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In Over the Edge, one of the most highly regarded episodes of The New Batman Adventures, Batgirl is forced to confront a nightmare where everything falls apart. Her identity is revealed, Commissioner Gordon turns against Batman, and the entire Batfamily is torn apart.

But none of it actually happens.

This episode uses the Scarecrow’s fear toxin to explore the way we imagine worst-case scenarios, and how often those fears don’t reflect reality.

In this video, I break down:


Why Over the Edge is definitely a Batgirl story, despite her limited screen time
How the episode reveals Barbara Gordon’s perspective on Batman, Gordon, and the Batfamily
The meaning behind Commissioner Gordon’s decision at the end of the episode
Why fear feels logical, especially when it’s wrong


This episode is a character study, a moral argument, and one of the most effective explorations of fear in the DC Animated Universe.

If you’ve ever imagined the worst possible outcome, and believed it was inevitable, this episode has something to say about that.