Wrath and Scorn, the Dynamic Duo's evil counterparts, are helping Joker, Penguin, Killer Croc, and Ventriloquist and Scarface with a job and Batman and Robin must stop their evil counterparts.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Penguin is the most interested in hearing out Wrath and Scorn, due to them helping him out in The Teaser. Killer Croc presumably feels the same way, as Batman claims he was also bailed out of trouble by them.
- Berserk Button: Joker had already disliked Wrath from the start, but when the latter reveals that he knows who Batman is and intends to rid Gotham of him permanently, it's the final straw for the Clown Prince of Crime.
- The Cameo: Harley Quinn is the wheelwoman for Joker's lottery heist and for his escape in the last scene.
- Chekhov's Gun: The titanium cable that Bruce loans to Mallory later exposes the latter’s identity as Wrath when Batman notices it repurposed as a weapon.
- Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: Justified. Joker complains about Wrath and Scorn showing up to fight Batman and Robin at his lottery heist. He considers it embarrassing to have minor newbie villains showing up to help him.
- Continuity Nod: After the villains have gathered, Killer Croc asks if this was Penguin's idea.
- Death by Secret Identity: Non-lethal example. Joker gassed Wrath and Scorn with his Joker Gas before they could barter Batman and Robin's identities to him for their freedom, leaving the two laughing shells of their former selves. They won't be able to divulge any secret identities to anyone anytime soon.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: A family photo shows that the Mallory brothers' jewel thief parents were very loving figures to them. Also, William and Andy to each other, with the former saying their mother would be very proud of the latter.
- Evil Counterpart: Wrath and Scorn serves this to Batman and Robin. They have similar backgrounds but the formers' parents were criminals who got arrested and sentenced to prison. Like Batman and Robin, they both have a masked, caped secret identity, high-tech gadgets, and hand-to-hand combat skills, but Batman and Robin put villains in jail while Wrath and Scorn assist other villains with their crimes.
- Evil Is Petty: Though his main reason for gassing Wrath and Scorn is very personal, Joker also got sick of how their actions resulted in him looking foolish and suffering slapstick.
- Eviler than Thou: After repeatedly getting shown up, Joker reminds Wrath and Scorn who Gotham's number one villain really is.
- Face Death with Dignity: Wrath provides an ultimatum that should Batman let he and Scorn go, they will never tell the villains who he and his allies are. Batman counters should he do that, then Batman is destroyed and leaves to face the consequences. Thankfully, Joker has other ideas.
- The Farmer and the Viper: Wrath and Scorn make a point of helping Gotham's worst criminals against Batman and Robin, displaying genuine sympathy and kindness to the Rogues Gallery. Some of the other villains are actually appreciative of this, but the Joker absolutely is not. Rather than return the favor in the last scene like Wrath would've expected, Joker makes him and Scorn suffer horribly.
- Freudian Excuse: The Mallory brothers' parents were jewel thieves that ultimately ended up in prison. As such, William always sympathized with villains "just trying to earn a living" and set out to protect them the way Batman protects law-abiding citizens. He says that Batman is the sum total of everything his parents hated. Less so with Andy, who doesn't really remember his parents all that well. He goes along with all this for the fun of it and admits he doesn't fully grasp William's motivations.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Well, Knight Templar can't comprehend it, at any rate. Wrath and Scorn view Gotham's criminals as mere put-upon Punch-Clock Villain types just like their own parents were. While the other featured villains do care more about the big payday than anything else, they fail to grasp that the Joker is far more interested in amusing himself, be it committing petty theft or more outlandish plots like trying to gas the entire city. Wrath and Scorn are stunned that he both has an unwavering The Only One Allowed to Defeat You attitude towards Batman and a vicious disdain for any new upstarts getting in the way of his fun.
- Home Field Advantage: Wrath and Scorn launch a sneak attack on the Batcave, quickly gaining the upperhand and trashing much of the area. Batman boasts he still has this and then activates a device that sends the local bats into a frenzy, causing Wrath to endure a nasty fall and Scorn to be distracted from finishing Robin off. Robin is also able to activate a training device to give Scorn a good wallop.
- Hypocritical Humor:
- Batman scoffs at Robin reading too many comic books.
- Scarface initially balks at joining the Villain Team-Up, saying he's no joiner. The Ventriloquist adds that Scarface is always insisting he has an I Work Alone attitude.
- Incoming Ham: Ahead of crashing the lottery set, Joker shouts, "WAIT! WAIT FOR ME!"
- It's All My Fault: Alfred blames himself for the fight in the Batcave, saying he was surprised from behind just as he opened the entrance.
- It's Personal:
- Wrath wants to take down Batman because he sees him as the symbol of everything their parents hated and that got them sent to prison.
- Robin and Scorn's fight in the Batcave is also this, due to them having already greatly disliked each other in their civilian identities.
- Joker gasses Wrath and Scorn because they tried to destroy Batman, something he had already long since called dibs on.
- Karma Houdini: Penguin, Killer Croc, and the Ventriloquist are all still free by the end of the episode. The episode also ends with Batman and Robin chasing Joker and Harley Quinn, leaving it unknown if they succeed in catching them.
- Lighter and Softer: For starters, Wrath isn't a Cop Killer like his comics counterpart, but instead takes Killer Moth's role as a protector for Gotham's criminals. Additionally, his parents were Spared by the Adaptation, as they were sent to prison (presumably for life) instead of being killed after they opened fire on a young Jim Gordon. Additionally, while we don't see what happened after Batman and Robin go after the Joker, it's possible that Wrath and Scorn are still alive, whereas the original Wrath did die after getting set on fire and tumbling off a building in the comics.
- Mythology Gag: Batman defending the Batcave using the help of the bats living in it is ripped from Batman: Year One.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Justified. Wrath makes the mistake of telling the other villains, including Joker, that he's figured out who Batman is, and plans to rid Gotham of him once and for all. After he and Scorn are arrested, Joker shows up and gasses them both because if anyone's going to destroy Batman, it's him.
- Noodle Incident: After first encountering Wrath and Scorn, Batman suspects they were the reason that Killer Croc was able to escape during a clash the previous week.
- Not Me This Time: The Penguin says this Villain Team-Up proposal wasn't his idea. He’s right, as Wrath and Scorn were responsible.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Joker gassed Wrath and Scorn because only he wants to be the one to defeat Batman.Joker: Destroying you is my game! And I won't have anyone stealing my fun!
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Subverted. When Wrath reveals during a phone call with the villains that he now knows Batman's identity and intends to destroy him, Joker is not only frowning, but silently fuming at this. And while Penguin notes that Joker not smiling is odd, he's too elated at the prospect of Batman being gone forever to realize that this is a bad thing.
- Practically Different Generations: William and Andy are brothers, but in keeping with the Batman and Robin parallel, there's a good bit of age difference between them. This is lampshaded by Andy admitting he doesn't even remember his parents all that well.
- Screw Your Ultimatum!: Wrath promises to keep Batman's identity a secret, if he helps him and Scorn escape police custody. Batman refuses, saying that would destroy everything he stands for.
- Title Drop: Penguin does this when attempting to cheer up an already less-than-pleased Joker after Wrath tells them he’s going to destroy Batman once and for all. Given that this is Joker, it doesn't work.Penguin: Where's your smile, Joker? It's the end of the Batman.
- Trash the Set: The Batcave gets heavily damaged when Wrath and Scorn attack.
- Ungrateful Bastard: After Wrath and Scorn repeatedly assist him, Joker turns them insane because they kept showing him up and tried to “steal the fun” of destroying Batman.
- Villain Team-Up: After helping each of them out, Wrath and Scorn organize a team-up with Penguin, Killer Croc, the Ventriloquist and Scarface, and a very reluctant Joker for a big plan that will make the other villains very rich.
- Villainous Rescue: Downplayed. Joker mainly gassed Wrath and Scorn because they tried to destroy Batman, but by doing so, he saved Batman and Robin's Secret Identity from being exposed.
- Wham Line: "Every little bit helps when you got a bat to squash."
- Wham Shot: Wrath and Scorn's costumes being in the trunk of William and Andy's car.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Played for laughs after the Dynamic Duo learns of their counterparts.Robin: So, what do you think? Alternate versions of us from a parallel universe? Or maybe our matter/anti-matter twins?
Batman: You've been reading too many comic books.
