Avatar - Bat-May

[@ChannelAwesome]

What did you think of Avatar? Watch Bat-May 2021 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/emmqnJWMl8aXerc Watch Bat-May 2020 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmfPamd9jsR8oNU Follow Walter on Twitter - twitter.com/Awesome_Walter

[@LowellLucasJr.]

I absolutely love this episode! Its always a joy to see Bruce Globe-trotting and even better...its a Rah'z episode! The Elder Goddess was creepy, nearly etherial with her command of the eerie goo getting closer to the caped crusader! This episode and more are examples of why everyone love BTAS! From battling crooks to the otherworldly, there's no bounds to the longevity of creative Batman stories, as they all add to his mythos! This episode proves it!

[@FizzleFX]

Wanna Nitpick? When she sucker yout out of him... SHE should GOT YOUNGER. Like in The Mummy...

[@RegBeta]

Honestly I completely forgot about this episode. Not that it's bad, it's actually excellent, I've must have only seen it at most twice when I was younger.

[@sprngfldpop1]

What makes the scene with Talia's betrayal and blind loyalty to her father even more tragic is knowing what he ends up doing to her later in Batman Beyond.

[@bullstrode5875]

yeah turned that insult into a literal plan B for immortality. Glad i wasn't the only one who remembers that.

[@Feras_Ahmed661]

Yeaah I remember that When he kissed Bruce

[@Zacman1123]

Right? If only she knew.

[@waterbat95]

"Lady, that's the sickest thing I've ever seen. You're creeping me out!" "You? She kissed me!"

[@roxannpoor8770]

I'm surprised that they never talk about Ra's other daughter Nyssa.

[@roguebritgravy1]

Ra's Al Ghul's plan: I must capture the Avatar Zuko: I don't recommend it buddy.

[@jeffwolcott7815]

Now that would make one hell of a crossover!

[@Bayonet300]

I love that Ubu was the one that showed mercy on Batman in the end; an unexpected but welcomed characterization of a henchman.

[@vampire523ful]

Yeah, it's good that he gave sympathy for Batman. I may not the Al Ghul's, but this is a good episode to explain.

[@Interfector0]

If I recall correctly, Ubu fell behind when the tomb started collapsing and Bats saved his hide. That was likely his way of saying thanks (since I'm pretty sure the only word he knows in English is "infidel" :P).

[@nunka34ify]

He spoke perfect English in “The Demon’s Quest”

[@postersandstuff]

@@nunka34ify got a cel from this episode of Talia , awesome

[@TRTMN-vs3ew]

I always imagined Batman just remotely called the Batwing from Gotham, it flies at supersonic speeds to reach Egypt, and then Batman flies past the al Ghul's yelling: "Batwing, Suckers!"

[@BYERE]

"It is said that immortality in one's offspring" Ra's certainly takes that literally in Batman Beyond...

[@angmordagnithil7127]

"It is said that one finds immortality in one's offspring." Damn. That line hits a bit different when you've seen Batman Beyond...

[@UltimateGamerCC]

fear can drive even the most respectable individuals into raving monsters, even Ras Al Ghul who feared death more than anyone else in this world.

[@titanguy7316]

Also after Dark Knight Rises with Batman assuming Bane is his child (until the Talia reveal later).

[@TheCommenterDragon]

The fact that the Egyptian queen had to drain the life force of others in order to preserve her immortality, it kinda reminds me of the cat creatures from Scooby Doo On Zombie Island because you know the cat creatures also had drain the life forces of others in order to remain immortal and all that.

[@theponyofglory8545]

An interesting comparison, but this episode came out long before that particular Scooby Doo film was released.

[@ggrarl]

There was an episode of The Twilight Zone with a similar premise: season 5, episode 23 "Queen of the Nile"

[@silvertemplar8061]

Darth Andeddu in Star Wars did it a different way. He was so afraid of dying, that he created essence transfer which he tried to obtain the bodies of those he fought, or followers. He was the only Sith to ever discover the secret, and even then it was certainly imperfect.

[@alexcollins8590]

I thought it was Ra's too. Finally I realized it's supposed to be Peter Cushing from the Hammer Mummy movie. Changed his hair from brown to black but that's who it's supposed to be. Love the homages this show threw in

[@wattsink2009]

🤯

[@postersandstuff]

@@wattsink2009 i met Warner (RIP) , Neal Adams (RIP) & Slater in UK , it was cool

[@army103]

It might seem silly for Batman to keep cobra anti-venom on his belt at all times, but considering his rogue's gallery, someone probably hurls snakes at him at least once a week!

[@TheCommenterDragon]

Well we all know how Batman is, he's a guy that likes to be ready and or prepared for anything.

[@jp3813]

@@TheCommenterDragon Shark Repellent Spray

[@DieJG]

@@TheCommenterDragon Bat-Female-Villain-Repelent

[@mike.94]

Also some pills, small explosives, pen and piece of paper. I feel like cookiedough would be a great fit

[@twofacetoo75]

Personally I like that the immortality Ra's was after... was something he already had. It added a nice ironic punch to his quest. Searching for 500 years, for something he already had in the first place. Dude just wasted his damn time and got nothing out of it.

[@kenslycarpel3140]

But doesn’t the Lazarus Pit make those who use slowly go insane? I’m guessing Ra’s was looking for a source of immortality that didn’t have any drawbacks.

[@vampire523ful]

@@kenslycarpel3140 I don't think they would go insane. I mean Jason Todd doesn't go insane after Talia puts his body in the pit.

[@kenslycarpel3140]

@@vampire523ful I guess, but I could’ve sworn there was a drawback to using the Lazarus Pit.

[@vampire523ful]

@@kenslycarpel3140 or perhaps, someone who is power hungry for immortality, can go insane. Or maybe Ra's Al Ghul is using the pit with caution, so he can live longer and not go crazy. P.S. I'll only meet up with the League of Assassins to know their fighting skills and their way of self-defense.

[@kenslycarpel3140]

@@vampire523ful Um, I see, good luck with that then.

[@ErzengelDesLichtes]

I actually like that it’s another Lazarus Pit. Ras was looking for “true immortality” and what does he find? The same immortality he already has. His 500 year obsession turned out to be what he already had.

[@FabledHeroes3351]

It’s actually never specified on what it is

[@BlackCover95]

She sucks vitality out of other people, so she’s got some other method that Ra’s doesn’t. But I do agree on your assessment. There’s definitely an irony in it being another Lazarus Pit.

[@benjaminschiel3339]

well acording to the superman story with Ras . the lazarus pitt have allready lost his power to make him youngh again. so the 500-600 Years seams the maximum it can do to a human body. this Queen have use the powers for over 1000 years to be youngh in the text... She was clearly more then 2000 Years old...most liket even over 3000. yes it would be still no immortality. But she clearly expanded the power of the lazarus pitt beyound the understanding of Ras...

[@toganium4175]

Ra’s al Ghul episodes were always so interesting since they often have Batman leaving Gotham.

[@DarthArachnious]

Ra's quote about finding immortality in ones children. Is kind of chilling if you know the twist from Batman Beyond: Out of the Past.

[@Mysteryof89]

This episode scared the heck out of me when I was younger and gave me nightmares. The way the episode ends with Batman just stuck in the desert always got me thinking how he got back to Gotham too. My theory was that Robin was able to track him down in the bat wing.

[@neorenamon]

Or he had the Batboat set to follow him from Gotham. He's probably not far from the Nile River and they're most likely south of the Nile Cataracts.

[@wjzav1971]

My guess was also always that Batman has taken up some survival training during his formative years and has learned to survive in difficult areas. So yeah, sure, he knows how to get out of the desert. This is why it has never bothered me in The Dark Knight Rises of how Bruce Wayne got to Gotham from the hole in the ground. I just assumed he had his ways.

[@liarbility568]

Yeah Batman activated a tracker for sure

[@titanguy7316]

Yep, and somehow people would tax themselves silly over the same question years later in Dark Knight Rises.

[@postersandstuff]

@Tin Watchman this and werewolf episode is prolly the scariest ones of TAS

[@timidwolf]

The appearing young/beautiful and transitioning to old/malicious puts me in mind of two instances from Indiana Jones, the first being the apparitions coming out of the Ark in Raiders of the Lost Ark and the second being Donovan drinking from the wrong cup in The Last Crusade.

[@crowtrobot17]

So Ra's chose... poorly.

[@claytonrios1]

This was another one I saw with my film class. Whenever there was an episode involving Ra's Al Ghul I was always invested.

[@antonissa8345]

So you must really like Batman begins

[@claytonrios1]

@@antonissa8345 I liked his parts of that film. But Dark Knight is still my favorite of that trilogy.

[@toganium4175]

I never knew that this show is shown in film class.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

Best film class ever. The best one mine ever watched was Shawshank Redemption.

[@worldofthought8352]

It's intersting as this was one of the animated shows that made an antagonist, that often projected themselves as always being in control of the situation to be at the mercy of something even more insidious then the antagonist will ever be. As a result it was bit of a surprise, even blindsided when first seeing it as I assumed 'batman will have to stop his new ability' except has to save him instead from something more ruthless. Making a threatening character vulnerable to something else can be tricky (without making it look like nerfing the character down) and they did a good job with it.

[@ShadowSonic2]

Nichelle Nichols did give us a very sexy, majestic voice for the Egyptian Demon Queen. This was a somewhat out there episode for TAS, which usually stayed away from overly supernatural stuff (aside from the Lazarus Pits). And yes, it is funny when Ubu still yells "INFIDEL!" when Batman runs before Ra's.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

I'm still creeped out by her saying '" Non who defy me shall live!" Nor her Screams as everything was caving in around her. Definitely still haunts my nightmares.

[@wjzav1971]

I was always wondering if Batman is best when set in a world of weird science but no magic or in a world that also has legit magic in it. What do you think?

[@mikshinee87]

@@wjzav1971 Whenever quick thinking, having a strategy, or being prepared is the solution, Batman thrives. He doesn't do well when characters around him can fly faster than a speeding bullet, are indestructible, or are aliens with tech centuries ahead of Earth. Magic works only if non-magic solutions can defeat it. I liked the animated Justice League but very often Batman (my favorite) barely managed to keep up with the rest of the characters. This is what happens when a human character is among flying demigods with laser beams in their eyes, one can't help it. Batman is best on his home turf, interrogating gangsters, solving riddles, and having existential dilemmas. When an asteroid needs to be stopped mid-air within minutes, call Superman or the Green Lantern.

[@SeasideDetective2]

I think it's more entertaining when the supernatural is merely hinted at. That's what Tim Burton got so right in BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS. Jack Napier comparing himself to the Devil and subtly hinting that he may have struck a deal to escape from Hell (not to mention becoming a sort of symbolic Antichrist at the film's climax, with Vicki Vale as his blasphemous Madonna), Oswald Cobblepot as a possible changeling or "curse baby," and Selina Kyle as almost a catlike revenant were all too perfect for me. Burton is known (incorrectly, I think) as a horror director, but to me EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BIG FISH, and his BATMAN entries were the most effective of his films thanks to their "magical realism." I always thought the animated series was at its weakest when it featured Man-Bat, Tygrus, or one of the other "monster" villains (though Killer Croc was okay, since, like the Penguin, he was just a deformed baby). I preferred the more witch-like Scarecrow, the faux-possessed Scarface doll, Maxie Zeus DRESSING as a god, and the Joker's freakish luck at escaping death.

[@lindyxmjh4589]

@@josephmagliocca3628 Those are just people that are either unfamiliar with the fact that in comics history Batman not only leaves Gotham for adventures all the time and has run ins with the supernatural from time to time, or are just fans that prefer just the basics and would rather not bring up the fact that Batman is a character who is also best friends with an alien and a nearly immortal woman from a mythical island.

[@toddsmitts]

Fun fact: David Warner (Ra's), Nichelle Nichols (Toth), and Brock Peters (Lucius) were all in various Star Trek films together.

[@lordhirudo5311]

There’s a rich tradition of Star Trek actors becoming voice actors. It’s kind of an obvious career choice when you sound like Michael Dorn, but tons of others did, too. Just look at “Gargoyles” VA cast.

[@08415]

i love how Ubu is the one to show mercy on BAtmen at the end, sure its mainly repayment for saving him earlier, but its nice to see even that tiny bit of respect Between them, especially compared to how they were back in "Demons Quest"

[@KeeKage37]

Episode’s with Ras Al gule are always a good watch.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

You know, since DC is still doing all those direct to DVD movies, this is one I would love to see expanded into a full movie, heck maybe do it ala Justice League Dark where it's Batman with some of the magical characters vs Ras Al-Ghul who's gotten into lovecraftian horror magic either from Ancient Egypt or someplace else and Ras doesn't understand just how dangerous the powers he's dealing with. Or even bring in Morgan Le Fey and Ras Al-Ghul in a teamup vs Justice League Dark.

[@mayotango1317]

No every DC story need Batman.

[@blueeyedduelist6412]

That would make a very entertaining magic movie

[@Tadicuslegion78]

@@mayotango1317 And you know what, upon further thinking, the way the story was forming in my head, I'd take out Batman and put in Jonah Hex, because the Justice League Dark has to yank Jonah Hex out of his time because they find out he and Ras Al-Ghul had tangled before and what happen in the past connects to whatever Ras was planning now and Jonah Hex is the key.

[@mayotango1317]

@@Tadicuslegion78 What about Hawkman and Hawkgirl?

[@Tadicuslegion78]

@@mayotango1317 OH that's a good option too

[@F1989C]

R.I.P. to the Wonderful Ms. Nichelle Nichols and the Legendary David Warner 😢😢

[@ashleytuchin7693]

I love how epic and cinematic this episode is! Ra's' episodes are always a treat - they have their own unique feel to them.

[@jlev1028]

Also, I think David Warner is my favorite Ra's because he encapsulates the character's dignified attitude so well.

[@ZeroX7649]

I think the original idea WAS for the explorer to be a younger Ras. That's why they look so similar. Then they scrapped it because a random explorer dying built up more horror and mystique.

[@davidesterley3163]

I always enjoy finding out who animates each episode, it piques my interest to find more works done by each studio

[@crpineo]

1:56 I'll be honest, the way it suddenly cut to this after saying Ra's wasn't expecting it, momentarily made me think that the Director Credit being on the _Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyph Wall™_ in a never before seen tomb, was what Ra's found down there

[@robchuk4136]

Whenever she summons the ghouls, the Ghostbusters theme starts playing in my head. The kinda look like an army of Slimers

[@UltimateGamerCC]

Slimer: "Slimers!? not me, they look ugly!!" *blows raspberry*

[@LowellLucasJr.]

This episode legit creeped me out...whether it be that witch of a goddess showing her true colors, her sharp teeth or cruel nature! It was a spellbounding episode! I also loved how eerily creepy the ooze she commanded looked; or how she combined them into a larger tentacle to grab her foes! What a marvelous episode this turned out to be!

[@wakeangel2001]

I was thinking about this one, and how the secret to her immortality was "just another Lazarus pit." I think it's actually perfect, and excellent foreshadowing to what would happen to Ras-al-Ghul in the future. If you're immortal, but there's a condition on your immortality, then eventually your entire life will just be about that condition. Ras has lived for 600 years on the pits, and later on we find out that he has to go back to them more and more often (which leads him to trying to steal Superman's vitality as an alternative) The Pharoh lady had used the pit to stay alive for 1000 years, and eventually it got to the point where she couldn't even leave it, just staying in there to keep from dying, and only enjoying youth and beauty for a short time by draining it from people who visited her.

[@liarbility568]

Batman "I know the face of my most powerful enemy Taliah", quick cut to Joker somehow knowing he's being insulted and lashing out😆 In all seriousness Ra is Batman's equal and it's a shame he isn't use much in media

[@SeasideDetective2]

What an episode! Ra's al-Ghul is already a spooky character, and "Avatar" upped the spook factor all the more. In fact, I'd say this was the spookiest episode of "BTAS" ever, although "Two-Face" and "Dreams in Darkness" were more traumatizing to me in a psychological rather than a visceral way. I couldn't help noticing many changes in this episode from "The Demon's Quest." Talia is much more adventurous, rather than the meek "lotus blossom" we had seen before. Ra's himself is more arrogant and reckless. And, of course, the mummy queen in the tomb is far more dangerous than the Indian assassin and the black leopard Batman had tangled with earlier. I genuinely wondered how the queen could be destroyed, and was worried for Batman when she seemed to have him trapped. I love Indiana Jones, so it was great to see so many homages to his film series, mostly to elements from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (the Egyptian dig site and the cobra, for example). Talia combines the fighting spirit of Marian Ravenwood, the foreign sangfroid of Elsa Schneider, and the general otherworldliness (and even the hairstyle) of Sophia Hapgood (who, yes, was never in the movies, but she was in two computer games and that's close enough). All that's missing is the screaming bimbo Willie Scott. (Maybe if, say, Harley Quinn, or Veronica Vreeland, had come along, she could have filled that role, eh?) Ra's, meanwhile, reminds me a lot of Walter Donovan, who thought he could live forever after drinking from the Holy Grail - although, come to think of it, Ra's is already immortal, so what more does he want? I suppose he wanted to be a god and not just a super-powered human. Ra's al-Ghul has got to be among the most dramatic - even melodramatic - of Batman's foes. I mean, he almost makes the Joker look understated. Still, if he has to be that way, David Warner was one of the best actors to voice him. By the time he did this episode, Warner had more than 30 years of acting experience under his belt, and had performed roles that ran the gamut from Bob Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL to the chemistry professor in the second TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES movie. It's a shame "BTAS" never lasted long enough to introduce his grandson, Damian Wayne, who of course is Bruce Wayne's illegitimate son and the fourth (canonical) Robin. If I had had my way, this series would have continued all the way down to the present day, and we would have gotten more than just "Batman Beyond" and BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN as a sort of reunion movie; the animation style would have never changed, either. I remember watching all these episodes faithfully when they were airing in the fall of 1993, and feeling immensely grateful that I didn't have to see reruns for the first time in several months. I still have "Paging the Crime Doctor" and "The Worry Men" on videotape somewhere. I am really looking forward to the upcoming Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn episodes; Ivy as a suburban wife and mother and the Joker in full genocidal Jack Nicholson mode as he tries to exterminate Gotham's entire population with a NUCLEAR WARHEAD, were nothing short of unforgettable for me.

[@XonixDerps]

It makes sense for the opening to look like him to me! You get a lot cliche egyptian tales where the old ancestor resembles the modern day one either for foreshadowing or chosen one ideas

[@Lesley_RedRhody]

I realize this is a stretch, but what if the Cobra anti-venom was a loose, yet playful, nod to the conveniently-placed Shark Repellent from the 1960s Adam West Batman TV Series? That was my initial thought when I first watched this episode.

[@liarbility568]

He also had an anti-venom for Penguin's hummingbirds in Almost Got'em, so they're both either a nod to the Adam West movie, Batman always prepared, plot armor or both

[@jamesbounds]

This episode has one of the nicest title cards.

[@MichaelRodriguez-ib7kp]

This was probably one of my most memorable childhood episodes of BTAS. The Egyptian queen scenes really creeped me out as a kid. This episode was particularly so full of adventure and I remember feelings of awe watching. Really well done and definitely one of my favorites!

[@louisduarte8763]

For an ancient Egyptian queen, she spoke perfect English. I was also laughing at the old-fashioned explorer pants with the wide, pointy hips.

[@jessicajepson9579]

I had the same reaction, I was surprised no one else had mentioned it. They kept drawing my attention away. :P

[@beipiaosaurus]

She does gain the knowledge of those she sucks the life from, so she would have learned English from the explorer at the beginning and potentially others finding the pit during the Egyptomania phase of the 1800s. The logic issue I had with the queen is why a grenade explosion doesn't affect her but she is crushed by a statue. They're both just physical force...

[@williaml840]

@@beipiaosaurusMaybe it’s because the statue is part of her tomb?

[@BlackCover95]

Translator magic. She’s supposed to be a honeytrap.

[@rayblack2004]

9:20 - thats supposed to be a tribute to a young Peter Cushing, who starred in a lot of Hammer horror films, as well as Star wars

[@solidskullz5736]

Whenever Egyptian stuff is involved you know it’s going to be interesting

[@wattsink2009]

8:58 I also thought that was a young Ra’s Al Ghul in the flashback scene.

[@josephgrace5955]

“How did Batman think you have Egyptian cobra venom antidote on him?” *cut to that time early in his career when a c lister named king tut managed to poison him and poor Alfred had to milk a cobra to save bruce*

[@kevinaltieri]

The character in the flash back is a caricature of Peter Cushing.... reference to Hammer Horror films of which Bruce and I were fans....

[@brianrebmann5398]

BTAS is one of my favorite shows. And, this episode is one of my favorites. Your comments and analysis are excellent and you mentioned some elements I had never noticed about this episode. Keep up the great work

[@PapaTaurean]

Maybe that explorer was... Carter Hall!! Buh buh buhhhhhhh! Sadly... we never got a Hawkman/Batman crossover. Stil.. always love the Ra's Al Ghul episodes... David Warner always knocks it out of the park.

[@motor4X4kombat]

The last navi bender of khonshu, god of the moon.

[@FabledHeroes3351]

This was that one episode that legitimately let you know Batman goes up again the supernatural here and there

[@NashTheBlade]

The only thing truly missing from that episode was perhaps finding the holy grail....but that'd be too silly now would it? Fox Kids Announcer: Next Time on Bat-May: Wealthy bachelors are being struck down with a deadly toxin...And Poison Ivy is the main culprit...But Poison Ivy looks as if she's been reformed and settled down with a family...Did Poison Ivy truly reform, or is this all just duplicity?!....Find out next time on Bat-May!

[@Avenger85438]

I love it when comic book stuff embraces pulp adventure like this, especially with how oversaturated the genre has been with either, grounded melodrama, gritty crime stories, or straight up comedies. Superheroes are versatile let them stretch out into new things. Also, I think the guy in the opening looks like a young Christopher Lee. Anybody else?

[@MuciusSkaevola]

He looks like Peter Cushing a lot (Lee's best friend)

[@Avenger85438]

@@MuciusSkaevola A bit. They both had sharp jawlines, so it could be either I suppose.

[@MuciusSkaevola]

@@Avenger85438 Probably. If I remember right Bruce Timm is sort of a fan of the Peter Cushing frankenstein movies (so I am), I can totally see Cushing having his role. and well... Ra's is to Peter Cushing what Count Dooku is to Christopher Lee (check out Ra's first appearance). Peter Cushing totally had those bright blue eyes while Lee had those black somber eyes.

[@DawnOfTheOzz]

Thoth Khepera: None may defile me and live! Ra's al Ghul: P-phrasing, boom. Talia: Father, please. Now is not the time for jocularity. Batman: She's right. We are still in danger here. Although you could say that we are- Talia: Don't say it. Batman: -we are most definitely in- Talia: Don't you dare say it, Batman! Batman: The DANGER ZONE! *Batman and Ra's al Ghul break out into laughter* Ra's al Ghul: Well played, Detective. *Batman and Ra's continue to chortle as Talia shakes her head in dismay* Talia: If we all get out of this alive, I'm leaving you both in the desert.

[@mikechicago6200]

Also you forgot to mention Thoth-Kapera was voiced by Nichel Nicoles AKA Uhura from Star Trek!

[@halotalim]

Your know, I may be telling on myself for how much of a nerd I am, but all the Ras episodes back to back with some break up would make a fun D&D campaign. Adventure, monsters, betrayal, a big central villain, action, mystery... Excuse me a moment. I must prepare.

[@georgeowain]

It’s kind of weird, but the Filmatiion He-Man series did a two part story where He-Man and others explore an ancient pyramid. He-Man then defeats the evil fem-fatal living there, by toppling a large statue with his legs, the way Batman does, on to a pool where all sorts of horrors are being summoned.

[@noahdean9685]

I'm sure Batman had a communicator or something or a secret batcave hidden in the desert somewhere or maybe he had a Wayne Enterprise building in Dubai.

[@wjzav1971]

I seem to remember that Ubu throwing Batman a canteen of water was due to Batman saving him from something earlier that episode. But I can't remember what it was.

[@UltimateGamerCC]

just goes to show that even someone set in their ways can learn to respect others.

[@changvasejarik62]

As for thoth, her hypnotic beauty/power and Lazarus pit. I think that’s an homage to book “she” by Ryder haggard.

[@gregoryberrycone]

great job with this series so far, i had never seen any of it til yesterday and just binged the whole thing in two days. makes me want to rewatch the series, definitely the high point of superhero cartoons for me

[@wstine79]

The episode definitely has a feel of one of those Universal Monster Mummy sequels. Or even the Brendan Fraser ones.

[@toddsmitts]

But this preceded those films by a couple of years.

[@FabledHeroes3351]

With a little bit of Hammer Horror in the mix

[@rdphoenix07]

I would imagine Batman carries several varieties of anti-venoms. Given how he travels to exotic locations with deadly animals or deals with enemies that employ poisons, venom, and deadly animals, it stands to reason he would have these on hand.

[@TheYoungDoctor]

9:10 Looks like Peter Cushing to me in fact part of the episode reminds me of the 1965 Hammer Horror film She..

[@Vercalos]

The scene where Ra's feels very very similar to the one from The Mummy, only we see the Mummy in question slowly start to rot as character kisses Evie.

[@grantcole1898]

I can still imagine Ra’s Al-Ghul and M. Bison teaming up.

[@Juria316]

Every time I see the not-as-they-appear trope, especially in a romantic setting, all I can think of is Army of Darkness. "You found me beautiful once." "Honey, you got real ugly."

[@IncPoint]

A 10min Bat May. Hell yea

[@Serahpin]

The flashback at the beginning of the episode explains how she knows modern English.

[@razorshark9320]

This is one of my all time favorite episodes of the Batman series. Love the story, the animation, the action and Thoth Khepera. I fell in love with Thoth Khepera when she looks beautiful, but was creeped out by her zombie look. There is an fanart artist called Stable Diffusion on Rule34 and I bet he could make some awesome fanart of Thoth Khepera when she's beautiful and creepy.

[@justinnyugen7015]

The Batman Animated book is expensive as hell, especially hardcover :0 I'll take your word for it that it's full of goodies

[@BanzaiHeil]

The scene of Ras having his life sucked out reminds me much more of the movie Lifeforce

[@andrewblanchard2398]

we need MATHILDA MAY to play the live action DEMON QUEEN

[@VincentGonzo]

My argument for the snake venom antidote in his belt, is because of Ivy.

[@majinsole8554]

I totally forgot about this one, but remember loving the Egyptian motif and lore throughout the episode. ~_~

[@toddsmitts]

I'm so glad I didn't see this episode as a kid. I'm sure that undead queen would've scared the crap out of me.

[@Spectra651]

While a great episode in hindsight, I remember when I first saw this one and thought it felt weirdly out-of-place within the rest of the series up to that point. This is probably due to the fact that most of it takes place outside of Gotham, but also because this is our first real taste of magic/the supernatural in the series. Up till then, 'BTAS' had always had at least one foot in reality--Batman is a scientist/detective, after all, who uses real-world logic to solve cases, and even some of his more superpowered villains, like Clayface and the Manbat, had somewhat plausible scientific origins; even the first appearance of the Lazarus Pit doesn't necessarily point to its healing/longevity properties as being supernatural in nature (or if it did, I didn't pick up on it as a kid). But 'Avatar' leaves no doubt that the supernatural does, indeed, exist in the BTAS universe, so when I saw this episode it was a bit of a shock (although that horror movie-esque reveal had at least a little to to with that). Looking back at the wider DCAU now, this episode seems almost tame, but at the time it felt like a game-changer.

[@aaronjaggan]

Seeing this...makes me re-live the demons back then

[@pdw8635]

About the stuff on the utility belt, I think it’s more Batman loading stuff into the belt each time he suits up to match the situation he’s going into, more than he’s got everything in it all the time.

[@saintjamesent.866]

He was doing batman stuff at the Egyptian exhibit so he was expecting classic cobra traps

[@Ironman875]

David Warner did a terrific job voicing Ras Al-Ghul.

[@LadyOnikara]

I recognized his voice but I couldn't figure out where I had heard it. Looked on IMDB and there it was: he also was The Lobe on the show Freakazoid.

[@Ironman875]

@@LadyOnikara He also played Professor Jordan Perry from TMNT 2 The Secret of the Ooze.

[@timwoods2852]

"Take a good look gang. THIS is Yzma, living proof that dinosaurs once roamed the Earth."

[@ladyalmathea7610]

Woo! More Batmay! :)

[@connorthompson8376]

I think you should totally do a themed month for Superman: The Animated Series.

[@Powherkrangunch]

If I ran across a fully costumed batman in the desert, the first thing I'd think would definitely be "Dude's gotta be really sweating underneath that!" Great episode!

[@Freedomfighter205]

Can't wait for the Showdown review. Im a big fan of Jonah Hex and Haunted Tank.

[@MrGabeanator]

Nice

[@JoeEnglandShow]

I was also thinking that the explorer was a descendant or R'as. It would make some sense with the themes of family and betrayal. Even the name of the episode, "Avatar", could refer to the children of R'as becoming vessels for his ambition, extensions of his will, like the queen's victims.

[@albireotheredguard1599]

The Cobra Anti-venom reminds me of the Shark Repellent in the Adam West Batman movie!

[@Brasswatchman]

7:05 See, this is exactly why I had no trouble with that bit in Dark Knight Rises where they practically just cut from Bruce escaping the prison to him appearing back in Gotham. He's Batman. Of course he figured it out.

[@reginaroadie]

Huh. I had completely forgotten about this episode. Guess I’ll have to rewatch it. And glad that you pointed out how unintentionally funny it is to have Batman in the desert. It shows how this is a character that can only work in the city, since that costume is completely impractical anywhere else. Bruce must be sweating gallons underneath the cape and cowl.

[@abelmantor7557]

The episode's got some scary imagery.

[@mskiara18]

I did not remember this episode, so the recap is greatly appreciated. I personally feel no sympathy for Talia with what happened to her in Batman Beyond since she betrayed Batman, all to appease her father. Bruce deserves better.

[@ZeroCGR2]

I havent seen this episode but the quote about finding immortality in ones offspring reminds me of the Batman Beyond episode featuring Ra's al gul in the body of Talia. Foreshadowing?

[@Razorgeist]

What no mention of Nichelle Nicole for shame. Yep this is a good one. I was reminded of Michael Reaves earlier work on Real Ghostbusters when I first saw the this episode.

[@Briaaanz]

I'm shocked that there is another episode that i seem to have missed. I thought i caught all of them back in the day, but now there is two you've reviewed that i never saw

[@hannahmabbott7370]

I hope you get to doing the new batman adventures, since there is an episode called mean seasons, it has this villan called calendar girl who attacks certain companies but only because she was told she was too old to model anymore. She is voiced by sela ward. Great episode.

[@lordhirudo5311]

They left out that Nichelle “Uhura” Nichols was voicing Thoth-kapera.

[@Firestata84]

Its an hell of a spectacle - but they really should have improved on this a lot. To compare with computer games - this is an early beta, not a finished product. Ra’s al Ghul is back, which means leaving Gotham for exploring exotic places (and some arabian stereotypes). This is very much like a Indiana Jones movie and you could easiliy seen this being filmed as a movie - excavation flashback, ancient scrolls, quest for power etc. It reminds you a lot of Ra´s earlier appearance - Batman, masquerading as Bruce (come on - we all know Bruce Wayne died in that alley with his parents, but sometimes Batman dons his appearance) and travels around the world with Talia in tow in order to both stop AND save Ra´s, when he comes into contact with an evil egyptian goddess. This is is also (even if its more hidden here than in the others) one the "reform" episodes, where we have a villain who tries to reform, or is presented with a chance to change his or her life, and it fails - sometimes by the cruelty of society and sometimes because of what they are deep inside. And sometimes by both. The villain this time who gets this chance is of course Talia, who have been abandoned by Ra´s after her previous betrayal. Her choice is not connected to society nor inner evilness however, but her loyalty to her father. Will she rejoin Ra´s or will she leave him and go her own way. Tragically, we know what she chooses before she do and her loyalty is rewarded exceedingly poorly, if the events of Batman Beyond are anything to go on. Talia loves her father regardless of what he do and how he treats her - and that will be her doom. She reminds me a bit of Harley Quinn tbh. For me, all this feels half-baked. The intentions are good, but it is not a two-parter (this absolutely should have been longer and more drawn out), nor is it as detailed and strong as Ra´s last appearance. Ra´s is also surprisingly incompetent, needing to be rescued and somehow decides to trust (or has some really bad charm resistance) an evil egyptian goddess. In addition, the end and said evil egyptian goddess is a bit of a downer. She just want to kill Ra´s by draining him and gain his power and it just really falls flat. It is clear what they were inspired about, but it never raises to anything but admiration for a much better original. Of course she is crushed when the building/temple collapses (as those buildings always tend to do in movies at the climax) and honestly, I think no one really misses her. Lite Batman accused Ra´s of - this episode is like a bad afternoon serial. The animation is great though, and I really like the touch of Ubu throwing Batman a water skin after Batman saves him from the collapse. So I won´t be too hard. Verdict: 3 out of 5 Bats

[@KimTaeHwan114]

Queen Thoth Capera : "We Are Legion!" Ras from Arkham City : "We Are Legion!"

[@shainewhite2781]

This episode has strong elements of Indiana Jones.

[@princeblackelf4265]

The explorer also sort of looks like a more handsome HP Lovecraft

[@InsanityPlea100]

How did Batman get out of the desert? Easy. He had a batplane shoved up his... Utility belt.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Is it me, or did Bruce Timm take a que from this 'Evil Goddess' and add her creepiness to Scarecrows 3rd design? I just see some slight resemblance to her and that thing resembling Professor Crane...but maybe its just a creepy coincidence.

[@blueeyedduelist6412]

Ghul:Pocket snake go!! I only bring him along for Egyptian themed robberies