Red Claw (Batman)
| Red Claw | |
|---|---|
|
Red Claw as depicted in Batman: The Animated Series | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Batman: The Animated Series, episode The Cat and the Claw |
| Created by |
Sean Catherine Derek Laren Bright |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Unknown |
| Team affiliations | Red Claw (organization) |
| Notable aliases | none |
| Abilities | Agility; Martial arts master; Peak human physical condition |
Red Claw is a fictional character, an enemy of Batman, making her debut in Batman: The Animated Series and appearing in three episodes of the show. In her appearances, she is voiced by Kate Mulgrew.
Fictional character biography
The Cat and the Claw (Part I)
In her first appearance in the series, Red Claw is revealed to be the enigmatic leader of an international terrorist organization named Red Claw, and also known as the "most ruthless terrorist alive", in Commissioner Gordon's words. Working with the company 'Multigon", Red Claw plans to buy a wildlife resort under the pretense of opening a hotel, to plant a plague virus and use it to blackmail Gotham City unless she is paid $1 billion in gold bullion (although she plans to release the plague even if she receives the money). However, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne are also trying to buy the land as a mountain lion resort, prompting Red Claw to order Kyle stalked until the right moment to assassinate her. Later on, during a meeting, Red Claw and her minions discover Kyle, as Catwoman, looking through secret files regarding their plans, and they open fire, although Catwoman escapes with her life thanks to Batman's timely intervention. The same night, one of Red Claw's men stalks Kyle home, and discovers that Catwoman and Selina Kyle are one and the same.
The Cat and the Claw (Part II)
Red Claw and her men attack a military train on which the plague is being transported and guarded. This leads to her first encounter with Batman, who defeats her men and unwillingly allows Red Claw to escape in a helicopter after she threatens to release the virus, even though this will kill her as well. This is also where Batman discovers that Red Claw is actually a woman as opposed to a man, and relays the news to Commissioner Gordon.
Red Claw also sends her minions to kill Selina and her secretary, Maven, in Selena's apartment. Bruce Wayne is taking Selena on a date and foils assassins who try to ram Wayne’s car. That night Batman saves Maven and learns from her that Catwoman has gone to the Multigon site, where Red Claw is hiding.
Later that night, at the Multigon site, one of Red Claws guards walks past a hidden Catwoman and is quickly yanked behind a bush with Catwoman's whip. He is then seen, getting hogtied by Catwoman. She has also gagged his mouth with a red bandana. She leaves the guard tied up with a mountain lion nearby and sneaks in through the vent leading into the Multigon site. She takes several photos inside of the operation util she get caught by two more of Red Claws men. Batman, sneaks behind them and knocks them out only to help Catwoman.
Batman and Catwoman infiltrate the hideout, but Red Claw manages to capture them and tie them in a room filled with explosives. Here, she explains her true motives: to trick Gotham into believing that she is going to set a deadly plague on them if the city does not pay her ransom. She then tells Batman that she going to release the plague in the room with him and Catwoman, the blackmail threat will be for a placebo, and attempts to do so by using acid that will eat through the container that holds the plague in about two minutes. Red Claw leaves them to die, but they escape when Catwoman uses her claws to cut through the ropes that bound her and Batman. Then, after sending Catwoman on her way to safety, Batman pours gas all over the secret bunker at the Multigon site and sets it on fire, thus destroying the plague. Red Claw is about to escape in her helicopter when she sees the blast. A few seconds later the Gotham police arrive after being tipped off by Batman.
Outraged, Red Claw goes after Catwoman, and in the ensuing fight, gains the upper hand — only to lose when a nearby mountain lion pounces on her.
The Lion and the Unicorn
Red Claw resurfaces again in the final episode of the series, this time to cause trouble for Batman himself by abducting his butler Alfred Pennyworth and his former colleague Frederick (a caricature of David Niven) upon learning that they are the only two former members of the British Secret Service who know the full code to a missile capable of turning an entire city into rubble. Red Claw has her men abduct them and take them to her new hideout in a castle in Western Scotland, with the plan to blackmail England with the missile unless she is paid five billion pounds. Batman and Robin travel to Scotland and find Red Claw's hideout, where they manage to defeat Red Claw's men just as she learns the firing code from Alfred via a truth serum.
Batman hurries to the Batwing and chases the missile, determining to destroy it before it hits Trafalgar Square. Red Claw knocks Robin out and manages to climb into the Batwing before it takes off, resulting in another fight between Batman and Red Claw in which Red Claw pulls Batman's mask off by accident. Infuriated, Batman ejects the passenger seat in which Red Claw was sitting, and she is launched out of the Batwing and lands in the River Thames (presumably before she could see his face).