We never thought we’d see the day when Batman would be too old to fight crime and finally retire. But then along came Batman Beyond, and well, the rest is history. Terry McGinnis becomes the new Batman in the show and faces a lot of bad guys in his time as the futuristic Batman. Many of the Batman Beyond villains in the show get their own futuristic spin.
With all these evildoers running around New Gotham, and a few old-timers popping up to reminisce, Terry had his hands full. It’s a good thing that Batman has some help from Bruce Wayne along the way. But which of these Batman Beyond Villains packed the most punch? Let’s count them down!
Batman Beyond Villains #10: Spellbinder
What would you do if you had the power of mind control? Rob a bank? Become president? Get the girl or boy of your dreams to love you finally? Well, this version of Spellbinder, a former high school psychologist, had many dark ideas.
An original character from Batman’s older age, Spellbinder used his skills as a psychologist and teacher to make away with his wealthy students’ valuables. It might sound a little low budget on ambition, but different strokes come for other folks. This puts him on the wrong side of the New Batman, and of course, he has to be taken down.
Batman Beyond Villains #9: The Terrific Trio
If you thought you’d seen everything with the origin story of Marvel’s Fantastic 4, you’re in for something else. Dr. Michael Morgan, Dr. Stuart Lowe, and Dr. Mary Michaels take on the Terrific Trio personas after being exposed to ridiculously high radiation levels. Honestly, swap in radiation for cosmic rays and add a fourth man, and you’d be singing, “just call the four.”
In all fairness, the resemblances are only limited to their origins. It’s a sad tale of betrayal as the team realizes the accident is no accident, and it really was a plot from a colleague because of romantic interests. Vengeance is the order of the day as the team loses the essence of who they really are before they reach instability. It is nothing short of a complex story with a tragic ending.
Batman Beyond Villains #8: Superman
Superman is the man. Literally. So, you can imagine Terry’s excitement when the Man of Steel asks the young batman for help. He seeks to weed out a traitor in the Justice League. The series of events that follow are nothing short of horrific when the traitor is revealed. It’s Superman, under the control of Starro, up to no good.
Batman Beyond Villains #7: Inque
Freak accidents occur a lot in this future version of Gotham. And that is what gives rise to Inque. As one who grew up without a penny to her name, she loved money and was obsessed with it.
After she gains the ability to become liquid matter, she becomes a thief and saboteur for hire. Interestingly, she proves to be a more than formidable foe against Batman. When he faces her, he requires help to take her down or just flat out losses.
Batman Beyond Villains #6: Ra’s Al Ghul
Some problems are generational, and one of such is Ra’s Al Ghul. It is interesting to note that he features as one of batman’s rogues and one of the top Batman Beyond Villains. Granted, when Terry is batman, Damian has taken over, but the Demon Head still proved troublesome for McGinnis.
Batman Beyond Villains #5: Blight
Danger strikes close to home with Derek Powers, as he becomes a problem for Terry not only as Batman but also in his personal life. Seeking to silence Terry’s father Warren over some dark corporate deals involving a gas he discovered, a fight with the New Batman led to him becoming the villain Blight.
Interestingly, if he had never killed Terry’s father, Terry would have never needed to steal the Batsuit from Wayne Manor in the first place. In a way, their relationship mimics that of Bruce Wayne’s Batman and the Joker.
Batman Beyond Villains #4: Shriek
Shriek and Blight are somewhat a package deal, with both their origin stories coinciding with one another. Formerly an audio engineer with great vision, Walter Shriev becomes a problem for the new Batman, using his exo-suit to manipulate sound and cause havoc in Gotham. Ultimately, he ends up deaf after a failed plan, which is ironic because that is his superpower.
Batman Beyond Villains #3: The Joker
If Ra’s Al Ghul could make a return to this modern age, then best be sure the Joker can as well. The clown prince of crime pulls the ultimate trick when revealed that he implanted a clone of himself in Tim Drake many years ago.
This plan pays off, marking the Joker’s return in the future, inside Tim’s body. Now, both Bruce and Terry must contend with the mad Joker while trying to save Tim at the same time.
Batman Beyond Villains #2: The Royal Flush Gang
These guys may be members of the old school, but they are top Batman Beyond Villains in their own rights. By the time Terry puts on the cowl, they have established themselves as a prominent crime family in Gotham. Things take an extra turn for the complicated when Terry and one of the members, Ten, cultivate a relationship.
It’s high stakes action and drama where the Royal Flush gang is mentioned now, and you can’t help but wonder if it’s all too familiar. Like Batman and Selina Kyle, maybe?
Batman Beyond Villains #1: Joker King
Taking the top spot is the Joker King, the new leader of the madmen now known as the Jokerz gang. Inspired by the Joker’s rule of chaos and anarchy, these guys run Gotham with a stuffed glove, but it is no joke.
By the time the Joker King arrives to take over, they become a formidable crew, striking fear into the heart of Gotham. Terry faces another twist as Batman, as he finds out the Joker King is someone he has ties with. None other than Dana Tan’s brother Douglas, which causes problems for Terry and Dana’s relationship.
Final Thought…
Batman Beyond was such a great TV show. It provided the opportunity for DC to have all of their classic characters grow old. Bruce Wayne aged, and so did many of his traditional foes. But it also provided the opportunity for other villains to get their shot at taking down Batman.
