Batman encounters the Scarecrow and attempts to foil his scheme to burn down Gotham University, but in the process is exposed to the Scarecrow’s fear gas, and is forced to face his own guilt over the deaths of his parents.
When District Attorney Harvey Dent collapses after a meal with Bruce Wayne and his fiancee Pamela Isley, it transpires that he has been poisoned. Batman must find the culprit and discover an antidote before Dent’s time runs out.
After Charlie Collins accidentally curses at the Joker on the road for bumping him, the Clown Prince of Crime corners him and intimidates him into doing him a “small favor”. Two years pass, and the Joker finally decides how to use Charlie: to sneak a bomb into Gotham University, where Commissioner Gordon is to give a speech at an award ceremony. Charlie, who merely has to open the door, is skeptical at first, but for the sake of his family, he reluctantly decides to obey. But is the Joker really the type to let someone who insulted him live?
A mob war between crime bosses Rupert Thorne and Arnold Stromwell is nearing its end, and comes to a climax when Stromwell is set up to be killed in an exploding restaurant by Thorne. Batman saves him at the last moment, and persuades Stromwell to use his fall into disgrace to help him bring Thorne in, mostly for the sakes of his wife, his ill son and his estranged brother, as well as his own.
Bruce Wayne is released from prison on bail. Hagen, as it turns out, survived the murder attempt on him, but at a high cost: the formula entered is body and soaked every single one of his cells, mutating him into a shape-shifting mutant. With his newfound powers, Hagen, now calling himself Clayface, decides to take his revenge on Daggett and his men. Can Batman bring Daggett to justice and stop Clayface before innocent people are hurt?
The Empire catches up to Cassian, but are as yet unaware of his identity and past.