Ep 12. If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
- January 1, 1993
- 21 min
-
8.3 (1,991)
In this episode of Batman: The Animated Series, titled "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?," the villain of the week is The Riddler. The episode begins with a group of children on a field trip to the Gotham Toy Museum. But when a new exhibit called The Riddler's Puzzle Maze opens, the kids disappear and Batman is called in to investigate.
It turns out that The Riddler has created the puzzle maze as a trap for Batman. The maze is incredibly complex and requires vast knowledge of various subjects to solve. As Batman works his way through the maze, he encounters various obstacles like giant hammers and trap doors.
Meanwhile, we get to see a bit of The Riddler's backstory. Edward Nygma, a genius inventor, used to work for the Wacky Toy Company until his boss stole one of his inventions and made millions off of it. This betrayal set Nygma on a path of revenge and he began using his intellect to commit crimes.
Back in the maze, Batman finally finds the missing children who have been trapped in a room with a bomb set to go off. He manages to defuse the bomb just in time and saves the kids. But The Riddler manages to slip away once again.
Later, we see The Riddler trying to sell his puzzle maze to various criminal organizations. They all turn him down, saying that it's too complicated and not worth the effort. Frustrated, The Riddler decides to give up his life of crime and use his intellect for good. He begins creating new puzzles and games that he sells to game companies.
Batman tracks down The Riddler and confronts him in his new toy factory. The two have a conversation about using their gifts for good, and The Riddler seems genuinely remorseful for his crimes. The episode ends with The Riddler offering to make a puzzle for Batman, to which Batman responds with a smirk.
Overall, "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" is a fun, engaging episode that gives some backstory to one of Batman's most iconic villains. There are plenty of puzzles and action scenes to keep viewers entertained, while also exploring the theme of redemption. Fans of The Riddler are sure to enjoy this one.
