Batman is dead. It’s probably as hard for you to read as it is for us to write; However, this is the starting premise of the new game in the Batverse, Gotham Knights . The Dark Knight is gone, and it’s up to the surviving members of the Bat-Family to protect Gotham. But who are these four heroes, not all well known to the general public?
Batgirl, the brains of the group
Since there is (was, sniff!) a Batman, a Batgirl was needed, as there is a Supergirl. Not to be confused with Batwoman, Bruce Wayne’s modern cousin (as Supergirl is Superman’s cousin), Batgirl is the daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon. She was seriously injured by the Joker in the cult album The Killing Joke, and was in a wheelchair for a time. She then took on the role of Oracle, Batman’s nerd assistant, from which the character of Futaba Sakura is directly inspired in Persona 5.
In Gotham Knights , she will be the reasonable character, and, her Oracle past obliges, obviously good at hacking…
Robin, the youth
Robin is the first Batman companion that comes to mind. It’s half of the Dynamic Duo. But be careful, there is Robin and Robin. And even: ..and Robin, and Robin. Tim Drake, the Robin of Gotham Knights , is indeed the third Robin. He puts on the cape of the boy wonder after the “death” of Jason Todd, assassinated by the Joker. It is his exceptional detective abilities that will earn him the choice. Tim, yet only nine years old, has indeed discovered Batman’s true identity on his own…
In the game, Robin will have youthful energy, and investigative skills that would have made Batman proud! He is also a seasoned fighter, adept in wushu, having benefited from the training of Lady Shiva in person.
Red Hood, la force brute
Red Hood’s presence on the team prevents Gotham Knights from taking place on the same timeline as the Arkham Trilogy. Without spoiling too much the conclusion of the latter, Red Hood is in truth Jason Todd, the second Robin, kidnapped, then beaten to death by the Joker. If Batman believed him dead, Todd nevertheless got away with it (thanks to Harley Queen), and will return to Gotham under the mask of Red Hood (the gangster who was the Joker before becoming the Joker), filled with anger against Bruce Wayne. He will eventually join the ranks of the “good guys”, but remains unstable and impulsive.
He is the character who embodies violence and power in Gotham Knights , and unlike most heroes in this universe, does not shy away from using firearms.
Nightwing, le leader
Real name Dick Grayson, Nightwing was first the original Robin. Growing up, Robin found it increasingly difficult to accept Batman’s authority. This is how he took his independence by changing his secret identity and costume to become Nightwing. He then became the protector of Blüdhaven, a neighboring town of Gotham.
If he is no longer Robin, Nightwing has however benefited from the teaching of Batman for several years, as well as from his training as a circus artist. He is thus a remarkable fighter, and as the first and oldest companion of the Dark Knight, he is a respected leader. It is to him that the other members of the team will turn when decisions have to be made…
It took at least four heroes to take over from the greatest of them all. Each carries a facet of Batman in him (the detective, the fighter, the anger, the gadget lover). But is Batman really dead? Can he even die, for that matter? He has already conquered both death and time (in “Final Crisis”), it is hard to imagine him dying in a video game. However, the beginning of Gotham Knights leaves little room for doubt… Is Batman’s fate sealed? Answer on October 21 with the release of Gotham Knights on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
