Batman: The Animated Series
"Dopplegänger Knights"
Bruce sits down at his long stretch dinner table. Candelabras are lit and the sun has recently set.
Alfred walks in holding a dinner tray with one hand. It is covered with a lid and a clean white rag is draped over his forearm.
"Here you are sir. A little overdone, but not so much so."
"Thank you Alfred. Has Dick called in yet?"
"Master Grayson has said to inform you he shall be tardy to this meal. He is on a date with that Jennifer girl and are taking in a motion picture."
"He's been courting her for a while now. And Alfred," Wayne says.
"Yes, sir?"
He smiles, "We call then movies now."
Alfred lifts a half smile, "Yes, sir," and walks to the end of the table to place down dinnerware for Robin.
Bruce puts his hands down and looks up at the darkening sky.
"It's a beautiful night out Alfred. You can see the stars shinning."
"Yes, particularly that one sir," Alfred looks out and then at Bruce. Bruce looks to the left out the window. He sees nothing special and then leans in over the table. Still nothing. He pushes himself back, wipes his mouth clean and stands up. He walks over to Alfred.
The Bat-symbol lights up the clouds in the sky.
Dick walks in and sees his food prepared and waiting.
"Food. I'm starving," he sits down and picks up a fork.
"Dick, get ready," Bruce grabs the back of his shirt and hoists him up. Robin drops the fork on the table.
"What gives?" he asks.
"Alfred, keep it warm for me," he walks off.
"Right away sit," and walks to the other side of the table.
Dick watches him. He scratches his head and then looks right out the window seeing the Bat-call.
"Oh."
Commissioner Gordon and Bullock stand on top the police head quarters waiting.
Bullock fiddles with a toothpick in his teeth.
"Well, I guess he's not going to show," says Gordon.
"And that's a bad thing?" mouths off Bullock.
"Let's shut it off," Gordon walks over to the wall mounted power breaker and switches it off.
Bullock looks at the search light unit. As the bright light dissipates and his eyes adjust to the darkness again, the dark silhouette of Batman appears. His eyes seemingly glowing white.
"Jesus!" says Bullock in shock.
Gordon turns around to see Batman, "Glad you could come."
"Slow night," Batman replies.
"Geez, he's like the freakin' Spider-Man coming out of these shadows."
"Lieutenant, show some respect," orders Gordon.
"Yeah, what ever."
"I take it something is amiss," comments Batman.
"The Lieutenant here stumbled upon something unusual earlier. Tell him."
"Right, so I was doing some early Christmas shopping. You know, get it out of the way now so ya don't have to deal with the no-good holiday people?
I'm walking by this Health Food store in the mall and this kid comes bolting outta there and this guy comes out yelling at the kid. I tell him I'm a police officer and he says the kid robbed him. So, anyways, I go chasing after the brat and as I'm running I see the same kid run out of Radio Shack. Same kid, different cloths.
I grab the kid by the arm and it like, melted and went back to normal.
The kid took off and I lost track of them ... I chased their sorry butts for several minutes until they just up and disappeared. Like that," he snaps his finger.
"Clayface," says Batman.
"That's what I thought. But I thought he couldn't maintain separating like that. He always re-coalesces," says Gordon.
"He can, but the pieces dry up and die. The cells die and he is unable to reabsorb the remnants," replies Batman.
"So, are ya saying we got another play dough man on our hands?" asks Bullock.
Batman doesn't answer.
"That bastard Daggett might have ruined some other poor soul's life when he saw Clayface's near invincibility," comments Gordon.
"That Daggett character is gonna get what's coming to him one of these days," Bullock throws down the toothpick.
"Maybe we should send out someone to go question Roland and..."
They both look. Batman is gone.
"One of these days I'm gonna figure out how he does that."
Roland Daggett sits at his desk. His office is dark and he is watching the Gotham Mall Security Camera Footage. He stops and rewinds to watch again.
Without looking away he speaks, "I heard you coming. Money may not buy me happiness, but it sure does afford me rather decent security."
Batman steps out from the shadows.
"Watching your handy work..."
"You know, I should call the police. This is trespassing. Not even you my friend are above the law."
Batman moves in and picks up the phone and sets it next to Daggett's left hand. He throws down a dime, "Here, it's on me. Do you want to inform them of your dummy company in Sacramento, or shall I?"
Roland rolls his eyes toward Batman's face.
"I assume you came here for a reason."
"Care to explain the tape?" inquires Batman.
"Twins ... what? You know good and well when separated from his mass the clay dries up. Did it ever occur to you he was just impersonating some child?"
Batman moves in close. His cape wraps around his body, "If you're lying..."
"Why would I do a thing like that," he stands up and squeezes past Batman to walk a bit, "you know there was a court order to stop processing Re-New-U and inspectors inserted into the plant. I can't open another plant, or buy the certain ingredients without some lab loitering scientist checking over the papers. I hope you are happy. Daggett Industries employs over 500 people. That's nearly 5% of this cities population and I can't open another plant and provide Gotham job growth."
"I would be happy if no one worked for you. Dirty money and seedy business dealers form a poor foundation for a company," Batman replies.
"So, that's it? You came here to gloat. See me a broken man and revel in my misery? You can take your pointy eared black mask and cape, find the spot where the sun doesn't shine and shove it as far up as it will go!"
Batman walks over to Daggett. Daggett turns about and Batman lifts him by his shirt collar. He eyes Daggett with curbed malice.
"You going to stare at me all night boy scout?" asks Daggett.
Next scene Batman has Daggett hanging by his feet from a black wire outside the high-rise office building.
"All right. As much I despise your deplorable methods, I can't very well hand here all night. What exactly do you want to know?" calls out Daggett.
"Is Clayface working for you?"
"What? Don't tell me the great dark knight doesn't know," says Daggett.
Batman lets the chord slip momentarily. He grasps it firmly and when it pulls taut, Daggett's head snaps down.
"Okay! I have neither sought, nor employed Clayface since the trial."
"Good ... did you create another test subject?"
"No, you crazy? It would be too hard to keep it in check. As far as I am concerned, Re-New-U was a financial disaster."
"Is that all? Batman asks.
"While would I hold anything back?"
Believing Roland told the truth, Batman bends up, "Thanks," and walks away out of sight.
"You're not going to just leave me here? Batman! Come back here!" he struggles to bend upwards for the wire, but fails, "the blood is rushing to my head. Agh! Batman!!!"
On Daggett's office door Batman has hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign.
Robin sits in the Batmobile listening to the police scanner. He finally gets bored and turns the station to some music.
A few seconds later the lid slides open and Batman lands in the driver's seat.
Robin turns the channel back.
"Anything?" questions Batman.
"Nothing unusual. Pretty quite. So, what did the commissioner say?"
"It's Clayface.
"Now what?" asks Robin.
The lid shuts and Batman starts the Batmobile.
"Now we wait. We'll hear something eventually," he puts it into drive and takes off abruptly. Robin's head whacks against the seat. He feels it with his hands.
"You know, I wish you'd stop doing that," says Robin.
Batman smirks.
"You just wait until I get the Robinmobile – then we'll see how funny it is."
"Don't hold your breath."
The Batmobile zooms down the street of the dark Gotham City. Papers and dirt are kicked up in it's wake.
"Dopplegänger Knights"
Bruce sits down at his long stretch dinner table. Candelabras are lit and the sun has recently set.
Alfred walks in holding a dinner tray with one hand. It is covered with a lid and a clean white rag is draped over his forearm.
"Here you are sir. A little overdone, but not so much so."
"Thank you Alfred. Has Dick called in yet?"
"Master Grayson has said to inform you he shall be tardy to this meal. He is on a date with that Jennifer girl and are taking in a motion picture."
"He's been courting her for a while now. And Alfred," Wayne says.
"Yes, sir?"
He smiles, "We call then movies now."
Alfred lifts a half smile, "Yes, sir," and walks to the end of the table to place down dinnerware for Robin.
Bruce puts his hands down and looks up at the darkening sky.
"It's a beautiful night out Alfred. You can see the stars shinning."
"Yes, particularly that one sir," Alfred looks out and then at Bruce. Bruce looks to the left out the window. He sees nothing special and then leans in over the table. Still nothing. He pushes himself back, wipes his mouth clean and stands up. He walks over to Alfred.
The Bat-symbol lights up the clouds in the sky.
Dick walks in and sees his food prepared and waiting.
"Food. I'm starving," he sits down and picks up a fork.
"Dick, get ready," Bruce grabs the back of his shirt and hoists him up. Robin drops the fork on the table.
"What gives?" he asks.
"Alfred, keep it warm for me," he walks off.
"Right away sit," and walks to the other side of the table.
Dick watches him. He scratches his head and then looks right out the window seeing the Bat-call.
"Oh."
Commissioner Gordon and Bullock stand on top the police head quarters waiting.
Bullock fiddles with a toothpick in his teeth.
"Well, I guess he's not going to show," says Gordon.
"And that's a bad thing?" mouths off Bullock.
"Let's shut it off," Gordon walks over to the wall mounted power breaker and switches it off.
Bullock looks at the search light unit. As the bright light dissipates and his eyes adjust to the darkness again, the dark silhouette of Batman appears. His eyes seemingly glowing white.
"Jesus!" says Bullock in shock.
Gordon turns around to see Batman, "Glad you could come."
"Slow night," Batman replies.
"Geez, he's like the freakin' Spider-Man coming out of these shadows."
"Lieutenant, show some respect," orders Gordon.
"Yeah, what ever."
"I take it something is amiss," comments Batman.
"The Lieutenant here stumbled upon something unusual earlier. Tell him."
"Right, so I was doing some early Christmas shopping. You know, get it out of the way now so ya don't have to deal with the no-good holiday people?
I'm walking by this Health Food store in the mall and this kid comes bolting outta there and this guy comes out yelling at the kid. I tell him I'm a police officer and he says the kid robbed him. So, anyways, I go chasing after the brat and as I'm running I see the same kid run out of Radio Shack. Same kid, different cloths.
I grab the kid by the arm and it like, melted and went back to normal.
The kid took off and I lost track of them ... I chased their sorry butts for several minutes until they just up and disappeared. Like that," he snaps his finger.
"Clayface," says Batman.
"That's what I thought. But I thought he couldn't maintain separating like that. He always re-coalesces," says Gordon.
"He can, but the pieces dry up and die. The cells die and he is unable to reabsorb the remnants," replies Batman.
"So, are ya saying we got another play dough man on our hands?" asks Bullock.
Batman doesn't answer.
"That bastard Daggett might have ruined some other poor soul's life when he saw Clayface's near invincibility," comments Gordon.
"That Daggett character is gonna get what's coming to him one of these days," Bullock throws down the toothpick.
"Maybe we should send out someone to go question Roland and..."
They both look. Batman is gone.
"One of these days I'm gonna figure out how he does that."
Roland Daggett sits at his desk. His office is dark and he is watching the Gotham Mall Security Camera Footage. He stops and rewinds to watch again.
Without looking away he speaks, "I heard you coming. Money may not buy me happiness, but it sure does afford me rather decent security."
Batman steps out from the shadows.
"Watching your handy work..."
"You know, I should call the police. This is trespassing. Not even you my friend are above the law."
Batman moves in and picks up the phone and sets it next to Daggett's left hand. He throws down a dime, "Here, it's on me. Do you want to inform them of your dummy company in Sacramento, or shall I?"
Roland rolls his eyes toward Batman's face.
"I assume you came here for a reason."
"Care to explain the tape?" inquires Batman.
"Twins ... what? You know good and well when separated from his mass the clay dries up. Did it ever occur to you he was just impersonating some child?"
Batman moves in close. His cape wraps around his body, "If you're lying..."
"Why would I do a thing like that," he stands up and squeezes past Batman to walk a bit, "you know there was a court order to stop processing Re-New-U and inspectors inserted into the plant. I can't open another plant, or buy the certain ingredients without some lab loitering scientist checking over the papers. I hope you are happy. Daggett Industries employs over 500 people. That's nearly 5% of this cities population and I can't open another plant and provide Gotham job growth."
"I would be happy if no one worked for you. Dirty money and seedy business dealers form a poor foundation for a company," Batman replies.
"So, that's it? You came here to gloat. See me a broken man and revel in my misery? You can take your pointy eared black mask and cape, find the spot where the sun doesn't shine and shove it as far up as it will go!"
Batman walks over to Daggett. Daggett turns about and Batman lifts him by his shirt collar. He eyes Daggett with curbed malice.
"You going to stare at me all night boy scout?" asks Daggett.
Next scene Batman has Daggett hanging by his feet from a black wire outside the high-rise office building.
"All right. As much I despise your deplorable methods, I can't very well hand here all night. What exactly do you want to know?" calls out Daggett.
"Is Clayface working for you?"
"What? Don't tell me the great dark knight doesn't know," says Daggett.
Batman lets the chord slip momentarily. He grasps it firmly and when it pulls taut, Daggett's head snaps down.
"Okay! I have neither sought, nor employed Clayface since the trial."
"Good ... did you create another test subject?"
"No, you crazy? It would be too hard to keep it in check. As far as I am concerned, Re-New-U was a financial disaster."
"Is that all? Batman asks.
"While would I hold anything back?"
Believing Roland told the truth, Batman bends up, "Thanks," and walks away out of sight.
"You're not going to just leave me here? Batman! Come back here!" he struggles to bend upwards for the wire, but fails, "the blood is rushing to my head. Agh! Batman!!!"
On Daggett's office door Batman has hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign.
Robin sits in the Batmobile listening to the police scanner. He finally gets bored and turns the station to some music.
A few seconds later the lid slides open and Batman lands in the driver's seat.
Robin turns the channel back.
"Anything?" questions Batman.
"Nothing unusual. Pretty quite. So, what did the commissioner say?"
"It's Clayface.
"Now what?" asks Robin.
The lid shuts and Batman starts the Batmobile.
"Now we wait. We'll hear something eventually," he puts it into drive and takes off abruptly. Robin's head whacks against the seat. He feels it with his hands.
"You know, I wish you'd stop doing that," says Robin.
Batman smirks.
"You just wait until I get the Robinmobile – then we'll see how funny it is."
"Don't hold your breath."
The Batmobile zooms down the street of the dark Gotham City. Papers and dirt are kicked up in it's wake.