Riddles Return

Riddles Return is the seventh episode of the third season of NBC's The Batman. It first aired on January 31, 2011. It is the thirty-third episode overall.

Synopsis
Riddler takes up Penguin's advice and betrays the Joker. He decides to infiltrate the museum to steal a new imported expensive jewel from Europe. Bruce takes Silver to the museum just in time to be held hostage. Allen returns to Gotham where he has been in a coma for two months and cannot remember anything after being infected with Scarecrow's gas. James tries to leave his insane past behind and go to middle school.

Plot
In the new base, the Joker hears of the large Arkham escape and leaves to kill find Harley. He orders Riddler or Penguin to kill Two-Face. When Penguin refuses, Riddler agrees. The Joker leaves and Penguin reminds Riddler to not follow everything the Joker does. The Riddler leaves the base with a gun to kill his former friend.

Gordon returns home where James asks him when he gets to go back to school. Gordon tells him that his doctor said he has to wait a bit until he is fully back to normal. James insists he is and, though he is worried, Gordon agrees.

Barbara and Dick learn that their Valentine's Dance is coming up in two weeks on Valentine's Day. Barbara hints at Dick actually asking her instead of just assuming but does not specifically say it. Dick does the latter and assumes they are going leading Barbara to make a scene.

Bruce surprises Silver with tickets to see a new diamond being unveiled at Gotham Museum. She is happy but thinks that he is spending too much money on her. He refuses to believe that but she jokes about it.

Allen stumbles into the GCPD where Gordon finds him. Gordon and Basil bring him to the hospital where he can't remember anything except getting gassed with Scarecrow's fear gas and then stumbling into the forest and seeing monsters everywhere around him before passing out. Basil reveals that many things have happened since he went missing. He mentions the explosion that destroyed Gotham, Sarah becoming mayor, Leslie becoming a villain, and Basil becoming Captain of the GCPD.

At Blackgate Penitentiary, guards take Falcone to the exit where he is officially released thanks to Maroni's pay. Falcone is picked up by his mafia and driven back to his mansion.

The Riddler cannot find Two-Face anywhere and thinks about betraying the Joker. He dismisses it at first but then decides to give up his search for Two-Face to steal the diamond being unveiled at the Gotham museum. The Riddler disguises himself and then arrives at the museum with his gun hidden.

James is dropped off at school by his father who tells James that the principal will be there to show him around. James enters the middle school and is shown around by the principal, Brian Keller. He tries to fit in in his classes but to no avail.

Dick tries to understand why Barbara is mad at him but she just keeps asking him to ask her and it will be okay. He is clueless and asks her why she is being like this. Barbara walks into her home and slams the door in his face. He is surprised and leaves. Meanwhile, Bane and Killer Croc attack a man on the streets before Jervis mind controls the man into killing himself. Jervis invites the two men to a "tea party" coming up at the Gotham Political Joining Party in a few days. Bane and Croc are suspicious but agree to show up.

Jonathan Crane returns to his home, unnoticed. He tries to pack up his belongings to leave the city but is seen by a neighbor who begins to call the police. He takes out a gun and shoots the woman who dies immediately. He realizes it is his first actual kill and then hears the voices of her husband and son. He takes his suitcase and backpack and leaves in a hurry.

Bruce and Silver arrive at the museum and are greeted by Fredrick Edgar, the new curator. Bruce has gotten him and Silver the best view in the museum. As the viewers gather around for the unveiling, Edgar is shot by a man in the audience. Bruce finds Riddler in the audience and yells for the audience to get him. The Riddler shoots many others, killing many, and escapes.

James is at school the next day and is still an outcast. A girl is afraid but wants to hang out. He accepts and the two hold hands. At the Gordons' apartment, Barbara opens the door to find Dick there. He tells her that he realized she just wanted him to ask her to the dance. He then takes out a rose and asks her to the dance. She is overwhelmed and accepts. Dick asks if her father is home and after realizing he is not, the two have sex.

Allen is given a badge by Basil and is officially reinstated as a detective. At the mansion, Bruce and Silver return and as Silver is about to leave, Bruce asks her if she wants to stay the night. Silver tells him she though he would never ask and the two make out, as they fall onto the couch, implying they had sex.

The Joker arrives at an apartment building. He goes up to Room 23B and breaks in. He finds Harley, startled.

Starring

 * Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman
 * Alexander Gould as Dick Grayson/Robin
 * Sarah Hyland as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl
 * Zen Gesner as James Gordon
 * Nathan Gamble as James Gordon Jr.
 * Jared Leto as the Joker
 * Brian McManamon as Basil Karlo/Clayface
 * Tom Hardy as Victor Payne/Bane
 * Maggie Geha as Pamela Isely/Poison Ivy
 * Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin
 * Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma/Riddler
 * Zabryna Guevera as Sarah Essen
 * Floriana Lima as Maggie Sawyer
 * Andrew Stewart-Jones as Chris Allen
 * Benedict Samuel as Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter
 * Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow
 * Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc
 * John Doman as Carmine Falcone
 * Nicholas D'Agosto as Harvey Dent/Two-Face
 * Jamie Chung as Vicki Vale
 * David Zayas as Sal Maroni
 * Thomas Haden Church as Cameron van Cleer/Killer Moth
 * Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn

Guest Starring

 * Jonathan Bailey as Fredrick Edgar
 * Seamus Dever as Principal Brian Keller
 * Katie Holmes as Silver St. Cloud

Trivia

 * This episode achieved 12.17 million U.S. live viewers.
 * Maggie Geha, Floriana Lima, Nicholas D'Agsoto, Jamie Chung, David Zayas, and Thomas Haden Church do not appear in this episode as Poison Ivy, Maggie Geha, Harvey Dent, Vicki Vale, Sal Maroni, and Cameron van Cleer.
 * This episode received mixed reviews. It scored a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 57 out of 100 on Metacritic.
 * Guest stars in this episode include Jonathan Bailey, Seamus Dever, and Katie Holmes as Fredrick Edgar, Brian Keller and Silver St. Cloud, respectively.
 * This episode is rated TV-14 for L-V.