AfterGotham KnightsandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueas well as Warner Bros. itself stating that Batman will be a priority moving forward, moreArkhamgames—if not more generic Batman games—are basically guaranteed. Of course, though it is exclusive to Meta Quest 3,Batman: Arkham Shadowis already a phenomenal new entry in the franchise and is a reminder of how fruitful and untapped the Arkhamverse’s prequel era is with a lot of questions woefully left unanswered by Rocksteady’sArkhamtrilogy.
Taking place not long afterBatman: Arkham OriginsandBatman: Arkham Origins Blackgate,Batman: Arkham Shadowpours cement into a lot of the Arkhamverse’s gaps, including precisely how District Attorney Harvey Dent tragically became Two-Face and what Bruce Wayne’s role in that event was.Batman: Arkham Shadowhas now laid brickwork for Dick’s Robin and Barbara’s Batgirl to accompany Bruce’s Batman in a sequel, too, but it could be even more excellent if Dick or Barbara led it themselves.
Barbara Gordon is the Unsung MVP of the Arkhamverse’s Bat-Family
Oracle has always had an appropriately big role in the Arkhamverse stemming back to when she was exclusively heard via Batman’s cowl comms inBatman: Arkham Asylum. Having suffered her debilitating injury by that time in theArkhamverse timeline, it made sense that Barbara’s days of fieldwork as Batgirl were behind her.
Still, her concern for Bruce and her father, Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, is a guiding light in theArkhamgames that never wavered in its ability to add sympathy and morality to Batman’s stoicism.Batman: Arkham Knightfinally revealed Barbara in-game when Batman’s comms could appear as a comms feed, but Rocksteady chose to have her held hostage by Scarecrow and fake her death. This didn’t necessarily contribute anything to her character besides reducing her to a damsel in distress, but it did attempt to make up for that by featuring a playable Batgirl inBatman: Arkham Knight’s challenge mode and an exclusive DLC episode.
Batman: Arkham Originshad the luxury of depicting Barbara and Batman’s first encounter in the Arkhamverse, while Barbara’s soft induction intoBruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, and Dr. Leslie Thompkins’ Bat-familywas woven intoBatman: Arkham Shadow’s story well and even granted her the Oracle mantle. If anyone was deserving of their ownArkhamgame in the Bat-family it’d debatably be Barbara, andShadowcertainly reinforces that idea.
In contrast, Dick Grayson only ever appears as Nightwing in the Arkhamverse beforeBatman: Arkham Shadowand has little if barely any relevance to the story inBatman: Arkham Knightas he only accompanies Batman in Penguin’s “Gunrunner” Most Wanted side quest andKiller Croc’s “Beneath the Surface” Season of Infamy DLC. However, if either Dick Grayson or Barbara Gordon was going to be the lead in aBatman: Arkham Shadowsequel, it appears as if Dick would be the prime candidate.
Dick Grayson’s Theatrical Reveal in Batman: Arkham Shadow Can’t Be for Nothing
One enormous chasm the Arkhamverse never cared to address is how each Bat-family member was recruited into both Bruce Wayne and Batman’s lives, andBatman: Arkham Shadowtook it upon itself to correct that forBatman’s first Robin, Dick Grayson. Here,Batman: Arkham Shadowbrilliantly chose to have Batman originally meet Dick as a disguised Rat—belonging to a cult who misguidedly worships the Rat King and whose plight involves fighting back at “the cops, the courts, and the clink” in Gotham City.
This puts Dick in a fascinating position as an orphan whose compass isn’t sure where to align its north star and, by the time credits roll, players get to see Bruce extend an olive branch through Dr. Leslie Thompkins in order to meet the young man. Interestingly, while his Haly’s Circus jacket and unmistakable fighting style—not to mention when the game takes place in the timeline—quickly gave him away as Dick, the game never explicitly identifies him andBatman: Arkham Shadowdeveloper Camouflajremained tight-lipped about it.
That’s because, released recently as part ofBatman: Arkham Shadow’s 1.3 update, a new post-credits scene now has players experience Bruce meeting Dick, moving him out of the Beacon Hotel and into Wayne Manor. Seeing as how there was a sacred reveal for him and all, it wouldn’t be surprising if aBatman: Arkham Shadowsequel explored Robin for its narrative and kept Batgirl as a side character.
Plus, Dick Grayson being reprised either way would be a phenomenal excuse to reprise Josh Keaton for his acting talent.
