[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
It's a tragedy what's been happening to the university.
WOMAN: Robberies, vandalism. MAN: Where will it end?
Dr. Long! Dr. Long,
I'm Summer Gleeson with Gotham Insider.
Can I ask you a few questions about the recent robberies?
All right, but I'm in a hurry.
Dr. Long, do you have any idea
why someone would want to destroy the university?
No, but one more disaster
and students will be afraid to set foot on this campus.
BRUCE: Hello, Summer.
Bruce! What a pleasant surprise.
Dr. Long, have you met Bruce Wayne?
Your father and I attended university together.
-He had big plans for you. -Well, I guess he'd be pleased.
Wayne Industries is more prosperous than ever.
Pleased? When your father was alive,
Wayne was a name that commanded great respect.
Now, all Wayne stands for is a self-centered, jet-setting playboy.
It's lucky your father didn't live to see what you've done to his good name.
He'd have died of shame.
Wait, Dr. Long, I haven't finished the interview.
He's probably just venting his anger over what's happening to the university.
[LAUGHING]
Hold it right there!
Hey, what are you...
[COUGHING]
Stop! What the...
No! No, spiders!
Get them off of me! No! No!
[SCREAMING]
What did you do to him, boss?
I merely helped him visualize his innermost terror,
which is obviously arachnophobia.
-A-whack-a-what? -Arachnophobia.
Fear of spiders, you dimwitted dropout!
Now, to the vault.
-Nigel, you'll stand guard here. -I'm ready for anything.
Come to Papa.
Take what you can, then burn the rest.
Burn it, boss?
This isn't about money, it's about revenge.
HENCHMAN: Help, boss! It's the Batman. He's got me... [MUFFLED GROANING]
Climb up there and wait for my signal.
Sure thing, boss.
[HENCHMAN SCREAMING]
[GRUNTING]
SCARECROW: Welcome, Batman.
Oh, a gas mask.
Perhaps you are as resourceful as they say.
Who are you?
I am fear incarnate.
I am the terror of Gotham. I am the Scarecrow.
Give it up. There's no way out.
Except through you.
[GROANING]
Fight all you want, Batman,
but you must succumb to the fear.
What hidden terror keeps the Batman awake at night?
Come on, you cretins. My work is done.
MAN: Bruce.
What?
Can't be.
MAN: Bruce...
Bruce, you have failed me.
Father?
You have disgraced the family name.
Wait.
Batman, what happened?
[COUGHING]
Scarecrow.
Scarecrow? What do you mean?
He's right. [COUGHING]
It was some guy dressed like a scarecrow.
He tried to torch the bank, but Batman stopped him.
All right, then. Where is this scarecrow?
Well, he got away.
You mean the commissioner's pet bat here let him get away?
What do you got there, vigilante?
Looks like police evidence.
Give it up. Now!
Ooh, looks like I'm going to have to take it from you.
Bullock, what the blazes is going on here?
"Blaze" is right, Commissioner. It's attempted arson.
Zorro here is withholding evid...
Where the...
You were saying?
Ah, never mind.
SUMMER: [ON TV] Tonight's arson attempt by someone
calling himself the "Scarecrow"
was thwarted by Batman.
It seems I have underestimated the Batman.
But at least the university is finished.
ANTHONY: Gee, boss, I never liked school.
But how come you hate the university so much?
They tried to destroy me.
You mean they kicked you out 'cause you weren't smart enough?
-No, you simpleton. -Ow!
I taught there.
I was a professor of psychology, specializing in phobias.
Inducing terror has always intrigued me.
Even as a boy, I loved to frighten things.
People, animals, it was all the same.
I became obsessed with fear's crippling power.
Later, when I became their leading professor
of subliminal psychology at the university,
I began performing experiments on fear and its subsequent effects.
Dr. Long thought I went too far.
He called me a lunatic.
So now, they will learn the true nature of horror.
Wow. He's a real professor.
ANNOUNCER: [ON TV] You'll feel like a million dollars.
COMPUTER: Exhibit A, scarecrow mask.
Will analyze and cross-reference.
[GROANING]
THOMAS WAYNE: You've failed me, son.
This is Summer Gleeson, back live at the Gotham State University.
The campus bank was the target of a robbery
and a malicious arson attempt by the so-called Scarecrow.
Though the Batman did thwart the arson,
he failed to catch the perpetrators.
Failed to catch the perpetrators.
Failed. Failed. Failed.
-Imagine that, sir. -Huh? What?
Someone dressed up in a frightening costume,
running around scaring people.
What will they think of next?
The question is,
why would Scarecrow want to destroy the university?
Perhaps he flunked Phys. Ed.
Are you all right, sir?
The Scarecrow drugged me with some kind of fear toxin.
I never know when it's going to hit me.
I'm having horrible visions of my father.
He says I'm shaming the family name.
That's rubbish.
I know your father would be proud of you,
because I'm so proud of you.
Come on, it's time for chicken soup and a good night's sleep.
-Alfred. -Yes, sir?
Thanks.
-[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING] -[PEOPLE CHATTERING]
-MAN: Hey, what's that? -[GAS HISSING]
WOMAN: We're being gassed!
[ALL SCREAMING]
[PANICKED CHATTERING]
WOMAN: They've got guns! MAN: Guns?
SCARECROW: Thank you, Dr. Long.
I'll take that.
-Over my dead body. -If you insist.
Oh! [COUGHING]
What's happening?
[SCREAMING]
No!
Help!
[LAUGHING]
Bring him. His torture has just begun.
[PANICKED CHATTERING CONTINUES]
No! Get them off my back!
Batman, I am surprised.
I thought you'd be home enjoying my time-released fear toxin.
[SCARECROW LAUGHING]
[ALL GASPING]
SCARECROW: Welcome to everyone's worst fear.
Isn't it invigorating?
It's a giant bat!
Get him!
[ALL YELLING]
[LAUGHING]
Marvelous. Simply marvelous.
[LAUGHING]
My revenge is complete.
The university is in the grip of fear, and Batman has been annihilated.
Huh?
Annihilated. Destroyed. Dead.
Then who's that?
I don't believe it. Anthony, take care of him.
Who, me?
-Er... But, boss... -Do it!
End of the line.
[GROANS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
Look out!
-Do something. -Me? You're the genius.
Oh, no! Look!
[ANTHONY SCREAMING]
ANTHONY: Help!
[ANTHONY SCREAMING]
What are we going to do, Professor?
I believe we can leave it to my fear toxin.
[GASPING]
THOMAS WAYNE: Bruce.
No, not now.
You are a disgrace.
No! No!
You are not my father. I am not a disgrace.
I am vengeance.
I am the night.
I am Batman!
No!
Stop him!
Gotcha!
[GROANS]
No. No more prison walls.
They're closing in on me. No!
No!
It's over, Scarecrow.
Only for you and the doctor, Batman.
[LAUGHING]
-What's going on? -Just hold on.
But how?
COMPUTER: Exhibit A, scarecrow mask. Analysis complete.
Substance is manufactured by five corporations in Gotham City.
Axis Engineering, Bio Laboratories,
Crane Chemicals, Macurity Manufacturing, Star Labs.
Computer, cross-reference former employees
of Gotham State University with the chemical labs.
Searching.
Found. One Jonathan Crane.
Owner, operator of Crane Chemicals.
Background on Crane.
Searching. Former professor of psychology.
Specialty, fear and phobias.
Bingo.
It's not fair.
Revenge was within my grasp.
I was so close.
[GAS HISSING]
Hmm?
[COUGHING]
What's going on?
Who's there?
[SCREECHING]
[SCREAMING]
No. Please.
[YELPING]
No, stop. Leave me alone.
What's the matter, Scarecrow?
Can't handle your own medicine?
Batman.
No. Stay away. Stay away, please.
[LIGHTNING CRASHES]
Stay away.
No!
Oh, yes.
Look at the facts, Commissioner. Batman's withholding evidence.
Even helped the Scarecrow guy escape.
I'd bet my badge he and Scarecrow are in cahoots.
Your badge, eh?
Huh?
Now, about that badge...
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]