History Recap / BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE15TheCatAndTheClawPart1

* {{Pilot}}: Aired as one for ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' as well as the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse. Despite this, it's overlooked by the actual pilot, "On Leather Wings".

* {{Pilot}}: Aired as one for ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' as well as the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse.

* {{Pilot}}: Aired as one for ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' as well as the Franchise/{{DCAU}}.

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* ForcefulKiss: After Batman saves Catwoman from falling, she happily kisses him as he carries her to a rooftop. He barely reacts to it at all though, only seeming to notice what she is doing after several second, and once they reach the rooftop he is able to gently push her off him.

* {{Irony}}: Selina muses how she would rather be going out on a date with Batman than Bruce Wayne, even starting she wished it was Batman on the other side of her door before opening it to reveal Bruce, all while completely clueless the two are one-in-the-same.

This was the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' aired. The story is continued in [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE16TheCatAndTheClawPart2 "The Cat and the Claw: Part 2"]], which strangely was the eighth episode aired, unlike other two-parters, which were aired one part after the first.[[note]]This was done because the two '"The Cat and the Claw" episodes aired on two Saturday nights with "On Leather Wings" airing the following Sunday night, while the first week of the series aired on weekday afternoons between the two Saturdays.[[/note]]

This was the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' aired. The story is continued in [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE16TheCatAndTheClawPart2 "The Cat and the Claw: Part 2"]], which strangely was the eighth episode aired, unlike other two-parters, which were aired one part after the first.[[note]]This was done because the two "The Cat and the Claw" episodes aired on two Sunday nights, while the first week of the series aired on weekday afternoons between the two Sundays.[[/note]]

This was the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' aired. The story is continued in [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE16TheCatAndTheClawPart2 "The Cat and the Claw: Part 2"]], which strangely was the eighth episode aired, unlike other two-parters, which were aired one part after the first.

* OffModel: Probably the UrExample for Creator/{{Sunrise}}, who, along with {{Creator/AKOM}} (who did part two), would cause no end of grief for the producers.
-->'''Director Kevin Altieri:''' In cartoons if you want lines to bend over characters, it's not a trick, it's real animation, you shouldn't do it. The chances of it working are astronomical, but I went for it anyway, and they did it! They blew so many other simpler things, and this they pulled off.

* LaserHallway: Catwoman uses a clever way of getting past the laser grid surrounding a diamond necklace; she uses her housecat Isis--who can see the infrared beams and, thus, can steer around them with her sleek body--to get the jewelry for her.

The episode opens with an [[SceneryPorn impressive view]] of Gotham City, with ClassyCatBurglar Catwoman climbing up a building. With the help of her cat, Isis, she steals a valuable-looking pearl and diamond necklace from a penthouse. The camera then shifts to Franchise/{{Batman}}, who it turns out was watching the whole thing from the top of a building, intrigued that a woman could be this new burglar. Batman then gives chase to her, but fails to catch her. Catwoman blows a kiss while she leaves. Batman leaves impressed, while he collects a hair off his costume.

The focus shifts to an Animal-Rights Celebrity Auction, where billionaire playboy and philanthropist Bruce Wayne is called to the stage. A blonde lady in a red dress, named Selina Kyle wins the auction for a date with Bruce with the very steep bid of $10,000. Bruce then goes to meet Selina and is visibly interested in her. Machine gun fire is then heard outside with police cars in chase. Bruce inconspicuously vanishes from the auction to see the ruckus, where it turns out a group of terrorists under the control of a notorious leader named Red Claw, as Batman learns from Commissioner James Gordon.

Bruce arrives at Selina's house, where he learns that Selina lost a deal for land for a Mountain Lion preserve in favor of Multigon International. When they go to Multigon International, they learn that the owner, Stern, wants to build a resort on the land, despite it being in the middle of nowhere. Selina then threatens to bring every animal rights group down on Stern before storming out. When Selina and Bruce move out, Stern secretly meets with Red Claw (who it turns out is female) who orders that someone keep tabs on Selina. In the meantime, Selina asks a rain check on hers and Bruce's date.

That night, Batman interrogates a mob boss to get info on Red Claw. Red Claw then calls a meeting with her henchmen, stating her plans to unleash an infectious plague on Gotham. Catwoman infiltrates Stern's office to get info, but she is secretly under surveillance by Red Claw, who goes with her henchmen to take care of her. Isis warns Catwoman of the coming trouble and escapes through the ventilation system before Red Claw and her henchmen barge in. Red Claw's terrorists then go and give chase. While Catwoman tries to escape by roof hopping, Red Claw blasts away a ledge she hangs on, only to be saved by Batman.

Catwoman then arrives and removes her mask, where she tells her secretary that Red Claw wants the land because of the military base there, but unfortunately, one of Red Claw's terrorists sees Selina, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger.

The story is continued in [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE16TheCatAndTheClawPart2 "The Cat and the Claw: Part 2"]], which strangely was the eighth episode aired unlike other two-parters, which were aired one part after the first.

!!Tropes:

* AirVentPassageway: Catwoman does this to escape from Red Claw.
* {{Auction}}
* BachelorAuction
* TheBaroness: Red Claw

* LaserHallway: Catwoman uses a clever way of getting past such a hallway (actually, a room) to steal a diamond necklace; she uses her housecat Isis -- who can see the infrared beams and, thus, can steer around them with her sleek body -- to get the jewelry for her.

--> '''Director Kevin Altieri:''' ''"In cartoons if you want lines to bend over characters, it's not a trick, it's real animation, you shouldn't do it. The chances of it working are astronomical, but I went for it anyway, and they did it! They blew so many other simpler things, and this they pulled off."''

* SongsInTheKeyOfLock: The keys of a piano had to be pressed in the right order -- the first few bars of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" -- to open a secret door. Catwoman, having had piano lessons, played that out with ease and then continued... showing the hidden parts of the room.

--> '''Director Kevin Altieri''': ''"In cartoons if you want lines to bend over characters, it's not a trick, it's real animation, you shouldn't do it. The chances of it working are astronomical, but I went for it anyway, and they did it! They blew so many other simpler things, and this they pulled off."''