RPM

"**RPM"** is the fifth episode of the third season of *The Batman* and the thirty-first episode overall.

## Synopsis

While partaking in a charity race, Bruce witnesses Gearhead, a villain who can take over anything mechanical and transform it with nanomachines into a powerfully fast vehicle, to steal the race's prize. Both Batman and Batgirl attempt to stop him, but when Gearhead destroys the Batmobile, Bruce decides to build a better one that can bring down the villain.

## Plot

At the Gotham City Speedway, the racer who wins gets to donate to a charity of choice, and Bruce is racing for Gotham's Children's Hospital. As Bruce takes the lead, an unknown racer crashes in and manges to win. He takes the monetary prize for himself, revealing himself to be Gearhead.

Gearhead later attacks an armored truck. He hacks it and takes control of it. Batman then arrives, and the race begins. They pass by Barbara, who is taking driving lessons. She follows them, but the tires pop when she runs over spikes. During the chase, the Batmobile keeps getting damage, as it can't keep up with Gearhead's maneuvers. It eventually falls off a cliff, and Batman quickly ejects himself. The Batmobile is destroyed.

Later at the Batcave, Bruce decides to retool of one the prototypes to build a better Batmobile. He takes the Dual EXP Power Core from Wayne Industries, and then starts developing the new Batmobile. After hours of work, Bruce figures that the power core is unstable at hight speeds. Alfred accidentally activates one of Gearhead's hacking devices. Bruce intends to make the new Batmobile "Gearhead-proof". Gordon then gets a call about Gearhead, Barbara suits up, and the Batwave kicks in. Gearhead is seen stealing money from a train, and since the Batmobile isn't ready, Batman uses the Batcycle. Batman activates autopilot, and jumps on Gearhead's car. Batgirl arrives and takes control of the Batcycle. Batman manually destroys Gearhead's car, but it then reverts into a normal car. Gearhead then takes a bike and turns it into his own, making Batman realise he is not using nanotechnology, he *is* nanotechnology.

Batman tries summoning the cycle, but it doesn't respond, as Batgirl is using it. Batman calls Alfred for the Batmobile's power core status, and Alfred responds that it's complete. Batman tells him to lower the chassis, as he's taking it for a spin. Batman calls his new ride. Meanwhile, Batgirl follows Gearhead into a junkyard, and he then hacks the Batcycle, disabling it. She then activates a giant magnet that pulls him to it, but he hacks it, releasing himself. He then holds Batgirl with cables and pulls out his claws. Batman arrives with his new Batmobile and frees Batgirl. Gearhead hacks a car and turns it into his own version, and the chase begins. Unlike the previous one, this Batmobile is faster than Gearhead's ride, which surprises him. He tries sending the Batmobile in flames, but it doesn't work. Batman then pushes Gearhead's car off a bridge, getting his payback for his original Batmobile. Gearhead is angered, and Batman gets out to face him toe to toe. Gearhead loses quickly, then tries hacking the Batmobile, but gets stuck as a result. He tries driving away with it, but gets shocked. At the Batcave,Bruce says that the new Batmobile is a keeper. He suits up, to which Alfred says he didn't hear the Batwave. Bruce replies that he's simply taking it for a spin.

## Cast/Characters

* Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne/The Batman
* Alastair Duncan as Alfred Pennyworth
* Danielle Judovits as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl
* Will Friedle as Gearhead
* Mitch Pileggi as James Gordon
* Frank Welker as Armored Truck Driver (uncredited)
* Fred Willard as Speedway Announcer (Ross Daren), Instructor
* Mayor Grange (cameo)

## Events

- Character debuts:

* Gearhead

- The Batmobile is destroyed and is replaced by another one.

- The Batcycle is destroyed.

## Trivia

* RPM is short for "**R**evolutions **p**er **m**inute", a term used for cars and speed.
* When Batman opens the garage while mentioning he needs to retool one of his prototypes, the first Batmobile we see pays homepage to the Batmobile from the 1989 movie *Batman* with the fins and the jet exhaust.
* When the new Batmobile is ready, Alfred says "do come back in one piece", a possible reference to the movie *Batman & Robin*.
* The Batmobile getting destroyed and being replaced by another one would happen again in *Batman: Arkham Knight*.
* It is unknown who voiced the Batcycle's computer.
* The bat-transition in the end is a rare version that doesn't feature a sound.
* EXP, according to the toys at least, stands for "**Ex**treme **P**ower.