History Recap / BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE22JokersFavor

** Played with in that the 614 area code is real: the area code for a large part of Central Ohio. However Springdale is in the vicinity of Cincinnati, not Columbus.

** "Home... I never thought that would sound so good. I wonder what Bonnie's making for dinner? Right now anything would tastes great. [[BookEnds Even meat loaf.]]"
** The first crime committed by the Joker onscreen during this episode? Overtaking Charlie's car without flashing. Of course, it's nothing compared to the rest of the episode.

* IHaveYourWife: The Joker strong-arms Charlie into cooperating with him by making it clear that if he tries to run, it's his wife and son that will suffer for it.

* AnAesop: Possibly several.
** Road rage is bad. Never do it, because you never know who you'll be insulting. Whether someone cuts you off in traffic or if you ''are'' that someone.
** Try to appreciate what you may already have in life while you still can. Maybe it's not as bad as you think.
** You can't always wait for someone to help you. Sometimes, you have to take matters into your own hands.
** If you wish you could have a different life, BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, as you may end up wanting your mundane life back.

** Road rage is bad. Never do it, because you never know who you'll be insulting. Wether someone cuts you off in traffic or if you ''are'' that someone.

This episode marks the first appearance of [[CanonImmigrant Harley Quinn]].

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: During Charlie's big speech to the Joker, he comments that for all of his pompousness and showmanship, the Clown Prince of Crime is truly motivated by only one thing--destroying Batman in a grandiose scheme (or dying in the effort at the very least). He then asks the Joker about that very fact: "See? ''I'' can destroy a man's dreams, too! And that's ''really'' the only dream you've got, ''isn't it?!''"

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Downplayed. After the Joker is done threatening Charlie at the beginning, he walks off laughing. The Joker doing cruel things and laughing is nothing special, but what makes this moment stand out is that, instead of his usual high-pitched, psychotic laughter, this time the Joker's laughter is surprisingly ''[[https://youtu.be/42F23JCQXYA?t=288 low and ominous]]''. He's ''not'' playing up the clown image for once, this is just pure, cold-hearted malice.

* FalseCameraEffects: When the Joker threatens Charlie Collins' family by phone, the camera's depth of field moves from Charlie inside his house to his wife and son outside; when he hangs up, it shifts to Charlie again.

* CardboardPrison: Joker casually mentions that he "arranged for another early parole" from Arkham upon hearing about Commissioner Gordon's special award. Whether he escaped or entered some kind of insanity plea is never mentioned.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In this, Harley Quinn's debut appearance, she mentions having previously gone to beauty school rather than the former Arkham Asylum psychiatrist that would later be established as part of her backstory (though she may have merely been speaking rhetorically).
** It's also possible that she ''did'' go to beauty school at some point in her life before going to medical school.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: A non-villainous example with Charlie, who started out as a simple everyday man who was unlucky enough to cross paths with the Joker, but ultimately manages to terrify even him for a moment.
* GoshDarnItToHeck: Charlie's motorway rant to the Joker, which is explicitly stated as "cussing him out", is remarkably tame: "Hey, buddy! Yeah, I'm talking to you, clown! You think you own the whole road? Why, for two cents I'd..." However, given that Joker himself is a complete psychopath, it's not surprising that he chooses to take this mild string of insults so personally.
** Though it's possible that he wasn't actually offended by Charlie's insults and just used them as the perfect excuse to intimidate and kill someone.

*** Again, when the Joker somehow found him despite legally chaining his name and moved, because he's been watching him all this time.

* TheOnlyWayToBeSure: Charlie says that killing the Joker is the only way to make sure Joker doesn't come after his family. This is subverted when Joker gives up all the info he has to find them, and Charlie shows the bomb was a dud.

** Charlie attempts this at the start of the episode. Big mistake (see Rant-Inducing Slight).

* AlliterativeName: Charlie Collins.

* {{Deconstruction}}: The episode looks at Gotham through the eyes of average Joe. Charlie isn't a trained superhero, police officer, or a martial artist, and so when he enters the Joker's sights, he doesn't have some fun adventure but is functionally being hunted down for sport by a deranged killer. Charlie is forced to flee Gotham for his safety, and when that doesn't work, he's forced to tough up and deal with the Joker himself... after which he immediately goes back to his mundane life.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In this, Harley Quinn's debut appearance, she mentions having previously gone to beauty school rather than the former Arkham Asylum psychiatrist that would later be established as part of her backstory.

* ComicallySmallDemand: Joker's Favor turns out to be for Charlie to open the door for Harley to wheel in the cake.

%%* GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: When Batman meets Charlie Collins, he is a pathetic victim of the Joker who is HoldingOutForAHero and could have helped the Joker to kill a lot of people. When the Dark Knight encounters the two in the alley, he calls him "Charlie." After Charlie successfully strong-arms the Joker into giving up all of the information he has on his family, thereby ensuring their safety, ''and'' reveals that the bomb he used to menace the clown was just a dud, Batman chuckles and respectfully calls him "Mr. Collins."

* FromNobodyToNightmare: A non-villainous example with Charlie, who stared out as a simple everyday man who was unlucky enough to cross paths with the Joker, but ultimately manages to terrify even him for a moment.

** Road rage is bad. Never do it, because you never know who you'll be insulting.

* {{Leitmotif}}: It's ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', so [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auVb6XQLRR0 Charlie has one]]. It's a whistling tune (backed by tuba!) used in increasingly ominous ways as things go sour. The ending has a TriumphantReprise of some sort, where he's able to simply and safely head back home in relief.

* {{Leitmotif}}: It's ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', so [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auVb6XQLRR0 Charlie has one]]. It's a whistling tune (backed by tuba!) used in increasingly ominous ways as things go sour.

* EntitledBastard: Just after another attempt against Batman's life, who's the guy the Joker asks for help when Charlie threatens to kill him?

* DirtyCoward: While completely merciless towards Charlie Collins when he has the upper hand, once Charlie [[TheDogBitesBack gets one of the Joker's bombs and threatens to blow him up]] the Joker starts pathetically screaming for Batman to save him.

* WitlessProtection: Charlie Collins, after his harrowing encounter with the Joker, moved well away from Gotham City and changed his name; only to not only receive a call from the Joker wishing to cash in his favor a few years later, but when he looks out the window, there are a couple of the Joker's goons right outside his house [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse in case he tries to say "no"]]. For further horror points, it is established that Joker only kept tabs on Charlie [[ForTheEvulz as a hobby]].