Review: Beware the Batman "Allies"

Hi, status quo that we were promised! Glad you could make it.

Plot
The title “Allies” applies equally to Katana, and to Gordon, which works well, as the episode builds on both relationships. Last episode, the Bat-Family began. This episode, Gordon and Batman form an alliance. It took a few episodes to get to it, but this is where the familair elements as we know them start to take form.

Characters
Batman
His "my way or the highway" attitude makes sense. Just look at the way he overprotects Tatsu with his first outfit choice for her. Look at the way he demands she follow his lead.

If the past few episodes have taught Batman anything, it's that when secrets are kept from him, he loses. If Katana hadn't hidden the Soultaker Sword from him, he never would have let the events of the last episode happen.

Batman demands obedience... but we can see right away that that's not happening.

Tatsu Katana
She adapted really well to finding out her boss was Batman.

Here's a problem, though.

The League of Assassins knows that Katana works for Bruce Wayne. And Katana's keeping her codename so the League will know it's her coming after them. What's stopping the League from putting two and two together and arriving at "Bruce Wayne is Batman"?

Phosphorus Rex
He doesn't really have any growth. This isn't his episode. But he's a nice addition to the rogue's gallery as a hired goon.

Lt. Gordon
With no one else to turn to, Gordon turns to the only man in Gotham who's never betrayed him in the end. And he has to repay that kindness by betraying Batman. There's a trust here that's built genuinely, unlike some versions where Gordon implicitly trusts Batman from the start, for some reason.

Barbara Gordon
Psyched as all get-out to meet her hero. Can you imagine if she actually teamed up with him and Katana? But that'll never happen....

Animation 
Good as ever, especially the flame effects. Except for Rex's face flames. Those were... off, but I don't know exactly why.

This was a good episode that moved the whole series forward. Next episode, we move backwards. Yep, the Ion Cortex is back. ...dang it.