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Batman Beyond episode

"Dead Man's Hand"
Airdate:	March 21, 1999 (USA)
Production Number:	06
Airdate Order:	8
Animation Services by:	Koko/Dong Yang
Written by:	Stan Berkowitz
Directed by:	Dan Riba
Episode images (11)

"Dead Man's Hand" is the eighth episode of Batman Beyond. It depicts the first time the Royal Flush Gang fights the new Batman. After learning that Batman is back in Gotham, the Royal Flush Gang returns to take revenge. Meanwhile Dana breaks up with Terry but he finds a new girlfriend: Melanie Walker. Unbeknownst to Terry, Melanie is actually the Gang's "Ten". Now, both of them must deal with their dual lives while trying to be with each other.

Plot Edit

Out at sea, a single man drives a sailboat and is rudely shoved out of the way by a huge yacht. The snobby passengers mock him but are soon distracted by a group of people dressed as playing cards: a King, Queen, Jack an Ace and a Ten, riding flying cards. The group attacks the passengers and steals their possessions.

Batman notices the commotion and reports to Bruce. Bruce recognizes the villains but doesn't have time to explain. Batman arrives on the ship and breaks up the robbery. However, Queen wrecks the ship and demands that Batman allow her family to escape or the people of the ship will die. Batman has no choice and allows his adversaries to leave.

Bruce insists that Terry come to him so that he can learn about his enemies but Terry has a date and refuses to listen. Unfortunately for Terry, when he meets up with Dana, she reveals that she wasn't expecting him and believes that Terry only cares about his job. After a fight, the pair breaks up. However, when Terry leaves, a blond girl, Melanie Walker, intercepts him and talks to him about his problems. She then kisses him and they agree to meet again the next night. Terry returns late to the Batcave and is briefly reprimanded by Bruce, who informs him that the group is known as the Royal Flush Gang, and the current King is an old enemy of his. Likewise, the King bears a grudge against the former Batman, who apparently once sent him to prison.

The next night, the family seeks to steal a decorative sword but Ten is distracted. When the group goes for the sword, guards intercept them but they manage to escape. However, Batman manages to catch up with them and attacks. After a brief fight, he manages to subdue most of the gang but cannot bring himself to hurt Ten. Afterwards, an unfortunate guard arrives and is captured by Jack. Taking the hostage, the group escapes but Batman still gives chase. Seeing that Batman is still in pursuit, they drop the guard much to the dismay of Ten. Batman saves the guard but the gang escapes while King threatens Ten for arguing.

After he's finished with his work, Terry heads out to his meeting place but he's really late and she's nowhere to be seen. However, Melanie soon arrives just as late as he. Once again, the couple enjoys their time together and decides to meet up again.

Because of their desire for companionship things start going bad for both Batman and Ten. Terry refuses to go out again, much to Bruce's dismay. As for Melanie, she tries to leave the family but Queen manages to talk her out of it. Melanie is still angry; she believes King is being hypocritical, since he is just as fixated on Batman. Still, Melanie decides that Terry isn't worth giving up her family for and breaks up with Terry over the phone. Unfortunately for Ten, Terry traces the call and heads to her home as Batman. There, he discovers the truth about his girlfriend.

The Royal Flush Gang arrives and King is disappointed that Batman didn't show up when they committed their latest crime. However, Jack notices that a trap had been tripped and realizes that someone has been there. A brief search (in which Ten is distrusted) takes place and Batman manages to incapacitate both Queen and Jack. Unfortunately, Ace gets to him and puts up a fight. However, Batman manages to beat Ace and then goes after King. King throws a card that he had prepared for Batman and fights him. However, Batman manages to stop him. Ten decides to help King but a police officer shoots her down. Batman saves her but since she chose to side with King, he's branded her as a criminal as well. The fact that the police arrive immediately after she requests he let her go is a further prompt to hand her over the authorities.

That morning, Terry watches as Melanie is arrested and is comforted by Bruce. Terry apologizes for the way he acted before and asks Bruce if this sort of thing has ever happened to him. Bruce smiles and tells Terry about Selina Kyle.

Background information Edit

Home video releases Edit

Production inconsistencies Edit

During her fight with Batman, Ten's watch tells it's 11:32. Then the fight continues, Batman saves a hostage and the Gang escapes. After this, Batman looks at a clock and it's 12:32. It's unlikely that this ordeal took place in an hour.
When the Royal Flush Gang is ambushed by guards at the museum, their playing cards disappear.
As Terry and Melanie say goodbye after their second date, she goes away wearing Terry's jacket. However, when Melanie calls him telling she can't see him anymore, Terry is seen wearing his jacket.

Trivia Edit

Though the Royal Flush Gang existed since Bruce's time as Batman, this is their debut in the DC Animated Universe.
King says the line "We have all the time in the world", a line that George Lazenby also said as James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Cast Edit

Actor	Role
Will Friedle	Terry McGinnis / Batman
Kevin Conroy	Bruce Wayne
Lauren Tom	Dana Tan
George Lazenby	King
Amanda Donohoe	Queen
Olivia d'Abo	Melanie Walker / Ten
Scott Cleverdon	Jack
Candi Milo	Nicole
Brian George	Samir
Joe Lala	Sailboat Captain

Quotes Edit

Ten: You'll get another one soon, enough. And you won't have to steal for it.
Jack: Yeah, she earns hers the old fashioned way.

King: (To Jack and Ace) You're acting like children. If you'd been prepared, Batman would be dead now.
Jack: We got away with the jewels! What difference does it make!?
King: I'll tell you the difference: years ago, when I was your age, he broke up this gang for a while. He outsmarted us, humiliated us, and I've been waiting years to get him back.
Jack: Ah, the old revenge game. But tell me something, "sire", how will that make us richer?
(King punches him)

Terry McGinnis: I put my life on the line all the time. One night isn't going to make any difference.
Bruce Wayne: One night always makes the difference.

Queen: Melanie, men come and go. Most of them cause nothing but trouble.

Terry McGinnis: This kind of thing ever happen to you?
Bruce Wayne: Let me tell you about a woman named Selina Kyle...

Previously produced episode: "The Winning Edge"	Episodes of Batman Beyond	Next produced episode: "Meltdown"
Previously aired episode: "Shriek"	Episodes of Batman Beyond	Next aired episode: "The Winning Edge"

Wikia

Dead Man's Hand

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