The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy (Batman: The Animated Series)

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“The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy”
Batman: The Animated Series episode

Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 31
Written by	Elliot S. Maggin
Directed by	Frank Paur
Original airdate	October 14, 1992
Episode chronology
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"Perchance to Dream"	"Robin's Reckoning: Part I"

The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy is the thirty-first episode of the American animated television series Batman: The Animated Series. First aired on October 14th, 1992. Written by Elliot S. Maggin. Directed by Frank Paur.

1 Plot Summary
2 Cast
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Plot Summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The nobleman Baron Waclow Jozek hires an agent named Wormwood, known for using deathtraps to extract secrets from his victims, to get Batman's cape and cowl. The criminal, posing as a Russian count, has been assaulted by the Dark Knight earlier in the evening about some missing bearer bonds (Batman was briefed by Commissioner Gordon) which were stolen by Wormwood after receiving their location in his recent deathtrap at the start of the episode. As part of his contract, Wormwood agrees to reveal where he hid the bearer bonds so that he can learn why his new employer wants Batman's cape and cowl. As the episode continues, Batman is lured into several deathtraps trying to keep his cape and cowl. The last deathtrap proves to be the charm as Batman, overcome by superheated spotlights and a cleverly hidden tank of nerve gas, surrenders the desired prize to Wormwood; his identity is still secret as Batman is wearing a bandanna. Later, as arranged, Wormwood meets Jozek in his penthouse and reveals the location of the bearer bonds, after which he asks what his employer intends to do with the cape and cowl to which he says " I am going...to wear them." Turning around, the "criminal " is revealed to be none other than Batman, who was impersonating Jozek the entire episode. (Earlier in the episode, Batman had forced the real Jozek to flee Gotham.) As a final twist, after being put in a prison cell, Wormwood, as "long, cold nights will be the norm," is given Batman's cape and cowl to keep him warm by the Dark Knight.

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Kevin Conroy	Batman
Bob Hastings	Commissioner Gordon
Bud Cort	Wormwood
John Rhys-Davies	Jozek
Gaille Heidemann	Matron
Mark L. Taylor	MC Whirter

[edit] Trivia

This episode contains the first use of the Bat-Signal in the DC Animated Universe.

In pre-production, the original script was to have someone steal the cape and cowl and impersonate Batman while on a crime rampage. This would have been based on an episode of the old George Reeves series Adventures of Superman.

Bruce Timm mentioned in an interview that he was originally going to have Batman show his face to Wormwood as he gives him the cape and cowl, but he changed his mind, as he does not like seeing Bruce without his mask on. Strangely enough, Bruce pulls off his mask in the next episode.

Wormwood's Modus Operandi and physical appearance make him look very similar to the Riddler. However, the "real" Riddler (Edward Nygma) appears in later episodes.