How Batman: The Animated Series Made One Of DC's Most Sympathetic Villains

screenrant.com:

Mr. Freeze is seen by many as one of Batman’s most sympathetic villains, and this is thanks to Batman: The Animated Series. Mr. Freeze was initially a fairly one-note character that the Batman comics themselves became dismissive of, with the cold-themed mad scientist retaining relevance thanks to the 60s Batman TV show. The animated series, however, rewrote Mr. Freeze, imbuing him with depth and tragedy that became permanent fixtures of the character.

Mr. Freeze was originally called “Mr. Zero,” debuting in a 1959 issue of Batman. Due to a laboratory accident, Mr. Zero cannot survive outside of sub-zero temperatures, forcing him to wear his signature suit. Armed with an energy weapon that freezes materials, Mr. Zero made several appearances in the Batman television series, which renamed him Mr. Freeze, a moniker that he’d use in all future iterations.

Related: Why Is It So Difficult For Batman Movies To Get Robin Right?

Mr. Freeze was killed by the Joker in the first issue of 1991’s Robin II, seemingly putting an end to the villain. Less than a year later, Batman: The Animated Series revamped Mr. Freeze, giving him a new origin as a scientist desperate to save his terminally ill wife, leading to both his lab accident and subsequent life of crime. Mr. Freeze returned from his apparent demise in a 1994 issue of Detective Comics, and his new origin from the animated series was retroactively added to the comics and used in most subsequent iterations of the villain. Giving Mr. Freeze such a sympathetic motivation imbued the character with an extra layer of pathos, making him one of the most relatable characters in Batman's entire rogues' gallery.

Mr. Freeze’s cinematic debut in Batman & Robin adapted elements of his animated