1993:
030 2x03 The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy
*First appearance of the Bat-Signal.
The Bat-Signal being introduced feels like a key moment in the DCAU and a good moment to start the year on. It's also important that the Bat-Signal be introduced early in the year, and that it be used several times early in the year to account for it's use and dialogue about it's use in "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm", which itself must be set as early in 1993 as possible. It also feels appropriate to me that the first episode of the year should introduce this key prop, which will be used in the final episode of 1993; bookends are cool.
031 2x10 Heart of Steel, Part I
032 2x11 Heart of Steel, Part II
*H.A.R.D.A.C. introduced.
*Barbara Gordon (the future Batgirl) introduced.
*Karl Rossum introduced.
These episodes introduce several interesting characters and set up many later stories.
The Bat-Signal, which was introduced in the previous installment is used & damaged here.
033 2x15 Moon of the Wolf
*Dr. Milo from 5 episodes previous ("Cat Scratch Fever") appears again here; he returns for a final time in JLU's "The Doomsday Sanction".
This episode's placement here, an episode which doesn't feature The Bat-Signal, allows for the 'off-screen' repair of the device which was damaged in the previous installment, but returns in the next.
034 3x03 Blind as a Bat
*Penguin makes his 2nd appearance.
*Dr. Leslie Thompkins returns.
The Bat-Signal is used.
035 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
*Andrea Beaumont introduced. (She returns briefly in the JLU episode "Epilogue")
*Flashbacks to 1982; less than 11 years before the movie.
The Bat-Signal is used and in dialogue is revealed to have been used at least a few times before:
036 2x12 If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
*Riddler introduced
*Flashbacks to 1991; 2 years before this story.
Daniel Mockridge (who's introduced in this episode), or someone who looks very similar to him can be seen in the party setting of the previous installment. I thought that placing this episode directly after "Mask of the Phantasm" might help strengthen that admittedly tenuous link.
037 1x10 Two-Face, Part I (May 1993)
038 3x28 Deep Freeze
039 2x14 Tyger, Tyger
Selina Kyle returns, having appeared 11 episodes previously (in "Cat Scratch Fever"); she is next seen in "Catwalk".
Dr. Langstrom (last seen in "On Leather Wings") also returns here; he is next seen in "Terror in the Sky".
040 2x01 Eternal Youth
041 2x25 Paging the Crime Doctor
042 2x20 What is Reality?
043 3x18 Catwalk (Penguin is free)
044 1x22 Joker's Favor (Late September 1993 - Joker / Harley free - captured)
045 1x13 I've Got Batman in My Basement
Jay introduced. He later cameos in "Birds of a Feather".
This episode was placed just prior to "I Am the Night" as that episode begins with Batman reading that Penguins presumed conviction after this installment was overturned:
Halloween Flashback - Poison Ivy (from Almost Got 'Im)
046 2x21 I Am the Night (November 1993)
*Barbara Gordon (the future Batgirl) returns here. She was last being seen in "032 2x11 Heart of Steel, Part II".
*Leslie Thomkins
*Judge Vargas Introduced.
*Summer Gleeson
This episode is set on the anniversary of the night that Bruce's parents were murdered. No date is given in the episode, but the series shares some continuity with the first two Tim Burton directed Batman movies, which were themselves inspired to some degree by the graphic novel "The Dark Knight Returns". In that comic Bruce's parents were killed after seeing "The Mark of Zorro" with Tyrone Power which opened in November 1940. We know that the animated version also follows this continuity point to a degree thanks to a flashback in the JLU episode "For the Man Who Has Everything":
I decided to keep that homage intact, but to keep Bruce's age in check I theorized that Bruce's parents took him to see the 30th Anniversary of the film in November of 1970; that's where the November date of this episode springs from.
The episode begins with Batman reading that Penguin's recent conviction has been overturned (see previous episode) and Batman saying that he's tired:
It's possible that Batman isn't just tired of his seemingly pointless life as a crime fighter, but also from his injuries in the previous installment.
Two-Face is referenced in this episode. This might appear to be a break in continuity, yet it's not. It's revealed in "Two-Face, Part II" that he's been committing crimes and is known; he just hasn't been captured at this point.
During Jazzman's incarceration in Stonegate Penitentiary he speaks to another unnamed inmate who bears a striking resemblance to Spider Conway, a character given more development in "Vendetta". I chose to pair the two episodes to help reinforce this tenuous and possibly not intended bit of continuity.
This episode is also a very appropriate 50th DCAU episode as Batman revisits the events that made him Batman in the first place and reanalyzes his continued existence as Batman.
047 1x23 Vendetta
*Killer Croc introduced.
Rupert Thorne
The back-story of Spider Conway who was seen in the previous episode, is explored here.
048 1x11 Two-Face, Part II (November 1993)
Rupert Thorne is arrested here.
We know this episode is set in November and that it's 6 months after Two-Face, Part I (meaning that Part I is set in May):
Bruce's deceased parents cameo in a dream sequence:
049 2x23 The Man Who Killed Batman (Joker / Harley - after Joker's Favor - Joker / Harley free before and after)
Harvey Dent almost recognizes the unmasked Harley Quinn after a similar encounter 5 episodes before this ("Joker's Favor") Joker's origins are at last referenced
Joker's origins are at last referenced:
The Joker & Harley Quinn are not captured during the episode, allowing for the next installment.
050 2x06 The Laughing Fish (Joker / Harley free - Harley captured while Joker escapes)
Harley is captured but Joker escapes, setting up the next installment.
051 3x16 Harlequinade
052 1x24 Fear of Victory
The episode takes place during Football Season:
Joker, Two-Face & Ivy are seen as being kept in Arkham; a story point that ties the
next 2 installments to this one.
053 3x07 Fire From Olympus
Joker, Two-Face & Ivy are seen in Arkham again (just as in the previous episode).
054 1x28 Dreams in Darkness
Scarecrow, this episode's villain, is believed to be in Arkham, which makes sense given his recent appearance in "Fear of Victory"; having "Fire From Olympus" set between that episode and this allows time for Scarecrow to escape and set his new plan in motion.
After Batman deduces that Scarecrow is involved he is faced with a vision of Robin. Batman may have connected the two in his mind as Robin featured in Scarecrow's last appearance.
Two-Face, Ivy & Joker (who appear as hallucinations here) are said to be in Arkham; a nice bit of continuity with the previous 2 episodes.
Penguin also appears as a hallucination, and a possible allusion is made to Clayface.
055 3x06 His Silicon Soul ('months' after 'Heart of Steel, Part II')
056 3x15 The Terrible Trio
057 2x17 Terror in the Sky
058 3x11 A Bullet For Bullock (December 1993 - after Christmas but before New Year's)
This episode is set in the last week of December; between December 25 (Christmas) and December 31 (New Year's Eve).
The Bat Signal, which was introduced in the first episode of this year, is used here; a nice sort of bookend for 1993.