Who is the Arkham Knight?

If the much anticipated return of Rocksteady to the Arkham game series caused a frenzy, the recent announcements of the additions to the game have stirred up sheer anarchy. These announcements, however, have left us with more questions than answers.

Nothing has caused more of a stir than word of the creation of an all new character specifically written for this latest installment. Already the internet is buzzing with theories and comedic memes of an “iron bat”. But who IS the Arkham Knight?

Well lets look at what we know.

We know that Arkham Knight will take place one year after Arkham City. The Joker is dead and Harley Quinn is furious. The previous games in the series have been loosely based on the comic books, but with independent stories for the characters to keep it fresh and unpredictable. This information leaves a path of clues with two very strong possibilities as to his identity.

After Arkham City, DC released a one off comic book called End Game which takes place several weeks after the Jokers death. Jim Gordon snatches the body up and leaves the city while Batman mops up the peices in the wake of the siege. The Joker, having anticipated his demise, sets a bounty of $100 million to anyone that can bring his body back to Harley. A trap had been laid out that the Bat foolishly walked into, resulting in the police believing it had claimed his life. Rather than proving he had survived, Batman meets with Gordon to finally dispose of the clowns carcass.

I can’t help but look at these events and think back to the Knightfall series. Bruce gives Jean Paul Valley the Batsuit while barely clinging to life because he believes that Gotham would go into chaos without their symbol of justice. Here we have that symbol assumed dead and a police commissioner has gone AWOL.

Cue the first Arkham Knight theory. He looks like a metallic Batman, carries firearms in place of martial arts skill and has an “A” on his chest. Michael Lane is the present day Azrael. He was a former SWAT police officer who was given a second chance to turn his life around when he’s given the ancient armour and become an assassin for the church. The Azraels originate from the Templar Knights (lending more evidence to the name of his new identity) and believe evil is to be destroyed rather than stopped. It’s safe to assume that Lane or another equal minded vigilante would take up arms in the image of the Bat to restore order by any means necessary.

My second and much stronger theory for the Arkham Knight’s identity is none other than Jason Todd. Now I know what you’re thinking… when the original Robin was killed at the hands of the Joker and resurrected by Ra’s al Ghul, his twisted mind spent years planning revenge on his killer. He took up the identity of the Red Hood specifically because it was the first alias the deranged clown had been known as. It was intended to get the Jokers attention. However, Jason’s anger grew deeper than just for his killer. He blamed Bruce for not saving him or destroying his nemesis with the countless opportunities that arose.

So how would this explain why Jason Todd would look like a Bat and not the Red Hood? In this universe, the Joker is dead. More than that, the world believes Batman killed him. To a twisted Todd, it would be the ultimate disgrace. He had let Jason die, replaced him not once, but with two other Robins, yet was willing to take the mass murderers life anyway.

Jason Todd will be the Arkham Knight. To seek revenge on the man he believes betrayed him and control the city he believes forgot him.

What are your theories behind the new villain? Will it be a name we all know, or will it be a completely new villain with a different backstory that we’ve never seen before? Leave your comments below!