As episode 21 opens, an old man who happens to be a doctor, runs up to Bruce Wayne as he leaves a charity event. Before he reaches Wayne, however, men in red jumpsuits hit him with a dart that leaves him in a coma. Yet, before he passes out, he is able to tell Bruce Wayne his message: “Tell Ava Kirk her father is still alive.”
Back at the Batcave, Batman, Katana, and Alfred explore the doctor’s tablet, finding his connection to Paul Kirk. Bruce and his father knew Paul Kirk and his daughter, and Bruce reveals he died on one of his many safaris. Alfred’s internet search uncovers Ava’s current location. After being abroad for many years, she is operating a clinic in Gotham.
Bruce goes to visit Ava at her clinic, with Katana keeping watch from the roof of an adjacent building. Before Bruce can explain anything, they are attacked by the red jumpsuits. Following the attack Bruce takes Ava to Wayne Manor for her protection. Once she is settled in Bruce dons the cape and cowl to further investigate. From the earlier tablet, Batman and Katana learn of a warehouse. There they find a truck with a large amount of lifeless red jumpsuits. As they are looking at them, another red jumpsuit appears and shoots them with a special gun that makes them disintegrate. A fight ensues, and Batman captures this jumpsuit. The removal of his mask reveals him to be Paul Kirk who has not aged in the 20 years since his supposed death. Kirk tells Batman and Katana that the safaris were a coverup for his work as a government operative. While on a mission behind enemy lines, Kirk (known by the code name “Manhunter” was left for dead, but was rescued by a mysterious organization known as “The Council.” The Council put him in a state of suspended animation while they experimented with his DNA to create an army of super soldiers. Right after Manhunter tells them this, The Council arrives to tell him that they have kidnapped his daughter and that he must meet them at dawn to return with them, in exchange for his daughter’s freedom. After The Council leaves, Batman takes Manhunter to the Batcave to work out a plan to rescue Ava.
Following the wretched plot of “Doppleganger”, it a refreshing change to see the writers craft a more intriguing and engaging plot than their previous effort. No meaningless subplots drag down this episode. However, they do fail on originality. The plot of this episode is extraordinarily similar to what they did previously with the League of Assassins. It would have been wiser to have gone with a different story.
There were, however, many action shots that were visually stunning to watch. Unfortunately, this show relies too much on the animation. Shots like that are no longer impressive enough to carry an episode as with earlier in the series.
For a show that has only had 21 episodes thus far, it is extremely disappointing to see them recycling material already. One would have hoped they would be creative enough to enable them produce more original work. Otherwise this would have been a terrific episode.
[wp-review]
