A Fistful of Felt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“A Fistful of Felt”
The Batman episode
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 30
Guest stars Dr. Hugo Strange voiced by Frank Gorshin, Rhino/Mugsy voiced by John DiMaggio, Arnold Wesker/Scarface/Mr. Snoots voiced by Dan Castellaneta
Written by Steven Melching
Directed by Anthony Chun
Production no. 304
Original airdate October 8, 2005
Episode chronology
← Previous Next →
"A Dark Knight to Remember" "RPM"
List of The Batman episodes

"A Fistful of Felt" is the thirty episode of the television series The Batman. It originally aired in North America on 8 October2005.

Contents

[edit] Plot synopsis

After his most recent crime spree, Arnold Wesker is taken to Arkham and apparently "cured" by Dr. Hugo Strange. A new career as a children's entertainer lies before Wesker ... but can he escape the shadow of Scarface?

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Scarface and the Ventriloquist (Arnold Wesker) are stealing money plates for a counterfeiting scheme when the Batman interrupts. Armed with a chainsaw, Scarface drops bags of coins on Batman and knocks him onto a conveyer belt heading toward a coin-stamping machine.

Batman uses a belt blade to drop a giant Lincoln penny onto the belt, knocking himself free. Batman uses another giant coin to protect himself from Scarface’s flamethrower and knock them out. At Arkham Asylum, Dr. Hugo Strange is holding a session with various Bat villains when Scarface speaks up and starts ranting at the others. Strange proposes a special treatment to the Ventriloquist and when he agrees, takes away Scarface and prepares the Ventriloquist for special treatment.

At a new children’s museum, the DiscoverDrome, Bruce is introduced and parachutes in. He uses a preplanted charge to demolish the old building on the site and reveal the new one. Later, Strange congratulates Wesker who is released as “cured,” and Batman covertly follows him as he goes into a penthouse apartment. Batman catches a glimpse of Wesker with a doll and goes in, only to find he has a new dummy, Mr. Snoots, and is entertaining a birthday party.

Batman reviews Wesker’s career as a cartoon voice artist before going insane and becoming a crime lord. Bruce isn’t convinced and pays Strange a visit, asking Wesker to perform at a fundraiser for the DiscoverDrome. Strange reassures him but after Bruce leaves, Strange reveals he has Scarface nearby. Bruce visits with Wesker to offer him the job and believes he’s okay, but later when Wesker comes back to his apartment, Mr. Snoots is in the refrigerator “dead” and Scarface is waiting. Scarface forces Wesker to “work” for him again and prepares to take on a new job.

At the DiscoveryDrome, Alfred interrupts Bruce to point out the Bat-Signal. He leaves, unaware Scarface’s henchmen are disguised and Scarface is disguised as Mr. Snoots. Batman calls Commissioner Gordon, who informs him that they’ve received an anonymous tip that someone is going to rob the gala benefit. Scarface releases onion gas while he and his men wear masks. A gas-masked Batman makes his entrance and takes out the henchmen, then dodges Scarface’s flamethrower. Scarface and his men manage to escape.

Back at their hideout, an abandoned movie studio, Scarface suspects someone betrayed them and confronts…Wesker. Batman goes to Wesker’s apartment and finds the “dead” Mr. Snoots, while Scarface ha his men tie up Wesker to a railroad track. Scarface has a (very slow) train run down the tracks but Batman arrives and fights the henchmen. As the train gets closer, Batman convinces Wesker to fight back, but he quickly backs down. Batman reveals that Mr. Snoots is the one who ratted Scarface out. Mr. Snoots “talks” and Wesker has the two dummies fight each other. Batman takes out the two henchmen and gets Wesker to safety, leaving Scarface and Snoots to be run over, much to Wesker’s consternation. Batman confronts Strange who admits to planting Scarface in Wesker’s apartment to prove he was cured. Batman warns that he’ll be watching the doctor from now on.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Trivia

  • The giant coin Batman uses against Scarface is placed in the Bat-cave's archive, similar to the coin in the Batman: TAS episode "Almost Got 'Im".
  • Mr. Snoots takes on the role of Socko in this episode. Socko, for the uninitiated, was a sock Wesker used as his partner during the "Knightfall" storyline. When Wesker recovered Scarface, Socko and Scarface shot each other in a fight over who stayed, leaving Wesker with bullet-ridden hands.
  • Adam West reprises his role of Mayor Marion Grange. This is Adam's third voice appearance on this Batman series.
  • This episode is similar to an episode of Batman Gotham Knights, "Double Talk," where the Ventriloquist tries to change without Scarface around but is forced back to villainy.
  • Joker and Penguin make cameos in Arkham Asylum.
  • Batgirl is absent in this episode.
  • Batman has a conversation with Commissioner Gordon but we only hear Batman's end of it, sparing them from having to pay Mitch Pileggi.
  • It's the second time Hugo Strange commits a nefarious deed, and the first active one.
  • Scarface seems to have a lot of bad luck with trains; this is the second time he's been run over by one.
  • The Ventriloquist, Scarface, Rhino, Mugsy, and Hugo Strange all return.
  • The voice of Scarface, in turn, sounds like Krusty the Clown, who is also voiced by Castellaneta.
  • The locomotive on Wesker's advertisement has "Chucky" written on the side - a reference to the murderous, malevolent doll in the 'Child's Play' horror movie series.
  • The title , A Fistful of Felt, is a reference to the Clint Eastwood Western A Fistful of Dollars. The final showdown in the TV studio is on a Western set.
  • Mr. Snoots sounds just like Barney on The Simpsons. Dan Castellaneta voices that role as well as Mr. Snoots here.

[edit] Quotes

  • Dr. Hugo Strange: You have quite an interesting friend there, Mr. Wesker. Tell me, why do you allow him to speak to you that way?
    Scarface: The dummy's lucky I speak to him at all!
    Strange: Fascinating ...
  • Boy: Mr. Snoots, can I have a hug?
    Scarface: Kid, touch me and I'll destroy you.
  • Penguin: (to Wesker) A little old to be playing with dolls, eh?
    Scarface: Who are you calling a doll?! I'll make you eat that monocle!
    Wesker: (to Penguin) He's only goofing on ya.
    Scarface: (turning to Wesker) Perhaps you'd like to eat the monocle!
  • Batman: Free yourself, Wesker. You don't have to let Scarface control you.
    (Frees his right arm and makes a fist)
    Wesker: Sorry, sir, but you leave me no choice.
    Scarface: Will you just lie there, dummy?
    Wesker: Yes, sir, sorry.
  • Dr. Hugo Strange: For today's exercise, I want you all to reach deep inside your criminally insane minds and have a one-on-one with the innocent voice within. (Short pause)
    Joker: Mine's not talking ... must be a mime.
  • Wesker: (to Scarface) You?! How could you?! For once, I was happy! Why couldn't you stay out of my life?!
  • Batman: I don’t approve of your methods, Strange.
    Dr. Hugo Strange: Says the man who dresses like a bat.
  • Scarface: Try whacking the Bat with something we’re not stealing!
  • Batman: I see you’re still carrying that dead weight.
    Scarface: Believe me, Batman, I tried ditching the bum, but he follows me everywhere I go.
    Batman: I was talking to the Ventriloquist.

[edit] See also

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../a/_/f/A_Fistful_of_Felt_0e1f.html"