Batman: TAS, episode #17: Two Face, part 1

 

I suppose it only makes sense that our story about Two-Face would have to be a two-parter, not only because of the significance of the character in The Batman's oeuvre, which became even further magnified in the modern era, but also because of its tragic nature. (Fair question as to why the hyphen was dropped from the title, though.) To its extreme credit, BTAS has mostly avoided the standard comic book fare of the "origin story". When we've seen new, major characters (mostly villains), they've pretty much swung right into action, with that credit extended to the audience's awareness of who and what they are. However, one of the main exceptions was with the new version of Mr. Freeze, as the series took time to lay the groundwork for a different image and the tragedy that surrounded his emergence. That's decidedly not the case here, as Two-Face has been among the most prominent of Batman opponents since 1942. But the near-Shakespearean tragedy that embodies Harvey Dent's transformation into the ruthless Two-Face has also been consistent. Consequently, I think it was almost necessary for the series to break with form and, like Freeze, show the circumstances surrounding Two-Face's creation, even if we've seen it all before. It's genuinely too good a story not to tell.

The switch here to the usual approach is that, in this case, it's not the standard superhero approach of a single event radically changing the character's outlook along with his appearance. There is no radioactive spider that changes everything. Instead, this more mature take on The Batman (like Alfred having a social life, as we saw last time) extends to those around him and Harvey has been decidedly not dealing with his mental health issues since he was young, as is so prevalent among men in our society. Big Bad Harv, instead of being brought to full flower in a sudden accident (or from a single act of malevolence as in the original telling, when a crook threw acid in Dent's face), has already fully manifested within Harvey and is only contained by the DA's force of will. As we see by the end of this episode, the circumstances involving Rupert Thorne, the pressure of campaigning, and indeed The Batman himself are what bring him permanently to the surface. It's a fine measure of American political perspectives when Harvey argues with his psychiatrist: "You know I'm trying to get reelected!" and she bluntly responds: "You're also trying to save your sanity..." Which is more important...?

The episode was written jointly by Alan Burnett and Randy Rogel. Burnett is notable for having been involved in basically every, single DC Comics animated project from the 80s to the present day, in both film and television. He was also one of the producers on every episode of BTAS, so he's intimately familiar with the character and it was his decision to reframe Two-Face in the context of Harvey's already present mental illness in the form of Big Bad Harv. It was also a notable choice to present mental illness as both a common thing and something that there is no shame in admitting to or seeking help for. The fact that it's Bruce Wayne, someone it's safe to say could benefit from a therapist, being the loudest voice in that corner should not go unnoticed. We're given plenty of opportunity to see Harvey's struggles with his alter ego and how he attempts to skate past them, as well, since we open with a classic dream sequence and then, when Harvey arrives at the tense standoff with a clearly heavily-armed opponent, the first comment he delivers to Commissioner Gordon is the flippant and totally awkward: "Hey, Jim! How's it going?" (Maybe if I act like it's just another day at the office, no one will notice how uneasy (and late) I am!)

That's just one example of how well-structured and -paced this story is, even if it's largely devoid of the superhero action that a lot of viewers would expect. Again, it's a mark of the producers' (like Burnett) understanding that the audience is mixed in age and experience. They're telling a tragic story here, not just an explosive (in more ways than one) origin and/or superhero sequence. We still get some of that action in the raid scene and when The Batman attempts to rescue Harvey from Thorne and his men, but the focus of the story is on the inner, mental struggle, not the physical one. It is, of course, gratifying to see them stick with Rupert Thorne as the main "crimelord" element in the series, not least because it means we get to hear the stentorian tones of John Vernon again. The latter is also given one of the best lines of the episode, when he tells his assistant Candice (Diane Michelle): "All men have something to hide. The brighter the picture, the darker the negative." The story is also woven in such a way as to involve The Batman in the outcome. If he doesn't grab Thorne's henchman, do the bullets go into the control panel and lead to the explosion that maims Harvey? (Of course, it's a decent question to ask just what kind of refinery has open tanks of flammable liquid if it's not petroleum? They lean heavily on the old "Ace Playing Card" factory image of The Joker's origins here.) The alternative is that Harvey was killed. Would that have been better than the life of torture and terror that follows?

Notice how these are all face shots. Visual storytelling, yo.

On a technical level, we see The Batman doing the Spider-Man thing when first following Thorne's limo, swinging from buildings to keep up and only later retrieving the Batmobile. That's not typical of the Darknight Detective, since it's way too visible. Also, for the third episode in a row, we get the dangers of the cape! This is becoming a regular theme, as if they were campaigning against the scalloped cloak that is a linchpin of The Batman's image. Of course, it's also a very practical concern, as evidenced by many modern tales in the superhero genre, like Watchmen, Wild Cards, and others. If you don't want to get pinned and killed (or, like Dollar Bill, caught in a revolving door), don't hang this big piece of grabbable cloth off your back. But the episode is also populated by a lot of great, little touches, like the flames only burning one half of Harvey's face in the newspaper when Thorne tosses it into the fireplace. It's obvious, but it plays well. Also, Richard Moll has to be commended, not only for his delivery of the voices of Harvey and Big Bad Harv/Two-Face, but also for the brilliant scream when Harvey first sees his transformed face. That's high-end voice acting.

Even through we're retreading heavily trod ground, this was a great example of a classic Batman story. Next time, we'll close out with part 2.