The Question

"I'm not afraid to ask questions and follow the answers… wherever they lead."

—Vic Sage^[src]

"What matters here isn't the answer. It's always been: The Question."

—Vic Sage

Victor "Vic" Sage is the real name of the Question, a conspiracy-minded vigilante, primarily based out in Hub City, who is of renowned investigative and hand-to-hand combat skill. Sage is driven by a deep personal quest for philosophical meaning, which has taken him through both Objectivism and Zen. When Sage encountered stories, he couldn't investigate by normal, legal means, he donned a special mask that made it appear that he had no face. As the Question, Sage investigates corruption in the face of all danger.

Biography

Victor Sage grew up an orphan who had a reputation as a troublemaker. Sage prided himself in defiantly enduring the physical abuse of the Catholic orphanage where he was housed. Though he managed to get into college, higher learning did not mellow his violent tendencies. After graduating from college, Sage made his mark as a highly outspoken and aggressive reporter with a reputation for obnoxiousness in Hub City. He then moved to television journalism.

Incident Reports

Before Arkham Shadow Incident

Before landing the position of host for the radio show "Ask the Question", Sage had managed to get himself thrice fired from his previous jobs as a television journalist due to his constant obsession with reporting on corruption based on "unreliable" sources.

Characteristics

Personality

Vic Sage always harbored a deep rage within him. He was one of the good guys, but clearly not a nice man. Sage would always present himself as blunt and brooding as a way to mask his inner emptiness. He overcompensated for his lack of identity and sense of self which would in turn cause others to view him as an obsessive insensitive jerk. As many have noted, Vic Sage’s true face is not his face. It is the featureless, blank visage of the Question. He is a man without roots, without a past, without parents, without a childhood, without certainties, without identity. He’s the masterless man, the ronin, the man carried by the wave, never fitting in the system, outside yet looking in with the curious gaze of the sage. Despite all his Zen strength, meditation and physical skill, the Question has not laid his old demons to rest. Life is more complicated than that. He still has an affinity for violence, and some degree of anger. He’s nigh-fearless, welcoming suffering and trials as an occasion to learn more about himself. As he’s already familiar with the void, he’s not particularly afraid of death.

Ask the Question Interviews

"Ask the Question" #1

"Welcome back, this is Vic Sage, as always, challenging you to "Ask the Question." Frank, from the East End, you're on the air." (Vic Sage)
"Yeah, yeah, Vic — what do you make of this Rat King?" My wife says he's a terrorist, my son thinks he's some kind of folk hero (Frank)
"That's all very convenient isn't it? Your wife sounds scared. Scared people… they buy pepper spray, security cameras, a little something from Jezebel Guns, maybe. Good for the economy, right? And your kid? Couple of rat meetups, a little looting. Pretty soon he's just another anarchist with a rap sheet. Easy to track, easy to control." (Vic Sage)
"You're saying it's all a setup?" (Frank)
"I'm saying, why trust a general who won't go into battle with his troops? And who benefits? That's always the question." (Vic Sage)
"Oh here's the teen wonder himself. Hey Paulie, come here, come here. Yeah, tell the man why you're so in love with the Rat King." (Frank)
"Vic Sage here, Paul. You've never met the Rat King… you don't know his name. How can you put your trust in someone you know so little about?" (Vic Sage)
"As opposed to who? You? Some washed up reporter who got fired from his last three jobs?" (Paul)
"Well, Paul, reporting on the people pulling society's strings… isn't great for a job security. I'm not afraid to ask questions and follow the answers… wherever they lead. My question stands. Why put your trust in the Rat King?" (Vic Sage)
"Because he's dead on about the corruption in Gotham. while the politicians are busy running their mouths… he rallies the people to rise up." (Paul)
"And there you have it. You feel voiceless, and think he gives you a voice. You feel powerless, and think he empowers you. But you'll defend him without question. On my show, we don't do anything without question. Best of luck do you, Paul. You're gonna need it." (Vic Sage)

"Ask the Question" #2

"And we're back on "Ask the Question." I'm Vic Sage, continuing a stimulating discussion with… our regular caller, Lonnie, who, as usual… is bogged down with his crusade against the 1%." (Vic Sage)
"You said it yourself, Vic. The Rat attacks false-flag operations. Who benefits from these fools… thinking that going to prison is a revolutionary act? Bruce Wayne, Kate Kane… the Elliots, the Cobblepots? The rich. Obviously one of them's your Rat King." (Anarky)
"I'm not saying Gotham's first families are angels. I think my reporting on the secret cabal… running Gotham makes that clear. The beach on Founder's Island has fewer shells than Wayne Enterprises. Any number of Gotham's power mongers and control freaks… could be your Rat King." (Vic Sage)
"Like that new commissioner? Gordon?" (Anarky)
"Gordon's too much of a masochist. The new guy running Blackgate, though? Pure sadist. And his head shrink, Crane? Same deal. Don't forget, greed's a powerful motivator. Harvey Dent's crusading for a second term… and with Falcone locked up… Tony Zucco's prime to snuff out any small-time leftovers." (Vic Sage)
"Vic, why not list the Gotham phonebook while you're at it? This might sound funny coming from me… but not everything is a conspiracy. I mean, you start from solid foundations… but then you take things too far. Like Your Gotham Illuminati and their zombie assassins." (Anarky)
"No, no, no — I never said they were zombies. They were pumped so full of drugs… they kept coming after you shot them. The GCPD's redacted file spell it out, Lonnie. Now, I am done being insulted by some coward with a voice changer. No more questions from you. We're done." (Vic Sage)

"Ask the Question" #3

"Welcome to "Ask the Question." I'm Vic Sage. Today we bring you a special interview with Commissioner James Gordon. Not an interview here agreed to… but one he's obligated to give considering our taxes pay his salary. Here it is, complete and uncut:" (Vic Sage)
"Commissioner Gordon." (Vic Sage)
"Oh for the love of… Get away from me, Sage." (Jim Gordon)
"You owe the people some answers. Half of Gotham is terrified and the other half is in prison. Is that your idea of protecting and serving?" (Vic Sage)
"No comment, Victor." (Jim Gordon)
"That's not a denial." (Vic Sage)
"You think this is how I…? You used to be a solid reporter, but I get it. Believing that elaborate conspiracy are behind all the chaos… beats facing the truth that this is just the world will live in. Get help, Vic. Maybe find a healthier line of work. God knows I should." (Jim Gordon)
"And with that he drove off. It's sad. Gordon's a decent man, but the job is eating him alive. Probably tearing his family apart. He clings to a system and power dynamic that is rotten to the core… because he's also a part of it. He's too afraid to start over… to ask the right questions." (Vic Sage)

"Ask the Question" #4

"Folks, this is Vic Sage with an apology. "Ask the Question" is starting a little late today. Among other items of interest… my sources tell me Blackgate Prison is a powder keg. Naturally, I can't say more without specifics. So for now we'll start with a call from a regular in Burnley. Marissa, ask the question." (Vic Sage)
"Hey Vic. Listen, I'm curious. So what do you think about the multiple sightings of Batman reported at Blackgate?" (Marissa)
"Great question, Marissa. My guess would be because that's where the Rats are. Batman's so-called war on crime… isn't as altruistic as people think. He mostly targets criminals that threaten Gotham's elite. On my website I've provided a detailed breakdown… of Batman's fight on behalf of Gotham's aristocracy. They decide his agenda." (Vic Sage)
"Oh I've seen it. Very incriminating. The links to Bruce Wayne alone are shocking." (Marissa)
"Coming from you that means a lot. It's unfortunate because the ordinary people of the city… are in desperate need of a real champion. Someone to address the real problems. Street criminals, sure, but… moreso the ones pulling their strings. Gotham's corrupt puppet masters." (Vic Sage)
"Yeah, but Vic, isn't that champion you?" (Marissa)
"Flattering, Marissa, but no. I do my part, but, it's not nearly enough. Which is why I've been working on a new venture. Though, it's too early to talk about that." (Vic Sage)
"Ah, Vic you tease. Is it related to your one-on-one training sessions with ex-champ, Ted Grant?" (Marissa)
"To borrow a catchphrase from the commissioner himself — No comment." (Vic Sage)
"If I guessed the answer would you admit it?" (Marissa)
"You know that what matters here isn't the answer. It's always been: the Question." (Vic Sage)

Gallery

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Trivia

Sage's talk show is called "Ask the Question", which itself is an obvious reference to his vigilante persona, The Question.
After Sage's interview with Commissioner Gordon, it appears that he was able to discern that his job was tearing his family apart, which he would of course be proven right since Gordon and his wife Barbara would divorce not too long afterwards and Gordon would remarry to police detective Sarah Essen.
One of the most frequent callers of Sage's talk show is Lonnie Machin, also known as Anarky. Since he was arrested after the events of Batman: Arkham Origins, this shows that he either escaped or was released sometime after his incarceration since he is never seen in Blackgate Prison. Even if he were there, it's unlikely he would have been allowed to make frequent phone calls to talk shows using his real name.
- While Anarky is a major conspiracy buff, even he finds Sage to be far too obsessive, going as far as saying "Vic, why not list the Gotham phonebook while you're at it? This might sound funny coming from me… but not everything is a conspiracy".
- One notable example of Sage taking things too far is his theory on the "Gotham Illuminati and their zombie assassins", which is a very clear reference to the organization from the comics known as The Court of Owls and their undead assassins known as the Talons, who had previously been hinted at in Batman: Arkham Origins. Sage later clarifies that he never said they were zombies, but rather that they were pumped so full of drugs they kept coming after you shot them, which he claims he learned from the redacted files of the GCPD.
It should be noted that Sage here makes frequent use of questions in his dialogue. An endless conundrum of a person, the Question hides his identity from the world but never his inquiries. He's quick to find the conspiracy in even the most minute of things.
In the comics as well as other continuities, Sage has been described to suffer from Apophenia, which is the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas). The term was first coined in 1958 by German psychiatrist Klaus Conrad during his study of schizophrenia.
Sage states that he believes there to be a strong connection with Batman to Gotham's elites, with Bruce Wayne being a particular person of interest. However, at the time of Batman: Arkham Shadow at least, Sage mistakenly theorizes that Batman is fighting crime on behalf of Gotham's aristocracy.
The Arkhamverse iteration of the Question is confirmed to have his own website dedicated to his conspiracy theories.
In one of Sage's calls on "Ask the Question", a guest caller brings up that he has been having one-on-one training sessions with ex-champ Ted Grant, to which he responds by saying "no comment". In the comics, Ted Grant is secretly the costumed crimefighter Wildcat, a member of the Justice Society of America.
In Batman: Arkham Knight, a whiteboard with the shift list of the detectives: John Jones (the Martian Manhunter), Harvey Bullock, and Renee Montoya, can be found inside the GCPD Building, although Renee's name has a question mark next to it, hinting at her role in the comics as the second Question.

External Links

The Question on the DC Comics Wiki