Josiah Wormwood

Josiah Wormwood is a fictional character created originally for Batman: The Animated Series. Voiced by Bud Cort, his first, and only appearance was in episode 31, "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy."

Background
Known as "The Interrogator", Wormwood is a sadistic criminal who specializes in torture and information extraction. Much like the Riddler, he designs twisted mazes of psychological torture and death, and leaves clues to lead victims to them. Once they arrive, he uses various deathtraps to force valuables out of them; information, possessions, or anything else of value. He oversees the mazes through an unseen control center, and taunts his victims to further their torture.

History
In the episode's events, Wormwood is suspected of a bearer bond collection theft intended for the starving people of Byelocroatia after he used his talents to steal them from a diplomatic courier named McWhirter at a miniature golf course by luring him there with this clue:


 * ''Where tracks and golf balls roll and wind
 * ''round colored banners of all kind.
 * Here new instructions you will find.

Not long after, a small-time con man/European nobleman named 'Baron' Waclaw Jorzek (also referred to as "The Baron") hires him to retrieve Batman's cape and cowl. Curious to know what his benefactor wants with it, Wormwood complies. He sends a clue to Commissioner James Gordon and Batman that reads:


 * ''Where iron horses go to rot,
 * ''and children toot their horns a lot.
 * A damsel's pleas will come to naught.

When Batman heads to an old train park called Traintown, he ends up on a train trap and can only spare the life of a woman tied to the tracks if he sends his cape and cowl through the panel on the floor. Batman manages to escape and the female on the tracks was just a hologram.

Later on, the next clue found by police lights read:


 * ''Where Washington and young Babe Ruth
 * ''stand side by side with John Wilkes Booth.
 * Batman will find a plan uncouth!!

Batman heads to Madame DeLarue's Wax Museum and ends up in another trap that involves a big lamp with a 20,000 watt halogen light bulb that will melt wax. When Batman shatters it, it ends up released toxic nerve gas from it. This forces the Caped Crusader to surrender his cape and cowl in exchange for his life. However, Batman did have a secondary mask on as Josiah Wormwood gets away.

After boasting of how he stole the bonds, and how he will supply his client from the Quirian Emirates with a key to the locker containing them, Josiah finally asks why the Baron demanded to know why he wanted the cape and cowl. The Baron states that he is going to wear it as he reveals he is not the baron at all. Josiah is shocked to find the man he thought was the baron is really Batman who was impersonating the Baron all along to obtain a recording of his confession. After a short scuffle, Batman obtains the key, and Wormwood is taken to prison.

Commissioner Gordon visits his cell to tell him that they caught the Quirian Emerants Agent at the airport. Commissioner Gordon then gives Wormwood a package that had a letter on it. The clue-style letter reads:


 * ''Confinement will speed your reform,
 * ''but long cold nights will be the norm.
 * So here's a thing to keep you warm.

The package with the letter contains Batman's cape and cowl as the letter is signed by Batman. Enraged, Wormwood tosses it to the floor. It is said that he is currently working on a plan to escape from prison.