Chill of the Night! - Recap

At a museum hosting an exhibit of stage magic through the ages, guards are suddenly wrapped up in curtains as the villainous magician, Abra Kadabra, appears in a flash of smoke. Batman attacks and the magician warns that he's no match for his enchantments, but Batman reveals he's brought an assistant: Zatanna. Abra fires a mystical blast and Batman pulls Zatanna to safety. The sorceress wraps Abra in mystical chains, but he slips free and turns the audience into puppets. He then gags Zatanna while the puppets overwhelm Batman. Abra suspends him over Houdini's water trap, but Batman frees himself and disarms Abra. Zatanna picks up the wand, breaks it, and pulls the fleeing Abra into her hat and shrinks him into a cage.



In the past, the Waynes are leaving The Mark of Zorro and an enthusiastic Bruce runs ahead as his parents Thomas and Martha look on. A man steps out of the shadows ahead of them and demands Martha's necklace. When Thomas intervenes, the criminal shoots him down and then kills Martha as well. Later, Bruce swears vengeance by fighting all criminals, and trains himself as a fighter, scientist, and detective to become… Batman.



In a mystic realm, the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre evaluate Batman's life and debate the merits of justice vs. vengeance. The Spectre favors vengeance and dismisses justice as a slap on the wrist, but the Phantom Stranger warns that Batman would become dark and terrible without the influence of justice. The Spectre warns that Batman's darkest hour is at hand as he confronts the man who killed his parents. He offers a wager: if Batman falls, the Spectre gains control of him as a merciless killer. If the Phantom Stranger wins, Batman is freed. The wager is agreed to and the two astral heroes fade away.



A criminal, Louie Moxon, lies dying in a hospital bed when a priest comes to give him confession. Moxon admits that Thomas Wayne end up putting him in jail, and he hired a man to kill Thomas. However, the killer disposed of Martha as well, and Moxon felt badly about it. The priest convinces Moxon to identify the killer, but the criminal dies while gasping out a single word "Chill." The priest goes outside and removes his mask to reveal… Batman, who slips off into the night.

At the Tiki Tavern, Gotham's criminals hold a wake for Moxon. Batman arrives and demand answers, and quickly subdues the thugs. He holds the ringleader over a flaming pit and threatens to toss him in, but the Phantom Stranger's voice echoes in his, advising restraint. The Stranger appears and offers him an insight into his parent's death. He teleports Batman back in time 30 years to a costumed charity Halloween ball with a theme of winged creatures. Thomas and Martha arrive, Thomas wearing a bat costume. The Stranger warns that Batman can't alter the past and the Waynes will still die. Batman remembers his father's costume and how it inspired him.



The Waynes come over and introduce themselves. Batman hugs his mother and an awkward moment ensues, but they're interrupted when Moxon and his masked thugs break in to steal the donation money. Working together, Batman and Thomas take on the thugs, but Moxon and his lieutenant take Martha hostage. Batman realizes that the lieutenant is his parents' killer. He and Thomas knock a giant bat mobile onto Moxon and the other man, forcing them to release Martha. The lieutenant runs off and Batman follows him, and finds himself in a black void. The Spectre notes that he is restless and asks what Batman will do once he finds the killer. Batman admits he doesn't know, but the Spectre isn't convinced. When Batman demands the name of the killer, a criminal in need of vengeance, the Spectre transport Batman to Blackgate Penitentiary some months later. Moxon is locked up and his lieutenant, Joe Chill, comes to visit him. Batman realizes that the dying Moxon said "Chill." They watch as Chill promises Moxon that he'll even the score by making Thomas and his family suffer. Moxon casually tells him to make it look like an accident and walks away. Batman wonders where justice is and the Spectre smiles triumphantly.

Batman has the Spectre take him to the Batcave in the present. He confirms Chill's location and tells the Spectre that everything will be done by dawn. Batman goes to the warehouse where Chill is holding an auction among supervillains for a sonic disruptor. The Joker and others are reluctant to bid until Chill uses the gun to smash an armored truck. The bidding begins but Batman arrives and tosses in a smoke grenade. Chill flees into an office alleyway and Batman follows him. He disarms the criminal and accuses him of the murder of the Waynes, removes his mask, and identifies himself as Bruce Wayne.



Chill tries to get past him but Batman mercilessly beats him. The Phantom Stranger and the Spectre appear and encourage him to embrace their respective philosophies. The Spectre warns that if Chill lives, he'll reveal Batman's secret identity. Batman pauses and then drops Chill.

Chill runs back into the main room and explains that the son of the man he killed is Batman, seeking revenge. The villains realize they owe Batman's existence to Chill and start beating him. Batman intervenes and takes down the villains. Joker grabs the sonic disruptor but a stray shot brings down the roof. The villains flee but Chill is caught in the collapse. Dying, he looks up at Batman and admits that Batman got him after all.



In Limbo, the Phantom Stranger notes that Batman made the right choice, and it was karma that defeated Joe Chill. However, he notes that Chill just happened to be caught in the collapse. The Spectre smiles and claims to know nothing about it.

In the Batcave, Batman puts his father's costume on a display and closes the case for good.

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