"Totally Schway" Re-Watch: "Spellbound" & "Disappearing Inque"

 Batman Beyond

We have a new villain making their "Batman Beyond" debut and the return of a new villain already. Let's get to it.

Terry McGinnis: "Then Batman tied Dr. Billings up and disappeared."

Barbara Gordon: "And you're Mr. Wayne's new assistant?"

[Terry nods]

Barbara Gordon: "Your father was Warren McGinnis?"

[Terry nods again]

Barbara Gordon: "Stay out of trouble, kid."

People are being brainwashed to commit crimes and waking up with no memory of it. Batman gets involved when a classmate and the mother of one of his good friends are victims of the man known as Spellbinder. Can Batman corral this new villain before he falls prey himself?

Count Vertigo -- er-- Spellbinder.

I love watching things that are set in the future and seeing how different the future will be. And to be honest, the writers of "Batman Beyond" don't seem to think that the future will be that different. Teenage girls in animated shows will be portrayed with teeny tiny waists and big boobs in halter tops. Fathers will threaten their daughters boyfriend with shotguns. There are just some things that never change. I enjoy "Batman Beyond" overall, but if I have one consistent grip that remains throughout the entirety of its run is that the future seems too much like the present. Neo-Gotham should look more different than it does. It shouldn't be just a carbon copy of Metropolis from "Superman: the Animated Series." I promise this will be the last time I bring it up (probably) during these recaps, but it was heavy on my mind watching this episode.

I appreciate when "Batman Beyond" introduces it's own villains into the Batman mythos because that is how it will differentiate itself from the series that came before it. The only problem is that Batman has probably the most prolific Rogue's Gallery, not just in comics, but in all of popular culture. Yeah, I said it and I stand by it. So, creating new rogues that will stand with the established villains is a tall order and in his first appearance, I'm not sure if Spellbinder does.

Spellbinder is a cross between the Mad Hatter and Scarecrow. Spellbinder's powers are using a giant, glowing orb that looks like an eye to place his victims into a virtual reality sort of simulation. It's almost like they are in a movie or a video game. It feels very similar to the Scarecrow's fear gas. Spellbinder's alter ego is Dr. Ian Billings, who is the school psychiatrist at Hamilton Hill High School. He's upset about the rich students he has to deal with every day and that he doesn't feel like he's being properly compensated for it. So, why not hypnotize them into stealing for their parents. A corrupt psychiatrist? More Jonathan Crane vibes.

I enjoyed the scenes where Spellbinder was creating these worlds in his victim's minds. I was curious if he was implanting this stuff or if the world's were coming from his victim's subconscious. The best part was the scene at Jared's mother's wedding. It was the first time that there felt like there was a real sense of danger with her running across the rooftops of Neo Gotham and tumbling around being caught by Batman and sort of being tossed between the two of them. I enjoyed how even when she realizes that this is Batman she flips out and smacks him. This confrontation really shows that Spellbinder and Batman are matched when he ends up crashing into a bus stop and you see all the exposed circuitry in his Batsuit which is a cool visual. 

The final confrontation between Batman and Spellbinder isn't as exciting as the one previous. The zombies are cool and it's nice to see Bruce being more involved with things, being Batman's eyes while he is under Spellbinder's influence. The episode ends with Babs basically telling Terry she knows he's Batman but Terry doesn't pick up on it. All in all this is a fine episode that introduces a new villain that has lots of potential. I'll be interested to see Spellbinder in the future.

Grade: B+

Bruce Wayne: "Back at the cryogenics place, weren't you wondering why Inque didn't morph into her human form and just walk out with the other workers?"

Terry McGinnis: "Uh, yeah!... sort of."

In the cryogenics lab, the man tending to Inque, Aaron Herbst, has seemingly fallen in love with her. After he's ousted for his inappropriate relationship with her, Herbst helps Inque escape. Inque is losing control of her human form so she enlists Herbst to help her try to regain control. His terms are that he wants to be like Inque, something she is willing to help him with, but maybe not in the way that he wants.

Horrifying.

It was interesting to watch this episode right after the Spellbinder episode. I think this is a great example of how to do a solid second episode with a new villain. Inque's first episode was fine, but it was too tied into the main plot of this first season which is what is going on with Blight. This episode gives viewers a better example of what they can expect from an episode that features Inque as the main antagonist. 

So, what can you expect from an Inque episode? Well, it's getting clearer and clearer that one of the things that you can expect from an episode featuring Inque is body horror. I'm sure you remember that from her debut. Her like pouring her entire body into Batman's mouth. That is an image from "Batman Beyond" that will be one of the things that I think of whenever I think of the show and Aaron Herbst's deformed, pudding like body is another image that will stay with me, for better or for worse.

From the moment that we meet Aaron Herbst, we know that he is destined for only bad things and he absolutely deserves them. He is creepy. He's taking advantage of his position. He definitely deserves to be fired from his job. From the moment he makes the deal with Inque, you know that it isn't going to go his way, but I don't think I expected to go as bad as it actually does. There is something extremely chilling to me about the final scene of this episode. It's a role reversal. Herbst is now Inque. He's completely dependent on this female worker who is doing to him the exact same things he did to Inque. Telling him about her day and that he's the only one who understands her all the while blending up soft foods and pouring it down his gullet. It is truly, truly disturbing in the best way. 

Inque is the type of villain that Batman needs. She is a true femme fatale and it's always nice to see Batman square off against those ladies. It's definitely giving some Poison Ivy mixed with a little Catwoman vibes and I'm not mad about it. I liked that the thrust of the episode was trying to find the chemicals that will get her back in control of her human shape. A villain struggling to remain human despite their outward appearance, powers and circumstances is very Batman. And, I like that Inque is able to go toe to toe with Batman. Though, they can't keep relying on convenient precipitation to take her down.

I liked that this episode put more into focus the differences between the two Batmen. As soon as Terry realizes that Inque has escaped he's immediately sealing up ever crack and crevice in Wayne Manor since she knows the way there. Bruce thinks that is completely unnecessary. Terry is not the analytical, detective that Bruce is. Even when Terry has that light bulb moment, Bruce already had it and is already five steps ahead. Terry doesn't need to be a carbon copy of the original. And I'm glad they are leaning into these differences.

It's nice to see Bruce getting into the thick of things and not just providing Oracle like support from the Batcave. When Batman has been captured, Bruce shows up in his Gray Ghost outfit with the Bat Exosuit underneath, nicely pulling the trigger on that act one gun. The rain may have washed Inque away, but we definitely haven't seen the last of her. When I originally watched "Batman Beyond," I was concerned these new villains wouldn't be able to merit return appearances, but this episode proves that with the right story they definitely can.

Grade: A-

Next up, we wrap up season one with an assassin going after Gordon's husband and Blight making his final move.

What do you all think? Are you enjoying these new rogues? Which one is your favorite so far? Let me know in the comments.