. The streets he patrolled, the people of Gotham he protected... all the work he put in to quell the criminal element... it was all undone because he got old. It broke his heart and he had to live with that memory of crime alley again and again for twenty years. With Terry being the new Batman, Bruce was able to continue his work. He was able to, by proxy, defend his parents in that memory once more. Still, twenty years of having a bad memory gnaw at your soul will leave its mark. And that's not even counting what happened to Tim Drake. Once again, another criminal ripped away something he loved. No wonder he was so bitter. But at the end of Beyond, Bruce finally has a son he can leave his work to. Someone to properly continue his work. Maybe he finally stopped having the nightmares of being back in Crime Alley.

[@MaximumWarp2099]

“Never again.” “Something happened to you, didn't it? And it wasn't just that you got old.” “Welcome to my world.” Three of my favorite lines from the entire series.

[@nahte123456]

I think part that should have been mentioned is the Freeze episode. Bruce is no longer willing to give him a chance, but in the end admits he's kind of wrong. It's him kind of realizing maybe his jaded view has gone to far, just as Terry's naivety is still to large.

[@jordanloux3883]

There's also him talking about how he keeps tabs on his old rogues, knowing how Terry could find an elderly Bane in his compound. That can't be healthy for Bruce either. Just watching his old foes at a distance, unable to do anything to stop them if they ever decide to pick up the old fight again.

[@fictiontheorizer4253]

​@@jordanloux3883I would have loved to see some of the Old Rouges get some last hurrahs. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

[@epsilomtrent932]

@@fictiontheorizer4253well, one of them tried to… through Tim Drake

[@BrightWulph]

@@fictiontheorizer4253 I would have iked to have seen closure for a lot of Bruce's rouges gallery as well, but then at the same time it wouldn't have felt like Terry's journey to becoming Batman if he was just wrapping up Bruce's old foes. I do however, think a balance could have been struck, if they didn't pivot to "villain of the week" and had Terry's rouges become more reoccurring.

[@deplorabledegenerate2630]

The terrible 'new adventures' episode with Mr. Freeze has Batman attach him to an ice nuke and drop him in the ocean. He seems to be trying to kill him. It is kind of weird. I mean Vic did freeze Alfred and was about to go all Grant Walker in stark contrast to how he was acting at the end of Sub-Zero, but unlike Clayface in Mudslide there's no other way of looking at it.

[@kazeryu4834]

If I remember correctly he fought off the take over initially. He failed to protect the company AFTER he stopped being Batman

[@jonreese7066]

You are right. The night he retired there was a news report that Bruce manage to repel another take over attempt. I believe Bruce quit being Batman he lost his confidence and let Power's take over. Sadly Bruce lost the will to keep going just existing. When Terry came into his life Bruce became inspired again. When Inque was attacking Fox Techa. Company owned by Lucius Fox son. Bruce went to the office to threaten Powers even though he did nothing when Powers fired Fox. By Return of the Joker Bruce owns his company again

[@kennethsatria6607]

Even if its pretty tragic that even with JLU this was Bruce's destiny to be a lonely sad old man, I always really liked the ideas of redemption and second chances set into Batman Beyond, Terry and Bruce's relationship is really heartwarming.

[@jayt9608]

1) I think that Bruce's attitude toward the reporter was manifold. A) The reporter is beyond help already. B) He has already proven to be beyond redemption as he has been attempting to use this trick as a means to inflict psychological torment on both Bruce and Terry. C) He is a direct threat to Terry's life and does not care. Bruce is under no obligation to help him avoid his fate and knows it. 2) I think there is a very telling moment during the return of Mr. Freeze that proves that Bruce is not quite as jaded as he seems. He and Terry revisit an earlier argument about the authenticity of Freeze's reformation, Terry taking the positive and Bruce the negative. However, when the topic is revisited at the end of the episode, Terry is disappointed and dispirited at having misjudged the villain. However, Bruce with very moderated cheerfulness that they were both right. Freeze was a villain and remained so, but he had a change of motive and direction at the end, and was truly repentant for his crimes, only returning to his previous occupation to take vengeance on the doctor and Blight-Powers for betraying and attempting to murder him.

[@clownplayer7265]

I like to mixup Bruce's usually helpful behavior with his newfound cynicism in point 1-C: The reporter cannot be helped and is long gone physically and emotionally, but he can still help Terry and know Terry is willing to change for the better, so the equation is obvious for Bruce.

[@NitroDrifter8864]

When it came to Bruce's identity being revealed in ROTJ, I had always thought his brutal attack on Joker wasn't just because he was guilty or angry, but he was now a man with nothing to lose

[@magnusm4]

"I can't believe I was ever that green. This is how you interrogate someone" The difference shows in their meeting with them selves.

[@VALonYouTube]

This particular video essay struck a chord with me. The DCAU Batman is, in fact, the de facto Dark Knight in my humble opinion. 🖤 R.I.P. Kevin Conroy.

[@hugoalvarez8307]

4:39 So, I ended up checking the first Batman Beyond scene just to be sure, and they say "Billionare Bruce Wayne has overted another atempt to take over of his company by Derek Powers of Powers tecnology. Powers bowed that he is not threw yet". What I believe this means is that Bruce didn't let Powers take over his company until after he stopped being Batman, not during his last night as a vigilanty. (I know I seem like a smartass, but I just wanted to be sure. Sorry if I sounded rude😅)

[@SerumLake]

Thanks for the correction, I always appreciate when I get something wrong! Batman Beyond cleary isn’t as burned into my brain as BTAS is

[@hugoalvarez8307]

@@SerumLake To be fair, I noticed It because I rewatched that scene a couple of days ago😅😂

[@emperorsean1]

​​@@SerumLakeI thought there was a merger of powers and wayne tech and bruce wayne retired and stepped down as Ceo. He still owned part of the Company that was originally his didn't he? Powers was trying to kill bruce to get him out of the way so he could just take over the company completely. If Powers took over completely then how was Bruce still wealthy?

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

⁠@@emperorsean1Bruce tried to stop the merger but it eventually happened. Bruce just didn’t have the ultimate authority anymore, thus he retired and just kept his shares.

[@SerumLake]

That’s right, it was a hostile takeover with Powers claiming a majority of shares in the company. Bruce still had a large chunk, but not enough to give him control.

[@Hogan231]

Rest In Peace Kevin Conroy.

[@caldw615]

The note about BTAS Batman having a distinct "Bruce" voice and his real Batman voice is great, it's something I think Conroy's portrayel understood better than any version. Even today it's the Batman voice that usually gets "put on" ala Bale's chainsmoker Batman voice. BTAS understood that Bruce was more of the front that he put on and Batman was essentially his real self. I remember the episode in Beyond where he was being afflicted by mind manipulation from a villain projecting thoughts into his head. After the villain is caught, Terry asks him how he knew the voices in his head weren't actually his own messing with him. Wayne then responds essentially saying "He kept calling me Bruce. In my mind, that's not what I call myself". Another detail consistant between BTAS and Justice League is pretty much every time someone knew who Batman was, even if he was dressed in plain clothes as Bruce, he would immediately drop the Bruce voice entirely and completely shift his personality. It's such a great attention to detail. I really wish I got to meet Conroy before he passed, he IS the definitive Batman for me.

[@1001johny]

"Return of the Joker", "Things Change", and those comics that make people uncomfortable.

[@The_Phantasm]

I'm curious to see what you mean by "redeemed" because chronologically, I enjoyed Batman the most as a character in Justice League/Justice League Unlimited. I remember the channel J's Reviews talking about the years of fighting Gotham's criminals taking a toll on Batman and as a result he became more detached and his mind was solely focused on the mission of Batman and nothing else and that this was the straw that broke the camel's back for Dick Grayson. He also talked about he would need realize that he was not in fact in this alone by working with Superman and eventually the Justice League were he bonded with them (in his own Batman way) in order for him to grow. I really love that as a character arc for him.

[@Elfenlied8675309]

Problem is most continuity's make Batman hit a point where something happens that makes him grow disillusioned by the Justice League and to quit. Going back to Gotham to make Batman Incorporated with his family. I don't think the DCAU shows us what this is, like the comic version Tower of Babel or anything like that. We're just left to wonder why Bruce doesn't like the League anymore. Batman Beyond era Bruce even seems to not like Superman.

[@mandalorianhunter1]

I agree and implicitly pretension made a video on how Batman got better because of the league.

[@Supperdude9]

@@Elfenlied8675309 When he had to retire, he had to watch the streets that he was cleaning up get dirty again, like it was undone. All his work was being undone and he wasn't able to do anything about it. That makes people bitter. It was only through Terry that he could once again contribute to the city he loves. But that bitterness remained in his heart, of that time he was unable to do anything. How many people suffered in that time frame. That ate him up. That ate a hole in his heart. Perhaps he resented Supes because Supes was still able to go strong while Bruce was facing his own mortality. Again, bitterness.

[@hammurabi_suman7152]

​@@Elfenlied8675309The whole arc with Waller. The doomsday sanction and several other examples I thought were clearly contributing factors to Bruce's disillusionment with the league. Then it can be extrapolated that this mounted with his growing struggles with Gotham and his own family reinforced his detachment from the league and eventually his own family. I thought it was pretty cohesive.

[@redhood444]

@@Elfenlied8675309Batman in that universe also never was sorry or apologized when he wronged others. He never apologized to Dick they only kind of made up because dick stopped being mad and even in Bb you get the sense they never truly became friends again. He is also alone. The scene with him looking at all his old lost loves you can tell he feels it now that even tho he wouldn’t change it he regrets being such a loner

[@Levi-028]

Seeing Bruce decend to a point so low really does something to the viewers, imagine seeing your favorite Hero giving up because he is so hurt of all the things that have occured to him and to the ones he loves, so he decides to hang up the Mantle of Batman and let himself wither away.

[@DFuxa]

Let's see an entry for Shriek; or some of the more notable villains. Shriek, in particular, while a villain for Terry, primarily went after Bruce first. Actually, thinking about, it's nice how by Skriek appearing the third time, it was Bruce coming to save Terry - where initially it was Terry saving Bruce.

[@SerumLake]

He’s on the list!

[@knghtbrd]

The entire DCAU is Batman's story. It started with Batman and it ended with Batman. Won't spoil Epilogue (don't spoil Epilogue) but I consider it essential not only for showing that Batman still had compassion within him despite TNBA/JL suggesting otherwise at times, but because it marks Terry finding his own answers and his own way forward from here.

[@TagartTalking]

I'm watching BTAS for the first time right now. Batman is such a genuinely good person. Just as badass as ever, but kind and compassionate. I get why people see this as the best batman. He really is.

[@WorldWeave]

One thing i really like about Batman’s rage in joker’s death scene, is something that nostalgia critic pointed out in his video on the scene…Batman gets two hits in BEFORE THE GLASS HITS THE FLOOR

[@alexandrefrauches132]

11:05 You're correct since DCAU Tim Drake, much like Clayface, is a amalgamation of comics Tim Drake (they both have the same name) and Jason Todd (they both have the similar backstory)

[@bookwyrm713]

I would be interested in video about the Royal Flush Gang because I think the way the Batman Beyond creators used this family as a foil for Terry and Bruce's relationship and a discussion of the concept of family legacy interesting.

[@SerumLake]

I think you’ve just summed up almost everything there is to say about them! But they are on my list and will show up eventually 🫡

[@michaelandreipalon359]

George Lazenby a.k.a. James Bond for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" sure nailed King there, for one.

[@zemox2534]

​@@michaelandreipalon359007 guest starred in BB!? Cool!

[@mizu7662]

In fairness to Bruce in regards to refusing to help that guy whose phasing went out of control, I am pretty sure a large part of it was that Bruce realized it was way too late to help the guy anyway (and even if it wasn't, the only guy who understood the tech and was equipped to help him was dead at the person in trouble's own hands). Its still colder then he used to be as seen by him at least comforting Ace when finding out she was not treatable and terminal, but its not like he could have saved him but chose to actively let him die a preventable death instead.

[@debrachambers1304]

It's interesting how this version of Batman cycles. He's brooding in flashbacks in Phantasm, softens when Andrea returns, hardens again at the end. He's softened from Robin when we see him in BTAS, then hardens and pushes Dick away. He softens in JL(U), then has hardened and pushes them and the rest of the bat family away by BB. He softens in BB from Terry, though never back to his softest state, and by Epilogue, the cycle is looping. He's pushinh Terry away. He's going to be alone again. But then... Terry understands him. He accepts Bruce for the way he is, and the way that he expressed his love. Bruce never gets a perfectly happy ending, his life still had lots of lonliness, but he still has all of these moments of connection and someone with him at the very end who he will stay with and who wilm stay with him.

[@nicholayrichardson9668]

Let's not forget that Alfred was in his 50s during Batman's prime. Add 20 more years, and he may very well have passed on. I always assumed that was why Bruce gets the way he does. Alfred was his second father, and we saw how he reacted to the death of his first one.

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

I would definitely say that Batman Beyond redeemed Bruce because when we see him 50 years later in the future, he was a shadow of his former self. He was reclusive, bitter, angry and no longer the compassionate figure who always went out of his way to help someone no matter what, he always fought for what he believed in with the mission always coming first. Terry Mcginnis I would say gave him a reason to continue the war against war and reminded him that Gotham City needs Batman

[@Shinigami88X1]

My personal theory is that Andrea Belmont had a lot to do with why Bruce changed from the Tas to the new adventures of Batman. Like that was the one thing that changed Batman when he first started. Then again when Andrea was hired to kill Terry parents. She played a big part in Bruce life

[@darthgoku90]

Yeah, that's been my fan theory too. The only problem though is that Mask of the Phantasm was produced in-between the first and second seasons of BTAS, and yet Batman is still his optimistic self throughout the second season. I think the movie would at least have to take place between the second and third seasons (or the TNBA season), in order for that fan theory to work, plus after the Subzero movie too since Bruce wasn't any noticeably different in that either. That could work since there weren't any references to MOTP in the second season of BTAS, as far as I know anyway. It also would be ironic, since losing Andrea the first time drove Bruce to become Batman in the first place, yet losing her the second time (possibly) caused him to lose his optimism and also some of his compassion, which of course caused the first Robin to quit.

[@SilverScribe85]

I totally agree with you, the Batman we had from TAS had so much more humanity than the Justice League version and all the current movie versions we have

[@daliborjovanovic510]

I think the reason Bruce simply kicked Terry out of his mansion after the latter discovered his secret and didn't do anything else is twofold. Firstly, Bruce Wayne is still a rich and influential figure in Gotham, even if he is now a recluse, while Terry is just some young punk, and two, even if Terry tried telling Bruce's secret, who would honestly believe the word of some punk kid with a rap sheet, and even if they did, how much would they care, given that this was reclusive old guy in his twilight years?

[@fictiontheorizer4253]

Plus all his old villains are dead or on the verge of death. No one left to nurse a grudge. Even the criminals don't care who Batman is. Honestly, it might have been interesting to see some of his Rouges survive old age long enough to pose a threat to Terry.

[@TP-ym1xe]

I like how you brought in other Batman lore into this analysis; especially the fact, you argue that Batman Beyond does a more convincing arc of how Bruce degenerates from his prime into an old, bitter man. I agree, even though The Dark Knight Rises is a well done story, that part was a cop-out. Great stuff as always.

[@SerumLake]

Thank you!

[@Xehanort10]

One problem with the Nolan trilogy is how short Bruce's time as Batman was. I think The Dark Knight is only set a year after Batman Begins. So he was only Batman for a year, stopped for 8 years, came back for a short time then retired.

[@PrinceSilvermane]

I find that a lot of the problems with the DC Movies is that they try to tell these stories that should be a slow burn as fast as possible. We didn't see Bruce degenerate in an hour, we saw him degenerate and change over almost a decade of animation. Something as major as Batman falling shouldn't be caused by some single event, but built up over time until it reaches that breaking point.

[@zemox2534]

​@PrinceSilvermane Another problem with the dcu live action films is their insistence on making Batman "realistic" and refusing to embrace the Superhero aspects of the character.

[@charlesdoyle3630]

Sorry Dark Knight Rises does a horrible job. Bane being prime example. Turned him into something he is not. There is a scene from Graphic Novel and comics that should have been used. After breaking his back in the Batcave Bane drags Bats to GCPD and leaves him there.

[@ChrisBear1989]

I think just in general fighting crime the way he does made him cold and Batman has always been an aloof person. Not compassionateless persay, just not exactly a warm person either. By the time of Batman Beyond he's become bitter and well for a very good reason.

[@adawnicusautocon]

9:30 I'm gonna be honest, that part you mention about roaring to scare away the bad stuff and gain some control. That statement actually made me feel a sense of understanding, I mean I feel like "roaring" like that sometimes in my life and I'm sure everyone else does too. And I know the roar is more of a symbolic or metaphorical statement but I also feel like screaming/roaring is like a secondary oultet to all that pent up rage, frustration, and pain. Sure some people would think it plays like cools scenes or makes characters terrifying but if you sympathize with a said character, sometimes it either makes YOU feel like you wanna roar with those same feelings or wanna comfort them because once the roar of frustration over...they might be left in a vulnerable state that needs comforting

[@Key_stones]

I remember when I was 11 and I found a vhs tape with the whole Batman beyond series on it, I immediately went home dug out a vhs player I had stashed away and watched it all.

[@Tuning3434]

I hope you didn't had to call in those hackfrauds at Lightning Fast VCR Repair.

[@SuperheroWannabe]

Brilliant. Very satisfying to see the whole arc spelled out like this

[@Fodimin]

"Clobber his foes regardless of their mental health" what a guy

[@SerumLake]

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[@annana6098]

One of my favorite episodes of Batman Beyond was Mr. Freeze's episode. Bruce knew it wouldn't stick, and he refused to go through the motions to be compassionate and hopeful; he was just preparing for the inevitable disaster. It's just exactly what his whole deal is in this series. And then Terry was there, doing all the typical Batman work to give Freeze his best chance, give him any support he could, beyond what the law would allow, and giving Freeze the comfort in his last moments of caring for him and giving him one last good deed to do.

[@BiteSized_]

I just went back to Bruce suiting up- tears- they even had an opera singer in the suit up theme. What a cool moment

[@kei2604]

I really enjoy your video. Not just because I'm a big Batman fan or Batman beyond. I wish more stories nowadays would do stories about passing on the torch. Instead of replacing characters that people actually like.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

But people should still remember that such stories need to be given justice. There's a HUGE difference between a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and a Turok 3.

[@Elfenlied8675309]

Sure, add Beyond to the rotation! Love seeing any DCAU/Timm/Diniverse content, great video as always.

[@SerumLake]

Consider it done!

[@pearlsaremybestfriend]

I really wish this tv series had come back, or a movie . This was close to the wonderful creativeness from Batman the Series.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

Not sure if this ever got covered in the comics, but I'd like to think that a younger Derek Powers had teamed up with Roland Daggett to take over Wayne Enterprises. Maybe ended up seizing control of Daggett Industries and even had Daggett killed. Note how we never got word of Roland's life after the BATGIRL RETURNS episode of BTAS. Maybe Derek had a hand in ruinig Daggett's company in secret as a former employee. Just to swoop in like an avenging angel and offer Daggett a hand at rebuilding. Just a few thoughts.❤

[@SerumLake]

Daggett did turn up in Gotham Adventures, where he manipulated Mr Freeze into helping him regain his fortune. I recently learned that the comic was drawn by friend of the channel Brad Rader! I’m surprised he never mentioned it to me…

[@michaelandreipalon359]

​@@SerumLakeOh, yeah, Gotham Adventures issue 51?

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

@@SerumLake Probably too modest to bring that up on his own. It would be like finding out that a friend was an extra in a big budget film. And they ended up in the final cut... waiting for you to spot them!

[@SerumLake]

The thing I am genuinely shocked he hasn’t mentioned is that he worked on Ed Brubaker’s Catwoman run, one of my favourite comic runs! I should probably tell him I know 😂

[@mandalorianhunter1]

I really love this version of Bruce/Batman, a great character with flaws and achievements.

[@ryugaknight]

Heck yeah I want to see Batman Beyond added to the Rotation.

[@SerumLake]

🫡

[@tmrevenge]

Amazing content, thank you. I really appreciate the fact that you don't force attempts of comedy or make fun of the topic you are talking about

[@Arachobia]

I did mention on the other video, but yes - would love characters from Beyond to be part of the rotation

[@SerumLake]

Consider it done 🫡

[@bartolomeestebanmurillo4459]

The DCAU Batman is one of the most tragic iterations of the character. During the start of his crusade, he was a bright eyed optimist looking to make Gotham a better place and by the end he's an old man who resorts to using a gun to defend himself because he became old and he couldn't handle the stress anymore. Concerning his rogues, Batman evidently has kept tabs over them throughout the years as we see with Bane and Bruce Timm actually mentioned that most of them did what Bruce did, they hung up their costumes and assumed normal lives.

[@GalufBlackMage]

I appreciate all the love for BTAS and related DCAU shows on this channel. There are a lot of good observations made, and it's nice to revisit the memories of these shows since they were a favorite of not only myself but also my mom's. I remember watching a lot of DVD box sets of the DCAU with her during the evenings after work. It was a great time. Reminiscing aside, I wanted to add my two cents to this one. I think Bruce had absolutely no interest in having someone else take up the mantle, so ignoring the option of recruiting Terry, what else could he do when Terry stumbled onto his secret? I'm sure old Bruce had doubts anyone else could do what he did, or perhaps he didn't want anyone else to be stuck with that curse, but I think another reason he was so reluctant to have a successor could be because of the same trauma that drove him to give up his fight in the first place; he, of all people, almost used a gun. It may have left a nagging worry somewhere in his mind that, when things get too dangerous or too difficult, anyone will become willing to cross the line and "do what they have to." I think he never would have allowed a successor had he not been put in the position of, "let this kid try being Batman or watch him get murdered by a corrupt CEO's thugs because you wouldn't allow him to defend himself."

[@128Apexture]

I’d love to see more regular beyond content!

[@SerumLake]

I’m thinking of doing a Beyond video either once a month or every other month, depending on how things go

[@tashibalampkin8555]

4:00 Awww. Ace has a mask. So cute.

[@Bolbi145]

0:10 Batman actually did comfort his foes in the comics, however it’s done sparingly, a stand out example is when he leaves a thanksgiving meal for Solomon Grundy

[@youtubecrack]

Grundy can be such a chill dude. It's so sad the villains got a hold of them sometimes.

[@AshVsEvilFred]

... The example you give is from a comic released AFTER Batman the animated series..

[@Bolbi145]

@@AshVsEvilFred he once defended Joker from being prosecuted for a crime he did not commit in the 70’s

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

Just want to say: Bruce Timm did a lot of great stuff for the DC universe, except in my opinion the first half to _Killing Joke._ And I'm glad you only have the stuff that's based on the comic book.

[@speedracer2008]

12:28 There was a bit more to it than that, tho. He was also taking the fall for Dent’s murders, so Dent’s legacy would stay clean, and he had tried to better the world with his projects, but when they became too dangerous, he saw no point in continuing.

[@MWhaleK]

My take is that Bruce eventually drove every member of the Bat family and all his love interests away in large part by being unwilling to unbend/compromise. Also, the whole relationship thing between him Dick and Babs that no one wants to talk about. This is somewhat hinted at with Bruce's relationship with Nightwing and Barbara Gordan's attitude toward Bruce as well as Terry in beyond.

[@jj12343211]

What you said about a 'sane response' really is everything about Gordon. He's fighting an impossible war and it isn't that far off from the same behavior our own justice systems partake in. I think he'd be happiest if he wasn't needed at all, but he's determined to stop evil if he has the means.

[@Sebangulo]

Love you’re videos on Batman . Such a great essays

[@veagacastro3045]

10:42 Batman as a character is someone that always have to be in the controll of the situation. His Parentes death is a trauma because he couldnt do nothing against it, so he trained his entire life to always be prepared, to alway have controll. When Joker show him what happened to Tim, is the same thing. Again he lost control over the world, again he's just a little sad boy in a dark alley... (Sorry for any errors in my english)

[@nibblesowo]

Found your stuff recently and I love listening to your vids on the long deliveries.

[@SerumLake]

Thank you so much, and welcome aboard!

[@Mouseman358]

This is by far one of the best breakdowns I’ve seen I praise Jesus for giving you this wisdom

[@garrisonwhaley-sharp7676]

Definitely talk about Batman Beyond more. Just discovered your channel and love it and there's so many Beyond characters I'd love to see more about. Would also love to see you go into the nature and psychology of the Joker gang

[@CamTheWarlock]

I know that BTAS is the main thing here, but I do hope this means we may see some more analyses on the villains and heroes of the other DCAU shows, because there’s a lot of people in that universe beyond Gotham.

[@SerumLake]

Oh yes, I’ve already covered Toyman, and more STAS, Beyond, and Justice League characters will be covered. This will primarily be a BTAS/TNBA channel though

[@StonedPig]

Absolutely love these videos just wish they were a tad bit longer. Something about listening to a British dude talk about Btas is super relaxing and most definitely my favorite thing to listen to while playing the Arkham games. thanks for the great quality videos. Keep them coming mate.

[@strife9878]

As a side note , out of all the bat kids . For me Terry is the legitimate heir , he even puts up with old Bruce

[@thebashar]

Thank you, it has been a fun month.

[@SerumLake]

Glad you enjoyed it. I must admit I’m looking forward to going back to a slightly lighter video schedule! 😂

[@thebashar]

@@SerumLake I do not blame you, you have been busy.

[@GeekMasterGames]

Another essay basically saying "please watch this amazing show" which I whole-heartedly agree on

[@CatholicDragoon]

5:56 I remember it being explained in a later episode that he was always expecting to be outed as Batman, so while he go out and put himself out there maybe at his age he just didn't care anymore and was fine with some rando kid learning the secret.

[@jaidora]

There was an interesting comparison between what Bruce went through that changed him from the caped crusader into the “grandfather of the night”; in a special episode where some members of the Justice League were throne into the Batman Beyond future we see how Bruce tries to interrogate a criminal. Hanging a crook over the edge of a skyscraper by the throat was “soft” as the older Bruce says, his method of interrogation was blacked out from the audience yet whatever he did worked.

[@graysonlazarus5311]

New viewer. A strong video, puts words to a series worth rewatching.

[@SerumLake]

Thank you, and welcome aboard 🫡

[@danielpatterson5189]

Seriously? How could anybody fight and be surrounded by the kind of evil Batman combated for so long and not be adversely affected by it? All the friends he's lost, the violence and the worst of humanity he has seen...Does the evolution really need an explanation?

[@Wary_Of_Extremes]

His city, and even his own company, go to total shit and evil.

[@Uncle-Jay]

I never cared for Batman Beyond as a kid. Coming back to it as an adult I can appreciate the writing.

[@SammyRenard]

...I'd never thought of it that way before: he wants to help these people, whether they want to be helped or not.

[@maxnum1sgameclub263]

The killing joke and return of the joker are very good batman animations! Just remember they are NOT pg12 movies. These animation were clearly made for young adults and older batman fans. But they are a must see!

[@Xehanort10]

2:50 One thing I don't like about TNBA is it took away the depth a lot of the villains had in BTAS. Two Face went from a tragic villain struggling with mental illness to a generic murderous gangster, Freeze wanted to kill everyone and destroy everything because Nora left Gotham after Subzero, Clayface went from trying to become human again to "I'm just gonna create clay creatures and rob places."

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Time has sure made them colder... but I must say, at least Two-Face has justification in terms of the tie-in comics, implyingly with The Batman and Robin Adventures issues 1-2 and Batman: Black and White's "Two of A Kind".

[@The_Phantasm]

I'm interested to see you your video about Firefly, because quite frankly I think the DCAU Firefly is just kinda there. Perfectly inoffensive but not that interesting either. Granted there isn't a whole lot to work with for the character since he is just a pyromaniac. And that was something people don't know was reinvented about him during Knightfall when he in fact originally just used rainbow colours when he was first introduced. I really hope you mention in the video the version of Firefly from The Batman 2004 series because it is my all-time favourite depiction of Firefly and I think his black and yellow design is amazing. I also found him really fun in Arkham Origins. I was interested to see what Brendan Fraser's depiction of the character would have been but alas we'll never know.

[@SerumLake]

Spoilers for next time: I don’t mention The Batman.

[@The_Phantasm]

@@SerumLake Still excited for the video nevertheless. Your opinion on The Batman's Firefly though?

[@VALonYouTube]

The version introduced in The Batman in 2004 is also my favorite portrayal of Firefly (who ends up becoming Phosphorus eventually).

[@VALonYouTube]

​@@SerumLakeDidn't think you would.

[@CloneScavengerVulpin8389]

Bruce and terry have a good teacher and student dynamic.

[@zemox2534]

Let's not forget the time Bruce was willing to give himself up when Shriek threatened to drive everyone in Gotham crazy unless Terry gave himself up. Bruce was ready to go in Terry's place and defend him. That is another sign that Bruce cared for Terry.

[@jamesbaggett7223]

On noticeable things in Return of the Joker you touched on was his explosion through the window. Normally he would have used his finesse and acrobatic skills to outmaneuver him. He was pissed and out for blood

[@whitevine9544]

At that point Batman already tried killing The Joker with that knife or whatever that sharp object was that he threw at him. Honestly, The Joker won the war at that very moment because he broke Batman. Batman had never tried to kill Joker at that point. And you know that moment replayed in Bruce's head even when he pulled a gun to save his own life after a heart attack. Bruce knew as Batman he was broken thanks to The Joker. He never could trust himself to live by his code again. He probably thought he could by controlling himself until that heart attack brought that brokenness out into the open again.

[@ayoitsaya]

I think the difference between young batman trying to "help" some of his foes is they were all people who had a bad day that traumatically effected them. The reporter who murdered for tech was just an irredemable asshole

[@YTDSoM]

When we see Bruce in the new tech suit in the beginning of Batman Beyond, he is seen acting alone chronologically for the first time ever since the event where Tim was tortured by the Joker, and the way he was reluctant to allow Terry to become what Tim, Barbara and Dick were at their times shows how regretful he was about what happened in the past, but ultimately decided it was a good idea to, like the video says, seek redemption. Justice League Unlimited tried to justify the entire existence of the Batman Beyond series by claiming everything that happened, from Terry's father being murdered to him discovering who Bruce really was, happened by influence of Amanda Waller in one of her projects at Cadmus. She tells him she hired the Phantasm to try and replicate the origins of Batman by murdering Terry's family, but that she ended up not doing it because it was too cruel, but in the end Terry was Bruce's biological son in any case. This gave context as to why Terry is so similar to Bruce in many aspects, but if Bruce didn't allow Terry to carry on as Batman, nothing Waller had planned would ever happen anyway, so it was in Bruce's hand the decision to continue the legacy of Batman or stop it right there when Terry went to avenge his father.

[@ryszakowy]

ace the bathound is his only companion when he's old in DCAU after last episode of Jutice League Unlimited i'm convinced it's not just a comic reference

[@rebel2501]

very well done. appreciate the video.

[@Dynamic_Editor]

1:43 is when the ad ends

[@SerumLake]

Whoops, thanks for letting me know I’d messed up the chapters! I’ve fixed it now

[@mewt5358]

Batman beyond is the greatest batman story ever told imo

[@sab3redg333]

There is one good quote that encapsulates batman beyond bruce Wayne. " Sometimes the best way to help yourself...is to help someone else" -Iroh

[@dalegibb1995]

I really enjoyed the video keep up the great work 🤝👍

[@SerumLake]

🫡

[@tyshekka]

I never thought Nolan's Batman quit because Rachel died. I thought he went on a couple more years until Gordon got his legal work on behalf of the memory of Harvey shoved through. By then, Batman was having physical problems.

[@juanroman3627]

Baleman didn't quit cause Maggie Gyllenhaal got bbq'ed, he quit cause he killed Dent and had to cover up his crimes to get the GC prosecutors to convict the mafia and joker's men

[@cofteaamsr1717]

would love to see you talk more about beyond.

[@SerumLake]

Well now it’s definitely going to happen

[@netomorgan7991]

I think of Tim's transformation as closer to The Killing Joke than Death in the Family, though it does shares ideas of both.

[@demod2080]

Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond is my favorite depiction of an older Batman. He's bitter, a recluse but you can tell he still wants to do something about what's happening to Neo Gotham. Terry gives him a second chance to be himself again, even if he's still a bit rough around the edges.

[@JamesMJaime]

What's even cooler about that cut Maria interaction is if you leave the dream as she requests, then Simon takes it upon himself to kill Maria personally to discover the secret.

[@DWo1fR]

love tour videos of Batman

[@twistedlight9750]

Another wise old man pointed out once, "Sometimes the best way to solve our own problems is to help someone else."

[@idkwhattonameopentosugge-ng6cm]

i laughed way too hard on the faces joke lmao

[@SerumLake]

Gooooooooooooood!