Because we Really Love our Villainous Compatriots…Part Two
It’s that time again. Time for my second portion of ‘Who’s Who?’- the Arkham Knight speculation thread about villains that could really shake things up for the Bat. I’ll cut right to the chase here, as there isn’t much need for any sort of lengthy introductory phrasing as the first blog had. So, without further ado, let’s go ahead and get this thing launched off… Here are another twelve villains we may just see again sometime soon, or for the very first time in this dark, gritty series…
Mad Hatter aka Jervis Tetch:We’ve already encountered this hypnotic little man in a big hat, and his endeavors in that Arkham City sidequest were quite interesting and entertaining, if a little bit short-lived (on his side of things). Why not incorporate him yet again? His hypnotic tricks combined with Scarecrow’s fear gas could be a very potent challenge for our friendly neighborhood Bat indeed… and entertaining as well. Or we could at least upgrade some of his mind control tech and use it against other bad guys- as game breaking and hilarious as that would probably be. Either way, it’d be nice to see Jervis take on a larger role in this game, and as I am sure there will be plenty of villains coming out of the cracks- why not have him show up as well?
Mister Freeze aka Doctor Victor Fries:As Batman helped the good doctor not too long ago in the events of Arkham City, and one upped the man as well in an epic combat encounter, I’m really interestd to see how the reluctant criminal comes back- should he choose to do so, in the events of this next title. Imagine how interesting it would be t even actually elicit his help again- after all, Batman did do a lot to make things easier on him in Arkham City…but then again, criminals have such a weird tendency to forget your helping hand when you’re constantly foiling their plots all the time. At the very least, I think we’ll see some of Fries’ handy gadgetry and tech returning- especially after such prominent usage throughout Arkham City’s widely spread arsenal. Personally, Freeze has always been one of my favorite villains, so I can’t wait to see him- in whatever capacity, return to the playing field. Even if it means playing cat and mouse with him yet again, as thrilling and terrifying as it was the first time. After all, the man literally just freezes you in your tracks…
Red Hood aka Robin(Jason Todd): ‘Under a Red Hood’ was a pretty good animated feature film that released a few years ago, and it did a wonderful job of chronicling a dark part in Batman’s more recent history as well- introducing the anti-hero/vigilante Red Hood to the crime scene. The thing that shakes conventional Batman up the most is that it turns out Red Hood is actually the second Robin- having taken up an even more violent streak (he was already violent and brutal to begin with) against crime after being beaten and left for dead by the Joker, Batman having left because he thought he WAS dead. Naturally, he has a grudge against any villains and even Batman as a result, but only actually tries to kill villains- only fighting Batman when he “gets in his way”. Todd got his name from the Joker’s original moniker from his pre-Joker days in crime, and used is as a way to call to light the main reason he became the violent anti-hero he is now: Joker’s brutal beatdown. Red Hood’s actions are brutal but his intentions somewhat noble: cleansing Gotham of its crime one person at a time. He even vies for the mantle of the Bat against Dick Grayson (Robin/Nightwing) though he ultimately loses- causing that grudge to fester as well. Though he isn’t so much a villain, it’d be neat to see him come to blows against either Robin, Nightwing, or the Bat himself in Arkham Knight- and to constantly be a thorn in their sides as well throughout the plot, not really helping or hindering- just being difficult. Maybe even playing a key part at the end through some ultimately heroic sacrifice for the Bat or as a ‘finish him’ on his former mentor. Only time can tell.
Mister Zsasz aka Victor Zsasz:I imagine after having been taken down not once, but twice in two games by Batman, Zsasz would like nothing more than to cut the Bat “down to size” a little bit. So why not give him the opportunity? Surely Two Face, Scarecrow, and the rest of the big old gang wouldn’t deny such an enthusiastic lunatic his chance to take on the Bat- along with the hundred plus others willing to come to Gotham for one freakish rodeo to do just the same? So why not add him back into the formula again? Inevitably, he’ll probably be taken down fairly quickly yet again, but it may give him the chance to get a littler more “serial” about things yet again… He might not have any super powers but his murderous tendencies will still chill your blood.
Harley Quinn aka Doctor Harleen Quinzel:Oh, Harley’s pretty angry with the Bat, as we saw in her solo experience in the Arkham City DLC. After all, the “joke of her life” has passed on (I think it’s safe to say) and there isn’t a Lazarus pit around to toss him in. Plus, we all know she is most definitely gunning for the Bat, so she is almost positively confirmed for being in this next game featuring him. Just how dangerous she will prove to be is unclear, but she’s still a contender for having the most fashionably dressed goons, so…you know what they say- dress to kill. I imagine, since her backstory with Joker is rich, that if there are any flashback sequences in Arkham Knight they will definitely involve her as well as the lunatic prince. Such a shame though that she was never in the Dark Knight movies with Heath’s own clown prince…we had to settle for the two-faced Harvey Dent instead…
Clayface (Any of them): There have been several iterations of the behemoth known as Clayface- man, woman, and child alike. So, suffice it to say I think that- somehow, Clayface will more than likely be involved in this next title. After all, his boss fight was such an epic one at Arkham City’s end, and it would be a shame to end his deceptions there. Plus, a little bit of frozen gloop shouldn’t be enough to stop this formidable foe in his tracks. Maybe it’ll be similar to the story of the comics, and Preston Payne will play a role as the “new” Clayface if the other one doesn’t appear- having used his clay/blood to cure a disease, only to have it melt the skin from his bones and give him the power to shift shape and melt other people as well. That’d be a powerful adversary to have indeed, and an interesting evolution of the character in terms of design and fighting prowess…
Deadshot aka Floyd Lawton:By now Batman has taken down Deadshot enough times that surely the man is frustrated that he’s missed more than one shot at the vigilante. Surely he’ll be gunning- literally, for the Bat as well and as hard as any other adversary out there because of that. Imagine if Arkham Knight has sidequests and plot lines on the same level as Arkham City- surely we could incorporate a Suicide Squad one into there, and of course then by extension a Deadshot trail of carnage and trap for the Bat as well… Hmm…wouldn’t that be a fun little dish to dive into?
Ra’s al Ghul: You really think I’ve forgotten about our little immortal friend’s disappearance near the end of the hectic events of Arkham City’s Protocol 10? I don’t think so… Oh know- we all know he managed to hobble off to a Lazarus Pit somewhere nearby, after all, you don’t just fall twenty stories onto a spike only to die if you’re Ra’s al Ghul. Forget some spextre haunting the Bat like in Dark Knight Rises- we’re about to see the real deal again. He’ll be orchestrating some takeover or another and otherwise hindering the Bat’s one-man fight from afar this time- not feeling like having to waste another pit after having been handled effectively in Arkham City by the Bat’s hands. And he’ll be still pissed about Talia’s apparent demise thanks to Clay Joker’s deception and the real one’s inception. Yes, Ra’s will come back somehow, I’m almost positive. And I can’t wait to see his Legion yet again.
David Cain: David Cain trained Bruce Wayne during his time with the League of Assassins and is in many ways responsible for turning him into the deadly efficient vigilante beating machine that he is today as Batman. For that reason, and for the fact that he’s connected to prominent names such as Shiva and Ra’s al Ghul, Cain deserves to show his face in Arkham Knight at some point. Obviously, he is going to be more than a match for Batman, so a fight between the two of them would be very interesting indeed- not to mention very much along the lines of Revenge of the Sith as well. I imagine Ghul would send Cain to “clean up” in Gotham, assuming the League makes it into Arkham Knight’s plot, and would of course want somebody who can actually handle the Bat pretty well. So who better than his former master and mentor? He’s not only one of the best assassins in the world, but an excellent man without many morals- even if he doesn’t really register as a true villain, only an assassin with no qualms regarding who he kills and for what reason.
The Black Spider (Any of them): Although the Black Spider is a little known villain that Batman has taken down several times- considering three different people with similar skills have taken up that name in the past, I think he would make a pretty interesting addition to the rosters of Arkham Knight, and though minor could mix things up a little bit. Think of him as a sort of mix between Deadshot and Deathstroke- having the great accuracy and intelligence of the former in addition to the conditioning and physical prowess of the latter. He’s a former Olympic-level athlete and competitor, and an interesting villain with little backstory- which could easily be molded in many different shapes in order to fit Rocksteady’s vision for their series. That’s why I think he’d make an interesting addition to the growing rosters here.
Calendar Man aka Julian Day:Well, I mentioned Holiday last time, who sort of took up Calendar Man’s guise of killing people on specific days of each month for a year, but I haven’t yet mentioned the real deal himself. Calendar Man already made a cameo appearance in Arkham City and dropped some chilling details about his past each and every time you visited him. Therefore, why not bring some of those details to the light in Arkham Knight’s plot? We already know he has no qualms about killing heroes, villains, and ordinary folk alike- so maybe have him gunning for another villain lower on the food chain, forcing Batman into saving that unlucky soul and choosing between which villain to let escape. After all, it’s hard to catch two when they run separate ways, and adding in a moral sort of choice such as in Telltale’s games would really amp things up. I imagine the fallout would be interesting as well, especially if the one that gets away goes and just kills or maims another person out there… Oh boy, but we are getting devious aren’t we? This must be how Telltale comes up with terrible things for Walking Dead decisions that only lead to hurt and heartbreak either way…
Siam (From the Circus of Strange): Siam is actually two people- conjoined twins since birth acting as one persona effectively and part of the very ‘strange’ troupe of villains dubbed simply the “Circus of Strange.” I imagine, after the loss of our good old friend Hammer and other venom-imbued Joker henchmen, we’re in dire need of a hulking, dumb brute for some little mini-boss or another. Well, look no further- you’ve found one! Siam won’t be very memorable for fans of the comic, nor will his smalltime buddies in the troupe, or even their storyline- but hey, for this he could be memorable indeed. Maybe have him be pretty quick for his size and a good brawler- able to dish out and take punishment from the Bat. Eventually he’ll fall and the Bat will be on his way to fight whatever supe he’s gong for, but hey- mini bosses are a necessity folks. And that rounds this blog out…
Suspect No. 02 