Bruce Wayne’s death is the foundation of WB Montreal’s upcomingGotham Knights. Without the Caped Crusader protecting the city, it is up to four of Batman’s proteges to succeed him.
Gotham Knights' Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood will try to take the place of the World’s Greatest Detective as Gotham is hounded by old villains and the mysterious Court of Owls alike. Though all of the game’s playable characters were close to Bruce Wayne, Red Hood may have a particularly unique perspective on Batman’s death.
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The Life And Death Of Jason Todd
The version of Red Hood who will be appearing inGotham Knights, like Nightwing, was once aversion of Robin. Bruce Wayne first encountered Jason Todd as he was trying to steal the wheels off the Batmobile. Originally sent to an abusive “School for Boys,” Jason gained his place at Batman’s new Robin when he uncovered that the school was a front for a criminal operation.
Jason Todd’s reign as Robin had a very different tone to his predecessor Dick Grayson’s.Alfred Pennyworthdescribed Jason as having a “mean streak.” InBatman #424,it washeavily implied that Jason Todd pushed an ambassador’s son to his death after finding out the man had diplomatic immunity despite being involved in Gotham’s criminal underworld. It wasn’t long before Bruce put his foot down, and Jason Todd was banned from donning the Robin costume and fighting crime.
InBatman: A Death in the Family, the Joker murdered Jason Todd and his recently rediscovered mother while Batman was attempting to stop a truck full of Joker venom. Jason was only dead for half a year, however, before events elsewhere in the DC universe brought him back to life. In another story, anevil version of Supermanpunched the fabric of reality so hard that it caused a ripple through the timeline that resurrected Jason Todd.
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Red Hood
Restored to full health by Talia al Ghul using the League of Shadow’s Lazarus Pit, Jason blamed Bruce Wayne for his death and for not avenging him by killingthe Joker. Jason returned to Gotham as Red Hood. He took over several gangs in Gotham’s underworld, and began plotting his revenge. At one point, he even directly fought with Batman after working with the assassin Onyx, revealing his face and resurrection at the end of their fight.
Later, Jason kidnapped the Joker, and attempted to force Bruce to choose between letting Jason kill the Joker or killing Jason to prevent the murder. Batman was able to disarm Red Hood using a last-secondBatarang, and the Joker escaped. Though Red Hood would later come to work more frequently with the Bat Family, they often came to blows and were suspicious of Jason Todd’s extreme and criminal methods.
Bruce Wayne’s deathcould be particularly interesting inGotham Knightsfrom Jason Todd’s perspective. Depending on where in his arc players find Red Hood in the game, Jason could feel that Batman’s death in some way avenged his own. He could also feel immense guilt, being put in the same position Bruce was in when he thought he’d lost Jason. It’s also possible that Jason’s hotheadedness may lead him to one conclusion: intense, all-consuming hatred and/or a desire to revenge Bruce’s death.
Players will be able to play through all of the game as just one ofGotham Knights’four playable characters. Hopefully, however, the PCs will be individually characterized enough to make playing as each of them feel as distinct in terms of story as it will be mechanically. If there’s any character who should have a unique take on Bruce Wayne’s death inGotham Knights, it’s Red Hood.
Gotham Knightsis set to release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.
