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Batman Beyond Season 3 Episode 5

Out of the Past

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9.3

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 10/21/00

Talia shows up on Bruce's birthday with an offer - take a turn in the Lazarus Pits and join her philantropic efforts with new youthful vigor.

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

Read the above summary, it's better than anything I could write

8.5

By roguele_beau, Oct 05, 2011

When I classify this episode as 'painful to watch', I do not mean that in a bad way. Simply, learning the fate of these characters was painful. The idea that Ra's has sunk so low as to sacrifice his precious daughter, simply chilling... At the same time, it was beyond cool to see Terry AKA the new guy finally getting to see Bruce in all his glory. It was also nice to have the 'Robin' reference just for us die hard fans who live for that sort of thing. Overall, this episode was simply one of those that stays with you long after it ended...moreless
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The final chapter in the Ra's al Ghul Saga.

9.0

By logi, Oct 05, 2011

Before the serious and important stuff this episode has to offer, one must at least mention the Batman Musical featured at the beginning of the episode. A lot of fun, for those who can take a joke, anyway. Bruce feels embarrassed by this and seeing what he has become sets the tone of the episode.

As Bruce Wayne has grown older and gotten out of shape, he starts missing his years as the Batman and all the persons he cared about but lost. That is when Talia, one of his former love interests comes back, looking as young as ever thanks to the Lazarus Pits, offering him a chance to relieve his youth, if he wants. Bruce ultimately agrees, and becomes a little younger, but soon discovers Talia has other plans for him. The revelation that Ra's has sacrificed his own daughter so he could live again through her, was handled well. Talia/Ra's was, in one word, disturbing. Or as Terry would say, "Creepy". Though you must admit Bruce had the best lines in this episode. From his reaction to the Batman Musical at the beginning of the episode ("It's schw-arbage.") to his mocking of Talia/Ra's ("You hit like a girl") to my personal favorite, once again about Talia/Ra's ("She kissed me!").

This episode offers a lot of fun, action and a fitting end to one of Batman's most powerful enemies, Ra's al Ghul.moreless
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One More Time

10

By sh811a, Oct 05, 2011

This is my favorate episode of the entire show. What's interesting about it is the fact this truely is Bruce Wayne/Batman's episode. You really feel sad for him from begining to end.

Though I'll admit I do have minor quibs. Like I wish this was a two parter, it's just it would of been so cool seeing Bruce don the old Bat costume and fight along side with Terry in Gotham just for old times sake, it would of been seeing old and new crime fighting methods at work, the fact this didn't happen I thought was a lost opportunity. I also didn't like how Bruce came to his reconderation so fast, I felt there needed to be a deeper emotional context to that. And also I didn't like what Ras said when he said that tire that blew out and the gang was a set up by him, I just don't buy that it's too far fetched. And the whole thing with Barbra and Bruce dating once when we see a picture, I still can't swallow or feel comfortable with, like Ron and Hermime it doesn't work.

Other than those things everything else works. In a way this episode is kinda like the movie "Bubba Ho Tep". Bruce's dillema is the same as Elvis in that film, both of them use to have a place in the world and life was ahead of them, but as they've gotten older they now realize how much time has truely passed them and long to feel young and themselves one more time. The way the episode starts is strange where we see a really lousy musical on Batman, I'll admit it was surreal seeing it, it was so bad it was good I couldn't help but laugh and groan at the same time. But in a way that musical is sort of metaphor on the gold age of the Batman comic book series, as Bruce/Batman sees it and walks away I can see a sadness on his face because it makes him away that those times in his past are gone and there may'be no place for him in the present. And we even see him look at those photos of his past loves, I can't help but feel that he really did want to settle down somewhere along the line but failed. I'll admit it was great seeing both Terry and Bruce fight together in one moment, it was both old and future Batman side by side and you even heard a remix of the "Batman the Animated Series" theme song and it was just great. That twist with Raz Al Ghoul was I'll admit creepy and kinda sick, when I discovered this and it made me lose respect for the supervillain. Like in "Bubba Ho Tep" with both Elvis and the Mummy, both have a contrast parallel as well. Both use to be kings and both are on the brink of death, but Elivis choses to face it with dignity while the Mummy prolongs it giving him extra time but still remaining undead. Both Bruce and Ras have that same parallel contrast both were also kings in the past as well from not just the empires they aquaried but also what they did in the name of good, and both are now current at the brink of death. But as we see Bruce faces it with dignity, living out the last remander of his life however he can. Ras Al Ghoul has also been on the brink of death but whenever it has came close to coming he choose to prolong it which so lead him to commit a grave sin by murdering his daughter all to give himself more life which has reduced Ras to a mere paricite. The ending I'll admit was haunting and gave me a very sad feeling. Bruce sees the last photo of his last love of his life, Talia and he says "Rest in peace beloved." then turns it off and walks away. It's very sad because she was his last link to the past, and there was a possibility of having a second shot at life with her but it was too late, she is now in the past. When the past is gone it's gone forever, all we can do is remember.moreless
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funny

10

By fifetv, May 26, 2011

the batman musical made me laugh!!!!!! it was funny and especially when Gordon and Batman sang. Bruce was embarrased by it

The also had the return of Ras Al Ghul, whom had sacrificed Talia to live again. Man this guy could never die until then and Bruce thinks he should have died longo ago. When Terry tried to rescue him, he said what ever is in there died years ago. it was funny when Bruce said you hit like a girl when Ras slapped him and saying anything to hold off the grim reaper another few seconds. Oh man, Bruce was disgusted and very angry at Ras.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Cree Summer	Max Gibson
Will Friedle	Terry McGinnis / Batman
Kevin Conroy	Bruce Wayne

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Olivia Hussey	Talia	Guest Star
David Warner	Ra's Al Ghul	Guest Star
Mark Hamill	Carter	Guest Star
Michael Rosenbaum	Carl	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (7)
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- Talia: Ra's Al Ghul was a man of many contrasts. Leader, environmentalist...
  Terry: Sociopath.
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- Terry: You're creeping me out, lady.
  Bruce: You?! She kissed me!
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- (Ra's Al Ghul plans to transfer his mind from Talia's body to Bruce's)
  Bruce: Sure Ra's, why not? Anything to hold off the Grim Reaper a few more seconds. I take it back, you don't cheat death. You whimper in fear of it!
  Ra's Al Ghul: SILENCE!
  (Ra's slaps him)
  Bruce: ... and you hit like a girl.
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- Bruce: I should have known you'd cheat death again, Ra's!
  Ra's Al Ghul: I don't cheat death, I master it.
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- (Bruce has the chance to become young again)
  Terry: I'll tell you right now. There's no way I'm wearing the Robin suit.
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- (Watching Batman: The Musical)
  Terry: Hey, it took me months to get tickets to this show.
  Bruce: You hate me, don't you?
  Terry: It's shway!
  Bruce: It's schw-arbage.
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- Musical Actors: A superstitious, cowardly lot! They plan and plot, but they always get caught! Their evil schemes all come to naught! A superstitious cowardly lot!
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NOTES (6)
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- This episode was nominated for a Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production.
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- The penultimate picture is indeed Barbara Gordon. However, many have speculated that the final picture shown before Talia's arrival is not Barbara, but rather Andrea Beaumont from the animated film Mask of the Phantasm. This is believed due to (a) why would Bruce have two pictures of Barbara, (b) the picture was taken on the cliffs and ocean background of Wayne Manor, where major scenes of Mask of the Phantasm took place, and (c) Talia's Line "I knew you loved her," has more bearing with Andrea than Barbara. Possible confusion arises from the similar post-Batman: TAS designs that both characters utilize.
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- The throwaway line about the Near Apocalypse of 2009 has kept fans of the Bruce-Timm series clamoring for an episode of Justice League Unlimited to feature the incident--and with it, the return of Ra's al Ghul.
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- As in "Black Out," when Bruce and Terry are fighting side by side, a variant on the Batman: TAS theme plays.
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- Mark Hamill (Carter) makes his Batman Beyond debut.
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- At one point, a Batman musical was planned. This episode's musical was great fun, but not exactly in keeping with the "Dark Knight" image crafted by Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil in 1970.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Batman: (Singing)
  Criminals are by nature, a superstitious and cowardly lot. Thus, Batman takes on the form of a giant bat to scare them. This was the original explanation by Bob Kane, and has popped up here and there since. In this episode, Batman: The Musical, has an actor singing number with those immortal words.
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