Music Meister

Music Meister is a fictional character created by Mike Jelenic and James Tucker, appearing in "Mayhem of the Music Meister!", an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Neil Patrick Harris. The character later appeared in the comic book sequel to the series of the same name, published by DC Comics.

Music Meister
Music Meister, as he appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceBatman: The Brave and the Bold
"Mayhem of the Music Meister!"
First comic appearanceBatman: The Brave and the Bold #16 (April 2012)
Created byMichael Jelenic & James Tucker
Voiced byNeil Patrick Harris
In-story information
Alter egoUnknown
SpeciesMetahuman
Abilities
  • Vocal Hypnosis through singing
  • Conductor's baton shoots music sheet-like lasers

The first live-action version of the character appeared in the "Duet" crossover between episodes from Supergirl season 2 and The Flash season 3, played by Darren Criss.

Fictional character biography

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Music Meister, a villain capable of controlling others through song, first appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold's episode "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" voiced by Neil Patrick Harris. In order to hijack a United Nations communications satellite, he induces Black Manta, Gorilla Grodd, Clock King (who are there to steal the satellite themselves), Black Canary, Green Arrow and Aquaman (there to stop the other villains) to commit the crime for him, launching it into space after they install a device inside it. ("I'm The Music Meister") During the song, Music Meister relates his origin:

.Bullies used to pick on me because I sang in Choir.

But something very strange occurred when I kept singing higher.

The ruffians around me quickly fell into a trance.

And it was then with wicked glee I made those puppets dance.

When Batman intervenes, he orders them to attack the hero, which they do in a dance style reminiscent of West Side Story. His plan successful, the Meister escapes by forcing his captives to dance towards the rocket blast, leaving Batman to rescue them rather than apprehend the villain. Meister flees to an empty opera house where, in a reference to Phantom of the Opera, he plays the organ to a cardboard audience. Batman tries to capture him on a cross-town chase, as Meister releases the inmates and villains from Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum. ("Drives Us Bats") Having heard Black Canary sing about her unrequited love for Batman ("If Only"), the Meister falls for her, but not enough to give up villainy. Canary, in turn, firmly rejects him.

Meister manages to capture Black Canary and Batman and puts them in a death trap. ("Death Trap") They escape just as Music Meister uses the satellite to hypnotize the world with his music. ("The World Is Mine") When Black Canary becomes his slave, Batman tricks her into singing as high as he. He then seizes the Meister's microphone and uses the satellite to transmit Canary's sonic scream and break the mind control. Batman finally defeats the Music Meister and kindly rejects Black Canary's advances for a final time. Though Black Canary gives up on Batman, she finds love with Green Arrow, who had also held unrequited feelings for her for the duration of the episode ("If Only (Reprise)").

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (comics)

The Music Meister later appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #16 (April 2012). After Bat-Mite became instantly infatuated with Batgirl and tried to impress her with his magic, conjuring up scenarios from the comic books he's read. During the wedding, he teleported the Music Meister, Pied Piper, and another musician for entertainment. The Music Meister tried to take control of Bat-Mite, but he was knocked out before his powers could take effect.

Powers, abilities, and equipment

The Music Meister is a metahuman with the ability to cause every living being who hears his voice to burst into singing and dancing as though they were in a musical. In this hypnotic state, they are compelled to obey the Meister's commands, including those that endanger themselves. His influence is effective even when he is several feet away or in another room. The effects of his vocal hypnosis can be blocked out using ear plugs. The deaf and the hearing impaired are also immune to his powers. Victims recover their normal faculties within moments after the Meister departs or is rendered unconscious. In addition, he appears to have the uncanny ability to change his outfits extremely quickly that represent different eras in music history, such as Elvis Presley's leisure suit and Cab Calloway's zoot suit.

Music Meister carries a rod-shaped weapon resembling a conductor's baton that fires energy blasts shaped like musical scores. For transportation, he rides a fast, highly maneuverable scooter in the shape of two beamed eighth notes.

In other media

Television
  • In the 1966 Batman series, there is a character called the Minstrel is an electronics genius who played a lute and would frequently sing before, during, and/or after his illegal activities. He refused to participate in "BatFights" as he detested physical violence.
  • In the Justice League episode "Legends", a villain called Music Master (voiced by Udo Kier), from an alternate universe, is seen, in which he serves as a nemesis of that world's heroic team, the Justice Guild of America. Music Master shares many similar characteristics with the Music Meister. He is a callback to Fiddler the Injustice Society member.
  • The Music Meister appears on The CW's series Supergirl and The Flash, portrayed by Darren Criss.[1] He is first seen at the conclusion of the Supergirl episode "Star-Crossed", where he is a captured prisoner of unknown origin in the custody of the Department of Extranormal Operations. He hypnotizes Kara, and then uses her inter-dimensional extrapolator to escape to Earth-1 as part of a plan to capture "the fastest man alive". In The Flash episode "Duet", Supergirl is brought to the Flash's universe by her friends, but are followed by Music Meister, who sends the Flash and Supergirl into a shared dream where they are singers in a 1940s gangster/musical film. In the episode's closing moments, Music Meister reveals himself to be an extra-dimensional being who brought the Flash & Supergirl together to teach them both an important lesson about love, as he's a fan of both heroes, and he has anticipated that they would survive in his dreamworld.[2][3]

Film

Video games
gollark: Wait, wouldn't it being an addiction be a reason *not* to do it?
gollark: I think he's in Australia or something. They might have stricter laws, like the UK, about guns and such.
gollark: Also, the borders and anything near them (!!!) are apparently exempt from constitutional protections against excessive search?
gollark: I mean, mostly. There's the no-fly list, so not *entirely*.
gollark: Bye then, enjoy your whatever.

References
  1. Ge, Linda (January 23, 2017). "'The Flash'-'Supergirl' Musical Crossover Adds Darren Criss as Villain". TheWrap. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  2. Mitovich, Matt Webb (January 8, 2017). "Supergirl and The Flash to Battle The Music Meister in Musical Crossover". TV Line. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  3. Fitzpatrick, Kevin (January 23, 2017). "'Supergirl,' 'Flash' Set Fellow 'Glee' Alum Darren Criss as Music Meister". ScreenCrush. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
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