Summary
Kevin Conroy’s appearance inDC’s Arrowverse, during theBatwomanepisode of Crisis on Infinite Earths, is still proving to be a point of contention even years later. Perhaps the most prolific Batman ever, Kevin Conroy reprised the role of Bruce Wayne for the Arrowverse’s television crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths. With Conroy’s impressive legacy, many viewers were primed for an episode-stealing performance that celebrated his history as the Caped Crusader. What audiences got, however, was, to say the least, divisive.
The Arrowverse is a live-action franchise based on DC Comics that aired primarily on The CW. Itoriginally began with the seriesArrowand was quickly followed by numerous other shows, leading to several incredible crossover events. Primarily among these wasCrisis on Infinite Earths, which spanned episodes ofArrow,The Flash,Supergirl,Legends of TomorrowandBatwoman.Crisis on Infinite Earths depicted DC heroes from different parallel universes uniting to battle the Anti-Monitor, a cosmic threat intent on destroying the multiverse. The event reshapedthe Arrowverse continuityand established a new status quo for its characters.
Crisis On Infinite Earths In Order: How To Watch In Chronological Order
The CW’s Crisis On Infinite Earths is a major DC multiverse event - we rundown the viewing order of each episode of Crisis On Infinite Earths.
Kevin Conroy’s Arrowverse Batman Appearance Explained
Conroy Appeared In Batwoman Season 1, Episode 9 “Crisis On Infinite Earths: Part Two”
Kevin Conroy appeared in theBatwomanepisode of the Arrowverse’s crossover event, where he played an older Bruce Wayne on Earth-99. In the story, the heroes traverse the multiverse in search ofthe Arrowverse’s Paragons- heroes prophesied to defeat the Anti-Monitor. Batwoman and Supergirl travel to Earth-99 to locate and recruit the"Bat of the Future"- Conroy. However, upon meeting Conroy’s Batman, Batwoman and Supergirl fail to recruit him to their cause andmake harrowing discoveries about Earth-99’s Batman.
In theArrowverse, Batwoman and Supergirl visit Wayne Manor, where they meet Conroy’s Bruce Wayne, who is confined to a robotic exoskeleton. As the heroes converse, it’s revealed that this universe’s Batman enacted a violent killing spree - breakingBatman’s famed no-killing rule. Batman killed several classic villains, such as the Joker, Mr. Freeze, and the Riddler, and, as Supergirl discovered, alsokilled his universe’s Superman. After being confronted in the Batcave, Conroy’s Batman attacks Supergirl and is electrocuted to death by his exoskeleton.
Why The Arrowverse’s Kevin Conroy Approach Was So Divisive
Conroy’s Batman In The Arrowverse Was Not The Hero Audiences Expected
This departure from the traditional depiction of Batman as a beacon of justice and morality was jarring.
For several reasons, Kevin Conroy’s portrayal of Batman in the Arrowverse proved divisive. Firstly, Conroy’s portrayal of an older, darker version of Batman differed significantly from his interpretation inBatman: The Animated Series. While his voice remained instantly recognizable, the characterizationpresented a Batman who had succumbed to darkness and despair.
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The legendary Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy has sadly passed away and there were many things that fans might not have known about him.
This departure from the traditional depiction of Batman as a beacon of justice and morality was jarring for many viewers whoheld Conroy’s portrayal in high esteem.Secondly, the limited screen time and context provided for Conroy’s Batman within the crossover event left some feeling underwhelmed. Given the complexity of the character and the weight of Conroy’s legacy, many had high expectations of his appearance.
However, the brief and morally corrupted interpretation of the character was contrary to his essential characterization and flew in the face of everything Conroy himself had helped establish.XuserAkumasuccinctly observed that the reason behind much of the negative response to Conroy’s Arrowverse role was that itsquandered the opportunity to depict Conroy’s Batmanfor the first time in live-action. However, another major factor was how this performance undermined Conroy’s Batman legacy.
Why Kevin Conroy’s Legacy Is So Crucial To Batman’s History
Kevin Conroy Has Played Batman More Than Any Other Actor
Kevin Conroy’s legacy as Batman is unparalleled, and, for many,he isthe definitive Dark Knight. Conroy first appeared as Batman inBatman: The AnimatedSeries, before appearing in a litany of movies, television series, and video games as the famed hero. Conroy’s deep, commanding voice and nuanced performance brought a level of depth and complexity to the character that resonated with audiences worldwide.
10 Best Kevin Conroy Batman Quotes In Batman: The Animated Series
Kevin Conroy’s performance in Batman: TAS is often considered the quintessential Batman, perfectly delivering a swathe of celebrated quotations.
Conroy’s portrayal captured the essence of Batman, portraying both the brooding intensity of the Caped Crusader and the suave sophistication of Bruce Wayne. In fact,it was Conroy who first introduced the two-voice tropeinto the Batman franchise, wherein the actor uses distinct vocal tones to differentiate between the characters of Batman and Bruce Wayne. This technique has since become a staple of Batman portrayals across various media.
Conroy played Batman more than any other actor and is often cited as the greatest rendition of the character of all time. It’s this impressive legacy that viewers felt wastarnished by his twisted characterization in the Arrowverse. After establishing the quintessential version of the character through decades of work, Conroy’s role in theBatwomanepisode of the Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earthsinstead proffered the character’s absolute antithesis.
Batwoman
Cast
Batwoman follows the story of Kate Kane as she returns to Gotham City after years away and takes up the mantle of the titular character in the absence of her cousin Bruce Wayne, who abandoned the city three years prior. However, Kate quickly learns that her twin sister Beth is alive and has become the terrifying villain Alice, who believes she was abandoned by Kate and their father, Jacob Kane, and wants nothing more than to see them dead. You can buy the seasons for $9.99 on Prime Video for Prime Day.
