Riddler's Revenge (The Batman)

Stuck at the bottom of the ocean with Riddler and no hope of escape, Batman learns he may have played an important role in the creation of this dreaded foe and helps solve a long lingering mystery.

The Riddler takes control of a boat owned by Chuck Gorman and plants explosives on the boat. Riddler ties Gorman up to a pole and seals his mouth with a cloth, then asks him a riddle. Gorman is unable to answer because he can not talk with the cloth over his mouth and Riddler is about to execute the explosives. Batman shows up and saves Gorman then begins fighting Riddler's henchmen. Riddler tries to prevent Gorman from leaving the ship but Batman stops him and the two begin fighting. While they are fighting, Gorman gets away on a life boat and takes Riddler's cane, which he uses to blow up the ship.

Batman manages to throw himself and Riddler into a metal cargo container to avoid being hit by the explosion. Riddler and Batman get knocked unconscious from debris following on the container.

At school, Dick is in a cooking class and his batwave goes off. He tries to pretend he's sick to get out of class but his teacher doesn't let him.

Riddler and Batman are in the container and stranded at the bottom of the ocean. Riddler is angry at Batman, saying destroying Gorman was a pet project of his. Batman says they should put this off as they have a limited air supply and the water pressure is too rough to swim out. Riddler doesn't care and tries to punch Batman anyways, only to get knocked down when Batman punches him back.

Dick's batwave continues to go off at school as his classmate is demonstrating a project to the teacher. The teacher says that the classmate gets an F because the project looked completely horrible, but Dick says that he can't give the classmate an F without tasting it. The teacher asks if he wants to try it, and he does. He gets sick from eating it, throws up and the teacher lets him take the rest of the day off.

Back in the container, Batman hooks a flashlight to the top of the container and tries to think of a way out. Riddler insists that they just die there and continues to ask riddles. Knowing he would likely die soon, Riddler reveals his origins to Batman.

Riddler was formerly a genius named Edward. Edward was always interested in matters of the mind, but his father didn't understand him. Eventually, Edward ended up in a university and with his lab partner Julie, was working on a device that would give anyone wearing it instant knowledge. Chuck Gorman comes in and says that Edward should accept his offer and that they could make a whole lot of money together, but Edward refuses and says that he doesn't want a small minded dolt profiting off of his genius. Julie is upset with how he acted but Edward tells her about his childhood and she feels sympathy for him.

Edward and Julie were ready to present their project to the president of the university. During the test, however, the device goes haywire and severely injures the president. The blame falls on Edward and he is kicked out of the university with his project sabotaged.

Back in the present, it is now late at night and Robin is searching on the harbor in the Batboat for Batman.

Riddler continues telling Batman the story of his origins. After being kicked out of the university, Edward thought it was Gorman who sabotaged his project, knowing that that couldn't of happened. Edward remodeled Gorman's house into a riddle house, and when Gorman arrived at his house, Edward began asking him riddles and threatening to kill him if he got them wrong. Gorman manages to use his cell phone to dial 911, and Batman intercepts the call. Batman saves Gorman and encounters Edward, who manages to get away. In the present again, Riddler says that Batman inspired him that night; he decided he needed gadgets and a costume as well.

A hole cracks in the container Batman and Riddler are in and the container begins to flood. Batman deduces that the container should be floating, but are not because something is pinning the container down. Batman tries to push on the container to move the debris off of it but Riddler refuses to help. When Batman mentions that it might of not been Gorman who sabotaged him, Riddler gets up and starts pushing as well.

The container gets back to the surface of the ocean, as Robin is in the Batboat searching and gets the signal of their location. Batman and Riddler get out of the container but Riddler knocks Batman out. Riddler's henchmen deliver him his cane and he tries to kill Batman, but Robin shows up in time and throws a batarang at the cane which prevents that. Batman and Robin reunite as Riddler and his henchmen get away.

Riddler goes to the lab to interrogate Julie, who he deduced was the real person who sabotaged him. Julie admits it and Riddler prepares to activate a whole bunch of the projects they had made on her all at once, which were only meant to be used one at a time. Batman and Robin show up and stop him from activating them. Robin fights Riddler's henchmen as Riddler and Batman engage in battle. Riddler grabs hold of a heat ray device and tries to fire it at Batman, who evades. Riddler then points it at Julie but Batman throws a batarang at the machine, which reverses its direction. The ray bounces off a mirror and then hits the machine, causing it to blow up and fall on Riddler. Robin is about to set Julie free, but is stopped by Batman, who says that they should just let the police deal with her as she was responsible for Edward becoming the Riddler.

• Batman/Bruce Wayne voiced by Rino Romano
• Robin/Dick Grayson voiced by Evan Sabara
• Riddler voiced by Robert Englund
• Julie voiced by Brooke Shields
• Gorman voiced by Bob Gunton
• Harris voiced by Daryl Sabara
• Mr. Burke voiced by Lex Lang

Riddler's past is explored, learning of his origins and why he became a criminal in the first place. In many places it's similar to that of The Mad Hatter in Batman: The Animated Series, particularly in the unrequited love angle and his experiments with brain-manipulating technology. It also has similarities to the Riddler's technology in the film Batman Forever. Riddler's Revenge is also the name of an episode of Batman: The Animated Series

• Riddler: I'll give you one last chance, old friend. [shows Gorman being tied] It can be cracked, it can be made, it can be told, it can be played, what is it?
  Gorman: [muffles]
  Riddler: Come on, Gorman, it's easy.
  Gorman: [muffles]
  Riddler: Jump?
  Gorman: [muffles]
  Riddler: Jam? Jarlsberg? No. Sorry. Looks like you'll get the consolation prize.
• Mr. Burke: You've been sliding out of here with barely believable excuses for months. Plant allergies, frost bite, hallucinations, all those toothaches. You have any teeth left, by the way?
  Dick: A couple ...
• Dick: You know, since this is cooking class, maybe you should've made something you can eat.
  Boy: You can eat this. It's a combination of my two favorite things: soup and licorice!
• Riddler: No, that's cheating, Batman!
  Batman: Maybe if this were a game, you're done.
  Riddler: Actually, this is so much fun. I think I'm just beginning.
• Riddler: Another late night at the lab, Julie?
  Julie: Edward?
  Riddler: Oh, you remembered me. I'm touched.
  Julie: What are you doing here?
  Riddler: There's a riddle I'm having trouble solving. You're always so good at them. Maybe you can help.
  Julie: The 64 dollar question? Why did I sabotage our project? Come on, Edward, it's not that hard.
  Riddler: I thought you understood me.
  Riddler: I understood you're a psychopath, one is going to ruin any chance for success.
  Riddler: And, so you got rid of me. Very smart, but I think we can make you smarter yet.
• Riddler: So tell me, Batman, how did you piece together it was my Julie who betrayed me?
  Batman: Simple. Gorman is a businessman, not a scientist. He never would have known he sabotaged that disk.And that just left one other person. (kicks Riddler to the floor) Anyone would have realized that. Except you, champ.
• Batman: That was us hitting the bottom of Gotham bay, which means we're too deep to make radio contact, the pressure's too strong to swim out, and we have a very limited air supply. I suggest we put this on hold.
  Riddler: Oooh.. sounds like we're in quite the pickle. Then here's an easy one for you: what do I have to lose?! (Tries to punch Batman, who knocks Riddler to the floor)
  Batman: Is that the answer you were looking for?
• Riddler: (to Batman) You and me, work together? I’m into riddles, not jokes. Besides, I've ruined Gorman and that's as good a note as any to go out on.
  Batman: Then you're sure it was Gorman who sabotaged you?
  Riddler: Even you, Batman, could have puzzled together a riddle this obvious.
  Batman: Yeah, obvious. I guess I just figured that with a riddle the most obvious answer is rarely the right one.
• Batman: (refering to Julie) Riddle me this, Robin. When is a villain not THE villain?

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