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| Fear of Victory | |
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| Season 1, Episode 19 | |
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| Air date | 29 September, 1992 |
| Directed by | Dick Sebast |
| Written by | Samuel Warren Joseph |
| Music by | Lisa Bloom Carlos Rodriguez |
| Airdate Sequence | |
| Previous Two-Face Part II |
Next I've Got Batman in My Basement |
| Production Sequence | |
| Previous Vendetta |
Next The Clock King |
Fear of Victory is an episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series. It marked the first appearance of Robin in the series from an airdate viewpoint. It is also the second episode featuring the Scarecrow and his new design.
"Fear of Victory" is the 24th produced episode and the 19th episode aired.
Synopsis[]
After escaping from Arkham Asylum, the Scarecrow has come up with a fear chemical that is triggered by the release of adrenaline. He uses the chemical on Gotham City's greatest athletes, then bets against them to rake in the winnings. Dick Grayson learns about this scheme, but while trying to help Batman track down The Scarecrow, Robin is infected by the chemical and becomes stricken senseless with fear.
Plot[]
Disturbing Telegram
At the Gotham University, Dick Grayson and a friend named Brian Rogers watch the TV news about the excelent performance of Rogers in a University match, when news about strange incidents related with athletes seemingly lost control of themselves in a very strange way was aired leaving them worried. A delivery man knocks on their door room to deliver a telegram addressed to Rogers and then leaves without saying much. The message of the telegram wished Rogers luck for the upcoming match and also advised that "only a fool knows no fear".
At the football game, Rogers performs poorly and in the last minute he panicks in the middle of the field, paralyzed with fear. He had seen his opponents as scary monsters and isn't able to continue playing the game. Dick is shocked to see what happened and later that night he goes on patrol with Batman. Robin tells Batman about the events when they spot a robbery in progress in the rooftop of a skyscraper. They use their grapple guns to get to the top of the building fast, but as they get higher, Robin looks down to the street and is overwhelmed by fear. Robin loses the grip of the rope and almost falls off, but manages to cling to one of the building's columns. Batman almost reaches the top but the thugs start to drop down big blocks and one of the almost takes Batman down. Batman asks Robin for help but the youngster is too afraid of falling and doesn't help his mentor.
Robin paralyzed with fear
Another block is thrown at Batman and he falls off another few feet down when he manages to use a second grapple gun to save himself. The feat launches Batman straight into a woman's apartment. At first the woman is scared but at the full sight of who has entered the room, she is charmed by Batman. The two thugs try to drop a big block to Robin but Batman, who has ascended all the way to the roopftop, ties the thugs and helps his sidekick out of danger. Considering too much of a coincidence that Dick and his partner suffered panick attacks the same day, Batman decides to check Dick's University room and when he picks the telegram, he discovers that it is covered with some kind of chemical dust.
Batman takes the telegram to the Batcave to investigate it further. He experiments with animals and discovers that the chemical is a variation of the Fear Toxin that is absorbed by contact and is triggered by a rush of adrenaline. Batman decides to pay a visit to Jonathan Crane; the Scarecrow.
In Arkham Asylum, the cook takes Crane's food to one of the orderlies. The man drops it away and Batman comes out of the shadows to confront him. Batman asks about Crane but the orderlie refuses to let Batman see Crane. Batman forces his way in the cells and after seeing all of the most prominent inmates, he reaches Crane's cell just to find it empty, except for a real scarecrow figure as a decoy.
Scarecrow strikes back!
At some gambling center in Gotham, a man who likes to be called "Lucky" is seeing making lots of money of the recent games. The owner tell one of his men to follow that man in order to find out what is his secret to win all the time. The man follows "Lucky" to an abandoned building and when they confront each other, Lucky agrees to tell the truth about the games. He tells the man that he fixes the games; giving him a telegram for the man to open and reveal his secrets. The telegram is faux and as soon as it is opened, Lucky reveales himself as the Scarecrow and approaches the man to terrify him.
At the Police Headquarters, Commissioner Gordon speaks with Batman about the man that was found terrified. Batman relates the events with the sports events and tells Gordon that Scarecrow is behind it all. Later, Batman tells Robin that they are going to a match to prevent the Scarecrow from commiting further crimes. Robin is still trying to overcome his fears and agrees to go, reluctantly.
At the stadium, Robin spots a strange man and follows him. After a while Robin discovers that the man is Scarecrow and goes to check what was he doing in the players' dressroom. A helmet is turned upside down and Robin knows what to do.
Robin conquers his fears
During the match, the top player performs better than ever, much to Scarecrow's frustration. Batman confronts Scarecrow and tells him to give up his plan. Scarecrow threatens to drop a vial of a potent version of the chemical compound to the attendees so he can escape without Batman following him. The two of them struggle for a while and the vial is inches from falling down to the crowd. Robin, who has been looking the situation, fights his fears and uses the batrope to swing toward the vial before it falls down. Scarecrow tries to escape but is captured and taken into custody.
Later, at Wayne Manor, Bruce and Dick watch TV in the living room, as Brian Rogers signs a contract with the Gotham Knights. The people infected by the fear toxin are already clean and Dick smiles at Bruce's suggestion to congratulate his room-mate through a telegram.
Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kevin Conroy | Batman/Bruce Wayne |
| Bob Hastings | Commissioner Gordon Team doctor (uncredited) Thief (uncredited) |
| Mark Hamill | Joker |
| Loren Lester | Robin/Dick Grayson |
| Brian Mitchell | Brian |
| Chuck Moshontz | Boseman Thief (uncredited) |
| Henry Polic | Scarecrow |
| Tim Curry | Leon's Henchman (uncredited) Additional Voices |
| Lauri Johnson | Woman (uncredited) Nurse (uncredited) |
| Tom Williams | Leon the Bookie (uncredited) Additional Voices |