The Batman: Arkham series is full of spoilers, with a variety of story twists and turns that could spoil the experience if known ahead of time. From the outcome of the Joker's attack on Arkham Asylum to the identity of the mysterious and deadly Arkham Knight, the secrets of the series make sleuthing them out as the world's greatest detective all the more engaging. First released in 2009 with Batman: Arkham Asylum, the series continued with Batman: Arkham City in 2011, Batman: Arkham Origins in 2013, and Batman: Arkham Knight in 2015. In 2016, the first two games in the series were remastered for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as Batman: Return to Arkham.
The series follows Batman as he grapples with the establishment and legacy of Arkham Asylum. The first game in the series, Arkham Asylum is guilty of Half-Life 2's greatest sin, has him battling a takeover of Arkham Asylum by the Joker. Arkham City takes place in the titular mega-prison and has Batman racing against the clock to find a cure for a disease carried in the Joker's infected blood before it can be distributed en masse through tainted donations. In a look back at the hero's beginnings, Arkham Origins details Batman's first encounter with the Joker and his evasion of eight deadly assassins after a price on his head. Finally, Arkham Knight sees Batman battling both Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight as the latter threatens to unleash his new fear gas across Gotham and the world at large.
The solutions to the mysteries Batman faces in each game in the series often prove to be integral to the plot of the game as a whole. Sometimes, the Batman: Arkham side missions prove better than the main ones, but the biggest spoilers are reserved for the main story. The revelation of his foes' grand plans often comes near the climax of the games and can redefine the experience on a second playthrough. Piecing together the clues, like a true detective, makes the Batman: Arkham games some of the closest to the core of what Batman is.
Joker Will Do Anything To Defeat The Dark Knight In Arkham Asylum
The plot of Batman: Arkham Asylum revolves around Titan, a chemical reminiscent of Bane's Venom that turns whoever is injected with it into a monstrous version of themselves. Batman spends the game trying to subdue the Joker and prevent him from using an army of Arkham Asylum inmates enhanced with Titan to take over Gotham. The climax sees Batman take a titan-infused dart meant for Commissioner Gordon and become infected. He manages to cure himself in time, but not before the Joker injects himself with an overdose of the formula. Possibly angry about how Arkham Asylum shortchanged Harley Quinn's backstory, the Joker transforms into a monstrous, mohawked version of himself and attempts to defeat Batman in combat, but is ultimately bested by an explosive punch. The Joker soon reverts to his normal size, but not without consequences.
The Joker Pays The Ultimate Price In Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City sees the Joker suffering from his Titan overdose in the previous game. He spends the game critically ill, and forcibly enlists Batman's help in finding a cure for the disease. After tangling with the likes of Ra's al Ghul and Clayface, Batman finally obtains the cure for his and the Joker's condition. After injecting himself with half the total dose he is stabbed by the Joker and drops the vial, which smashes on the floor. As the Joker desperately tries to lick the cure off the floor, Batman pontificates that despite his history of violence and unrepentant nature, he still would've given the cure to the Joker and saved his life. Laughing at the cruel irony of the situation, the Joker dies in a moment that shows one thing that Arkham City truly did better than Arkham Asylum. Batman then carries his body out of Arkham City and lays it on the hood of a police car before walking away. This shocking moment sets up a complex situation for Batman, as the whole world now thinks that he broke his sacred rule of no killing and ended the Joker's life.
Batman: Arkham Origins Sees Batman Break His One Rule
Set early in Batman's crimefighting career, Batman: Arkham Origins follows him as he investigates a riot at Blackgate Prison and grapples with a deadly new foe: the Joker. The Joker quickly becomes obsessed with Batman, and after Batman saves him from a lethal fall, decides that he wants to force Batman into killing a criminal. To this end, he sets up a test. During another disturbance at Blackgate, the Joker hooks himself to an electric chair that is charged by Bane's heartbeat.
If Batman kills Bane, the Joker will live. If Batman doesn't, the Joker will die. This adds to what makes Batman: Arkham Origins a perfect Joker story and, in a shocking twist, Batman does the unthinkable and stops Bane's heart, effectively killing him. After the Joker gloats and leaves, Batman uses the same electric gauntlets that killed him to start Bane's heart again, bringing him back to life and preserving (mostly) his rule against killing.
Batman: Arkham Knight's Titular Villain Is A Ghost From Batman's Past
Batman: Arkham Knight pits Batman against Scarecrow and the titular Arkham Knight. The Knight knows Batman inside and out and even knows his secret identity (though he keeps it a secret from Scarecrow and the rest of the villains). The Arkham Knight has a vengeful streak a mile long and is focused on killing Batman through any means necessary. Near the finale of the game, it is revealed that the Arkham Knight is none other than Jason Todd, the second Robin. Despite the Arkham Knight twist being ruined by the comics for the most part, the game does alter the famous comic arc somewhat. Jason was captured by the Joker and held prisoner in an abandoned wing of Arkham Asylum for over a year. During this time, the Joker sent Batman a tape of him seemingly killing Jason, which led Batman to assume that Jason was lost. However, he survived. After escaping the Joker, Jason became the Arkham Knight and devoted his life to revenge against Batman. Batman manages to subdue Jason and, moved by his mentor's willingness to forgive him, Jason becomes the violent anti-hero Red Hood. Red Hood then continues Batman's crimefighting crusade, albeit with lethal methods.
The Batman: Arkham series provides a uniquely focused series of stories, allowing fans to experience what it feels like to be the Batman. Though the series seemingly ended with a bang after Arkham Knight's conclusion, Rocksteady has shown that it is willing to do more in the games' universe. With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League coming in 2023 (at the time of writing) and threatening to have the Suicide Squad destroy the Arkhamverse, players will get to play the Batman: Arkham experience in a new, less-heroic way.