In this column, we look at two pop-cultural interpretations of ubiquitous Weird legends as portrayed by two narrative television programs… like how Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Rupert Giles and Inspector Gadget’s Penny would both be nothing without magic books. But with monsters. Enjoy.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Episode 1×13, “Tale of the Pinball Wizard”

And

Batman: the Animated Series, Episode 1×45, “What is Reality?”

Every major technological trend or development is always addressed by pop culture with a movie or show that illustrates the breakthrough’s potential for wild mass homicide. What if a VHS tape… were haunted? What if your cell phone… were haunted? What if the Internet… were haunted? The stereotype is that all of these sorts of properties emerge from Japan – after all, my above examples come from The Ring, One Missed Call and Pulse, all American re-makes of popular Japanese horror films. But one really only need to look back as far as the early ‘90s to find a time when North America was just as obsessed with fashioning some sort of fiber optic bogeyman (e.g., films like The Net and Lawnmower Man) with which to sop up all the technophobic cold sweat breaking out over things like the Internet and the promise of virtual reality. The root of this fear stems from people’s inability to comprehend exactly how invisible information is stored, transmitted and received, and their dread that individuals who do understand, or ghosts, who are also invisible and are, therefore, somehow viewed as computer compatible, can take advantage of that mystery to exploit society’s reliance on technology.

Batman: The Animated Series and Are You Afraid of the Dark? both crafted technology-centered episodes, specifically predicated upon the largely parental fear of addictive escapism in the form of video games. The episodes were released only one year apart (Tale of the Pinball Wizard in 1991 and What is Reality? in 1992), and each seeks to address the ubiquitous modern concern that people are using electronic entertainments to escape their actual lives by entering false realities that they either command or are able to conquer. One of these episodes comes down firmly on the side of irrational parents, engaging in lengthy finger wagging session that lays out the addictive nature of gaming and the ultimate physical price that comes with it. The other episode is, thankfully, a staunch defender of kids, recognizing that, while it’s true that people can’t occupy a world that they control, and shouldn’t try to, they can still embrace the fact that, ultimately, they have complete control over themselves.

In “The Tale of the Pinball Wizard,” adolescent pinball obsessive Ross Campbell, while trying to talk his way into a job at the local arcade, volunteers to watch the place while the creepy proprietor eats lunch. The proprietor agrees, with the condition that Ross doesn’t touch the awesome-but-broken pinball machine that’s stored in the back room. Ross agrees, but of course plays the game, which turns the mall into a living version of the game story, a medieval quest, which Ross must finish to escape. Upon completing the quest, however, Ross discovers that he’s not in the mall after all, but actually trapped inside the machine. The proprietor laughs at him through the glass.

In “What is Reality?,” Edward Nigma, in a plot to erase all records of himself and transform his Riddler alter-ego into a wholly digital miscreant, hacks into the stock market to lure Commissioner Gordon into virtual reality. Nigma then proceeds to hold Gordon’s mind hostage in the program, both to keep the police busy while he destroys the hard copies of his identity records and to lure Batman into the same virtual prison where Gordon is being held. Once Batman enters the program, Nigma presents him with a number of virtual riddles, including a giant chess game. Batman generates an army of Batmen to destroy the program after realizing that, even in the simulation, he still controls his own mind. Later, they discover that The Riddler has lost his mind after losing himself in his own virtual universe.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? is very clearly attempting to deliver a stereotypical polemic about the dangers of excessive video gaming. What’s interesting about the episode is that, in typical ‘80s drug PSA fashion, Ross is never actually given the opportunity to apply the lesson in his life, as his pathological playing immediately has ridiculous, irreversible consequences. Rather than, say, Ross falling asleep and dreaming that he’s in the universe of his pinball game and then slowly coming to realize that the game is only fun in the context of real life, and that the moment the game becomes a lifestyle it’s no longer a game, then waking up and opting go play Frisbee or smell a flower, the show completes its totally valid, if condescending and out-and-touch, lesson using a fairy tale scare tactic: “You want to live a life of pinball? Well, now you will… because you’re shrunk down and actually physically trapped inside the machine!”

In Batman: The Animated Series, although Nigma essentially suffers the same fate as Ross when he completely loses his mind to the virtual world, he doesn’t die… or get physically transplanted into the computer and have to run around getting electrocuted by micro-chips or something. In fact, the entire episode is more balanced, doling out a comprehensive admonishment while still showing faith in people to engage responsibly with escapism. The Riddler’s creation of his own virtual world and attempt to exact omnipotent control over it is foiled by Batman’s freedom of will, which also saves Batman from extended imprisonment in the digital realm. This is wonderful because it not only demonstrates that the only absolute control a person has is over their own actions, but also shows the implications of that reality in practice. The Riddler’s downfall comes in attempting total sway over the manufactured universe around him. Meanwhile, Batman only defeats Nigma upon the realization that even if, in virtual reality, Nigma is able to determine the conditions of the surroundings, Batman still has agency to control his own butt-kicking actions, which throws the Riddler off, causing him to lose what little control he actually has.

(Unfortunately, the portrayal of the VR realm is so ridiculously devoid of any technical realism, trying to coax a definitive technology-specific message out of the episode is nearly impossible, although bughouse insane computer world probably resonated with kids a bit better than pinball land.)

Applause to Batman: The Animated Series for offering a broad life lesson that both addresses parents’ fears, while also reminding kids that their brains are powerful, their wills are strong, video games can still be fun and even if they did control Mario World, Mega Man could still bust in and start killing Yoshis. Boo to Are You Afraid of the Dark? for saying that video games are bad and that if you get addicted to playing Mario, a live piranha plant will actually set you on fire.

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