10 Emotional and Heartbreaking Episodes From BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

In honor of Kevin Conroy, I wanted to break down ten of the most emotional and powerful episodes of Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. I loved watching these shows when I was growing up and Conroy’s version of Batman is my favorite version of the Dark Knight. I was floored to hear of his passing, and I found myself watching episodes of the series, and I was reminded of how incredible this show was and how powerful it can be. 

I started getting emotional as I was watching some of these episodes and I thought I’d put together a list of ten great episodes of Batman: The Animated Series that pack an emotional punch.

Beware the Grey Ghost - Season 1 Episode 18

This is one of my all-time favorite episodes. It features guest star Adam West who plays actor Simin Trent, who is best known for playing the Grey Ghost, a favorite character of Bruce Wayne. Trent has fallen on hard times and is on the verge of bankruptcy, so he has to sell off all of his Grey Ghost merch to get by. Not long after, there’s a spree of robberies that are connected to his old TV show. So, Trent and Batman Team up to put a stop to it.

The villain in this episode is a deranged toy collector called The Mad Bomber, who is voiced by series co-creator Bruce Time. After Batman and Trent stop him, Bruce Wayne buys back all of the collectibles and Memorabilia for Trent, and he is left feeling like his life meant something.

Perchance To Dream - Season 1 Episode 26

In this episode, Bruce Wayne is knocked unconscious while chasing down some crooks and he wakes up the next morning in an alternate reality. His life is very different. In this new existence, his parents are still alive, there’s no Bat cave, he has led a wonderful life with his family and he is engaged to Selina Kyle. But, there’s still a Batman running around Gotham City and Wayne knows something is wrong. In reality his mind has been taken over by The Mad Hatter. 

The villain’s goal is to keep Batman away, and so he gives him what he wanted. This is a hard struggle for Wayne, but in the end, he chooses his real flawed life over the the manufactured dream world presented by The Mad Hatter. We see Wayne go through an emotional heartbreaking journey in this episode and I believe that it is one of Conroy’s favorite episodes. 

Heart of Ice - Season 1 Episode 3

This is another one of my favorite episodes as it tells the beautifully dark and tragic story of the iconic villain Mister Freeze. In the story, Victor Fries is transformed into Mister Freeze in an accident while trying to cure his wife Nora. She must be kept in cryogenic status in order to stay alive. Batman ends up investigating a series of strange robberies that leads him to Freeze, who is trying to find a cure for his wife.

While Batman understands Freeze’s tragic motivation and he tries to save him from the dark path that he’s on, it’s too late. He still has to bring Freeze to Justice. It’s heartbreaking to watch and Mister Freeze apologize to the snow globe representation of his wife for not being able to save her and he cries tears of ice.

I Am The Night - Season 1 Episode 34

In this episode, we find Batman struggling with his crusade to fight crime in Gotham City. Commissioner Gordon is severely wounded in a gun battle involving Jimmy The Jazzman. Batman is late to help and this is hard for Bruce Wayne and he starts to contemplate hanging up his cape and cowl. Oh yeah, this all happens on the anniversary of his parents’ death.

Batman is doubting how much good he’s done and wants to move on and not let his past define him. This episode is one of the few times where Batman’s heroic confidence is shaken. Batman puts so much responsibility on his shoulders, which is both his greatest attribute and flaw.

Two-Face - Season 1 Episode 17

In this two-part episode of Batman: The Animated Series, Mobster Rupert Thorne attempts to blackmail Harvey Dent during his re-election as Gotham City’s District Attorney. While he is trying to keep his cool and put on his happy face, he can’t suppress his psychopathic split personality, which comes out in full force after a confrontation at a chemical plant where an explosion horrifically scars half of Dent’s face.

The episode also respectfully explores themes of childhood trauma, mental illness, and repressed anger. There’s a scene where Conroy gives an incredible performance as Bruce Wayne as he desperately tries to help his old friend Harvey Dent and get through to him. 

Mad Love - Season 2 Episode 11

This episode is notable for telling the original story of Harley Quinn aka Dr. Harleen Quinzel and her first meeting with The Joker. She is deceived by The Joker’s story of abuse and falls head over heals for him. The story examines Joker and Harley’s abusive and exploitative relationship. 

The episode actually ends with Harley in a hospital, bruised, broken, and battered. As she is cursing him and ready to move on, she receives a gift from him, and immediately falls back in love with him. This story features examples of real-life cycles of abuse and patterns of abusive relationships. It’s definitely an emotionally heavy episode.

Feat of Clay - Season 1 Episode 4

Clayface is one of my favorite villains from Batman: The Animated Series, and in this two-parter, a popular actor named Matt Hagen becomes addicted to a mysterious chemical formula that gives him the ability to change his facial features without makeup. It allows him to hide the fact from the public that his face was terribly disfigured in a car accident years ago. 

The episode spends a lot of time on the emotional struggles of Clayface and I love how the story makes you feel for the creature that Hagan had become. 

His Silicon Soul - Season 1 Episode 43

Bruce Wayne finds himself facing off with a Batman impersonator that shows up in Gotham City. This other Batman is a robot that was created by a mainframe computer A.I. system called H.A.R.D.A.C. and it believes that he is actually Bruce Wayne, and it can’t finish its mission of killing Bruce Wayne because believing it’s Bruce overcomes it’s programing.

At the end of the episode Bruce asks Alfred the thought-provoking question, “Is it possible he had a soul Alfred, a soul of silicon, but a soul nonetheless?” I like how this episode took the sci-fi element to the level of Ray Bradbury. 

Baby Doll - Season 2 Episode 9

This is an incredibly sad episode that tells the story of a former child star named Mary Dahl, who grows up to be bitter and insane. She ends up kidnapping her former TV family and holds them hostage in an old abandoned sound stage where she is looking to recreate her youth. Dahl suffers from a disease where she cannot grow or mature physically. She also attempts to murder her former cast. When Batman and Robin come to save them, they are met with a deadly carnival fun house.

At one point, Dahl finds herself looking into a mirror that shows her stretched showing her what she would look like if she had actually been able to grow up. In a fit of tearful sadness and rage, she shoots the mirror. The story really makes you feel sympathy for the Mary. The show was so good at doing that with its villains.

Appointment in Crime Alley - Season 1 Episode 26

In this story, Roland Daggett is looking to burn down Crime Alley and use the land to grow his business venture. But his plan would mean killing the residents or clearing them out of their homes.

This episode also explores the origin of Batman and the emotional trauma that the death of Bruce Wayne's parents has inflicted on him even into his later adult years. The episode also includes a touching story between Batman and his close friend and psychiatrist, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, who helped him deal with the death of his parents.

These Batman animated shows had some pretty powerful and emotional moments, especially for a kid’s series! They actually really tried to teach kids about certain aspects of life and there were some pretty heavy moments that will make you think. This show is so damn good.