Red Claw
Encyclopedia
Red Claw is a fictional character, an enemy of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

, making her debut in Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...

 and appearing only in three episodes of the show. Although she hasn't made any appearances outside the series' continuity, Red Claw was presented as a powerful adversary, well above the petty crimes of many villains invented for the animated series, such as the Sewer King and Boss Biggis. The character did not reach the popularity of other series-introduced villains like Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...

 or Lock-Up
Lock-Up (comics)
Lock-Up ' is a DC Comics villain and an enemy of Batman. He first appeared in one episode Batman: The Animated Series and was incorporated into DC's mainstream continuity Robin #24 .-Batman: The Animated Series:...

, but her later appearance in the show's final episode as the primary antagonist was quite well received by fans. In her appearances, she is voiced by Kate Mulgrew
Kate Mulgrew
Katherine Kiernan Maria "Kate" Mulgrew is an American actress, most noted for her roles on Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Kathryn Janeway and Ryan's Hope as Mary Ryan...

.

The Cat and the Claw (Part I)

In her first appearance in the series, Red Claw is revealed to be the enigmatic leader of an international terrorist organization named Red Claw, and also known as the "most ruthless terrorist alive", in Commissioner Gordon's words. Working with the company 'Multigon", Red Claw plans to buy a wildlife resort to plant a plague virus and use it to blackmail Gotham unless she is paid $1 billion in gold bullion (although she plans to release the plague even if she receives the money). However, Selina Kyle
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...

 and her "boyfriend" Bruce Wayne are also trying to buy the land, prompting Red Claw to order Kyle stalked until the right moment to assassinate her. Later on, during a meeting, Red Claw and her minions discover Kyle, as Catwoman, looking through secret files regarding their plans, and they open fire, although Catwoman escapes with her life thanks to Batman's timely intervention. The same night, one of Red Claw's men stalks Kyle home, and discovers that Catwoman and Selina Kyle are one and the same.

The Cat and the Claw (Part II)

Red Claw and her men attack a military train on which the plague is being transported and guarded. This leads to her first encounter with Batman, who defeats her men and unwillingly allows Red Claw to escape in a helicopter. This is also where Batman discovers that Red Claw is actually a woman as opposed to a man, and relays the news to Commissioner Gordon.

Red Claw also puts her plans to get rid of Catwoman into action, and sends her minions to kill Kyle and her secretary, Maven, in Selena's apartment. Batman saves Maven and learns from her that Catwoman has gone to the Multigon site, where Red Claw is hiding.

Later that night, at the Multigon site, one of Red Claws guards walks past a hidden Catwoman and is quickly yanked behind a bush with Catwoman's whip. He is then being seen, getting hogtied by Catwoman. She has also gagged his mouth with a red bandana. He struggles and muffles protest as she says, "This oughta keep you out outta my hair!" She leaves the guard tied up and sneaks in through the vent leading into the Multigon site. She takes several photos inside of the operation util she get caught by two more of Red Claws men. Batman, sneaks behind them and knocks them out only to help Catwoman.

Batman and Catwoman infiltrate the hideout, but Red Claw manages to capture them and tie them in a room filled with explosives. Here, she explains her true motives: to trick Gotham into believing that she is going to set a deadly plague on them if the city does not pay her ransom. She then tells Batman that she going to release the plague in the room with him and Catwoman, and attempts to do so by using acid that will eat through the container that holds the plague in about 2 minutes. Red Claw leaves them to die, but they manage to escape when Catwoman uses her claws to cut through the ropes that bound her and Batman. Then, after sending Catwoman on her way to safety, Batman pours gas all over the secret bunker at the Multigon site and sets it on fire, thus destroying the plague. Red Claw is about to escape in her helicopter when she sees the blast. A few seconds later the Gotham police arrive after being tipped off by Batman.

Outraged over the fact that her plans have been foiled, Red Claw goes after Catwoman, and in the ensuing fight, gains the upper hand after attacking Catwoman by surprise. Catwoman is no match for Red Claw and Red Claw easily defeats her. Red Claw almost kills Catwoman, but fails due to a nearby mountain lion pouncing on her and keeping her down.

The Lion and the Unicorn

Red Claw resurfaces again in the final episode of the series, this time to unintentionally cause trouble for Batman himself by abducting his butler Alfred Pennyworth
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...

 and his cousin Frederick (a caricature of David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...

) upon learning that they are the only two ex-soldiers of the British Secret Service who know the full code to a missile capable of turning an entire city into rubble. Red Claw has her men abduct them and take them to her new hideout in London, England, the country she plans to blackmail with the missile unless she is paid five billion pounds (although her true intention is to destroy London after giving them a "two minute warning"). Batman and Robin travel to London and find Red Claw's hideout, where they manage to defeat Red Claw's men just as she learns the firing code from Alfred via a truth serum.

Batman hurries to the Batwing
Batplane
The Batplane, later known as the Batwing, is the fictional aircraft for the comic book superhero Batman. The vehicle was introduced in "Batman Versus The Vampire, I", published in Detective Comics #31 in 1939, a story which saw Batman travel to continental Europe...

 and chases the missile, determing to destroy it before it hits Trafalgar Square. Red Claw knocks Robin out and manages to climb into the Batwing before it takes off, resulting in another fight between Batman and Red Claw in which Red Claw pulls Batman's mask off by accident. Infuriated, Batman ejects the passenger seat in which Red Claw was sitting, and she is launched out of the Batwing and lands in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

.
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