- You may also be looking for the heroine Zatanna.
"Zatanna" is the fiftieth episode of Batman: The Animated Series and originally aired on February 2, 1993.
Plot
Bruce Wayne eagerly watches a show put on by the magician Zatanna. She dazzles the audience with a few simple tricks, however, Bruce's real interest is Zatanna herself, as he knew her when he was much younger. Watching Zatanna, Bruce reminisces about his training days.
Bruce finds himself chained up in a straight jacked hanging upside down. Zatara the Magician tells him that concentration is key in this profession. Bruce easily manages to slip out of the restraints and is congratulated by Zatara on his performance. However, Zatara can't understand why Bruce wants to be an escape artist but doesn't want to be a performer. It doesn't matter much to Zatara, as he felt that he had to train Bruce and he hints that he knows that "John Smith" is hiding many secrets. After their talk, Zatara reveals that Zatanna was listening in on their conversation leaves the two to speak to one another. Zatanna is very upset over John leaving as she is attracted to him. Desperate to keep John to herself she plays a trick in which she handcuffs John to the wall. John is a master escape artist however, and escapes before she notices he's gone.
Back in the present, Dr. Montague Kane and the manager of the Gotham Mint, Mr. Fauncewater, arrive. Zatanna explains that Kane makes his living by revealing the secrets of magician's tricks but she's sure he won't figure hers out. Zatanna reveals that she intends to make ten million dollars freshly printed and stored in the Gotham Mint disappear. She fires out a bolt of electricity from her staff and not only the money, but the mint disappears. Zatanna makes the mint return but the money is missing. Zatanna is shocked that the money is missing but Kane and Fauncewater call the police to arrest Zatanna.
While the police take Zatanna away, Bruce notices that she'd been set up and the real thief will escape while the Police are busy with her. Batman leaps onto the transport van and frees Zatanna.
Zatanna is unsure if the escape was a good idea as she's now a fugitive from the law. Batman is sure of her innocence however, and says that he can help her. The two go back to the mint and learn that a giant mirror has been put into the mint and covered to look like a silver dollar. Batman realizes that whoever stole the money knew that Zatanna used a reflected hologram of the mint and was turned off to make it look like the building disappeared. The same trick was used with the money: it was never there, just a hologram. Since it would only be another magician or someone who knows the technique; Batman deduces that Kane is the real thief.
Batman and Zatanna head out to Kane's house and Zatanna reveals that her father died and that she feels that she knows Batman. Batman is evasive of her intuition and they make it to Kane's house.
Kane has been expecting them, however, and leaves a bomb in the room. Batman and Zatanna manage to escape, but they fall into a room with spiked walls closing in on them. Batman manages to disable the trap by removing a spike and jamming it into the gears. The duo barely manage to escape. Finding a picture of a seaplane, Batman realizes where Kane is and goes after him.
Kane is still unsurprised by the appearance of Batman and Zatanna and sends his goons on them. Batman has an easy time with them until Kane captures Zatanna and threatens to kill her. Unwilling to let Zatanna die, Batman surrenders and he and Zatanna are chained together. Kane is sure that the duo will die because even Zatara never managed to escape from those chains and locks. Fortunately, Batman keeps a lock pick in his glove and with some help from Zatanna (whom he refers to as Zanna), he manages to pick the locks and escape. But not before he and Zatanna are shoved from the plane. Grabbing hold of a net with his foot Batman manages to save himself and his friend, but Kane begins to cut the net. Batman uses the chains to pull Kane down onto the net, thus giving them the chance they need to escape. Unfortunately, Kane manages to make it into the plane while his enemies are only able to climb up the outer side of the plane.
Wanting to get rid of Zatanna and Batman for good, Kane starts flying the plane in erratic movements in an attempt to shake them off. The heroes are too good, however, and manage to foil these attempts. Kane then sends his thugs out to stop Batman but they are no match for him, and are shoved into the ocean below. Believing that the screaming came from his enemies, Kane relaxes but finds Zatanna standing behind him. She knocks him unconscious foiling his escape.
Kane is taken to jail while Batman and Zatanna speak to each other about Bruce's decision. Zatanna now knows Batman's secret identity and tells him that her father would've been proud. With that, she disappears in a cloud of smoke, leaving Batman a note reminding him of a promise he made to her long ago: he'll write.
Continuity
- Young Bruce tells Zatanna that he has to leave for Japan, placing his training with Zatara before his training with Sensei Yoru and Kyodai Ken seen in "Night of the Ninja."
- Zatanna appears as a guest at Bruce's wedding in The New Batman Adventures, "Chemistry," indicating that she has connected "John Smith" with Bruce Wayne.
- Zatanna re-appears in Justice League Unlimited, this time having real magic powers.
Background Information
Production Notes
- This is the only episode with two directors, as Dan Riba took over after Dick Sebast's departure.
Trivia
- First appearance of Zatanna.
- This is one of only two episodes that shows a young Bruce Wayne training. The other is "Night of the Ninja."
- Vincent Schiavelli, who voices Zatara, is one of only five actors from Batman: The Animated Series who also appeared in one of the live-action Batman movies - in his case, Batman Returns.
- The spiked pit appears to be a tribute to a similar scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
- Alfred asks whether Bruce last saw Zatanna 10 or 12 years ago, which Bruce seemingly confirms to be the latter or even longer. This gives somewhat of a timeframe for certain events of Bruce's life.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kevin Conroy | Batman |
| Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. | Alfred |
| Julie Brown | Zatanna |
| Zale Kessler | Fauncewater |
| Vincent Schiavelli | Zatara |
| Bruce W. Timm | Red |
| Michael York | Dr. Montague Kane |
Quotes
Alfred: How long has it been now? Ten years? Twelve? |
Bruce: It was an honor to study with you, Zatara. |
Zatanna: Here, pick a card. I'll tell your future. |
Zatanna: What do you care about some leggy dame in nylons? Or have I answered my own question? |
Batman: You're sure there's nobody you want to call? A friend, relative... a husband, maybe? |
Zatanna: Oh sure, take all the mystery out of life. |
Zatanna: So... you never wrote. |
Zatanna: What happened that made you put this on? |
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