Episode #059 - The Demon's Quest: Part 1 Original Airdate - May 3rd, 1993
When Robin is mysteriously abducted from his college campus, the Batman
begins a fruitless search ... until he is astounded by the sudden
appearance in the Batcave of Ra's Al Ghul. Ra's quickly reveals that his
daughter, Talia, has been abducted under circumstances similar to
Robin's, suggesting that the same persons are responsible. So begins an
uneasy truce between the Batman and 'The Demon'.
Media by Bird Boy
Review by Robin III
Credits
Written by Dennis O'Neil
Directed by Kevin Altieri
Music Composed by Michael McCuistion
Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co.
Voices
Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred
Loren Lester as Robin
Helen Slater as Talia
Manu Tupou as Ubu
David Warner as Ra's Al Ghul
Frank Welker as Thug
Screen Grabs Pans
Quotes
RA'S: You must forgive, Ubu, Detective. He is well trained.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am he who is called Ra's Al Ghul.
BATMAN: The Demon's Head. I thought you were only a legend.
RA'S: I am quite real.
--
RA'S: Forgive my servant. He feels that no one should proceed me. Call
it over zealousness.
BATMAN: I think I'll call it 'strike one'.
--
BATMAN: Do you need help?
RA'S: I need nothing! As Napoleon told me, 'A strong will can fuel a
frail physique'.
--
UBU: Master, we must get you to one of the pits.
BATMAN: Pits?
RA'S: Ignore him, Detective. We must stay on the hunt for the sake of
the children.
BATMAN: All right. If that's the way it's to be played.
--
BATMAN: Been here long?
ROBIN: Couple days I think. I still don't know who grabbed me.
BATMAN: I do.
THE DEMON MASKED FIGURE STEPS OUT OF A CURTAIN, CLAPPING. BATMAN ACTS
AND REMOVES THE MASK OF THE FIGURE.
BATMAN: Ra's Al Ghul.
--
RA'S: So, how long have you known, Detective, that I planned your ward's
capture?
BATMAN: Almost from the beginning. How could you have known that Robin
and your daughter were abducted on the same night. . .
RA'S: Unless I had done the abducting?
BATMAN: Exactly. And do you think I would have let you take me anywhere
in your plane unless I suspected you meant to lead me somewhere? For one
thing, there were all those would-be assassins. They knew where we would
be and when. Someone had to be tipping them off; that someone had to be
you. Then there was Ubu, always by his master's side, always very picky
about letting you go ahead of everyone else except in Malaysia where you
knew there was danger waiting.
RA'S: I am deeply impressed.
TALIA: As am I.
EVERYBODY FREEZES. ROBIN ADMIRES TALIA'S FIGURE.
BATMAN: Ready to go?
ROBIN LOOKS FROM BATMAN TO TALIA AND TO BATMAN AGAIN.
ROBIN: Well, if you say so, though it was just starting to get
interesting.
UBU: The master gave you no permission to leave.
BATMAN: I didn't ask for any. Review: This was a very good
episode. Denny O'Neil is a master at Batman stories, especially ones
involving Ra's Al Ghul. This was an extremely good adaptation of the
70's Batman comic story with the same introduction to Ra's Al Ghul. The
best moments were involving Batman and Ubu with the three strikes,
Batman explanation to Ra's how he figured everything out, and the short
parachute / skiing scene. The small opening scene before the titles was
also very effective. For some reason, it was just very dramatic.
The animation was great as well, very dark and moody. Batman's outfit
rarely had any grey in it; it was mostly black and dark, dark blue.
There was some nice fighting too, with Batman and the thugs in the
alley, Batman and the panther, and Batman's fight with Ra's men in the
cave.
Jim's Note: The opening to this episode is easily one of the series' best. Check it out here: