[S2E5] Batman's Back Man
He warns her that through years of hard work his symbol has built trust with the people of Gotham. Seeing it around the city could give them the impression that they could rest easy as Batman was there looking over them. This all backfires on him as Batgirl, an obvious millennial, goes live on social media to let her million-plus followers know that Batman was back! Now the Gotham citizens a false sense of hope that will put all in danger. Especially because Batman is in no shape for crime-fighting. This also leads the two remaining criminals Two-Face, voiced by Alan Tudyk, to try and convince Bane, voiced by James Adomian to team up together.
[S2E5] Batman's Back Man
Following the episode's cold open, Batman awakens in his bed, his hair and beard grown to unkempt lengths following his coma. He staggers to his window where he sees a picturesque, happy version of Gotham, until he moves aside the painting and sees New New Gotham in utter chaos. Stunned, Batman falls to the floor and calls out for Alfred Pennyworth, who arrives with breakfast and tea, insisting that Batman get back into bed so that he can make a full physical recovery. He even offers to be "binge buddies" to watch the 312 TV shows that came out since his coma, but Batman insists on fighting crime immediately.
Commissioner Gordon is brought to Batman's mansion, where he explains the state of absolute chaos that Gotham has fallen into. He quickly believes Batman's lie about "doing stuff" (rather than being in a coma) for the past few months, and jumps right into a list of things he wants Batman to pay for "so I can take back the city", including both an entire bankrolled police force and personal frivolities for himself. Shocked, Batman asks if there are truly no other superheroes in the city, at which point Gordon shows Batman the handful of amateurs who are trying: the Macaroni, an Englishman with a mechanical powdered wig; and Batgirl, taking up the mantle of Batman.
Batgirl's joy overflows, and she announces to all of her followers that Batman is back, including him in her livestream. This prompts the city's residents to rise up against the Injustice League's tyranny, hopeful now that Batman has ostensibly returned. Alfred then chastises Batman, saying that all of Gotham is "as full of false hope as an undercooked meat pie". He insists that Gotham's protector should at least be able to put his own socks on, which Batman cannot do in his debilitated state, and tries to get Batman to listen to him by mentioning all his loyal service to Batman from when he raised him as his own son, loved him unconditionally, and even changed his diapers when he was in a coma. However, Batman argues that he has no knowledge of what it's like to be a warrior, disregarding Alfred's military service as fighting over "who gets the last scone".
Still angered, Batman calls for Lucius Fox to build him a mechanical suit to help him fight crime. Meanwhile, Two-Face is panicking over the return of Batman and invites Bane back to the Injustice League to discuss his proposition of a deeper alliance again. He even gives Bane his own executive office chair and a drink, which overjoys Bane. Although he is suspicious that Two-Face only reconsidered the alliance due to Batman, he nonetheless accepts so long as it's a 50-50 partnership. Immediately, however, Bane notices that Two-Face's proposed branding literally only has himself on it, with Two-Face claiming that the "two faces" includes himself and Bane.
Harley Quinn season 2, episode 5, "Batman's Back Man" makes this point, with a story that is focused upon Bruce Wayne's efforts to save Gotham City in the wake of the chaos that claimed it after Harley Quinn's season 1 finale. Waking from a coma after being rescued from the rubble of Joker's skyscraper base, Batman is determined to go out and face the Injustice League that has taken over the city in his absence. Unfortunately, he's no longer in peak physical condition after months of bed-rest. Indeed, his back is still in such bad shape that he can't dress himself unaided, which limits his options in a fight considerably. His butler Alfred points this out (with an appropriate level of sarcasm), noting that "the city's protector should be able to put his sockie-poos on his feetsies."
The sequence definitely gives viewers a lot to take in, especially the self-aware comments about Harley Quinn (which, despite the scene being crafted months in advance, feel eerily similar to negative backlash lodged at both the show and the recent Birds of Prey movie). The references to Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Justice League are sure to make waves as well, as those have probably been two of the most divisive genre films to be released within the past few years.
Thrown through a hole created by the blast, Batman is knocked out after becoming non-fatally impaled on a loose iron grid. During the time he is out, Joker captures Waller and escapes the scene, with the Agency chasing after him. Upon regaining consciousness, Batman, with help from either Catwoman or Iman (depending on which bomb he chose to go after), is helped off the rod and calls the Batmobile to take him back to the Batcave. As he and the ally leave the scene, he once again loses consciousness, due to blood loss.
Regaining consciousness in the back of an ambulance, Batman finds Waller and Gordon sharing a cigarette break together. Asking the former commissioner to leave them alone, Waller tells him that the deal they reached still stands and that the Agency are leaving Gotham. She also follows through with the demand he made, should he ask her for the favor. Revealing that she will not be taking action against Tiffany, Waller finishes her conversation with Batman, which either results in her promising to work with him again, an argument over their actions or the vigilante leaving to return home. If the former options take place, Batman briefly talks with Gordon and gives him advice on what he should do.
Several hours later, Batman is called to the scene by Renee Montoya to investigate a possible trap. Finding Bullock tied up in the back of the van, he investigates him with his cowl's x-ray lenses, finding an object hidden in his torso. Believing it to be a bomb, Batman tells officers to get away whilst he extracts the item. Upon doing so, he finds the object was actually a jack-in-the-box and tells them it's safe to cut Bullock down.
Upon awakening, Bruce finds himself in the back of an ambulance and in Waller's presence. Contempt with his actions, Waller promises not to reveal his identity and, if he enquires, updates on Gordon, Selina and Avesta's conditions, as well as the opportunity to affect their futures. Regardless of whether he choses to do so or not, she reveals that the Agency is leaving Gotham and tells him that she can arrest Tiffany for her crime. Regardless of whether he tells her to do so or not, she leaves with her agents, promising to see him again. After the meeting with Waller, Bruce leaves to return home and recover from his injuries.
That night back at the Stock Exchange, Batman overhears a janitor whistling the Minstrel's theme. Having been startled, the janitor woman walks off, but then the Minstrel sprays bolts to temporarily blind the Dynamic Duo and leaves. After the Minstrel's escape, Batman points out the counter oscillators in the transmitter's circuitry that interfered with the stock quotations. Having been found out, the Minstrel plans to lure the Bat-Duo to his hideout.
Lana Lang rides her horse out to the cemetery to visit her parents' grave and finds an envelope on the headstone addressed to her. As she opens it, Byron Moore runs frantically through the woods. Byron falls on his back and his father, who appears to be out hunting him with a hound, shoots him with a tranquilizer and throws him back down in the cellar and threatens to kill him if he ever sneaks out again, and installs a stronger door on the cellar.
Byron is writing another letter to Lana when his mother comes down to the cellar to bring him a book. He complains to her about having to stay in the cellar, but she assures him that it is better this way. When she leaves, he moves a poster from the wall and removes several cinder blocks. He finds Lana at her parents' grave. She has fallen asleep waiting for him. When she wakes up, he runs away, but she calls out to him and stops him. When she shines her flashlight in his face, he raises his arm. Suddenly, Clark jumps out of the bushes, startling him. He falls back, hits his head on a stone, and faints.
Clark and Jonathan return to Byron's house and speak with his mother. Byron's father is out looking for him. She explains that the change that came over him is a side effect from the drugs he was administered. Six other boys died while the doctors tried to reverse the effects, so they decided to bring him home and lock him in the cellar. Clark asks if he gets him of the sunlight, will he change back? She says yes, but that he is so strong now she doesn't know how anybody could do that. Lana is angry with Clark for going to Byron's house without her. Chloe arrives with information that the medication administered to Byron targeted his adrenal system. She also informs them that Lionel Luthor funded the research. Clark decides to ask Lex and Lana decides to join in the search for Byron. She finds him in the cemetery at his own grave. He insists that he is not going back down in the cellar. Lana tells him that the Luthors did this, and they might still be able to find a cure. He grabs her and Lana scratches him; he throws her against a stone. Lana falls unconscious and Byron runs off.
Lex promises Clark that he will look into Metron. Clark looks out the window and sees his mother getting into the helicopter with Lionel on her way to Metropolis when Byron arrives and prevents the helicopter from taking off. He pulls Martha and Lionel from the helicopter and might have done Lionel real injury, but Clark rushes down and pushes Byron down a well where it is dark, and Byron changes back to his true self. 041b061a72