Season 3 Episode One: A Better Arkham

Bats fly across a dark cave, the Batcave, as the Batmobile starts and drives out of the tunnel. It drives into Gotham City, through the streets, until it comes across a car driving away from a crime scene. Inside is Joker laughing as he crashes into other cars and runs past traffic lights. Batman drives close after him until the Batmobile is on it's tail.

Batman puts the car on auto drive and ejects out of the front seat. He glides through the air and lands on top of the car. The Joker looks up at the ceiling of the car, along with his passenger, sitting next to him. The Joker slams down on the brake, which causes Batman to slip and rest his feet on the hood of the car, stopping himself from falling.

The Joker floors it towards a wall of a building. Batman grapples away as the car crashes, breaking the windshield. The Joker groans and rubs his forehead. He hears his passenger speak to him.

"Pudding? Did you have to crash into the wall?" She asks.

The Joker tries driving, but the car doesn't work.

"Time to go." Joker states and runs out of the car.

His girlfriend follows him. Batman glides after them from the sky. He's wearing his updated suit Lucius made. The Joker pulls out a pistol and fires it at him but misses. Batman glide kicks Joker to the ground.

"Hey! Get away from Mr. J! What did he ever do to you?!" Harley shouts.

Batman kicks Harley in the gut and knocks her to the ground. Batman pulls out his...Bat Cuffs? Is that what they're called? Batman pulls out his Bat Cuffs and restrains Joker's arms.

"Pudding!"

Batman hears police car sirens from down the street. Batman grapples off of the street as the GCPD shows up to the stunned and restrained criminals.

The Batman

Batman returns to the Batcave and pulls back his cowl. He walks over to the Batcomputer and starts typing. He hears something turn on and looks over to his Batwing. Lucius Fox is working on it.

Lucius Fox. He works at Wayne Enterprises. He's helps me make the technology I use as Batman, using my company. He's a friend.

"I'm nearly done with your plane. Soon everything will be back to the way it was." Lucius says.

"Not everything. The GCPD is still after Batman, and Dick Grayson is still a wanted man who has to hide under a different name in Bludhaven." Bruce explains.

"Is that where Ms. Gordon has run off to this week?" Lucius asks.

"Yes. She wanted to talk to Dick."

Alfred walks into the Batcave.

"Bruce, surely I don't have to remind you of the event going on upstairs." Alfred states.

Alfred Pennyworth. He's been a father to me ever since my real one died. He's been there for me. Always. He is the closest person to me out of all my allies.

"I'll be there, Alfred." Bruce states.

"Good. Because everyone is waiting for you." Alfred comments.

Bruce goes to change.

I have to remember, that Batman isn't the only one in this city who can make a difference.

Bruce stands before a huge crowd inside of Wayne Manor. It's a fundraiser.

"There was a study done recently. Studying Gotham. The study found out that Gotham has the highest number of crimes involving the mentally ill in the country. But that's not a bad thing. They just need help, and we can provide it. With Arkham Asylum." Bruce states.

The crowd nods.

"Arkham Asylum is here to help people. And as long as we fund it, no matter how much you pay, as long as we fund it, Gotham City will become a better place. Thank you for coming here tonight."

The crowd claps. Bruce walks into the crowd. Lucius walks into the room with a tuxedo and up to Bruce.

"I'm nearly finished. I just need-" Lucius begins.

"Mr. Fox, don't worry about it. Just enjoy the party." Bruce says.

They both walk over and grab a glass of champagne.

"So how did Arkham start off anyways?" Lucius asks and takes a sip from his glass.

"It was built by Amadeus Arkham. A man who wanted to fix Gotham City for the ill it had. So he built the Asylum, and named it after his Mother. His wife had just given birth to a son. He had tried to take every single mentally ill man or woman to Arkham. Wanted to be a hero. The first patient he 'cured' was 'Mad Dog.' As soon as he was released he was arrested for a brutal murder two days later." Bruce explains.

"Jeez." Lucius comments.

"They tried to cure him, he once broke free and killed 3 guards, maiming 5 others before being restrained again. Amadeus tried his best to cure him, but he broke out. Amadeus searched Arkham Island for him along with the guards. What he didn't realize was that Mad Dog had been free for a couple of days. They found the severed remains of his Mother in the gardens, hidden in the bushes."

"Severed?"

"Mad Dog was infamous for severing the body parts of his victims. That's what he did to his Mother. They found his wife splattered all over his cell. Mad Dog was never found again. Neither was his son. Amadeus reacted to the incident with insanity and had to be taken into his own Asylum. He wasn't just ill, he was completely insane."

"Like, foaming at the mouth type of crazy?"

"Yes. Ever since then they carried on his legacy with Arkham Asylum, and there are still people wondering what happened to Mad Dog or his son. Amadeus hung himself in his cell a year later."

"When did this all happen?"

"Early 1900's."

"I never knew Arkham had such a tragic past."

"It doesn't matter what happened before, what matters is that it's still a place where inmates can be cured. I have faith in Arkham. And so does everyone here tonight."

"Then I'll donate too."

"Thanks, Lucius."

"I only see Alfred here tonight. Where's everyone else?"

"After Tommy tried to bring us down, Barbara went to go fight crime with Dick for a while, and Selina left Gotham the night she was released. I think it has something to do with Holly dying."

"Was Holly her friend?"

"Yes. And Hush killed her."

"So it's just us?"

"Just us."

Lucius takes another sip from his glass.

After the fundraiser, Bruce goes back down to the Batcave in the elevator.

"Alfred. Any activity tonight?" Bruce asks.

"Surprisingly no, Bruce. It's quiet. Perhaps you could take the night off." Alfred suggests.

"I'd rather not."

"And when will you ever get the night off? Ever since Master Grayson left, you've had to go out every night. Now that it's finally quiet for once, maybe you should take a break. Just for a few hours. This is the one time you can without help."

"I have help, Alfred. I have Barbara."

"Not right now. And you don't have Robin either."

Bruce doesn't respond and continues work on the Batcomputer.

"Please Strange, you've got to tell me...who is he?" Riddler pleads.

"Ah ah, Mr. Nygma, I won't give up the secret that easily."

"But I need to know!"

"I know you do. You need to know a lot of things, Edward. You are obsessed with riddles. You are obsessed with being better than everyone else. You are obsessed with knowing every answer to every question you can know the answer to, and it rips you apart when you can't find it."

"But I'm so close."

"I know that, Mr. Nygma. But there are many questions you don't know the answer to. What about how Batman survived your ultimate trap."

"Oh yeah...that one."

"You see...you can survive without knowing everything." Hugo Strange says, interviewing Riddler at Arkham.

Hugo pulls out a card from his pocket.

"This card holds the answer to how Batman survived your death trap." Hugo says and places it on the arm rest of his chair.

Hugo stands up and helps Riddler to his feet.

"I'll tell you who Batman is, if yo-" Hugo starts.

Riddler pounces for the card on the chair and reads it.

"Ha ha! Of course! It WAS the chamber! It was bomb proof. If you're willing to tell me this, then you must be willing to tell me who Batman is. Now who is he, Strange? Tell me. Tell me!" Riddler demands.

The guards grab him.

"Actually, Mr. Nygma, I was going to say that I would tell you if you could RESIST reading the card. I wanted to show how you could survive without your obsession. But you proved me wrong. Looks like you won't find out anytime soon." Hugo explains.

"But it's so close!" Riddler shouts.

"Yes, yes. I would diagnose you with Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, or OCD. You cannot live without your riddles, and they dictate your entire life. I really hope I can cure you soon, Nygma. Imagine, what a sad life to live. A life where one single thing dictates how you spend it."

The Batmobile drives up to an alley and Batman steps out. He looks up at the street sign. It had a normal name but it's been painted over by some street thug to read:

Crime Alley.

Batman walks down the alley and sees the dead end. He looks down to where the plaque should be, on the sidewalk. He crouches down in front of the memorial and thinks.

In Loving Memory of Thomas and Martha Wayne

I've thought a lot about it in my head. If I had the chance, would I change it?

Batman eventually stands up and walks out of the alley.

I've still yet to come up with an answer.

Back at the Batmobile, something is missing. The tires. There's a young boy trying to take the last one off before he looks into the alleyway, and sees Batman, crouched on the edge of a fire escape, watching him. He drops everything and stares.

"What do you think you're doing?" Batman asks.

The Batman

Next Time on the Batman: The Return of Venom (3x2)

Venom has returned. As the streets flood with more and more of the drug, Batman needs to stop the flood, help the boy he found, and deal with a new opponent he faces.

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