By Drew Dietsch
| Published
Batman: The Animated Series is the best iteration of the character in any medium, whether it’s comics, movies, television, radio, you name it. This series is an indelible and persistent entry in the history of the Caped Crusader. Over the course of its 85 episodes, it cemented a version of Batman and his world that stands the test of time. There are plenty of good and outright great episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, but one that stands out and above the pack has got to be “His Silicon Soul”, a story that spun out of a previous two-parter that gave Batman: The Animated Series a sci-fi story unlike anything else in the series.
Heart Of Steel
The story of “His Silicon Soul” actually starts in the two-part episode “Heart of Steel”. An evil artificial intelligence named HARDAC (Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Android Computer) begins creating androids called duplicants – a nod to replicants from Blade Runner – in an effort to replace human beings. Naturally, Batman defeats HARDAC and its army of duplicants to save the day.
However, you’ll notice that HARDAC looks oddly like the silhouette of Batman’s cowl. That was intentional as the original script for “Heart of Steel: Part II” ended with a Batman duplicant showing up as HARDAC’s final tool. The original usage of the Batman duplicant was essentially just to have a fight scene. When the producers of Batman: The Animated Series saw this in the script, they immediately recognized that a robot Batman was an episode all on its own. Thus was born “His Silicon Soul”.
His Silicon Soul
”His Silicon Soul” opens with thieves breaking into a warehouse when Batman busts out of a crate. After fighting the thieves, he is injured and it’s revealed he has robotic innards! Believing he is the real Bruce Wayne, Batman returns home and asks for help from Alfred. It’s here that Alfred reveals the idea of duplicants to the robot Batman and he begins investigating his creation and purpose. Once the real Batman catches wind of this, the chase is on as the robot Batman activates his true programming and resurrects the plan to replace humans with duplicants.
However, during a fight in a greenhouse between the two Batmen, the robot saves an innocent man when the greenhouse begins to collapse. It’s here that we start to understand that this Batman duplicant is more human than we might believe. During the final climactic showdown, the real Batman is believed to be dead at the hands of duplicant Batman. And it’s here where “His Silicon Soul” earns its reputation. Even though he has been essentially programmed by HARDAC to destroy humanity, the AI made too good of a copy in Batman. This artificial being believes in the sanctity of life so much that he destroys himself in order to save the people of Gotham City.
It’s a powerful idea that sci-fi often grapples with: what is humanity? What makes us truly human? To see a show that’s ostensibly aimed at kids go into such powerful and difficult subject matter made an impression on me when I was still of single digit age. To this day, the final moments of the duplicant Batman overcome with guilt at the belief that he has taken a life stick with me. “His Silicon Soul” is one of voice actor Kevin Conroy’s best moments in a career overflowing with them.
The idea that Batman: The Animated Series was willing to make an episode like “His Silicon Soul” showcases the incredible depth and variety of stories that show was able to tell within the framework of Batman adventures. To get a legitimate sci-fi tragedy in the midst of classic crime tales is a true treat.
