Batman: Arkham Knight has been out for a few months and most gamers have seen the big reveal. Some were let down, some thought it was generic, and some were impartial. I enjoyed the reveal, I just wish they had built it up in the prior games to make it more emotional for the player and for Batman.
Had Rocksteady not gone the path that they decided, here are five villains that could’ve worn the Arkham Knight’s mantel.
5. Ras Al Ghul
Ras Al Ghul has been a thorn in Batman’s side ever since Batman started dating his daughter. His ultimate goal to destroy the world and remake it in his own image. Starting with Gotham for all the world to see would definately be in his MO, and using Batman’s gear to do it would also fit. Why not go up against the world’s greatest detective with his own detecting gear? Ras would also want to get revenge on Batman for failing to save his daughters life.
Pairing with Scarecrow would just be a means to an end for Ras, as long as then end was the destruction of Gotham and the man that failed his daughter. Ras’s thirst for revenge and desire to remake Gotham and the world in his image allows him to write Arkham Knight on his resume if he so chooses.
4. Bane
In the Evidence Locker of the GCPD, were all the villian’s gear is stored, a report will say that Bane was somewhere in South America getting clean from his addiction to Venom. The whole military complex thing is right up Bane’s alley – in fact, until I saw all the Joker memories, he made the most sense out of Batman’s rogues gallery, especially in his normal human size.
All Bane wants is to break Batman, get his honor back for being defeated so many times, and take over Gotham. His love for strategy and military protcol would have made him a nice candidate for the Arkham Knight.
3. Deathstroke
Deathstroke is also a strategist and military man. As a result, he would do pretty much anything for his payout. The question is: would Scarecrow be able to pay Deathstroke enough money to don the Arkham Knight gear and fight Batman anonymously? I think so.
He also has some revenge issues to work out with Batman after getting his butt kicked during Batman’s early years. His military strategy, lust for revenge and fighting ability would make Deathstroke a perfect Arkham Knight.
2. Tommy Elliot (Hush)
Tommy Elliot has had revenge in his sights for Bruce Wayne since they were kids. Tommy blames Bruce for not getting the childhood that he wanted, the childhood that Bruce had. Being a brilliant surgeon, Tommy was able to turn his own face into Bruce Wayne’s where he attempted to take over Wayne’s life.
Having Elliot in the Arkham Knight suit, trying to destroy everything that Batman and Bruce Wayne stood for would we a nice calling card for Tommy. He already has the physique, the smarts and the intimate knowledge about Batman and Bruce Wayne that would make him a great adversary, add in the updated suit and Tommy would be a great Arkham Knight.
1. Talia Al Ghul
Ras would never let his daughter fall pray to death’s cold embrace. He would find a Lazarus Pit and make sure his child would not perish. To really hurt the Detective, I think that he would make the Pit more potent so that the madness after leaving the pit would stay with his daughter and focus her for vengeance against Batman, the man who failed her.
She’s smart enough to take over Gotham, knows Batman very well and the Arkham Knight armor while hiding her identiy, could also hide her sex. Pulling her mask off would almost destroy Batman, especially since she decided to attack him instead of letting it be know she was still alive. This could also lead into another game that would allow Damien to be a character.
Runner up: Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange would be the one who would benefit most from shaming Batman. After being beaten handily in the Wonder Tower his thirst for revenge would be almost maddening. Being a master of psychology Strange would know to how to get under The Dark Knight’s skin, and using his own tech against him would help.
Strange was also one of the few people to deduce Batman’s identity in the comic book, and the way that Arkham Knight knows what Batman will do and where to hit him hard, Strange seems like an ideal fit to the mantel. Poor Strange was handily defeated at the end of Arkham City, so Rocksteady probably didn’t want to repeat the main villain and make the game a ho-hum experience.
Did I miss a villain? If so, sound off in the comments below who you would’ve liked to have had as the Arkham Knight!