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Batman the Animated Series Joker Santa Claus

"Christmas With the Joker" is the thirty-8th episode of Batman: The Animated Serial , though the second to be produced. Joker escapes Arkham Aviary on Christmas Eve and has a special Christmas planned for Batman and Robin. Kidnapping Commissioner Gordon, Summer Gleeson, and Harvey Bullock, he threatens to kill them at midnight. Of course, things are never easy with the Joker and he sets a few disasters in motion to continue Batman and Robin decorated that Christmas night. It originally aired on November 13, 1992.

1 Plot
2 Background data
3 Cast
4 Quotes

Plot

It's Christmas Eve and even the inmates of Arkham Asylum are celebrating. They sing "Jingle Bells" and set up decorations. The Joker is given the golden ornament to put on elevation of the Christmas Tree. However, every bit presently as he places it on elevation of the tree, a hidden rocket activates and Joker rides out to freedom.

Meanwhile, back at the Batcave, Robin tries to convince Batman to kick back and relax as there's no need for them to become out on Christmas. Batman believes otherwise since Joker has escaped. Robin makes a deal with him: if they go out on patrol and find no sign of the Joker, then they'll return dwelling and watch It's a Wonderful Life. Batman agrees and the duo heads out.

All seems placidity in Gotham for a alter and Robin is convinced they aren't needed. Batman is his usual cocky: seeing a man running later on a rich woman and believing that she'south going to exist robbed, he heads out after them. However, the man calls to the woman and tells her that she dropped a parcel a couple of blocks back and returns information technology to her. Robin asks to go home and Batman silently swings off.

Now dorsum at Wayne Manor, Dick and Bruce wait for dinner and plow on the TV. However, they discover that It's a Wonderful Life isn't on. Instead they observe that Joker has hijacked the television set waves and has a "Special" for Batman. Joker shows a tank with a giant Santa Claus on top crashing through the metropolis. The show is announced to be "Christmas with the Joker". Batman and Robin instantly work to notice the Joker'due south location past checking power surges and head out to detect him.

Joker'due south stolen family. "The Awful Lawful Family".

Joker continues his evidence and shows everyone his stolen family, the Atrocious Lawful Family unit: Commissioner Gordon, Summer Gleeson and Harvey Bullock. Joker tells Batman that he tin can have them if he tin notice them by midnight. If he fails, they will die. Nevertheless, before Batman and Robin can attain him, Joker reveals "Laughy", his own Christmas Elf. Laughy and Joker explicate that they will accident upwardly a rail bridge just in time for the 11:30 train to arrive. Summer becomes agitated and explains that her mother is on that railroad train.

Batman and Robin go to the train and while Batman goes afterwards the engineer, Robin uncouples the rider cars. The tasks are uncomplicated plenty and they save the passengers. Afterwards, they pinpoint the source of Joker's signal: the observatory at Mount Gotham. Nevertheless, when they reach it, they find that Joker simply left a transmitter in that location and replaced the observatory telescope with a cannon. Batman draws the fire of the cannon while Robin runs in to disable it. Unfortunately, the outer controls are ruined and the cannon starts firing erratically at parts of Gotham.

Within, Robin finds that there are several Joker statues with guns for hands. These statues give Robin trouble but he'due south finally able to disable the cannon with an explosive. Unfortunately, they are no closer to finding Joker's hideout and saving the hostages. Joker of course, doesn't want to face Christmas without Batman and sends a broadcast of Summertime opening a nowadays: a Betty Blooper Doll. Batman realizes that the doll could only accept come from the Laffco Toy Factory. The mill has been closed down for fourteen years so it has to be Joker's hideout.

Batman and Robin make their way to the hideout and the Joker is more than ready. Joker plays the song, "Dance of the Carbohydrate Plum Fairies" from the Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky and several giant toy nutcracker soldiers attack. In spite of their size, the soldiers are easy plenty to defeat. But then, the song switches to "the Russian Dance" and toy planes wing subsequently the duo. Batman grabs up a baseball bat and smashes most of them while Robin catches the residual in an oil barrel. Simply as the planes are finished off, automobile gun toting snipers shoot at the duo. Batman races upward towards a set of giant teddy bears and hides. The snipers are dislocated by his disappearance until they come across his greatcoat and first firing. Much to their surprise, they observe that information technology was only a giant teddy deport they shot at. The bear falls over and pins them down.

Joker offers Batman his Christmas Present.

With Joker'south men and traps downward, the duo sets out to detect him only he reveals himself. His hostages are dangling over a vat of molten plastic and Joker threatens to driblet them in if Batman doesn't come up and get his Christmas nowadays. Batman takes the nowadays and opens it to notice a spring-loaded pie inside. Joker has a express mirth and cuts the rope holding his hostages. Fortunately, Batman saves them and goes after Joker. Joker manages to evade him for a while but trips on a roller-skate and near falls into the vat. Batman saves him and bids him a Merry Christmas. Joker only says, "Bah humbug!"

Later, Bruce and Dick finish watching a recording of It's a Wonderful Life and Bruce has to acknowledge that it "has its moments".

Meanwhile, Joker spends his Christmas alone in his cell, but seems to be in skilful spirits, singing and laughing.

Background information

Habitation video releases

Production notes

This was the simply episode directed by Kent Butterworth, too equally the only one written past Eddie Gorodetsky.

Production inconsistencies

When Batman and Robin drive away from the observatory, they pass by most scenery twice.
When Joker's goons attack Batman and Robin, Batman calls them "snipers", when they're really just ordinary gunmen.
Afterwards Robin uncouples the coaches from the locomotive, the coaches stop rather speedily. It would have quite a while for the coaches to make a complete stop given all the kinetic energy from the locomotive.
When Robin rushes into the observatory, the eyes on his mask are blueish.

Trivia

First episode (product wise) to feature Robin and the Joker.
Oddly, Joker'due south concluding appearance in the DCAU ( Justice League , "Wild Cards"), too featured a pirate television special, and in both episodes, Joker used the phrase "technical difficulties".
The Joker performs the famous kid song "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells". The song was referenced in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Panic in the Heaven," when Flash uses the opening lyrics to "explicate" Batman'southward absence.
The Giant Tin Soldier and Joker Statues are used in the Super Nintendo game The Adventures of Batman and Robin in the first phase "Tickled to Expiry".
The Christmas tree from A Charlie Brown Christmas can be seen in the background when Joker rides up on the sleigh.
The human being the Joker salutes after accepting a ornamentation from some other inmate resembles Charles Manson.
Gordon calls Joker "you diseased maniac!" similar to how Superman (Christopher Reeve) addresses Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) in Richard Donner's 1978 film.
The episode makes references to the following:

It'due south a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Carol and Ebenezer Scrooge
The Nutcracker Ballet past Tchaikovsky.

As he watches Batman evade the blasts from a cannon, Joker makes a reference to Authentication'southward old slogan "When y'all care enough to send the very best." with "When you care enough to transport the very smash.".

Bandage

Actor	Role
Kevin Conroy	Batman Donner (uncredited)
Robert Costanzo	Detective Bullock Blitzen (uncredited)
Bob Hastings	Commissioner Gordon
Clive Revill	Alfred
Mark Hamill	The Joker
Mari Devon	Summertime Gleeson Adult female (uncredited)
Loren Lester	Robin

Quotes

Joker: (singing) Jingle Bells, Batman smells. Robin laid an egg. The batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker got away! (rocket tree takes off) Crashing through the roof, in a 1-equus caballus open up tree. Busting out I go, laughing all the wheeeee! (laughs)

Robin: Okay, I'll make a deal with you. If nosotros get out on patrol, and Gotham is quiet, with no sign of the Joker, we come back here, take Christmas dinner, and watch Information technology's A Wonderful Life.
Batman: Yous know, I've never seen that. I could never get past the championship.

Robin: Doesn't it warm your heart to see everyone in the spirit of Christmas? (Batman silently leaves) Oh, "Bah humbug" to you lot also!

Robin: He could requite lessons to Scrooge.

Dick: You're gonna to love Information technology'due south a Wonderful Life. It's a cracking motion picture.
Bruce: It'southward not relentlessly cheerful, is it?
Dick: No, it'due south most how much of a difference ane man can make to a city. Audio familiar?

Joker: Live from Gotham City, the show that nobody wants to encounter, but everyone volition scout! Yes, it'southward Christmas with the Joker!

Summer Gleeson: My mother is on that railroad train!
Joker: Your mother? Well, that'southward dissimilar.
"Laughy": Aye, it'll be more heady when it crashes!

Giant Teddy Bear: (Pinning down goons) I honey yous very much.

Joker: Run, run as fast as you lot tin can, you'll non catch me, I'm the Jokerman.