Episode 2 of Batman: Caped Crusader departs from the series’ main narrative to explore an accidental villain. Here, we get our first real taste of Bruce Wayne, as he and Lucius Fox revisit a possible investment.

Tech company Triad Industries is days away from cementing its new rocket technology featuring the future alternative to fossil fuels: ultrium. With a successful testing trial, the clean and efficient power source can be sold to the public.

The company’s three CEOs — Lydecker, Lawford and Hardwick — are excited to proceed with the rollout, even after the sudden death of Triad scientist, Dr. Roxanna Sutton. But when a string of mysterious incidents at Triad sites look more like deliberate attacks, the Dark Knight questions the company’s motivations.

Sabotage is confirmed when a disguised rocketeer derails a train transporting the precious cargo to the test site. Batman’s brawl with the intruder reveals it to be Dr. Sutton. Very much alive, she informs Batman that her accident was an act of betrayal. When she refused to allow the CEOs to sell her patents to foreign entities, they planted explosives in her home. Roxy plans to foil the test and ruin the company for stealing her life’s work.

A final showdown sees her succeed, but at a mortal cost. Roxy’s final effort plummets Triad into financial ruin with Lydercker, Lawford and Hardwick facing treason charges.

As the episode closes, we see a nefarious man remove Dr. Hugo Strange’s Blockbuster formula used in episode 1. Strange sits bound to a chair laughing hysterically.

“Rocket’s Red Glare” is a modern twist on the DC Comics villain Roxy Rocket. A skilled combatant, mechanic and pilot, Roxy first appeared in the animated series, The New Batman Adventures. A film stunt double whose acts became too costly, Roxy wound up working for The Penguin. Soon, her high-risk antics became synonymous with her criminal exploits.

The writers do a great job of stretching this mere pedestrian sidekick into a formidable, yet tragic foe. Wunmi Mosaku brilliantly brings Roxy to life, conveying her deserved rage with a tempered, sympathetic slant. One can’t help but root for her to succeed.

The series’ handling of multi-layered female characters allows the episode’s exploration of misogynoir feel earned and a part of its overall storytelling. Roxy’s great mind and moral compass were exploited by greed, capitalism and good, old-fashioned sexism. Unfortunately, too many women experience their brilliance co-opted by men to fit the patriarchal narrative. We have seen shades of this treatment with Renee Montoya in season 1. And Harlen Quinzel’s own twisted mind seeks to bend these rules of the land.

While a departure from the explosive premiere episode, “Rocket’s Red Glare” delivers an emotionally heavier experience that sits with viewers long after the credits role.

Rating: 8/10