Batman Beyond serves as a continuation of the Batman: The Animated Series, co-created by Bruce Timm. One of the aspects carried forward in the series is the enmity between the caped crusader and the clown prince of crime. The series is set in the far future and follows Bruce Wayne’s protege, Terry McGinnis, as he takes on the mantle of Batman.
Despite its futuristic setting, the series lacks one common technology that has become an indispensable part of modern society. High-tech smartphones are noticeably absent from the animated series, and a new fan theory explains how Batman and Joker’s long-standing feud might be responsible for the same.
Batman Beyond Theory Explains Absence of High-Tech Phones in Neo Gotham
In Batman Beyond, Bruce Wayne is retired as Batman with Terry McGinnis taking over the responsibility of protecting Neo Gotham. The series takes place in the future, around the year 2039, and features a futuristic makeover of the gothic and retro Gotham City from Batman: The Animated Series. However, despite being set in the future the series has an evident lack of smartphones.
According to a Reddit user, the Joker is allegedly responsible for the lack of technological development when it comes to smartphones in Neo Gotham. The user posted online that the Joker’s actions in the Justice League animated series had a direct impact on people’s perception of mobile phones.
In the two-part second season episode, titled Wild Cards, the Joker resurfaces and takes over TV stations in Las Vegas. He announces that he planted bombs in several spots of the city, which will detonate unless Batman and the Justice League intervene. The event is witnessed by millions of viewers across the world and the user theorized that this event is directly connected to Batman Beyond.
The Joker Is Responsible For the Paranoia Around High-Tech Phones in Batman Beyond
According to the Reddit user, the Joker attempts to commit mass murder on live television, which would have been enough to drive people insane. Moreover, the Joker was able to broadcast his plan all over the world, creating mass hysteria and panic with regard to technology capable of recording videos.
The Joker’s TV station takeover takes place roughly around the year 2000 when cell phones were not predominant in the real world. As a result, in the DCAU, the Joker’s actions might have created paranoia surrounding high-tech devices that can record videos and share them across the world. Therefore, the technology of mobile phones never progressed the same way it did in the real world.
The aforementioned episode also introduces Joker’s Royal Flush Gang, who are also prominent in Batman Beyond. As a result, it can be argued that the theory holds some weight. However, the simpler explanation for the absence of high-tech smartphones in Neo Gotham is likely because Batman Beyond ran from 1999 to 2001.
At the time, mobile phones were relatively new and there was no evidence to suggest how their technology would develop and become an indispensable part of our lives. Therefore, the makers likely kept the use of mobile phones minimal despite the futuristic setting of the series. Nonetheless, the theory provides a compelling in-universe reason for the absence of smartphones in Batman Beyond.
Batman Beyond is streaming on Max.
