The late Kevin Conroy played the Dark Knight for the better part of 30 years, far beyond his iconic portrayal in Batman: The Animated Series. That included video games and animated features, as well as regular appearances in a plethora of superhero series. He was uniformly brilliant, regardless of the requirements for the project in question. His sheer versatility as the Caped Crusader helped make him a beloved icon, frequently cited as the best embodiment of the character amid a crowded field.
Yet for all that variety, he never made bones about which of his Batman performances was his favorite. Naturally, it came in Batman: The Animated Series. Conroy cited Season 1, Episode 26, "Perchance to Dream" as his personal high point on many occasions, including in a 2014 interview with CBR. It's not hard to see why he liked this episode so much. In fact, it still ranks as the best performance in his very long association with the character.
What Batman's 'Perchance to Dream' Was About
"Perchance to Dream" opened with Batman in pursuit of fleeing criminals, whom he chases into an abandoned warehouse. He was taken by surprise as an object slams over his head... only to awaken back at Wayne Manor with Alfred bringing him his morning coffee. The world around him had changed -- seemingly for the better. His parents never died and still lived in the mansion with him. He held an important position at Wayne Enterprises and was getting ready to marry Selina Kyle, who apparently never became Catwoman. There was even another Batman out in Gotham fighting crime so that he didn't have to.
Naturally, this wonderful life was all an illusion. The villainous Mad Hatter had placed him in a device that made his fondest dreams come true, but rendered him catatonic in the real world and thus out of the supervillain's hair. A few key details tipped Bruce off that this world wasn't real, such as printed words turning to gibberish when he tried to read them. He therefore found himself unable to live a lie, however beautiful it was. He broke free from the device and dispatched the Mad Hatter back in reality, but it was clear that the incident had an impact on his psyche.
Why 'Perchance to Dream' Is Kevin Conroy's Best Performance
Conroy cited the episode as a favorite in part because it allowed him show off multiple sides to the character. That included four distinct personalities: Batman, Bruce Wayne living through the dream reality, Bruce's seemingly alive father Thomas Wayne and the "Batman" of the dream world, who turned out to be the Mad Hatter in disguise. "Perchance to Dream" was an exemplary highlight of Conroy's technical skills as an actor, because he made each figure distinct solely by the sound of his voice.
But the performance was more than a mere technical flourish. It revealed Bruce at his most vulnerable, even as the episode gave him everything he ever wanted. His natural suspicion at the dream world eventually gave way to relief when he set down his burden for the briefest of moments and enjoyed a carefree life that might have been. Yet the lingering clues eventually pulled him away from the dream -- and that wounded Bruce more than he lets on. There was a sense of tragedy at the end as his darker, lonelier reality as Batman returned to claim him.
The Animated Series routinely found clever ways to reveal Bruce Wayne's psychological wounds in a family-friendly manner, but it's Conroy who really sold that damage. All of Bruce's emotions were open and clear in the performance, letting audiences share his suspicions, his joys, and ultimately his weary acceptance of a much less happy life. Conroy was never more heartfelt in the part than he was in "Perchance to Dream," which was a high point in a truly legendary career.