Along with being Poison Ivy's first appearance in animation, this episode marks the debut appearance of new character Renee Montoya.
Tropes:
- Action Prologue: After the exposition-laden opening, the next sequence is Batman fighting his way through a ton of Irony that his friend Harvey Dent is unintentionally laying on as he describes Bruce Wayne's Idle Rich lifestyle.
- Alien Blood: The giant flytrap bleeds chlorophyll.
- All Women Are Lustful: Central motives aside, it speaks volumes of Pamela's character that kissing was the method she chose to kill with, neither smooch we see being school play mild in their intensity. She could've just left Batman to be eaten by her flytrap, but it isn't every night you have the chance to be the last person he makes out with.
- Ambiguous Situation:
- It's unclear if Isley's attempted kiss was her trying to kill Bruce or sink her teeth into him early, laying the groundwork to seduce Wayne following Dent's death, then likely moving onto Mayor Hill next, thus eliminating the three main figures involved in Stonegate's construction.
- Since she isn't depicted as a metahuman (yet) it's not quite apparent how Ivy's able to control her huge, killer mutant flytrap. It has no (visible) ears or eyes, yet responds accordingly to whatever she wants it to do. It does leave you curious how she managed to train it in the first place.
- Animation Bump: Pam leaving the Rose Cafe is animated on the ones, much more fluidly than the rest of the episode in order to accentuate her sex appeal.
- Anticipatory Lipstick: A non-comedic case. Upon recomposing herself after a momentary rage out, Poison Ivy applies her special lipstick before sauntering up to an unwilling, helpless Batman and passionately kissing him. Given where it was, that is very exceptional readiness.
- Attention Whore: Isley departs from the Rose Cafe with a rock of her hips seemingly just to flaunt her sexiness in front of the appreciative customers.
- Awkward Kiss: A one sided example. Batman and Poison Ivy's kiss was actually very smoldering, like something you'd see in an Old Hollywood romantic comedy starring Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield, what with Ivy smashing their lips together in such a steamy, tender embrace, moaning passionately as she does, loving every sultry second. Unfortunately, her intentions prevent Bats from enjoying it himself, futilely squirming as she pulls him in for it and spitting right after.
- Ax-Crazy: Poison Ivy during the climax's second half. Shedding off her sensual vampiness and furiously unloading crossbow arrows at Batman.
- Bad Date: Another (mostly) one sided example. Batman didn't enjoy himself too much during his and Ivy's "late night rendezvous." Being captured by a carnivorous, mutant flytrap and given a mouthful of lethal poison tends to do that. Poison Ivy on the other hand was ecstatic to have Batman in her sensual yet fatal clutches, her honeyed sweettalk making it almost seem like a real date, plus she unambiguously loved their deep, sexy kiss. Only turns sour for her when Bats leaps up to kick her in the face. She also enjoyed her romantic dinner with Harvey, as did he. It goes south for Dent though following Pamela's goodnight kiss.
- Beauty Is Bad: Poison Ivy looks and sounds like an Old Hollywood bombshell while keeping a giant, killer flytrap in her greenhouse she's implicitly fed people to. This episode serves as a cautionary tale for those who wholeheartedly believe in the opposite of this trope.
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Despite Batman kicking her square in the face Poison Ivy has zero bruises or bloodied anything, her lovely mug miraculously unscathed!
- Berserk Button: A mild example, but if Poison Ivy goes to the trouble of giving you such a deliciously tender Last Kiss, which she herself enjoyed, don't spit afterwards as Batman does. Earns you a brief yet very hard stare from her.
- Big Damn Kiss: While neither is given with the usually intended spirit, Poison Ivy enjoyed romantically framing her kisses with Harvey and Batman, certainly giving it her all in making them grade A, passionate snogs only a Femme Fatale like her can give.
- In Harvey's case she teasingly/lovingly told him to "call her the minute he got home" before wrapping her hand around his head and smashing their lips together in a drawn out, steamy embrace which leaves "Mr. District Attorney" very dazed in the aftermath. The violins we hear playing in the background during this help to emphasize the romantic atmosphere.
- In Batman's case she flirtatiously greeted him by asking about their "late night rendezvous", massaging his shoulders too. And, while Batman obviously didn't enjoy their kiss soon after, Ivy did, deepening it halfway through, moaning, notably more intensely than with Harvey in fact, before releasing him with a great big "mwah"! Her satisfied smirk says everything.
- Big "NO!": Poison Ivy gets several, most notably when she almost loses her rare rose.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Pam comes across as Harvey's affectionate girlfriend, and is seemingly reduced to tears when she is denied a chance to visit her dying boyfriend in the hospital. But it's all a ruse to hide a ruthless eco-terrorist who would gladly see Harvey die for his "crime". She even demonstrates her "weeping girlfriend" act to Batman before she bursts into laughter, showing that all her previous affection for Harvey was never sincere.
- Bittersweet Ending: Ivy's scheme is foiled and Harvey receives the antidote just in time, but this setback doesn't dissuade her from further pursuing her twisted eco-terrorist agenda, swearing revenge instead.Pamela Isley: [sits huddled in her prison cell, rocking as her eyes dart side to side, glowering intensely] They can bury me in the ground, as deep as they like... [face perks up for a moment before resuming her angry look] But I'll grow back. [gets up, starts walking forward] We always grow back... [bends down to her potted roses, face contorted into an ominous Death Glare] Don't we baby?
- Black Widow: While Harvey Dent was Isley's primary target and focus of her hatred, it seems this vendetta extended to Bruce Wayne and potentially Mayor Hill as well, given their involvement in Stonegate alongside Dent. This is implied when Pam tries to kiss Bruce in the hospital parking garage.
- Blatant Lies: Played with. Poison Ivy claims she was going to share the antidote for her poison with Batman before he "hurt her feelings" by spitting after her kiss. Although, this is a half truth, since Ivy did seem legitimately offended by Bats following their kiss. A little spittle got on her, plus she obviously poured everything into the smooch, so it's understandable Ivy probably felt insulted Batman wouldn't appreciate, what in her screwed up mind, must've seemed like a Cruel Mercy. After all, who wouldn't want to die kissing such a beautiful woman?
- Bond Villain Stupidity:
- Poison Ivy sees Batman trapped by her monster plant, but takes the time to explain her motive to him. Then instead of just letting her plant eat him she decides to kill him with her kiss like she did to Dent. After their kiss, Ivy taunts Batman by letting him smell her cure. This is ultimately her undoing as she gets too close to him and he is able to knock her down and break free of her plant.
- Probably the biggest reason Ivy failed is because her and Batman's kiss wasn't nearly the length her and Dent's was. Had she lingered into it long enough he'd have ingested the same amount of rose poison, legitimately passing out rather than faking it like he does soon after to escape. We can chalk this up to her wishing to taunt him instead.
- Oddly, her flytrap as well. Should've restrained his legs.
- Captive Date: What Poison Ivy flirting with and kissing Batman practically amounts to. She even teasingly calls it a "late night rendezvous" to make it seem more romantic than it actually is. Batman's chances of a "second date" though are kinda nixed by his kicking Ivy in the face.
- Carrying the Antidote: Poison Ivy has a bottle with the cure to her poisoned lipstick on her. After she poisons Batman with a kiss, she taunts him by revealing the antidote and letting him smell it. Batman fighting her over it ends up setting Ivy's entire greenhouse on fire.
- Crocodile Tears: Isley deserves an award for how convincing her upset girlfriend performance is.
- Cruel Mercy: While Ivy primarily locked lips with Batman to mock him before he died, it possibly doubles as this. Unconscious he wouldn't have felt anything when her flytrap consumed and digested him. One shudders to imagine being awake for that...
- Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Averted. It's quite easy to extrapolate that Chez Gerard pays well, ergo Pamela's inordinately massive private greenhouse.
- Date Rape: After calming down, Poison Ivy concludes her and Batman's "late night rendezvous" by announcing it's time they shared, what's in essence, a goodnight kiss, his noncompliance dealt with by her flytrap's helpful tendrils entangling Batman's wobbling head so Ivy can steal his lips for a hot, tender smooch.
- Deadly Dodging: Batman dodging one of Ivy's crossbow arrows kills her venus flytrap.
- Death Glare: Ivy gives Batman a nasty scowl after he kicks her to the ground. She keeps it up as their struggle continues.
- Death Trap: Pamela's greenhouse has two examples.
- First is the trapdoor obscured cacti pit Bats almost falls into.
- Second is her giant, killer flytrap with python strength tendrils.
- Defiant Captive: Being seized by the coiling tendrils of Poison Ivy's killer flytrap and given a deadly yet smoldering "goodnight kiss" from her doesn't impede Batman from fighting for his and Harvey's lives.
- Description Cut: Used multiple times in succession.Pamela Isley: Shouldn't we wait for your friend?
Harvey Dent: Bruce? Nah, he's always late. He probably got hung up on business.
[Batman hanging onto a helicopter full of escaped convicts]
Pamela Isley: I hear he's rich.
Harvey Dent: Yeah, Bruce runs around in a high-class crowd.
[Batman chasing a convict across rooftops]
Harvey Dent: But he still manages to get his kicks.
[Batman kicking the criminal]
Harvey Dent: There's nothing we don't know about each other.
[Batman threatening the crook] - Disproportionate Retribution: Poison Ivy tries to kill Harvey Dent for building a corrections facility on top of a field containing a flower that was endangered. There is no evidence he knew about the endangered flower. She saved the flower before trying to kill him, anyway. Maybe he should've done an ecological survey to check for endangered species and done an environmental impact statement before starting construction, but she could've tried telling him there was an endangered flower before he started building to see if he would alter his plans in response.
- Dissonant Serenity: Batman finds himself ensnared by the tendrils of Poison Ivy's huge, mutant flytrap which drags him towards it's snapping maw, forcing Bats to kick repeatedly to keep it at bay, cracking several of it's fangs in the process. With the calm, sultry tone and wording Ivy uses ("late night rendezvous") you'd swear that Batman dropped in for a surprise meet up, playing with her pet while she changes for their date.
- Before that we see Pamela switch on lush harp music via her radio before going behind a privacy screen, undressing while Batman sneaks into her lair. It contrasts greatly with the botanical nightmares he soon encounters.
- Poison Ivy's moaning while her and Batman kiss sounds like someone making out with their One True Love, not a person trying to fatally poison someone else.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Isley's memorably sultry exit from the Rose Cafe leaves all the guys therein made to watch on in stricken silence.
- Does He Have a Brother?: When Harvey Dent asks Bruce Wayne what he thinks of his girlfriend Pamela Isley, Bruce responds, "Does she have a sister?"
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": When Batman inquires as to why Pamela poisoned Harvey she decides to reveal her villain handle, asking him to address her by it instead in the most dignified, ladylike manner she can as though they were at a fancy party, with the proud body language of a debutante to match.Batman: Why, Isley?
Pamela Isley: Oh, please. Call me Poison Ivy. - Donut Mess with a Cop: Twice we see Bullock run back to his desk to quickly scarf down a donut before heading off with the other cops.
- Double Entendre:
- Ivy referring to Batman's sneaking into her nursery as "a late night rendezvous."
- When she slinks out to watch her "sweet little flytrap" trying to chomp onto Batman's kicking legs.Poison Ivy: Mmmm, a little big for a fly.
- Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Ivy didn't bother seeking a "yes" when slinking up to Batman for their goodnight kiss.
- Double Standard: Rape, Sci-Fi: Played with. At the very least, Poison Ivy's mutant flytrap wrapping Tentacle Rope around Batman's head and neck so she can insistently share a deep kiss with him, an act she's notably pleased by, constitutes sexual assault.
- Dreary Half-Lidded Eyes: Poison Ivy, per Femme Fatale tradition. Her bedroom eyes are at their most intense when calming down from her furious, anti-Dent speech and sauntering up to Batman for a hot kiss.
- Drugged Lipstick: How Ivy applies her poison to Dent and Batman.
- Dude Magnet: Pamela's departure from the Rose Cafe serves to emphasize this. Hell, even Bruce is left slack jawed!
- Dynamic Akimbo: Ivy does this when slinking out to observe Batman's struggle with her flytrap.
- She does it again after calming down from her enraged speech about Dent, adding a pin-up pose tilt of the hip to it as she reverts back to a serene, seductive demeanor.
- Once more when approaching Bats for their kiss, pausing briefly while he's rotated and his thrashing head gets wrapped in place by two tendrils.
- Early Installment Character-Design Difference: Harvey's Lantern Jaw of Justice is massively over-pronounced compared to his usual design. It juts a good five or six inches below his mouth.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Poison Ivy gets sentenced to Stonegate Penitentiary rather than Arkham Asylum like in the later episodes. Perhaps it's for the irony of Ivy being imprisoned in the place she hated the most. Her hyper immune system isn't displayed here either. She even requires an antidote for her own lipstick after using it. This is quite jarring because later episodes would refer to said immunity as if Poison Ivy had always possessed such an ability.
- Eaten Alive: This almost befalls Batman, courtesy of Ivy's mutant, killer flytrap.
- Eat the Camera: As Batman is being pulled in towards the giant flytrap's snapping, fanged maw we're briefly shown his POV, which also makes it appear the monster's attempting to make a meal out of the camera.
- Establishing Character Moment: While she'd appeared earlier in this episode, under the guise of Harvey's warm-hearted girlfriend, it's Poison Ivy's demented, angry speech followed by forcing Batman to share a deadly kiss with her, then laughing at his futile attempt to spit out the poison, that truly informs us of who she is as a character. A seductively cunning, sadistic maneater who loves to flirtatiously toy with her victims and has an unhinged attachment to plants, prioritizing them over people.
- "Eureka!" Moment: After Bruce walks Isley out to her car and offers her words of comfort about Harvey, Isley tells him he's a good friend to Harvey and leans in to give him a kiss, with Bruce turning it into a friendly hug instead. In this moment though, Bruce suddenly remembers how Isley planted a huge kiss on Harvey previously just before he was poisoned and becomes suspicious of her, deciding to look into her background more.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Spitting after the steamy hot final kiss Poison Ivy shared with you? How rude.
- Evil Gloating: After their kiss Poison Ivy laughs about Batman's "fear of cooties" and teasingly holds the opened antidote bottle underneath his nose, letting him sniff a cure he'd never have. Or so she thought... Even right before it happens, Ivy pointedly tells Batman that, just like Harvey's fate was "sealed with a kiss", "now so is yours." Rubbing in how this is one kiss he can't avoid.
- Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: Ivy teasing Batman after he tries to spit out her poison.Poison Ivy: Aww, what's wrong? Afraid I have cooties?
- Evil Laugh: Poison Ivy playfully giggles as she reveals herself to Batman and erupts into sinister laughter after showing off her grief stricken girlfriend routine.
- Expressive Hair: Poison Ivy's hairdo near the end. When she's calm/sultry its straight, when she's angry or frightened it becomes wild and unkempt.
- Extreme Close-Up: There is a closeup on Ivy's lips as she applies her lipstick and whispers “with a kiss."
- Eyelash Fluttering: Isley does this at Harvey when he's trying to convince her to stay.
- Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Pamela Isley is a stunning woman who looks like an Old Hollywood starlet, while also being murderously insane.
- Face Planting Into Food: Harvey goes dizzy-eyed and takes a nosedive into his chocolate mousse following the lethal kiss Isley planted on him just before exiting the restaurant. It's Played for Drama, as Harvey is on life support for most of the episode.
- Fake Faint: Batman pretends to be on the verge of passing out after he and Ivy's kiss so that she'll get too close...
- Fanservice: Being Poison Ivy's introductory appearance for the show, it's unsurprising this episode offers us multiple, titillating examples.
- Her Supermodel Strut from the Rose Cafe is probably the most obvious.
- Ivy's encounter with Batman in her greenhouse plays out similarly to an old film noir flick. Her the taunting vamp, him the detective in over his head. Those who fancy that kinda thing aren't likely to be disappointed. Least of all watching their undeniably hot kiss.
- Prior to that we're treated to a scene of Pam stepping behind her modesty screen to undress.
- Faux Affably Evil: Poison Ivy (initially) towards Batman. She playfully greets him, talks sweetly to him, massages his shoulders, flirts with him, and even rewards her "date" with a goodnight kiss.
- Femme Fatale: Since this episode provides the show's first true foray into the Film Noir genre, it's fitting Poison Ivy is here, acting as the classic ill-intended yet irresistible temptress archetype, albeit filtered through a sadistic, Mad Scientist and comic-book style monster-making prism.
- Fetish: Ivy clearly gets off on the whole Femme Fatale schtick and truly seemed to enjoy the deep kisses she shared with Harvey and Batman, making pleasured moans both times.
- Fiery Redhead: Pull back Poison Ivy's seductive, flirty layers and you'll find quite the dementedly angry lady.
- First Kiss: While not truly romantic, at least not outrightly so, this episode does showcase Batman and Poison Ivy's very first kiss in the DCAU canon.
- Foe Romance Subtext: The first half of Poison Ivy's confrontation with Batman is dripping with this. She puts on a sexy, skintight outfit before gigglingly revealing herself, coyly peaking out from behind a tree like some flirtatious wood nymph. She then asks in a breathy tone about their "late night rendezvous", framing the situation almost like it were a surprise date. Then there's the way Ivy walked behind Bats to caress his shoulders during her unhinged rant. Strangely intimate. That's soon proceeded by the deep, enthusiastic kiss she plants on him whilst Batman's head is tightly held in place by her flytrap's tendrils. Notice when Poison Ivy approaches him for it they face each other like a couple about to recite wedding vows. The lush, romantic harp cord we hear upon their lips meeting also doesn't help.
- Forceful Kiss:
- Poison Ivy kisses Batman while her monster plant has him restrained and holds his head in place for her. As she approaches him, she gently lays one hand on his face while slowly wrapping her other around his neck and pulls him towards her waiting lips for a forceful embrace, and holds him tighter as she deepens it halfway through.
- She was also quite insistent with Harvey, suddenly pulling him into a smoldering lip lock. The difference is Dent ultimately consented.
- For the Lulz: Ivy didn't necessarily have to lock lips with Batman to end him, but, it can't help coming across like her exploiting the opportunity to share a not so chaste kiss with the hunky masked vigilante who snuck into her lair before he dies.
- Fourth-Date Marriage: Poison Ivy induces Harvey Dent into proposing to her a week after they first meet. Considering her appearance and behavior it's more shocking Dent didn't propose the day they met!
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: When Pamela tacks the Wayne/Dent penitentiary newspaper clipping to her wall we see another headline pertaining to "redwood deforestation" above it, probably hinting that she had many other targets already in mind...
- Isley's campus ID card lists her home address as "69 Green Street". Yes, 69.
- During our first sight of Ivy in costume her legs are bare with no green nylons.
- Ivy, momentarily shutting her eyes, prevents her from noticing Batman's sudden kick in time to dodge it.
- We get our first glimpse of Ivy's giant flytrap when Batman accidentally steps on the trapdoor to the cacti pit.
- From Bad to Worse: Batman's "late night rendezvous" at Ivy's greenhouse starts with him nearly tumbling into an overgrown, razor sharp cactus filled pit only to be captured by a huge, man eating flytrap before Poison Ivy slinks out to swap spit with him against his will, then narrowly avoids being eaten to break loose from the Vagina Dentata's tendrils, dodging a now Ax-Crazy Ivy's crossbow arrows, attempting to grapple onto an overhead light fixture, inadvertently tearing it down, making it drop into nearby water, causing an electric spark which sets the entire nursery ablaze.
- Funny Background Event: Watch Harvey eating his salad during his and Isley's date. He's using a knife and fork.
- Fun with Subtitles: Of the Deadpan Snarker variety. After the flashback ends with the words "to help us built a better, safer Gotham," the scene cuts to an inmate escaping the prison with a helicopter, subtitled "Five years later: A better, safer Gotham."
- Garden of Evil: Poison Ivy's greenhouse in the episode's climax.
- Getting Hot in Here: While conversing about Isley, Harvey starts to sweat and asks Bruce if it's getting hot inside the restaurant. Bruce thought Harvey was being bashful from the kiss (which turns out to be a poisonous kiss).
- Hair Flip: After chatting with her roses, Ivy walks into the boudoir section of her greenhouse and pulls her hair out of her hair net and shakes it loose.
- He Knows Too Much: As far as Poison Ivy knows Batman is the only other person aware of her poisoning Harvey, thus necessitating his murder.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Pamela Isley is an absolute heartbreaker, as the Rose Cafe's predominately male customers can attest.
- Held Gaze: Shorter than most examples, but as she approaches Batman to plant a poisoned kiss on him, Poison Ivy pauses briefly to stare at Batman, smirking very seductively at him before placing a hand on his cheek and neck, closing her eyes and leaning in for their kiss. She also gazes into his eyes for a moment after breaking the kiss, before pulling away from him with a sly grin. Possible implications aside there's nothing romantic about this and it's clearly just Ivy savoring the moment. Knowing what kind of person she is this subversion was likely intentional.
- Hollywood Kiss: Say what you will about Poison Ivy, but the woman knows how to kiss. Flytrap tendrils aside, if seen out of context, her and Batman's kiss comes across like two lovers in a tender, romantic embrace.
- Honey Trap: Isley's seduction of Harvey. Luring him in with her sexpot wiles, waiting for just the right moment to give him a particularly steamy goodnight kiss.
- Hostage Situation: An unorthodox one to say the least. Batman, groggy from Ivy's kiss, dangles from the ledge of her cacti pit trap as she stands over him, aiming her crossbow at him. He then reveals he's got her pot of Wild Thorny Roses, holding it above the pit, threatening to drop it unless she forks over the antidote.Batman: The bottle for the weed. What's it gonna be?
- Hypocrite: Poison Ivy labeling Batman a "murderer" when she'd tried to "seal the fates" of him and Harvey.
- I Have You Now, My Pretty: A rare gender swapped example. Ivy obviously loves having Batman at her mercy, sensually caressing his shoulders and pulling him in a for a deep kiss.
- I'm Your Worst Nightmare: Said by Batman to an escaped convict.
- Impairment Shot: Batman sees Poison Ivy in blurred multiples after she poisons him.
- Implied Death Threat: When Pamela is snipping a petal from her Wild Thorny Roses, she hints at future homicides.Pamela Isley: (places potted flowers onto a lamp heated pedestal after cutting a piece, removes her sunhat, smiles warmly and gently clasps them in her hands as she coos) Oh, you've done so well today, sweetheart. (hugs them) Now, get some rest. (withdraws head, still holding plant in hands) And don't worry, I won't clip off anymore of your beautiful petals. (loving, motherly face changes into an icy, hard stare as she grips them a little tighter) Unless I need them...
- Interplay of Sex and Violence: Ivy insistently sharing a kiss with Batman to poison him before he's devoured by her pet mutant flytrap is obviously a very gratifying experience for her, as indicated by her passionate moaning while they kiss.
- It Amused Me: For what it's worth Poison Ivy legitimately enjoyed kissing Batman, their lips practically melting together by the time she ceases it, smirking like somebody who just snogged their longtime crush.
- It Can Think: The flytrap understands that Poison Ivy slinking forward and saying "now, so is yours" means to rotate Batman and entangle his wobbling head with tendrils so she can force him into a steamy make out session. Later on, after Ivy's kicked to the ground, her pissed off nodding confirms it's dinnertime and the botanical monster starts pulling Batman near it's opening jaws.
- Just Between You and Me: Aware of what's about to happen to him Ivy begins telling Batman why she poisoned Harvey, savoring the audience he provides for her insane monologue, knowing full well he ain't blabbing anything to another soul.
- Kick the Dog: Poison Ivy seems to cry when she heard that Harvey Dent is dying, which then became an Evil Laugh.
- Kiss Diss:
- Pamela tries to give Bruce a (disingenuously) friendly kiss on the lips after the latter escorts Isley to her parked car, which he quickly deflects by turning it into a hug instead. She does, unknowingly, succeed later on when he's suited up as Batman though.
- As Poison Ivy approaches Batman to poison him with her kiss, Batman's attempts to resist and avoid it are quickly defied by her monster plant, with it not only turning Batman around to face Ivy, it also uses its Vine Tentacles to ensnare his thrashing head, forcing him to stay still and allowing Ivy to force a deep kiss on him.
- Kiss of Death: Twice given, twice failed.
- Lady in Red: Pamela during the French restaurant scenes.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Poison Ivy tries to kill Harvey Dent for building Stonegate Penitentiary over the Wild Thorny Rose's last habitat. At the end of the episode, she ends up as an inmate there with the last Wild Thorny Rose to keep her company.
- Last Kiss: In a twisted, vampish way this is basically what Ivy "offers" to Batman when initially trying to kill him. "Sealed with a kiss" while ominous is nonetheless very romantic wording. Also doubles as a First Kiss for them.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: At first Ivy is serenely flirtatious towards Batman, treating his unsolicited appearance as though he'd swung by to chitchat, hardly taking his presence that seriously, least of all after "sealing his fate." Then he kicks her to the ground before cutting himself free from her flytrap's tendrils. Afterwards Poison Ivy switches from sensual siren to roaring battle-axe, shooting at him with her crossbow.
- Love at First Sight: Dent claims this is what happened with him and Pamela. Well, on his end at any rate.
- Madonna-Whore Complex: An interesting spin on this because Isley pretends to be the former while secretly being the latter. Publicly she's Pamela Isley, a sweet, caring woman. Behind closed doors she's Poison Ivy, an unhinged seductress.
- Makeup Is Evil: There were numerous, potential ways of administering Pam's rose poison, but probably none sexier than via lipstick.
- Male Gaze: It's a Poison Ivy centric story. Comes with the territory.
- A few male patrons stare at Ivy as she leaves.
- Later, we get an extended sequence of her changing out of her gardening clothes and into her Poison Ivy outfit. She does a Hair Flip, then steps behind a privacy screen and throws her pants over the top.
- Mama Bear: All bets are off when Batman wounds Ivy's flytrap.
- Man-Eating Plant: Poison Ivy's greenhouse has a giant Venus Flytrap, complete with tentacles which can grab any passing Batmen and pull them in.
- Massage of Love: While discussing Harvey with Bats we see Poison Ivy glide behind him, lean in and tenderly trace his shoulders with her index fingers. Of course, just like every other sultry gesture from Ivy, this is less about romance, the ambiguous kind notwithstanding, and more about her being a playful vixen.
- Meaningful Look: The before and after of Batman and Poison Ivy's kiss shows her make several, different faces which serve to wordlessly convey her mood/intent.
- Seconds from retrieving her lipstick Ivy briefly gives Bats a 2 sick smirk, as if what's about to happen is that much of a twisted turn on for her.
- It's subtle but you can see Poison Ivy's smile widen while nearing Batman for their kiss, amused by his vain attempt to wiggle free.
- As they're about to smooch Isley pauses briefly, smirking seductively as she stares into Batman's eyes, savoring the fact he's at her mercy.
- Right after their kiss Ivy has the biggest, girliest grin on her face as she pulls away from him, obviously satisfied with their passionate snog and giddy over the fact she's gotten away with murder twice now.
- The furious face Ivy briefly makes after Batman spits just screams "How dare you! Most men would give anything to kiss these delicious lips!"
- Pam nods angrily at her flytrap, silently ordering it to devour Batman after he'd knocked her down.
- Meaningful Name: Poison Ivy christens her antidote "Rose From The Dead." Her chosen villainous alias itself is very fitting, for just like actual poison ivy Pamela is lovely yet intoxicating.
- Modest Orgasm: Compare the intensity of Ivy's moaning when kissing Batman against her earlier snog with Harvey and it becomes apparent which she enjoyed more.
- Moment Killer: Batman suddenly kicking Ivy's face ruins their "late night rendezvous." Up until then, Ivy had been playing The Vamp towards him, acting like he visited her for a surprise date and mockingly flirting with him. After this though, she drops this faux flirtatious persona and attempts to directly kill him.
- Monochrome Past: The opening flashback uses sepia tones.
- Mood-Swinger: Ivy can switch from seductive to pissed off and back again within seconds, as demonstrated during her Motive Rant.
- Mook Horror Show: The Action Prologue of this episode is a good example of Batman putting the fear of God into a nameless thug.
- Moral Myopia: Ivy's furious speech about how Dent needed to pay for "murder" is immediately followed by her applying tainted lipstick and pulling Batman in for a deep, smoldering kiss to "seal his fate" as well.
- Motive Rant: Before sharing a nice, steamy parting kiss with her tangled up "date" Poison Ivy opts to tell Batman why she targeted Harvey Dent. It's here we begin to see her cool, sensual Femme Fatale side give way to the unhinged murderess she is underneath, before sliding right back.Poison Ivy: [slinks behind Batman to flirtatiously trace his shoulders] You see, Harvey had to pay for his crime. [walks away]
Batman: What crime?
Poison Ivy: [swivels, making an incredulous face and tap of the chin] Why, murder of course. [turns, walking towards work table] Plowing up a field of beautiful wild flowers [brief smash cut to the Dent/Wayne headline] for that silly penitentiary of his. [Ivy walks up to her Wild Thorny Roses] This little rose would be extinct today [sniffs and nuzzles them] if I hadn't saved my precious from those [loving, tender face contorts into a malicious glare] horrible bulldozers! [turns to Batman, dramatically raising her hands as she yells] The blood of those flowers are on his hands! [grits her teeth, balling her fists while angrily grunting before coming back to her senses, gently sighing as she does a flaunting, pin-up tilt of the hips and fluffs her hair] - Ms. Fanservice:
- Poison Ivy is, as this episode's script described, "a stone-cold knockout. The face, the lips, the eyes, the hair, the figure. A ten on all counts." Her playful flirtiness, breathy voice, racy wardrobe and lip talent further drive this point home.
- The model featured in the Nightshade perfume commercial Alfred pulls up.
- Mythology Gag:
- Mayor Hill's line "Our new district attorney, Harvey Dent", is identical to Mayor Borg's line in the 1989 movie.
- Batman and Poison Ivy's steamy kiss might be a nod to the one they shared in her first '60s comic appearance. In either story Ivy locks lips with him regardless of consent and it's their very first. Silver Age Ivy even used tainted lipstick, although hers was laced with comparatively harmless chloroform.
- When a scene cuts to Bruce in the middle of telling Pamela a humorous story about Harvey, the first line we get is, "You should've seen Harvey's face!"
- Near-Villain Victory: Ivy almost succeeded in murdering Batman but a number of choices ended up shooting her in the foot. Primarily the fact their kiss was far shorter than the snog Harvey received, meaning he probably had a lesser amount of poison in his system, thus was able to keep it together longer. She also might've gotten away with her sly, vampish assassination attempt on Dent had she not tried to plant a big ol' wet one on Bruce, being unaware of who he dresses up as every night.
- Never My Fault: Poison Ivy blames Harvey Dent for the Wild Thorny Rose going extinct because of the construction project he spearheaded. However, Ivy saved one and kept it for years with no one knowing, and all she does with it is use it to make a poison to kill Harvey. If anyone is responsible for the plant's near-extinction, it's her.
- Never Trust a Trailer: The TV commercial for this episode asked if Batman would "fall under Ivy's deadly spell"? Implying that there's a scene of her heavily laying on the charm, seducing him like she did Harvey. While she does exhibit vampish behavior during the first half of their encounter, such as her romantic phrasing ("late night rendezvous"), shoulder massage and their insistent yet passionate kiss soon after, it's less her trying to trick Batman and more just toying with him before he dies. At no point does Batman nearly cave into Poison Ivy's seductive advances as the trailer would have you believe. Closest you come to this is her near kiss whilst he's still Bruce Wayne.
- Noodle Incident: "What has my sweet little flytrap caught this time?" Evidently Batman wasn't it's first prey...
- No Sense of Personal Space: Ivy clearly has none if her initial interactions with Batman are anything to go by. Leaning in close, sensually rubbing his shoulders whilst he's restrained and then, of course, there's their shared smooch afterwards.
- Not Distracted by the Sexy: Poison Ivy's sexy costume and flirty behavior aren't something Batman is too keen to focus on, given his situation. She has her seductive fun with him just the same.
- Not Good with Rejection: Poison Ivy plays with this towards Batman after their kiss, cooing that he "hurt her feelings" by spitting and now won't share the antidote like she was planning to.
- Not So Above It All: The surprised faces Bruce makes when Pamela ambushes Harvey with a deep, romantic smooch and her sultry sashay from the restaurant don't appear to be part of his usual playboy persona acting.
- Not So Stoic: It's rare to see Batman startled, but the vine he used to swing out of Ivy's trapdoor cacti pit suddenly coming alive and wrapping itself around his wrist, revealing sharp, chomping fangs too, does the trick.
- Nothing Personal: Although this is never stated by Poison Ivy, her trying to murder Batman clearly isn't. It's his alter ego Bruce Wayne who’s within her vindictive crosshairs, same as Harvey Dent. Thus, from her POV, Bats just stuck his nose in the wrong place. That said, she still enjoys fatally kissing and then cruelly teasing him over his imminent death, because that's just who she is. Batman wounding her flytrap and accidentally setting the nursery on fire however does make it personal in the end.
- Nothing Up My Sleeve:
- Ivy fetches the rose antidote bottle from her glove.
- Batman later uses a knife stored in his to cut/stab at her flytrap's vines.
- Now or Never Kiss: A villainous example. Batman was about to be consumed by her giant, mutant flytrap until Pam paused things to "set the mood" for their kiss. Obviously she wouldn't have had another chance to enjoy herself at his expense in such a sultry manner.
- Oddly Small Organisation: In this episode, Gotham seems to only employ 10 cops, including Gordon, Bullock and Montoya.
- Oh, Crap!:
- The face Batman makes when the killer flytrap ensnares and then drags him towards it's snapping, fanged maw.
- Poison Ivy, briefly, after Bats suddenly leaps up to kick her down and again when she's almost flattened/burnt by a falling, enflamed tree.
- Parent Service: Nearly everything Poison Ivy says and does is this, with her Supermodel Strut being the most noteworthy.
- Pink Is Erotic: Poison Ivy's tainted lipstick is pink and applying it precedes her passionately making out with Batman.
- Playing Possum: How Batman escapes Pamela's flytrap, pretending to be on the verge of passing out to ambush her with a sudden kick after she gets too close, hooking his legs around the overhead sprinklers, using them as leverage to evade its snapping jaws so he could then finally cut himself free.
- Post-Kiss Catatonia: Harvey is left dazed for a couple seconds after Pamela surprises him with a smoldering kiss.
- Post-Rape Taunt: Played with. More broadly sexual assault than outright rape, but Ivy wastes no time in mockingly laughing at Batman's "fear of cooties" right after she'd forcibly made out with him.
- Properly Paranoid: Isley's cacti pit seems to hint at her anticipating Batman.
- Proud Beauty: Given the upset, insulted face Ivy makes when Batman spits after their hot snog it's clear she isn't accustomed to men having that reaction to getting kissed by her.
- Psychotic Smirk: While Ivy primarily gives sly grins during the greenhouse climax's first half she ends her crocodile tear heavy "sobbing" over Dent with a burst of sinister laughter, it in turn capped off by a wicked/insane smile.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Played with. Again, while categorically speaking what she does hews far closer to broad sexual assault than outright rape, Poison Ivy's actions towards Batman can't help but evoke this. It says so much about Ivy as a person that she decided, on a twisted whim, to murder him with her lips just like she did with Harvey. Only this time the other person's eventual consent isn't a factor at all. At least with Dent there's the revenge justification, demented as it is, in addition to keeping up appearances as his caring sweetheart. Here, she did it purely for pleasure, with Ivy's predatory smile while slinking up to kiss Batman not leaving you to think otherwise.
- Rich Bitch: Downplayed, since she's nowhere near Bruce Wayne's level of wealth, but Pamela isn't in the poorhouse either, given that most people couldn't afford such a massive nursery filled with various, exotic looking plants.
- Running Gag: Twice in the episode, Bullock grabs a donut before leaving for an emergency.
- Sanity Has Advantages: The key to Batman's victory over Ivy, exploiting her insane obsession with plants by threatening to drop her pot of Wild Thorny Roses into the pit he's dangling from unless she surrenders her lipstick antidote. By the time Batman leads them out of the burning greenhouse Pamela is too busy clinging to her flowers, caressing them like a newborn, to care that she's just been apprehended.
- Sealed with a Kiss: A sinisterly subversive application of it. Poison Ivy quotes this directly, stating she did it to Harvey and plans to do it to Batman now too. Normally it's something you hear in a romantic story involving two people in love, kissing to officiate their union. Here Ivy sensually whispers it out as part of a murderous taunt to Batman.Poison Ivy: [as she pulls out her lipstick] So his fate was sealed... [applies her lipstick] With a kiss. [as she slowly approaches the restrained Batman] And now, so is yours.
- Secret Identity: And not just Batman. Since this is her very first appearance the public at large haven't a clue that sweet, charming Dr. Pamela Isley secretly operates as the ruthless eco-terrorist Poison Ivy, let alone said alternate persona even exists. Of course, by the end, Isley's villainous alter ego is brought into the light and she's sentenced to Stonegate Penitentiary.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: Pam's red cocktail dress and Poison Ivy outfit.
- Sexy Silhouette: When we first see Ivy in costume she's shaded, framed from behind, hands on hips, watching Batman struggling with her killer flytrap.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Downplayed example. Batman never says anything as Poison Ivy saunters towards him, but his defiant grunting is quickly silenced by her capturing his lips for a deep, sultry kiss.
- Slip into Something More Comfortable: Although the line itself is never spoken by Ivy, the way she slinks behind her modesty screen to undress then slips into her Poison Ivy costume upon noticing Batman's nightly intrusion evokes this.
- Smug Smiler: Poison Ivy during the climax's first half, especially after she forcibly makes out with Batman, grinning conceitedly as she pulls away from him, satisfied by their deep kiss, secure in the knowledge he's going to die, before Batman triggers her Villainous Breakdown. Her sly confidence dissolves away completely upon getting kicked to the face and made to watch her flytrap bleed after Bats cuts himself loose.
- Smug Snake: Ivy behaves so arrogantly during the greenhouse climax's first half, convinced she'll not only get away with assassinating Harvey but also eliminate a nosy Batman too, with no one else ever learning about either.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Poison Ivy maintains a sensuous, breathy tone throughout most of her and Batman's "late night rendezvous" as she goes about discussing Harvey's assassination and then informing Bats that he too is about to be given the same treatment.
- Space Whale Aesop: If you go to confront somebody who uses Drugged Lipstick as their primary murder tool ensure they can't make contact with your lips, just in case they're able to place you in a comprised position where you're unable to resist them kissing you, something Batman learns during his greenhouse ordeal, underestimating Ivy nearly getting him killed.
- Spit Take: Bruce's reaction to learning about the Fourth-Date Marriage above.
- Stalker Shot: Our first scenes with who, we'll later learn, is Poison Ivy. She appears in this episode's opening, scooping up a specimen of the Wild Thorny Rose from atop a hill which overlooks Harvey Dent's platformed speech on Stonegate Penitentiary, slinking off as he starts. Next we see she's tapped a headline of him and Bruce Wayne to her greenhouse wall. Neither scene reveals her face.
- Stalker without a Crush: Ivy kept a Wayne/Dent penitentiary headline hung up in her greenhouse for 5 years before seeking out and seducing Harvey.
- Stock Sound Effects: The toothy ended tendrils of Pam's flytrap sound like timber wolves, the main body roars like a lion and it makes a few elephant noises after Batman cuts it.
- Supermodel Strut: The scene with Pam's hip-swaying walk out of the restaurant (in a red dress inspired by Jessica Rabbit), which catches the eyes of several men. Trivia note: It had to be re-animated in America (specifically by Chen-Yi Chang) because Sunrise couldn't quite get the sexiness right.
- Sure, Let's Go with That:Escaped convict: [being taken by the police] B-b-big wings!
Renee Montoya: Yeah, yeah. Big wings. Move it along, pal. - "Take That!" Kiss: After Poison Ivy finishes explaining her motive for poisoning Harvey to Batman, she forces a kiss on Batman after applying the same poisoned lipstick she used on Harvey while he is restrained to "seal his fate with a kiss". After she breaks their kiss, she taunts Batman when he tries to spit out the poison by mockingly asking him if he is afraid she has cooties.
- The Tease: A certain, seductive redhead.
- Ivy toys with Batman a little bit while trying to kill him, treating his nighttime arrival as though he were a gentleman caller she's all too happy to flirt with and steal a kiss from.
- Her stringing along Harvey for a week, making him fall hard for her, before "sealing his fate."
- Tentacle Rope: How Ivy's giant flytrap ensnares Batman, coiling several around his wrists and abdomen.
- Tonight, Someone Kisses: The promo for this episode opens with Pamela and Harvey's kiss.
- Too Good to Be True: Pamela Isley seems like the perfect, loving sweetheart any man would be lucky to have in their life. As we learn however, Pam's loving behavior is anything but genuine.
- Trap Door: Poison Ivy's greenhouse is outfitted with one. Along the stoney pathway, right near her boudoir section. Underneath lies a pit of jumbo, mutant cacti with razor sharp, twitching quills.
- Trap-Door Fail: Before Batman winds up skewered on the cacti quills below he grabs onto a nearby vine, swinging himself to safety. Unfortunately, the vine comes alive and constricts around his wrist.
- Trespassing to Talk: Batman infiltrating Pamela's private greenhouse, aiming to get the antidote and answers results in him winding up in the tight embrace of her overgrown flytrap. Isley after, changing for the evening, slinks out to flirtatiously greet her (seemingly) pacified intruder, whereupon they converse about Harvey Dent, why she saw fit to poison him.
- Troubled Fetal Position: Ivy huddles herself in one and nervously rocks back-and-forth on the bed of her cell as she asserts to her rose that she'll be back.
- Ungrateful Bitch: As her greenhouse erupts into flames Ivy tries fleeing with her roses in tow only to be blocked by burning debris and then nearly gets struck by a falling tree that'd caught on fire. Batman pushes her out of the way in time, saving her. Unfortunately for him, this doesn't quell her murderous rage.Poison Ivy: [aims her crossbow at Batman as he dangles from the cacti pit's ledge] Enjoy extinction, Batman!
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Pamela's serenely calm reaction to seeing Batman entangled in her giant, killer flytrap's many vines, offering the playfully sultry commentary that's he's "a little big for a fly" gives you the sense this isn't the first time she's had some unfortunate "guest" in that greenhouse.
- Vagina Dentata: The commentary on the DVD confirms that Ivy's monster plant is meant to resemble part of the female anatomy. Or rather, it wasn't originally, but they noticed the similarity and ran with it.
- The Vamp: Three guesses who.
- Victoria's Secret Compartment: Poison Ivy pulls out her poison lipstick from the cleavage of her costume. A detail you won't necessarily pick up without pausing.
- Villainous Breakdown:
- Poison Ivy after Batman cuts himself free from her flytrap. She stops her teasing and flirting and starts screaming at Batman, calling him a "murderer" and trying to kill him herself with her wrist-mounted crossbow.
- She has a smaller one during her Motive Rant before fluffing her hair with a sigh.
- Villainous Crush: Implied. Poison Ivy's efforts to coyly reveal herself to Batman and caress his shoulders, while par for the course in Femme Fatale etiquette, can't help but also come across as signs of infatuation. Her unfazed/amused reaction to his arrival makes it seem like not only was it expected but that she looked forward to it. To say nothing of how passionately Ivy kisses him, moreso than her previous lip lock with Harvey.
- Villainous Face Hold:
- When Poison Ivy approaches Batman to kiss him she lays one hand on his face whilst snaking the other around his neck, using that to pull him in close to her waiting, puckered lips, as well as deepen their smooch halfway through.
- Her earlier kiss with Harvey went similarly, minus the flytrap bondage.
- Villainous Rescue: Subverted. Ivy hitting the overhead lights and monologuing about why Harvey had to pay (temporarily) halts her mutant flytrap's midnight Bat snack, but ultimately it's just buildup to her giving Batman a final kiss.
- Vine Tentacles: Ivy's plant monster has several, which it uses to restrain Batman for her and hold his head steady so he can't resist a Forceful Kiss from her.
- Wait for Your Date:
- If we choose to relax the definition of "date" for Batman and Poison Ivy's encounter in her greenhouse, then she takes her time slipping into her sexy costume, storing her special lipstick for later, hitting the lights and making a sensual, teasing show of revealing herself to Batman, who'd been kept occupied "playing" with a very grabby, very hungry pet flytrap.
- Another variant of this happened earlier when she and Harvey were waiting for Bruce at the Rose Cafe, which you could call "waiting for the third wheel."
