Hunted

Beware the Batman: Hunted
	Season 1, Episode 01
	Episode guide
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Hunted is the first episode in Season 1 of Beware the Batman. It premiered on July 13, 2013.

Official Description[]

Batman stops two vigilantes from taking their revenge over a shady land deal. Meanwhile, an aging Alfred hires his replacement: a female bodyguard named Katana.

Plot[]

The episode opens with Batman interrupting a robbery in progress. He disarms one thug but is caught off-guard and injured in the shoulder by another wielding bionic gauntlets. Batman recovers and takes out both thugs.

Meanwhile, an older man races up the steps of a skyscraper pleading for help. He is chased by a car driven by Professor Pyg and Mr. Toad. He runs from them but they follow him into the building and corner him at an elevator. He then reveals himself as Simon Stagg, a powerful city industrialist, and threatens them but Pyg fires a tranquilizer dart into his neck. He falls to the ground and asks why they are doing this to him. They reply it is because of what he has done to their kind: Animal kind. Toad then knocks him unconscious.

The next morning Bruce Wayne is in bed, his shoulder bruise still evident, when he senses someone approach his bed. He narrowly avoids a masked figure that attacks him with a baseball bat. Bruce subdues the assailant revealing it to be Alfred acting out a training exercise. He chastises Bruce for not defeating him as efficiently as he could. Bruce counters that Alfred's job is to protect Bruce Wayne and not Batman. Alfred disagrees, saying that they are one in the same. Later, Bruce receives yet another membership offer from the Argus Club.

Alfred quickly changes the subject back to his safety. Bruce believes that Alfred wants to get in the field but refuses as Batman works alone and as long as Alfred must only protect Wayne, Bruce will know Alfred will also remain safe. Alfred then calls Bruce's attention to the abduction of Stagg. They turn on the news and see a video posted online by Pyg and Toad. The video shows Stagg gagged and with his head trapped in a hunting trophy plaque. The two eco-terrorists insult Stagg and threaten that there are other targets that they will be hunting. Bruce suits up while Alfred researches Stagg but his financial records are encrypted. Batman analyzes the ransom video and deduces the identity of the next victim; Michael Holt, another top industrialist in Gotham. Batman tasks Alfred with finishing the decryption of Stagg's financials while he leaves in the Batmobile to find Holt. Once Batman leaves, Alfred makes a phone call to an unknown contact saying that they need to meet.

Batman races to find Holt but Pyg and Toad have found him first, ramming his car with their own. They fire a cannon mounted on their vehicle at Holt but Batman guns the engine and places the Batmobile in the path of the cannonball. However, the blast knocks the Batmobile into Holt's car rendering him unconscious. Toad leaps from the car and searches the Batmobile but Batman is gone. Pyg dismisses it saying they can always kill the bat later and that they still have one more stop to make. They tie Holt to the hood of their car and drive off. It is then revealed that a badly injured Batman has managed to hide himself behind a dumpster in an alley. He tries to call Alfred but falls unconscious.

Meanwhile, Alfred meets with his contact, a young Japanese woman, who gives him the information on Stagg. He asks if she has considered an offer he made her. At first, she refuses but reconsiders when he says "Please". After she drives off, he calls Batman. Batman awakens and takes the call. He informs Alfred about Holt and Alfred, in turn, tells Batman about the info on Stagg before being knocked out by an attack from Pyg and Toad. They had thought that Alfred was Bruce Wayne, their final target. They notice the phone and realize that Bruce Wayne is the caller. Pyg promises that they will come for Wayne soon before crushing the phone underfoot.

Batman returns to the cave and analyzes Stagg's financial records. He finds that an animal preserve known as Keystone Wetlands was bought by private investors when oil was discovered on the land and the lead investors were Stagg, Holt, and, surprisingly, Bruce Wayne.

At an offshore rig, Pyg and Toad explain to Holt, Stagg, and Alfred what they plan to do. The three men, while chained together, will be given a five minute head start before being hunted down like animals. They don't get far before Alfred finds trip wires and explosives. Stagg accidentally trips one and sends a huge cage wall crashing down on them. He is able to pull the two businessmen to safety but his ankle is broken in the process. Holt tries to help Alfred but Pyg and Toad arrive. Toad uses his concussive croak and knocks Stagg and Holt just beyond a cage wall.

Just as Toad is about to finish of Alfred, he is stopped by Batman. Batman gives Alfred a pain med and a stun baton and asks him to get the two men out of the building while Batman deals with the eco-terrorists. After a brief but vicious fight, Pyg and Toad set off several explosives, causing the unstable building to collapse. Batman flees and manages to leap to safety and meet up with Alfred and the businessmen outside. Batman guesses that this won't be the last they see of Pyg and Toad before driving away in the Batmobile.

Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce and Alfred watch a news story about the incident. Lt. Jim Gordon denies any involvement by Batman. Bruce mentions that the wetlands have been given back to the city through an anonymous donation. Bruce tells Alfred that he had no idea that he was involved in that deal and blames himself for Alfred's injury, stating that if he had stayed and dug further, he would have seen his name on that list and known that he and Alfred were at risk. He admits that Alfred can't look out for Wayne without looking out for Batman too, as niether is indestructible or invulnerable. Alfred mentions a promise he made to Bruce's parents that he would always watch over him. However, Alfred's injuries will take months to heal and even then, he won't be around forever. Thus, Alfred introduces Bruce to Tatsu Yamushiro, the woman Alfred met with earlier. Alfred has hired her as Bruce's new driver and bodyguard.