Beware the Batman: Nexus

"Nexus" Beware the Batman, Cartoon Network, 24 August 2014

So, we open 6 months after the blackout. Alfred is gone, Batman's back to being a jerk, and mayor Marion Grange (CCH Pounder) is having problems aplenty dealing with the city's various problems, DA Harvey Dent being one of them. More on that in a bit, but she's so distracted she fails to notice the package on her desk...which turns out to be a bomb. I'd say shocking, but in Gotham when isn't a strange bundle an explosive?



In the aftermath we get more info dumping. Gordon is now commissioner basically.

And we get the first proper introduction of Harvey Dent (Christopher MacDonald). If they renamed him 'sleezy jerk' it might have been too subtle. "That's...fortunate" Yeah Harv, you wouldn't want to sound relived that the mayor didn't die. Also, just to drive the point home they animate him with a perpetual sneer on his face.

Batman and Katana are on the case though. Although it seems Dent might be right to be wary, as Katana asks Batman if he had anything to do with the bomb, seeing as to how the bomb matches the same chemicals as his batarangs.

Dent mentions he has a search warrant...but to where? Does he specifically mention the Bat cave?

 You know, if the DA is looking to hunt you down, maybe meeting on top of the building with your spotlight on it might be a bad idea.

"Someone's trying to make me look like a criminal" Well Bats, I would argue that, be seeing as to how you just drugged the DA and kidnapped him, I think you might want to amend that statement.

Ok, you might be framed for one crime bats, but you just committed two (and one a federal one at that). I don't think sorry is going to clear that, especially since the cops have you on videotape.

Of course Batman didn't have anything to do with the bombing. The real culprit was Anarky. Who else would it be? No other rogue has shown any ability at making bombs or sneaking them into places, unless you were going with a original character.

And somehow the white clad git manages to slip explosive bracelets on Batman, Katana, and Dent. If anyone of them moves too far from their partner the bracelets go off. Bats and Dent are linked, as are Anarky and Katana. Dent and Bats makes some sense, as they're sent off to stop another bomb. But why would Anarky link himself to Katana? Couldn't she just beat him up, or worse case cut off his hand? She does have a sword and a dislike of him. Although I suppose S&P wouldn't care for that.

And Bats slams on the brakes so Dent wacks himself against the window. Classy.

So Anarky's plan is to kill both Batman and Dent...so he can become DA? He's not very clear on this anarchist thing, is he? Also, I doubt Katana is going to work with you pal. At least there's now an explanation why she can't cut his arm off, although if the bracelets are linked by distance, are you sure letting her drive away on a motorcycle is the best idea?

Actually it is, as Katana drives right to where to Bats was going, which was Anarky's goal all along? The whole 'bats linked to nectar so that's the password to disarm the bomb' thing lost me though.

"You won't detonate it without adding yourself to the body count" Bats, do you know who you're talking to here?

Of course Anarky blows the place up and escapes. Nice that Gordon isn't arresting Batman for the explosion...but he did kidnap Dent. I'm sure walking away won't come back to bite him at all.

Later, at the scene of the explosion, Mayor Grange admits she approving Dent's Special Crimes Unit...so as to 'give him enough rope to hang himself'.

The thing that annoyed me the most? Harvey Dent. Two-Face is a character that I want desperately to like, but I've seen so many writers get him wrong. Instead of pathos we get another hood with a gimmick. Dent was portrayed, in most versions, as Gotham's White Knight, Bruce Wayne's friend, and along with Gordon one of the few honest people in the city.

Here? At best he's a jerk and at worst he's just another crook. MacDonald isn't a bad actor, but was he told to make every line as smarmy as possible? I suppose it beats endless shots of his face being in half shadow or references to the number two, but it's a cold comfort.



Next episode, we see the return of Metamorpho.