Batman (Batman: Arkham City)

"How does it feel, Wayne? To stand on the very stones that ran with your parents' blood. Do you feel sad? Full of rage? Or does that outfit help bury your feelings. Hiding your true self."

- Hugo Strange

Biography
When his parents were gunned down in front of him, young Bruce Wayne resolved to rid Gotham City of the criminal element that took their lives. He trained extensively to achieve mental and physical perfection, in addition to mastering martial arts, detective techniques, and criminal psychology. Dressing as a bat to prey on criminals' fears, Batman fights crimes with the aid of specialized gadgets and vehicles, operating out of his secret Batcave below Wayne Manor.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

 * See: Batman (Batman: Arkham Asylum)

After Arkham
Six months following the Joker's rampage, Commisioner Gordon informs Batman that Joker's Titan Formula has found its way into Gotham City and has turned up in the form of brother-sister team T&T. Wasting no time, Batman correctly suspects Two-Face to be T&T's previous employer, based on the fact that a pair of mirror images like T&T working together would be prime candidates for recruitment into Two-Face's gang.

Tracking him down to one of his old hideouts Batman discovers Two-Face beaten, battered, and broken. Two-Face reveals information about T&T in exchange for a 30 minute head start. He explains that shortly after the Joker's rampage crates full of Titan washed up in the docks where Two-Face bought them. He made the mistake of having T&T bring the crates into storage in his cellar.

Over the past six months T&T experimented with the drug in small doses, thereby gaining control over themselves in Titan form. Two-Face also states that T&T slaughtered his gang and the rest of Gotham is next. At Quincy Sharp's new town hall dedication ceremony T&T attacks, and Batman arrives to stop them. Perhaps getting the idea from his last fight with the Joker Batman has installed gel sprayers on his costume giving his strikes extra power.

During the fight Batman overhears T&T being given orders over their radio. Before Batman has the chance to apprehend and interrogate the duo they commit suicide via surgically implanted explosives, killing hundreds in attendance of the press conference and destroying the rebuilt city hall. Batman begins to believe that T&T were working for someone in cahoots with Mayor Sharp, and thus infiltrates his mansion, which doubles as a temporary city hall.

There Batman uses Sharp's personal files to check in on his past revealing that Sharp is essentially a schizophrenic blank slate, extremely vulnerable to suggestion to the point that he has to be told to hang up a phone in order to do so. At this point Batman is assaulted by non lethal weaponry, leading him to conclude that this is a trap meant to study him.

Choosing to deny his opponent his triumph Batman flees the mansion. Meanwhile Harley Quinn successfully broke the dying Joker out of Arkham Asylum, and despite Batman's best efforts they successfully escape to Arkham City.

Later on Batman disguises himself as a small time street thug named Lester Kurtz and with the added help of Oracle, who plants a criminal record into the GCPD database, he infiltrates Arkham City where he learns of a rising gang turf war between the Joker and the Penguin who are willing to slit the other's throat to be the top dog in Arkham City.

As a test of the Lester Kurtz identity Batman infiltrates and temporarily joins both gangs and assures the Lester Kurtz identity is safe because neither Joker nor Penguin, two of his old enemies who know him best, figured out the Lester Kurtz identity. In the process he destroys an arms shipment meant for Tyger they were both after.

Unfortunately it seems that in a matter of hours the Lester Kurtz Identity is compromised when Batman walks into a trap set by Warden Sharp's accomplice using Tyger thugs. Batman discovers that the Tyger guards have been extensively working out specifically to match Batman in a fight and have been given impact absorbing armor in order to lessen his super charged punches.

Batman is only saved by the timely arrival of Catwoman whom it's revealed had already hijacked the weapons shipment and freed Poison Ivy from Tyger custody. Batman leaves Catwoman to her business and goes to get some answers. He captures and interrogates a Tyger captain into revealing the true identity of the one pulling the strings in Arkham... Hugo Strange!

Mere hours after this discovery Batman instructs Robin and Alfred to dig up all that there is to know on Hugo Strange so that he, as Bruce Wayne, can publicly reveal it. Strange is a step ahead of the Dark Knight, however as he has Sharp announce his involvement in the Arkham City project so that he could paint a positive image of it and also give him an alibi for his actions. Thus Arkham City opens on schedule and unopposed.

Batman: Arkham City
"You're not safe here. No one is."

- Batman to Catwoman

One year has passed since the Joker's takeover of Arkham Asylum and Quincy Sharp has been elected mayor of Gotham City for his actions in helping to end the Joker's control of the island. Shortly after assuming the role Sharp declared both Arkham and Blackgate uninhabitable and ordered the construction of Arkham City on the southern banks of Gotham proper against the better judgment of both Batman and James Gordon. Batman believed this is a ticking time bomb and has been keeping a watchful eye on Arkham City for months now, looking for any excuse to break into the well-guarded prison city.

As Bruce Wayne, Batman leads a protest and speaks out against Arkham City in a television press conference covered by both Vicki Vale and Jack Ryder. Immediately after it begins TYGER guards storm the press conference and drag Bruce into Arkham City, locking him in with the inmates with Penguin quickly putting a bounty on his head. He is able to escape with ease and heads to the Ace Chemical Plant to recover his batsuit and equipment, delivered via the Batwing under automatic pilot by Alfred Pennyworth. He immediately goes to the Solomon Wayne Courthouse to rescue Catwoman from Two-Face, who plans to execute her to gain respect from the prisoners of Arkham.

After rescuing Catwoman from Two-Face, the Joker attempts to assassinate her to keep Batman from learning the secrets of Arkham City. Tracing the trajectory of the bullet, Batman is able to deduce that the shot originated in the Gotham City Cathedral, which has been transformed in the Arkham City Medical Center. After rescuing the members of the staff (including Aaron Cash), Batman goes to the bell tower to investigate the scene to determine the Joker's location and get answers regarding Protocol 10. The Dark Knight travels through Gotham until he reaches the abandoned Sionis Industries Steel Mill, which has become the Joker's hideout. After infiltrating the base, Batman eventually comes face to face with a dying Joker. He falls for the ruse and the Joker infects Batman with his tainted blood, poisoning the Dark Knight with the same disease that is affecting him. Joker tells Batman that he had contracted Mr. Freeze to work on a cure and sends Batman to find him, citing that Joker has also sent samples of his own blood to Gotham hospitals. 30 people are already reported as infected. "So, Batman, you 'ere for the cops, the ice man, or me?" "I was only here for Fries and the hostages, but now, I'm taking you down too."

- The Penguin and Batman

Soon after Batman finds Freeze's hideout in Gotham City in the old Gotham City Police building; however, Freeze has been taken captive by the Penguin and his goons. Batman goes to the Iceberg Lounge to face the Penguin, but first has to disable the security systems that Penguin has established that interfere with Batman's equipment and uplinks to Alfred at the Batcave and Oracle at the Clocktower. He also has a chance encounter with Bane who suggests the two team up to eliminate the last traces of Titan in the city. After disabling the jammers, Batman fights his way through the Iceberg Lounge, rescuing police officers sent in to investigate Arkham City in the process as even James Gordon is unaware of what happens inside Arkham's walls, while trying to find and rescue Freeze. Penguin has other plans and has taken Freeze's equipment for use against Batman and has deployed titan powered soldiers to protect the Lounge. With Freeze's help Batman is able to disable Penguin's weapons, fight Solomon Grundy, and stops Penguin. Nonetheless, Freeze reveals to Batman that there is no cure for what is affecting both he and the Joker as the cure breaks down quickly after creation. After showing a specific DNA strand to Batman that the medication lacks, the Dark Knight quickly realizes that the DNA is a match for Ra's al Guhl's blood and sets out to find him in Arkham.

Fortunately, Ra's has set up a base in Gotham. After leaving the Iceberg Lounge, Batman is attacked by assassins from the League of Assassins and Talia al Guhl's personal guard. He pursues them and during a fight covertly implants a tracer to one of the ninjas. He allows them to defeat him so he can track them to Ra's, but this is interrupted by Tim Drake, the current Robin. Robin vows to stay and help, but Batman sends him away and goes after Talia on his own. Going into the abandoned subway system following a brief runin with Killer Croc, Batman eventually finds the compound of the League of Assassins in the abandoned Wonderland exibit. After a near death experience from his affliction, Batman agrees to pursue the way of the demon so that he may continue to live. He drinks the blood of the demon and joins the spirit form of Ra's where he is tested to see if he is worthy. During the last trial he refuses to go forward as he refuses to kill Ra's. Talia, betrayed as her father threatens her life, relents that Batman and Ra's deserve each other and leaves. Batman takes the sample of blood to Freeze, discovering murder victims while on his way that have had their faces removed. A nearby witness reports that Bruce Wayne was behind it.

Upon returning to Arkham City, he delivers the blood sample to Freeze who quickly refuses to give Batman the cure as Joker has his wife Nora. After a struggle, Freeze agrees to give Batman the cure, but Harley has managed to steal the cure from Freeze's safe in the GCPD. Batman pursues her to get the cure, but is diverted when Vicki Vale's news helicopter is shot down by the Joker. After rescuing her, Batman receives word from Alfred that Lucius Fox has synthesized a cure from the blood sample that Robin smuggled out of Arkham City. This is a trap by the Mad Hatter, who takes Batman prisoner. Batman is able to free himself and pursues Harley back to Joker's Funland. While on his way back to Joker's Funland, Batman encounters Azrael, who informs him that he has been identified as a person who will face a great trial in the future.

With increased security including snipers and guards using ultraviolet goggles to detect him, Batman is able to break into Joker's Funland after rescuing Nora Fries and giving her coordinates to Victor. Making his way through the old steel mill, Batman eventually comes face to face with Harley, who has been tied up by Talia. He goes to Joker's office where he is quickly attacked by Joker's goons and a Titan powered goon and finds that the Joker is healed. After fighting with Joker the ceiling gives way and Batman is trapped. Joker is about to kill him when Talia appears and offers him immortality in exchange for Batman's life. The Joker takes the deal and lets Batman live, leaving with Talia who has reactivated the tracking chip that Batman previously placed on the League member. He briefly reunites with Bane, who has double crossed Batman and the Dark Knight is forced to destroy the remaining Titan containers on his own.

While pursuing Talia, Hugo Strange activates Protocol 10 and his TYGER troops begin systematically destroying Arkham City. At Oracle and Alfred's pleading Batman decides not to pursue Talia and instead goes to stop Strange by penetrating Arkham City's defenses in the old Wayne Enterprises' tower. He fights his way through the guards and Batman learns that Arkham City is merely the first step in a larger plan for Strange and his benefactors to eliminate crime with new cities expected to be completed in both Keystone City and Metropolis within the next year. Batman is able to stop Strange and hacks into the computer network alongside Oracle to stop the attack on the city. Strange struggles and gloats about how he has proven himself better than Batman in his ability to end crime, only to be stopped by Ra's who has revealed that the League used Strange to take over the city. Strange, knowing he is defeated, activates Protocol 11: setting off charges that destroy the Tower. Ra's and Batman escape; however, Ra's is impaled on nearby debris when he hits the ground. Nearby he discovers the final crime scene, leading him to the Identity Thief Killer.

Activating the tracker now that Arkham City is safe, Batman discovers that Joker and Talia are at the Monarch Theatre. After taking down the patrols that guard the entry, specifically snipers armed with weapons capable of penetrating the batsuit, Batman infiltrates the theatre and finds Talia and Joker in the main room. After a brief stand down, Batman learns that Talia had intercepted the cure from Harley, also seemingly killing Joker in the process by stabbing him. However, Batman then deduced from various things he heard that the Joker he had seen was actually a double and attempts to warn Talia, but she ends up shot by the real Joker. the stabbed "Joker" is revealed to be Clayface, who quickly attacks Batman. With Clayface defeated, Batman takes the cure and Joker comes for it. Batman struggles with the decision to give the Joker the cure and is stabbed in the arm, quickly dropping the cure which shatters and is absorbed into the ground. Joker tries frantically to ingest the cure, but fails. Batman reveals he would've given the Joker the cure despite everything that he has done in the past and knowing that he'd probably do it again in the future. With a laugh and a smile the Joker dies from the toxin. "Do you want to know something funny? Even after everything you've done... I would've saved you." "That actually is... (coughs) ... pretty funny!"

- Batman and The Joker's final words to each other

As morning breaks Batman carries the lifeless body of the Joker out of Arkham City and passed the barricade of Gotham Police, led by James Gordon, in silence.

Harley Quinn's Revenge
Two weeks has passed since the death of The Joker, Batman returns to Arkham city to apprehend Harley Quinn who has taken over Industrial District and redesigned the Sionis Industries Steel Mill in her own image. Batman is summoned by Gordon at the bridge entrance of Gotham Dock Yard where he is informed by Gordon that Quinn has kidnapped several officers and brought them to the mill as a part of some elaborate trap set just for him. Batman heads directly to the Loading bay office of the steel mill and see a police officer held captive by a group of Harley's gang. Batman quickly dismantles the gang and rescues the officer who reveals that the other remaining officers are being held hostage deep within other section of the mill. Batman continues his search for the remaining officers

Arkham City Profile: Dr. Hugo Strange
Bruce Wayne

A.K.A: Batman

They say hindsight is 20/20. When reviewing all of the facts, Batman's personality gives ample clues to his identity. He lives by a strict code -- protect the innocent and apprehend the guilty, but never kill for any reason. His radical sense of justice makes him almost predictable. Batman's victory over the Joker last year highlights this. By allowing the Joker to survive, has Batman sealed his own fate?

Dr. Hugo Strange: Side Note

I know your secret, Batman

~ Hugo Strange

Alternate Costumes

 * Batman Beyond Skin
 * 1970s Batman Costume
 * Batman: Year One Skin
 * The Dark Knight Returns Skin
 * Earth-1 Skin
 * Batman: The Animated Series Skin
 * Sinestro Corps Batman Skin
 * Batman Inc. Skin available later

Joker's Carnival

 * Pre-order Exclusive and DLC pack December 20th

Iceberge Lounge

 * Collector's Edition Exclusive and DLC pack December 20th

Batcave

 * DLC pack December 20th

Gallery

 * Batman (Batman: Arkham City)/Gallery