Batman: Arkham Origins Script

Prologue
''On a snowy Christmas Eve, the camera opens to an extremely large group of bats hanging upside down on the ceiling in the Batcave. One bat crawls over to a noise it hears by the entrance. There, Bruce Wayne enters the cave, alerting the bats and making them fly around the cave in alarm. Following the batch of scurrying bats, Wayne walks into the main room of the cave, the trail ending off with the bats diving down into the darkened chasm.''

Reporter over radio: Police and emergency services are urging Gotham residents to stay off the roads in in their homes tonight in light of the severe winter storm warning.

Vicki Vale (interviewing Bruce Wayne on TV): No man's an island, Bruce. You've been back for almost two years now, you can't expect me to believe that Gotham's most eligible bachelor is spending another Christmas alone.

Bruce Wayne (on TV): (checks watch) You've just ran out of time. (walks away)

The present Bruce Wayne switches the channel to another interview.

Commissioner Loeb: ...knowing that tonight, we put to rest one of Gotham's most heinous and relentless killers, Julian Gregory Day!

Reporter: Commissioner Loeb! Any comment on the rumor that it actually wasn't the cops who captured Mr. Day?

It cuts to Captain Gordon.

Gordon: There is no such thing as a "bat man".

Reporter #1: Captain Gordon! Captain Gordon!

Reporter #2: Commissioner Loeb! Commissioner Loeb!

Commissioner Loeb: No further questions, no further questions.

Female over radio: All units, all units! Code ten at Blackgate Prison! Communication is down, possible 2-11.

Alfred sits a platter down, with a picture of Wayne's parents reflecting off the cover.

Cop over radio: Delta 6-4, on route.

Another cop over radio: Dispatch, 5-9, confirm code 10- this a break out?

The camera zooms in displaying a highlighted picture of Black Mask over his profile reports.

Female over radio: Suspect identified as "Black Mask", repeat: code 10 suspect is Black Mask. Commissioner Loeb is being held captive, repeat, Commissioner Loeb is 701.

''Alfred watches as Bruce waits for his glass incased costume holder to arise from the ground, revealing an armored, black batsuit. Bruce jams his hands into the gloves, clips his belt, assembles his grapple gun, and adjusts his mask before setting his jet to activate via a control node on his gauntlet and marches towards the Batwing. It arises, reading for it's constructor to enter as he approaches it.''

Alfred (over the Batwing's loud engine): You do realize, it is Christmas Eve, sir?

''Batman ignores Alfred, hops into a scooter like chair, and let's it arise into the Batwing with him, reading for launch. The Batwing surves around and zooms in out of the batcave through a waterfall, officially beginning Batman's next mission.''

Arriving at Black Gate
''The Batwing violently soars through the Gotham sky, ending with Batman jumping out of the jet and diving right into a snowy courtyard of Blackgate Prison. He lands in the base of it after a quick glide, looking at a large hole in the side of the prison.''

Batman (thinking): Looks like Black Mask entered the prison here. I need to find Commissioner Loeb- before it's too late.

Batman slides through through the hole.

Warden Joseph (distant): He say he'd leave my family alone if I did what he asked!

Black Mask henchman (distant): I hope he keeps his word. Thing is, you ain't gonna live to find out. Sorry, Warden. Black Mask can't leave no loose ends lyin' around.

Batman crouches and watches as the henchmen, who is armed with a bat, and Joseph walk into his view without seeing him.

Joseph: No! Please! N-

The henchmen brutally hits Joseph in the skull with a bat, making him fall down.

Black Mask henchman: Oh, I'll kill ya, alright. But by the time I do, that eye won't be the only thing you're missin'.

The henchmen turns his back towards Batman and starts to walk towards Joseph.''' 'Batman silently approaches from behind the henchmen.

Joseph (noticing Batman): What is that? Behind you?

Black Mask henchman: Oh, come on, 'spect me to fall for something like that? I mean, try something original, you-

The henchmen notices Batman's shadow on the wall.

Black Mask henchmen: (alarmingly turns around, sees Batman, and attempts to smack him with the bat) And who do you think you are?

''Batman counters the swing, breaking the bat and delivering an elbow to the henchmen's face. Batman then grabs the henchmen by his throat, flips him over to the ground, and violently snaps his arm, knocking him out.''

Joseph: (thinking Batman is hostile towards all) No! Stay away! (he grabs a nearby pipe and attempts to smack Batman with it, which is again countered. Batman then grabs his arm and bends him over, ready to snap it)

Joseph: Don't hurt me!

(Batman lets go and lets the Warden speak)

Joseph: I heard the rumors, but (he starts to scoot away towards the wall) ....y-you're not suppose to be rea-

Batman: Who tore this place apart? (Batman looks over his shoulder and hears a cringingly loud roar echo throughout the facility)

Joseph: I don't know what it is, it's huge!

Batman: Where is Black Mask?

Joseph: I-I don't know. He's here for Commissioner Loeb! Maybe one of his men know where he's headed.

Batman, after thinking about the info, heads out to the center of the prison.

Inside the prison
After a quick run through through Cell Block A. Batman spots a duo of Black Mask henchmen ahead.

Batman: These are Black Mask's men. I'll make them tell me where I can find Black Mask.

Black Mask henchmen: (notices Batman) I-It's the BAT!

Batman quickly takes them both down and interrogates one by placing his boot on his head in an angle he could break his neck in a single ankle jerk.

Batman: Where's Black Mask?

Black Mask henchman: How the hell should I know?

Batman: I'm going to make you talk. How much pain you endure before that is in your hands.

Black Mask henchman: Screw you!

Batman: I don't have time for this.

Black Mask henchman: Okay! Okay! He's headin' towards the execution chamber with Loeb!

Batman: Smart move. Now you get to take a nap.

Batman slams his boot into the henchmen's skull, knocking them out before continuing his way through the facility.

After entering a hallway, Batman spots a flying drone patrolling the halls before taking off out of sight.

Batman: A drone. That doesn't belong here. I wonder who's controlling it?

After beating a team of escaping prisoners....

Batman: The only way to advance is to grapple up and over this gate. I should hurry.

Batman grapples over the gate with his gun and continues.

Prison Guard: Please! I can't take anymore!

Black Mask henchman: If you take Black Mask's money, you do what he says. If you give him lip, this is what happens.

Batman looks on ahead and sees a large, reptillian like man throwing another security guard across the room with his mouth.

Batman: What is that?

The man, Killer Croc, walks away and out of the room.

Prison Guard: But....he's.....he's gone crazy!

Black Mask henchman: Talk like that is what gotcha in this mess in the first place. (notices Batman, making him sprint towards him in hopes of beating him, but of course, Batman defeats him.

Prison Guard: Don't hurt me! Please!

Batman ignores the guard and advances off to the prisoner processing chamber.

Vicki Vale (distant): Let me out! Do you know who I am?

Black Mask henchman (distant): This is Vicki Vale, reporting live from Mike's underpants!

After using a batarang to activate a button that opens a sealed door that leads to Vicki Vale's location, Batman slides on in into a room filled with thugs outside of a cell filled with new reporters, one being Vicki.

Black Mask henchman: IT'S HIM!

Vicki Vale (while Batman is beating up the thugs): Is that....it's him.....it's really him. Are we safe in here?

Cameraman: How should I know?

After a quick fight, Batman leaves the room without interacting with the crew via using explosive gel to blow up the floor of an elevator.

Batman: That area of the floor is weak. I can use my explosive gel to break through the floor.

''Batman detonates the gel, sending him to fall down in a room over a block. Batman looks below through the glass and sees Killer Croc, Black Mask, and a group of his henchmen. Killer Croc slams down a prison guard.''

Black Mask: They say crime doesn't pay. But someone 'ought check the good police commissioner's pockets. Because they are LINED with my money.

Croc pulls out Loeb and forces him to face towards Black Mask with a group of following prisoners surrounding them, cheering them on.

Black Mask: And what have I got to show for it? My own men in the slammer? Not no more. No, tonight, we're makin' some CHANGES! Some big changes.

Killer Croc pushes Loeb out of view with Black Mask leaving the room.

Prisoner: You're a dead man walkin', Loeb!

Execution Chamber
As Batman is slowly sneaking up into the room with the several prisoners via a vent:

Prisoner #1: You heard the man, tonight's our night!

Prisoner #2: That's right, he's gonnak ill Loeb tonight!

Prisoner #3: 'Bout time he got what he deserved.

Prisoner #2: Hell yeah it is!

Prisoner #4: Now, listen up. Black Mask let us out, so the way I see it, we owe him one. Let's clear this place of guards so he can make a clean escape.

Batman drops into a circle of the conversing prisoners

Prisoner: I didn't sign up for gettin' my ass kicked!

''Batman eventually defeats all of the prisoners and continues onwards. After taking down a thug via an explosive wall, entering the execution chamber access, and crawling through a series of vents, Batman hear Black Mask up ahead of him.''

Black Mask (distant): Part of me wants to flip that switch, but it IS Christmas Eve...and he IS the Calender Man....and that's just too perfect to ignore. And you're going to owe me for this Julian and that could be....useful.

''When Batman exits the vent, it brings him to a spectate room over the execution chamber. He looks down below through the glass and sees Loeb, Killer Croc, Black Mask, and his henchmen near a gas chamber, meant to be the one to execute the Calender Man.''

Commissioner Loeb: What's this about, Sionis? H-Haven't I always come through to you?

Black Mask: You may have, Gillian. But things have changed. We're making a new slate. And you're not on it.

Commissioner Loeb: What are you talking about? (Black Mask's henchmen begins to drag him towards the gas chamber) I'm not on it?! After all I've done for you!

They toss him in the chamber and slam the door.

Commissioner Loeb: You can't do this! I'm the police commissioner, dammit! (He bangs on the door as Batman attempts to break the glass and get inside before Loeb is executed)

However, Batman is too late, as the gas quickly releases around Loeb, chokes him, and kills him in fit of coughing.

Black Mask: Show's over boys. Let's go.

For no apparent reason whatsoever, Killer Croc whacks one of Black Mask's men, causing him to slam into the glass as they all exit the chamber.

After they exit, Batman dives through the cracked glass from Killer Croc's unreasonable punch

Batman (seeing Loeb's corpse laying slump in the gas chamber): I'm too late. Commissioner Loeb is dead. Black Mask has a lot to answer for. (right after that statement, a group of thugs burst in the room, ready to fight the Dark Knight, but are quickly defeated before Batman advances out of the chamber, into the security corridor.

Black Mask henchman: It's the bat! We're NEVER gettin' outta here!

Rooftop
Batman listens up to a comical conversation between Black Mask and Killer Croc through a large stair case as Batman inspects the memory card they're talking about.

Black Mask (distant): I told you to GRAB THE MEMORY CARD!

Killer Croc (distant): You wanted it smashed, so I smashed it!

Black Mask (distant): It had better be, or the next thing that gets smashed WILL BE YOUR FACE!

Croc annoyingly growls and they seemingly walk away.

Batman: The memory card is damaged, but I should be able to recover most of its data back at the Batcave.

''Batman reaches the top of the stairs and climbs up to the roof top via a later. There, on the snowy roof, Black Mask and his henchmen enter a helicopter, as Killer Croc stays behind on the roof and gestures the driver to take off. He does so, as the copper is quickly out of sight right before Batman drops down behind Croc.''

Killer Croc (over his shoulder to Batman): Thought I caught your scent.

Batman: I know I caught yours.

Croc angrily rips off a nearby propane tank from it's stationary hinges and chucks it at Batman, but Batman envades as the tank explodes on impact by the wall it hit, leaving a firey mess behind the Caped Crusader as he prepares to fight the Killer Croc.

''A large fight ensues between Croc, Batman, and another helicopter that's dropping off several henchmen onto the cold stone roof, but Batman eventually wins. Batman kicks Croc through a gate on the roof as it barely dangles on the stone covered, freezing cold sea below. Batman gets ontop of Croc, as Croc's arm in wrapped through the gate which is about to fall into the sea.''

Batman: Your boss. Where's he going? (he punches Croc in the face, the force loosening the gate)

Killer Croc: Only boss is me! Is'a me!

Batman: (Batman punches Croc again, loosening the gate even more) You want teeth, I want answers! (Batman punches Croc a third time, as the gate is only dangling by a screw or two)

Killer Croc: (looks down in the sea below him that he thinks he's about to fall into) Wait till Black Mask's assassins gets through with you.

Batman: WHAT ASSASSINS?! (Batman punches Croc for a third time, nearly breaking the gate off its hinges)

Killer Croc: (Croc simply laughs) Whoever wins is gonna be famous and rich!

Batman punches Croc for a final time, making him pass out from the tramua.

Batman: At least I know he won't be ugly.

''Batman steps back on the roof before dragging Croc of the grate at the last second right before it finally gives out and falls off into the sea. Suddenly, a group of cops, led by Gordon and Harvey Bullock, shine their lights at Batman with pistols aimed at him.''

Cop: FREEZE!

Bullock: Hold it right there!

Batman presses a button on his gauntlet node which activates the Batwing to fly near him.

Gordon: I'm takin' you in!

Batman: (starts to walk backwards towards the edge of the roof) Not tonight. (he falls back off the roof, no where to be found. The cops walk over to the edge to investigate, when suddenly the Batwing rises, with Batman piloting it before it soars off until it disappears. The cop squad looks it awe.

Bullock (to Gordon): "No such thing as bat man", eh?

The Assassins
''The Batwing arrives back to the Batcave, safely landing on the docking bay. Batman dives out and walks towards the bat computer.''

Alfred: Are you back for the night, sir? Shall I warm up the Christmas dinner?

Batman: No. It's gonna be a long night, Alfred. I just..... ran into a human shaped crocodile who told me Black Mask has hired assassins to kill me.

''Batman activates his computer, inserting the memory card he got from before. As the computer boots up and analyzes the card, Alfred and Batman talk.''

Alfred: "Assassins", sir? As in more than one?

Batman: That's right.

Alfred: And you heard this from the mouth of a crocodile man?

A series of profiling reports and incident images of Killer Croc display on the screen.

Batman: His name is Killer Croc, and he's already behind bars.

Alfred: Whoah...I pity his cell mate.

Batman: I don't. Let's see what else is on the drone's hard drive.

It shows a recording of Black Mask having a meeting with his men.

Black Mask: Each of them get one of these envelopes (he hold up a bundle of envelopes), I need them delivered- tonight! (he hands the bundle to one of his henchmen)

Batman: They're all hired killers, the best in the bussiness. Black Mask isn't messin' around. (a flash of all eight assassins are displayed on the screen. First, a profile of Deathstroke comes up.) Slade Wilson. Deathstroke. (a flash back of Deathstroke beating a group of cops before one of Black Mask's henchmen comes by and delivers an envelope to Deathstroke, one of which he reads) Former military- subject of a failed medical experiment.

Alfred: "Failed", you say?

Batman: Garfield Lynns, a.k.a Firefly (Firefly's profile displays). Burns on 90% of his body. His obession will be his end.

Alfred (sarcastically): How unlike ANYONE I know....

Batman: Here's a face I don't recognize. (a profile of a male Copperhead displays) Copperhead. Strange. These reports references amale, not a female. (the profile shifts between different Copperheads before landing on a female one) (a recording of Copperhead, who is handcuffed and a cop display)

Cop: Fourteen escapes, huh? (he turns around a scratches his cheek) Well, you won't be gettin' outta- (he turns around a sees that Copperhead is gone) What the-? (he cautiously looks around and the recording cuts to Copperhead having her legs wrapped around his neck) HELP! H- (Copperhead snaps his neck before noticing an envelope on the ground. She leaps off the dead cop and reads it)

Batman: Floyd Lawton. A.K.A Deadshot. (a recording of Deadsho sniper on a roof plays) Says here he's an expert sharpshooter.

A group of cops come up behind Deadshot.

Cop: FREEZE!

Deadshot jerks around and fires a single shot from his wrist mounted cannons, the bullet ricochetting off the wall and killing every single cop in one shot.

Alfred: How on earth-?

Batman: Suspected of many assassinations. Deadly, but reckless. Street tough named Lester Buchinsky. (his profile displays) Calls himself "Electrocutioner. (shows a picture of Electrocutioner killing a Black Mask henchmen who attempted to deliver his envelope)

Alfred: Shocking.

Batman: (Shiva's profile displays) Shiva. (a recording of Shiva beating up a group of thugs without messing up once) Her skill is unmatched. (a scared Black Mask henchmen hands her an envelope and runs away, the envelope reading "ONE NIGHT TO KILL THE BAT. PAYMENT FOR THIS HIT IS $50,000,000")

The final assassin displays Bane and a recording of him beating up a duo of large men.

Batman: Bane? Here? In Gotham? (Bane snaps both of his fighter's neck before he is delivered the envelope) Why would he be taking money as a hired killer?

A recording of Warden Joseph being thrown down at Black Mask's feet by his henchmen.

Alfred: Is that Warden Joseph?

Batman: Mmm-hmm. Must be how Black Mask got inside the prison. (A henchmen hands Black Mask a lit cigarette, as Black Mask crouches over Joseph and prepares to gouge his eye out with it, explaining how Joseph lost his eye.) He uses torture for intimidation....and entertainment.

Alfred: Eight assassins after your head. What are you going to do?

Batman: I'm going to find out who was operating this drone and make them tell me what they know. Then I'm going to find Black Mask (a display of Black Mask's profile pops up) and put an end to this.

Alfred: Sir, I may be stating the obvious here, but you do realize since you and I are the only one's who know Batman's true idenity, those assassins will all fail their mandate if you'd just spend the evening here.

Batman: They'll put innocents in danger to attract my attention. I can't take that risk.

Alfred: And you think that it's a better idea to just put yourself in their crosshairs?

Batman, ignoring Alfred, starts to analyze the drone.

Batman: There's only one person in Gotham who could get his hands on something like this. The Penguin. He's been tracking Black Mask. According to the drone's GPS, its next way point was a rendezvous with the Penguin at Jezebel Plaza. I'll make him talk.

Alfred: Are you sure this is wise, sir?

Batman: I know what I'm doing.

Alfred: Well, in case you change your mind and want to train tonight instead, I'll keep your training facility active. The Batwing is prepped and ready to take you to Jezebel Plaza, sir.

Batman hops into the Batwing and takes off, coordinates set to Jezebel Plaza.

Jammer
While soaring through the Gotham skyline with the Batwing:

Batman: Alfred, I've got-

Alfred: I'm tracking it too. It appears your control towers you use for your auto-nav systems are putting out a jamming signal.

Batman: Storm damage?

Alfred: You'll have to go down there and find out for yourself, sir.

Batman: Got it. I'm close to one now.

Batman drops out of the Batwing and lands in the GCR tower after crashing through a window

Hostage (distant): I swear, we're the only ones here. Look, Gotham Optics gets a call that the towers are actin' funny, right? So, they send a guy over, but he never shows. Probably went home for the night, lazy bastard...Anyway-when he doesn´t show up, they send us over. There´s no secret plan here, fellas. We´re just doing our jobs.

'''Mobster (distant): And we´re just doing ours. See - we´ve been hired to make sure no one touches the tower.'''

Hostage (distant): You want us to leave? No problem. Just let us go and it´ll be like none of this ever happened.