Pilot

**"Pilot"** is the first episode of the first season of NBC's *Batman*. It first aired on September 23, 2013. It is the first episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

Bruce Wayne is an orphaned billionaire who was raised by the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth. However, after deciding to go on a journey to find himself, he leaves for the Middle East. Returning five years later, he discovers many things have changed. Bruce has a new perspective of the city; realizing how filled with crime it is, Bruce decides to become a vigilante to do what the cops won't. However, in his personal life he must deal with friends, lovers, and running his father's multi-billion company.

## Plot

In the Middle East, Bruce Wayne exits a small house. The family inside comes running after him. Wayne smiles and says goodbye to them. The young son hugs Wayne before his mother pulls him away. Wayne boards a Wayne Enterprises private jet as it takes off.

In Gotham City, at a private airport, Alfred Pennyworth, Harvey Dent, and Jim Gordon await the jet's landing. When it comes into the city's airspace, they all smile. The jet lands and Wayne gets off, embracing his friends. It is revealed he had been gone for five years. Gordon asks him to join his family for dinner, and Alfred okays it, despite cooking an entire meal.

At the Gordons house, Wayne and Gordon enter. Wayne reunites with Gordon's wife Barbara Kean, and children fifteen-year-old Barbara Gordon and twelve-year-old James Gordon Jr. Wayne is surprised at how big they have gotten, though he notices James is a little closed off. Wayne asks if Barbara still has a crush on him, though she denies it, despite Gordon's claims.

Elsewhere, at the GCPD, Captain Sarah Essen assigns Detective Renee Montoya to investigate a murder in the Narrows. Montoya is hesitant, though Essen tells her to "woman up". In the Narrows, Montoya is grabbed by several thugs, though she scares them off. Montoya finds several officers surrounding a body. Montoya takes a look and realizes the body's face has been cut off, a signature move by Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg, who is in Arkham Asylum.

Wayne returns to Wayne Manor, where Alfred finally reunites with him. Alfred notices Wayne is different, not as "fun" or "party-like". Wayne insists he is just tired after a long flight and goes to bed. However, while in bed, Wayne has a nightmare, remembering the night his parents died, mugged and shot when he was only twelve.

At Arkham Asylum, Montoya enters and discovers Valentin is still in his cell. She interrogates him, asking which one of his followers has started up again. Valentin insists he had nothing to do with it, though Montoya threatens to place his family out of protective custody unless he speaks up. Valentin, now worried, promises it was a set-up. Montoya orders the asylum to place Valentin in solitary confinement. On her way out, Montoya meets Dr. Harleen Quinzel, an assistant.

The next day, at Gotham Academy, James and Barbara go to school. James does not speak to anyone, until he gets to class and sits next to Ivy Drake. He finally opens up and the two friends talk, until class starts. Barbara greets her boyfriend, Eddie, and appears to have many friends.

Wayne goes to Wayne Enterprises, ready to finally run his parents' company. However, the board members there, including Lucius Fox, are hesitant to just give him the entire duties in one day. Wayne insists he watched his parents for years running the company, and then Fox afterward. Fox agrees Wayne is ready for it, and Wayne takes over as Head of the Board, with negotiations to become CEO happening afterward. After a meeting, Wayne calls Fox into his office. The former asks Fox if he ever managed to develop his military-grade armor and weapons. Fox brings Wayne to the basement, where he reveals the suit. Wayne asks to have it. Though Fox wants to know what for, Wayne orders him not to tell.

At City Hall, Gordon is in a meeting with Dent over the funding for Gotham Courthouse. Gordon allows him to bring it to Mayor Loeb. After Dent leaves, Montoya enters and tells Gordon of the murder, revealing there have been multiple. Gordon assigns her the full case to investigate. Though Montoya reveals she is worried about her safety, Gordon tells her he knows she can handle it.

At Wayne Manor, Wayne privately tries on the suit, though he realizes there is no mask. Going into his study, he makes designs for the mask, though he cannot think of a signal for the city. However, just then, a bat flies into his study, giving Wayne the idea, drawing a bat mask.

Montoya and her colleague Crispus Allen learn from M.E. Leslie Thompkins that the man was kept alive after his face was cut off, and only died of trauma a couple hours later, meaning he was likely kidnapped in the early morning. Montoya takes a risk, despite Allen's worries, and visits the Valentin family, who are going under the name of the Monroe family. Montoya asks Valentin's wife if she has any idea of someone wanting to take up her husband's legacy. She points her to a man named Shawn Carlson.

Gordon learns James got into a fight and is forced to go to the school. At Gotham Academy, it is revealed that James was fighting Eddie, due to thinking he was taking his sister away from him. Gordon and the principal clear things up and James is forced to go home early, while Eddie promises he'll be back for him. At home, Gordon tells James that he will keep it from Kean, if James can promise to never to do it again, which he reluctantly agrees to.

Wayne is on a walk downtown when he discovers a couple getting mugged. Wayne attacks the mugger and is revealed to be skilled in martial arts and easily takes down the thug. The couple thanks him, before recognizing him. Wayne tells them to keep it quiet and they run off. Montoya finds the thug tied to a wall with a note, saying to take him in.

Montoya returns home, where she greets her girlfriend, Molly. Montoya informs her of the case, though she can't share any important details. Molly comforts her, and promises she is doing the right thing, though Montoya insists that even she doesn't know anymore. However, she gets a call from Allen saying the Monroe family were killed.

Kean picks Barbara up from school, who reveals what James did. When they get home, Gordon does not tell Kean of James' fight, despite her asking if anything happened. This causes a fight between the two, due to Kean knowing of it. Barbara confronts James, who tells her Eddie threw the first punch. However, the siblings stop when they hear their parents yelling.

Wayne returns to Wayne Manor and sees a report on TV about a mysterious savior helping a couple. Alfred reveals he knows it was Wayne due to the coat he was wearing. A flashback to thirteen years ago reveals Wayne in the aftermath of his parents' death. Gordon promises Wayne that people will always be there for him, and gives him his coat. Wayne tells Alfred that it was one instance, though Alfred shows him the designs Wayne had. Alfred takes him to the back of the Manor, where a staircase leads down to a cave below the mansion, which Wayne's father Thomas Wayne used for work, and only told Alfred.

Allen finds Montoya in a bar, alone. Allen reveals to Montoya that Thompkins found a match on the DNA of the killer, named Michael Lane. However, Montoya reveals the man was named Shawn Carlson. They look into it and discover Lane is going by the name of Carlson and they have an address. At Lane's apartment, Allen and Montoya order him to open up. However, Allen is shot as the man escapes from his window. Montoya shoots at him, but decides to get Allen help instead. She calls in back-up to get Lane, while she drags Allen out of the building. Essen finds them and takes Allen to the hospital.

Wayne discovers high-tech computers in the cave as well as a fully-functional armored car. Alfred reveals that Thomas would often leave the house without telling his family, needing to sort out business. Lucius Fox reveals himself and tells Wayne that Alfred called him to make Wayne a cowl for the suit, which he unveils with the suit, along with a belt for Wayne's weapons. Fox and Alfred promise to support Wayne, who goes for a drive in the armored car with his suit. He finally finds a man backing a woman into a corner. The man strips off his clothes as the woman screams. The man laughs, though the woman points to behind him. The man turns around and Wayne is there. He attacks the criminal and beats him to the ground. He turns to the woman, who runs off, scared. Wayne drops the criminal off at the GCPD, where the cops find him.

Gordon apologizes to Kean and they go to bed. However, in the middle of the night, Kean is awake and hears a knock at their door. She gets up and discovers David Reed. She tells him they have to break it off, though he kisses her anyway. She slap him and tells him to get out of her house. He begs her to come with him, and she briefly contemplates it before looking over at Gordon.

At the hospital, Montoya feels guilty. Essen tells her it was not her fault. She sees Kean and Reed laughing together, though they don't notice her. Montoya gets a call—it is Lane, who kidnapped Molly and orders a ransom. Montoya drops the phone in shock.

At the City Hall, Wayne sees Gordon in a hurry and asks what is going on. Gordon reveals everything going on with Lane and tells him not to worry, as it is not his job. Wayne returns to Wayne Manor, and puts on the suit, as he drives out of the cave once more.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Ryan Eggold as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Liev Schreiber as Commissioner Jim Gordon
* Corey Stoll as Harvey Dent
* Sarah Shahi as Renee Montoya
* Eva Mendes as Sarah Essen
* Sophie Turner as Barbara Gordon
* Amy Acker as Barbara Kean
* Becki Newman as Harleen Quinzel
* David Mazouz as James Gordon Jr.
* Izabela Vidovic as Ivy Drake
* Garret Dillahunt *(credit only)*
* Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth

### Guest Cast

* Michael Cerveris as Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg
* Michael Potts as Lucius Fox
* Elizabeth Mitchell as Leslie Thompkins
* Andrew Stewart-Jones as Crispus Allen
* Carla Bruni as Karen Valentin
* James Carpinello as David Reed
* Lyndsy Fonseca as Molly
* Jack Huston as Michael Lane

## Trivia

* This episode garnered 16.30 million U.S. viewers.
* The episode received generally favorable reviews. It scored a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 68 out of 100 on Metacritic, and a 5.6/10 on IGN.
* The episode is rated TV-14-DLSV