EPISODE NUMBER: 26, Production Code 213

PLOT SUMMARY:

The Joker and his goons Punch and Judy are flying by balloon and covering Gotham in whiteout fluid when the Penguin adds black ink to match his colors. The Penguin cuts open the balloon and the Joker uses shoe-springs to launch an attack, bringing the Penguin down so the goons can attack. The Penguin’s kabuki bodyguards defend him and the two sides square off when a green question mark forms on the building and the Riddler and his men arrive to challenge their claim. The three of them decide Gotham isn’t big enough for the three of them, and the Riddler proposes a game – the first one to unmask the Batman is the winner and takes Gotham.

The next morning Chief Rojas is on the scene as the news announces what’s up – Rojas isn’t happy and vows to take them all down. Bruce watches the broadcast and tunes into the new Commissioner, James Gordon, who suggests they need to work outside of the box, and Bruce considers whether it’s time for him to go public. Rojas is briefing his men and Yin secretly uses the Batwave to brief Batman. Batman asks her to meet him at an abandoned cannery but Rojas overhears them and forces her to set a trap. The Joker is there but Rojas activates his ambush. The villains are unhappy that none of them win but the game is still on until Batman is unmasked.

Before Rojas can unmask Batman, the lights go out and Batman makes his escape, rescuing a handcuffed Yin in the process. They escape to the roof where they realize lights are out throughout the city and the Riddler is responsible. They escape to the Batmobile and Batman determines the source of the power outage. The Riddler reroutes a train to divert the police and then help Batman escape from the other two villains. The Joker and Riddler lose their henchmen but manage to continue the chase. Batman and Yin get to the building where the Riddler has routed the signal, and gives them a riddle to solve. Joker and Penguin arrive but Batman uses a smoke grenade to escape. The Riddler drops a trap-rocket on them, launching them into Gotham Harbor.

The Riddler is nearby to pull them out of the harbor, but when he opens the rocket he finds the Joker and Penguin – Batman managed to switch places. Riddler orders his men to take out his while the Batman and Yin take the Batboat toward the oil platform hinted at in the riddle. Rojas is preparing to follow when Commissioner Gordon confronts him. Gordon suggests they let Batman go ahead and lead them to the villains.

Yin and Batman arrive at the oil rig and Batman goes it on his own. Penguin and Joker cut a deal and take out the Riddler’s henchmen, and the Batman interrupts their final confrontation. All three of them go after him and Yin comes to his aid, taking out the crane Riddler is remote-controlling to attack him. Batman severs an oil pipe, knocking the Penguin out of the battle. Yin spots the Riddler’s remote control system and disables it while Batman takes out the Joker. The Riddler tries to claim his victory but Batman takes him down. Yin programs the Riddler’s signal to project Batlight images across the city for the “good press.” Later, the police arrive to find the three villains prisoner and Yin turns herself in. But Gordon overrides Rojas, telling him Yin helped bringing in the three Most Wanted villains and it would be bad press to arrest her. Gordon orders Rojas to reinstate Yin, then later rigs up a Batsignal of his own. Batman comes to visit him and Gordon suggests it’s a waste of resources to chase Batman – he’s supporting Batman and hopes he’ll make Gotham a safe place to raise his daughter. Batman agrees before departing into the night.

WRITTEN BY: Steven Melching

DIRECTED BY: Brandon Vietti

CAST:
Rino Romano (Bruce Wayne / Batman)
Alastair Duncan (Alfred Pennyworth)
Ming-Na (Detective Ellen Yin)
Mitch Pileggi (Commissioner Gordon)
Piera Coppola (Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy)
Jesse Corti (Chief Angel Rojas)
Kevin Michael Richardson (the Joker)
Tom Kenny (The Penguin)
Robert Englund (Riddler)

QUOTES:
Ellen: Chief's pulling out all the stops; you'd better lay low.
Batman: Not while the gruesome threesome's on the loose.

Batman: Keep a lookout.
Ellen: (scoffs) I thought I was your partner.
Batman: But you're not my sidekick.

Temblor: (To Pamela) You see, boss, the way it works is: When you don't pay, you pay!
Barbara: Hey, we're good for it. We'll raise the money with ... a bake sale! You like brownies?

INTERESTING NOTES:
None

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