Bat-Troll Beyond: Return Of The Joker

Tim Drake Is The Joker

Bat-Troll enters the candy factory.

Bat-Troll: Lovely playroom. You all getting this?

Poppy: We see it.

Branch: You keep your eyes open for The Joker.

He finds Tim Drake's lying on the floor.

Branch: Tim.

Bat-Troll: Get up, Drake.

Tim wakes up.

Tim: What? Who is it?

Bat-Troll: Where's The Joker?

Tim: Joker?

Bat-Troll: Drop the act. I know you're working with him.

Tim: No, Joker's gone. I don't know where he is, really.

Clay: The suit sensors aren't picking up any pulse fluctuations.

Violet: He's telling the truth.

Tim: I don't do this anymore. I have a home and family. I gave this up years ago. Kids' stuff. That's all it was.

Bat-Troll: He may be telling the truth, but he's still whacked.

Tim: Fun and games. Boy Wonder playing the hero. Fighting the bad guys and no one ever gets— Oh, god. I killed him. I didn't mean to. I tried so hard to forget. But I still hear the shot, still see his dead smile. Every night the dreams get stronger. He's there when I sleep, whispering, laughing, telling me I'm just as bad as he is, we're both the same.

Bat-Troll: I'm calling an ambulance.

Tim: No. I'm all right. Forgive me, Terry. Old, nasty memories twisting inside me like bad Oysters. Nothing really. I'm perfectly fine now.

Bat-Troll: How do you know my name.

Tim: There's nothing about you I don't know, Bat-fake.

Tim throws something that grabs Bat-Troll's arm and shocks him.

Branch: Terry!

Tim: Have a time-out, kid. Can't let you spoil the party too soon. And Branch. I'm sure you've got your Monkey-boy wired somehow. That's just peachy, because I want you and everyone else to see every minute of this. It's a killer.

Tim starts laughing like crazy while his skin turns white and his hair turns green. Everyone in the Batcave is shocked with horror.

Branch: My god!

Tim is revealed to be The Joker.

Joker: Oh, I never get tired of that!

Bat-Troll: Drake? You're The Joker?

Joker: Ha! That flabby oaf doesn't even realize I'm using him as a time-share. Beneath this puckish exterior lies the mind of a genius, years ahead of my time. In the weeks young Robin was under my tutelage, I used him as the subject of my greatest experiment. Utilizing cutting-edge genetics technology, which I had pitched here and there, I encoded my DNA on a microchip and set it into Bird-boy's birdbrain. Here. Everything that was me has been a-sleeping all comfy and cozy inside Tim Drake's subconscious. At first. I had to limit the time I spent in Drake's body. He's not aware of what I do, chalking up any lingering memories to bad dreams. If his family misses him. I simply call wifey and tell her: (in Tim's voice) "I'm working late, honey". The changes come at will now, and soon I'll be strong enough to live in this body permanently. Mr. J's on the rebound, baby! My comeback party's gonna set the whole town on fire!

He starts up the satellite.

Joker: So where should I make ground zero? TrollsTopia General, where our hero's dear little Dana is recuperating? Or here, in the happy garden of Mrs. Mary McGinnis? I always think it adds resonance to a hero's mission to have some defining element of tragedy in his background, don't you? Ah, but the one and only kick-off point must be stately the Royal Palace. Gone in a flash, before Branch and his family can run away to safety or mount a rescue. Don't worry though. I'll be hitting those other spots soon enough. Adiös, Branchie. I guess I should salute you as a worthy adversary and all that, but the truth is, I really did hate your guts. (Blows raspberries) What about it, kid? Any last words to the old Bat-fart?

Bat-Troll: Yeah. Sic him.

Shelliot attacks The Joker

Bat-Troll: Shelliot, here!

Shelliot bites off the shocking device on his arm.

Bat-Troll: Attaboy!

Shelliot goes to attack The Joker again and The Joker shocks him with his joy buzzer.

Joker: End of the line, Snoopy.

Bat-Troll pushes him and his joy buzzer falls into the controls.

Joker: No!

The satellite creates a laser that's now heading for them.

Joker: Oh, good. The beam's heading here. Now I'll have to start all over again. Thanks for wrecking everything, kid. See you around.

Bat-Troll: Hold it.

Joker: Oh, wise up, junior. Game's over!

Bat-Troll: I'm taking you in.

Joker: Right.