Rocksteady Studios confirmed that both Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the Batman Arkham series occur in the same universe, meaning several of the latter’s villains could appear in the upcoming co-op game. Though there have been more than a few discrepancies concerning the universe’s continuities, the return of some familiar faces is a welcome prospect. Batman Arkham characters like Harley Quinn and Penguin have already returned, representing Gotham City and Batman’s legacy (in their own twisted way). However, Batman faced dozens of memorable villains throughout the main franchise games, and some characters could return to lend their help (or act as an obstacle) for Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League takes place in Metropolis in the aftermath of Brainiac’s invasion. Skull-shaped ships fill the sky, and a brainwashed Justice League is attacking everything in sight. Unfortunately, the military cannot contain the threat, leaving Amanda Waller to reform Task Force X. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s playable characters include Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark, whose kits and abilities fulfill different roles in battle. Though Rocksteady Studios hasn’t unveiled any gameplay for the title, cinematic trailers have revealed details about the story and characters. With luck, more characters from Batman Arkham can join the cast as villainous runaways or recruits.
Despite Batman’s absence, the DC video game universe’s continuation is a promising sign for fans. The Suicide Squad has garnered recent popularity thanks to James Gunn’s Suicide Squad film and popular comic series. Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark appeared in one of the Suicide Squad movies and featured prominent roles in the Suicide Squad comics. However, these characters aren’t the most popular villains in the Batman Arkham series, and they certainly aren’t the deadliest.
Batman Arkham’s Deathstroke Never Backs Down
Deathstroke is one of the deadliest opponents in Batman mythos, matching the Caped Crusader in speed, strength, and stamina. In the comics, Deathstroke even held his own against the entire Justice League for several minutes. The assassin played a significant role in the Batman Arkham series, with multiple boss fights and an astounding cinematic trailer to his name. Out of Batman Arkham’s villains, Deathstroke is the most like Batman and offers a significant challenge. Whether he allies with the team in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League or not, Brainiac’s invasion and takeover of the Justice League presents a challenge Deathstroke’s pride won’t allow him to miss.
Batman Arkham’s Killer Croc Is A Living Jumpscare
The Batman Arkham series isn’t a horror genre, but players weren’t exempt from occasional jumps. Killer Croc was one such jumpscare, whose monstrous visage and sudden appearances could cause even the bravest vigilante to wet themselves. Killer Croc, aka Waylon Jones, is a large, crocodile man who suffered from a skin disease and turned to questionable solutions for a cure. His current appearance is a side effect of those solutions, altering his mind and appearance to mirror the creature he claims his namesake. In Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman can find Killer Croc trying to escape and hunt down other inmates. While Killer Croc usually appeared as an enemy, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League turns villains into allies. Converting and working with characters usually portrayed as boss fights could be an exciting change of pace.
Batman Arkham’s Riddler Could Torment Players With His Trophies
Perhaps the most hated mechanic of the Batman Arkham games is Riddler’s Trophies. To collect them all and complete Riddler’s quests, players needed to solve many platforming puzzles or hack into doors with codes. While these quests were time-consuming, they provided a serious challenge for players trying to reach 100% completion.
Batman Arkham’s Riddler isn’t the most threatening of villains. Still, his appearance in the upcoming Batman film could provide a reason for Rocksteady Studios to give their Riddler another moment in the spotlight. Additionally, Suicide Squad’s Amanda Waller has a tense relationship with the Riddler, due to his frequent escapes from her custody and regular deactivations of her bombs. If Riddler is a villain in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, he could be the key to the Suicide Squad’s escape.
Batman Arkham’s Scarecrow May Live To Scare Another Day
Batman: Arkham Knight featured Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight as its primary antagonists. While Batman redeemed the Arkham Knight, Scarecrow could take advantage of the chaos to enact his latest plot. It’s unlikely he’d take another major role in the series following his recent defeat in Gotham, but he could be used as an advantage against Green Lantern. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s heroes all suffer from Brainiac’s corruption, but Green Lantern should still be weak to fear. With Scarecrow’s fear toxin, the Suicide Squad could successfully defeat John Stewart and eliminate one of Brainiac’s most powerful minions. Whether Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League uses Batman's nemesis as a fellow imprisoned ally, or he’s escaped Arkham is unknown, but it would be interesting to see Scarecrow’s fate post-Arkham Knight.
Batman Arkham’s Catwoman May Enjoy A Gotham Sirens Reunion
As Batman’s primary love interest and the final member of the Gotham Sirens, it’s highly likely that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could feature a Catwoman cameo. She frequently works alongside Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn and constantly dances the line between hero and villain. Her skills in stealth and burglary could come in handy when navigating Metropolis’ war-torn landscape, as avoiding Brainiac’s robots and Justice League minions will likely be a top priority. Additionally, Selina Kyle’s status as one of the last links to Batman provides Rocksteady with the opportunity to tie up loose strings with Batman’s legacy. It’s unknown whether Suicide Squad will feature Batman (or Nightwing as Batman), but it would be strange not to mention the Dark Knight in any way.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League hasn’t featured many villains outside the main cast and some cameos from other Gotham villains. Still, Rocksteady has plenty of time to announce the involvement of other characters. The Gotham Rogues gallery contains some of DC’s most well-known villains, and Batman Arkham has provided several unique opportunities in the spotlight. Hopefully, SS: KTJL can continue this trend and give DC’s villainous characters the attention they deserve. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is scheduled to release sometime in 2022, with no specific release date confirmed.