Shadow Batman

Similar 🠚 Batman

Shadow Batman
Biographical Information
Full Name	Shadow Batman
Aliases	The Shadow
Occupation	Psychological Entity
Base of Operations	Batman's Psyche
Affiliations	Batman (host)
Physical Description
Hair	None
Eyes	Purple
Height	Variable
Weight	Variable
Game Information
Appeared in	Batman: Arkham Shadow
Voice Actor	Roger Craig Smith
First Appearance	Batman: Ego (October, 2000)

"I AM YOUR ANGER. YOUR RAGE. YOU KNOW ME. I AM YOU."

—Shadow Batman

Shadow Batman was the monstrous mental personification of the Dark Knight's biggest fears and negative qualities (both existing and repressed), brought to life by Dr. Jonathan Crane's Project Umbra.

Biography

Arkham Shadow Incident

Giving chase to Jonathan Crane after stopping him from exposing Arnold Wesker to more of Project Umbra, Batman would realize he was unknowingly exposed to the gas when he begins experiencing very vivid hallucinations of the night his parents were murdered as well as Harvey's father about to beat his son for trying to leave his care. In both instances, Batman could only watch as a demonic and shadowy version of himself would appear and save both his parents and the young Harvey from harm by violently beating both his parent's killer and Dent's father to the point they were killed in the attacks, with Bruce's parents and the young Dent thanking him for saving them, and Batman being forced to witness the person Alfred and himself feared he would become be personified though his Shadow.

Fighting his way through Project Umbra's effects, and fighting more shadowy and horrific versions of himself along the way, Batman finally came face to face with his Shadow, now taking on a gigantic form. This enormous form ate the corpse of Shrike, who had previously appeared in Batman's vision, before attacking Batman. In reality Batman was fighting against Crane, who took on the appearance of the Shadow Batman to the Dark Knight.

After a tense struggle, which saw the Shadow Batman summon more shadowy monsters based on the Dark Knight, Batman was able to overcome his Shadow, and when told to kill it would refuse, arguing he wasn't anything like his Shadow. The Shadow Batman would retaliate with this by agreeing, only that he's more than capable of killing his enemies while all Batman can do and will do is intimidate him, and with one final taunt from Batman, asking why his Shadow hides if his claim was true, Batman defeats his Shadow and in the real world beats Crane to the ground, ending the Shadow Batman and the effects of Project Umbra.

Characteristics

Personality

The Shadow Batman is the ultimate personification of sadism, cruelty, megalomania, infinite destruction, death, power, and madness representing everything Batman hates and fears about himself deep down. Unlike the real Batman, the Shadow Batman considered his real world counterpart to be weak in only intimidating the criminals of Gotham, and believed killing was a better solution to ridding Gotham of crime and protecting it's citizens than intimidating it's criminals ever could; this is shown when Batman witnesses his Shadow ruthlessly murder Joe Chill and Christopher Dent in order to save Thomas and Martha Wayne, and stop the physical abuse of a young Harvey Dent.

Appearance

The Shadow Batman appears as a monstrous, demonic and twisted version of Batman; with the only visible part of Batman's face, his mouth, appearing inhuman with razor sharp teeth and glowing purple eyes.

Powers and Abilities

Along with his ability to produce shockwaves to attack, The Shadow Batman is shown having the ability to summon smaller, shadowy monsters based on Batman that will attack him on sight; these range from humanoid looking to monstrous looking bat creatures capable of flight. The Shadow Batman is also shown having the ability to produce a thick smoke to help him blend into his surroundings and make it harder to attack him, as shown in his fight against Batman.

Quotes

• "A FITTING END FOR HIS KIND." (before his boss fight)
• "I AM VENGEANCE! I AM BATMAN!" (during his boss fight)
• "KILL ME." (after his boss fight)
• "NO. YOU INTIMIDATE. I EXTERMINATE!" (Shadow Batman's last words)

Game Over Lines

• "GIVE THEM THE DEATH…THEY DESERVE."
• "YOU COULD NEVER DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE."
• "YOU LET EVIL LIVE. FOR THAT, YOU MUST DIE."

Note: The following game over lines only play in I Am The Night Mode

• "YOUR LIFE WAS SHORT AND MEANINGLESS. DEATH WILL BE EVERLASTING."
• "I…AM ALL THAT IS POSSIBLE. YOU…ARE A DEAD…END."
• "YOU WASTED YOUR POTENTIAL. NOW THEY’LL BURY YOU WITH IT."
• "YOUR ONE LIFE, GONE…IN A BLINK. AND TO WHAT END?"
• "THERE ARE NO SECOND CHANCES HERE. NO REDEMPTION. NO FORGIVENESS."

Gallery

Batman confronting the Shadow within himself.

Trivia

• The depiction of Batman confronting his dark side in the form of his "Shadow Self" takes a lot of inspiration from the story Batman: Ego, written by Darwyn Cooke in the year 2000.
• Before his boss fight, Shadow Batman utters the line "A Fitting End for His Kind," a line Batman stated in his first appearance in Detective Comics #27, after killing Alfred Stryker.
• He has a striking resemblance to the "Worst Nightmare" hallucination entity from Batman: Arkham Origins and the Demon Bat from Batman: Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
• Roger Craig Smith's role as Shadow Batman is uncredited in Arkham Shadow.
• In New Game Plus, Shadow Batman appears outside of the Fear Toxin hallucination during the section Malone is first brought into Blackgate; if the player looks towards the gargoyles when being escorted to Malone's cell they will see Shadow Batman perched and watching Malone before vanishing.