Batman ~ Technically ~ Makes a Cameo Appearance on 'Powerless'

On tonight’s Powerless, there’s an official but deeply unsatisfying Batman cameo.

In the middle of the night, Batman stopped Two-Face from breaking in and stealing Wayne Securities designs. The next morning, Teddy (Danny Pudi) and Ron (Ron Funches) find a stray Batarang in the office amidst the post-fight destruction. They’re delighted with their new memento, but the fun ends abruptly when their boss Van Wayne (Alan Tudyk) notices the Batman artifact.

That’s because he and Batman have a dark and sordid past. On a stormy night years ago, Van was just a man enjoying life while sitting in his Maybach and listening to “Hey Ya.” Van was about to shake it like a Polaroid picture when the Batmobile came out of nowhere and broke the sideveiw mirror while in pursuit of an armed semi-truck. Ever since that night, Van’s been waiting for justice in the form of a $30,000 check, the cost of of fixing his sideview mirror.

When Teddy and Ron point out that Batman has hundreds of Batarangs, and probably won’t come back for this one, Van reminds them all Bat-tech is outfitted with GPS. Of course, Batman’s going to come back for it; he doesn’t want the technology getting out there. The Batarang activates soon afterwards, heralding the arrival of Batman himself.

Van, Ron, and Teddy wait for him later that night, and practice how they’re going to introduce themselves to their hero. Batman never shows, but a wild-haired mugger does. After taking their wallets, the mugger meanders off into the night and the disparaged trio huddle together, wondering if the Batarang is even real. Distracted by their deep fanboy depression, they miss the lasso that incapacitates their mugger. They only turn at the sound of a body dropping, but by then it’s took late — they missed their hero, Batman.

Their consolation prize? The Batarang Teddy was holding had been whisked away and replaced with their stolen wallets. So not only did they technically meet Batman, they got to shake his hand too.

Thought they never laid eyes on Batman, it’ll be a tale they’ll tell till the end of time. But hopefully, the next time Powerless teases out a big cameo like that, they actually follow through. Empty air is charming once, not so much the second and third time around. Just ask the first season of Supergirl.