- "Would you believe good, old-fashioned revenge? To be honest, I don't care if you do. Wayne will suffer and you will not stop me."
- —Hush to Batman in his hideout in Arkham City
Thomas Elliot and Bruce Wayne were childhood friends. After a tragic accident claimed his father, Thomas developed a pathological hatred for the Waynes. An incredibly skilled surgeon as an adult, Elliot planned an elaborate revenge scheme on the Batman. He disguised himself as the villain known as Hush, with his face covered in bandages, and plotted to finally take his revenge against Wayne.
He served as the main antagonist of Gotham's Most Wanted Side Missions: Identity Theft and Friend in Need.
Incident Reports
Before Arkham Origins Incident
Thomas Elliot and Bruce Wayne were childhood friends, and, unknown to Bruce, dark reflections of each other. Named after Bruce's father, Thomas idolized the great surgeon.
A childhood sociopath, Elliot actually tried to kill his parents so he could inherit their fortune. His plan failed partly due to the surgical skills of Thomas Wayne, and his mother survived, which led to Elliot to blame the Wayne Family for his failure and sought out revenge against them.
After the deaths of Bruce's parents, Thomas grew jealous of his old friend getting his fortune ahead of him. This lead him to unjustly decide to ruin Bruce's life just like his father ruined his own by saving his mother's life.
To accomplish this, Thomas sought out a medical degree, becoming exceptionally skilled in the field. Acting benevolent, Thomas bided his time of the years, waiting for the chance to get back at Bruce Wayne.
Arkham Origins Incident
Although he did not appear in Origins, Elliot was mentioned by Alfred. When Batman listened to Alfred's final Wisdom conversation in the Batcave, he told Bruce that Thomas had called to celebrate a surgery that he had just completed to separate co-joined twins.
Between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum Incident
Elliot continued to work as a successful surgeon, while also still secretly planning his revenge against Bruce Wayne. When Arkham Asylum was opened again, Elliot started working there as a doctor.
At some point, Elliot was the one responsible for the surgery that separated Mr. Hammer and Sickle, who were hired by the Joker to perform the surgery on, in exchange for the finances that would fund his later surgeries.
Arkham Asylum Incident
Even though Hush didn't appear in the Asylum itself, you could find his name on a timetable on the second floor of the Surgery Room at the Medical Facility as you rescue Dr. Adrian Chen. Scan the timetable to solve a riddle and unlock his biography.
Between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City Incident
Around winter after Arkham City opened, Hush decided the time to implement his plan had come; he tracked down three men who had facial features similar to Bruce Wayne and removed their faces, leaving their heads bandaged up, earning him the name Identity Thief in the newspaper. However, some of the people he targeted did not have the right parts he needed, either being not the right size or malformed. As a result, Hush kept the parts that were accurate frozen in a medical container.
Hush was transferred to Arkham City to be part of the Medical Center staff. However, he never made a point to socialize with the rest of the staff, keeping to himself unless he needed their help with medical procedures. He also took up residence in an apartment next to the Solomon Wayne Courthouse. To Hush's surprise, some of the patients turned out to be Political Prisoners; three of whom had the remaining facial features he needed to complete his copy of Bruce Wayne's face.
Hush, unconscious at the Medical Center, holding a mysterious container. It likely held the stolen faces of his victims.
To prepare for surgery, Hush began stealing painkillers from the Medical Center and stockpiling them in his hideout. When he had enough, Hush stalked his targets and killed them. He hid their bodies until he could dispose of them in the gang war chaos. With the rest of the prep work done, Hush implement the final step: cutting off his own face to replace it.
Arkham City Incident
Doctor Adam Hasakani found Hush laughing in a corner, holding his container. Believing the stress of the job made him snap, Adam sedated Hush and bandaged his head to keep blood-loss from killing him. Hush ended up in the Medical Center, where Adam tended to him. Adam was unable to get Hush to let go of the container, leaving him worried as to what was in it. Hearing the news about Bruce in his sleep, Hush was annoyed. When the Riddler attacked the church to take hostages, Hush woke up and escaped into Arkham City.
Using the various faces he stole, Hush crafted one that looked like Bruce Wayne onto himself, dying his hair in the process. He also somehow managed to make his fingerprints match Wayne's as well. Hush dumped his first victim, being spotted by someone who mistook him for Bruce. He accidentally left a scalpal with his second victim, leaving fingerprints. To get rid of the third body, he instructed a thug to use bleach to remove evidence.
Batman tracked six murders back to Elliot after he scanned three corpses, interrogated one political prisoner who said that Elliot looked like Bruce Wayne, uploaded the fingerprints that were Bruce Wayne's, and interrogated one inmate who was told by Hush to clean up a third victim with bleach who then told Batman Hush's location.
Hush, with his new face.
When Batman entered Hush's Hideout (in Park Row by the Solomon Wayne Courthouse and below Catwoman's Apartment), he learned that Elliot had created a face that looked exactly like Bruce Wayne's (minus the surgery scars) and even managed to change his prints and voice to that of Bruce's. Hush trapped Batman in his surgical room and left Arkham City. Batman informed Oracle of that and said he would track him down the next day.
Before Arkham Knight
As it turns out, Hush's new face was part of a plan that had taken the Arkham Knight years to put into action. Thinking that he was truly Bruce Wayne, the Ratcatcher tried to kill him, but was disappointed when Hush's bandages came off and his scars were revealed. Two GCPD officers tried to help Hush, and also believed that he was Wayne, but were overwhelmed by Ratcatcher's rats. The Arkham Knight, who'd been following Hush, saved him from Ratcatcher and both of them escaped before Batman showed up.
In a safehouse, Hush was patched up and given a sample of Clayface mud that would heal his surgery scars on the promise that he wouldn't reveal his new face again until the plan was ready.
Arkham Knight Incident
Hush remained behind during Scarecrow's attack, infiltrated Wayne Tower, and gained access to Lucius Fox's Office on the top floor.
Hush disguised as Bruce Wayne at Wayne Tower.
After he failed to gain access to a computer due to security protocols that he hadn't foreseen, Elliot took Fox hostage, and used his retina to access the Wayne Enterprises mainframe. Subsequently, Fox's assistant, Clara Saberton, entered the room to investigate the commotion, but Hush scared her off by shooting at the door with a gun. He then began transferring Wayne's funds out of his accounts. Before he could actually do anything, Batman entered. Elliot demanded that Batman find Bruce Wayne and bring him to the tower, otherwise he would destroy the building. Batman tried to reason with Elliot, and reminded him that the Waynes' had stood by him after the car crash that killed his father. Hush then inadvertently admitted to deliberately causing the crash and let out his resentment at Bruce Wayne for getting his fortune handed to him. Batman removed his mask, revealed his identity to Hush, and dared his former friend to take his best shot. Startled, Hush attempted to shoot Batman, but the Dark Knight quickly disarmed him. Fox assaulted him with a vase, which damaged his face, and Batman then choke slammed him through Fox's desk. After he knew that he couldn't deliver Hush to the GCPD without putting himself under investigation, Batman instructed Fox to lock the unconscious Elliot in the vault underneath the building, informing him and Alfred that Elliot would be put on trial and brought to justice at a later date, once the night was over.
It's likely that the funds were returned to Wayne before the Knightfall Protocol.
Personality
Thomas Elliot is a vengeful sociopath who developed an unbridled hatred towards the Waynes, namely his former best friend, Bruce, whom he grew to resent due to him obtaining his family fortune through inheritance. Elliot never inherited his family's money when Thomas Wayne saved his mother. Even in childhood, Elliot was cunning but his murderous, sociopathic desires proved deep-rooted enough to plan his parents death and stage it as an accident. His skills only grew as he got older, becoming a gifted surgeon. His sanity and morality, however, seemed to vanish further as he insanely laughed while cutting his own face after enlisting into Arkham City, then murdering and surgically removing the faces of six inmates. Elliot was willing to mutilate himself to assist with his revenge against Bruce Wayne by replicating Bruce's face and fingerprints to frame him and destroy his reputation. He was intensely proud of his work, describing it as his "Michelangelo's David" and his Mona Lisa.
Psychological Profile
Hush
Real Name: Thomas Elliot A.K.A. Hush
Attributes
- Great Physical Strength, augmented by the drive of revenge
- World-Class Surgeon
- Master of Disguise
- Medical Science
- Marksmanship
- Deception
Quotes
Arkham City
- "This is the journal of Dr. Thomas Elliot. My work is complete. The pain, though still present, has been worth it. He will suffer for what he did to me. He will suffer the way I have suffered. As I look in the mirror, I understand how Leonardo felt when he finished the Mona Lisa. How Michelangelo felt when David was complete. My work has taken too long, but now it's time for my masterpiece to be unveiled. My new face is ready." - From audio recording
- "I couldn't have put it better myself. I take it you're here to stop me?" (Batman)
- (Batman: "What do you think?") "I think you're too late".
- (Batman: "You're a killer, a psychopath. I will stop you.") "Really?"
- (Batman: "But you look just like...") "Bruce Wayne? It took time, of course. To find the perfect donors. To graft on the flesh and, finally, to lose myself in order to create this."
- (Batman: "Six people died.") "Unfortunate, but necessary to complete my plan."
- (Batman: "Why?") "Would you believe good, old fashioned revenge? To be honest, I don't care if you do. Wayne will suffer, and you will not stop me."
- "I can see you have your hands full with Arkham City, but it's time for me to leave. Pray we do not meet again. Next time, I will not be in such a generous mood." (Batman)
Arkham Knight
- "Don't worry. This will be over soon." (Clara Saberton)
- "So, I finally have your attention. Come and join the party. If you try anything stupid, Wayne Enterprises will be looking for a new CEO." (Batman)
- (Batman: "Let him go.") "We're just negotiating, aren't we, Mister Fox? I have a job for you, Batman. Bring me Bruce Wayne or I bring down this tower."
- (Batman: "Why Wayne? The two of you were friends.") "That brat's family destroyed me, and now I will destroy him."
- (Batman: "The Waynes stood by you.") "Ah yes. The great surgeon Thomas Wayne. To think he was once my idol. Until he ruined everything."
- (Batman: "He did all he could to save your parents after the crash. I'm sorry you lost your father, but he saved your mother's life.") "He denied me what was rightfully mine!"
- (Batman: "The car crash wasn't an accident, it was you. You wanted to kill them.") "I only want what I deserve! Bruce Wayne had his riches handed to him on a plate. He never had to fight for anything in his life! Now bring me Wayne, or I'll destroy this tower and everything he stands for!"
- (Bruce Wayne: "Take your best shot, Tommy.") "Bruce... that's impossible."
- "I should've known..."
- "Stay back. I'll kill him. I'll do it!"
- "My face..." (after Lucius Fox hits him with a vase)
Game Over Lines
Arkham Knight
- "Everything you are, everything you have. It's mine Bruce, all mine." (shoots Batman)
- "Too bad, Lucius, I could've used a man of your talents." (shoots Lucius)
Gallery
Trivia
- His parents likely named him after Thomas Wayne, who was also Hush's idol.
- It's never explained why Hush never attempted to create another "accident" to kill his mother when he was a child. It's possible that she either found out his attempt and had him watched 24/7 or he believed that another attempt would cause him to become the prime suspect.
- Hush's hatred of Bruce Wayne appears to be a case of transference, which is when someone transfers what they feel towards someone to another person. Hush initially hated Thomas Wayne for saving his mother, but when he died and Bruce inherited the Wayne fortune, Hush grew jealous. (Thus Hush confused his hatred for Thomas Wayne with his jealousy, blaming Bruce for everything)
- He is similar to the Penguin, as they both hate Bruce Wayne for things that were never caused by him. Hush hates Bruce for getting his fortune before him, and Penguin hates Bruce because the Waynes ended up becoming rich off better ideas than the Cobblepots had.
- His reference in Arkham Asylum actually created a plot-hole in the Arkham series' timeline as Hush was unknown to Batman in Arkham City, yet he had a full biography for him in Arkham Asylum.
- The doctor who found Hush after he cut off his face said he was "bleeding and laughing in a corner"; ironically, this is what the Joker said his view of the world was in Asylum.
- Hush was one of the few villains who did not have a game over scene in Arkham City, the others were: Bane, Talia al Ghul, Catwoman, and Killer Croc.
- In Arkham Origins, Alfred revealed that Thomas Elliot had successfully separated conjoined-twins, which lead many people to believe that these were the Abramovici Twins. However, this didn't really fit in with the Arkham Storyline. It was most probable that they were just another couple of twins.
- This incarnation of Hush, who cut off the faces of his victims, was similar to the MO of Leatherface, from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, albeit, was significantly more skillfully done.
- In Arkham Knight, Hush's facial scars remained, though they were much fainter. They could be seen in the character showcase.
- There was a subtle hint during the mission that the "Bruce Wayne" who emerged at Wayne Enterprises was actually Hush instead of the real Bruce Wayne, as when accessing the phone messages at his office, the player could hear the intended recipients as recorded on the system, while when playing as Batman, the phone messages, due to Joker's influence, came across in a mocking manner. This was only the case if the player managed to complete the mission before they defeated Scarecrow.
- If the player completed the Hush Side Mission in Arkham Knight after defeating Scarecrow, Bruce and Lucius' conversation was different, and mentioned that Batman was retiring due to his secret identity being publicly outed on live television (which Fox had been unaware of due to not catching the news at the time). Oddly, Batman still didn't deliver Hush to the GCPD, despite everyone knowing his connection to Bruce Wayne by that point, and thus made the risk of being investigated by the GCPD irrelevant. Possibly, Bruce had enough sympathy for his deranged friend, that he didn't want him to become the target of the criminals' hatred by mistake.
- In the Arkham Games, Hush was never referred to by his comic-book name and was instead called the Identity Thief. Despite this, subtitles referred to him solely as Hush.