Tests

"Tests" is the third episode of season one of Beware the Batman and the third of the overall series. It debuted on July 27, 2013.

Overview
''A new villain has come to town to challenge Batman for control of Gotham City: Anarky. Resembling a ghost image of Batman, Anarky prides himself on his brilliance – and intends to prove it to Batman by manipulating a pair of unsuspecting pawns to do his bidding. But Anarky’s real plan is far more devastating: seeking to create a disaster seen by all of Gotham and proving once and for all that even the great Batman is powerless to protect his fair city from the clutches of Anarky.''

Synopsis
Two counter-culturalists, Daedalus Boch; an anti-authority graffiti artist and Junkyard Dog; a destruction-based sculptor, are defacing a hardware store in retribution for the owner not "appreciating their talents". They are abruptly stopped by the Batman and are left handcuffed for Gotham City Police. Once Batman has departed, a figure in a pure white outfit and hood called Anarky appears, and sets the two vandals free. He shows unusual enthusiasm for the duo’s career vandalism, and offers to be their patron of sorts. They agree and he donates to the duo advanced weaponry for their art.

At Wayne Manor, Tatsu makes her way through a rigorous physical testing regime. She surmounts an impressive array of obstacles, and an an impressed Alfred watches proudly as Tatsu successfully completes the test; however Bruce Wayne shows little interest as he is too busy playing chess with Alfred. After besting Alfred again, Wayne believes it is going to take more than an agility test to impress him as when he was abroad training himself for his career as the Batman in Asia, he was tested on many feats and skills before being accepted.

Meanwhile, in her quarters, Tatsu is looking at the mysterious Soultaker sword that she keeps hidden in a closet, before she is summoned to the trophy room by Bruce. As she waits in the trophy room, she notices a strange draft coming from the fireplace. As she passes her finger along what seems to be sweep mark on the wall, she accidentally presses a hidden button. Revealing a hidden door behind the fireplace, Tatsu is unable to gain access to the room as it requires Wayne’s handprint signature.

In downtown Gotham, Deadalus and Junkyard start wreaking havoc at an art gallery with their "new toys", whilst Anarky watches with satisfaction from afar. The duo catches the attention of the Batman, who swiftly arrives to end their rampage. Daedalus keeps Batman at bay with shots from his electron rifle while Junkyard takes his chainsaw to the Batmobile. However, the armor on the car causes the saw to strip its teeth, leaving it useless. Daedalus loses Batman in the dust from his shots and both artists are knocked out. Back at the Cave, Alfred meets Batman and admits that the artists don't seem the type to plan this sort of thing themselves. Batman agrees and decides to do background checks on the two and see who might be backing them. He then notices Junkyard's boot print on the fender of the Batmobile and asks Alfred to analyze the dirt. Tatsu approaches Bruce and remarks that though he may see her as unneccessary, she takes her work very seriously and he should keep an open mind. Bruce agrees to do so and Tatsu offers her hand. He shakes it and leaves, and as he walks away, Tatsu removes a plastic film from her palm. She now has Bruce's hand print for the access panel.

In Blackgate Penitentiary, Daedalus and Junkyard are locked in a cell. Deadalus laments about the current state of the world when "artist" like themselves are in prison. Suddenly, a note attached to keys is tossed is into their cell; telling them to look the window. The bars on the window vaporize and they both make their escape, eventually meeting up with Anarky. The two apologize to him for their failure and complain that it was Batman's fault, Anarky agrees, reasoning that Batman stands for order whereas he himself stands for chaos and destruction, Anarky provides Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog with even more weaponry and armor.

In his private library, Wayne is reading Gotham’s Mass Transit Revolution when Alfred arrives with a background check on Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog. Alfred informs Bruce that Daedalus and Junkyard have been rejected from every gallery in the city and gained a reputation for their "serious lack of talent"; this only provides further evidence to Bruce's theory that Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog are working for someone else. The footprint that Alfred analyzed contained traces of the Fritillaria meleagris plant, also known as the chess flower. Bruce believes that the mysterious employer is playing a game of chess and the two artists are the pawns. Bruce uses the Batcomputer to tap into the GCPD surveillance cameras, they track Junkyard and Daedalus; this time wearing new equipment: both have specialized suits with custom attachments. Alfred tells Bruce that the Batmobile is prepped for his departure, though Bruce has other plans in mind: Alfred can drive the Batmobile (in reality, remotely control the car from the Batcave to stop Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog, whilst Batman goes after their secret employer.)

Daedalus and Junkyard are having fun tagging and destroying property. The Batmobile arrives and rams right into Junkyards sculptor. Daedalus says that Batman can't push them around anymore and the two charge at the Batmobile but the car launches a volley of missiles in their direction and they scatter. Daedalus counters with his dual acid guns and Junkyard uses super-strong lifting clamp attached to his chest to hurled concrete blocks but the car outmaneuvers them and keeps firing missiles. Alfred can't seem to get sufficient control of the car through the remote controller and decides to just press all the buttons at once: unleashing a barrage of stun blasts that knock Daedalus and Junkyard on their feet. Distraught, they retreat.

At the same time, the Batman tracks down a surprised Anarky to the Gotham Wheelhouse. Anarky surprises the Batman by demonstrating that he is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and two enemies engage in an intense duel.

Meanwhile, Tatsu uses her falsified hand print to gain access to the secret elevator and makes her way to the trophy room. As she makes her way down the elevator she is shocked to find a hidden private library and notices the book, Gotham’s Mass Transit Revolution, on a shelf left ajar. She opens to a specific page and finds an image of the Gotham Wheelhouse; the same one where Anarky is.

As they fight, Anarky expresses his gratitude to the Batman for understanding his game; implying that he had intentionally left a clue in Junkyard Dog’s sneaker. Batman berates Anarky for giving advanced weaponry to Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog, pointing out that it could have resulted in deaths of innocent civilians. Likening himself and Batman to opposite chess pieces, the Anarky and Batman continue their battle; until they are abruptly cut off by an explosion coming from a terminal station connecting Gotham’s aerial tramway. Nobody is injured, but Anarky reveals that there are bombs attached to each of the two gondola lifts, that will set off when the two cable cars pass each other. Anarky also has a remote detonator, preventing the Batman from stopping the gondola lifts from moving using the control panel. Daedalus and Junkyard reach the wheelhouse, panting that Batman is right behind them, though are taken aback when they realize he is already there.

After fighting his way through Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog, Batman makes his way to Gotham harbour using the Batcycle which was parked outside the Gotham Wheelhouse and Alfred transmits schematics of the trams directly to his goggles. The Batcycle transforms into the Bat-Glider that Batman uses to transport himself to scout the gondola lifts. Realizing that the bombs on each gondola lift will explode once the two cable cars are in magnetic range, Batman attempts to divert the magnetic pull, preventing the circuits in the bombs from closing thus preventing the bombs from exploding. As the Batman attempts to divert the magnetism away from the cable cars using a terminal station, he is ambushed by Anarky. Batman takes advantage of Anarky’s ego; distracting him long enough for the Batman to disable the detonator by jamming its frequency. Anarky is then knocked off of the terminal station by the Batman to the base below. Batman is then able to successfully divert the magnetism away from the gondola lifts, which prevents the bombs from exploding. In the ensuing distraction however, Anarky has escaped.

Following the battle, Daedalus Boch and Junkyard Dog are taken away by Lieutenant James Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department. Batman is impressed to see Tatsu at the Gotham Wheelhouse as well, noting that she has passed another test but that there will be more to come. As Batman drives off into the night on the Batcycle, Tatsu looks on with curiosity.

Featured characters

 * (Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Continuity notes

 * The title of this episode refers to Bruce's statement in "Secrets": "Let the test begin."