The Batman/Superman Story Pt. 1

"**The Batman/Superman Story Pt. 1**" is the first part of the two-part first episode of the fifth season of *The Batman*. It is also the fifty-third episode overall.

## Synopsis

Batman and Superman find themselves teamed up when Lex Luthor begins operations in Gotham to take down Superman, and employs a horde of Batman's villains to do so. Lex later on gets a hold of Poison Ivy's mind control gas, laces it with Kryptonite, and now becomes able to control Superman's mind.

## Plot

One year after the alien invasion which devastated Gotham City, Superman is planned to arrive with a giant-sized cheque representing sister city Metropolis’ donations to the rebuilding. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are in the audience covering the event, as are Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. Jimmy and Dick spar over which of their cities’ protectors are better, while Clark calls Lois to report his press pass is stolen and he needs help getting in to the event. Lois hangs up on him and Clark uses it as his excuse to account for his absence then flies in as Superman. Superman arrives at the event and presents the cheque. However, a green-eyed man leaps the stage and shoves Superman aside with greater-than-human strength.

Superman comes up against the newcomer who reveals himself as... Metallo, the cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. The radiation weakens Superman and Metallo grabs him and leaps into a nearby junkyard to finish him off. Batman and Robin arrive in time to distract him, ramming him into a nearby building with the Batmobile. That only tears off his synthetic flesh-covering, but Robin uses an explosive Batarang to blast the Kryptonite heart free and Robin drives off with it. Superman revives and at full strength and is able to defeat Metallo with ease.

Superman demands the Kryptonite back but Batman says he wants to hold onto it for 24 hours. Piqued, Superman uses his x-ray vision and announces that Batman is really Bruce Wayne, then flies off.

In Metropolis, industrialist Lex Luthor gets word that Metallo has been defeated and the Kryptonite that Luthor loaned him has disappeared. Frustrated with the lack of villains in Metropolis, Luthor decides to go to Gotham City and recruit some of the local talent.

Batman and Robin go to the new tech lab beneath Wayne Industries where they meet with Lucius Fox. Lucius is testing the new prototype Batman exo-skeleton suits in anticipation of any future alien invasions. Batman tells Lucius to wrap the Kryptonite rock in lead casing. Batman goes over satellite maps of Metropolis and notes that the path of Superman’s flight disturbances focus on the Daily Planet... and Clark Kent’s apartment.

In Metropolis, Clark and Lois arrive at their apartment building and Lois turns down Clark’s offer of a date. Clark goes into his apartment and finds Bruce Wayne waiting for him. Bruce gives him back the (lead-sealed) Kryptonite and notes that the new Justice League is having their first meeting. Clark isn’t interested, preferring to work solo.

Later, Superman tosses the Kryptonite into the sun while Lois works on a story at the Daily Planet. She’s interrupted by Clark, who quickly reveals that he’s actually a disguised Clayface. He kidnaps her and takes her down to a limo where another Gotham villain is waiting: Black Mask.

Robin and Batman are out on patrol and Robin is testing his new jetpack. They spot Superman flying overhead and follow him. The Man of Steel goes to a warehouse where Black Mask is holding Lois hostage. The villain shoots Superman with a red sun radiation gun that weakens the Kryptonian, then has Clayface attack along with Bane and Mr. Freeze. Superman is nearly overwhelmed but Batman and Robin arrive, knock out Mr. Freeze, and hold off Bane and Clayface long enough for Superman to recover. Superman then defeats Bane, while Clayface escapes. Batman questions Black Mask's sudden interest in Superman. Lois reveals he is working for Luthor, as she overheard them talking on the phone when she was kidnapped. This explains where Black Mask got a red sun blaster. A furious Superman flies off to Luthor’s Gotham City headquarters, and Lex reveals that he has Poison Ivy captured, and has modified her mind-control plant spores with Kryptonite. He exposes Superman to them and forces the Man of Steel to bow down before him.

## Cast/Characters

* Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne/The Batman
* Evan Sabara as Dick Grayson/Robin
* George Newbern as Clark Kent/Superman
* Dana Delany as Lois Lane
* Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor and Bane
* Jack De Sena as Jimmy Olsen
* Lex Lang as Clayface, Metallo and Hamilton Hill
* James Remar as Black Mask
* Gwendoline Yeo as Mercy Graves
* Louis Gossett Jr. as Lucius Fox
* Poison Ivy
* Mr. Freeze
* Number One
* Black Mask's henchmen
* Martian Manhunter (mentioned)
* Justice League (mentioned)

## Events

- Character debuts:

* Lex Luthor
* Mercy Graves
* Metallo
* Hamilton Hill
* Lois Lane
* Jimmy Olsen
* Superman

- Hill takes over as mayor of Gotham after Grange quitted following the Joining's invasion.

- Gotham is rebuilt after the events of *The Joining, Part 2*.

- Batman teams up with Superman.

- Superman discovers Batman's identity, and vice versa.

- A year has passed since the season four finale.

- Lucius constructs a second Batbot and a jetpack for Robin.

- Superman is offered to join the League but refuses.

- Lex Luthor controlls Superman.

## Trivia

* George Newbern reprises his role as Superman, Clancy Brown reprises his role as Lex Luthor, and Dana Delany reprises her role as Lois Lane from the DC Animated Universe.
* As a year has passed since season 4, Bruce is now 30, Barbara is 17, and Dick is 15.
* Dick's voice has gotten deeper this season due to his voice actor going through puberty at the time. Same thing applies in-universe with Dick, as he turned 15.
* Bane and Clayface are recasted.
* Despite not physically appearing, Lois calls Perry White, Clark's boss at the Daily Planet.
* As of this episode, the bat-transition's sound effect changes.
* Despite being fired and replaced in *The Breakout* (although seemingly coming back in *Rumors*), the original Number One is back.
* This is one of the few times in the series where guns are fired.
* This is the first season 5 episode without Batgirl.
* After being mentioned in *The Bat in the Belfry, The Big Heat, and The Joining, Part 2*, Metropolis makes an appearance.
* This two-parter has similarities to the DCAU three-parter *World's Finest*. Also, in addition to Lex and Mercy, both movies feature Bane.