WorstThingUS
06-09-2009, 02:22 PM
JM DeMatties wrote this episode and you know he couldn't do just another story. It's a 180-degree turnaround from last week's height of absurdity. Green Arrow is in the pre-credit sequence and Red Tornado is the main story, so it's clear the producers have favorites (all that's missing is Aquaman). In any case, Reddy has created a son, The Tornado Champion, and he wants Batman there at his "birth" when he activates him. When Batman points out he clearly wanted a friend present, Reddy dismisses the idea, but he does hope his son has emotions because he designed him that way. Unfortunately he does not but when Major Disaster hits him with a lightning bolt the emotion chip is activated and TC calls Reddy "father" for the first time, something he would not do before. That Tornado Champion is a "Robin" to Reddy's "Batman" is very clear, however TC hasn't mastered his emotions and becomes very upset when he saves children and their parents aren't grateful. This continues with TC questioning why they're helping people at all and when Major Disaster's prison break almost destroy's Reddy, TC goes over the edge and tries to kill him, only stopped by Batman (who's been watching them this entire time time). Reddy then has to use the failsafe switch, effectively killing his son. Unfortunately, Tornado Champion removed it so when they leave the lab, he upgrades himself to Tornado Tyrant (they know their Reddy history) and sets about on a mission to wipe humanity off the earth. Batman and Red Tornado defeat him, but again, Reddy is forced to "kill" his own son, only this time he rips his body apart and then destroys the remainder with molten steel. When Batman tries to comfort him over what he had to do, Reddy insists he feels nothing because he's only a machine and that's all he'll ever be. It ends with what had to be an homage to the classic Avengers story, "Even An Android Can Cry" as Reddy stands alone in the lab where his son was created and destroyed, what he calls an "oily discharge" slips from his eye socket.
Just as last week's episode was a good-natured jab at the fans who don't like this lighter Batman, this one seemed to the second part of a one-two punch showing them they could do serious if they wanted, because after the GA appearance there's not a joke or silly moment to be seen and it borders on somber. This is a great, great show.
Just as last week's episode was a good-natured jab at the fans who don't like this lighter Batman, this one seemed to the second part of a one-two punch showing them they could do serious if they wanted, because after the GA appearance there's not a joke or silly moment to be seen and it borders on somber. This is a great, great show.