"CURSES!"
Barbara Wilson watches as the crimson femme fatale let out her final word before she gives a shrill scream as her plant closes up, engulfing her in darkness.
"NOOOOOooooooo...let me GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
She would like to believe that this is the moment where she should smile in triumph as she saved her Bat colleagues. Alas, as she watches the villainess writhe, long slender legs swinging as she tried to break free, she couldn't help but pity the femme fatale, wondering what led her to do all this.
No time for this, I have to help Batman & Robin!
Barbara turns back and rushes towards her colleagues, who were already free from the vines.
"Freeze is gonna ice the city!"
"I know." Batman replies, unimpressed of Robin's weakness towards the opposite sex.
He then looks at Barbara. "And you are?"
Quick, I need a name...Wait, since Bruce is Batman…
"BATGIRL!", Barbara blurts out.
"That's not awfully PC. What about Batperson or Batwoman?"
"Bruce, it's me, Barbara. I found the Batcave." Barbara smiles, optimistic in joining the team.
"We gotta get those locks change.", Robin chimes.
"She knows who we are."
"Guess we'll just have to kill her."
As the men banter, Barbara couldn't help but look at the plant woman, wondering whether this could have ended in another way.
Maybe I should visit her later.
She couldn't explain the attraction.
Guess she's my first...maybe that's why.
"Yup, we'll kill her later. We have work to do." Batman heads towards the entrance, followed by Robin and the new Batgirl.
I'll come back. I promise.
Thanks to Barbara's adept programming skills, the trio are able to reverse Freeze's work upon Gotham, utilising the sunlight from the other side of the Earth to unthaw the city.
As the trio glanced at the beautiful view of Gotham City, Batman heads towards the weakened Mr. Freeze.
"I'm taking you back to Arkham Asylum."
Freeze remains defiant and threatening even when defeated.
"Go on...kill me too...just as you killed my wife."
"I didn't kill your wife."
Barbara, along with Robin, watches as Batman grabs an item from his utility belt, and hears the sound of rewinding as she assumes that Batman has video evidence proving his innocence.
"As I told Lady Fries when I pulled her plug, this is a one-woman show!"
Wait...Freeze's partner did this? Why?
As Barbara pondered the plant woman's decision, she was snapped out by Mr. Freeze's screams of anger and betrayal.
"But she's not dead."
Barbara looks up, hopeful, as Mr. Freeze stops to focus on the Dark Knight's words.
"We found her, restored her. She's still frozen alive...waiting for you to find a cure."
Freeze's eyes lit up. "She lives?"
"Yes. But vengeance isn't power. Anyone can take a life. But to give life...that's true power. A power you once had."
Freeze remains happy. "She's alive…"
Batman continues, pleading to Freeze's humanity...
"So I'm asking you. Victor Fries…help me save another life. Show me how to cure Macgregor's Syndrome, stage one. And maybe you can also save the life of the man your wife once loved. He's still inside you, Victor. Buried...deep beneath the snow. Will you help me...doctor?"
Freeze thinks for a minute, then out of gratefulness, opens a compartment in his suit, revealing two small cylinder flasks. He takes out both.
"Take two of these...and call me in the morning."
Robin looks at Barbara, a smile on his face.
Barbara smiles, knowing what Batman is planning to do with the antidote, happy that her uncle Alfred may still have a chance for life after all. Happy that, for once, her family can be saved. Notably, she's also happy for Dr. Victor Fries becoming a good person once more.
Maybe I can save her as well, just as Batman saved Mr. Freeze.
Batman grabs the antidote, confident in his next promise.
"I'll have your wife moved to the lab at Arkham. You'll be able to continue your research there."
Batman and Mr. Freeze both shared a smile.
Gotham City is saved, and all three crusaders head to Commissioner Jim Gordon as they descended from Gotham Observatory with Mr. Freeze.
"Commissioner."
"Batman...you three, thank you for saving the city."
"Just performing our civic duty to keep Gotham safe. I hope you have Arkham ready for Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy."
Batgirl smirks. Poison Ivy, eh? Figures.
"We'll alert Arkham immediately...in the meantime…"
"Commissioner, if it's okay with you, we'll escort Mr. Freeze to Arkham. We have special conditions we'll like to discuss with Warden Sharp."
"Certainly, although there's still the apprehending of Poison Ivy…"
Batgirl smiles. An opportunity for some girl talk.
"If it's alright with you, I'll retrieve and escort Poison Ivy to Arkham. Just to maximize efficiency."
Jim looks at the female Bat puzzled, then smiles. "Certainly, who else could be more qualified than you? Out of the three, the only one not under Poison Ivy's spell."
Batman nods. "Well then, that settles it. As for Bane, he's reverted back to normal, but he's stuck up there somewhere…"
"We'll handle it, Batman. You three escort them to Arkham, and we'll help the citizens and send Bane to prison, as well as cleaning up the damage."
"Commissioner."
"Batman, Robin, and…"
"Batgirl", Barbara speaks with vindication, "Batgirl's my name."
Jim nods. "Batgirl."
Jim heads back to his officers for coordinating in restoring Gotham and apprehending Bane.
The trio head to their vehicles.
As Batgirl heads to hers, Batman laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Robin, could you escort Victor? I'll bring the cure back home, and I also need to talk with Batgirl privately."
Robin, apprehensive at first, merely nods as he resumes with his task. He gives a look at Batgirl. Don't worry.
Batgirl faces Batman, a confused look on her face. Both stare, trying to contemplate the right words. Please, he better not figure it out.
"You know what you have to do, Batgirl?"
Batgirl ponders, figuring out what he is asking for.
"Yeah, arrest and escort Poison Ivy to Arkham Asylum. Ensure her survival within its walls. That's the mission, right?"
Batman, thinking over her words, gives a smile. He retrieves a pouch from his utility belt, and grabs the rubber lips. He then attaches it to Batgirl's lips.
"Here. This will protect you from Poison Ivy's kisses. I know you may want to trust her, but better to be safe than dead, right?"
"Thanks, Batman. I better get Poison Ivy. And you better go home ASAP. Alfred needs you."
Batgirl gets on her motorcycle, and heads off to Turkish Baths.
Poison Ivy, I'm coming to save you.
From the interior of the Turkish Baths, there is no sound. The plants speak no more, much less an echo of their mother. Only a soft sob can be heard, as Poison Ivy cries and cries, saddened by her own failure.
I hate you...Batgirl…
Barbara…