"Plague" is the twenty-first episode of the second season of Batman Beyond. It depicts the return of Stalker. The evil organization Kobra has a plan to unleash a deadly super-virus onto Gotham City unless they are paid 10 billion credits in ransom. In order to carry out their plan, they hire the mercenary Falseface to smuggle the virus into the city. With nowhere else to turn to, the NSA enlists the aid of the Stalker to find and stop Falseface. Now Batman finds himself in an uneasy alliance with his enemy.
Plot
Terry, Dana, and Chelsea wait for Nelson's return from Saint Denis at the Gotham Airport. Nelson goes to customs and is confident that he's clean but the customs agent finds a vial of an unidentified green fluid. Nelson claims not to know anything about it and suggests that it was snuck into the bag while he was in the bathroom. The customs agent appears to believe him and lets him go while confiscating the vial. After Nelson leaves, the agent turns the vial over to a Kobra agent and reveals that he's capable of changing his face as if it were made of clay.
Nelson catches up with the group and heads out but Stalker intercepts him before he can reach his car. Stalker snatches Nelson and carries him to the top of the building. Threatening to kill Nelson, Stalker demands to know where the glass container ended up. After getting what he wants, Stalker unceremoniously releases Nelson and searches the airport. Batman soon arrives and attacks him. Stalker defends himself but claims that he's innocent and doesn't want to fight. Batman doesn't believe him but Agent Bennett arrives and says that Stalker is telling the truth. He explains Stalker is working for the NSA to track down Falseface, a mercenary working for Kobra. He explains that Kobra intends to release a lethal super-virus onto the city unless paid a ransom of ten billion credits. The virus had been tested on a small island community and eradicated all life on the island. With no other way to track Falseface, they turned to Stalker for help.
Reluctantly, Batman joins up with Stalker with Bruce assuring him that it's necessary. Going through his leads, Bruce suggests the duo checks the Muscle City Sweat Shop where they discover a nest of Kobra agents preparing for the virus' release. Batman insists that they quietly observe the agents and plan their next move but Stalker impatiently attacks the group. Batman scolds him for his impertinence and points out they can no longer interrogate the agents for information. Fortunately, they find a disk with a floor plan for Gotham Manufacturers Plastics.
Out at the company, a security guard walks into the security room and disables the guard. Falseface then disables the security system and lets Kobra in. Inside, Falseface marvels at the unmarked creds and learns that Kobra intends to coat them with the virus. Every time that the creds are passed from hand to hand, the virus will be transmitted. Batman and Stalker arrive and fight the agents. During the fight, however, the vial is nearly smashed open and Stalker is deterred from capturing Falseface in concern for Batman failing to save it. Fortunately, he manages to hit Falseface with one of his tracking grenades and Batman manages to prevent the virus from being unleashed. However, Kobra One explains that they infected Falseface with the virus as a backup and since he's left the building he can easily evade capture and will infect others.
Stalker and Batman go after him and Stalker is able to find him. Unfortunately, Falseface fails to believe Stalker that he's infected and disables him with a taser. Batman continues on after Falseface but temporarily loses sight of him. Fortunately, Falseface tries to imitate Nelson, a disguise that Batman can easily see through. A fight ensues and takes the combatants into a factory. Falseface starts a fire, then attacks Batman with a length of pipe. Batman can hold up his own but there is an explosion and he is trapped under a falling ventilation duct. Falseface prepares to kill him but suddenly falls over in pain. Batman explains that the virus has taken hold. Despaired, Falseface runs away. Unable to free himself, Terry believes himself to be doomed but Stalker arrives. Much to Terry's surprise, Stalker refrains from killing him and instead releases him. The two escape to find Falseface collapsed. When asked why he saved Batman instead of killing him Stalker explains that it was only so that he and only he would be the one to kill him.
Continuity
- Batman refers to the events of "Bloodsport" saying that Stalker hunted him down.
- Batman recognises Bennett from "Zeta". (This episode even aired the week after "Zeta")
- Stalker spots Falseface down in the same way he tracked Terry in "Bloodsport" — with phosphorus powder.
Background information
Home video releases
Production inconsistencies
- This episode takes place at the end of spring break but "Quality Time" will say the previous episode took place in August. (This is itself an inconsistency as the school is still open in "Zeta")
- Batman binds Kobra One with a rope around his arms. However, moments later when he appears again he is tied up with three sets of rope around his arms, wrists and ankles.
- An inhabited island near Saint Denis had been wiped out during Spring Break, but neither Terry (or Nelson, who was at Saint Denis during the outbreak) are aware of it until Bennett mentions it.
- Why doesn't Batman try to lift the debris? In "Heroes" and "A Touch of Curaré" he was also wedged under heavy objects and still managed to elevate them with relative ease, given that his suit provides neuromuscular amplification. But here he doesn't even try. He could also have used his thrusters or grappling guns from his forearms to extricate himself.
Trivia
- Introduction of Kobra into the DCAU.
- It's implied that Gotham's population is in the range of 12 million people.
- This is Agent Bennet's only appearance that does not involve Zeta.
- While the real-life NSA are just a signals intelligence agency, in the timeline of Batman Beyond and The Zeta Project they are consistently shown as an all-purpose counterterrorism force.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Will Friedle | Terry McGinnis / Batman |
| Kevin Conroy | Bruce Wayne |
| Carl Lumbly | Stalker |
| Seth Green | Nelson Nash |
| Townsend Coleman | Falseface |
| Kerrigan Mahan | Kobra One |
| Lauren Tom | Dana Tan |
| Rachel Leigh Cook | Chelsea Cunningham |
| Sean Donnellan | Sports Announcer |
| Jeff Harlan | P.A. Announcer |
| Joe Spano | Agent Bennett |
Quotes
Falseface: Impossible. After all I've done, Kobra wouldn't. They couldn't. |
Stalker: When you die, it will be by my hand, and my hand alone. |
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