Big Time

"Big Time's my middle name."

You may also be looking for the episode "Big Time"

Charlie "Big Time" Bigelow was a loudmouth felon who got involved with the wrong crowd, and ended up becoming a mutated powerhouse.

History

Origins

Charlie had always dreamed of a big score that would settle him for life, which earned him the street name of "Big Time". Charlie was also pushing the boundaries of the law. They occasionally engaged in petty thefts and misdemeanors, such as window busting and shoplifting, and also formed a gang. When Charlie was eighteen, he dragged Terry along on a heist to prove himself to a gang. However, things went awry and Terry and Charlie were arrested. Unlike Terry, who was underage, Charlie was put on trial as an adult and sentenced to three years in prison.

Charlie shared a cell with Richard Armacost, a top executive at Agrichem. Knowing he could benefit from such alliance, Charlie offered Armacost protection inside the prison, provided he would be properly rewarded once they got out.

During his incarceration, Charlie occasionally exchanged e-mails with Terry. Among one of which, Terry mentioned to be working for Bruce Wayne. Charlie shared that information with Armacost and the two plotted a big heist.

A couple of days after his release, Charlie approached Terry to entice him to a heist. This was, however, merely a ruse to compel Terry to use his influence and get Charlie a job at Wayne-Powers ― and it worked. Charlie was hired in a low-level data entry job. On his first day, he tricked Captain Howard Rubens and captured his palm print, which Karros replicated as a glove. Terry confronted Charlie about his intentions, but failed to put sense into him. Charlie didn't notice, though, that Terry had implanted a trace on him.

On the night of the heist, Charlie snuck into the Cerestone lab at Wayne-Powers Research, and opened the east loading bay for Karros. Batman soon interrupted the robbery and a battle ensued. During the mêlée, a canister of Cerestone leaked and Charlie was bathed with the chemical. Though they eluded capture, Karros blamed Charlie for the fiasco, and demanded a reimbursement of 40,000 credits. As if that wasn't bad enough, Charlie started to feel the effects of the Cerestone, as he was engulfed with pain and saw his body gradually changing.

By night, Charlie had completely mutated into a malformed brute, befitting his moniker and his nature, and fully adopted his street name Big Time. Enraged, he went after Armacost for some vengeance. He almost dropped him from his office building, but Batman intervened on time. Big Time was now a force to be reckoned with, but Batman stunned him with a gas grenade, and swiftly knocked him unconscious. Big Time was then arrested and held without bail.

The Big Score

A few months later, Big Time broke out of prison, and made an alliance with the mobster Major. However, Big Time wasn't all happy with this partnership, seeing as the Major acted as the brains of the crime ring, and only used Big Time as brawn. Tired of being treated as a witless brute, Big Time plotted to gradually push the Major out of the ring. In order to do so, he had to bring in some of his own friends. Firstly, he approached his old friend, Tiny Terry. After abducting him, Big Time tried to entice Terry to join his gang. However, when he failed, he went berserk and Terry seized the opportunity to escape. The Major reprimanded Big Time and gave him an ultimatum to fix his mistake.

Big Time saw in this the perfect opportunity to expedite his plan and get rid of the Major for good. He caught up with Terry and once again took advantage of his friend's naiveté.

Big Time professed himself incapable of killing Terry, only to convince him to turn the Major over to the GPD without being implicated. He acted as if he was repentant and wanted to be cured, when in reality he enjoyed his new look, as it imposed fear and respect.

When the Major was arrested, Terry sought Big Time to take him in as agreed, only to find out he had been duped and used once again. Big Time was now in control of the Major's men all over town, and none of them knew he had betrayed the Major. Big Time moved on to kill Terry for turning his offer down, but Bruce Wayne promptly rammed him with his car. Big Time went after Bruce, but Batman engaged in battle. Big Time made a run for it but was intercepted in a bridge. Batman dazzled him with a flash grenade, and when Big Time lunged at him, both fell over the bridge. He clung onto Batman, but lost his grip and fell to his supposed death. Bruce offered sympathy, but Terry had come to accept that Charlie was a bad influence he had long outgrown.

Appearances

Batman Beyond

• "Big Time"
• "Betrayal"

References