10 Darkest Batman: The Animated Series Episodes

Firefly is still a relatively unknown villain in the Batman cultural landscape - but maybe because he is so obscure, this episode sticks out as being especially dark, grim and deeply disturbing.

The episode's story does not belong in a Batman cartoon aimed at children, but could be ripped straight from a graphic novel. The plot follows a Batman and Batgirl's attempts to protect Cassidy, a famous pop star, from an obsessed and violent ex-boyfriend, Firefly.

The central themes of the episode are exaggerated, with a villain carrying a flamethrower and Batman's heat-resistant body armour. But the bleakness comes through.

The grimness of the episode come from Firefly's idea that if he cannot have Cassidy, no one can. Parents and older siblings that watched the episode with their kids will know (or be acquainted with themselves) of situations like this.

Even worse is the ending, which reveals that Cassidy is not over the trauma she endured thanks to Firefly. As her publicist yammers on about how she could use fire for her next tour, Cassidy stares into a nearby fire, and it's clear she is dealing with severe, untreated PTSD.