A Death Worse Than Fate
Encyclopedia
"A Death Worse Than Fate" is the tenth episode of the Batman
television series in its first season. This Batepisode was first broadcast on ABC February 10, 1966 and rerun June 23, 1966, and continues and concludes the story of Zelda the Great, an magician
whose fading career has led her to crime. The story began in "Zelda The Great
."
Aunt Harriet from Wayne Manor
and demanded $100,000 for her safe return
. Bruce Wayne must contact her within an hour, but the police cannot find the millionaire (because he is currently Batman!) Batman tells Commissioner Gordon
that he'll track Wayne down, and with just over half the hour remaining, Wayne reaches police headquarters. There he learns that Zelda has demanded he contact her by television. He and the police race to a nearby studio, where their broadcast interrupts regular programming.
Bruce Wayne, Commissioner Gordon, and Robin appear on the air, and offer a telephone number for the criminal to all, promising it will not be traced
. Wayne reveals that the counterfeit
story was a ruse and that the criminal has real money. Robin appeals to whatever decency she has left, imploring her to release Aunt Harriet from her precarious position suspended over a tub of flaming oil. Zelda agrees to release her prisoner.
With police help, Aunt Harriet returns to Wayne Manor. Alfred
feels guilty, since he was below dusting the Batcave when Harriet received the false telephone summons, but Wayne advises his loyal servant to rid himself of guilt, for the kidnapping has enabled him to deduce the criminal's identity! This declaration surprises Robin, who does not understand how Batman deduced this. Alfred also contributes a clue: a matchbook from the Gnome Bookstore that fell from Aunt Harriet's pocket. En route to the bookstore, Batman encourages Robin to recall Aunt Harriet's predicament, and Robin realizes who the criminal must be! The suspended over flaming oil escape was Zelda's signature trick when Bruce Wayne took Dick Grayson to see Zelda on Dick's last birthday!
At the Gnome Bookstore, Eivol Ekdol reveals to Zelda that there IS no escape from his trick! He plans to lure Batman into the trick so the Caped Crusader will show him how to escape it! But how can Zelda use the trick if Batman understands it? Ekdol has an answer for that, too: "Dead men tell no tales!" He has hired two Syndicate
contract killers to rub out Batman after he escapes the trick! Zelda has anticipated Ekdol's strategy: she planted the book of matches Alfred found to lure the Dynamic Duo to the bookshop, the trick, and their deaths! He hides the killers and the villains wait!
The bookstore is closed, but the door is unlocked. Batman and Robin enter, and quickly discover a note that leads them to a slim volume titled, "The Truth About Bats." Removing it from the shelf opens a concealed door into Eivol Ekdol's workshop and his Inescapable Doom Trap. A fake bat inside leads the Duo into the trap! Its space age plastic resists the tools from their utility belts, deadly gas begins to pour in, and the floor vent is electrified! But the gas rises; Robin realizes it must contain hydrogen. Using their metal belt buckles, the Duo creates a spark and the exploding gas bursts apart the trap. As they're about to pass between the mummies, inside which machine gun
equipped killers lurk, Zelda warns them! They duck and the killers destroy each other with crossfire
. Ekdol tries to escape, but Batman knocks him cold with a Batarang
. Zelda surrenders, truly remorseful. While Ekdol is taken into custody, Zelda is granted her reprieve.
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
television series in its first season. This Batepisode was first broadcast on ABC February 10, 1966 and rerun June 23, 1966, and continues and concludes the story of Zelda the Great, an magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
whose fading career has led her to crime. The story began in "Zelda The Great
Zelda The Great
"Zelda The Great" is the ninth episode of the Batman television series in its first season, first airing February 9, 1966 and rerun June 22, 1966. It begins the story of Zelda the Great, an magician whose fading career has led her to crime...
."
Plot synopsis
Zelda has kidnappedKidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
Aunt Harriet from Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor
In DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...
and demanded $100,000 for her safe return
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
. Bruce Wayne must contact her within an hour, but the police cannot find the millionaire (because he is currently Batman!) Batman tells Commissioner Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
that he'll track Wayne down, and with just over half the hour remaining, Wayne reaches police headquarters. There he learns that Zelda has demanded he contact her by television. He and the police race to a nearby studio, where their broadcast interrupts regular programming.
Bruce Wayne, Commissioner Gordon, and Robin appear on the air, and offer a telephone number for the criminal to all, promising it will not be traced
Call tracing
In telecommunication, call tracing is a procedure that permits an entitled user to be informed about the routing of data for an established connection, identifying the entire route from the origin to the destination....
. Wayne reveals that the counterfeit
Counterfeit money
Counterfeit money is currency that is produced without the legal sanction of the state or government to resemble some official form of currency closely enough that it may be confused for genuine currency. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is probably...
story was a ruse and that the criminal has real money. Robin appeals to whatever decency she has left, imploring her to release Aunt Harriet from her precarious position suspended over a tub of flaming oil. Zelda agrees to release her prisoner.
With police help, Aunt Harriet returns to Wayne Manor. Alfred
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
feels guilty, since he was below dusting the Batcave when Harriet received the false telephone summons, but Wayne advises his loyal servant to rid himself of guilt, for the kidnapping has enabled him to deduce the criminal's identity! This declaration surprises Robin, who does not understand how Batman deduced this. Alfred also contributes a clue: a matchbook from the Gnome Bookstore that fell from Aunt Harriet's pocket. En route to the bookstore, Batman encourages Robin to recall Aunt Harriet's predicament, and Robin realizes who the criminal must be! The suspended over flaming oil escape was Zelda's signature trick when Bruce Wayne took Dick Grayson to see Zelda on Dick's last birthday!
At the Gnome Bookstore, Eivol Ekdol reveals to Zelda that there IS no escape from his trick! He plans to lure Batman into the trick so the Caped Crusader will show him how to escape it! But how can Zelda use the trick if Batman understands it? Ekdol has an answer for that, too: "Dead men tell no tales!" He has hired two Syndicate
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
contract killers to rub out Batman after he escapes the trick! Zelda has anticipated Ekdol's strategy: she planted the book of matches Alfred found to lure the Dynamic Duo to the bookshop, the trick, and their deaths! He hides the killers and the villains wait!
The bookstore is closed, but the door is unlocked. Batman and Robin enter, and quickly discover a note that leads them to a slim volume titled, "The Truth About Bats." Removing it from the shelf opens a concealed door into Eivol Ekdol's workshop and his Inescapable Doom Trap. A fake bat inside leads the Duo into the trap! Its space age plastic resists the tools from their utility belts, deadly gas begins to pour in, and the floor vent is electrified! But the gas rises; Robin realizes it must contain hydrogen. Using their metal belt buckles, the Duo creates a spark and the exploding gas bursts apart the trap. As they're about to pass between the mummies, inside which machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
equipped killers lurk, Zelda warns them! They duck and the killers destroy each other with crossfire
Crossfire
A crossfire is a military term for the siting of weapons so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I....
. Ekdol tries to escape, but Batman knocks him cold with a Batarang
Batarang
A batarang is a roughly bat-shaped throwing weapon used by the DC Comics superhero Batman. The name is a portmanteau of bat and boomerang, and was originally spelled baterang. Although they are named after boomerangs, batarangs have become more like shuriken in recent interpretations...
. Zelda surrenders, truly remorseful. While Ekdol is taken into custody, Zelda is granted her reprieve.