Clayface (DC Animated Universe)

Villain Overview

Gallery

Evil-doer

BTAS
TNBA
JL

Full Name

Matthew Hagen

Alias

Clayface

Matt Hagen
Matt
Mr. Hagen
Frosty the Lawn Cigar (by Harvey Bullock)
Bruce Wayne (falsely)
Flash (falsely)

Origin

Batman: The Animated Series

Occupation

Actor

Criminal

Powers / Skills

Clay-like body
Size alteration
Density control
Power replication
Acting skills
Intelligence
Disguise mastery
Trickery
Basic hand-to-hand combat
Clay physiology:

Superhuman strength
Superhuman speed
Superhuman agility
Superhuman reflexes
Superhuman stamina
Accelerated healing factor
Indestructibility
Shapeshifting
Elasticity
Mimicry
Flight

Hobby

Spending time with Teddy Lupus.(formerly)

Acting.
Shape-shifting.

Goals

Find a cure for his condition (failed, ongoing).

Defeat Batman.
Get revenge on Roland Daggett for ruining his life (failed).

Crimes

Impersonation
Identity Theft
Assault
Filicide
Pseudocide
Conspiracy
Attempted murders
Aiding and abetting
Assault and battery
Incrimination
Fraud
Stalking
Property damage
Robbery
Vandalism

Type of Villain

Tragic Supervillain

“	There is no Hagen, it's only me now, Clayface!	„
	~ Clayface stating his alias to Batman.

“	I'm grateful to you, don't get me wrong, but I'm not really one of you, see all I want is to be normal again.	„
	~ Clayface telling his intentions to the Secret Society.

“	I'm not an actor anymore! I'm not even… A man.	„
	~ Clayface

Matthew "Matt" Hagen, also known as Clayface, is a supporting antagonist in the DC Animated Universe, appearing as a supporting antagonist in Batman: The Animated Series and its sequel series The New Batman Adventures and a minor antagonist in Justice League.

He is an enemy of Batman who has the power to shape-shift into anyone or anything he wants. Eventually, he became a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains. He tried to cure himself of his condition on multiple occasions, but he has always failed. He has also cheated death numerous times, such as when he survived falling off a cliff into a body of water, and when he was blown up by fireworks.

He was voiced by Ron Perlman, who also played Pap Finn in The Adventures of Huck Finn, Mr. Grasping in An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island, Drekk in Men in Black: The Series, Count Nikolas Rokoff in The Legend of Tarzan, Dieter Reinhardt in Blade II, the Viceroy in Star Trek: Nemesis, the High Mage in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), Slade in Teen Titans, Bane, Killer Croc and Rumor in The Batman, Kago in Tarzan II, Hoodoo Brown in Gun, Sheriff Collie Entragian in Desperation, Biff Wellington in Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy!, Justice in Afro Samurai, Warhok in Kim Possible, Sozin in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Clay Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, Gha Nachkt in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Nicola in Bunraku, the Stabbington Brothers in the Tangled franchise, The Lich in Adventure Time, Nino in Drive, Sinestro in Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Deathstroke in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Polyphemus in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Rust in Payday 2, Xibalba in The Book of Life, Armaggon in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), Gnarlak in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Bular in Trollhunters and the Podestà in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.

History[]

He was once an actor name Matthew Hagen who was disfigured in a car accident. Corrupt industrialist Roland Daggett offered to restore Hagen's good looks with Renuyu, an experimental chemical that could temporarily mold one's face and fix any imperfections. He soon became addicted to the chemical, and began committing crimes for Daggett to keep his supply flowing. When Hagen declared he would no longer do Daggett's bidding, Daggett cut him off. Hagen broke into Daggett's lab one night to steal some Renuyu, but Daggett's henchmen Raymond Bell and Germs caught him and poured an entire jar down his throat. He became the shape-shifting Clayface, and one of Batman's archenemies.

His transformation granted him the power to assume any shape he wanted and perfectly mimic other people. He hatched a plan to get revenge on Daggett, but it was foiled by Batman. He appeared to die after electrocuting himself during a fight with Batman, but in fact survived and became a criminal.

Sometime later, his cellular structure begins to break down, and he began stealing technology designed to make him human again. He is aided by scientist Stella Bates, who falls in love with him. Just as Clayface is about to make the transformation, however, Batman interrupts the experiment, intent on bringing Clayface to justice. During the ensuing struggle, Clayface fell into the ocean, apparently dissolving.

He survives, however, and holes up in the Gotham sewers. He created a clone of himself that resembles a little girl, and sends her out to steal for him. Robin finds the girl and mistaking her for a runaway, tries to help her. When he discovers her true nature, however, Clayface reabsorbs her after the latter’s sacrifice to save Robin. Robin snaps and ultimately defeats Clayface and gives him to the police, charging him with murder for the little girl's "death", and he is taken to a special cell in Arkham Asylum.

Personality[]

As a kid, Matthew Hagen was a Gray Ghost enthusiast much like Bruce Wayne, even ordering an autograph from Simon Trent, the man who played the Gray Ghost, at one point. While Bruce would eventually be inspired by the Gray Ghost character to become Batman, Matt on the other hand would be inspired by Simon Trent to become an actor as an adult.

But when he had his accident, the stress and frustration caused from his disfigurement caused him to lash out randomly, even throwing a tub of Renuyu at the glass door of his trailer, causing it to shatter. These feelings worsend after he became Clayface, and he began to go into fits of rage, even throwing his friend, Teddy Lupus, into a bookshelf when he questioned his actions.

He was shown to be intelligent, fooling multiple people with his shape-shifting abilities, and stealing an isotope without him taking the blame for it immediately, he has also ambushed Batman on multiple occasions, and he has also shown to be skilled at hiding, not being seen until the end of the battle during the Secret Society's fight with the Justice League.

Powers and Abilities[]

Clayface's trademark is his abilities to shape-shift and turn into other people, he uses this to his advantage, most notably when trying to kill Roland Daggett, he disguised himself as a woman in blue clothes, being nearly impossible to detect due to his unsuspecting nature, he also makes use of his super-strength, being able to kick through some bricks easily, he can also morph his hands into different weapons such as axes, hammers and spiked balls.

He is weakened by water and freezing, he easily dissolves in water and is vulnerable to freezing, such as when he was sprayed with liquid nitrogen during a fight with Batman, and when Batman used freeze spray on him, causing him to jump off a train and into a truck.

Revamp[]

Clayface underwent little change when the show revamped it's artstyle, the color of his skin became brown instead of tan and his eyes were now white, and he now looked more rocky, with bumps on his body.

A new design was also used for Justice League, his skin was now a lighter brown, but most details stayed the same.

Relationships[]

Neutral[]

Annie - "Daughter" †

Enemies[]

Batman - Archenemy
Robin (now Nightwing) - Enemy
Batgirl - Enemy
Roland Daggett - Second archenemy
Germs - Enemy
Raymond Bell - Enemy
Justice League - Enemies
Batman Beyond - Enemy
Tim Drake - Enemy

Quotes[]

“	Don't you dare patronize me! I told you I don't need rest, I don't need food, and I DON'T NEED YOU!	„
	~ Clayface scolding Teddy

“	Ho ho ho!	„
	~ Clayface in the mall.

“	Great thing about being a shape-shifter, I can blend in with the crowd outside, make my getaway, and rip off some other joint.	„
	~ Clayface to Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya.

“	I was so close, SO CLOSE! I almost felt like Matt Hagen again!	„
	~ Clayface after Batman shut his machine off.

“	You've upstaged me for the last time Batman, time to bring down the curtain!	„
	~ Clayface to Batman.

“	No! We finish this now!	„
	~ Clayface while attacking Batman in the rain.

“	You're dead meat, Batman! No route to dodge, I've got you cold!	„
	~ Clayface while fighting Batman on the train.

“	You didn't think I'd come here without a reinforcements, did you?	„
	~ Clayface when the Secret Society arrives.

Trivia[]

Clayface is a confirmed LGBT character. In this podcast, according to Kevin Altieri (the director for "Feat of Clay, Part II"), he and his partner Teddy were in an intentionally gay relationship. He also appears to be in love with Stella, the scientist trying to save him in "Mudslide", which would make him bisexual.
Clayface appears as a main antagonist in 3 episodes of BTAS, 2 in both TNBA and Justice League, making his appearances as a main antagonist in DCAU episode come up to 7 episodes.
Before his first appearance as Clayface in the Feat of Clay two-parter, he appeared on a poster in the episode "Beware The Grey Ghost", under the poster reads "The Man of a Million Faces!".
He appears as a mannequin in the episode "Worry Men", along with other villains.
It is not explained how Clayface came back from his fall into the water until the TNBA episode "Growing Pains", it is explained that he was weak, so he created Annie and sent her to look out and see if the area was safe.
Clayface can split himself into multiple entities.

Appearances[]

Batman: The Animated Series[]

Beware The Grey Ghost (Cameo on a poster)
Feat Of Clay
Feat Of Clay Part 2
Worry Men (Mannequin)
Mudslide
Batgirl Returns (Mentioned only)

The New Batman Adventures[]

Holiday Knights
Growing Pains

Justice League[]

Secret Society
Secret Society Part 2

External Links[]

Clayface on the DC Animated Universe Wiki
Clayface on the DC Wiki
Clayface on the Batman Wiki

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