Spellbound
Episode #09 - Spellbound
Original Airdate - May 1st, 1999
There's a new crook in town named Spellbinder who is hypnotizing people
into stealing their own valuables, but what will Bruce do when Terry is
put under Spellbinder's spell?
Media by Bird Boy
Review by Tim "Two-Face" Leighton |
Credits:
Written by Robert Goodman
Directed by Butch Lukic
Music by Michael McCuistion
Animation by Koko Enterprise Co., LTD., Dong Yang Animation Co.,
LTD.
Voices:
Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis
Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne
Jon Cypher as Dr. Ira Billing / Spellbinder
Stockard Channing as Comm. Barbara Gordon
Yvette Lowenthal as Chelsea
Sam McMurray as Chelsea's Dad
Omar Gooding as Jared Tate
Vernee Watson Johnson as Lorraine Tate
Dorian Harewood as Jim Tate
Andrew Bowen as Rick
Richard Sanders as Mr. Deakins
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Review
A student, a clothing designer, and a woman on her wedding day all
become the victim of a new villain in Gotham, who manipulates them into
giving them all their valuable possessions - artifacts, expensive
dresses, and jewels. This villain is known simply as "Spellbinder".
While Spellbinder originated in the comics like the Royal Flush Gang
did, he draws a lot of attributes from both the Scarecrow and, even
moreso, the Mad Hatter, who use various forms of mind-control on their
victims. To get the riches he wants, Spellbinder uses a large hypnotic
orb on his victims which puts them in a transe - a dream-like state,
which he controls - like the Mad Hatter. Soon, however, these transes
turn into nightmares (a la the Scarecrow) in such a way that the victim
would give up their valuables - dropping them, throwing them away, or
even giving them to Spellbinder himself.
So let's see: a cool gimmick-villain, even if it's not completely
original, but, unfortunately, is only after money. "I wish I could say
there was a loftier purpose than just the money" (ahhh...a misquote from
"Speed", I'm sure), but that's just it. But why is this guy doing it?
Spellbinder turns out to be a psychologist at Terry's high school, who
is fed up with his patients not respecting him enough by paying him more
- so he steals from them to break even. All three of the victims had a
connection to him...and things only grow worse when Bruce learns that
Terry went to see him once, which puts all of Bruce's valuables in
danger.
Cool things to look for? Spellbinder's costume is kinda cool...a
red-and-black stripe pattern. In one scene Terry's Bat-suit gets torn to
shreds, and the resulting visual is quite impressive. A hint to Dick
Grayson's whereabouts is made - or, more precisely, where he stands with
Bruce right now - and from Bruce's reaction, not very good at all. It's
also hinted at the end of the episode that Barbara Gordon now knows that
Terry is the new Batman...hmmm...she's either much smarter than her
father or Terry is not as good at keeping a secret as Bruce is.
Butch Lukic's episodes are always visually impressive, and this one is
no exception. Even if I didn't see his name in the credits, I would've
known right away it was his work: the hazy animation by the waterside at
the beginning is very reminiscent of his work on BTAS episodes like "You
Scratch My Back".
Problems? Final fight is rather quick. What else? Well, if anything,
this episode proves that if it weren't for Bruce, Terry would have been
dead by now. Once Terry is put under Spellbinder's spell, he's virtually
useless; only his video-link with Bruce allowed him to remain alive. And
does he thank him? Yeesh, what an ungrateful child...erm...teen...whatever.
Still, a cool episode.
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