How the Batman Arkham Series Sets up Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
29.01.2024 - 13:35
/ ign.com
/ Harley Quinn
There’s a lot of story packed into the four games in the Batman Arkham series, and with the next chapter of it set to unfold in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, we thought it was time for a catch-up. With a vast cast of iconic characters and plenty of twists and turns along the way, it can be fairly easy to forget everything that happened in Gotham so far, nevermind what it may all mean for Metropolis. Don’t worry though, we’re here to tell you about all the important stuff in as succinct a way as we can.
The one game in the series not made by Rocksteady, but instead WB Montreal, is chronologically the first: Arkham Origins. Set two years into his career, Origins sees Batman survive one snowy night in Gotham. On Christmas Eve, organised crime lord Black Mask places a $50million bounty on the Dark Knight, and eight of the world’s deadliest assassins compete for the prize.
After fending off attacks from Killer Croc, Electrocutioner, and Deathstroke, Batman learns from the Penguin that Black Mask has apparently been murdered. After investigating the scene of the crime and raiding the Gotham City Police’s databases, Batman concludes that Black Mask was not murdered, but in fact kidnapped by a theatrical new villain who goes by the name of the Joker. Posing as Black Mask and taking control of his criminal empire, it was actually the Joker who put out the contract on Batman’s life.
The Caped Crusader tracks down and apprehends the Joker. He is incarcerated at Blackgate, but his imprisonment doesn’t last long. After inciting a riot, the Joker takes over the prison and forces Batman and the GCPD to intervene.
In a final confrontation, Batman finds Joker in an electric chair wired up to Bane’s heartbeat. Joker offers a choice: either kill Bane, or allow him to live and use his heartbeat to charge up the chair and electrocute the Joker. By using electrical gauntlets, Batman manages to stop Bane’s heart and trick the Joker into believing Batman has killed him. After reviving and capturing Bane, Batman finally subdues Joker and has him arrested.
Arkham Asylum opens with a captured Joker being escorted to the titular institute by an older, more experienced Batman. The caped crusader is suspicious of his arch-enemy, who claims that he’s allowed himself to be caught as part of some grand scheme. Well, as quick as you can say “holy vindication, Batman!”, Harley Quinn hijacks security and sets the Clown Prince’s plan in motion.
As Batman deals with escaped supervillains and Scarecrow’s fear toxin, it’s revealed that Arkham’s doctor, Penelope Young, has been experimenting on Bane. After burying the burly mumbler under half a ceiling, Batman learns that Dr Young is developing Titan, a more potent version of the