| Fall of the Blue Beetle! | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 8 | |
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| Air date | January 23, 2009 |
| Written by | James Krieg |
| Directed by | Brandon Vietti |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous Dawn of the Dead Man! |
Next Journey to the Center of the Bat! |
Summary
- Teaser: In flashbacks, Batman and the second Blue Beetle try to regain the scarab from Jarvis Kord.
- Main Plot: Two years later, the current Blue Beetle researches his roots following Batman's battle with Doctor Polaris. This leads him to Hub City and the lair of the Blue Beetle. Using Ted's Bug vehicle, Jaime finds himself on Science Island where he encounters Jarvis Kord (who is posing as Ted Kord). He asks the Beetle to activate an army of peaceful robots. His true goal is to put an end to wars by conquering the Earth.
Appearing in "Fall of the Blue Beetle!"
TEASER (flashback only) Featured Characters:
Items:
Vehicles:
MAIN EPISODE Featured Characters:
- Batman (flashback and main story)
- Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)
Supporting Characters:
- Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) (Dies) (flashback only)
Villains:
- Jarvis Kord (flashback and main story)
- Doctor Polaris (First appearance)
- Squid Gang (First appearance) (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Blue Beetle (Dan Garrett) (First appearance) (Deceased) (flashback only)
- Paco
Locations:
- El Paso, Texas
- Hub City
- Kord Enterprises
- Science Island
Items:
- Batarang
- BB Gun
- Blue Beetle Scarab (flashback and main story)
- Super Androids
- knockout pellets
- missile
Vehicles:
Synopsis
Two years ago, Batman and the Silver Age Blue Beetle arrive to investigate a company and quickly subdue hostile security guards. Continuing inside, they set off an alarm and are caught between approaching laser grids: each hero disabling the one on their side with high-tech gear. The floor collapses, dropping them into a cafeteria and forcing them to engage in some old-fashioned fisticuffs.
In the present, day, Paco and Jaime are camping in the desert and discussing superhero origins. Jaime angrily insists that are heroes are chosen for a reason but Paco believes it's dumb luck.
The magnetic super villain Dr. Polaris steals gold from a depository while easily deflecting the guards' bullets. Batman and the teenage Blue Beetle move in but Blue Beetle is more interested in discussing if he was chosen deliberately or randomly to be a Blue Beetle. Batman says he's nothing like the one he knew. Dr. Polaris takes control of Batman's utility belt and pulls the hero toward him. The Caped Crusader quickly releases the belt and activates a timed explosive, knocking out the bad guy. He tells Jaime that he's nothing like the Blue Beetle he knew, and Jaime is surprised he's been holding out. Batman angrily refuses to discuss the matter further and departs. Once he's gone, the Blue Beetle's armor downloads Internet data for him on his predecessor, who operated out of Hub City.
Blue Beetle arrives at Kord Enterprises and his armor takes over, flying him to the secret lair below. The lights come up to reveal a high-tech facility, but covered in dust. Jaime finds the Bug, the Silver Age Blue Beetle's high-tech flying vehicle. He taps into the systems and accesses the trip log showing his last destination. Jaime thinks his predecessor may be in danger and ignores his armor's warning to backtrack along the route.
The Bug arrives at a cloaked island but before Jaime can investigate, Batman contacts him by radio to apologize. He says that there's some things Jaime isn't ready to learn, but Jaime informs him he's investigating his predecessor's disappearance and cuts off. The Bug lands and blue beetle-like robots emerge from the ground to attack. Jaime manifests a battle cannon and starts destroying them, but a scientist arrives to tell him to stop. The man introduces himself as Ted Kord, the Silver Age Blue Beetle, and they're on Science Island.
Batman flies toward Science Island, remembering how Ted Kord used to get him in trouble. He remembers back to when he and Blue Beetle broke into a laboratory to recover the alien scarab that Ted loaned to a scientist. They confront the scientist in his lab, but he activates robots to attack them. The scientist flees but Blue Beetle manages to snag the scarab from him before he escapes.
On Science Island, Ted shows Jaime around his headquarters and boasts of wanting to help all of mankind by harnessing the powers of the scarab. He gets a little carried away talking about the poorer aspects of humanity. Ted then shows Jaime his army of beetle robots that will take over all arduous boring menial tasks for humanity. He explains he needs the power of the scarab and Jaime asks why he got it. Ted says he sent it out for an ally, someone of great virtue, and asks if Jaime will help. Jaime agrees and Ted inserts power conduits into the scarab, powering his robotic minions. Jaime mentions Batman and Ted laughs knowledgeably. After Jaime is done, he goes to grab some rest and Ted tells his robots to go on defense patrol against Batman.
Batman arrives at Science Island and beetle-drones attack the Batplane, bringing it down. Ted watches the screen in satisfaction. Meanwhile, Jaime stumbles over a drone and discovers that it is armed with bullets. His armor activates and he goes to investigate, finding a room full of battle robots equipped with weaponry and prepared to travel across the world. Before he can call Batman, Ted arrives in a battle suit and disables the scarab armor with lasers, while thanking him for warning about Batman.
Batman arrives, having escaped the destruction of the Batplane, and disables Ted power suit with an electrical-charge. He orders his battle drones to attack but then takes Jaime hostage. Batman surrenders and Ted ties them up, while boasting of how he will bring peace to the world through conquest. Once he's gone, Batman explains that "Ted" is Jarvis Kord, Ted Kord's uncle. Ted promised to carry on the mantle of his predecessor, Dan Garrett, but couldn't get the scarab to work. Instead he used high-tech to fight crime, but trusted Jarvis to try and access the scarab. Batman and Ted tried to stop Jarvis from launching his robots across Hub City and Blue Beetle put the scarab in the warhead of the missile to send it to someone worthy, and then rode it as it launched. In the air, he detonated the rocket at the cost of his own life. Batman wasn't sure if Jaime was ready to hear about his predecessor's death.
Inspired, Blue Beetle regenerates his suit and breaks free. Jarvis orders his robots to attack. They break into the control center and subdue Jarvis, and Jaime ties into the computer systems and destroy the reactor before it launches. The island blows up around them as they flee with Jarvis. The robots open fire and Batman tells Jaime to go on ahead. The drones open fire, overwhelming Batman despite his best efforts. They prepare to open fire but Jaime returns in the Bug to blast them apart. They fly away just as Science Island blasts apart.
Jaime apologizes to Batman for becoming obsessed with the scarab's origins, but Batman notes that the scarab chose him when it didn't choose Ted. Jaime vows to do the right thing.
Trivia
- The first Blue Beetle was Dan Garret ("Mystery Men Comics" #1, 1939). Ted Kord was the second Blue Beetle ("Captain Atom" #83, 1966), and Jaime is the third ("Infinite Crisis" #3, 2006). Both Dan and Ted had possession of the scarab, but Jaime is the only one that the scarab bonded to and granted super powers. Wil Wheaton voiced Ted, while Jaime was voiced by Will Friedle, who also provided the voice for the future Batman on "Batman Beyond".
- Ted Kord's original storyline also includes Jarvis Kord, who is Ted's uncle. Jarvis Kord had created an army of super androids intent on taking over the world (like in this episode). But instead of Ted dying, Dan Garrett died in the original story.