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"Scottish Connection": Batman visits Scotland for a ceremony interring the remains of his ancestor Gaweyne de Weyne. He notices that the ancient grave has recently been vandalizes and returns that night as Batman to investigate. Wh

Quote1 As they say--lang may yer lum reek! Quote2
Alfred Pennyworth

Batman: Scottish Connection is a one-shot with a cover date of September, 1998.

Synopsis for "Scottish Connection"

Batman visits Scotland for a ceremony interring the remains of his ancestor Gaweyne de Weyne. He notices that the ancient grave has recently been vandalizes and returns that night as Batman to investigate. When he does, he is assaulted by some hooligans but they are driven off by Sheona and her loyal birds Dirkie and Rory. She tells him the story of her ancestors who were driven out of their homeland to the United States of America by some of Wayne's maternal ancestors: the Clan MacDubh.

The next day, Wayne asks for Oracle's help investigating the Knights Templar. As he is speaking to her over a video screen, he and Alfred are chased by some assassins attempting to shoot Wayne. The would-be killers drive off a bridge and Wayne interrogates them as they lie helpless: they have been contracted by a man in a mask who is looking to kill many persons but they don't know anything else. He leaves the duo for the police and Oracle discovers that the vandalized parts of several graves make up a map of Jerusalem: home of the Templars. She recommends he follow up on the clues at Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh, where he goes on a tour. During the presentation, an American historian becomes agitated and leaves in a huff only to return that night and steal a stone from the elaborate architecture.

Batman returns that night and finds two of the men who assaulted him breaking into the chapel. They enter a secret chamber and their masked boss is awaiting them, surrounded by jewels, gold, and precious artwork. He holds a box in his hand and explains that it contains something more valuable to him than all these treasures. When Batman snags it with a Batrope, he is attacked by more thugs and thrown over a cliff but manages to hang on for his life while the villains flee.

In a safe-house, the mastermind explains that he wears a grotesque plague mask to honor those who died on the perilous trip to America 200 years ago. His henchmen are bored and in response, he pulls out the mystical artifacts from the box: a crystal and a drawing of a mandala that will overtake their minds and transform them. Bruce carries on a phone call with Oracle who has discovered that the parchment is a magical object that can transform a man into a skilled and monomaniacal killer. Bruce has deduced the villain's identity as Fergus Slith and lies in wait for the gang that night in a bridge where they have plotted to drop a lethal plague into the a train car, killing several contemporary MacDubhs in retaliation for what happened to his ancestors. Batman subdues one of the superpowered henchmen, while to escape and Slith plunges into the waters below. He takes the virus in its flask as evidence of the attempted murder.

The next evening, Wayne attends a gala at Edinburg Castle where he sees Sheona again and she finishes her earlier story: only one man made it to America, cradling his newborn son and he vowed a blood feud for generations against the MacDubhs. The modern-day Slith returns to avenge his forefathers with a rocket-powered helicopter. Batman springs into action but receives a deep cut from Fergus' sword, leaving him incapacitated as the madman starts to attack the innocent crowd. He is stopped by Sheona who pleads with her brother to stop this vengeance. She has tried to intervene earlier but he narrowly escaped her. He refuses and as he attempts to murder an innocent man, Sheona pushes him off a turret, and both of them fall to their death. Sheona's birds fly off with the parchment.

On the flight back home, Alfred presents Bruce with a souvenir: a stuffed bat toy in a tam o' shanter and wishes him lang may yer lum reek (long may your chimney smoke).

Appearing in "Scottish Connection"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Reverend James Black (First appearance)
  • Alfred Pennyworth
  • Sheona Slith (First appearance) (Dies)
    • Dirkie (First appearance)
    • Rory (First appearance)

Antagonists:

  • Andrew Slith (Mentioned only)
  • Fergus Slith (First appearance) (Dies)
    • Airchie (First appearance)
    • Tam (First appearance)
  • Hamish Slith (Flashback only)

Other Characters:

  • Hiram Abiff (Mentioned only)
  • Devil (Mentioned only)
  • King Herod (Mentioned only)
  • Jesus Christ (Mentioned only)
  • Earl William St. Clair (Mentioned only)
  • Solomon (Mentioned only)
  • Gaweyne de Weyne (Flashback only)

Locations:

Items:

Notes

  • This issue is reprinted in Batman International.
  • This is a single story divided into the following chapters:
    • Chapter One: Isle of Mists
    • Chapter Two: The Templar Mystery
    • Chapter Three: The Plague Man
    • Chapter Four: The Devil's Scroll
    • Chapter Five: Castle of Doom



See Also


Links and References

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