Awesome / Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Pictured: an old dog dealing with some new tricks.

• Bruce Timm and Paul Dini had stated many times that if they were going bring back any of Bruce Wayne's original foes in Batman Beyond, then said returns would be a major event. Fittingly, the return of the Joker marks the most eventful return of a Batman villain in the entirety of Batman Beyond, and the clown prince of crime more than pulls his weight for his grand return.
• Terry vs. the Jokerz on all counts. They may have the numbers, but they are the ones completely outmatched.
  • The opening heist is decently cool, between Batman fighting a spliced hyena and the Cute Bruiser twins and taking some blows, before the mid-air chase that follows, where the Jokerz pull off a decent escape even after being defeated.
  • During the nightclub scene, even without the Batsuit, Terry manages to defeat them via a combination of brawns and quick thinking.
  • Prior to facing the Joker himself, Terry takes out all of them except for Woof (the spliced kid) without any trouble. He sics Ace on Woof, sending the fool running.
    • There's an understated moment of awesome before this in the form of Batman's almost trademark Offhand Backhand, this time done by Terry himself. What makes this truly awesome is that, in a previous episode, Terry could not do this and didn't get how Bruce could. While this movie in general pretty much proved that Terry had (for the most part) grown into the role, this one in particular was an awesome demonstration.
• When the dissenting Bonk confronts the Joker over the jobs he's been sending them on. The Joker shoots Bonk right in the heart after toying with him a little, then reasserts control over the gang by asking them to pledge loyalty.
  Joker: I have to know you're with me. Will you say it for me one time?
  Jokerz: [terrified] We're with you...
  Joker: A little louder.
  Jokerz: [louder] We're with you!
  Joker: Dee Dee?
  Dee Dee Twins: We're with you!
  Joker: Boys?
  Chucko and Ghoul: We're with you!
  Joker: Bonk? [Beat] Oh, right. Dead.
  • The expression on his face when he says it just has to be seen.
    • It doesn't help that he seems to be looking right at the audience when he makes said face.
• When the Joker finally reveals himself at the gala hosted at Wayne Enterprises, he sends the hyena kid in first to get at Bruce. Bruce only watches disdainfully as the hyena jumps around him, trying to intimidate him, then when the guy finally lunges he beats his ass in two swings of his cane. Even in his eighties, Bruce hasn't lost his touch.
• The Joker gets his by finally invading the Batcave, gassing Bruce and overpowering Terry in hand-to-hand capability. Three things one might never expect that broke down barriers.
  • The first two things can certainly double as Nightmare Fuel, though...
• Joker got his own earlier during the flashback sequence in his response to uncovering Batman's true identity.
  Joker: It’s true, Batsy, I know everything. And kind of like the kid who peeks at his Christmas presents, I must admit it’s sadly anticlimactic. Behind all the sturm and batarangs, you’re just a little boy in a play suit, crying for mommy and daddy. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic. (Beat.) Oh, what the heck. I'll laugh anyway! HAA HA HA HA HA HA!
  • This becomes somewhat of a Tear Jerker as Joker honestly hit the mark. Judging by the Justice League episode "The Man Who Has Everything", he really is the eight year old Bruce seeing his parents die.
  • This final fight between the two old foes has a lot of Moments. Bruce is in full Papa Wolf mode after seeing what the Joker did to Tim Drake, and now the Joker has found out about (and thoroughly mocked) his identity and tragic past. He crashes through the window, knocking the projector over and doing a Neck Lift on the Joker...who teases, "If you don't like the movie, I've got slides!" - then throws him through said window like he was a rag doll.
  • Batman, his voice a rage-filled growl, declares he'll kill the Joker ("I’ll break you in two"), but the Joker dismissively reminds him that "if you had the guts for that kind of fun, you would have done it years ago". Then stabs him with a knife.
    • There's also the fake out. He gestures with and looks toward his right hand, then pulls the knife out of his left sleeve. Bonus points for when you realize Joker's not saying "I on the other hand...", but really "Eye on the other hand..." What could quite possibly be the one good joke he's ever made is that one that effectively defeats his nemesis.
  • Despite the thrashing he took, the censored version has Joker come out none the worse for wear and drop an enraged Batman with a single left hook.
  • The fight ends with the Joker pinning Batman down, almost purring as he softly explains that he has won, Robin is his, and the last sound Batman hears will be their laughter.
  • Then Tim breaks out of the brainwashing effect and kills the Joker.
  • Also, Harley vs. Batgirl in the flashback was epic! Bonus points for Harley having a bazooka, and Batgirl for pwning her-bazooka and all!
  • The edited/censored version of the Joker’s death gives Tim a major awesome moment. While Tim had been shown before to be no pushover in a fight, despite his age and size. The fact that the edited version has him "over power" Joker shows Joker should never have underestimated the boy.
• Tim detecting Terry spying on him even when the suit's invisibility is on. Apparently he retains some skill from his days as Robin.
• Another understated moment for Terry. Shortly after his last lead on the possible identity of the Joker turns up to be a dead end (almost literally, as the Joker makes the debut of his Kill Sat here), Terry's quietly lamenting that if he were a worthy successor to Batman, he'd have noticed the one key detail that everyone else missed, or punched in the right data into the Bat-Computer. After a quick conversation with Bruce Wayne, guess what happens?
  Terry: (Surveying the destruction to the Bat-Cave, sees the shredded Robin suit) Wait, Joker smashed up the cases, but why was this the only costume he went out of his way to destroy?
  • Cue Terry recalling his conversation with an older Tim Drake and remembering that he had become sick of the Robin suit by the time of his "retirement," and deciding to try using the Bat-Computer to cross-reference the tech the Jokerz have been stealing with something a communications expert (which Tim Drake became) could build. The ensuing result - a satellite hacking system - connects the dots, proving that Tim Drake might be connected to the Joker and giving Terry the lead to solve the case.
• The scene where The Joker hijacks a Military-grade Kill Sat, and uses it exactly the way you'd imagine the Joker would use a giant orbital laser.
  Joker: Aren't you the nasty tattle-tale! Ratting me out before I've had my fun...Papa spank!
• Joker's revealed himself, Batman is down because of an electric trap, and Joker plans to make him watch as he burns his loved ones to ash. When Joker asks for Batman's "last words"?
  "Sic 'em." *Ace tackles the Joker out of nowhere*
  • This moment gets even better in light of the Justice League episode "Wild Cards" which came out after this movie but takes place before it. For the second time, an Ace has stopped the Joker from killing Batman, especially given the implication that Ace the dog was named after Ace the girl.
• Terry vs the Joker in their final fight. Not only does the Joker manage to easily outmatch Terry (who is wearing an enhanced suit at the time) but it is really impressive given his mind is merged with Tim’s body and he now knows all the skills of the original Batman and Robin.
• Terry beats the Joker at his own mind games. Bruce tells Terry to ignore the taunts ("Joker's vain and likes to talk. He'll try to distract you, but don't listen. Block it out and power on through."), but then Terry realizes something: "Wait, I like to talk, too." Terry then proceeds to break the Joker by trash-talking. After all, a comedian's worst nightmare is The Heckler. Joker's primary Berserk Button is being laughed at and serving as the butt of someone else's prank.
  (Terry knees Joker in the groin)
  Joker: What are you doing?!
  Terry: Fighting dirty.
  Joker: The real Batman would never— (Terry digs the knee in deeper) AUGH!
  Terry: Told you you didn't know me.
  (Terry knocks the Joker backwards)
  Joker: (Slasher Smile) Funny guy...
  Terry: Can't say the same for you.
  (The Joker throws a punch at Terry that misses and he runs into a desk)
  Joker: Impudent brat! Who do you think you're talking to?
  Terry: Not a comedian, I'll tell you that.
  Joker: (grabs a gun and shoots at Terry) Shut your mouth!
  (Terry dodges and flies up into the rafters)
  Terry: The real Batman never talked to you much, did he? That's probably why you were so fixated on him.
  (Terry uses a Batarang to knock Joker's gun out of his hand)
  Joker: Don't play psychoanalyst with me, boy!
  Terry: Oh, I don't need a degree to figure you out.
  (Terry uses another Batarang to hit the power switch so the Joker can't see him)
  Terry: The real reason you kept coming back was you never got a laugh out of the old man.
  Joker: I'm not hearing this...
  Terry: Get a clue, clowny! He's got no sense of humor! He wouldn't know a good joke if it bit him in the cape. Not that you ever had a good joke.
  Joker: Shut up... Shut up!
  Terry: I mean, joy buzzers, squirting flowers? Lame! Where's the "A" material? Make a face, drop your pants, something!
  Joker: Show yourself!
  Terry: You make me laugh...but only because I think you're kinda pathetic. (imitates the Joker's laugh)
  Joker: Stop that!
  Terry: So you fell in a tank of acid, got your skin bleached, and decided to become a supervillain. What, you couldn't get work as a rodeo clown? (laughs again)
  Joker: Don't you dare laugh at me!
  Terry: Why? I thought the Joker always wanted to make Batman laugh!
  Joker: YOU'RE NOT BATMAN!
  • The fight ends with Joker choking an incapacitated Terry:
    Joker: C'mon, McGinnis! Laugh it up now! You miserable little punk! LAUGH! (in Terry's face) I CAN'T HEAR YOU!
    Terry: (straining) Ha. Ha. (uses Joker's own joybuzzer to zap the microchip containing Joker's mind, effectively killing him)
    • What adds to the awesomeness is that Terry used the Break Them by Talking as a distraction so that he could get the joy buzzer. Way to plan ahead.
    • Another layer to it is this is exactly how Joker would have killed Bruce in the flashback if he hadn't left the killing blow to Tim: get him worked up so he stops paying attention.
    • The ultimate win for Terry? Not only does he finally defeat the Joker once and for all, he does so in a way Bruce couldn't even conceive, much less execute. Bruce believed ignoring the Joker and his gags was the best method, but it just made the villain all the more determined to keep coming back and break Batman's stoic demeanor. Terry, on the other hand, realizes that the one thing that makes comedians like the Joker lose their focus is having their act picked apart by their audience.
    • Major crowning moment of voice acting, too: Will Friedle relishes in Terry's mocking, sneering tone, managing to make the laughter legitimately unnerving, and Mark Hamill just utterly breaks down the Joker's calm and superiority; it's incredible work by both actors.
    • This takes a whole new level of awesome as Friedle has mentioned in many interviews as well as in his and Christy Carlson Romano’s podcast I Hear Voices that while sitting between legends like Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, he used to feel that he didn’t belong there and that he might get fired eventually. Turns out, He Really Can Act.
    • Possibly unintentional on Friedle's part, but halfway through his Breaking Speech, Terry drops his "Batman voice" altogether. It really gives you the impression that he doesn't consider the Joker worth the effort.
    • Keep in mind, Terry's not quite as super intelligent as Bruce Wayne, but he still manages to pull a special kind of Batman Gambit by taunting Joker to get him close enough to short circuit the microchip.
    • And do you know what? In the late 2010s, A "Batman who laughs" would terrorize all the DC comics. But this time, ten years before, a Batman would defeat the Joker, and everything the Joker stood for, just laughing. Maybe it was not planned, but Terry is the complete antithesis of the Darkest Knight.
• The final scene when we hear the revamped version of the original Batman theme play for Terry just before the credits. Because that is when Terry truly became Batman, not just Bruce's errand boy.
• Let's face it, isn't it awesome that the Joker is finally dead, deconstructed and broken by the new Batman?
• Andrea Romano had a turn at voiceacting the brainwashed Robin. Despite being primarily a casting director, Romano's Laughing Mad Robin is chilling.
• The opening theme by Kristopher Carter and the credits in particular is awesome to listen to. Introduces the musical motif for the Joker while also giving a badass remix of the Batman Beyond theme. Complete with a combination of electric guitar with touches of orchestra; truly a combination of the old with the new. Listen here!

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