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Stop me if you've heard this one before. I begin and have no end, and I end all that begins. Who am I?
~ The Riddler to Rumi Mori.
I set this all up to show them... I thought they'd back me up. Even if they didn't agree. They -- they left me here to deal with you alone. They -- they betrayed me. They didn't come.
~ The Riddler telling Batman that the Pact betrayed him by leaving him to deal with him alone.
Unless... unless that white-faced prick set me up... never told them to meet me here. (Tiffany Fox shoots him in the neck with a drone's poison dart from afar on the edge of Gotham Bridge) (Struggling to breathe) He... I... They - they broke... the pact! (Batman: The pact?) (Succumbs to the poisoning and dies)
~ The Riddler's last words.

Eddie, better known as The Riddler, is the overarching antagonist of the 2017 video game Batman: The Enemy Within.

He is a master criminal that terrorized Gotham years before Batman, and would resurface a year after the downfall of the Children of Arkham, becoming one the three Archenemies of Bruce Wayne/Batman (alongside Lady Arkham and Joker).

He is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes, who also portrayed Doomsday in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Biography[]

Past[]

Years prior to the events of the game, a man named Eddie would become known as the Riddler, Gotham's first super-criminal, though it is unclear when, how, and why he did. According to Alfred Pennyworth, Riddler would go on to become one of the most feared criminals in Gotham, while Thomas Wayne, Mayor Hamilton Hill, and Carmine Falcone practically ruled the city. The Gotham Criminal Triumvirate themselves would just give Riddler a cargo ship known as the Lady of Dublin to operate out of as his own personal headquarters, and he formed his own gang, including his second-in-command Eli Knable. Riddler would always leave puzzle boxes, murder-boxes, and other clues at all of his crime scenes. Eventually, Riddler suddenly disappeared from Gotham, causing the entire city to think he was dead, but unbeknownst to them, Riddler was alive. It was revealed that Riddler was hired to work for a shadowy United States federal government/law enforcement organization known as the Agency.

According to Riddler's profile on the Batcomputer's Codex, the Agency were impressed with Riddler's criminal history and ambitious vision, and offered him a fortune and position in their ranks, promising him an excellent future in life. He would accept the offer and become one of their newest personnel. He worked so exceptionally well that the Agency promoted him to work as a scientist for their genetic biochemistry research division SANCTUS, which dealt in black ops science experiments. He would help advance SANCTUS' genetic engineering and biochemical weaponization projects, including Project LOTUS. He would participate in the project, working on a substance serum called the LOTUS Virus, a failed attempt at making a restorative agent for the human body that had the potential to cure any type of flaw in the human body itself and enhance it to supernatural levels of healing.

Riddler would continue to work for SANCTUS, until one day, he was accidentally dosed with the LOTUS Virus. Riddler was then quarantined by SANCTUS, believing he would die like all of the other test subjects, but he didn't. Because of this, Riddler was kept to be studied so that they could perfect the LOTUS Virus, and he was subjected to painful and terrifying human experimentation, believing Riddler is the key to perfecting the LOTUS Virus. However, even if refined, the LOTUS Virus causes permanent mental instability to the host, while for others, it kills them instantly, with Riddler evidently being the only known survivor, though he was driven permanently insane by the LOTUS Virus and became a deranged madman, and he started suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and narcissism. Riddler later escaped sometime afterwards, building a secret backdoor into the networks of both the Agency and SANCTUS, while swearing revenge on the two organizations for what they made him into.

At some point later in time, Riddler turned himself into the authorities of the South American island Santa Prisca and was incarcerated in the brutal penitentiary known as Pena Duro in order to orchestrate a prison breakout, and that's where he would meet the masked brutish crime boss and prison champion known as Bane, and the two would become friends, especially with the latter apparently also having beef with the Agency. Riddler would continue his criminal activities but on an international scale, which would gain the attention of both the Agency and Interpol, making him a wanted global fugitive. For years, the Agency, now led by it's new director Amanda Waller, would chase him across the globe, including in Sudan. Sometime later, Riddler would be acquainted with the professional cat burglar Catwoman after hiring her to steal from the Louvre, and would become a valuable contact for her, often hiring or working with her.

At some point later on, Riddler formed a group of the world's most dangerous super-criminals known as the Pact, consisting of Bane, former Arkham Asylum/Blackgate Prison psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, and former GothCorp cryogenicist Dr. Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze, with the addition of former Arkham patient John Doe. Riddler would serve as the leader of the Pact, and promised Bane, Harley, and Mr. Freeze cures for their personal problems with the LOTUS Virus but kept the consequences of the virus secret, while John Doe didn't want to gain the virus for his own wants and needs. Riddler tried to bring Catwoman into the fold, but she declined.

Eventually, Riddler's leadership of the Pact was considered to be terrible, and soon, they all got fed up with it. Realizing this, Riddler set off to regain their trust with the help of his gang. Riddler began his revenge on the Agency by hacking into their phones to be used as a means of making them targets of a projectile barrage from a homing missile launcher he bought from Rumi Mori, an international arms dealer and war profiteer who is also a philanthropist and legitimate businessman known to be a big import-expert magnate, CEO of a bio-tech corporation known as Trygen, huge bio-tech industry figure, and one-time CEO of a company named Pipex. Mori eventually backed off from their deal following the first and last deliveries of missile projectiles after Riddler threatened his family and demanded that he hand over one of his bio-tech companies, much to the anger of a wrathful Riddler. Riddler also set up a lair in an abandoned water tower that he anonymously purchased on 44th street in Gotham's East End. Riddler also used his laptop to look for SANCTUS' black site in Gotham, and found it hidden underground beneath the Bodhi Spa. Riddler would also hear talk in the streets about the mysterious vigilante known as The Batman.

Episode One: The Enigma[]

Approximately a year following the defeats of Lady Arkham, the Penguin, the Children of Arkham and Two-Face at the hands of Batman, Riddler is seen at his hideout watching a newscast on the impact of Batman's heroic actions in Gotham before walking away and smirking, winding up a puzzle box. Later, while Bruce Wayne is investigating Mori, Riddler arrives at the Virago, a casino that Mori personally owns, and asks him a riddle. Mori, immediately recognizing him, orders Riddler to leave his casino as their business is over, however, as one of the casino's security guards tries to pull him out of the building, Riddler asks him a riddle and then slits his throat using his cane. Riddler and his men then take over the building and place Mori in one of his murder-boxes, which was designed to cut off his fingers in a given amount of time, although he would be allowed to escape if he were to solve Riddler's riddles. However, Batman intervenes, saves the hostages, defeats Riddler's men including his right-hand man Eli, and saves Mori, forcing Riddler to retreat, though before he escapes, he gives Batman the puzzle box he had been winding up earlier, telling him that if he doesn't solve it, people are going to get hurt.

Afterwards, in the Batcave, Bruce Wayne and Alfred investigate the puzzle box as well as the psychiatric file on Riddler that they had received from Iman Avesta, a Special Agent of The Agency. While investigating the box, Bruce and Alfred discover that it is actually a record vinyl that plays a soundwave. Bruce Wayne then takes the record to Lucius Fox to investigate, however, when Lucius ends up discovering what the vinyl really is, it seemingly explodes and kills him.

At Lucius' funeral, Bruce encounters John Doe, who he had met during his time at Arkham Asylum, who states that he has an enemy in the Riddler. Through John, Bruce will learn that Riddler could be hiding in the East End, which is now the same city block that Two-Face had previously destroyed. After the funeral, Batman tells James Gordon about Riddler's possible location and the two deduce that his hideout is likely located on 44th street, as it was recently and anonymously purchased, with the only thing there being an abandoned water tower.

After entering Riddler's hideout, the latter locks Batman and Gordon inside, where they discover the body of Special Agent Mario Fernandez, another member of The Agency. Batman and Gordon, after investigating, discover that Fernandez was kidnapped by Riddler and forced to complete one of his death traps in order to escape, although he failed and was killed by the traps instead. Learning from Fernandez's mistakes, Batman and Gordon succeed and discover a homing missile, and Riddler, through a screen, congratulates the both of them. Riddler then explains to Batman and Gordon that he wasn't always the way he is now and that The Agency had broke him and turned him into the madman he is now. However, Gordon doesn't believe Riddler's statement, as Amanda Waller's methods, while brutal, aren't that extreme, although Riddler states that what happened to him occurred long before Waller took over. Regardless, Batman still holds Riddler responsible for his actions, causing him to taunt Batman about Lucius Fox's death before signing off.

In the Batcave, Batman realizes that the box they had received before actually emitted a signal that, over a period of time, drew a homing missile towards it, which was what really killed Lucius. Realizing that Riddler is planning on emitting the signal through the phones of all The Agency's agents, Batman blocks the signal and then decides to find a way to get Riddler's location before he attempts to kill the Agents again. The player then has the choice between trying to get information out of Mori as Bruce Wayne, or trying to interrogate Eli as Batman.

Bruce arrives at the Virago to meet with Mori, and begins their conversation by telling him that they have a common enemy in Riddler. After this is done, Bruce will learn that Mori had previously refused to sell Riddler one of his own bio-tech companies, which is why he tried to kill him. After Bruce asks for information on Riddler, Mori will give him a flash drive containing everything he needs to know, however, in exchange, he will have to transfer money into Mori's account to allow him to get a plane and leave Gotham and hide out in the Caribbean so he is not arrested by The Agency. The player can then choose to make the transfer or simply steal the drive forcefully and injure Mori, although, no matter their choice, they will end up receiving it.

Batman arrives at the GCPD Precinct and Amanda Waller, after stating that four of her agents were kidnapped by Riddler, takes him to Eli, who is curled up and crying in the corner of the interrogation room. Batman soon finds that, despite the intense interrogation Eli had gone through, he still refuses to give up Riddler's location knowing that what Riddler would do to him would be far worse than what the Agency could do. Batman can choose to brutalize Eli like the Agency had or try to coax him into giving up Riddler, although, either way, he will learn that Riddler is on the Lady of Dublin.

After learning of Riddler's location, Batman heads to the Lady of Dublin and finds Riddler taunting the four agents he captured and trapped in murder-boxes. After Batman takes out Riddler's men, he throws a Bat-Stunner on Riddler and knocks him out, although, as soon as he frees Agent Avesta, they are both trapped in a cage. Riddler, wearing clothing that negated the shock, then reveals that he had predicted that Batman would show up and had prepared for him, also stating that he wanted his partners to be there to see the both of them die. Riddler taunts Batman on how he's weak to the point where he cares too much for the little people. Batman tells him how wrong he is but Riddler begs to differ.

With Batman and Avesta trapped, Riddler then offers Batman a deal; if he solves three riddles correctly, he won't kill off the other agents, although, every time he solves a riddle, he and Avesta will be blasted by sonic waves that would kill the latter first. Regardless of whether Batman solves the riddles or not, he manages use Tiffany Fox's drone to guide one of Riddler's missiles to break open the cage and free himself and Avesta. After breaking free, Riddler is surprised by this. Batman and Riddler then fight once more, but the former gains the upper hand. In a last ditch effort, Riddler attempts to launch all of the missiles at Gotham, although this attempt is again stopped by the drone, which diverts the missiles into Gotham Bay. As Batman defeats Riddler, thus getting his revenge on him for Lucius's death.

After being restrained, Riddler taunts Batman for either letting Avesta's colleagues get killed or making Avesta go permanently deaf, but Batman can tell Riddler it's his own fault for his reckless actions or that Batman doesn't regret it, and then Riddler angrily wonders why his partners didn't show up, only to realize that "that white faced prick" had never told them to. Before this can go any further, Riddler is shot in the neck with a poison dart by an unknown assassin - later revealed to be Tiffany Fox - and dies.

Legacy[]

News of Riddler's death is broadcasted all over Gotham. When Bruce Wayne later meets up with John Doe, the latter mocks the deceased Riddler and insults him before being calmed down by Bruce. Doe also reveals to Bruce how the Riddler was the leader of their gang of "friends".

During an ambush on one of Amanda Waller's convoys, the Pact eventually retrieved the frozen corpse of the Riddler, which they need for the next step of their plans. It is later revealed to Bruce also that Catwoman used to do work for him now and again, and notes that he was not always so cruel and ruthless, insisting that he had some humanity once.

Trivia[]

  • Riddler operating in Gotham City many years prior to Bruce Wayne becoming Batman is similar to the character's incarnation into the television series Gotham, in which he donned the Riddler persona and costume before Bruce Wayne donned the cape and cowl.
This is a man in his sixties, who went toe-to-toe with Batman. Of course they're gonna want to know what made him tick.
~ Amanda Waller
  • According to Waller's files, Riddler was 66 years old when he died, implying that the LOTUS virus did indeed enhance him in terms of physical attributes and not just mentally, as he was able to fight hand-to-hand with Batman, a man half his age.
  • This version of the Riddler is arguably one of the most ruthless and evil incarnations of the character, along with the version from Batman: Earth One comic. Ironically, he is presented here as being worse even than Victor Zsasz and Joker (two of Batman's most depraved and sadistic foes in the comic books).
    • However, Catwoman notes that she used to do work for Riddler sometimes and that he could be harsh but not monstrous, suggesting he was once closer in characterization to his mainstream version before snapping completely.
  • This is not the first time Robert Atkin-Downes has voiced a Batman villain, as he previously voiced the Grandmaster of the Court of Owls in the animated film Batman Vs. Robin.
  • Even though he died in the first episode, Riddler still had a major influence over the rest of the season. Not only because he was the mastermind behind the plan to retrieve the LOTUS Virus, but because of the Agency having inadvertently dosed Riddler with the latter virus, causing his descent into insanity and setting off the events of the second season, which began when Riddler returns to Gotham to enact his schemes.
  • He is one of the three villains in the games that has not interacted with Batman as Bruce Wayne alongside Blockbuster and Eli Knable.

Navigation[]

           Batman Telltale logo Villains

Gotham Criminal Triumvirate
Thomas Wayne | Hamilton Hill | Carmine Falcone

Children of Arkham
Lady Arkham | Oswald Cobblepot | Blockbuster

The Pact
Riddler | Harley Quinn | Bane | Mr. Freeze | John Doe | Eli Knable

The Agency
Amanda Waller | Roger Harrison

Joker's Gang
Joker | Harley Quinn | Frank Dumfree | Willy Deever | Lauren

Others
Catwoman | Two-Face | Falcone Crime Family | Joe Chill | Victor Zsasz | John & Patricia Vale | Deadshot | Black Spider | Rumi Mori | Van Assassin | SANCTUS

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