by Drew Deitch
| Published
Batman: The Animated Series He is the best iteration of the character in any medium, be it comics, movies, television, radio, you name it. This series is an indelible and enduring entry in Caped Crusader history. Over the course of its 85 episodes, the series has fostered a version of Batman and his world that stands the test of time. There are a lot of good and great episodes Batman: The Animated SeriesBut the story that stands out and outperforms the group is “His Silicon Soul,” a story that emerged from two previous parts that gave Batman: The Animated Series A science fiction story unlike anything else in the series.
Heart of steel
The story of his “Silicon Soul” actually begins in the two-part episode “Heart of Steel”. An evil artificial intelligence called HARDAC (Holographic Analytical Android Digital Computer) begins creating androids called duplicates – a reference to replicas of… Blade Runner – In an attempt to replace humans. Of course, Batman He defeats HARDAC and his army of duplicates to save the day.
However, you will notice that the HARDAC looks uncannily like the silhouette of Batman's cowl. This was designed because the original script for “Heart of Steel: Part II” ended with a duplicate of Batman appearing as the final HARDAC. The original use for the Batman version was basically just to have a fight scene. When my producer Batman: The Animated Series When they saw this in the script, they immediately realized that the Batman robot was an episode in itself. And thus his “Silicon Soul” was born.
Silicone soul
“His Silicon Soul” begins with thieves breaking into a warehouse as Batman emerges from a box. After fighting the bandits, he is injured and it is revealed that he has robotic guts! Believing he is the real Bruce Wayne, Batman returns home and asks Alfred for help. Here Alfred reveals the idea of Batman's robot replicants and begins to investigate his creation and purpose. Once the real Batman realizes this, the chase begins as the robot Batman activates his real programming and brings to life the plan to replace humans with duplicates.
However, during a fight in a greenhouse between two Batmans, the robot saves an innocent man when the greenhouse begins to collapse. Here we begin to understand that this version of Batman is more human than we might think. During the final confrontation, the real Batman is believed to have died at the hands of the duplicate Batman. This is where his “silicone spirit” gained its reputation. Although he was essentially programmed by HARDAC to destroy humanity, the AI made a very good copy in Batman. This artificial being believes in the sanctity of life so much that it destroys itself in order to save the people of Gotham City.
It's a powerful idea that Science fiction Often grappling with: What is humanity? What makes us truly human? Watching a show ostensibly aimed at children that deals with such a powerful and difficult subject matter made an impression on me when I was still in the single digits. To this day, the replicant Batman's final moments are overcome with guilt over his belief that he took the baton of life with me. “His Silicon Soul” is one of voice actor Kevin Conroy's best moments in a career filled with it.
The idea of that Batman: The Animated Series He was willing to make an episode like “His Silicon Soul” that showcased the incredible depth and variety of stories the show was able to tell within Batman's adventures. Getting a legitimate sci-fi tragedy amidst classic crime tales is a real treat.
