Back to the Future Animated Series Dailymotion

"It's Never As well Late" is the sixth episode of Batman: The Animated Series . It originally aired on September 10, 1992. It depicts the climax of a long, gang war between rival Gotham City bosses Arnold Stromwell and Rupert Thorne. Sensing an opportunity to resolve it peacefully, Batman attempts to convince Stromwell to retire.

1 Plot
2 Continuity
3 Background information
iv Cast
- iv.1 Uncredited appearances
5 Quotes

Plot

Human action 1

In his estate, Arnold Stromwell, Gotham'south reigning just crumbling crime boss, is watching the news. The lead item is the worsening conflict between himself and upcoming boss Rupert Thorne. That much he knows, but he has other concerns regarding his son Joey, who has been missing for days. He and his son were estranged, but Stromwell is convinced that Thorne is behind this and orders his men to ready a coming together with him.

Batman, disguised as a hobo, is eavesdropping on Thorne, who plots to assassinate Stromwell later receiving his message.

A young Arnold Stromwell just manages to spring away from an oncoming train.

On the way to the meeting, Stromwell passes an old rail m, and has a flashback:

Two young boys, Arnie and Michael, are arguing on their fashion abode. Arnie has stolen a scattering of candy and is offering one-half to Michael, who refuses to have any. Arnie swears that one solar day he volition ain Gotham. Merely every bit they walk habitation, a railroad train roars upwards the tracks at the boys. Michael dives out of the style, only Arnie'south shoe is stuck. He manages to free himself and leap onto the neighbouring track in fourth dimension, but is immediately faced with another approaching train and freezes in fear...

Shaking off the memory, Stromwell enters a cafeteria controlled by Thorne for the meeting.

Elsewhere, Batman approaches an elderly priest and asks for his help. With a sigh, the priest says that Arnold Stromwell is someone he wish he could let get. All the same, Batman encourages him to help.

At the deli, Thorne acts affable, but Stromwell seizes him and demands to know where his son is. Seeming genuinely surprised, Thorne swears he had null to do with Joey's disappearance. Calming down, Stromwell accepts Thorne'southward invitation to sit—then realizes he has been set up as Thorne and the deli owner run out the back. A flop within the cafeteria explodes.

Stromwell is escorted to his ill son by Batman.

Act two

Stromwell has been saved by Batman, who asks him to surrender his criminal ways and turn state's bear witness. Stromwell acts defiant, but Batman decides to take him on a "tour".

As the police investigate the bombing, a hobo comes forward and states that he saw Batman save Stromwell. Ane of Thorne'due south thugs overhears this and informs Thorne. Fearing that Stromwell will be persuaded to bear witness confronting all of his associates, Thorne orders a manhunt for Batman and Stromwell.

The first place Batman takes Stromwell to is his quondam neighborhood, where he started his career equally an ordinary drug peddler, working from distribution to manufacture. So Batman takes him to Sunrise Foundation, a drug rehabilitation centre. Inside, Stromwell is shocked to find his estranged wife, Connie, who is attention to Joey, suffering from severe drug withdrawal pains. Stromwell rages, only is brought up short when Connie says that it was ane of his ain dealers who got Joey fond, and it was Batman who rescued him and alerted her.

Appearing contrite, Stromwell agrees to hand over files incriminating himself and Thorne to Batman. Merely at the empty role he leads Batman to, Stromwell slips him a stack of dummy files, and uses his distraction to grab a gun, saying he won't get down and so easily. Once he'due south finished with Thorne, he'll "rescue" Joey from the rehab heart. Then they are both attacked past Thorne and his gang.

Human action iii

Batman subdues Thorne'southward thugs, while Stromwell flees, with Thorne himself in pursuit. As Stromwell runs, he finds himself back at the old rail yard, and remembers the remainder of the flashback:

Simply earlier the train hits, Arnie manages to become his shoe free, and stumbles out of the manner—straight onto the next track as a second railroad train is bearing down on him. Michael pushes Arnie out of the way, and the train roars over him, Arnie screaming "Michael! Michael... !".

Arnold Stromwell breaks into tears beingness reunited with his brother.

Stromwell collapses, sobbing "Michael... Michael...". A voice answers, "I'm here, Arnie". The old priest steps into the low-cal, Father Michael Stromwell. He wasn't killed, but lost a leg, something for which Arnold never forgave himself. Out of guilt, he angrily rejects Michael'south offer of aid, only to be reminded of the current dismal state of his life: his family unit is broken, his son is gravely ill, his empire is crumbling, and his enemies are closing in. Michael appeals to Stromwell, asking him to do the correct thing, for his family unit and for himself. Stromwell hugs his blood brother, sobbing.

Thorne suddenly appears with a gun, ready to impale them both, but Batman arrives just in time to subdue him. The police arrive on the scene and Stromwell prepares to give them a statement as Batman slips away into the night.

Continuity

Stromwell obviously makes skilful on his hope to retire, since after this episode Thorne is Gotham's reigning criminal offence dominate.
Stromwell appears only again in the series, in "Robin'due south Reckoning", in flashbacks that take identify before the events of this episode.

Background information

Home video releases

Production inconsistencies

In the news report, Commissioner is misspelled "commisioner".
Rupert Thorne'southward eyebrows are black, but toward the end of this episode in that location is a closeup of his face up and his eyebrows are as white equally his pilus.

Trivia

There is some similarity between this episode and the stories of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and the moving picture "It'southward A Wonderful Life", with Batman interim every bit an "angel" showing a human being familiar places, and jogging memories of his by life in an effort to modify his mind. Information technology also seems to depict from Angels With Dirty Faces , about a gangster and a priest who were best friends in babyhood but then institute themselves on opposite sides.

Bandage

Actor	Role
Kevin Conroy	Bruce Wayne/Batman
Robert Costanzo	Harvey Bullock
Bob Hastings	James Gordon
Townsend Coleman	Chick
Paul Dooley	Father Michael
Jeff Doucette	Gabe
Linda Gary	Constance Blaine
Katherine Helmond	Connie Stromwell
Peter Jason	Mason
Alan Roberts	Young Arnold
Eugene Roche	Arnold Stromwell
John Vernon	Rupert Thorne
Josh Weiner	Young Michael

Uncredited appearances

Quotes

Michael: Arnold? That's one soul I wish I could give up on.

Arnold: I don't need your help!
Michael: Is that a fact? An empire crumbling? A matrimony shattered? A son lost? Sure, you're doing fine.

Arnold: Stay away, Michael! The last time you lot tried to help me, you lost your leg!
Michael: Oh, I go past... (taps his leg) Knock on forest.

Arnold: Y'all knew I was no good, Mike. Why did y'all salvage me?
Michael: Arnie, what else could I do?