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| “ | Batman: It must hurt you to see the Gotham of today, Craddock. Craddock: This vile city! [punches Batman] There was a time when the lower classes knew their place. A better time. Batman: When the few... ruled the many you mean. Craddock: You say that with such distaste. Don't tell me... "All men are created equal", yes? What utter rubbish! |
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| ~ Gentleman Ghost to Batman, expressing his disgust with modern Gotham during their third clash. |
James "Gentleman Jim" Craddock, and known in death as The Gentleman Ghost, is the main antagonist of the Batman: Caped Crusader episode "Run of the Night” in Season 1. He is the malevolent spirit of a noble-turned-highwayman who specifically targeted the less fortunate. His actions ultimately caused Harvey Dent to steep further into villainy.
The Gentleman Ghost was voiced by Toby Stephens, who played Gustav Graves in Die Another Day.
Personality[]
| “ | Batman: Why would a ghost be stealing money? What could he need it for? Midnite: Every shade is different, but they're all echoes of their former selves. Some are tethered to where they lived or died. Others are doomed to repeat in death what they did in life. |
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| ~ Midnite explaining why Gentleman Ghost acts the way he does. |
In life, Jim Craddock was proud of his status as a high-ranking noble, far too proud to the point of quickly falling into decadence, failing to take responsibility for his financial losses resulting from his own gambling addiction and blaming democracy. With his contempt for the underclass, he had no qualms about shelling out the poorest to rebuild his squandered fortune, which he called his birthright.
Like a ghost, Craddock retained nothing from his previous life, continuing to steal, now for his own pleasure. He does, however, have some principles, speaking mainly with the politeness typical of aristocrats, treating a woman with gallantry and refusing to pay out to people of high rank. He is, on the other hand, easily irritated, becoming furious when his own descendant disparages him and sells the family estate to the point that Gentleman Ghost resorts to murder. Most of all, he is disgusted by the modern world with its notion of equality contrary to his time, criticizing that no one stays in their place anymore. As in his lifetime, he is ready to do anything to keep what he believes is rightfully his, just as he refuses to pass into the other world. Despite his own cruelty, Craddock is horribly terrified of Linton Midnite.
History[]
Past[]
| “ | That's the Craddock coat of arms. They were one of Gotham's founding families. But the name was struck from the official histories because of James Craddock's actions during the Revolution. James, Gentleman Jim Craddock, was a wealthy aristocrat and staunch loyalist. But he was also a gambler who squandered much of his family's fortune and nearly lost their estate on Heritage Hill. Since he was born of nobility, Craddock believed wealth was his right, and he blamed democracy for his misfortunes. When he fell far enough, he became a highwayman. But James Craddock was no Robin Hood. The opposite, in fact. He stole from the poor to give to himself. When they finally caught him, he was hanged at the old town gallows. | „ |
| ~ Gentleman Ghost's backstory. |
According to the story told by Wilma, Craddock was one of the founding members of Gotham City, given a noble status and house on Heritage Hill due to his loyalty to the crown. However, he had a terrible gambling addiction and lost most of his entire fortune and almost lost his family's estate. Despite this, Craddock refused to take responsibility for his actions, firmly believing that democracy was the true cause of his problems. Thus, he decided to take matters into his own hands by becoming a masked highwayman; specifically targeting the poor as sort of a reverse Robin Hood. Eventually, he was caught and hung at the town gallows for his crimes.
Disgusted by his actions, the other founders sought to wipe Craddock from the records. His family was also disgraced by him, and eventually their estate on Heritage was all they had left.
Present[]
Nearly two centuries after his death, Craddock returned as a ghost, seeking to continue his path of vengeance. His first target was an armored car carrying money for a local charity. Destroying the money, he left the male guard badly injured but offered the female one a hand up. Batman was skeptical of the concept of ghosts, believing him to be nothing more than another costumed villain. During Harvey Dent's press conference onboard the trains, Craddock attacked, where Batman tried and failed to apprehend the Gentleman Ghost, which also damaged Dent's reputation even further. Learning of Craddock from Wilma the Librarian, Batman fought Craddock directly when he ambushed Lucius Fox and Craddock's distant great nephew Russell who sought to sell his land. Batman was quickly defeated, where Craddock threatened to kill him if the Dark Knight interfered again.
Realizing he couldn't fight Craddock through traditional means, Batman sought out Linton Midnite, a local bookstore owner who knew of the occult. Linton gave Batman a spell book and enchanted vial to deal with the Gentleman Ghost. To banish the spirit, Batman had to burn the deed to Heritage Hill while it had the blood of a nobleman on it. Using Alfred, who was of noble decent, Batman began the ritual, which infuriated Craddock. While Batman was being defeated, Alfred burned most of the deed, which turned Craddock into black smoke. With a small portion of the deed intact however, Craddock was able to possess Alfred, forcing Batman to fight his loyal friend. In the struggle, Craddock gloated that Alfred had a secret he didn't want shared with Bruce.
Batman was able to pull out his flare gun and destroyed the rest of the deed, exorcising Craddock from Alfred, and trapping the Gentleman Ghost in the vial. From an adjacent hill, Midnite watched on, where Batman gave him the vial. Apparently familiar with Linton, the desperate and frightened Craddock begged Batman not to be given to him.
Quotes[]
| “ | Gentleman Ghost: Now that I have your attention, allow me to relieve you of your valuables. Billfolds, coin purses, pocket watches, in the saddle bags, if you please. Harvey Dent: Here, take this. And leave these people alone. Gentleman Ghost: Oh, no, sir. I wouldn't dream of taking a hay penny from a man of your station. [Turns to a less fortunate passenger] But I'll take everything this one has. |
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| ~ Gentleman Ghost rackets train passengers. |
| “ | Lucius Fox: Who's that? Russell Craddock: One of my great, great, great uncles. He had the house built on land granted to him by the King of England. But later, he became some kind of criminal or a traitor. He ruined the family name for centuries. [The mansion starts to shake and then Gentleman Ghost comes out from behind his portrait.] Gentleman Ghost: Call me traitor? Ungrateful wretch! You betray everything we stood for! Heritage Hill is the Craddock legacy, and you would sell it to rabble like this! Lucius Fox: Watch who you're calling names, you son of a...[Gentleman Ghost levitates objects against the ceiling, silencing Fox] Gentleman Ghost: Very well. You die first, then. [Batman breaks into the mansion] Batman: James Craddock. Gentleman Ghost: You know me. Batman: I know who you're pretending to be. |
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| ~ Gentleman Ghost confronting Russell Craddock for insulting his memory. |
| “ | You fight like a well-bred man, so I give you leave. But I'll not be so forgiving, sir, should our paths cross a third time. | „ |
| ~ Gentleman Ghost sparing Batman in their second confrontation. |
| “ | So close, guttersnipe. And yet, so far. This old man is trying to fight me to keep his secrets safe. One precious secret in particular that he's protecting like a candle in a storm. Perhaps it's something he doesn't want you to know. Hm? Aren't you just dying to find out what it is? | „ |
| ~ Gentleman Ghost possessing Alfred. |
| “ | Midnite: Well, hello there, Jim. Been a long time. Gentleman Ghost: My God! No! You can't leave me with this man! Please! I beg you! I'll do anything! But don't leave me! Please! |
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| ~ Gentleman Ghost's defeat, while he is locked in a vial and taken away by Midnite. |
Trivia[]
- Unlike his other incarnations, Gentleman Ghost is not depicted dressed as a typical, faceless gentleman, but in his bandit attire. Likewise his story differs a bit, while he was abandoned by his father and lived in poverty before becoming a thief, this Gentleman Ghost lived in wealth until he went mad after squandering his fortune.
