10 Darkest Batman: The Animated Series Episodes

The cataclysmic episode that is 'Over The Edge' sums up not just what the Batman Animated Series was all about, but how far the writers were willing to go with the nuances of their characters.

The episode sees Batman (finally) becoming a fugitive of the law as Jim Gordon mounts an assault on Wayne Manor and the Batcave. The jig is up for the caped crusader, and it all stems from the death of the seminal character, Batgirl.

The tragic loss of Batgirl was already a gut-punch, and for a kids show, the presentation of her death is one that was no doubt seared into children's brains for years to come. Commissioner Gordon's dog-like tenacity to hunt down Batman also highlights the futile, maddening resentment that could stem from Gordon should he know his daughter was taken in by (what he believes to be) his friend.

Consequences to Batman's actions are finally put on display, and we're left jaw-dropped by how twisted the show becomes when characters we care about are taken away.

The events are soured a little by the reveal that Batgirl's death was a hallucination brought on by Scarecrow, but given the last twenty minutes we just saw, we're not getting over it that easily.