When Dr Langstrom, a scientist in Wayne's genome division, tests the experimental serum he's been devising on himself, he transforms into the hideous Man-Bat.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Adaptation Dye-Job: While in most incarnations he’s a regular brunette, Kirk Langstrom is albino in this version.
- Adaptational Villainy: Unlike most versions of Langstrom, who have noble intentions when going into their experiments (the Man Bat persona being treated as a Superpowered Evil Side), this Langstrom is trying to intentionally turn himself into a monster.
- Darker and Edgier: This is one of the few episodes of the show to explicitly mention death, as the camera cuts away just as Man Bat is about to kill a goat, and Alfred later admits he killed several more and drained them of their blood. Ethan is almost killed by Man Bat when he gets kidnapped, and Batman explicitly mentions that Langstrom could feed on people.
- For the Evulz: Langstrom wants to become Man-Bat because he wants to feared in Gotham, similar to the Batman, though as an enormous bloodsucking monster instead of a costumed vigilante.
- From a Certain Point of View: Ethan vouches for Bruce that he won't get in the way of the law. Bruce admits that he's helping them which is technically correct since he is helping the law in his own way.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Discussed. When Bruce inquires about Langstrom's interest in Batman, the latter shrugs off that the former shouldn't bother. As far as he's concerned, "a pampered pretty boy" wouldn't understand Langstrom's motivations. Bruce insists he spill the tea anyway.
- Gory Discretion Shot: The scene changes just as Man Bat is about to devour a goat.
- Hidden Depths: Bruce speaks fluent sign language.
- Or finger-spelling, anyway.
- I Have a Family: Langstrom explains that his research is to cure his niece Carly of her deafness. Subverted as she isn't deaf and possibly isn't even his real niece.
- Internal Reveal: Played with. Ethan said that Bruce is Batman as a joke.
- Irony: Langstrom, before his transformation into Man-Bat, mentions to Bruce how he wishes the Batman himself was there to witness it. Langstrom has no idea that the man is talking to actually is Batman.
- Mythology Gag: Langstrom's cover story is that he is working on the formula to cure his niece's deafness, Man Bat's original motivation in the comics.
- Red Herring: In-Universe as Yin believes that Langstrom is Batman.
- Wham Line: Kirk tells Bruce that Batman has inspired him, and he wants to be like Batman. Bruce quizzes if he wants to fight crime. Kirk responds, "No. I want to be feared."
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Yin and Bennett both believe that Langstrom is Batman due the latter researching on bats.
