It's Batman doing "Abres Los Ojos" (translation "Open Your Eyes") which was a sci-fi film of course about a man that finds out slowly but surely how unreal reality seems; in fact this episode is uncanily formated the same way as that film.
We are just as amazed at this alternative reality as Bruce, from the fact that his parients are still alive and he is engaged to Selena Kyle. Batman getting married to Catwoman never thought I would see that in a million years (well actually I have in a far back issue of the Batman comic series but that was also an alternate reality story so that doesn't count.). But most of all the fact that there is no Batman.
This episode is insightful more into Bruce psyche because we see that even though conciously he wants to be Batman subcounciously he wishes to be Bruce Wayne more. It's a common delema all superheroes (even some supervillan) I've known in the mythology have the desire for normalcy or an ideal existance. This was in "Spider Man 2", "Superman 2", even a little of the anime show "Pritty Solider Sailor Moon"; I know wild analogies but watch them and it does make sense. Sure, I would love to play the superhero role but I don't think I would want to do it 24.7 nor am I entirely sure I would want to do it the rest of my life.
This give the episode a slight emotional weight because we see that Bruce despite how fantasitic things seem he wants to believe it and so to we because we know what his old life holds and it's pritty dark and lonely place to be.
The Mad Hatter was indeed at his best in this episode (an of course it was his last) what I really like were his motives where really weren't harmful it wasn't for money or even controling people but genuine which was to help people, make things better for them despite a corrupt means to do it. However what really made him stand out was the interaction at the bell tower, he was really hitting home on Batman's secret desires. But the Mad Hatter always learns the hard way a foundation built on lies can not stand.
But this episode has one thing that held it back for me from giving it a complete 10 as much as I wanted to. I don't feel Bruce really explored enough of this dream world which would of added more to the emotional factor. There just wan't enough interaction time between his parients and Selena. I think the fault would mainly have to be in episode time limit, the fundamental trouble with episodes is the minamum amount of time only so much ground is covered and with this episode I felt more could of and should of been done; if anything this should of been a two parter but oh well.
The ending like Batman in the moment made me feel a little empty and sad. Because we know even though Bruce/Batman could obtain or acheive that ideal life if he want to as long as he's Batman that life is nothing but a dream.moreless
Episode Summary
EDIT
Bruce Wayne finds himself in a strange world where his parents are alive and he's never been Batman.
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GUEST STAR
Brian CummingsReporter
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GUEST STAR
Roddy McDowallThe Mad Hatter
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Bob Hastings
Commissioner Jim Gordon
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Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Alfred Pennyworth
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Kevin Conroy
Bruce Wayne / Batman
Watch Online
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
See All-
TRIVIA (3)
ADD TRIVIA-
The title "Perchance to Dream" is not only based off a Shakespeare quote, but a Twilight Zone episode in which a man is afraid of falling asleep for fear of being killed in a reality that seems so utopian-like. This plot is similar to that of the Twilight Zone's.
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It is possible to read in a dream, it just requires self-awareness.
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There are several events in the dream part of this episode that seem to contradict reality. Notice that the grappling hook and rope that Bruce buys can't possibly be long enough to climb up the bell tower. Also, when "Batman" swings down to the bell tower...where is he swinging from? There's no place nearby higher than the tower. These may all be indicative of the twisted nature of the dream-reality rather than actual errors, however.
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QUOTES (9)
ADD QUOTES-
Mad Hatter: You of all people! Have the gall to ask me that!? You ruined my life! I was willing to give you whatever life you wanted! Just to keep you out of mine!
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Police officer: (Bruce climbs up a rope to a roof top to escape the police) That guy moves like Batman.
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Bruce Wayne: My life is a dream, Alfred. The best dream anyone ever had.
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The Mad Hatter: Are you the dreamer or merely part of someone's dream?
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Batman (waking up): You...why did you do this?
Mad Hatter: You, of all people, have the gall to ask me that!? You ruined my life! I was willing to give you any life you wanted, just to keep you out of mine! -
Evil Batman: You're not well, Mr. Wayne. You need professional help.
Bruce: Liar! You know what's going on. This is a dream, and you're the one responsible.
Evil Batman: A dream? Why do you think that?
Bruce: I suspected it from the start. I knew I was right when I tried to read the newspaper. The print didn't make sense.
Evil Batman: Yes?
Bruce: That's because reading is the function of the right-side of the brain, while dreams come from the left-side. It's impossible to read something in a dream. -
Commissioner Gordon: Something for the lab boys to play with. Any idea what it is?
Batman: Yes, the stuff that dreams are made of. -
The Mad Hatter: This isn't an ordinary dream! What if you're wrong?
Bruce: Then I'll see you in your nightmares!!! -
Bruce: You know what I'm talking about. The entrance: to the Batcave. Why is it sealed up?
Alfred: Batcave? I'm sorry, I don't...
Bruce: That's right Alfred. The Batcave. It's a big hole in the ground with a big car in it that's all black. Remember?
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NOTES (4)
ADD NOTES-
This episode is episode 2 on the Batman: The Animated Series Volume 2 DVD.
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In his dream as Bruce Wayne starts looking at the evening paper, these senseless figures show up on the front page as follows:
"BAFNET STQPX FQPR THEGV...
HEINQUS GRINE4 VMED T8 RH..."
Then as Bruce takes the first book off the shelf and looks into it, 2 similar figures appear as what's on the newspaper's front page but upside down and in smaller print on the bottom left side of the book:
"STQPX" and "GRINE4".
It's possible that what the front page headline is supposed to read could be:
"BATMAN STOPS FOUR THIEVES FROM COMMITING A HEINOUS CRIME", because it's what that "Batman" did as Bruce and Selina Kyle had observed earlier out on the street.
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This episode was Kevin Conroy's favorite performance of the entire series.
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Kevin Conroy read the voice of Batman, Bruce Wayne, Bruce's father, and the evil Batman in real time, alternating between all four characters without having to pause recording.
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ALLUSIONS (2)
ADD ALLUSIONS-
Batman: Yes, the stuff that dreams are made of. This line is taken from an old Humphrey Bogart movie called The Maltese Falcon. It's a statuette of a falcon made out of gold, rubies, and the like, and many die trying to get their hands on it. "The stuff that dreams are made of" alludes that this falcon, in someone's hands, makes them very rich and able to fulfill their wildest dreams.
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The title of this episode was taken from a famous quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
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03/13/1218
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01/15/12345
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01/15/128
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