A Matter of Family

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“A Matter of Family”
The Batman episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 40
Guest stars	Kevin Conroy as John Grayson, Mark Hamill as Tony Zucco
Written by	Michael Jelenic
Directed by	Brandon Vietti
Production no.	401
Original airdate	September 23 2006
Episode chronology
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"Gotham's Ultimate Criminal Mastermind"	"Team Penguin"
List of The Batman episodes

"A Matter of Family" was the season premiere of The Batman's fourth season. It originally aired in North America on September 23, 2006. The episode featured guest voices by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, the actors who portrayed Batman and the Joker in the DC animated universe.

1 Plot synopsis
2 Plot summary
3 Characters
4 Trivia
5 Quotes
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Plot synopsis

After a young circus performer named Dick Grayson loses his parents to a criminal named Tony Zucco, Bruce Wayne adopts the young boy. Once Bruce's secret is revealed, Dick joins Batman as his new sidekick, Robin. Together, they set out to find Zucco and bring him to justice.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

When Haly's Circus arrives in Gotham, managing director John Grayson is approached by crime boss and small time hustler Tony Zucco with an offer for "protection." After defeating several of Zucco's thugs, Grayson is pinned down by the "strong man" of Zucco's "family". As Zucco informs Grayson and his wife and son that they cannot afford to pass on his offer of protection, son Dick Grayson responds that they can because he has just called the Gotham Police. Out of the shadows, Batman responds that he responded to Dick's call and punches Zucco, knocking him back and to the ground.

Fleeing the circus tent, Zucco and his "family" of thugs swear revenge for their humiliation. As the family prepares for the show, the Graysons don new costumes, with Dick's featuring green pants and a red tunic with an emblazoned R (for Richard, or Robin) on one of the breasts. When the circus opens, all of Gotham is there is see the show, including Bruce Wayne. As the "Flying Graysons" begin their performance, Zucco, sitting in the audience, hands his "strong man" a bag of popcorn containing two bolts that were used to hold up the trapeze wires. Just as John Grayson is about to catch his wife in the act, the wire slips off its hook and the two plummet to the ground, leaving Dick Grayson an orphan.

At the funeral for the Graysons, paid for by Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson is approached by Wayne who extends his sympathy for the loss of his parents. As Dick leaves the funeral depressed and lost, Bruce reveals to his butler, Alfred, that he intends to adopt Dick as a foster son. Bringing Dick to Wayne Manor, Bruce begins his investigation into Zucco's connection with Dick's parent's deaths.

Tracing the particular brand of toothpick that Zucco and his thugs use to a nightclub, Batman arrives to find the whereabouts of Zucco. Encountering other crime bosses and thugs, Batman overpowers the large group with the use of smoke bombs and finds the "strong man." After threatening him to get him to admit where Zucco is hiding, Batman spots a Haly's Circus popcorn bag and determines the location of a hiding Zucco. Meanwhile, Dick feels alone in Wayne Manor due to Bruce's long absences. Alfred attempts to cheer the young man up by creating a sanctuary in the study with a painting of his parents displayed on the mantle.

Later that night, Dick is unable to sleep and so retreats to the study and lays in the chair below the mantle. A short time later Alfred emerges from the secret elevator to the Batcave located behind a grandfather clock. Dick opens the hidden panel after Alfred leaves the room and descends the elevator into the Batcave, just as Batman arrives in the Batmobile. Batman easily finds a hiding Dick and Bruce Wayne and Alfred discuss the inevitability of Dick's discovery. Bruce however, must leave once again to find and bring Zucco to justice, telling Dick that he does not want him to have the childhood he had where his parents murderer went unpunished. Dick, however, states that he alone should bring Zucco down and enact his own revenge.

When Batman arrives at Haly's Circus, Zucco knocks him unconscious by dropping a sandbag on his head. Batman awakens later to find himself tied to a knife throwing board. As Zucco begins to throw knives at the board, he explains his own childhood as a performer in the circus with his father. Unfortunately, the knife throwing duo were separated when Zucco missed one evening and hit his father, killing him apparently. Just as the final knife is coming at Batman, it is intercepted with another sandbag, released by a character in the shadows. Dick emerges, dressed in his "Flying Graysons" costume with a mask and a cape. As he fights with Batman, Zucco gains the upper hand and reveals that since he watched Batman beat up on his "family", Batman will now watch him take out Batman's new family. Enraged, Batman cuts himself free from the board and attacks Zucco, forcing the crime boss to retreat to one of the trapeze stands high in the circus tent.

Positioned on the stand, Zucco loses his footing and begins to fall toward the ground, appearing to succumb to a fate exactly like the Graysons. At the last moment, Dick catches Zucco and returns him to the stand and a stunned Batman. Some time later, Batman and Dick watch as the Gotham Police take Zucco away and discuss Dick's education and childhood. Batman tells him that a man like Bruce Wayne may not be around as much to educate him, and Dick responds that a man like Batman could. Batman responds that Dick will need a name, and Dick replies with Robin, "a family name."

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Characters

The Batman/Bruce Wayne voiced by Rino Romano
Robin/Dick Grayson voiced by Evan Sabara
Alfred Pennyworth voiced by Alastair Duncan
John Grayson voiced by Kevin Conroy
Mary Grayson voiced by Grey Delisle
Tony Zucco voiced by Mark Hamill
Bruiser voiced by Maurice LaMarche

[edit] Trivia

Rupert Thorne makes a cameo appearance in the episode. This happens when Batman arrives at the Ice Pick Club, he appears twice, once with a close-up and the other in the background. At some point after "The Bat in the Belfry", Thorne must have been released or escaped from prison.

This episode stays with the comics' origin of Dick Grayson, much like "Robin's Reckoning" of Batman: The Animated Series. Additionally, Zucco is portrayed much older in this series' continuity and hustles the circus not as a young mobster attempting to make a name for himself but as an established ruler of a mob family. He also had Heterochromia as his eyes are separate colors: one is brown and one is blue; which is not seen in any previous version of Zucco, and may be an allusion to Two-Face, the character responsible for murdering the Grayson family in the movie Batman Forever. It may also be a reference to the founder of Arkham Asylum, who also has this condition; also; his lean physique and gaunt face give him a strong resemblance to "Alucard".

Kevin Conroy (Dick Grayson's father) and Mark Hamill (Tony Zucco) keep with their hero (Conroy) and villain (Hamill) roles. In Batman: The Animated Series, Conroy portrayed Batman, while Hamill voiced the Joker.

This episode- particularly the Grayson death scene- is widely considered the most touching among fans.

This is the first time Dick Grayson has been introduced in an other media series in actual chronology. In all his other origin stories (i.e. Robin's Reckoning), it was through a flashback.

In BTAS, Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill) wanted to get the last laugh (kill) from Batman (Kevin Conroy). Despite being different characters, continuity, and art style, some fans feel that Joker finally got his wish.

The redesign of Bruce Wayne's new jawline and nose is very close to the original design of Batman in the animated series portrayed by Kevin Conroy.

Zucco's brothers closely resemble the Enforcers from Marvel Comics, the strong man resembling Ox, the lion tamer resembling Montana, and the short nibble juggler resembling Fancey Dan.

[edit] Quotes

Tony Zucco: (to Batman explaining his story) You know, being in here has brought back memories. Believe it or not. Once upon a time, my pops and I were in the circus. We were knife-throwers. Well, I threw the knives and dad hoped I wouldn't hit him. It was quite an act, really. [throws a knife that didn't hit Batman] We put him a board just like the one you're on and I said Ladies and gentlemen, please don't try this at home. I'm a trained professional. Then, my dad would say I knew we should've given you piano lessons instead!. Always good for a laugh.
Batman: Why did you give up such a promising career.
Tony Zucco: Well, at one day, I missed. [throws the final knife that a mysterious figure hits with a bag] Huh? So Batman's got family too? Cute!
Batman: Nice save but I thought wanted Zucco to get what's coming to him.
Robin: Well, he did, didn't he? Justice.
Batman: I've been thinking, Dick. I'm not sure Bruce Wayne has what it takes to raise you properly.
Robin: Yeah, it kinda notice he was never around. But if you're not Bruce Wayne, what about the Batman?
Batman: We have to give you a name.
Robin: How about Robin?
Batman: Like the bird?
Robin: It's a family name.