Batman: The Animated Series (TV Series)

What Is Reality? (1992)

John Glover: The Riddler, Edward Nygma

Photos 

Quotes 

• Edward Nygma : Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no tales.

• Riddler : Only you can put the king in check, vigilante. Move according to the rules, or it's the end of the day.

  [Batman moves to escape from the chess pieces; stepping on a square, he falls through, but catches himself on the edge] 

  Riddler : Wrong move, Batman.

  [he pulls himself up and continues the pursuit] 

  Robin : I got it! They call you the Dark Knight, right? Then you have to move like a knight.

  [watching him move] 

  Robin : That's it. Two up, one across. 'Cause a wrong move means the end of the day, or...

  Batman : Knight fall. Of course.

• Riddler : Welcome to Riddlerville, Batman. Things are a little mixed up here, but I'm sure you can fix that. Your commissioner is contained within this cube. Solve the puzzle, and you gain access.

  Robin : No problemo, Batman. That's a Baxter's box. I can guide you through it in...

  [he screams as a loud buzzer rings in his ear] 

  Riddler : No coaching from the peanut gallery. You have one minute, Batman. Then the clock strikes two.

  Batman : If you can do it, so can I.

  [he turns his fists into mallet heads and begins smashing blocks away] 

  Riddler : I should've known you'd cheat.

• Robin : Sort of like playing a computer game from the inside, isn't it?

  Commissioner Gordon : Amazing. It even feels real.

  Robin : The military's been experimenting with virtual reality for combat simulation.

  Commissioner Gordon : Then what's Nygma doing with it?

  Robin : Nothing now. He can't access this computer; it's not hooked up to a phone line.

  Commissioner Gordon : So why'd he want us to find it?

  Robin : Good question, but there's no way to know 'til I go through all the files. Guess I should get back to work after I grab a snack. You hungry?

  Commissioner Gordon : No, thanks.

  Riddler : Batman's young friend is fairly clever, but he doesn't have all the answers.

• Batman : Another riddle, Nygma?

  Riddler : [coins fall into the change return]  It all makes sense when you add it up.

• Batman : Virtual reality?

  Riddler : Quite so, Batman. And everything your commissioner is experiencing in here seems so real to him, it might as well be real. I'd give his heart about fifteen minutes, at most.

  Robin : He can't be online! I searched through every file!

  Riddler : You searched the software. Had you bothered to examine the hardware, you would have discovered a cordless modem line.

  [Batman moves to unplug it] 

  Riddler : I wouldn't do that, Batman. Disconnecting Gordon would be fatal. The sudden stop would be like slamming into a brick wall at 400 miles an hour. No, if you wish to get Gordon out alive, Batman, you'll have to come in here and get him.

• Riddler : Nice try, Batman, but in my world, you play by my rules.

  Batman : You may control this world, Nygma, but I still control myself.

  Riddler : The name is Riddler. Edward Nygma no longer exists. You might recall that he was once fired by an ungrateful employer. That was a private matter and should've remained one.

  Batman : Attempted homicide is never a private matter, Nygma.

  Riddler : But it would've been if you hadn't interfered and turned Nygma into a fugitive. So I deleted Nygma, just like I'm about to delete you, Batman.

• Riddler : Careful, vigilante. You know what they say: curiosity killed the Bat.