- Title: Batman: The Animated Series – Nothing to Fear
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In honor of Batman‘s 75th Anniversary we turn out attention back to the Dark Knight’s more memorable moments on the big and small screen with another episode from Batman: The Animated Series. “Nothing to Fear” is a stand-out episode for several reasons. It’s the first episode to feature the Scarecrow (Henry Polic II), even offering a brief origin to Dr. Jonathan Crane’s journey from university professor to super-villain, posits a theory as to what might frighten the Dark Knight Detective, and it also gives us the most famous quote of the series as Batman (Kevin Conroy), while under the grip of the Scarecrow’s fear gas, exclaims “I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!”
The story centers around disgraced professor Jonathan Crane assuming the role of the Scarecrow to seek revenge by committing a series of robberies and vandalism against the university which eventually grabs the attention of Batman. Exposed to the villain’s fear gas in their first meeting, Batman begins having visions of his father’s (Richard Moll) disappointment with what he has done to the Wayne legacy (in part brought on by the comments of an old friend of Thomas Wayne about Bruce’s public persona).
The episode concludes with Batman fighting through his fears and taking down the Scarecrow by turning the villain’s own fears against him. The episode also continues the contemptuous relationship of Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo) with Batman who the detective sees as little better than the Scarecrow. The episode ends with Bruce leaving a pair of roses on his parents gravestone silently promising to continue the path he’s chosen and make them proud.
