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spirits-reviews · 2 years

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Rise of the Blue Beetle!

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Batman: The Brave and the Bold (season 1, episode 1)

Let’s start with the opener for the episode.

The first voice line spoken in the entire season (and series as a whole) is said by Clock King. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, as he’ll be a reoccurring villain in the series. Though it’s an odd choice to open with an originally Green Arrow villain instead of a stereotypical Batman one like the Joker.

However, this makes more sense when we pan down to Arrow and Batman in a trap together. Both look mildly inconvenienced by this. Naturally they escape the trap while bickering. However Batman has a little mental monologue? Narration for the audience? Which goes as follows;

‘Sure, Green Arrow and I have our squabbles... but that’s because we go way back. As competitive as we are, the truth is we make each other better. And though I’d never tell this to his face... there’s no one else I’d rather have at my side in a tight jam than him.’

Straight away we know that this version of Batman isn’t a loner and actually cares deeply about his friends. Actually wanting to work with them over just working with them out of necessity.

And freeze frame into the intro. So far we know that Batman is friends with Green Arrow and Clock King is a villain in this universe. Not a bad opener for a kids show.

Speaking of the intro, part of it shows heroes in single colours. The order is as follows;

Etrigan the Demon

B'Wana Beast

Doctor Fate

Deadman

Fire

Red Tornado

Guy Gardner

Plastic Man

Bronze Tiger

Blue Beetle

Kamandi

Jonah Hex

All of these characters are seen in about 6 seconds and the expectation is that we’ll see them at some point in the season. (I won’t list the intro again unless it changes.)

And from the intro we go straight to posters that I can only assume are meant to be Easter eggs for future episodes. From what I remember about watching the series as a kid, it seems likely. Either that or being a superhero doesn’t pay the bills so they all sell merch in this universe.

Back to the plot though. We’re introduced to 2 teens talking about a hypothetical situation with Batman and Superman. Then they switch channels to the news, showing that Batman and Green Arrow are stopping Clock King. Once he’s defeated, we finally learn the names of the teens.

Paco (right) and Jaime (left). Jaime asks if Paco could ever see him as a hero up on a poster and Paco’s response is pretend to scan him, ‘detecting high levels of geek.’ Jaime is obviously hurt by this, but brushes it off as him just having to sleep. Personally I feel like Paco was kinda a jerk here, but moving on.

Batman shows up and when Jaime expresses sadness at his friend not believing he could be a hero states;

‘Secret-identity thing’s a bummer, huh?’

First off Batman just said bummer. Second, he just sympathised with Jaime rather than just being there to get him for the mission. This small bit of acknowledgement sets up Batman as more of a mentoring figure, instead of just a boss-like one.

Blue Beetle!

Oh and I should also mention that there’s a meteoroid heading straight towards a space station. On the way out of the atmosphere the pair have this conversation;

Blue Beetle: This is like a dream come true. Partners with Batman.

Batman: We’re not partners. Not yet at least.

Blue Beetle: I know. You teach. I learn.

Batman (inner thoughts): I’m here to learn something too. I could’ve asked Green Lantern to help me with this mission. But I wanna find out if Jaime has what it takes to be a hero.

Once again setting Batman up as more of a mentor.

Also Batman’s regular suit can just allow him to go to space. I guess this is a kids show and and understandably follows these rules.

Anyway, Jaime loses control of the suit. Batman asks if this happens often and we get a flashback to him trying to get a cat out of a tree. The suit clearly takes control in the flashback but Jaime says no to it happening often.

The suit opens a portal to another planet and both heroes go through it. Obviously the meteorite has not been dealt with. Where are the other heroes who can fix this? I refuse to believe that all of them are busy.

So there’s these little alien blob creatures getting attacked and abducted by these guys. One alien tries to fight back but is wounded. I assume this one will be important as they’re a different colour to the rest.

These two are awfully calm given that they’re lost on another planet with currently no way home. They get surrounded by the aliens and look at that, I was right, the one that’s a completely different colour is indeed important.

This one states that the ‘great one’ has once again returned to save their people. Beetle assumes that they mean Batman, but Batman looks at a statue of an alternate Beetle while saying that they’re not talking about him. Jaime is understandably shocked.

We then learn that Kanjar Ro is the name of their attacker and he wants to harvest their bodies for fuel. Kids shows in the 2000s did not mess around. There is mention of a previous encounter where the last Blue Beetle faced a gamma gong. All shudder before referring to their people as ‘Gibble.’

I will be referring to this character as P Gibble (short for Purple Gibble) unless a different name is given.

‘All hail the blue one!’

Jaime is being very polite despite having no idea what’s going on. Batman points out that it’s probably the scarab. He backpedals on saying the last host could’ve been killed after he realised that he scared Jaime.

‘Sidekick... why do you not bow?’

While Jaime tries to explain that Batman is the bigger hero, Batman just goes with it.

Playing the part of the sidekick and even bowing to Beetle.

Beetle doesn’t like this. Thinking the plan is bad given that he can’t even work his suit fully and doesn’t think he can save them.

A child handing him a drawing makes him change his mind. Speaking of which, why does the paper look the same as earth’s? Are there the equivalent of earth trees on this planet? It looked completely made of rocks earlier.

Batman realises that the Gibbles will be needed if they are to win this fight. Beetle manages to convince them with some minor encouragement from Batman.

I would also like to point out the closing statement;

Blue Beetle: ...and, um, you know, better to die on your feet... than live on your knees.

Batman: They don’t have knees.

This got a decent laugh out of me I must admit.

And the attack begins.

Then we get to see what Kanjar Ro is doing to the Gibble people. I have to point out that what looks like a pile of Gibble corpses is actually a pile of still alive Gibbles. They’re screaming in pain so we know that they’re alive. Thanks writers. This isn’t horrifying in the least.

From that we swiftly move onto the fight. The Gibbles go to find their kidnapped friends and Kanjar Ro initiates a fight with Jaime believing him to be the original Beetle he fought.

Jaime blasts Kanjar Ro into a console. The latter yanks a blaster off one of his men and just starts firing. He almost blasts Batman but Jaime defends him. Earning a ‘way to go kid’ from Batman.

From here we get some nice stylised action shots as Kanjar Ro is seemingly defeated. However while they’re celebrating it is revealed that Kanjar Ro is still in the fight.

Jaime lets the victory go to his head, giving the Gibbles a hypothetical situation between him and Kanjar Ro. Similar to the one he gave Paco at the start of the main plot.

An explosion in the ship’s deck reveals Kanjar Ro. Batman says he should take the lead but Jaime brushes him off to rush in.

This leads to him getting struck down by the gamma gong that was mentioned earlier. Black Beetle in young justice was also defeated with the same tactic, though there was no gong used.

Everyone is defeated. Jaime is taken by Kanjar Ro while Batman and the Gibbles are left as bait for... giant space squid leeches? That’s the best description I’ve got. Honestly.

I mean look at these things. What else could I describe them as? The most concerning thing here is that someone will want to smash these things. I know.

Anyway, Batman gets an arm free and punches the leech things. P Gibble wishes that they could find the power within that Blue Beetle spoke of. Batman responds by pluging a cable into them which makes them super-charged. Making P Gibble realize the power within.

Cut back to Kanjar Ro throwing water on Jaime. Given in the next shot he’s hitting the gong to try and vibrate the scarab off his back, I can only assume Jaime passed out from the pain and was woken back up with water.

Batman gets dropped off by the Gibbles. Takes out the guards and then hits Kanjar Ro into the gong which causes the scarab to jump off Jaime’s back. The gong is then bashed into his head by Kanjar Ro.

Kanjar Ro puts on the scarab and begins to fight Batman. Meanwhile, Jaime reflects on his arrogance and spits on a lever to escape. Picking up the gong on his way out.

Using the gong, Jaime removes the scarab from Kanjar Ro. He recovers it as Kanjar Ro reaches for a blaster on his calf. P Gibble blasts him twice before he can do anything.

The episode ends with the Gibbles thanking both heroes before they return in time to stop the meteoroid. With Batman’s final words being;

Batman (internally): Of course, that’s just a fancy way of saying “That’s weird.” But half the things I encounter on this job make no sense. Take this mission. I wanted to see if the kid had hero potential. Instead, I got to see him become one.

Batman: Ready, partner?

This ends the episode on a good note. Jaime finally gets to be Batman’s partner like he wanted to be at the start.

Overall I’d rate this episode a solid 8/10

#batman the brave and the bold #jaime reyes #blue beetle #dc #batman #kanjar ro #gibbles #green arrow #clock king #review #animation #nostaliga #dc cartoons

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