Batman the Animated Series Episode 32 Robin's Reckoning

It is now time to look at Batman the Animated Series Episode 32 Robin’s Reckoning Part I, the first of the two part episode that detailed the origins of Robin, Batman’s famous sidekick. When Robin is cut out of the loop in one of Batman’s investigations, he wonders why and he is not pleased that the criminal Batman is going after is the same one that killed Robin’s parents. Batman the Animated Series Episode 32 Robin’s Reckoning Part I aired for the first time on February 7th 1993 on FOX.


Batman the Animated Series Episode 32 Robin’s Reckoning Part I

It all starts innocent enough, Batman and Robin on patrol, battling criminals. Just an average night on the town for the Dynamic Duo. Yet, Batman gets all strange when he hears the name of a thug named Billy Marrin, and tells Robin to get the Batmobile. Robin is trying to struggle with why he has to do such a thing but Batman just tells him to do it, leaving Batman to interrogate the thug for information.

As it turns out, Robin finds out that Billy Marrin is another name for Tony Zucco. As you may know, Robin’s real name is Dick Grayson and Tony Zucco was the man who killed his parents. Obviously this is person to Robin and he’s none too happy that Batman is cutting him out of the loop for such a person manner.

Then we get flashbacks and it is rather sad in many ways. It starts with Tony Zucco, a mobster, trying to hit up the Haley Circus for protection money but the owner, Mr. Haley, refuses. So he cuts the ropes as the Flying Graysons perform their act. It is a case of wrong place, wrong time. We don’t see the Graysons fall, but just the shadow and the reaction of the crowd is more than enough to really paint a picture for the people watching this episode. Obviously, young Dick Grayson is a witness, so it stands to reason that Zucco might try and knock him off to shut him up.

Obviously Bruce Wayne, fellow orphan himself, takes in young Dick, as a safe house. It is clear why, the killer of Bruce Wayne’s parents was never brought to justice and as Batman, he can go searching. The pain will never go away but there are days where things are almost better. Batman goes right for Zucco, confronting his uncle Arnold Stromwell, who is not happy that Tony basically dragged a bat into his house.

We end this part back in the present, with Robin not too pleased at Batman and he vows to go after Zucco himself, whether Batman approves or not. A solid showing so far, and we’ll find out what happens next in part 2. You can watch Batman the Animated Series Episode 32 Robin’s Reckoning Part I on Batman the Animated Series Volume 1 or Batman the Animated Series the complete collection.