"Revenant" is the eleventh episode of the second season of Batman Beyond. It depicts the return of Willie Watt. Strange things occur at Hamilton Hill High School and the students start spreading rumors that a ghost is responsible. However, Bruce thinks otherwise and instructs Terry to find the real source of trouble. After investigating Terry soon discovers that his old enemy Willie has been using some newfound powers.
Plot
Terry walks around school and discovers a group of students staring up at the school's sports trophies that have mysteriously been embedded into the ceiling. The coach is very upset over it. Chelsea confides that others are saying that the ghost of Garrison Jacobs, a student that was somehow killed while the east wing was being built, has been causing these strange things to happen. Max is skeptical but the rest of the students believe.
Later that night, Blade, Dana, Chelsea, and a fourth girl (unidentified) hold a séance using an Ouija board. They call out to Garrison but the only person who shows up is Nelson. Nelson is skeptical of the entire thing and kicks the board after being insulted. However, the board suddenly rises and strikes him in the back of the head. Just as suddenly, the fire extinguishers start to spray and the lights of the room spontaneously explode.
The girls are sure that it's Garrison but Nelson decides to leave. However, as he does, several chairs start flying around the room focusing especially on Nelson. Fortunately, Batman had been patrolling the school and intervenes. However, he's soon captured and Nelson is nearly killed by the flying objects. When Batman saves him once again, a wall sized vid-screen starts to move in trying to smash them. Batman and Nelson still manage to escape.
Later Terry talks to Bruce about the occurrences and how he too is starting to believe it's a ghost. Bruce is skeptical, while he doesn't dismiss the supernatural out of hand (having encountered examples during his own crime-fighting career), this situation doesn't feel like the real thing.
Back at Terry's home, Matt starts talking about the Ouija board and wants to hold a séance to talk to his father's ghost. His mother says that séances don't work. Matt is crushed, saying that he's afraid he's forgetting what Warren was like, in the months since he died. Terry and his mother share an uncomfortable silence.
Back at the school, the girls start to shower in their locker room but the showers start to go haywire. Soon water is bursting from the walls, the showers are spraying water everywhere. Dana manages to shut off the water but after a brief period of calm, the showers reactivate with the hot water pushed up to the max. After escaping the girls wait for things to calm down and return to the locker room and discover a message written in the steam condensed on the mirror, "I still love you".
Terry learns of the incident from Dana. The fact that it was Blade that was in the showers and saw the message written is the last piece of the puzzle. Everyone who has been most affected by the "ghost" were connected to one person: Willie Watt.
With this information, Terry goes to Juvenile Hall to talk with Willie. The guard is surprised, as no one has ever tried to contact or visit Willie before. In fact, the guard confides, the other prisoners are scared of him.
Terry is surprised by his first look at Willie since he went away: Willie has been working out, and has a new, muscular physique; he's also shed his glasses. Terry acts as though he's there for a friendly visit, and Willie seems happy to see him. He says he's expecting parole in less than two months; Terry rejoins that he'll be out in time for the prom, and Willie jokes that the gym will have to be repaired first—something that he couldn't possibly have known. To confirm his suspicions, Terry picks up a glass of water and hurls it at Willie without warning. Willie reflexively stops it in mid-air and reveals that he has developed telekinetic powers after the incident with the GoLeM.[1] He admits to having used his powers to mess around with the school, but has kept them a secret to avoid exposing himself. As he ensures Terry will keep his secret, the hall guards storm in, having witnessed the display through the security cameras, but Willie manages to escape.
Bruce helps Terry to prepare for Willie's inevitable attack on the school and has Barbara shut down the school. The students are happy but as Nelson leaves Willie arrives and forces him to drive his car directly into the school.
Nelson challenges Willie to a fair fight, hand-to-hand. Willie agrees and actually manages to hold his own for the first few seconds, but Nelson is still stronger and nearly beats Willie. Willie goes back on his word and unleashes his powers. Nelson is downed, and Willie lifts Blade into the air, wanting to kiss her. While he is seemingly distracted, Batman fires a tranquilizer dart, but Willie stops the dart and destroys the gun easily. He then attacks Batman, who is clearly outmatched. However, Willie loses his temper and causes a tornado, which in turn hurls a tree directly into him, knocking him out.
Willie returns to Juvenile Hall, now fitted with a device on his head that prevents him from using his powers. Once again, he finds himself alone, without visitors.
At home, Terry and Matt look at old family photos and remember their father. Terry tells Matt that the people they love are never completely gone.
Continuity
- Bruce makes references to immortals in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Avatar", and witch boys and demons in The New Batman Adventures episode "The Demon Within", and would face (production-wise) zombies in Justice League.
- Willie's vengeance on Nelson, his crush on Blade, and the accident he had with the GoLeM that he attributes his powers to follow the events of the episode "Golem".
Background information
Home video releases
Trivia
- This is the second episode in a row that deals with people with mental powers, after "Mind Games".
- Willie's second and last appearance.
- This episode shows a contrast between the upbringing of Terry and Willie and the results of it.
- The title has two fitting meanings; "revenant" can mean either "ghost" or "someone who returns".
Cast
Quotes
Willie Watt: What are you saying? That I snuck out of Juvie and paid the school a visit? |
(After Barbara has closed the school) |
Footnotes
- ↑ Batman Beyond, "Golem"
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