Batman vs. Robin (2015)

February 10, 2021

2,175 4 minutes read

Film and Plot Synopsis

In this sequel to 2014’s Son of Batman, Damian Wayne, the new Robin, is having a hard time coping with his father’s, Bruce Wayne, rules as Batman. The mantle of the Bat carries more responsibility than Damian is used to. Meanwhile, Gotham faces a new threat when the secret organization, the Court of Owls, looks to consolidate power in the city. The Court’s assassin, Talon, takes an interest in Robin and seeks to recruit him to do the Court’s bidding. Now, Batman finds himself not only battling to save Gotham, but his son as well.

‘Batman vs. Robin’ Movie Summary

The summary below contains spoilers.

Years in the past, a young Bruce Wayne (Griffin Gluck) learns of a secret organization called the Court of Owls from his father Thomas Wayne (Kevin Conroy). Thomas warns Bruce that the Court is always lurking in the shadows. After witnessing the death of his parents, Bruce suspects that the Court were behind the murders. However, his investigation turns up no evidence of the Court or any involvement in the murders. A younger Bruce concludes that the Court were just a story told to him by his father.

In the present day, Bruce’s secret son Damian Wayne (Stuart Allan) goes out on his own as Robin to rescue a group of missing children abducted by Anton Schott, the Dollmaker (“Weird Al” Yankovic). Dollmaker has been attempting to turn the children into living dolls. Batman (Jason O’Mara) arrives to help Robin. During the rescue mission, Robin pursues Dollmaker who attempts to flee into the nearby forest. A mysterious figure in an owl costume named Talon (Jeremy Sisto) suddenly appears and kills Dollmaker. Talon disappears just as suddenly and leaves a feather behind. Batman arrives after Talon’s disappearance and mistakenly blames Robin for Dollmaker’s murder. Despite Damian’s protests, Batman increases the security measures around Wayne Manor to prevent Damian from going out as Robin alone.

The next night, Bruce goes out as Batman to track down information about the feather. His investigation leads him to a museum where he is confronted by a group of owl costumed assassins. The assassins appear to be undead, and Batman has difficulty in defeating them. However, they suddenly disintegrate when they appear to have the upper hand over Batman. A short time later, Bruce Wayne is attacked while driving on the freeway. He is captured and taken to the Court of Owls headquarters. Once there, the Court’s Grandmaster (Robin Atkin Downes) invites Bruce to join the Court, unaware that Wayne is secretly their enemy Batman. Bruce asks for time to consider their offer, and the Court returns him safely home.

Meanwhile, Damian manages to escape Wayne Manor again dressed as Robin. He encounters Talon, who encourages Robin to disregard Batman’s rules of combat and follow his instincts to kill. Talon offers to take Robin under his wing and train him to become a Court assassin. Robin, who is chafing under his father’s rules and morals, seriously considers the offer. Robin is unsure of who is he, as well as who he is supposed to be. Ultimately, Batman catches up with Talon and Robin, and Damian is forced to choose his own path. Damian chooses to follow Talon and abandons Batman.

A short time later, Batman infiltrates the Court’s headquarters as the Dark Knight. The Court is secretly in session and tells Batman that he has been poisoned by a hallucination gas that the Court placed in the tunnels to their location. Batman is rescued by Nightwing (Sean Maher) and Alfred Pennyworth (David McCallum) who bring Batman back to the Batcave to nurse him back to health. Once Bruce is over the effects of the gas, he indicates that his primary concern is saving Damian.

Meanwhile, Talon brings Robin before the Court and presents him as a potential new assassin for the Court. The Court demands Robin remove his mask to show his loyalty to the Court. Once the mask is removed, the Grandmaster, who is secretly Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend Samantha Vanaver (Grey DeLisle), recognizes Damian as Bruce Wayne’s secret ward. The Grandmaster correctly concludes that Bruce is Batman and plans to use Damian as a weapon against the Court’s greatest enemy. The Grandmaster orders Talon to kill Damian in order to emotionally cripple Batman. Talon disregards the order and attacks the Court instead. He kills most of the Court including the Grandmaster, who he was secretly involved with as well.

With the power structure of the Court eliminated, Talon takes control of the Court and its nearly undefeatable undead soldiers. Talon places Damian into a glass tube that begins filling with water after Damian refuses to join him in his attack against Batman. Talon and the Court’s soldiers begin an attack on Wayne Manor. Batman, Nightwing, and Alfred work together to fend off the attack. Damian escapes from the glass tube at the Court’s headquarters. He returns to the Batcave and defeats Talon. He tells Talon that he can never be a better father than Bruce Wayne. Talon commits suicide by forcing Damian to stab him through the neck with his own sai.

In the aftermath, Damian is traumatized by Talon’s suicide. He rejects Bruce’s offer to return to Wayne Manor stating that he does not know who he truly is. Ultimately, Damian decides to leave Bruce. Bruce suggests that Damian go to a monastery in the Himalayas in order to find himself. Damian leaves with his destination unknown.