The New Firebug Was A Nobody | Batman Caped Crusader

[@SerumLake]

You can listen to our Special Caped Crusader Spoiler Filed Podcasts in this handy playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PL-OisFIjerSLRNOcJqP2d-kTRDJOyXhsX&si=4GH-Aa4t97x3qeLC While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to that channel and join the conversations on each episode.

[@andreykuzmin4317]

Firebug proves, that C-lister rogues can be dangerous not because of what they CAN do, but because what they're WILLING to do.

[@armiproductions5680]

All it takes for a C-lister to become an A-lister is when they are in the proper writing hands.

[@seeleunit2000]

​@@armiproductions5680And given a few upgrades

[@randallflagg3700]

@@armiproductions5680 - Indeed, just look at Kite Man or Polka-Dot Man, 2 guys who were complete jokes and became serious bizness in the DCAU & DCEU. But I guess they were more D-listers than C-listers... Victor Zsasz was also a proper C-lister who became very popular thanks to the show *Gotham* , played by Anthony Carrigan (the future Rex Mason/Metamorpho), the DCEU *Birds of Prey* movie, and even the crappy *Batwoman* show in which he was one of the rare highlights, and ofc course the Arkham games. (the show's heros were crap except for Batwing & Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, but some of the villains like Black Mask, Cluemaster, Victor Zsasz or Poison Ivy were actually pretty damn good IMHO)

[@Karlos1234ify]

Kind of like the joke villains from Venture Bros

[@ianfinrir8724]

That's why Superman has stated that Toyman is (probably) thmost dangerous of his rogue's gallery, because nobody takes Toyman seriously

[@nemowindsor8724]

The original Firebug and how his sister died...there was a Forensic Files episode on a scarily identical case. A landlord illegally used lead-based paint that kept flaking away, and the little girl ate the flakes and died. A very relatable motivation for wanting to burn it all down.

[@livanbard]

That comic was not done on a vacuum. Low income hoods always had to deal with landlords using lead paint. Even schools had them.

[@Compucles]

@@livanbard Well, yeah, lead paint used to be legal before we found out how dangerous it was. Even then, it took a while before it could all be replaced in old buildings (or the buildings themselves were replaced).

[@coruscant100]

I remember watching that episode. It was devastating what happened to that little girl, but at least justice was served.

[@Insanonaga]

@@Compucles Sorry to say bud it probably isn’t replaced in even half of them. I’m an environmental inspector and lead based paint inspections probably make a good 40% of what I do on a day to day basis.

[@TheArkman360]

I think I saw that episode as a kid or maybe another forensics show that covered the same case. The girl was named Sunday but I remember learning the story from a show called Medical Detectives, I guess they both covered it.

[@moonbeamsun9066]

I really like how this episode showed Batman’s compassion. When he saw the mother and her children, his thought process went from “I’ve got to find this arsonist and evade the police.” to “I have to help these people.”

[@commonrare132]

Should we also praise him for breathing correctly? He's a hero, it's what heros do. Or did, before Snyder ruined the concept in DC

[@Numbabu]

@@commonrare132 that's probably what they mean lol, he behaved like we all know batman should, which can't be said for every incarnation of the character

[@CyberBlastoise]

​@@commonrare132 actually that happened long before Snyder. You can thank Frank Miller for most of the worst Batmans.

[@jordanloux3883]

This episode broke my heart, but I was glad that the creators really showed the truth of these situations. The mentally ill aren't normally the perpetrators of violence. They're the victims of it.

[@nemowindsor8724]

Depends on the violence, and the mental illness. That statistic people quote all the time is seriously flawed, as it includes all mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's and even Down's syndrome, and of course those are people more vulnerable to crime. But when people think criminal mental illness, it's more likely Paranoid Schizophrenia, which comes with a greatly elevated chance of violence against strangers and family members. They also might think of Post-Partum Depression, which is also associated with greater chance of violence against one's own children. Specifying the particular mental illnesses people associate with violence does reveal that yes, such sufferers are much more likely to engage in violence than the average citizen - and that is to be expected with the nature of those illnesses. When coupled with addiction, such as alcoholism, the rates of violence increase even more. It does not mean that such people are unworthy of concern, care, treatment, etc. Quite the opposite. But it is wrong to tell people that they don't need to be cautious. They do. Very, very much so. Their instincts aren't wrong in these situations, and you absolutely need to be on the alert if dealing with someone with an MI that correlates with violence.

[@nexik680]

It's easy to blame others that can't help themselves. The perfect scapegoat for violence. (well, other than video games.)

[@jordanloux3883]

@@nexik680 Or D&D

[@brutalnobody5240]

Not just victims but have their minds used and abused for the benefit of others, what best to pass an new law for brand new goodies than set an "crazed madman" on the loose

[@nandayane]

I think the consistent theme in Caped Crusader is that the non-costumed villains are the most monstrous and the most persistent. Evil isn’t a mental illness in Caped Crusader it’s a choice that is made by selfish people over and over again.

[@lunarwaffles7696]

something they wouldn't have gotten away with in BtAS

[@aliensrockclips359]

... the penguin?

[@lunarwaffles7696]

@@aliensrockclips359 probably the least costumed of the costumed ones.

[@aliensrockclips359]

@@lunarwaffles7696 clayface

[@aliensrockclips359]

@@lunarwaffles7696 but yeah, thats right

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

I can't help but notice how Bullock hesitates before shooting. It kind of implies that while he might be crooked, shooting an unarmed man who'd done him no wrong is a line he'd never crossed before. It calls into question, of the crooked duo, which one is calling the shots, given that his partner both had no problem with it but wanted to make sure it wasn't his finger on the trigger. Bullock may be crooked, but his partner is worse.

[@flaminyawn]

Yeah, there are multiple times when it's pretty clear that Flass is manipulating Bullock into being the one who gets his hands dirty so Flass can use him as a fall-guy if need be. It doesn't speak well at all of Bullock that he willingly does these things, but Flass is an absolute monster.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

@@flaminyawn Yeah, but I can't help but wonder if, after getting hailed as a hero cop, maybe Bullock might start liking the idea of being hailed as the "Good Guy". It wouldn't be the first time we got to see a villain redemption arc.

[@CassidyShadewing]

I feel like Bullock gets a lot of "questioning" moments, even if he still does it. And with the finale, I can see him starting to have a change of heart in season 2. Bullock is usually redeemable, in Gotham he starts crooked but over the course of the first season starts to reform, and even in the comics he's one of the few bad cops that keeps their job and turns themselves around. While Flass is usually one of the first crooked cops to fall or get fired.

[@lifewithlee6298]

Nice Touch

[@mimimalloc]

I get the impression Bullock and Flass have a Beavis and Butthead kind of dynamic, where Flass is a major negative influence on Bullock and drives him towards actions that would cross his moral threshold if he were alone. Not that this Bullock would be a saint, but it's clear from how he emotes that his full heart isn't always entirely in the actions Flass convinces him to do.

[@milkiassamuel780]

I was a bit disappointed about how this show reimagined Harvey Bullock as a corrupt cop. I understand that this is a whole new show and its doing its own thing withr he franchise which I admire and understand but me personally I feel like just making Bullock a generic corrupt cop was rather disingenuous and made him less of an interesting character as back in the original Batman Animated Series Bullock may have been an loud mouth, slobbish cop who had a distate for Batman personally but he still remained a good competent cop and never took a bribe from anyone staying true to his morals and loyalty to Gordon, which I just feel like makes him more of a unique character and more memorable with how well he bounces off Batman, Robin, Jim, Montoya etc.. and his dynamic with eveyone was always siper entertaining. Like i said Im totally okay with this show doing new things with characters, but I dont know I just felt like making Bulock corrupt and essentially becoming Flass's lackey was a bit underwhelming (at least for me). I do at least hope rhat in season 2 Bullock learns the error of his ways and disassociates himself with Flass (since Flass was always corrupt in the comics and he was the real negative enabler) and is given a second chance to show how he can change and become a better cop and better man that the people of Gotham truly need. I think that would be a good character arc to give this take on Bullock to make him more memorable and interesting, showing that some corrupt cops and people have more morally grey motivations.

[@lillianvioletrose9637]

Agreed. I even see potential for him being redeemed if the writers choose to go that route. He would obviously have to do a lot of work to be trusted but he does seem more “corrupt” as opposed to “evil”.

[@calumbishop7082]

@@milkiassamuel780 Still not as bad as Jim Corrigan being made into a corrupt cop. Here's hoping his name wasn't just an Easter egg and that he does become the Spectre in Season 2.

[@milkiassamuel780]

@@calumbishop7082@calumbishop7082 Actually, funny enough, there are multiple characters in the DC Universe with the same name as Jim Corrigan. One character from the Gotham: Central comic series is also named Jim Corrigan (a separate character from the Spectre) and actually is a corrupt cop in said comic run. Maybe this Jim Corrigan we see in Caped Crusader could end up becoming the Spectre in the long term of this show since we've seen supernatural threats like Gentleman Ghost and Nocturna show up, but I guess we'll have to wait and see

[@jakebrook]

@@milkiassamuel780 My first introduction to Bullock was through Gotham (2014-2019) where the first episode showed that he was dirty in the first and second episode. But as we started to learn more about we learn that his dirty dealings was for a number of reasons losing hope for taking down criminals, blackmail, and death threats. Not only that we see him try his best to help Gordin in tough situations even if he had no real reason to do so. However, in the Cape Crusader he is underwhelming. If he would have gotten a focus episode showing how/why he became dirty such as paying bills, Flass manipulated him in the earlier days, or he just saw how corrupt the system in Gotham truly is and just gave up. By adding any of these layers could have made Cape Crusader into a layer character instead of some dirty cop/lackey.

[@BearlyRegal]

I knew things were going to be a bit darker in Caped Crusader but I audibly gasped whilst teetering on the edge of my sofa when witnessing Firebug's delusion. Terrifying guy 🔥

[@SerumLake]

One of the strongest moments of the entire series!

[@Cutiepie-mf4ht]

@@SerumLake could you do a video about the two detectives in the series?

[@nexik680]

More disturbed than terrifying.

[@BaDArxz]

PyroVision but the flames are good things

[@barracuda6900]

He fits the classic profile of a random mass shooter. Unhinged, unsociable, awkward yet dangerous.

[@stevenmattrell3448]

Honestly the original comic Firebug sounds like a good villain. He had a solid motivation and could've easily worked as a tragic villain in a Batman cartoon.

[@Rengokuo4o6]

We don't need MORE TRAGIC villians.

[@sporf_sporf]

Firebug's been around long enough that he doesn't count as 'more'.

[@CassidyShadewing]

@@Rengokuo4o6 Personally, I feel Caped Crusader could have used ANY. And the Original feels like a character that could still be poignant today.

[@The_Phantasm]

Even though Firefly and Firebug are different characters, I do like how it seems Bruce Timm learned from his time writing Firefly in TNBA, where I felt they had focused on the wrong aspect of Firefly's personality which was his obsession with Cassidy instead of his obsession with fire and as a result the fire motif seemed secondary to him. With Firebug, it's pretty clear that he envisions the world in flames which I thought was cool.

[@jadenbryant9283]

Yeah it makes me wonder what they will do with the real firefly in this show when we see him.

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

For a man who is fascinated with fire, what makes Firebug very dangerous is his cold demeanor in his eyes as he watched his world burning, which gives off the dramatic irony to the character. His voice reminds me of Simon Petrikov/Ice King for a bit, which Tom Kenny outdid himself playing the role.

[@martinkredl3794]

Pyro from tf2

[@jadenbryant9283]

Yeah Tom kenny did a good job same goes for his role as plastic man though I partially don't like how there voices sound a bit too similar.

[@icetide9411]

Firebug reminds me so aggressively of the Pyro from TF2. The whole goggles-showing-his-view thing, the cheery childish music, the way he sees people joyous about being ignited (even if it's portrayed very different). I know it's almost entirely coincidental, but I think it's interesting how two different pyromaniacs made by entirely different writers have so many similarities in their portrayals

[@DarthHao]

“I fear no man, but that thing…it scares me”

[@alexv3372]

BRO I was thinking and saying the exact same thing!!🤩

[@hailghidorah2536]

But tell me, Do you believe in magic?

[@Cam8909onscratch]

I know right?

[@Brianna-eo8nu]

In spite of the danger he posed to himself and others, I couldn’t help but feel weirdly bad for Firebug. He was a mentally unwell man basically taken advantage of as a pawn in Flass and Bulluck’s plans.

[@snowfiredraws]

This episode left both me and my dad speechless. We watched the entire show together before I left for college, and I fully expected it to be dark. Firebug was an absolute menace, but what really made me sick was the fact that Bullock and Flass simply disposed of him, that he was nothing but a pawn to them. This took my breath away, because it not only was incredibly dark, it highlights the very real monsters in our society. Those in a position of power who will do anything to carry out a vendetta and believe that they can get away with it. And sadly, many of these people do.

[@sarafontanini7051]

sadly a lot of times (at least in america), the only difference between a cop and a criminal is the cop will often recieve no punishment when he murders someone and will even be praised for taking a life

[@GlitchBoy-ws5in]

​@@sarafontanini7051 it's like that one "Cops are good" comments in Lil Zé's Analysing Evil video, the lack of awareness is bizarre.

[@gregorykeithmorris3970]

Now this character I felt bad for. Though ominous, he was as you said a sick mind. Treated poorly and not inherently wicked like other villains on this show. I do think he might've pulled through if given good mental health treatment. He didn't deserve to die. Aside from reprising his role as Plastic Man's alter ego, Tom Kenny did a great job at playing against type. Fab video, Luke. Thanks again!

[@sarafontanini7051]

at the very least bullock and flass stand out as far worse in how petty, selfish and apathetic they are to human suffering and stand out as examples of why people don't trust police officers

[@jadenbryant9283]

​@@sarafontanini7051and the fact they are mentally sane while firebug isn't so there's that.

[@SchwarzAnthonyBoys18]

The death of Firebug is pretty awful: he realized he ran out of fuel and accepted to surrender but fortunately that greasy cop Arnold Flass in order to don't being snitched ordered Bullock to kill a disarmed villain. Tom Kenny did a very good job as Firebug

[@anthonyoliver418]

I do like how fire bug is nothing like firefly, while fire fly takes joy in the suffering he causes knowing he gets his needs both cash and pyro mania wise, fire bug in this show seems to mostly be docile outside of his need to spread flames, which in eyes are not to cause suffering, but instead joy, an example of one of Batman’s villains needing help rather than harsh punishment, which makes his death by Bullock and Flass all the more shocking when they ignored his surrender.

[@jacobcox4565]

When they make a season 2 of Batman: Caped Crusader, I can definitely see them having their interpretation of Firefly being a copycat arsonist who was inspired by Firebug, but instead of being a delusional man causing harm with misguided intentions, he's just a hot shot who gets high off of being in control of people's lives and causing great suffering when he desires. He could even make his costume red an yellow like Firebug's costume in the comics as both a fun nod and a way to show off his personality.

[@thescarredsinner895]

@@jacobcox4565honestly it would be the perfect subversion, even better if somehow Firebug returned (I don’t the fucking know, gentlemen ghost exist why can’t Firebug ghost come back for a bit) and basically have a fight were Firebug actually wins and torches him alive to remind him who the real king of fire is

[@twobladedswordsandmauls2120]

​@@thescarredsinner895 Maybe they could lean into the possession thing that they teased with Gentleman Ghost? Make "Firefly" a shared alias of many, seemingly unconnected individuals with the only time they've ever met being that the next Firefly was always among the last victims of the previous one. This is because they've all caught the literal Firebug in the form of the ghost of a Pyromaniac "gifting" his world view to whoever he can get his hands on. Could be interesting, and tie into Firebug being called "Firefly" so many times, as he was the one who caught it first.

[@thescarredsinner895]

@@twobladedswordsandmauls2120 and the fact he’s named Firefly this time around would actually be fitting, cause now he is a ghost who could fly and glows in the dark like an actual fire fly, a literal evolution of his title

[@nexik680]

Sometimes the true villains in Gotham don't always wear costumes.

[@ryugaknight]

“When is a villain not THE villain?”

[@nexik680]

@@ryugaknight answer: when there's someone worse pulling the strings.

[@randallflagg3700]

Sometimes they don't always...? Spooooky

[@ajra6143]

They're three types of GCPD officer who aren't Gordon or Montoya dependant on their relationship with Batman: 1: Early Batman = Corrupt, in the pockets of criminals, as bad or worse than the criminals of Gotham. 2: Allied with Batman = Less than useless with the only thing you're good for being "activate the Batsignal". 3: Batman is framed for a crime = Magically able to make the USMC look like parking attendants.

[@PeterKennedy-b1h]

Can we appreciate whay Flass and Bullock's plan was somewhat smart, if highly risky, high collateral and casualty and prideful in spite of the result for the bent cops. It is believable and a miscarriage of justice.

[@Arkham13v]

Crazy villains wearing costumes is one thing, but villains who are ordinary people like us are much more terrifying.

[@QueenMonoChrome]

I kinda hope that if there is a season 2 we get a redemption arc for Bullock, especially since during the final episode it seemed to hint he realized he was getting used by Flass but I also understand that's a bit of a tall order

[@SerumLake]

You're in luck, season two is currently in production! Not sure what will happen with Bullock though

[@jordanloux3883]

I can see him trying for a redemption arc, but I guess that could be an interesting question for Batman to deal with: Can someone cross the line as far as Bullock did and still deserve forgiveness? And if Bullock can, what's stopping Bruce from doing the same to other criminals? Like the man who killed Thomas and Martha Wayne

[@Rovan84127]

@@jordanloux3883I’m no expert in show production so I may be giving the showrunners too much credit (hopefully not!) but with what happened at the end of S1 it really does seem like they’re setting up this kind of scenario.

[@tomcurl8034]

The original fire bug who was upset about the poorly maintained housing complex that resulted in the death of his family is an interesting idea, and I wish that they had done something more with that version of the character in other media, but I like this version of the character was burning a similar housing complex with the emphasis being on commissioner Gordon and Batman, saving the civilians

[@Scramm-nw3jb]

A wise man once said he shuddered to imagine what thoughts lied behind that mask, those dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty…NGL this guy felt like the tf2 pyro if he didn’t meet the mercs.

[@4EverSmiles]

Not to mention, there's no comedy, no flair, no extravagance that makes this character pop out from the rest. Firebug's no icon that people will recognize or remember... But what they do remember is his looming, cold, and twisted vision that establishes his place in the story. What he's willing to destroy because of how he sees it.

[@MatthewPrower]

ngl this version of firebug is so firefly-like it’s kinda surprising that this wasn’t a rename

[@jadenbryant9283]

I feel like it's because they want to use the real firefly in a major way later down the line.

[@HappyAxolotl24]

In that moment in the basement with the music and everything, I understand why firebug thinks fire is beautiful

[@vSide0]

I also loved how Tom Kenny voiced him same guy that voices SpongeBob idk I just found that so funny.

[@SerumLake]

It adds an extra layer, doesn’t it. Shame Clancy Brown didn’t play Bullock 😂

[@FirestormInfinity]

Why Spongebob, whyyyyyy. Why didn't you just write your essay?? 🍍🔥

[@chadpeterson5698]

@@SerumLake definitely would have shown how much of a scumbag Bullock is in this version

[@jacktoma21]

When I started watching the show, I thought we might get a redemption arch for Bullock similiar to his in the late pre crisis comics. But I think we’re at the point of no return with this episode

[@SerumLake]

I was genuinely shocked at their take on Bullock, but I think they succeeded in presenting him as a genuinely dirty cop!

[@jacktoma21]

@@SerumLake John DiMaggio was inspired casting

[@aldadebater]

Oh Bullock can get a redemption all right, as long as it's the "redemption equals death" variety!

[@prcervi]

there's always next season where he can start one, coin toss of if he'll survive it though

[@randallflagg3700]

If you want a good show for Harvey Bullock's redemption, I suggest *Gotham* (fair warning, it's 5 seasons long, but if you like it it won't be an issue; it's like Gotham Central mixed with Batman: Year One, with a sprinkle of... nah, I can't spoil that ^^')

[@PurpleRyuga]

I'm so used to people mistaking him for firefly since the show's release that someone actually referring to him as firebug caught em off guard

[@WillenChan]

Lmaooo

[@badideagenerator2315]

Firebug's delusions seem to be somewhat similar to those of the pyromaniac class from team fortress 2. Although the pyro doesn't even realise they're burning people.

[@coolnamebro7363]

Do you believe in magic?~ In a young girls heart?~ How the music can free her whenever it starts~

[@coomcharger6105]

That Pyro is dead

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

_"One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask."_

[@comicfan1324]

I love how the episode even acknowledges that more people would be familiar with firefly than fire bug. Literally before this series, the only other place I’ve heard of fire bug was a passing comment in Arkham Knight in which one of the henchman question if firefly is the one lighting all the fires or if it’s firebug

[@MatthewK122]

Tom Kenny make good villain voice

[@agarksesydy3768]

The shock and disbelief the first time I watched this episode was so much I felt so sad for Firebug, yes he could've killed hundreds and was a menace, but he wasn't the villain of the episode I really despise this version of Bullock and Flass, they are terrible people who I hope face the consequences of their actions in season 2 hopefully But back to Firebug, his death was tragic, he needed physiological help and even surrendered at the end, I really wanted to see him explored in later seasons, but not anymore... Guess Firefly can pop up now that the fire theme villain spot is empty

[@swampman5986]

The way firebug is portrayed reminds me alot of the pyro from tf2, especially in that delusion of the children being happy and singing while set ablaze.

[@tomcurl8034]

Harly was trying but a misunderstanding spiraled out of control, and I wish that they had actually followed up on her, trying to get her life together again

[@livid_spider]

Getting a swirly by Batman is crazy

[@dwn21top-man95]

I’ve been a Debbie downer when it comes to caped crusader, but details like firebug’s attacks being mentioned in the newspaper are what keep me from really disliking it

[@Paolo-ec2si]

I have recently came back to the Spider Man fandom and I have noticed that there's a lot of Batman stuff that could be used for Spidey. Being at first in bad terms with the police but then they start loving him, like in The Batman and Caped Cusader, and the former incompetent chief of police gets substituted by captain Stacy who would be Gordon like. A little inspiration from the ep "The Man Who Killed Batman" with similar plot but with Spidey and other characters of new york

[@society7394]

When I first saw him in the trailer, I actually thought he was meant to be the Flash villain Heat wave, which wouldn’t be surprising because Batman has taken villains from heroes many times before.

[@milosbatmanvideos]

It wouldve been better if harvey started off as a dirty cop but then after seeing flass shoot firebug he starts to have a redemption arc

[@ATKL2k12]

This was my favorite episode, I reckon it best exemplifies what this interpretation is about & what the powerhouse creative team was trying to do. Flass & Bullock are loathsome bullies and I loved how the show tackled the issue of corruption & brutality in the force. Their execution of Firebug was a shocking moment & one of the best 2 scenes, imo, in the season (the other is the climax of the season finale with Batman & Flass).

[@insouciantFox]

You know, I really want a treatment of a true rehabilitation. The only one in BTAS/TNBA I recall was the Ventriloquist. Yes there was that "I had a bad day too, once" episode with Harley, but Harley ended up back where we started. Perhaps CC with its more episodic and less high profile rogues can pull it off in season 2

[@Huminahumina465]

You know, I never heard anyone complain about Firebug being whitewashed. So I guess no real reason to be annoyed about any other race changes in this. Usually only annoying when it’s a double standard

[@kylemeh]

I absolutely loved how the lesser-known villains r getting their due in Caped Crusader. I’m sure there will be more, especially the heavy-hitters we’ve seen before. My own personal prediction: the finale teased Joker, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Ra’s and Talia, and maybe a return by Killer Croc

[@ΕυάγγελοςΦώσκολος]

It would be funny if in a later season, we actually get Firefly and everyone calls him "Firebug".

[@jadenbryant9283]

Maybe even Have Firefly get cartonishly mad when he's called Firebug.

[@thescarredsinner895]

@@jadenbryant9283even better if their brothers

[@deadcool3227]

Damn, after hearing his comic origin I want to see more of him now

[@CountCrane2065]

Definitely the creepiest villain in Caped Crusader, especially that music.

[@SerumLake]

Is it bad that I sometimes skip his tracks when listening to the soundtrack? Too creepy!

[@elongatedmanforever1252]

He didn't do much though, he just died.

[@elongatedmanforever1252]

​@@SerumLake Meh it's not that creepy tbh & he never really hurt anybody or killed a major character.

[@JanjoZone]

Huh, I never noticed the loosening of the anti-Batman squad after this episode. Good eye!

[@hypermun52]

why can i only think to compare firebug to tf2's pyro, seeing the world through a warped, distorted view and legit thinks spreading his flames is spreading happiness?

[@SamBateman]

the irony of the penguin's gender swap being attributed to diversity reasons and firebug being a black guy who gets turned white is hilarious to me

[@Notarobot1006]

I feel like if they'd kept Firebug as a black guy but *also* redid his origin story post-Crisis to make him a pathetic loser (as opposed to his original incarnation as a guy out for revenge because his *whole family* died), it would have been even *more* racially insensitive than making him white. Of course they could have just kept the old origin story since it's way cooler anyway and then they wouldn't 'need' to race-swap him.

[@TheArkman360]

@@Notarobot1006 I think he might've been white in the show because he was only shown as black in his first appearance and white in all subsequent ones for some reason?

[@Marsh388]

Though it is funny how the usual suspects who would whine about someone like Flass having his race changed said nothing about Firebug. Most of the time “comic accurate” means “the show/movie I liked as a kid”.

[@SamBateman]

@@Notarobot1006 yeah, "man goes insane after his entire family dies due to OSHA violations" is simultaneously a uniquely tragic villain origin story and a great way to establish that incompetence and corruption turned Gotham into a dystopian hellscape

[@christiandauz3742]

Female Penguin scares me. The male versions don't intimidate me compare to her

[@Illusion6-gf2cu]

Firebug has appeared prior to Caped Crusader, in the Tim Burton Batman NES game along side other villains who weren’t in Batman 89 like Deadshot, Killer Moth, and The Electrocutioner

[@Abdega]

6:00 Firebug must have been a fan of Team Fortress 2

[@RADARMYBRAT32]

So he's a good kind of Nobody and not just a straight out boring kind of nobody

[@Paleo-y1y]

I hope that Caped Crusader's Firefly replicates their Firebug's pyrophilia.

[@shadrackudevbure8604]

Honestly I legit thought that this was Firefly this whole time😂. I’ve watched all of Caped Crusader and I never realized it wasn’t Firefly😂😂!

[@bdpickett]

Honestly, with his backstory, the original Firebug could have made for a compelling antihero. Just have him shift his focus from the slums (and the poor, disenfranchised people who are forced to depend on them) to the scumbag slumlords whose greed and apathy are the root cause of the tragedies that motivated him. It's a genuinely relatable motivation, especially these days when more and more of us are forced to depend on rent controlled housing just to afford a place to live. Edit: Also, his costume was just really cool.

[@armiproductions5680]

As a side note, when the first appearance of Firebug first appeared, the german printing named Firebug, Firedevil and I unironically wish that was the actual name of the character moving forward. Also actually Firefly "has" appeared in other Batman media, not much but he is mentioned very shortly by one of the Arkham Knight´s soldiers in Arkham Knight.

[@limlim10]

i just like this videos man

[@WolfJarl]

I actually had no idea Firebug was a separate villain from Firefly and thought it was just a name change in the same sense as, say, Devil Ray in DCAU's Justice League Unlimited. Though that name change was because they weren't allowed to use Aquaman or his rogues, in this case Black Manta, due to an embargo. Though could you blame me since this series is clearly meant to be a pastiche of he 1940s? Aviation had only quite recently become a dependable mode of transport, so I don't see anyone just suddenly developing a functioning jetpack like the more well-known Firefly uses. I took the time to look it up to learn Firebug and Firefly were two separate characters, just with similar gimmicks. One little detail I also like is that Firebug's flamethrowers seem to use some typical gasoline or kerosene mixture when we see him filling his fuel tanks. This was again an era were more potent fuel or incendiary substances like jet fuel or napalm were unavailable. Plus as I stated in chat; if they'd used Firefly and he'd been shot by Bullock I feel there'd been an outrage. I'm actually wondering if anyone realized that in the episode introducing Onomatopoeia we had a take on the Golden Age Deadshot who missed his shot and was in turn shot himself and if there was any outrage over that.

[@Compucles]

Deadshot didn't miss. He was simply shot first, partly because of how carefully he had to aim in that situation so that he wouldn't miss Barbara. If there's a complaint about Deadshot, it's why he came out in the open and shouted for his target while trying to line up his shot rather than quietly shooting from a safer location.

[@WolfJarl]

@@Compucles I think since they're going for the Golden Age gunslinger version of him instead of the more tactical oriented one from modern times.

[@nooneinparticular5256]

🎵Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart? How the music can free her, whenever it starts And it's magic, if the music is groovy It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your soul But it's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock and roll If you believe in magic don't bother to choose If it's jug band music or rhythm and blues Just go and listen it'll start with a smile It won't wipe off your face no matter how hard you try Your feet start tapping and you can't seem to find How you got there, so just blow your mind If you believe in magic, come along with me We'll dance until morning 'til there's just you and me And maybe, if the music is right I'll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night And we'll go dancing, baby, then you'll see How the magic's in the music and the music's in me Yeah, do you believe in magic? Yeah, believe in the magic of a young girl's soul Believe in the magic of rock and roll Believe in the magic that can set you free Ohh, talking 'bout magic🎶

[@Smiththeinspiringanimator]

Awesome!👏

[@TheChipmania]

I feel kind of bad after seeing this video. I had NO idea that firebug and firefly were 2 separate people, so I kept calling him firefly

[@davidgeorge1943]

You know he's ineffective when the GCPD were able to capture him WITHOUT the help of Batman.

[@LaurenMerlino-ii9ol]

The kids Batman and Jim saved sowed up in episode 8.

[@fynnthefox9078]

I wouldn't mind seeing this version of Firebug be made canon in the comics.

[@Rman94]

I’ve read Gotham Central(and own them) and quite agree. “Nobody” can be just dangerous as “Somebody”.

[@jackofallclaws6672]

Killer Croc is actually Black? Huh! Didn’t know that!

[@elongatedmanforever1252]

He's a crocodile majority of the time so people wouldn't notice.

[@ianfinrir8724]

Waylon Jones is a Black man, yes.

[@creed8712]

@@elongatedmanforever1252he’s usually only black when they really want to lean into how sad he is

[@2006PoyotaKirbolla]

I genuinely thought they just changed his name I did not know he wasn’t just firefly 💀

[@deadcool3227]

Another that adds to his insignificance is that actual firebugs don't have anything going for them in nature, they don't any poison and they don't even bite, all they've got are bright colors that scare away predators, which this Firebug doesn't even have, all he does have is the flame

[@cane6074]

The part were Bullock and Flass kill firebug is the scene in that made the show for me, the fact that they killed him such cold blooded and heartless fashion and he died in such a harrowing way just floored me and demonstrated that this show is quite different and darker then BTAS despite being its inspiration. Firebug may have had it coming, but the fact that he was insane and had a warped view of reality made him somewhat sympathetic despite what he did, the fact that they took advantage of such a disturbed person for selfish reasons and hurting innocent people in the process shows how truly evil Bullock and Flass really are. We all knew Flass was bad news from start, but I was hoping that Bullock was just misguidedly following him out friendship and would come to see the light and reform himself, which is part of the characters background in the mythos. But from the looks of things, that dose not seem to be the case in this incarnation of Bullock considering great evil he has done. I always liked Harvey as noir style two fisted anti-hero who use brutal yet effective means to enact imperfect justice in an unjust world, but its interesting to see him as a villain.

[@marktheshark7588]

When I first saw Firebug from the trailer.I thought he was the show's version of Firefly.

[@dracrorasco4907]

Honestly I wished they used Tom Kenny more as he didn’t really get a lot of dialogue

[@milkiassamuel780]

This episode was definitely one of the best episodes of the show. I never heard of Firebug specifically as a character, I was already familiar with Firefly but not Firebug. Although Firebug didn't last long as a character in the show I really liked how mentally twisted was in believing he was doing what he had to fo by burning people alive, including kids. He wasn't really as fleshed out as one would've hoped but for what they wanted to with the character and his purpose in the episode I think it works. I also want to point out that Im a bit disappointed about this show reinventing Harvey Bullock as a corrupt cop. I understand that this is a whole new show and its doing its own thing withr he franchise which I admire and understand but me personally I feel like just making Bullock and generic corrupt cop made him less of an interesting character as back in the original Batman Animated Series he Harvey may have been an loud mouth, slobbish cop who had a distate for Batman personally but he still remained a good competent cop and never took a bribe from anyone staying true to his morals and loyalty to Gordon, which I just feel like makes him more of a unique character and more memorable with how well he bounces off Batman, Robin, Jim, Montoya etc.. and his dynamic with eveyone was always siper entertaining. Like i said Im totally okay with this show doing new things with characters, but I dont know I just felt like making Bulock corrupt and essentially becoming Flass's lackey was a bit underwhelming (at least for me). I do at least hope rhat in season 2 Bullock learns the error of his ways and disassociates himself with Flass ever again and is given a second chance to show how he can change and become a better cop and better man that the people of Gotham truly need. I think that would be a good character arc to give this take on Bullock to make him more memorable and interesting, showing that some corrupt cops and people have more morally grey motivations.

[@luis1237]

They should reveal his Backstory because it was like he had a abuse childhood

[@WaltzActual]

neat assessment, cool history snippets

[@katyc.8663]

I actually enjoy the corrupt dynamic between Flass and Bullock. I like that we were able to watch it unfold until one of them actually murdered a suspect.

[@thethingoid]

I am mildly upset at the change for Bullock as he was the hard headed but well meaning cop who acts as a parallel to Batman and his jealous wish to be free of the confines of law. I always liked Bullock and hope the series does something more interesting than the basic corrupt cop we have seen a million times.

[@rafakisaa1869]

Bro is a Pyro of DC.

[@theimperialcombine]

As Someone who's a fan of Video games The Fact Firebug see's The world in flames every time he puts on the goggles does give me a bit of Team Fortress 2 vibes since its Pretty much the opposite effect of Pyro's Pyroland Visions that they see instead of everything going ablaze, While this is likely a nod to Firefly's vision of a flaming goddess I want to think someone had this idea from The game and decided to do there own take on the concept as a nice tiny nod. also the fact they keep misnaming him as Firefly does go to how often people tend to confuse the characters in the comics.

[@yocapo32]

I do find it interesting that Bullock actually hesitates for a second before shooting Firebug, I wonder if they're going to do a thing like in the comics where he realizes how damaging his actions are and grow... Well, I wouldn't say a *conscience,* but a sense of duty and crooked and strange, but ultimately genuine honor.

[@kaybaumann4989]

Great video. I would like to see someone else take over the persona, with the motivation the original comic one had if the show gets another season That guy actually had a point but, going after slumlords that kill people with cheap/bad housing.

[@ShmeengusDingus]

OG Firebug sounds like a really interesting character. I kinda like him

[@finalbossbowser]

The front page story showing Bullock in the window also helps cement the corruption present in this Gotham City. The headline is positive, calling Bullock and his partner heroes, but the picture used is very ominous. Bullock does not look very heroic standing in the window gun raised, looking down on the body. A more generic picture of the burning building or firefighters at work could have been used with that headline, but instead the brazenly ominous picture of Bullock was used.

[@mrprogamer96109]

So him seeing a world on fire though the goggles, does that make him a revise Pyro from TF2?

[@thebloodedge284]

He actually did appear in batman the Brave and the bold but in his silver age version

[@SerumLake]

You might be thinking of Firefly - with the purple and green costume, right?

[@thebloodedge284]

Yes

[@SerumLake]

Yeah, they’re separate characters

[@IsaiahBuchanan175]

lol

[@matthewhecht9257]

Just like Dent said in episode 10 Bullock always does the dirty work even when it is Flass's idea.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

"Small Role, Big Impact". Would love to see how his death and even slight actions will still influence the events of Season 2 onwards, like a domino combo. OG Firebug sure has quite an origin. Also, why does he look like an amalgam of Iron Man and the Shocker? 1:37: Wow, Batman sure didn't try to save him. 1:57: Some will sound shocked that KC is black. 2:43: Sounds like one of the PowerPuff Girls 1998's neighbors. 3:43: People like me end uo quite curious to wanna know his name, but not in a "The Nameless Monster" style from, well, the manga/anime Monster. (Munch-munch, chomp-chomp, gobble-gobble, *gulp)* 3:52: Hope to see more of these foreshadowing articles in later episodes. 6:40: Seems like a The Dark Knight Returns reference, sending a SWAT team against the Bat on a tenement. 6:58: I kinda prefer the idea of Gordon not being born from Gotham though. Him being, say, a talented transfer from either Metropolis or Dakota City sounds better to me. 7:55: I would have preferred an angle in which Bullock got exposed for being a cold murderer. However, what we got is still good in a relatable sense. After all, we live in a society where the origins of Stockholm syndrome is actually made up of lies. Would love to see the Gotham Gazette and Mayor Jessop get their just desserts later in the show, even if it's of the lethal kind. 8:46: Hope it's not because it's an aborted arc, not unlike the Baccano! anime not doing anything with law enforcement hunting down Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent. Wonder if there'll be a second Firefly for the show, particularly based on the OG comics iteration with slum problems? Perhaps he's also a victim of the fateful fire in Episode 4?

[@joshuawells835]

I agree. While making an appearance, I don't see Firebug as the villain of the episode. The villains of this episode were Flass and Bullock, who used Firebug as bait to catch Batman, failed, got a building burned down, and then killed off Firebug to cover up their actions.

[@dejaypage1575]

Honestly this better shows the corruption of the GCPD

[@wolfjacket551]

It is pretty clever how flesk let bulleck kill firebug so that if the murder would be looked at negatively bulleck would be blamed

[@megamania9393]

I was wondering on if you plan on doing a video on gentleman ghost? He's one of my favorite characters in dc

[@SerumLake]

Yep, he’ll be after Harley Quinn. I’m going through the villains in the order they appeared in the show 🫡

[@Quackervoltz]

Consider this though: He's a little cutie pie

[@inkedthedemon]

I think he’s kind of stupid looking

[@SerumLake]

😂

[@numberonedad]

i guess it was a stylistic choice but the main thing that disappointed me about this show was that gotham felt really dead in general, i know lots of scenes happened at night but it often seemed like the streets were just totally deserted.

[@skellington15]

So he's TF2's Pyro.

[@greentwo6845]

Think maybe what happened to Firebug would inspire the Caped Crusader version of Firefly?

[@team10leader1]

When I saw the title of your video, I thought you were referencing that Justice League episode "Only a Dream". In it, Batman lets the other heroes know he's going to investigate a prison escapee who was part of a psychic experiment. When the other heroes deride the escapee as a small-time "nobody", Batman references "The Odyssey" where Odysseus tells the Cyclops his name is "nobody". And he doesn't sugar coat how the Cyclops got his eye poked out and (ominously enough) could only inform his friends he was hurt by "Nobody"... In short, Batman was warning his friends that if they underestimated their opponent as "Nobody", then that "nobody" would become a "Somebody" capable of taking them out. Sure enough, the escapee became Dr. Destiny and almost took out the League single-handed. I mistakenly thought that was the direction you (or rather the episode) was going. But maybe, Bullock and Flass were also the metaphorical "Nobody" in this episode if they managed to second-hand hurt so many people without anyone's notice.

[@barracuda6900]

I didn't even know Firebug was a seperate character from Firefly! That hammers your point even further. Yeah, Bullock and Flass are complete scumbags in this series. To be honest, I don't know why they couldn't have just written Flass as the bad guy, with Bullock being the cop who is unpleasant and shady, but redeemable. If we see Catwoman again in the next season, I'd like to see her humiliate those two a lot more. The pretty high society lady-thief humiliating two brutish and bent cops. 😊