History Recap / BatmanBeyondS3E1AceInTheHole

* BeastlyBloodsports: Boxer's dog-fighting operation. It's clear that Bruce and Terry find him disgusting even by criminal standards, especially when they find out about the growth hormone.

* HateSink: Boxer and sleazy dogcatcher associate are vile pieces of human garbage.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Ace was 'adopted' by Boxer and cruelly brought up as a fighting dog. He managed to escape the fighting ring, but not his training as a fighting dog.

* ThisIsUnforgivable: Once Bruce and Terry learn that Boxer runs an illegal dog-fighting ring, they immediately label him as scum. Then they find out that he's been using steroids on his dogs, made them loathe him even more.

A flashback reveals Ace's story. He was sold to Boxer by a corrupt dog pound attendant and raised as a fighting dog. However, the police raided the dog fighting ring, and Ace escaped in the confusion. Living as a stray, he wandered into Crime Alley just as Bruce paid his annual visit to the scene of his parents' murder. One of the local Jokerz attempted to mug Bruce, but Ace pounced on him. Bruce angrily sent the mugger packing, and then saw the injured dog and brought him home.

In the present, Terry's gambit has given him a lead on Boxer's hideout. Paying a visit as Batman, he discovers a chem lab and containers of Cerestone growth hormone. Not only is Boxer forcing dogs to fight, he's dosing them to make them tougher and meaner. Meanwhile, Ace is found by the corrupt attendant, who removes his tags and sells him to Boxer, who recognizes him from before.

Batman tracks the dogfighting operation to a cargo ship in the harbor. Boxer sets a trap for him, pitting him against an elephant-sized dog -- the subject of his first growth hormone experiments. The beast slams into the walls of the arena, knocking Ace's cage down some stairs and loosening its door. Ace escapes and chases Boxer, then returns just as the creature swallows Batman. Ace startles the beast, enabling Batman to escape and defeat it. Batman then collects Ronny Boxer, who is helplessly hanging from the stern of the ship.

* BeastlyBloodsports: Ronny Boxer's dog-fighting operation. It's clear that Bruce and Terry find him disgusting even by criminal standards, especially when they find out about the growth hormone.
* CallBack: Cerestone was the stuff that transformed Charlie Bigelow into a hulking brute in "Big Time".
* TheDogBitesBack: Ace recognizes and chases Ronny Boxer, bringing him to Batman's attention and putting an end to his dogfighting operation.

* MissedHimByThatMuch: Ace and Terry almost find each other twice -- once, Ace spots and barks at the Batmobile but Terry fails to notice; later, Ace wanders by just as Terry leaves, picks up his scent, but then gets captured by the corrupt dog pound attendant.
* NotSoStoic: Bruce told Terry that Ace was enough of a survivor to be OK on the streets until they found him again. The scene where he stared at Ace's dishes and his obvious relief when Ace comes home show that he was more worried than he'd let on.

* TheDogBitesBack: Ace recognizes and chases Ronny Boxer, bringing him to Batman's attention and putting an end to his dogfighting operation.

* TheDogBitesBack: Ace recognizes and chases Ronny Boxer, bringing him to Batman's attention and putting an end to his dogfighting operation.

* CallBack: Charlie Bigelow was bathed in Cerestone and transformed into a hulking brute in "Big Time".

In the present, Terry's gambit has given him a lead on Boxer's hideout. Paying a visit as Batman, he discovers a chem lab and containers of growth hormone. Not only is Boxer forcing dogs to fight, he's dosing them to make them tougher and meaner. Meanwhile, Ace is found by the corrupt attendant, who removes his tags and sells him to Boxer, who recognizes him from before.

Batman tracks the dogfighting operation to a cargo ship in the harbor. Boxer sets a trap for him, pitting him against an elephant-sized dog -- the subject of his first growth hormone experiments. The beast slams into the walls of the arena, knocking Ace's cage down some stairs and loosening its seams. Ace escapes and chases Boxer, then returns just as the creature swallows Batman. Ace startles the beast, enabling Batman to escape and defeat it. Batman then collects Ronny Boxer, who is helplessly hanging from the stern of the ship.

* BeastlyBloodsports

Batman tracks the dogfighting operation to a cargo ship in the harbor. Boxer sets a trap for him, pitting him against an elephant-sized dog -- the subject of his first growth hormone experiments. The beast slams into the walls of the arena, knocking Ace's cage down some stairs and loosening its seams. Ace escapes and chases Boxer, then returns just as the creature swallows Batman. Ace startles the beast, enabling Batman to escape and defeat it. He then collects Ronny Boxer, who is helplessly hanging from the stern of the ship.

A flashback reveals Ace's story. He was sold to Boxer by a corrupt dog pound attendant and raised as a fighting dog. However, the police raid the dog fighting ring, and Ace escapes in the confusion. Living as a stray, he wanders into Crime Alley just as Bruce pays his annual visit to the scene of his parents' murder. One of the local Jokerz attempts to mug Bruce, but Ace pounces on him. Bruce angrily sends the mugger packing, and then sees the injured dog and brings him home.

As Terry investigates, pretending to be a kid with a mean dog to sell to the dog fighting ring, Bruce gazes at Ace's dishes and bone, wondering what's happened to him.

In the present, Terry's gambit has given him a lead on Boxer's hideout. Paying a visit as Batman, he discovers a chem lab and containers of growth hormone. Not only is Boxer forcing dogs to fight, he's dosing them to make them tougher and meaner.

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