| “ | What gets hotter when it gets colder? | „ |
| ~ The Riddler |
The Riddler is the main antagonist of Batman: Toxic Chill, part of a short lived series of Batman educational games.
Bio[]
Riddler first appears with Mr. Freeze as the hijack the Gotham Weather news, to report that they have joined forces to freeze all of Gotham in an endless winter, thanks to a weather machine. Riddler explains that he joined with Freeze hoping to make a mark on Gotham, after years of small crimes. To further confuse Batman, he ended the broadcast with a riddle. "What gets hotter when it gets colder?"
While Freeze began to freeze Gotham, Riddler proceeded to break into the Wayne chemical factory, Coventry labs, and Atomic Waste Co to steal the toxic chemicals being held there, and sabotage the facilities. Fortunately, Batman and Robin were able to stop the sabotage by manning the control vat systems. However, Riddler was able to escape from all three facilities. Batgirl arrived on the scene of the Wayne Chemical factory with a sample of the stolen chemicals. When Batman mixed it with the snow that Freeze was producing, he found that the reaction was an explosion.
Riddler also left riddles at the three facilities, as well as in the Financial district of Gotham, which was being frozen by Mr. Freeze. After solving the riddles, Batman and Robin returned to the facilities, and the Finanical District, to find open manhole covers, and a subway line which all lead to underground caverns housing the stolen toxic chemicals. Upon investigating the caverns and finding more riddles, Batman discovered that there was a massive volcano under Gotham, and Riddler's chemicals were mixing with the lava, causing an increase in volcanic activity. He also learned that the chemicals were also mixing with Freeze's freezing compounds, indicating that Riddler had his own plans. Batman later found the two villains arguing in another cavern.
After solving the last of Riddler's riddles, Batman and Robin were able to solve "What gets hotter when it gets colder?" The answer was Gotham City. The Dynamic Duo raced back to the city in the Batcopter as Freeze was finally able set off an eternal sub-zero winter in Gotham. But Freeze's victory was short lived, when Riddler smashed Freeze's glass helmet, as the winter storm, toxic, chemicals, and underground lava merged, causing a toxic, volcanic eruption which threatened to destroy Gotham with both toxic chemicals, and molton lava, and causing Mr. Freeze to begin suffocating. Fortunetly, Batman and Robin were able to save the city by desroying the lava and chemicals with the Batcopter's neutralizer. They then noticed that the volcanic fissures has formed a question mark symbol, minus the dot, which Riddler planned on creating by blowing up a small island in Gotham Harbor. Fortunetly, Batman was able to capture Riddler before his could cause more destuction, and both Riddler and Freeze were sent back to Arkham Asylum, while the Wayne Foundation began the long process of repairing the damage that Riddler caused.
Trivia[]
- Despite coming from an educational game to teach children critical thinking and puzzle solving techniques, this version of the Riddler might be the most destructive and dangerous one as he was willing to destroy all of Gotham with dangerous chemicals, and the volcano under Gotham, causing mass murder. The game never reveals if Riddler DID kill anyone in the eruption, but one could argue that he did.