A Bat Divided! - Recap

The Riddler has started a new game show, Riddle Me This, and has captured Batman and Booster Gold. The villain has strapped Batman to a giant electrical question mark. Each time Booster Gold fails a question, Batman gets a jolt of electricity. Booster isn't very good at riddles. However, Batman soon cuts himself free. The two heroes take on Riddler's henchmen and Batman knocks out the master villain.



At a nuclear lab, a high school group tours the reactor. Coach Raymond is bored, but Jason Rausch wants to hear everything. As they go on the tour, they're unaware that Dr. Ecks has secretly entered the facility. Batman closes in on the doctor and demands to know where his energy doppelganger is. Double X arrives and attacks Batman, while telling his human counterpart to complete their work.



Ronnie tells Jason that they need to just get through the semester and then they won't have to deal with each other. The reactor goes into overload and Raymond tries to get Jason to safety. In the lab, Dr. Ecks lets slip that he's trying to overload the reactor to boost his power levels and removes the power dampers. Jason and Ronnie arrive and Double X tries to take them hostage. Batman fights him off and tells them to get out. Ronnie's bum knee hinders him and Jason helps him into the corridor. The reactor releases a burst of energy, passing Batman and striking the Jason and Ronnie.

Jason wakes up and discovers that his hair is on fire. He can hear Ronnie, and Ronnie says he can't see Jason. They realize that they're in the same body. Meanwhile, Dr. Double X realizes that Jason's merged form has their power. They run but are quickly cornered. Double X tries to capture them but Batman lassos the energy form and speaks in big words, telling them to surrendered. The weakened Double X escapes with Dr. Ecks. Batman is intrigued by the energy readings and says they need to go to the Batcave.



A few moments later, an aggressive Batman breaks out of the rubble, wonders where the cowards have gone, and goes to the Batcave. A few moments later, a third slacker Batman breaks out of the rubble and decides to go to the Batcave.

At the Batcave, Logical Batman provides Jason with a containment costume and wonders who Jason is talking to. He tells Jason to move away so he can concentrate.

At his secret lab, Dr. Ecks creates a temporary infusion to allow Double X to split away again and find Jason.

Jason and Ronnie look around the Batcave. When they disagree about what to look at next, Ronnie tries to take control. Slacker Batman arrives and notes that he's acting freaky, and wonders what happened to his Batmobile. He wanders off and Aggressive Batman arrives and demands to know what he's doing there. Jason tries to explain but Aggressive Batman has no idea what he's talking about. He gestures and fires an energy blast, but it only makes Aggressive Batman more aggressive. The other two Batmans arrive and Logical Batman concludes that he was split into three parts: the mental part, the aggressive part, and the part that remains when the other two are gone.



While Logical Batman runs tests on Jason, Aggressive Batman exercises and Slacker Batman chills out. Jason soon discovers that he can alter and manipulate inanimate objects, transforming them into anything he likes. Logical Batman believes they can reverse the nuclear energy through the conduit and restore them all to normal. However, they have a limited time until the atomic matrix destabilizes. Aggressive Batman has slipped out to crack some skulls, and Logical Batman warns that they must all be present to reunite.



Aggressive Batman goes to a pool hall where third-tier villains hang out. He launches an attack and the other two Batmans arrive to lend a hand. Jason and Ronnie use their newly-mastered powers to help, but Double X arrives, captures them, and departs. Slacker Batman notices and tells the other Batmen. Logical Batman tracks Jason's unique energy signature and they depart.

Jason wakes up in Dr. Double X's laboratory, locked inside of an energy drainer. Dr. Ecks gets into the other chamber and transfers the nuclear energy into himself. The Batmen arrive but Double X emerges, expanded to massive size by the energy inflow. The three Batmen come up with a plan: two of them distract Double X while Slacker Batman turns off the machine. They're soon overwhelmed, while Jason and Ronnie discover that the energy drain is restoring them to normal. However, without their help, Batman will be defeated. They break out, switch chambers with Dr. Ecks, and reabsorb the energy. Double X runs out of power and Jason and Ronnie emerge, reunited into one body. Jason fights Double X and soon defeats him. He refuses to go back into Dr. Ecks, and Jason renders him unconscious.



With time running out, all three Batmen's refuse to unite. Jason points out that it takes all three of them to be the hero the world needs. Convinced, they agree, and Jason uses his powers to reunite them. Batman is restored and congratulates Jason, who announces he'll be using the name Firestorm from here on out.

Share this article with your friends