History Fridge / BatmanTheAnimatedSeries

** It's also not a bad plan if you think about it. The other super-villains roll their eyes and look down on "Croc" for his plan, but that's because they all suffer from crippling cases of ComplexityAddiction; their plans are all elaborate and complicated DeathTrap-laden schemes that inevitably fall apart because of one little thing they didn't anticipate that lets Batman PullTheThread and unravel everything. But if you really want to whack someone, there's a reason that bludgeoning is one of the oldest forms of murder known to man; it's simple and it gets the job done. Croc isn't stupid; unlike the other villains, Croc is ''practical'' [[spoiler: And also unlike the other villains, Batman recognises that.]]

** It's also not a bad plan if you think about it. The other super-villains roll their eyes and look down on "Croc" for his plan, but that's because they all suffer from crippling cases of ComplexityAddiction; their plans are all elaborate and complicated DeathTrap-laden schemes that inevitably fall apart because of one little thing they didn't anticipate that lets Batman PullTheThread and unravel everything. But if you really want to whack someone, there's a reason that bludgeoning is one of the oldest forms of murder known to man; it's simple and it gets the job done. Croc isn't stupid, and in posing that plan Batman isn't insulting him because he recognises that, unlike the other villains, Croc is ''practical''.

** The story also causes the others to roll their eyes and ignore Croc from then on, thus [[spoiler:reducing the risk that anyone will see through Batman's disguise]].

** Also, Joker doesn't want to be humiliated in the underworld, which is what will happen if he admits that he was duped. Being a super-criminal of his reputation and going to jail on tax evasion charges would be nearly as humiliating. However, if the authorities, or Batman catch him while committing a string of armed robberies, those will likely take precedence over tax evasion, and he'll be sent back to Arkham. Either way, in his mind, it's win-win.

** Alternatively, Step One: watch [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE21MadLove "Mad Love"''. Step Two: watch ANY episode with the Joker and Harley Quinn in it, and realize that her attempts to save face when goofing up are less about her being a PerkyFemaleMinion, and more about just trying [[DomesticAbuse not to get hit for it]].

* In ''Almost Got 'Im'', Killer Croc's story about almost defeating Batman was comically simple and unimpressive, climaxing with him throwing a rock at Batman.[[note]]''"It was a big rock."''[[/note]] This actually doesn't jive with the portrayal in the rest of the series where, while Croc isn't by any means a ''smart'' villain, he isn't stupid either, he just relies on strength and animal cunning. The brilliance is that [[spoiler:[[CastAsAMask that's not really Killer Croc playing poker with them - it's Batman in disguise]] likely playing up how others view Croc.]]

** There is, however, a subtler brilliance to the scene - Not only did Joker believe he ''was'' about to die, which probably exhilarated him, but the revelation that the gun was a dud probably confirmed in his mind some sort of perceived immortality that was played up a lot with Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker.

-->''Look Charlie, [[IronicEcho You had a busy day]]. All this running around, all this excitement with [[CrowningMomentOfFunny BATMAAAAAAAN!]]"

* The episode "A Bullet for Bullock" has a classic EnemyMine: A [[CondescendingCompassion condescending Batman]] is helping a distrusting Bullock to discover who is trying to kill him. It’s a character study about Bullock, a NobleBigotWithABadge who, despite being an honest cop, his [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkassery]] has managed to alienate everyone around him. When Bullock invokes a NotSoDifferent scenario, Batman is insulted. At the end, when Bullock shows he is a JerkWithAHeartOfGold as he genuinely tries to thank Batman for his help, Batman answers ''Forget it, Bullock. You’ve got enough problems.''. You could interpret this as CondescendingCompassion. It's not. Batman is genuinely scared by [[JacobMarleyWarning Bullock’s fate]]. Cue WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond and we see Bruce Wayne with an even worse case of LonelyAtTheTop.

* Step One: Watch WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker. Step Two: Watch any Batman episode that focuses on Tim Drake, especially if it features his trademark recklessness and devil-may-care attitude. Step Three: Hide under a blanket; eat ice cream out of the carton; try not to cry.
** Alternatively, Step One: watch MadLove. Step Two: watch ANY episode with the Joker and Harley Quinn in it, and realize that her attempts to save face when goofing up are less about her being a PerkyFemaleMinion, and more about just trying [[DomesticAbuse not to get hit for it]].

* In ''Joker’s Favor'', The Peregrinator’s Club offers an homage to Gordon that TheJoker wants to spoil… when Batman chases him, the Joker flees to an exact reproduction of a MayIncaTec temple built exactly like the original… including the {{BoobyTrap}}s… ''Just what kind of club does that?''

* In ''Baby Doll,'' remember when Mary Dahl put the dynamite on the cake? She wasn't stepping away. She wanted to ''kill herself together with her former cast members.''

* Doesn't anyone else here realize that Creeper [[StalkerWithACrush was basically trying]] to ''rape'' Harley?

* In ''Almost Got Him'' Two-Face mentions that if the giant coin lands on Batman it'll crush him, after Batman escapes the coin lands on two grunts...
* In Mad Love Batman tricks Harley into calling the Joker just so he has time to escape, knowing the Joker would respond violently at best. Mister ThouShaltNotKill deliberately talked Harley in an action that could have resulted in her horrifically violent death, just to save himself. And Harley only survived that plummet by sheer luck...

** Additionally, it's in Croc's nature to betray his allies like that. There was an earlier episode where a group of kindly circus freaks took him in. He still tried to steal from them despite the fact that he genuinely seemed to be bonding with them.

* Doesn't anyone else here realize that Creeper was basically trying to rape Harley?

* In "Love Is A Croc" (I think that's the one) it actually makes sense that Croc would cheat on Baby Doll. She has the body of ''a five-year-old!'' Croc's a cannibal, not a pedophile.

* In the ending of ''Harlequinade'', the Joker, perhaps for the first time ever, shows genuine love and affection to Harley, after the she tries to blow his head with a machine gun and fails by no fault of her own. The obvious Fridge Brilliance is that the Joker revelled in seeing Harley pushed far enough to pull the trigger. In his own twisted mind, she finally matched up to a standard that he did not believe she could.

* In "Zantanna" the titualar character tries to read Bruce's future, but fails to say the right card. The right card, however, is a joker. As in, she really did tell his future with the playing cards.

* The episode ''A bullet for Bullock'' has a classic EnemyMine: A [[CondescendingCompassion condescending Batman]] is helping a distrusting Bullock to discover who is trying to kill him. It’s a character study about Bullock, a NobleBigotWithABadge who, despite being an honest cop, his [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkassery]] has managed to alienate everyone around him. When Bullock invokes a NotSoDifferent scenario, Batman is insulted. At the end, when Bullock shows he is a JerkWithAHeartOfGold as he genuinely tries to thank Batman for his help, Batman answers ''Forget it, Bullock. You’ve got enough problems.''. You could interpret this as CondescendingCompassion. It's not. Batman is genuinely scared by [[JacobMarleyWarning Bullock’s fate]]. Cue WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond and we see Bruce Wayne with an even worse case of LonelyAtTheTop.
* In ''Heart Of Ice'' Mr. Freeze's arch enemy is Ferris Boyle. What is the polar opposite of water freezing? Boiling!
* In "''Love Is A Croc''" (I think that's the one) it actually makes sense that Croc would cheat on Baby Doll. She has the body of ''a five-year-old!'' Croc's a cannibal, not a pedophile.

* The episode ''A bullet for Bullock'' has a classic EnemyMine: A [[CondescendingCompassion condescending Batman]] is helping a distrusting Bullock to discover who is trying to kill him. It’s a character study about Bullock, a NobleBigotWithABadge who, despite being an honest cop, his [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkassery]] has managed to alienate everyone around him. When Bullock invokes a NotSoDifferent scenario, Batman is insulted. At the end, when Bullock shows he is a JerkWithAHeartOfGold as he genuinely tries to thank Batman for his help, Batman answers ''Forget it, Bullock. You’ve got enough problems.''. You could interpret this as CondescendingCompassion. It's not. Batman is genuinely scared by Bullock’s fate. Cue WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond and we see Bruce Wayne with an even worse case of LonelyAtTheTop.

* In ''Almost Got 'Im'', Killer Croc's story about almost defeating Batman was comically simple and unimpressive, climaxing with him throwing a rock at Batman ("It was a BIG rock!"). This actually doesn't jive with the portrayal in the rest of the series where, while Croc isn't by any means a ''smart'' villain, he isn't stupid either, he just relies on strength and animal cunning. The brilliance is that [[spoiler:[[CastAsAMask that's not really Killer Croc playing poker with them - it's Batman in disguise]] likely playing up how others view Croc.]]

* In ''Almost Got 'Im'', Killer Croc's story about almost defeating Batman was comically simple and unimpressive, climaxing with him throwing a rock at Batman ("It was a BIG rock!"). This actually doesn't jive with the portrayal in the rest of the series where, while Croc isn't by any means a ''smart'' villain, he isn't stupid either, he just relies on strength and animal cunning. The brilliance is that [[CastAsAMask that's not really Killer Croc playing poker with them]].
** You would expect Batman to be a better actor than that and not play Croc out of character, though...
*** Well, the other villains never seem to suspect anything, so it's probably safe to assume they think he's just that dumb on a regular basis. He is sitting at a table with a bunch of ingenious, but narcissistic baddies, after all, and just because he's "not stupid" doesn't mean they think he's smart.
*** It also works on the level of theatrics. The ''real'' Croc is certainly no fool, but he's also not one for the kind of grandiose and intricate themed {{Death Trap}} schemes that the other villains cherish, either -- so while Killer Croc's M.O. of 'try to crush Batman's head in with a huge rock' plan is a more practical and common sense way of dealing with him, the other villains are still going to look down on him as some kind of imbecile because (a) it doesn't make for a great story and (b) it's not a show-offy way of trying to one-up the Dark Knight with your intelligence.
** He did manage to successfully frame Harvey Bullock for kidnapping several known criminals from police custody as well as planting enough suspicion that Bullock was a dirty cop- if Batman hadn't found that one shed scale it may have even worked. I would call that rather intelligent.
* In "If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?" has the camera focus on the future Riddler. Also next to him, [[{{Foreshadowing}} a large collection of cubicles in the form of a maze]]. It also shows his mindset -- he's trying to escape from the maze, by turning it into a game.

* In "''Love Is A Croc''" (I think that's the one) it actually makes sense that Croc would cheat on Baby Doll. She has the body of ''a seven-year-old!'' (?) Croc's a cannibal, not a pedophile.

** In fact, this may be what makes the famous, [[TearJerker and heartbreaking,]] ending to the episode all the more poignant - in the moment, you could take this suicide bombing as an AxCrazy MurderSuicide, until Dahl's VillainousBreakdown puts it all in depressing perspective.