Across Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, the Caped Crusader encountered a plethora of iconic villains. Some only appeared for a single episode while others became recurring threats for Batman and the Bat-Family to fight.
Who are Batman's biggest repeat offenders across the two series? This is excluding episodes and appearances from Batman Beyond because, although The New Batman Adventures is a new show, it is still a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series.
Mr. Freeze (3 Episodes)
It shows the impact that Mr. Freeze had at the time when he only appears in three episodes yet remains one of the most iconic villains of this universe. It was with the DC Animated Universe that Mr. Freeze was given his darkly tragic revamp that made fans love and feel sorry for the character.
His debut was in the episode "Heart Of Ice", and his final episode would be in Cold Comfort of The New Batman Adventures. Mr. Freeze did get his own movie with Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero though, which shows the legacy and importance of the character.
Clayface (5 Episodes)
Portrayed by none other than Ron Perlman, Clayface was introduced in the two-parter origin story Feat Of Clay. In the DC Animated Universe, Clayface was changed from Basil Karlo to Matt Hagen, with Hagen being a chameleon actor using his face-shaping cream to do jobs for the mob.
An overdose of the cream transforms him into the violent Clayface, who would appear in several more episodes. In The New Batman Adventures, he fights Robin in "Growing Pains" (one of the series best Batman-lite episodes) and then fought Batgirl in "Holiday Knights". Each time, Ron Perlman gives a show-stealing performance.
The Riddler (6 Episodes)
Debuting in "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" the Riddler does not have one of the stronger origin episodes. He's an angry game developer trying to get back at his ex-employer, leading to Batman and Robin just happening to get involved.
However, John Glover's Riddler gradually gets better and better as the series goes on, becoming more of a threat for Batman on a psychological level. Sadly, the Riddler was one of the characters who suffered from a mediocre redesign in The New Batman Adventures.
Scarecrow (8 Episodes)
Scarecrow is a character who went through several redesigns across both shows and different voice actors. Originally, with his debut in "Nothing To Fear," he was voiced by Henry Polic II, but with his revamp in The New Batman Adventures, legendary horror actor Jeffrey Combs took over as the Scarecrow.
Scarecrow began as a more typical crop scarecrow design, then saw an improvement later on in Batman: The Animated Series. However, he changed yet again with The New Batman Adventures, appearing much more monstrous and straight out of a horror movie.
Catwoman (10 Episodes)
Portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau, Catwoman falls into the same trap as she does in the comics; she constantly blurs the line between villain and anti-hero. Even in her debut episode "The Cat & The Claw," Catwoman AKA Selina Kyle both allies herself with Batman but also goes against him.
It's one of DC's most toxic relationships for a reason, but it goes even farther in the DC Animated Universe. When Catwoman returned in The New Batman Adventures, she attempted to seduce Nightwing just out of spite for Bruce, but also to pull off a job.
The Penguin (12 Episodes)
Across both shows, The Penguin has an interesting evolution. He begins as a criminal with an obsession for bird-related crimes but later on, he's less of a criminal and becomes a somewhat legitimate businessman running the Iceberg Lounge.
Of course, it is Oswald Cobblepott, so he does not remain squeaky clean, but there are some episodes where Penguin is nothing more than a host. It's a stark contrast compared to his first episode, "I've Got Batman In My Basement," in which he was ready to kill children to get to Batman.
Two-Face (12 Episodes)
One of the smartest choices the showrunners made was to introduce Harvey Dent as a recurring character. The series showcased Dent as Gotham City's greatest lawyer and a hero alongside Batman before showing him descend into villainy, transforming into the gangster known as Two-Face.
This made the viewers grow to genuinely like Harvey, which makes his change into Two-Face tragic. Richard Moll plays both sides of the character wonderfully, which is likely why Two-Face made so many appearances across both shows, making him one of Batman's biggest rivals.
Harley Quinn (15 Episodes)
One of the most famous Batman: The Animated Series was Harley Quinn. She began as a random henchwoman in "Joker's Favor," but fans loved her so much that she became a recurring character. Over fifteen different appearances, Harley Quinn evolved to get her own tragic backstory and star in episodes of her own.
Episodes such as "Harlequinade" and "Mad Love" perfectly capture the wild yet fun nature of the character that earned her a spot as canon in the DC universe. Now Harley Quinn is the star of three different Hollywood blockbusters, portrayed by Margot Robbie.
Poison Ivy (17 Episodes)
More often than not, Poison Ivy is mainly shown through cameos as one of Arkham Asylum's signature patients. However, she has had plenty of starring roles, such as with her debut in "Pretty Poison" and several others across both Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures.
It's also through her many appearances that fans were introduced to the friendship and romance between Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Across the series, the two femme fatales live and work together, sometimes not even pulling off crimes, but just trying to exist in the dangerous city of Gotham.
The Joker (27 Episodes)
To nobody's surprise, the Joker is the biggest recurring threat for Batman to face. The Joker is famously voiced by Mark Hamill, with many fans considering him the definitive incarnation of the character. Even with his less-than-loved redesign in The New Batman Adventures, the Joker always steals the show.
From "Joker's Favor" to "Joker's Millions," the Joker can even lead entire episodes on his own. The Joker is a great villain because he can be goofy and even a bit likable, then immediately switch to become a horrifying presence.