DC Database
Register
Advertisement

Batman finds himself locked up in a cell in Arkham Asylum and the doctors treat him as if he would be truly insane. Batman warns them about something bad that would happen if they don't let him out. The doctors believe it is just another delusion from a madman and keep the

Quote1 "There's always time to heal", the doctor told me, but he was wrong. There was no time left. Not for me, not for him, and not for Gotham City. And as long as I remained trapped in Arkham, there was nothing I could do, except wait for the end and remember the beginning. Quote2
Batman


Dreams in Darkness is an episode of season 1 of Batman. It premiered on November 3, 1992.

Synopsis for "Dreams in Darkness"

Batman finds himself locked up in a cell in Arkham Asylum and the doctors treat him as if he would be truly insane. Batman warns them about something bad that would happen if they don't let him out. The doctors believe it is just another delusion from a madman and keep them locked up tight. Batman can only manage to remember how it all began.

Batman was checking for some unusual activity on a spa and found a man attaching some sort of device to the water distribution pipes of the spa. Batman stopped the man and after the fight he disarmed the device but unfortunately the thug destroyed the device releasing some sort of gas that affected both of them, but mostly the thugs who was in direct contact with it. The thug was taken to the hospital because he was having hallucinations and couldn't tell reality from delusions.

Batman took the device to the Batcave where he analyzed it but he was scared as he saw the Joker approaching him from behind. Batman turned and found that it was just Alfred. Knowing that he was suffering from hallucinations as well, Batman went to see one of the doctors who were treating the thug and asked the doctor for an antidote for the gas and its effects. The doctor gave Batman some medicine and told him that once he take it, he would be sleeping for two days. Batman didn't allowed the doctor to administrate the medication as he couldn't afford being out of action for two days, he just took the medicine and left the hospital. Batman was on his way to Arkham Asylum when he had another hallucination of Robin in the middle of the road that forced him to brake the Batmobile. Batman wasn't able to break the car due to the high speed and the batmobile collapsed to the ravine nearby Arkham.

When he woke up, Batman was being taken to the cells inside Arkham as he continued to have the hallucinations. Batman is straitjacketed and locked in the Arkham cell as his pleas to speak to James Gordon are ignored as well as his claiming that The Scarecrow was planning to poison the water supply of the entire city to which Dr. Bartholomew replies that Crane is locked in his cell.

However, Scarecrow was indeed the responsible for the evil plan as he was installing the device near the main water supply of Gotham; that happened to be just below the Asylum. Batman continues to have delusions and this time, Thomas and Martha Wayne both in Crime Alley, are part of them. When Dr. Bartholomew confirms that Crane is not in his cell, he goes to see Batman and informs him about the fact. The doctor also tells Batman where the water supply is and Batman managed to escape the cell before they could sedate him again. Batman took a couple of Arkham guards down and forced one of them to guide him to the Arkham cavern.

Batman goes inside the caves and he suffered one of the greatest hallucinations of all when he starts seeing Joker, a giant Penguin, whose head was replaced with the one of Two-Face, who later turned into Poison Ivy and tangled Batman with her arms turned into branches. Alfred and Robin were there but didn't help Batman and instead rejoiced to see him falling to an endless abyss with the Scarecrow face and a giant bat coming to him. Batman woke up screaming and the delusions faded away just in time for him to reach Scarecrow and stop him from poisoning the water supply. Batman had some trouble getting a grip with reality but in the end his Indomitable Will endured and he overcome his fears. The Scarecrow tried to ran away but his Fear Toxin was spreading all across the cavern and it also affected him.

Scarecrow was returned to his cell in Arkham Asylum and the doctors acknowledge that Batman was right all along. Bruce Wayne made it to the batcave in time for Alfred to give him the medication against the toxin. Bruce slept really peaceful knowing that he was safe in there. One of the bats in the batcave creates a shadow of a bat that covers Bruce on his dreams.

Appearing in "Dreams in Darkness"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:



Notes

  • This is the 28th episode to be produced and the 32nd to be aired.

Trivia

  • This episode is based upon the comic storyline Batman: The Last Arkham, in which Batman is taken into Arkham Asylum believed to be truly insane. The story differs from this one on the main villain, who in the comics was Mr. Zsasz; and also on the doctor being Jeremiah Arkham. There is also a reference to Amydala; another character featured in the storyline.
  • In this episode it is stated that Joker's real name is Jack Napier; a direct reference to the 1989 Batman movie.
  • Loren Lester voiced the Joker during Batman's hallucinations of this episode; thus his laugh is different from other episodes.


See Also

Recommended Media

  • None.


Links and References

Footnotes

Advertisement