Batman: The Animated Series – Batman and Bat Family / Characters

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The Gotham Knights by Bruce Timm.^Characters

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Bat Family

Batman

Batman I (Bruce Wayne)

Abilities: Genius-level intelligence, master detective, peak human physical condition, master martial artist, multilingualism

Voiced by: Kevin Conroy

"I am vengeance! I am the night! I am BATMAN!"

See here for more info about him.

Robin I / Nightwing

Robin I / Nightwing (Dick Grayson)

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^{Click here to see him as Nightwing}

Voiced by: Loren Lester

"Hey, no one can be a Boy Wonder forever."

Just like his comic book counterpart, Dick was a member of The Flying Graysons, a family of circus acrobats. His parents were killed by a mobster named Tony Zucco. After being taken in by Bruce Wayne, he eventually finds out his secret and takes up the role of Robin. Eventually, he grows up and strikes out on his own, taking a new name: Nightwing.

'80s Hair: He sports a mullet as Nightwing. Although, he would eventually cut his hair short again, as seen in Batman and Harley Quinn, as well as some of the tie-in comics.
Adaptational Early Appearance: Not Dick himself (as he is traditionally Batman's first sidekick anyway), but his Robin costume in the DCAU as actually Tim Drake's and while it'd be retconned that Dick would wear something like it during winter missions as Robin, it still wouldn't debut until after Tim became Robin.
Adaptational Jerkass: As Nightwing, he's shown to be much more angry and bitter about Batman then he ever was in the comics, though he's mellowed out considerably by the time of Batman and Harley Quinn.
Adaptational Modesty: This version of Dick wears Tim Drake's classic Robin costume, complete with leggings, instead of the shorts and pixie boots associated with Dick (and pre-New 52, Jason Todd).
Advertised Extra: Nightwing is on the logo of The New Batman Adventures alongside Batman and Robin, but Dick is only in a quarter of the episodes (and in costume in even less).
Aloof Ally: As Nightwing at first in "You Scratch My Back". Occasionally afterwards too.
Animal-Themed Superbeing: Birds.
Art Evolution: He received a redesign in the revamped forth season of Batman: TAS (also known as The New Batman Adventures) due to the fact that he adopted the identity of Nightwing through the fact that his build became sleeker along with the fact that he has broader shoulders, which showcased his emergence as a mature hero in his own right, and that the short spiky hair that he wore as Robin had grown longer in addition to being styled to flow down the back of the neck (which he wore it in a ponytail as a civilian).
Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: He and Batgirl show this in the end of "You Scratch My Back". But sadly, they never got back together.
Batgirl: You alright?
Nightwing: You know me, always happy to have a little help.
Badass Normal: Like Batman, he is a very capable and skilled hero despite the fact that he does not have any powers.
Badass Biker: As Robin, he often rides a motorcycle alongside the Batmobile, and as Nightwing, he has his own Nightcycle.
Beware the Nice Ones: "Robin's Reckoning" and "Old Wounds" are very good examples. The former even has Dick admitting that he's too dangerous if you do manage to hurt him.
Robin: You were right, you know, not bringing me along. You knew I'd take it too personally.
Big Brother Mentor: To Tim.
Broken Pedestal: Unlike in the comics, Dick and Bruce never truly reconcile after their falling out onscreen (though offscreen, they seemed to make amends in "Old Wounds"). Though Batman and Harley Quinn appears to rectify this since the two work together quite well with no signs of Teeth-Clenched Teamwork between the two.
The Cameo: Averts Chuck Cunningham Syndrome due to infrequent name-drops in Batman Beyond, but his only post-TNBA appearances are two brief glimpses in Justice League (although his first one took place in an alternative timeline). He returns as a main character in Batman and Harley Quinn.
Character Development: He develops from a sidekick to a respected hero on his own terms.
Chained to a Bed: This happens to him in Batman and Harley Quinn. Harley captures Nightwing and duct-tapes him to her bed, since she's decided to go straight and so can't just kill him. On seeing Nightwing has become... aroused at seeing her strip down to her underwear, she decides to take advantage of the situation. Batman is not amused when he turns up.
Nightwing: Like you never made out with a supervillain...
Chick Magnet: Just ask Barbara Gordon, Selina Kyle, Harley Quinn & his study date Cindy from "House & Garden." If the latter's to be believed, whole cheerleader squads want a piece of him! Possibly also Candice, if it was her decision to leave him shirtless after Dick was stripped in the episode "Bane."
Circus Brat: His backstory, as always. He was the youngest of the Flying Graysons until his family is killed.
Commuting on a Bus: Done intentionally. Dick spends most of the week at school, letting Batman establish himself both with and without a partner. He only appears in two episodes of the first season. This continues when he graduates to his Nightwing identity. Justice League Unlimited suggests he does double duty in both Gotham and Blüdhaven.
Composite Character: Downplayed, as Dick's costume here with its quirks (black and yellow cape, leggings instead of shorts) is basically Tim's from the then-current comics instead of Dick's classic look.
Cool Bike: He used one as Robin from time to time and later used the Nightcycle as Nightwing.
Dance Battler: While his fighting style is more acrobatic than dance-like, he did train in capoeira.
Dating Catwoman: He had his own brief fling with Catwoman in "You Scratch My Back". And he had another with Harley Quinn in Batman and Harley Quinn, much to Batman's chagrin.
Deadpan Snarker: He is very much so. One of the most notable instances is in "Robin's Reckoning, Part 1", where he remarks that if he knew their stakeout would take so long, he would have brought his homework with him. After Batman replies to all his statements with "Uh-huh", Robin then remarks that lucky for him, Batman is a good conversationalist.
Designated Victim: You could tell when a writer wanted to get Batman alone and take Robin out of they way because he would always be injured at the beginning of the episode or taken hostage for Bats to rescue. They clearly wanted Batman and Bane to fight one on one, but that's just ridiculous. It's not really the show's fault as one of Robin's nicknames in the comics is "Boy Hostage". It's hard being a sidekick. Also, the better writers on the show (such as Paul Dini) would incorporate Robin successfully into the story without victimizing him.
Did Not Get the Girl: His relationship with Barbara fell apart after he left and his attempts to rekindle it were stunted by her feelings for Bruce. Hammering it in, Batman Beyond shows that the two of them didn't end up together.
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: In "Old Wounds", he flattens Batman with one punch.
Domino Mask: He wears one as both as Robin and Nightwing.
Dub Name Change: Like usual on the Venezuelan dub, Dick Grayson name was changed to Ricardo Tapia. Nightwing was changed to Ala Nocturna (Nocturnal Wing) in some episodes, a faithful translation.
Dude, Where's My Respect?: He has these a couple of times with Batman, which is also part of the many issues that broke up the dynamic duo.
Four-Temperament Ensemble: Choleric
The Ghost: Unlike Barbara and Tim, Dick doesn't appear in Batman Beyond.
He's Back!: In the end of "Sins of the Father".
Dick: Hey, no one can be a boy wonder forever.
Kid Hero All Grown-Up: As Nightwing.
Kid Sidekick: He started out as one, but the series starts when he's in college.
The Lancer: Before becoming Nightwing, he would often fight at Batman's side and make witty remarks about him.
Likes Older Women: His dalliances with Selina & Quinn hint at this.
Long-Haired Pretty Boy: He has a very attractive design and long black hair as Nightwing.
Mr. Fanservice: Nightwing is, shall we say, quite a handsome fellow.
Nice Guy: He is a very kind man who can sometimes be more level-headed than Batman and rarely slips into the sick obsession he has.
"Not So Different" Remark: Tim comments on how Dick isn't that different from Bruce, when he points out that they had the same answer ("Things change") when he asked them why they stopped working together. The difference isn't in how they are, but in how they act. Dick, unlike Bruce, takes steps to avert the negative consequences of being a dark figure of the night, while Bruce seems to see it as a necessary sacrifice of his mission. When Tim points out their similarity in brushing him off, Nightwing immediately looks chagrined and tells him the full story. It's not hard to imagine Batman would have just continued to sulk.
Origins Episode: "Robin's Reckoning" for Robin and "Old Wounds"/The Lost Years for Nightwing.
Parental Abandonment: Although he's a little better at dealing with it than Bruce. Not only was he older than Bruce when it happened, but when you work without a net like his parents did the risk is something you always live with.
Rage Against the Mentor: Towards Batman, which lead him to leave and become Nightwing.
Rebuilt Pedestal: Started to view Batman negatively after watching him interrogate the Joker's hired goon in front of the man's wife and young son. When he found out that Bruce Wayne hired the man as a security guard and regularly inquires about his family, he remembered that Batman really is a good person underneath the gruffness. Even though they never regained their prior level of closeness, they get along well enough and are able to work together again.
The Mole: To Catwoman in "You Scratch My Back".
Same Character, But Different: Dick's transformation from Robin to Nightwing.
Dick: (quitting as Robin) Things change! I changed!
Shamu Fu: "Harley's Holiday" has him using two fish as nunchuks.
Shirtless Captives: In "Bane", he is kidnapped by Bane and his accomplice. He is stripped of his shirt and dangled by chains over a tank in which they intend to drown him. Justified in that Bane uses the uniform shirt to show Batman that he'd kidnapped Robin.
Sidekick - Interestingly, he fills the same function as a Kid Sidekick without actually being one: he's college-age throughout most of Batman: TAS and graduates prior to The New Batman Adventures.
Sidekick Graduations Stick: Just like in the comics, he leaves the mantle of Robin to become Nightwing.
Tall, Dark, and Snarky: He gets this quality from Bruce, even if he isn't as intense. Who could be?
Took a Level in Badass: Well, a few more levels after becoming Nightwing.
Tranquil Fury: Robin is noticeably quieter in SubZero, but after Barbara is kidnapped he's really, really pissed off.
Unwilling Suspension: He was chained up this way above a rising pit of water after being kidnapped by the title character in "Bane". For best effect, they added an equivalent of Cement Shoes to his feet.
Vocal Evolution: His voice is much deeper and lower in The New Batman Adventures due to him being older.
What the Hell, Hero?: He delivers these to Bruce on a couple of occasions, twice in "Old Wounds" on his growing obsession and keeping Batgirl's identity a secret from him. He also gives one to Barbara for not telling him about it (ignoring the fact he didn't tell her about his), resulting in breaking off their relationship.
Working with the Ex: With Barbara in The New Batman Adventures.
You Can't Go Home Again: He had to leave the circus, since Zucco might come after him. Saying good-bye to his friends he considers his family as much as his parents.
- After his falling out with Bruce he does occasionally work with him, but does not move back into the Manor or the Batcave and starts operating mostly out of Bludhaven.

Batgirl

Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dcogru6_2857b45a_0912_4bd0_9630_4deb66d7b986_9.png

^{Click here to see her TNBA costume}

Voiced by: Melissa Gilbert (Batman: The Animated Series), Mary Kay Bergman (Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero), Tara Strong (The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker flashback, Gotham Girls, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman), Stockard Channing (Batman Beyond seasons 1 and 2), Angie Harmon (Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Batman Beyond season 3)

"So Batman can't help me? Fine. Let's see what Batgirl can do!"

The daughter of Police Commissioner Gordon, Barbara first takes up the Bat cowl when her father is framed for corruption by Corrupt Cop Gil Mason. She plans to attend a "Gordon is innocent" rally while impersonating Batman, believing that the appearance of the Caped Crusader will drum up support for her father. When she gets involved in a drive-by shooting that hits the rally, she is partially unmasked by Robin when he rips the back of her cowl, freeing her hair and leaving the city wondering "Who is Batgirl?"

Barbara operates independently during her appearances in Batman: The Animated Series, but she is officially inducted into the Bat-Family by the time of The New Batman Adventures. She serves as Batman's main partner throughout the series, replacing Dick Grayson, while the new Robin (Tim Drake) is more of a once in a while helper.

By the time of Batman Beyond, Barbara has become older and put aside the cowl and picked up the badge, taking her father's place as Police Commissioner of Gotham City. As fate would have it, the long-retired Bruce Wayne has just taken on a protege as the new Batman. See here for tropes applying to her in that show.

Abled in the Adaptation: Unlike her comic counterpart and most incarnations of her, she never becomes paralyzed at any point in the DCAU, which also means she never becomes Oracle.
Action Heroine: She initially appears only as Commissioner Gordon's daughter, but she transforms into Batgirl over the series and becomes an official member of the Bat Family.
Adventure Rebuff: Batgirl was rebuffed by Batman and Robin a couple times, but she eventually became one of Batman's partners and stayed even after Robin had left.
Age Lift: In the comics before Batman: TAS and an area where The LEGO Batman Movie was Truer to the Text, Barbara was a full-grown adult when she became Batgirl—which was while Dick was a still a teenager. It was in the DCAU where they started to be depicted as around the same age, an element got Ret-Canon to the comics.
Affirmative Action Girl: According to Bruce Timm, she was made into a main character in TNBA because the network thought adding a girl to the main cast would help court female viewers.
All-Loving Heroine: A lot like Batman, Barbara is kind, compassionate, refuses to kill her enemies and even prefers to save most of the villains.
Art Evolution: Batgirl's costume was redesigned when Batman: TAS was revamped into The New Batman Adventures. The grey and blue coloring of her Batman: TAS costume were replaced with black and yellow along with scallops on her gloves and inside of her cape became yellow in addition to wearing a different utility belt. Her bright red lipstick is also changed to dark red.
Ascended Extra: She was a minor supporting character in the initial seasons as she only appeared as Batgirl in three episodes, but becomes part of the primary cast after the revamp. In The New Batman Adventures, she actually serves as Batman's main partner and a secondary main character of the series, appearing more often than both the new Tim Drake Robin and Nightwing.
Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: She and Nightwing show this in the end of "You Scratch My Back". Sadly, they never got back together.
Batgirl: You alright?
Nightwing: You know me, always happy to have a little help.
Badass Adorable: She is a young, attractive, cute teenager who can kick ass like the rest of the Bat-family.
Badass Normal: Like the rest of the Bat-family, no superpowers, no problem.
Batman Grabs a Gun: Deconstructed. Barbara Gordon respects the Bat Family's avoidance of firearms. However, she is a cop in her day job and is willing to tote a gun when she and Batman infiltrate the base of the Sensei in Gotham Adventures #9, which Batman isn't happy about and asks her to get rid of it, feeling that she does not need it and that using it will be a mistake. It turns out that Batman was right; when Batgirl tries to use it to threaten Sensei, he saw that she was unwilling to use it to seriously hurt him if there was a chance to kill him. After calling out Batgirl for bring a weapon she was unwilling to use, he disarms her and throws the gun away.
Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Dick, AFTER they had broken up.
Big "OMG!": She says this when she first sees the Batcave after learning Batman’s identity. She says it again upon seeing Mr. Freeze in a robotic spider body.
Breaking Bad News Gently: She intends to tell her father the truth, and has him sit down before she starts. He cuts her off to maintain deniability, though, as it's implied he already knew.
Chained to a Bed: This happens to her in SubZero.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Dick accuses her of this when it comes to getting close to Catwoman.
Cute Bruiser: She is a beautiful young woman who tends to fight against different kinds of villains and/or threats.
Daddy's Girl: She's very close to her dad, constantly putting her life on the line to save his. A good example would be before she was even Batgirl when he was replaced by a robot and infiltrated the headquarters of H.A.R.D.A.C.
Deadpan Snarker: She can be very witty at times.
Defiant Captive: She is this in SubZero. The highlight of it all is when Belson unlocks the chain binding her, she immediately starts swinging it at him.
Distaff Counterpart: At first glance one to Batman, but realistically more of one to Robin, as she's a female sidekick of Batman instead of a female version of him.
Dream Sue: She has a dream at the beginning of "Batgirl Returns" where she saves Batman from Two-Face, Penguin, and Joker single-handedly. Just as they're about to make out, Dick Grayson wakes her from her nap.
El Cid Ploy: This is Batgirl's origin. She dressed up as Batman in an effort to add the Dark Knight's support to Commissioner Gordon's innocence.
Fire-Forged Friends: With Supergirl in "Girls’ Night Out". Kara is after Livewire (who would join up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn), and Barbara teams with Kara to stop them. They'd bond through the episode, and in the Christmas Episode of Justice League, "Comfort and Joy", it's mentioned that Barbara invited Kara to go skiing with her.
Girls Love Stuffed Animals: Her childhood teddy bear Woobie. When Commissioner Gordon picked up her from the airport, he brought Woobie with him. When Bruce Wayne happened to run into the Commissioner and saw him holding the bear, Gordon sheepishly "explained" that Woobie knew the way better than he did.
Hidden Depths: She had been fearing for a while what would happen if she never got the chance to tell her dad.
I Was Quite a Looker: Barbara is very attractive. Comes Batman Beyond and she became a senior citizen.
The Lancer: In The New Batman Adventures, she is Batman's main partner rather than Robin or Nightwing, and has the most screen time of Batman's three partners and the most action.
Magic Skirt: She wears one in The New Batman Adventures.
Movie Superheroes Wear Black: Downplayed as her Barbara's costume in the comics was often presented as black, but her first design in Batman: TAS was her wear a grey bodysuit, but switched to black for TNBA.
Ms. Fanservice: She has a nice figure and her costumes are form-fitting.
Nice Girl: She is much more affable than Batman.
An Offer You Can't Refuse: In "Joker’s Millions", she uses this to persuade the Penguin in letting her and Dick in the Iceberg Lounge.
Perpetual Smiler: She almost always has a smile on her face.
Red Is Heroic: She has red hair and is one of Batman's allies.
Time-Shifted Actor: Barbara by the time of Batman Beyond is voiced by two new, older-sounding actresses as a result of being an older woman.
Training from Hell: She gets this one in "Cold Comfort" when Bruce increases her training difficulty level into 10 that he leaves her getting almost shot by the lasers.
Truer to the Text: She is much more faithful and nearly identical to her comic book counterpart than the live-action version.
Vocal Evolution: Discounting her multiple voice actresses across incarnations, Tara Strong's performance gradually shifts from attempting to imitate Melissa Gilbert's take on the character to more of her own natural voice. This is especially evident by the time of Mystery of the Batwoman.
With My Hands Tied: In "Batgirl Returns".
Working with the Ex: With Dick in The New Batman Adventures.

Robin II

Robin II (Tim Drake)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0c42eb5fdf437cdace71fbb034513749.png

Voiced by: Mathew Valencia (The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker as a teen), Eli Marienthal (Static Shock, "The Big Leagues", Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman), Shane Sweet (Static Shock, "Future Shock"), Andrea Romano (Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, as Joker Junior), Dean Stockwell (Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, as an adult)

"Hero Time."

This Tim Drake is a combination of both the comic version and Jason Todd, the Robin before him. The son of a two-bit crook who betrayed and was murdered by Two-Face, Robin falls into Batman's world while fleeing Two-Face's thugs who are chasing him over something left by his father. Like Grayson, Tim finds out Batman's identity, steals the Robin costume, and ultimately helps bring Two-Face down.

Abusive Parents: Before he became Robin, his father worked for Two-Face and often left his son (who was under 13 years old) alone to fend for himself for long periods of time. When he double-crossed Two-Face, he abandoned his son to run away, only to be found killed outside of Gotham. Tim also implies in "Growing Pains" that his father was physically abusive as well, which fuels his empathy for Annie.
Art Evolution: As Dick Grayson became Nightwing, the mantle of Robin went to Tim Drake. The costume for Robin was relatively unchanged from how it looked in Batman: TAS, except for the fact that it was smaller to fit Tim and all the green sections on the sleeves and gloves were changed to black, the leggings were changed from green to red and the trunks were changed from red to black. (Years later, the comics adapted it as Tim's second Robin costume, with long red sleeves.)
Ascended Fanboy: He was a massive fan of the original Dynamic Duo.
Badass Adorable: Like Batgirl, he is a young boy who is capable of fighting like his adoptive father, Batman.
Badass in Distress: In "Sins of the Father", he gets captured by Two-Face and manages to escape the capture once Batman comes.
Badass Normal: Like the rest of the Bat-family, he has no superpowers and only has martial arts.
Break the Cutie:
- Witnessing Annie's "death".
- Being tortured by the Joker.
Composite Character: He has his comic book counterpart's name, intellect, and fanboyism of Batman along with Jason Todd's backstory, attitude, position as the second Robin, and The Joker ending his career as Robin.
Contrasting Replacement Character: He serves as Dick's replacement as Robin, but where Dick frequently had his opinions bulldozed by Batman and generally was never anything more than passive aggressive until he reached his breaking point, Tim is rather assertive and not afraid to call Batman out or express his anger. And where Dick came from a stable family, Tim grew up with an abusive father and spent time homeless.
Deadpan Snarker: Tim is quite sarcastic, even more so than Dick.
Tim: I know the [American justice] system is bogus.
Bruce: And how did you come to that well-thought-out conclusion?
Tim: Watching you.
Decomposite Character: The suit most tied to Tim in the comics was given to Dick for the purpose of Adaptational Modesty.
Don't You Dare Pity Me!:
Batgirl: Your father left you all alone?
Tim: Big deal. He's never around much anyway. I can take care of myself.
Guile Hero: In "Old Wounds", he helped convince Nightwing that Batman can change.
Domino Mask: A Robin staple. It’s slightly larger than normal, but really not that large.
Four-Temperament Ensemble: Sanguine
Grand Theft Me: Joker implants a microchip that eventually turns a middle-aged Tim Drake into a Joker clone in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
Hypercompetent Sidekick: He was actually quite effective as Robin and was very savvy about when Batman was out of control (as in "Never Fear" where he takes it upon himself to shut down a loose cannon Bats under modified fear toxin) and in “Knight Time” where he manages to talk Superman into playing Batman:
Superman: "For someone who's supposed to be a loner, you sure know how to pick a partner."
Kid Sidekick: Tim is just thirteen years old when he dons the mantle of Robin and serves as a cheerier foil to the gloomy Dark Knight. While Batman is usually all-business with the occasional joke, Tim is constantly quipping as Robin while making fools of supervillain henchmen. Deconstructed when Joker and Harley kidnap, torture, and brainwash Tim to get to Batman, leaving everyone involved with lasting trauma and Tim's disgust for ever donning a cape until after Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
Legacy Character: He steals one of Dick's old costumes and becomes the new Robin.
Mind Rape: In the flashback sequence of Return of the Joker, he gets molded into a "mini-Joker."
Movie Superheroes Wear Black: Unlike the red and green on other Robin costumes (including Tim's comic counterpart, whose suit was the basis for Dick's Robin suit in this universe), this version of Tim wears a mostly red and black affair.
My God, What Have I Done?: Has a breakdown in Return of the Joker, showing that he's tried not to think about it but he really regrets killing the Joker.
Nice Guy: He's snarky and mischievous, but Tim's a generally nice and cheerful kid who tends to be one of the most openly compassionate members of the Batfamily.
Older Than They Look: Tim's age is given as 13 in supplemental material, but he looks more like a preteen. He would be in his late teens at the youngest by the time of the flashback shown in Return of the Joker (since this scene is confirmed by Word of God to take place after Justice League Unlimited), yet still looks more or less the same.
Parental Abandonment: His father runs off to save his own skin, and ends up dead.
Ret-Canon: The red and black costume he wears in this continuity was eventually imported to the comics canon (albeit with the modification of the sleeves being long and red rather than short and black) after Infinite Crisis, with the justification that he chose to honor the memory of Superboy by donning his costume's colors.
Shell-Shocked Veteran: The final event of his tenure as Robin have left him somewhat broken.
Street Urchin: He is an amalgamation of his comic book counterpart’s origins and those of second Robin Jason Todd. His father was a criminal who ended up on the bad side of Two-Face and he quickly found himself an orphan just in time to get far too deep in the middle of one of Batman's cases.
Shonen Hair: He's a young, plucky Kid Hero who makes sure to mess up his hair into a spikier style while acting as Robin. This helps to keep his civilian identity safe, as he combs down his hair in public due to keeping up appearances as Bruce's ward.
Strong Family Resemblance: He looks exactly like the mugshot of his dad Steven "Shifty" Drake.
Teen Genius: He retains comic book counterpart’s intellect in Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman through the fact that he's shown to have some interest and knowledge in technology. As revealed in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, he even grows up to be a communications engineer.
You Fight Like a Cow: He is willing to use witty quips during battles. His pet name for Two-Face is even Puke-Face.
You Killed My Father: He views his rivalry with Two-Face as being personal for having murdered his father, although Tim notes that given that his father had already abandoned him, it isn't a notable difference.

Alfred Pennyworth

^{Click here to see his redesign}

Voiced by: Clive Revill (English, first three episodes), Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (English, "The Last Laugh" onwards), Jacques Ciron (European French)

"Sounds as if the human race would become quite expendable. Except for butlers, of course."

The Wayne family's old butler, who is fiercely loyal towards Bruce, whom he sees as a surrogate son, especially since raised him after his parents' deaths. Alfred keeps a Stiff Upper Lip, even under the extraordinary circumstances imposed by his master's secret identity, though he can't help but make the occasional sarcastic quip about Bruce's unusual hobby.

Despite his unthreatening and quiet appearance, Alfred is also a former agent of the British Secret Service and has more than once proved he is quite capable of holding his own in fights.

He is also one of the only people who can give Batman orders and not be ignored.

Adaptational Wimp: Downplayed. This version of Alfred is a former secret agent, but he was a desk jockey whose most notable skills were in diplomacy. Even so, he never hesitates to jump into the fray on those occasions when it becomes necessary.
Art Evolution: Due to the revamp of Batman: TAS into TNBA, Alfred received a minor redesign through the changing of his eyes to black dots and slimming down his face.
Battle Butler: On occasion. He's a former British secret agent and gets a few opportunities to utilize those skills in Batman's service.
Brits Love Tea: As the most British of gentlemen, he frequently offers guests an actual 'spot of tea.'
Cool Old Guy: He's pretty darn cool, a magnificent example of the Servile Snarker, and dangerous when pushed.
Deadpan Snarker: A quintessential version of the Servile Snarker, bonus in that he's actually deadpan as the trope originally implied.
Like a Son to Me: Alfred gives a double moment with a single line; in "Old Wounds" at Dick Grayson's college graduation, he says that Dick is like a second son to him. Alfred is childless: His first "son" is Bruce Wayne.
Mathematician's Answer: Played with. Alfred and Frederick, an old compatriot of his, had been captured and injected with Truth Serum. When the serum starts to take effect, Alfred seems to be drunk off it. When Red Claw asks, "What's the second password?", he replies "The lion and the unicorn..." It turns out Alfred was faking inebriation as the password was exactly what he said.
Neat Freak: When he and Bruce briefly visit some run-down movie-store, Alfred tries his finger on the counter, reproachfully looks at the dirt it comes up with and then proceeds to wipe the counter clean (well, cleaner) with a cloth.
Nice Guy: As always, Alfred is extremely caring, fatherly, and eternally loyal to Bruce as well as other people. One of the best examples of how kind he is comes in Justice League 's "Starcrossed" (his final appearance in the DCAU), where he consoles Hawkgirl when the League vote whether to expel her from the League for being a mole and advanced scout for the Thanagarian Invasion. Alfred admits that whatever they decide, her decision to protect Earth and risk exile is proof enough for him that she is a hero and worthy of his trust.
No Hero to His Valet: While he remains unfailingly loyal through thick and thin, he also practically raised Bruce from childhood and taught him several of the tricks he would later come to use as Batman, with the result that he never fails to vocally criticize Batman to his face when he thinks it's needed and is practically the only person Batman cannot intimidate with his usual tricks. Alfred Pennyworth thinks you're being an ass? He'll let you know that.
Retired Badass: He is a former SAS soldier/high-ranking intelligence agent, who can not only defend himself against thugs, but also hold out against truth serum. He's a surprisingly good fighter, despite being aged, and has saved Batman before.
Secret-Keeper: To the Batfamily.
Seen It All: Although a flashback shows that he was terrified when he first saw Bruce in the Batman costume, by the time of the series, he's become used to all the weirdness. Exemplified by a scene from "On Leather Wings" in which Batman has just brought an unconscious Man-Bat to the Batcave. Alfred's reaction:
Alfred: Two for dinner, sir?
Servile Snarker: He is just as servile and snarky as his comic book counterpart:
Alfred: Why, you're the very model of sanity. Oh, by the way, I pressed your tights and put away your exploding gas balls.
- This gem from "Beware the Creeper":
  Alfred: Sir, something you may find interesting.
  Batman: Go ahead, Alfred.
  Alfred: The police just received a call about a giggling lemon-yellow maniac trashing a thrift-shop, but here's the strange part: he paid for his purchase with Jack Ryder's credit card.
- It's even his Establishing Character Moment:
  Batman: (reading a headline) "Gotham Police Declare War on Batman."
  Alfred: I gather you've been reading How To Make Friends and Influence People?
Sophisticated as Hell:
As they say on the streets, 'I ain't touching that one'.
Undying Loyalty: To Bruce, as always.
Whatever Happened to the Mouse?: While it can be inferred he passed away sometime between Justice League and Batman Beyond the details of Alfred's death haven't been put forth as of yet.

Characters / Batman: The Animated Series – Batman and Bat Family

Bat Family

Batman I (Bruce Wayne)

Robin I / Nightwing (Dick Grayson)

Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)

Robin II (Tim Drake)

Alfred Pennyworth

Alternative Title(s): DCAU Batman The Animated Series Batman And Bat Family

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Characters / Batman: The Animated Series – Batman and Bat Family

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Bat Family

Batman I (Bruce Wayne)

Robin I / Nightwing (Dick Grayson)

Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)

Robin II (Tim Drake)

Alfred Pennyworth

Alternative Title(s): DCAU Batman The Animated Series Batman And Bat Family

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Index

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