Rats (Arkhamverse)

Evil Organization

Symbol
Members

Full Name

Rats

Alias

The Rats

Brothers(to each other).

Origin

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Foundation

Unknown

Headquarters

The sewers of Gotham City

Blackgate Prison

Commanders

The Rat King

Agents

Ratcatcher
Shrike
Dick Grayson
Basilico
Harris
Johnsen
Scarlatti
Pinkerton
Johann
Paul
Kazlachev
Vernon
Trevor Graves
Alvaro
Monteverdi
Dillon
Sebastian
Whiting
O’Connell
Telemann
Darcey
Francis
Johnny
Countless other unnamed Rats
Irving "Matches" Malone

Powers / Skills

Large amount of territory and resources

Access to extensive technology
Large arsenal of weapons

Goals

Dismantle the legal system of Gotham City.

Witness the Rat King's "birth" in Blackgate Prison.
Kill the Batman(all failed).

Crimes

Crimes against peace
Conspiracy
Terrorism
Torture
Public endangerment
Invasion
Multiple attempted murders
Murder
Mass murder
Bank robbery
Attempted conquest
Attempted sabotage
Mass property damage
Attempted sabotage
Looting
Theft
Attacking a courthouse
Attempting to assassinate a District Attorney

Type of Villains

Terroristic Cult

“	I'm Alexandra Brackett, reporting live from the streets of Gotham where tonight's Fourth of July celebrations are marred by shocking violence. Police continue to search for the elusive Rat King, an unidentified terrorist leader whose followers have brought our city to the brink of destruction.	„
	~ Alexandra Brackett about the Rats.

“	BITE BACK!	„
	~ The Rats' primary slogan.

The Rats are the main antagonists of the 2024 VR action-adventure video gameBatman: Arkham Shadow, the sixth installment of theBatman Arkham franchise.

They are a terrorist organization and cult operating within Gotham City led by the mysteriousRat King who aim to dismantle the city's inherently corrupt legal system.

History[]

Past[]

Due to a troubled childhood, a family history of mental illness, a stressful career, and the unfortunate choice of Dr. Jonathan Crane as a therapist, Harvey Dent's latent dissociative identity disorder was getting worse. At some point, this resulted in a new persona, the "Rat King", taking over for periods of time without Dent being aware of it. This persona began spreading radically anti-authoritarian propaganda, primarily via radio whilst appearing only as a soundwave monitor. This propaganda found an audience in the most desperate and disillusioned members of Gotham society, who quickly flocked to the cause. At least one member was a former member of theFalcone Crime Family until losing his old job due toCarmine Falcone's capture by the Batman.

What began as a political movement quickly became a cult with a manifesto ("Rodent Recipes: Formulas for Rebellion") and a confused mythology, including a prophecy that the Rat King would be "born" in Blackgate Prison. Their nemesis were the GCPD, the Court System and their holy place Blackgate; collectively referred to as the cops, the court and the clink. Due to this belief, the Rats often committed serious crimes yet let themselves be easily captured so they could go to Blackgate and await the prophecy's fulfillment; an event referred to as the "Day of Wrath." At the same time, they set-up 40 propaganda stations transmitting the Rat King's words on loop and scattered 40 idols to the Rat King across Gotham. Amongst the Rats, three important members emerge; Otis Flannegan who becomes the Preacher also known as theRatcatcher, the top enforcerShrike and an up and coming youth and propagandist namedDick Grayson.

Upon emerging, the Rats targeted their attacks on city officials and public officials; the most notable involving an attack outside District Attorney Harvey Dent's Campaign Office. In spite of these attacks, the Rats' violence was only getting worse.

Batman: Arkham Shadow[]

Three years into the Batman's protection of Gotham and around seven months after theJoker's Christmas Eve rampage, the Rats launch a devastating attack on Independence Day against the Bowery. Although seemingly just an ordinary riot, this is to disguise Shrike's assassination attempt against Commissioner Gordon at the so-called "Pigsty." Beginning by raiding the Gotham Merchant's Bank, they quickly spread across the Bowery; setting fires to cars and trashing the streets whilst looting Jezebel Guns as well as killing Officer Marks for killing a Rat. In reality, this is all a ploy to distract from the true target at the Pigsty; having Shrike kill Commissioner Gordon. Batman stops the Rat Riot after taking down an armed group who took five GCPD Officers hostage and saves Gordon before the Batman tracking Shrike back to his apartment using his spilt gun cleaning fluid, Batman uncovers a Rat King propaganda film being made and finds Shrike at the Monarch Theatre but he escapes. Launching an attack at the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, the Rats take Harvey Dent hostage in a backroom with plans to kill him as an example. Despite holding Dent at gunpoint and then setting himself on fire, Shrike is defeated by Batman and reveals the Rats are planning something much bigger before jumping to his death.

Despite Shrike's death, Batman realizes that the only way to stop the Rats is from within. Batman poses as Irving "Matches" Malone, a criminal who "stuck it to the man" by burning the Batsignal. In doing so, he gets sent to Blackgate where he links with members of the Rats after a rough encounter withFrank Boles.

Beliefs[]

Although largely incoherent through their rhetoric, the Rats have a clear methodology and belief system. The Rats hold an an extremely anti-government and anti-capitalist sentiment; having become extremely jaded with the state of society to the point of committing terrorist acts to bring down "the man." Ultimately victims of a deeply corrupted city that cares not for its poor, the Rat King has cultivated a deep-seated hatred towards authority Compared toAnarky andhis followers, the Rats are even more violent; having no respect for Batman and viewing him as a weapon to suppress the people and having little regard for anyone's life despite their supposed motive. Notably, they have a single female member and are predominantly male; referring to each others as "brothers" to signify their unified goal.