The Fear

"The Fear" is the fourth episode of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians season one. It aired on September 29, 1985 on ABC. It was written by Alan Burnett, and voice directed by Gordon Hunt.

Scarecrow uncovers and exploits Batman's only known weakness: Crime Alley, the death place of his parents, who were murdered when he was a small child.

Characters
Sidney Miller Michael Rye Andrea Stojka B.J. Ward (young) Paul Kirby (teen)
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Scarecrow/Professor Jonathan Crane
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Andre Stojka
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Strawmen
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bob DoQui
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Strawmen
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bob DoQui
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Guard #1
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bob DoQui
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Guard #2
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Sidney Miller
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Batman/Bruce Wayne
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Adam West
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Batman/Bruce Wayne
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Adam West
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Adam West
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Robin/Dick Grayson
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Casey Kasem
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Superman
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Danny Dark
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Wonder Woman/Diana Prince
 * style="background-color:#clear"| B.J. Ward
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Green Lantern
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Michael Rye
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Samurai
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Aquaman
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Firestorm
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Hawkman
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Alfred Pennyworth
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Andre Stojka
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Comissioner James Gordon
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Sidney Miller
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Commissioner Gordon's niece
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Thomas Wayne
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Paul Kirby
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Martha Wayne
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Lucy Lee
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joe Chill
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Michael Rye
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Hera
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Minerva
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Crow
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Commissioner Gordon's niece
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Thomas Wayne
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Paul Kirby
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Martha Wayne
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Lucy Lee
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joe Chill
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Michael Rye
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Hera
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Minerva
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Crow
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Hera
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Minerva
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Crow
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Crow
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A

Organizations

 * Strawmen
 * Super Powers Team
 * Gotham City Police Department

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * Gotham City
 * Gotham Electronics
 * Crime Alley
 * Scarecrow's headquarters
 * Wayne Mansion
 * Batcave
 * Police station
 * Metropolis
 * Hall of Justice
 * The Moon
 * Jupiter (mentioned)
 * The Sun

Objects

 * Fear transmitters
 * Bathook
 * JLA communicator
 * Wonder Woman's magic lasso
 * Batarang

Vehicles

 * Scarecrow's truck
 * Batcopter
 * Batmobile
 * Invisible jet

Development
According to writer Alan Burnett, this episode was originally written as a pilot for an unproduced Batman series. When those plans fell through, Hanna-Barbera executive Jeffrey Scott convinced the network to accept it as an episode of The Super Powers Team.

Music
The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin, with musical supervision from Paul DeKorte.

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: September 29, 1985 on ABC

Behind the scenes

 * This episode is the first time that the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne have been depicted outside of the comics.
 * Joe's name isn't said on-screen, but is used in storyboards.
 * The mention of Commissioner Gordon's unnamed niece may have been a reference to Barbara Gordon, who in comics continuity at the time, had been retconned to be his niece instead of his daughter, which comics continuity has since reverted back to.
 * Bruce's parents are actually just called Mr. and Mrs. Wayne in the storyboards.
 * Batman punches for the first time, even though it was just the skull-shaped fear transmitter.

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * October 23, 2007: Warner Home Video releases The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians: The Complete Series on DVD.