How Rocksteady's Suicide Squad Could Connect To The Arkhamverse
Explaining one of Arkham Knight's most divisive moments.
Although it looks like a mighty different game aesthetically to the brown n' grey stylings of Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy, 2022's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is confirmed to carry on where they left off.
The word comes from Rocksteady co-founder Sefton Hill as part of the reveal itself, but the big question is:
How?
How can something so altogether more colourful, spectacular and "cartoony" draw any direction continuation to what went before?
On the face of it we've got characters like Harley Quinn and Deadshot still alive after tussles with the Bat in previous games, but a more direct connection involves Batman himself.
See, at the end of Arkham Knight, Bruce Wayne unmasks, activates the "Knightfall protocol" and blows up Wayne Manor with him inside, convincing the world he and Batman are no more.
However, that game's 100% completion ending was something else entirely.
Showing an alleyway of muggers beset by an altogether more ghoulish Batman standing on a rooftop, it seemed Bruce had fully given in to any remaining Joker poison in his system, or was using Scarecrow's toxin to rule Gotham in fear.
Becoming a "Nightmare Batman", understandably this out-of-nowhere twist didn't sit well with fans - especially those who'd collected all 243 Riddler trophies. It was a strange final note before Rocksteady wrapped their time with the trilogy; a villainous finale to an otherwise "justice prevails" tone.
Well, as a way to make good on many years' worth of mixed reception, what if the reason wasn't anything to do with Wayne succumbing to nefarious means to keep people in line, and instead the work of Brainiac?
See, Brainiac is the one behind Superman killing the pilot in Suicide Squad's reveal trailer. His ship can be seen hovering over Metropolis at the very beginning, and with a history of taking over peoples' minds, it would make perfect sense for the entirety of the League to be under his spell.
To tie Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad together, make it so Brainiac's infection is the catalyst behind Bruce becoming Nightmare Batman, and you have the perfect reason to chase him down.
We'd be retconning a notably divisive ending, sure, but it's the fans that get to put things right and save Batman.
Lastly, it's not like Rocksteady haven't played a masterful reveal like this before. A blueprint confirming work on Arkham City can actually be found in Arkham Asylum:
Tucked inside a secretly-accessed Mayor Sharp's office, you can find evidence that the team were planning this expansion to the mythos and the game's sequel, two years before it came true.
As "Killing the Justice League" increasingly feels like we'll be battering them until they regain their senses, it's the perfect way for a formerly-deceased Bruce to return as a main character.
Could Rocksteady have planted a seed, knowing it works as a mysterious talking point AND something to be tied off at a much later date?