Maria Andrade

Maria Andrade first appeared in Rocksteady Game's Batman: Arkham Asylum in August 2009.

Biography
Maria is a young security guard at Arkham Asylum, one of the many present during the Joker's takeover of the asylum. She is identified as a trainee by a special ID badge on her uniform which confirms her as a new Arkham employee, hired as part of the administrator Quincy Sharp's plan to improve asylum security and expand security personnel forces.

Arkham Asylum Incident
Maria Andrade was one of the many security guards present at Arkham Asylum, when the Joker was recaptured by Batman. She was posted at the Intensive Treatment Center to help guard the Joker during his transferral. As soon as the Joker arrived in the company of Batman, a security team led by decorated senior officer Frank Boles strapped the Joker into a handcart and wheeled him into the Intensive Treatment Lobby. Because Joker's last escape had ended in such a disaster with three guards dead, the army of armed and armored guards were doubled in the facility. On the night of the Clown Prince of Crime's return to Arkham, William North, a high-ranking member of security, called every security employee to duty, with every available man posted in Intensive Treatment to prevent escape, including Maria Andrade. Knowing that curing the Joker would cement his reputation and win him support for his mayoral campaign, Warden Sharp wished that psychiatric treatment of the villain immediately begin as soon as possible. As such, he told Officer North to contact Dr. Penelope Young, the Joker's assigned doctor and head of research at Arkham Asylum, and inform her that her patient had been returned to custody. Upon hearing this, Dr. Young hurried to the Intensive Treatment Lobby, accompanied by Maria Andrade and a second, identified, guard. The three arrived in the lobby while the Joker was being screened in the weapons scanner by Aaron Cash. While waiting for the scan to be completed, Andrade and her colleague passed the time by making friendly conversation with Dr. Young. After the scan on Joker had been completed, Frank Boles and Batman escorted the villain out of the weapons scanner tunnel and into the hallway leading to the Cell Block Transfer Corridor. Aaron Cash leveled his gun at the villain and warned that all security staff were to have weapons trained on the Clown Prince of Crime at all times, and were not to let him out of their sight. Despite the warning, Maria Andrade continued conversing freely with Dr. Penelope Young in the Intensive Treatment Lobby with her other colleague. She had her back to the weapons scanner tunnel as Batman and the Joker's security team escorted Joker out of the tunnel and towards the Cell Block Transfer Corridor. Watching as her colleague suddenly raised his rifle at something behind her and noticing Dr. Young's suddenly-pale expression, Andrade whirled around suddenly, finding the Joker and his security team just behind her. Immediately she aimed her own gun at the Joker's head as Dr. Young backed away, telling the doctor, "Keep behind me." She continued to keep her assault rifle aimed in the villain's general direction as he entered the Cell Block Corridor. When the doors had closed safely behind Joker and his guards, Andrade lowered her weapon as the other guard turned away, telling Young, "Okay, he's clear," with a note of relief in his voice. The Joker left, commenting to the doctor, "Pencil me in for tomorrow at four. We've got a lot of catching up to do." The sinister tone of his last phrase caused Dr. Young to blanche and cower behind her clipboard, even though Maria Andrade was shielding her from any possible harm with her own person.

Dr. Young stood glancing after the Joker for some time, deep in thought. She then realized that Andrade and the other guard were looking at her, awaiting their orders. As Andrade turned to face her completely, she told her, "Take me back to my office. The warden wants Joker cured."

After escorting Dr. Young out of the Intensive Treatment Center, across Arkham North, and to her office in the old Arkham Mansion on the eastern side of the island, Andrade left her working and returned to Arkham East. Once there, she was prevented from going back to the Intensive Treatment Center, as by this point the Joker had made his escape and started a riot. Killing his guard and a doctor as they tried to bring him back to his cell, the Joker released all the Blackgate convicts in the Holding Cells, who had been temporarily transferred from Blackgate Penitentiary, which had recently been destroyed in a mysterious fire. After turning loose all the prisoners in the Intensive Treatment Facility, the area became under code red lockdown. The staff were massacred and the security guards overpowered at the cost of only three prisoners. The Joker took control of the guard radios, sending a fake order to Louie Green and all available members of security to report to Arkham East. Having received the same radio call and unable to return to Intensive Treatment, Andrade took up post elsewhere. It remains to be seen if Andrade survived the attack on Arkham and if she returned to her post after the Joker's defeat.

After Arkham Asylum Incident
Maria must have possibly survived the attack on Arkham Asylum, and later returned to her normal duties after G.C.P.D took control of Arkham Asylum and Joker was taken back to custody before it was closed down by Mayor Quincy Sharp.

Notes/Trivia

 * Maria Andrade is never actually credited by name in the game, given only the generic title of 'Masked Guard'. However, upon closer inspection by an observant player, the ID tag worn by the guard can be viewed on close-up, reading, "ANDRADE, MARIA. TRAINEE #618".
 * Maria Andrade is the one of the only two generic 'Masked Guards' to be identified by full name, the other being Thomas Armbruster.
 * Maria Andrade is voice by Kari Wahlgren, who also voiced Vicki Vale and The Unnamed Assassin, in Batman: Arkham City.
 * Despite what it may seem, Maria Andrade was actually one of the earliest characters designed for Batman: Arkham Asylum. One of the first development photos of the video game before the riot armour was introduced for the guard characters, shows Andrade, who can be seen in the background of the early introduction, standing where Dr. Young is absent from this early version of the game. In this development screenshot, Andrade does not carry a gun and stands with her hands at her sides. She is attired in a grey uniform and a black tie, similar to the costumes worn by senior officers Aaron Cash and Louie Green.
 * Maria Andrade's character model can be unlocked by players along with that of Aaron Cash in Batman: Arkham Asylum by locating and solving one of the Riddler's challenges in the northern part of Arkham Island.
 * During the game loading screen for Batman: Arkham Asylum, an image of Maria Andrade is briefly shown. She can be glimpsed standing next to Aaron Cash along with fellow guard Thomas Armbruster.
 * Maria Andrade's name may be a reference to Dino Andrade, who voiced the Scarecrow in Batman: Arkham Asylum.
 * Maria is one of a few guards that doesn't speak to Batman when approached.