In 1999, futuristic action-adventure series, Batman Beyond made its debut. Set in 2039, the show was conceived as a continuation of fan-favourite DC cartoon, Batman: The Animated Series, picking up the story a few decades on from where audiences last left off.
In the show, former Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne has retired his cape and cowl leaving Neo-Gotham without a protector. Wayne finally hung up his costume due to failing health, as well as a fear he would break his ‘no kill’ rule.
Without a Batman to watch over the city, the Gotham Police Department do their best to keep crime in check but are falling short. The city is now a bustling megalopolis, where gangs of thugs run wild, and where business men do shady deals, and crime still has its claws in every dark corner.
However, when teenager Terry McGinnis takes on the role of Batman, things begin to change. Suddenly there is someone ready to fight back, making use of an array of gadgets, some advanced technology, and a former Batman as his mentor.
If you didn’t catch Batman Beyond the first time around, then you missed out on 52 fab episodes of television, as well as a great feature-length movie. You also missed out on one heck of a good time, as Batman Beyond was a damn fine series!
However, the good news is, you live in a world where it’s really not too difficult to catch up – especially if you’re just after the highlights. If you simply don’t have time to watch the entire series, but want to watch the best bits, then make sure you dive into the top episodes.
Below you will find a run-down of all the best episodes of Batman Beyond. These are the stories to check out, if you want some futuristic Bat-action!
__
Rebirth: Part One & Part Two
First up is the opening two-part story, Rebirth. This ‘feature-length’ tale set up the premise for the show, introduced Terry McGinnis, and explained the reasons as to why Bruce Wayne would give up his role as Batman.
In the opening chapter, Bruce is in his 50s and working solo. The Robins and Batgirl have long gone, and it’s just Batman fighting his endless crusade to take down villains.
However, when his latest mission goes wrong, and Bruce is reminded of his health problems at a crucial moment, he panics. In an act of sheer desperation, he picks up a discarded gun and points it at a thug.
Horrified at what he has done, Bruce vows to give up his career as Batman. He then goes into retirement until twenty years later when he crosses paths with high school student, Terry McGinnis.
Terry’s father has been killed under suspicious circumstances, leading Terry on a quest for answers. After discovering Bruce’s secret, he steals the Bat-suit and sets out for to catch the culprit, with Bruce providing mentorship from the Batcave.
__
Black Out
During the course of the show’s run, Batman Beyond introduced a number of great villains into the Batman mythology, a couple of which feature below. However, chief amongst the new villains is Inque – a shapeshifting mercenary who proves to be a very credible threat to Terry.
In the episode, Black Out, Inque makes her debut when she is sent on a mission to sabotage Foxteca, a company owned by the son of Bruce Wayne’s old friend, Lucius Fox. Things then heat up even further when Inque manages to gain access to the Batcave, and comes close to uncovering a few secrets about Batman.
__
Meltdown
One of the great things about Batman Beyond is the show’s ability to reference the wider Batman mythology – i.e stories and characters that appeared in other DC Animated Universe (DCAU) cartoons. The best example of this is Meltdown, which sees Batman’s old foe, Mr. Freeze brought out of cold storage.
In this episode, Victor Fries is given the opportunity to start a new chapter, with a new body, a new outlook, and a whole new lease of life. However, things don’t quite go to plan and Victor soon finds himself walking down a familiar path as he is betrayed by those he trusts.
The result is a superb showdown between Batman and Mr. Freeze that brings a definitive conclusion to the DCAU’s best Bat-villain. If you’re a fan of Mr. Freeze, then this episode is a must-see.
__
Heroes
In Heroes, when an experiment goes wrong, a trio of scientists gain super powers. They then use these amazing abilities for good under the alias, The Terrific Trio.
But as the story progresses, it becomes clear what happened to the Trio was no accident. And when the truth comes out, these heroes suddenly begin to feel less heroic, leading to conflict with Batman.
Taking a heavy dose of inspiration from Marvel’s the Fantastic Four, Heroes is a dark take on the FF mythology and a great little story. If you ever wanted to know what it would be like if the Fantastic Four went bad, this story provides the opportunity.
__
Shriek
Onto another new villain now, in the shape of former sound engineer-turned-super villain Shriek. In this episode, this tech-heavy foe uses soundwaves to disrupt and dampen all of the noise in Gotham, causing one or two headaches for Batman.
The highlight of this episode is a battle between the Dark Knight and the villainous, Shriek which is played out to almost no background noise. It’s a brilliant sequence, which highlights Shriek’s effective power.
__
Spellbound
Another great Bat-villain is introduced in Spellbound, this time via the mind-altering Spellbinder. Using modified hypnotic technology, Spellbinder leads Batman on a confusing trail as he orchestrates a series of robberies.
But with Batman seeing things which aren’t really there, could Spellbinder get the upper hand? You’ll have to watch to find out.
__
Disappearing Inque
In Disappearing Inque, the shape-shifting Inque rears her rather sleek head, to cause more trouble for Batman. But when she puts Terry’s life in danger, Bruce Wayne is forced to come out of hiding and head into battle once more.
__
Earth Mover
Onto Earth Mover now, which has to be the creepiest episode of Batman Beyond. The story focuses on a young girl, seemingly haunted by a mysterious creature.
As the tale unfolds it becomes increasingly clear who the creature is, leading to a story that veers close to X-Files territory. But is the creature the true villain of the story, or a victim of outside forces?
__
Eyewitness
In Eyewitness, Batman is framed for murder and soon finds himself on the run from Commissioner Gordon and the entire Gotham Police Department. Thing is, Batman doesn’t take lives – everyone knows this!
So why are the authorities convinced he is a killer? Could it be that someone is attempting to frame Terry?
__
Out of the Past
Another link to the DCAU, this time with the reappearance of Ra’s al Ghul and his daughter Talia – two of the Bruce Wayne’s greatest opponents. This episode has a fantastic twist, one very funny line and, as with Meltdown (see above), it is another example of just how good Batman Beyond is when referencing Batman: The Animated Series.
__
Inqueling
Another entry for Inque, this time via the episode Inqueling. In this story, the shapeshifting villain is up to her old tricks, however, her body is now in a weakened state.
Needing help, Inque contacts her daughter, Deanna. But as it soon becomes clear, mother and daughter are quite alike in troubling ways.
__
The Call: Part One & Part Two
In the two-part story, The Call, Terry is approached by Superman and asked to spy on the Justice League. Superman believes there is a traitor amongst the group and he thinks Batman is his best chance of discovering who that traitor is.
But as Terry begins his investigation, all is not quite what it seems. Could Superman have gone rogue?
__
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
And finally, as a little bonus on this list, no rundown of the best stories of Batman Beyond would be complete without a mention for the feature length movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Not only is Return of the Joker one of the best Batman Beyond stories, it’s one of the best Batman movies of all-time.
As you probably guessed from the title, the movie sees Bruce Wayne’s greatest nemesis return from beyond the grave. And with the Joker back in town a dark chapter in the Bat-mythology is unearthed, as secrets surface and an unforgettable day in Batman’s history is finally revealed.
__
__
Recap
To save you having to scroll back up, these are the best episodes of Batman Beyond you should check out:
- Rebirth: Part One & Part Two
- Black Out
- Meltdown
- Heroes
- Shriek
- Spellbound
- Disappearing Inque
- Earth Mover
- Eyewitness
- Out of the Past
- Inqueling
- The Call: Part One & Part Two
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
__
__
Thank you for taking the time to read this post about Batman Beyond on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment