History Recap / TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE17LockUp

-->'''Scarecrow:''' Look at me Batman, I'm shaking with fear. '''Me!''' ''The scarecrow!''

** Partially subverted throughout the series. Batman repeatedly gives Commissioner Gordon credit for the work he does, naturally this would have to remain an InformedAttribute as Gordon's successes [[HeroOfAnotherStory would have to happen off-screen]], after all [[WellThisIsNotTHatTrope this isn't a show about ordinary cops arresting normal criminals]]. The fact that [[spoiler: Task Force X exists in the DCAU]] means that Arkham might not be a CardboardPrison after all. The three villains Bolton is shown to have mistreated are Scarecrow, Harley, and the Ventriloquist, while it's unknown what ultimately became of Scarecrow, both Harley and the Ventriloquist ended up reforming, because Batman showed them kindness.

-->'''Scarecrow:''' Look at me Batman, I'm shaking with fear. ''Me! The scarecrow!''

* LaserGuidedKarma: The deranged security chief of Arkham Asylum becomes one more costumed criminal terrorizing the streets of Gotham and is placed in Arkham Asylum as an imnate once he's captured. Bolton, on his end, is too crazy to see it as punishment and loves the fact that he can keep an eye on the other inmates.

* WardensAreEvil: Lyle Bolton, during his tenure as security chief of Arkham Asylum, applies such extreme brutality to the inmates that the one break-out that we are aware of happened on his watch (the Scarecrow) did it [[HorrifyingTheHorror just to get the hell away from Bolton]] and ''[[NeverGoingBackToPrison nothing]]'' else. As Lock-Up, he places people in a privately-built secret prison with the plan of keeping them there for life (however long that may be).

The streets of Gotham aren't big enough for two vigilantes when a new masked crimefighter, Lock-Up, starts showing up and trying to enforce a far tougher punishment in order to counteract Arkham's CardboardPrison tendencies.

!!Tropes:

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: Summer Gleeson refers to Poison Ivy as a "villainous vixen of vines".

* BerserkButton: When the inmates of Arkham expose his terrible acts, he tries to brand them as liars and lashes out at them. Only by a pile-up of six guards and the subtle assistance of Bruce Wayne tripping him up prevented him from attempting to strangle the criminals.

* CardboardPrison: Lampshaded.
* CoolBoat: The USS Halsey, a decomissioned battleship that Lock-Up uses as his base of operations/personal prison.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: The eponymous villain was formerly a guard at Arkham Asylum who got his position due to endorsement and support from Wayne Enterprises. When he goes insane and begins kidnapping the people he blames for the city's problems (the police, bureaucrats and reporters that he says ''cause'' the criminals), Robin snarkily comments "[[Creator/{{PBS}} Another fine villain made possible by a grant from the Wayne Foundation]]." The look Batman shoots him is ''not'' happy.
* DebateAndSwitch: The episode brings up that Arkham is a CardboardPrison, and some of its inmates are murderers or convicted violent thieves. Lock-Up's method's are extreme, but as Robin points out he's a product of Wayne Enterprises. Rather than go into a discussion of alternative solutions to the CardboardPrison, Lock-Up decides to kidnap Summer, Commissioner Gordon, and Bullock.

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Lyle Bolton wanted to make sure no supervillain would ever escape from Arkham, but his methods were so brutal and cruel that eventually he ended up an inmate.
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Even the most irredeemable and hardened criminals in Arkham are frightened by Bolton, and refuse to speak out for fear of what punishments he would inflict on them (only when being told not speaking out would mean an extension of his watch over Arkham do they realize it's now or never to expose him). Even Scarecrow, who specializes on manipulating fear and self-proclaimed "god of fear" escapes the asylum just to get away from Bolton.
* InformedAbility: Apparently, Lock-Up is such a horrific guard that he has driven even the already-insane inmates of Arkham insane, paralyzing the Scarecrow, "The God of Fear," with fear. When his offenses against the patients are actually given, however, it is debatable as to whether they are extreme or standard asylum fare, apart from his mental abuse of the Ventriloquist, possibly because the show [[NeverSayDie could not portray anything worse.]]

* KnightTemplar: Lock-Up may be one of the purest examples of this, being a former head of security at Arkham who was fired for brutalizing the inmates, who comes back as a villain trying to imprison forever the "scum" that he feels represent the people that allowed Gotham to get this way (including the head doctor at Arkham, Commisioner Gordon, Mayor Hill, and Summer Gleeson). In true KnightTemplar fashion, he has no idea that he's gone too far (he views Batman as a potential partner, much to the other's disgust).
* LoadBearingBoss: The fight between Batman and Lock-Up causes Bolton's ship base to begin sinking. and by the episode's end the ''Halsey'' has sunk into the depths of Gotham Bay.
* MegaMawManeuver: Lock-Up used a robotic truck to kidnap someone: the back opened up and two claws came out, snatched her car and dragged it inside.
* NotHelpingYourCase: When the Arkham inmates finally speak against Bolton, his furious reaction certainly didn't help.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Lock-Up is a fairly obvious [[StrawmanPolitical GOP pundit]] parody. He constantly says that the "liberal media," "coddling doctors," and "gutless police" are responsible for supercrime in Gotham. He believes that the criminals at Arkham don't deserve privileges or even the most basic humane treatment. Obviously, he's [[UpToEleven hyperbolized,]] but it's still pretty severe for a [[ParentalBonus kids' show.]]
* {{Sadist}}: Lock-Up thinks that criminals deserve to be tortured and clearly enjoys doing it - and when stopped, expands his definition of "criminals" to those who got him fired or condemned his actions, as well as Gordon, the Mayor and Batman because he thinks they are too "soft" on criminals. He is so scary the other Bat-rogues tried to escape Arkham solely to get away from him.

* VillainHasAPoint: Lock-Up's methods are extreme and inhumane, but Arkham ''is'' a CardboardPrison, especially for the more dangerous criminals like Joker.

*** Partially subverted throughout the series. Batman repeatedly gives Commissioner Gordon credit for the work he does, naturally this would have to remain an InformedAttribute as Gordon's successes [[HeroOfAnotherStory would have to happen off-screen]], after all [[WellThisIsNotTHatTrope this isn't a show about ordinary cops arresting normal criminals]]. The fact that [[spoiler: Task Force X exists in the DCAU]] means that Arkham might not be a CardboardPrison after all. The three villains Bolton is shown to have mistreated are Scarecrow, Harley, and the Ventriloquist, while it's unknown what ultimately became of Scarecrow, both Harley and the Ventriloquist ended up reforming, because Batman showed them kindness.

* WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys: Being the security chief for Arkham must have payed beaucoup bucks, because Bolton has at his disposal an arsenal of gadgets and vehicles comparable to the billionaire Bruce Wayne's toy chest. Electrified riot sticks, tire locks capable of immobilizing the Batmobile, even an armored car/prisoner transport van. And let's not forget he amassed all this while ''also'' paying for his [[FriendsRentControl oddly-spacious apartment]] mentioned above.
* WithUsOrAgainstUs: Lock-Up actually says, "If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem." (Throughout the episode, he also blamed the "liberal media," as well as "gutless police, mindless bureaucrats, and coddling doctors" for society's problems, so he's really more of an outright parody of conservative argumentation.)

* CreateYourOwnVillain: The eponymous villain was formerly a guard at Arkham Asylum who got his position due to endorsement and support from Wayne Enterprises. When he goes insane and begins kidnapping the people he blames for the city's problems (the police, bureaucrats and reporters that he says ''cause'' the criminals), Robin snarkily comments "[[Creator/{{PBS}} Another fine villain brought to you by the Wayne Foundation]]." The look Batman shoots him is ''not'' happy.

* CanonImmigrant: Lock-Up was one of two characters created for the series that found themselves in the main comics. Given that the other one was the massively popular Harley Quinn, Lock-Up is often forgotten.

* DistantPrologue

* KnightTemplar: Lock-Up thinks this way in spades.

* VillainHasAPoint: Lock-Up points out that Arkham is a CardboardPrison with a revolving door, and the villains keep coming back. This doesn't justify his excessive punishments, but it's telling that, when he shows up in the comics, Batman does briefly team up with him.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[JerkassWoobie Despite knowing who they are and what they have done, you can't help but feel sorry for Harley, Scarecrow and Scarface. They're outright terrified of Bolton who punishes (and even goes as far as tortures them) even when they're on good behavior]].

* VillainHasAPoint: Lock-Up points out that Arkham is a CardboardPrison with [[RevolvingDoorPrison a revolving door]], and the villains keep coming back. This doesn't justify his excessive punishments, but it's telling that, when he shows up in the comics, Batman does briefly team up with him.

* VillainHasAPoint: Lock-Up points out that Arkham is a CardboardPrison with a revolving door, and the villains keep coming back. This doesn't justify his excessive punishments, but it's telling that, when he shows up in the comics, Batman does briefly team up with him.

The streets of Gotham aren't big enough for two vigilantes when a new masked crimefighter, Lockdown, starts showing up and trying to enforce a far tougher punishment in order to counteract Arkham's CardboardPrison tendencies.

* TheWoobie: Despite knowing who they are and what they have done, you can't help but feel sorry for Harley, Scarecrow and Scarface. They're outright terrified of Bolton who punishes (and even goes as far as tortures them) even when they're on good behavior.

* CardboardPrison: Lampshaded