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| Beware the Gray Ghost | |
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| Season 1, Episode 32 | |
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| Air date | 4 November, 1992 |
| Directed by | Boyd Kirkland |
| Story by | Dennis O'Flaherty Tom Ruegger |
| Teleplay by | Garin Wolf Tom Ruegger |
| Music by | Carl Johnson |
| Airdate Sequence | |
| Previous Dreams in Darkness |
Next Cat Scratch Fever |
| Production Sequence | |
| Previous See No Evil |
Next Prophecy of Doom |
"Beware the Gray Ghost" is an episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series. This episode is notorious for introducing the character of The Gray Ghost to the show. Gray Ghost was voiced by Adam West, who is most famous for his portrayal of Batman in the 1960s. This episode also featured the producer and creator of the show, Bruce Timm, as a guest star.
"Beware the Gray Ghost" was the 18th episode produced and the 32nd episode aired.
Synopsis[]
Gotham City is struck by a series of remote activated bombings as a warning to a ransom demand. Batman realizes that the pattern of the recent bombings is based on an episode of an old television show featuring his favorite boyhood hero, the "Gray Ghost". Seeking information, Batman visits the actor who played the TV hero, Simon Trent.
Plot[]
The Gray Ghost Show
Years ago, a young Bruce Wayne watches an episode of his favorite show, The Gray Ghost. Cutting between the past and the present, the same thing is seen happening in the present as in the episode: A whirring sound is heard, followed by a massive explosion that destroys a building. The police receive a ransom note, signed "The Mad Bomber". In the show, the Gray Ghost is shown jumping off a neighboring building to investigate, while in the present Batman does exactly the same thing.
Batman sees the connection, but does not remember the end of the episode, since he fell asleep before it was over. Bruce Wayne tries to find a tape of the show, but is told that it is impossible to find, as the prints were lost in a studio fire. Looking up the show at the library, Bruce finds Simon Trent, the actor who played the Gray Ghost, is still alive, and is living in Gotham.
Trent sells his relics
An elderly Trent lives in a seedy apartment, with his landlord demanding the unpaid rent. Trent gets a call from his agent, and finds he has been rejected for another part. He has been unable to get work since his glory days as the Gray Ghost, due to being typecast. In despair, Trent trashes his apartment in a rage. Fed up with his Gray Ghost memorabilia, he takes it all to a toy store, selling it for as much as the owner, Ted Dymer, is willing to pay.
Trent returns home and falls asleep. When he wakes up all his stuff has been returned, and a note from Batman is attached to his Gray Ghost costume, summoning Trent to a meeting.
Trent shows up and Batman asks for his help regarding the show's "Mad Bomber" episode. Trent, having made so many episodes that aired a long time ago, doesn't remember any of the details. He angrily tells Batman to leave him alone, but then the same whirring noise is heard, and the Gotham Bank explodes. Batman goes to investigate, while Trent runs back to his home.
When Trent arrives, Batman is already there. Before Trent can call the police, Batman shows him the ransom note. Having remembered the episode, Trent opens his closet and reveals old film reels, a complete collection of "The Gray Ghost". He gives Batman the episode, and asks to be left in peace.
Bruce watches the episode at home, and discovers the source of the whirring noise: Radio-controlled toy cars, carrying explosives. Forewarned, he and the police lie in wait at the next target, the Gotham Library. As a set of cars speed toward the library, one is destroyed by a police sniper, another by Batman with a flamethrower. The last car breaks off and Batman pursues it into an alley. At the end of the alley, he finds the car is a decoy, and turns to see another trio of cars racing toward him.
The Gray Ghost saves Batman
Batman is trapped, but then a rope falls from above, and Batman climbs it just as the cars crash and explode. Reaching the top, Batman finds Trent, dressed in full costume as the Gray Ghost. Batman gives him the toy car, which Trent identifies as an authentic piece of Gray Ghost merchandise. Batman invites the Gray Ghost to help him. Trent reluctantly agrees, but then another set of toy cars appear. Both heroes jump into the Batmobile and speed away, managing to evade the trap and detonate the cars harmlessly.
Batman takes the Gray Ghost to the Batcave. The Gray Ghost notices its similarity to the "Gray Ghost Lair" from the TV show. Batman also reveals a special corner where he still keeps some Gray Ghost merchandise from his childhood as a shrine to the hero. Batman tells Trent he watched the show as a child, and that the Gray Ghost was an inspiration to him. Trent realizes just how big a difference the show made to someone.
Batman scans the car for fingerprints, and finds Trent's on it. Batman turns and confronts him. Trent swears he's innocent, as he sold his toy cars months ago... meaning the Mad Bomber is Ted, the toy collector.
Batman confronts Ted, who is obsessed with toys, and needs the money to buy more. Ted traps Batman with a ring of toy cars, but then Trent appears in costume and takes him down. A fire starts, and they escape the building before an explosion destroys the toy shop. Ted cries for the loss of his toys and is taken into police custody.
The Gray Ghost is back
Trent is hailed as a hero, and his career is restarted by the release of "The Gray Ghost" on video and broadcast television. Trent has been offered a part in a film, and his merchandise is now highly valuable. While signing autographs at a convention, he is approached by Bruce Wayne, who says that he used to watch "The Gray Ghost" with his father, and the Gray Ghost was his hero... and he still is. Having heard these same words from Batman, Trent seems to suspect who Bruce Wayne really is, which he acknowledges with a smile.
Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kevin Conroy | Bruce Wayne / Batman Thomas Wayne (uncredited) |
| Bob Hastings | Commissioner Gordon |
| Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. | Alfred Piedmont Police Chief (uncredited) Frankie (uncredited) |
| Mari Devon | Summer Gleeson |
| Joe Leahy | Narrator |
| Bruce W. Timm | Ted Dymer |
| Adam West | Simon Trent / The Gray Ghost |
- This article uses material from the Beware the Gray Ghost article at the DCAU Wiki and is licensed under the CC BY-SA License.