Little Batman
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Real Identity: Damian Thomas Wayne
Appearances (Movies): Merry Little Batman
Appearances (Comics): Little Batman: Month One (Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4)
Powers/Skills: Above Average Physical Attributes, Trapology, and Unarmed Combat
Voiced By: Yonas Kibreab
Damian is Bruce Wayne's 8-year-old-son. He desperately wants his father to see him as ready to be a superhero. Batman was called away on a mission at Christmas and Damian got the chance to step into the role of Batman to protect Wayne Manor and Gotham at Christmas time against the Joker and his henchmen.
The day after Christmas, Batman helped Little Batman prepare for crime running rampant in Gotham after Joker's return. Little Batman asked Batman who trained him but he tabled that talk for another time. It turned out Gotham was safer than ever. All they did was help elderly women cross streets, rescue cats out of trees, and pick up litter. Bruce lost his car keys and Damian suspected Selina but he just left it in his Bat-pants. Bruce tried to reach Damian the importance of being Damian but it wasn't connecting at first. On New Years' Eve, Pennyworth finished tailoring a dress suit for Damian to wear at the party at Wayne Manor. Damian was listless at the kids table and believed the party was a waste of time. Damian got riled up when the other children at the kids table starting saying Little Batman couldn't have defeated the Joker without Batman. Damian nearly admitted he was Little Batman but Bruce scooped him up for a private talk. Damian wanted others to know of his exploits but Bruce wanted him to be a big boy.
Damian just wanted to be Little Batman all the time. He told Damian being Bruce allowed him to be Batman. Damian asked him what will happen if something bad happens when they're not ready. Bruce tried to convince him to wait till he was older and he would see being Damian was a superpower all its own. One of the guests was a woman with an ulterior motive. She went into the study, looked at the window, then started taking photographs of documents in a drawer in the study. Damian happened to be walking by and realized she was a criminal spy. He was nearly discovered but hid up in the chandelier. Damian thought his dad was busy and decided to handle it himself. There was a creepy series of knocks at the front door that stopped the party in its tracks. Pennyworth found it peculiar since all the guests were accounted for. Bruce Wayne advised him to stay back and make sure Damian was safe while he checked it out. The front door blew up and Wayne was knocked off his feet.
Scarecrow joked his invite must have been lost in the mail. He revealed he came to see Bruce Wayne to take him on a little trip then promised if he went with them, no one would be hurt. Wayne agreed to the terms. Damian was shocked and thought he was going to turn into Batman at any second. Scarecrow called him a coward and laughed. Wayne's hands were tied and they led him outside. Pennyworth held onto Damian as he cried out not to go. Bruce turned and promised he had it under control. Damian considered the involvement of the Joker, Riddler, Calendar Man, Hush, the Court of Owls, Clayface, and Mr. Freeze in addition to Scarecrow. 12 hours after the kidnapping, he was ready to suit up. Pennyworth brought sandwiches and inquired about his investigation. Damian admitted he still didn't understand why his dad didn't beat up Scarecrow at the party. Pennyworth tried to explain it would risk exposing his secret identity and by extension put him in danger.
Damian wished they could both be Batman all the time. Damian fantasized about being Batman all the time with his father. They went to Monarch Theatre but the employee at the ticket booth said they were sold out. Batman pulled him out of the booth, declared nothing is sold out when you're Batman, and threw him. Batman and Little Batman got popcorn and watched a movie. Or going to the Gotham Zoo and tossing the car that stole their parking space. Or Batman declaring homework was a crime. Pennyworth told him his dad also struggled with both of his personas but he realized that sometimes being yourself can be just as powerful as being Batman. Damian countered dad was awesome and he was just Damian. Pennyworth believed he was the bee's knees. Damian thanked him and they hugged. Someone rang the front door bell. They both went to investigate and it was Marion. She introduced herself and revealed she was Damian's babysitter. In the kitchen, Damian speculated Marion was a test his father was giving to prove he didn't need a sitter. Pennyworth believed he just wanted Damian to have a normal life. He was, however, annoyed Marion was rearranging his cupboards.
Pennyworth refused to condone Damian taking matters into his own hands and believed his dad would save himself. Marion entered with a broom and asked Damian how his science project was coming. Damian grumbled something. She revealed she was thinking about making her world-famous meatloaf. Pennyworth protested he made mincemeat pies on Tuesdays and suggested letting Damian choose. He realized Damian was gone. Bat-Dad was surprised Little Batman was leaving home because it was Tuesday and Alfred Pennyworth made his mincemeat pies on Tuesdays. Little Batman told it to get him directions to the worst place in Gotham City. Bat-Dad asked if he was thinking of the Bratwurst Palace. They went to the East End to look for suspicious characters who would know about Bruce Wayne's kidnapping. Bat-Dad noted it only saw a bunch of fancy ice cream parlors and four-star pet hotels. Little Batman couldn't believe Batman cleaned the whole place up himself. People started noticing Little Batman. Bat-Dad believed it was a little too much attention.
Three hoods tried to get his attention. Bat-Dad suggested restraint but Little Batman fought them. Little Batman quipped all he saw was three petty criminals and one really expensive hospital bill. One of the hoods failed to get the joke. Little Batman jumped up to the fire escape. They were no match for him. The dumb one tried to hit him with a crowbar but hit his own man. Once they were all tied up, he finally got the joke. Penguin approached Little Batman. He was shocked to see him out of prison. Penguin told him he had a lot to learn about Gotham and bragged he had the jury out of his hands acting enfeebled. Penguin remembered what he was supposed to do and doused him with a green vial of Fear Toxin. He briefly experienced his fear, being abandoned by his father. Little Batman sneezed and was back to normal. Bat-Dad noted his vitals were off the charts. Little Batman realized he had a target on his back and had to become an inconspicuous eight-year-old boy to investigate his father's kidnapping.
Damian researched Scarecrow at a computer in a library. Little Batman walked through the sewers and began to understand what his father was trying to tell him about personas. Sometimes his superpower was being Batman, other times it was better to be Damian. He also recalled he occasionally used a third persona he called Timothy Business for business stuff. He concluded the point was using all these identities took him closer to saving his father again. He surfaced through a manhole. Marion gave up looking for Damian in the manor and headed into the city to continue looking. Little Batman made his way to Arkham Asylum. Bat-Dad reminded him it was reformed into a daycare by his father before he was born. Little Batman reckoned there had to be a place where the villains were kept. Bat-Dad suggested the place next door, a high security prison complex. He made his way to the High Security Wing and entered the room of Inmate 0564, the Joker. Joker noted how quickly they built the prison to put him somewhere. Little Batman had enough small talk and showed him the canister of Fear Toxin. Joker lied he never heard of it.
Little Batman cut to the chase and asked him what he wanted. Joker demanded a TV in his room so he could watch all his favorite programs, a Taco Tuesday-type situation at the institute, Riddler had to share some of his puzzles, and the guard's ring of keys. Little Batman refused. Joker admitted he drove a hard bargain but was fine with talking first then negotiating later. He told Little Batman the short version of Scarecrow's origins and how he couldn't scare anyone at first so he developed his Fear Toxin but Batman defeated him, cut off his ingredient supply, and wrangled up all the remaining Fear Toxin. He recalled all the toxin was locked up on a floating barge protected by the Gotham City Police Department. He admitted he tried to steal it a bunch of times but failed. Little Batman wondered how Scarecrow was getting his toxin if it was being guarded. Joker was amused by his naivete and implied the police were in on it. Little Batman asked if that were true, why he was still at Arkham. Joker teased he wouldn't be staying there for long. He laughed as Little Batman left.
In need of a change of clothes and research on the toxin, Little Batman returned to the Batcave. He discovered only he and Selina were home. He had Bat-Dad run an analysis on the toxin. Damian was surprised at the amount of research Batman already did on the toxin and connected it to Blue Poppies, Ra's al Ghul, and Talia al Ghul. He ordered Bat-Dad to see if there was anything about an antidote. Bat-Dad misheard and searched for candied goats. Little Batman arrived at Gotham Harbor and observed it smelled like fish sticks and gasoline. He predicted the smell of justice was wafting in. He realized there was enough Fear Toxin on the barge to gas all of the city. He asked Bat-Dad why it wasn't disposed of. Bat-Dad revealed his father wanted to, but its environmental effects would be devastating so the safest option was the floating barge. He watched as the police officers stationed at the harbor and Scarecrow's goons loaded crates of the toxin onto flatbed trucks. Joker's claims were validated. He switched to civies and followed the trucks on skateboard. He made it to the plant and eavesdropped on Scarecrow and Penguin talking.
Scarecrow was angry Batman still hadn't shown up over 48 hours after the kidnapping. Penguin had a theory that Wayne and Batman were enemies and Batman refused to show up because he didn't care. Damian sighed. Scarecrow believed it and called Penguin a genius. A goon reported the last of the toxin had arrived. Damian felt an urgency to stop them now knowing the city was rotting from the inside out and threatening his father's entire legacy. He bumped into Officer Mahoney's leg. Damian pretended to be Timothy Business and claimed he owned all the warehouses in the area. Mahoney asked another officer if they should take him to the "boss" but Damian was simply booked on curfew and taken to Gotham Police headquarters. Commissioner Gordon paid Damian a visit in lock-up. Damian tried to tell him Scarecrow had his father, knew where they were, and the police force was in on Scarecrow's evil plan. Gordon was shocked and asked Mahoney if he was corrupt. Mahoney calmly answered "no" and Gordon believed him. Damian protested that didn't prove anything.
Gordon promised him he had a plan to save Bruce Wayne: he was going to turn on the Bat-Signal and ask Batman to do it. Bruce Wayne tried to take out Scarecrow and Penguin but Scarecrow revealed he had a contingency plan if Batman never showed up, they would kidnap Damian Wayne. Batman would have no choice but come to save a child. He ordered Wayne back into his cell and announced they just got their hands on his son. Marion arrived at lock-up to pick Damian up. Marion told Damian he was the worst little brat she ever met and vowed to ask for a raise. Damian noticed she missed the exit to Wayne Manor. She revealed she was driving him to his father. The doors locked. Damian realized she was working for Scarecrow then warned her the Wayne family was very close with Batman and Little Batman. Marion revealed the entire point of kidnapping Bruce Wayne was to get Batman to show up. Damian spelled out Scarecrow's plan to her surprise. She didn't care how he knew all that and simply couldn't wait until the day was over.
Damian thought to himself and mused he could easily escape and neutralize Marion but he would compromise his secret identity. He decided to play up the kid angle instead. He began crying loudly. She angrily asked what was wrong. Damian lied he had to go potty. She told him to hold it. He pointed out if he did he would potty all over her fancy leather seats. She pulled over. He gave her the slip and made his way to the wastewater facility as Little Batman. He noticed Bat-Dad didn't give him any crime alerts yet. He made his way through the ventilation shaft. Bat-Dad detected the presence of black mold. Little Batman didn't think it was a good time to worry about mold. Bat-Dad disagreed. It was about to summarize Scarecrow's plan when Little Batman interrupted, annoyed with everyone reiterating the plan. Bat-Dad asked him what his plan was. Little Batman stated he would save his dad, destroy the Fear Toxin, take down Scarecrow and the mean babysitter lady, then reform the entire Gotham City Police Department through targeted political policy. He admitted the last bit would have to wait.
Bat-Dad warned they overshot the location of Bruce Wayne. Little Batman fell into a room and was surrounded by all of Scarecrow's henchmen. Little Batman attacked and took them all out. One henchman ran to the landline and alerted Scarecrow. Little Batman choked him out with the phone chord. He kicked the door off its hinges and found his father. Penguin and Scarecrow arrived. Scarecrow flooded the room with Fear Toxin. Little Batman had an antidote ready and took out the two villains easily. Wayne succumbed to the gas and had a nightmare vision of Little Batman turning evil and releasing the Fear Toxin into Gotham's water supply. Little Batman applied the antidote and he regained consciousness. He was surprised. Little Batman admitted he had a little help. Bat-Dad was pleased he finally got some credit. Wayne realized he saw his worst fear. Little Batman assured him he would never turn evil with a dad like him. They hugged. Little Batman presented his suit. Wayne pointed out he got everybody. Little Batman implied there was one more left.
Marion's car pulled in. She stepped out in a suit, annoyed she had to change in a car and vowed to show the world, and Batman identified her as Lynx. Batman and Little Batman charged, to her chagrin. She threw a sword but Little Batman dodged it. Batman snatched her other sword and hit her with a leg sweep. Little Batman asked who she was. Batman told him it was a long story. Little Batman reckoned he could read it to him at bedtime. He punched her. Lynx threw out Fear Toxin but they were unaffected to her surprise. Batman told her Little Batman invented a cure. Little Batman joked it was a science project. They knocked her out and tied her up with Scarecrow and Penguin for the police to find. A note reading, "You're Welcome" was left on Lynx. They got rid of the Fear Toxin. Pennyworth was elated at Bruce and Damian's return and revealed he figured out Marion was Lynx and was working with Scarecrow the whole time in a plot to release Fear Toxin using the abandoned wastewater facility.
They laughed and explained they knew it already. Wayne originally knew Marion was evil because she failed every background check but he thought it would be a good test for Damian to practice his detective skills. He admitted he didn't expect a whole plot with Scarecrow and things got way out of hand. Damian pointed out Pennyworth was the one who got to practice his skills. After taking a shower, Bruce asked Damian if would like to suit up and practice sword skills as a treat. Damian declined and wanted to just be Damian for once. They hugged and watched the Blood Crunch movie with Pennyworth and Selina. Bruce relaxed and remarked this was the life. Pennyworth agreed. Damian asked Bruce about the corrupt police force. Bruce admitted he tried to solve that problem his entire career. Damian suggested using his alter-ego Timothy Business to Bruce's delight.