| The Scarecrow | |
|---|---|
 ' | |
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Real name |
Jonathan Crane |
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First Appearance |
Batman: Arkham Asylum, |
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Affiliations |
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Abilities |
Well-educated on the psychology of fear |
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Alignment |
Evil |
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Voiced by |
Dino Andrade |
Biography[]
Taunted and bullied in his youth, Jonathan Crane vowed to overcome his fears through the study of psychology and biochemistry. Kicked out of his university for experimenting on human subjects, Crane adopted the identity of the Scarecrow and armed himself with a specialized fear-inducing gas that makes a person's deepest fears become frighteningly real. His ongoing criminal reign of terror makes him one of Batman's most psychologically dangerous foes.
Attributes:
- Master of psychology and chemistry
- Creator of fear-inducing gas
- Motivated by an obsessive need to create fear in others
Road to Arkham[]
An anonymous tip to Scarecrow's activities noted in the patient interviews in the form of a vial of the Scarecrow's Fear Gas was left at police headquaters. Using this, Batman was able to create an antidote. The Scarecrow was found by Batman using his Fear Gas to attack his state-sponsered psychologist. Batman apprehended the Scarecrow and locked him back up into Arkham Asylum . It was revealed that the vial came from Dr. Kellerman. Even though Scarecrow was back in Arkham, he continued his plans from a secret loft hidden in the Intensive Treatment Center, plotting his next move and even getting his hands on the blueprints of Arkham Asylum.
The Scarecrow's secret hideaway in Arkham Asylum.
Batman: Arkham Asylum[]
Scarecrow targets his first victims.
The Scarecrow was one of the inmates of Arkham on the Joker's "party list". As part of the Joker's schemes, he led Batman to the Medical Facility where the Scarecrow pumped the elevator Batman was in full of Fear Gas. As Batman made his way to the bottom floor he saw the Scarecrow spraying his Fear Gas into an operating room of Arkham staff and patients, causing them to panic to the point of death. Eventually, Batman began seeing a vision of Commissioner Gordon, crying for help, before being dragged out of view. Batman found Gordon's body, and sadly tried calling Oracle to tell her he was too late. He could not contact her, however, as Barbara's voice said that the number he was trying to reach was unavailable, and to hang up. Batman then made his way to the morgue.
In the morgue, an echoing voice told Batman "You shouldn't be here!" and "Get out of here!", slowly growing louder, and creating an ominous, ghostly feeling in the air. Batman turned around and exited the room, only to find himself entering the exact same room. There laid three body bags, two of which contained his deceased parents, speaking to him, with the Scarecrow jumping out of the third. It turned into a cat and mouse game in a surreal otherworld made up of elements of the asylum, where a giant Scarecrow sought out the hiding Batman. Batman was able to finally break free from the Scarecrow's hold by avoiding his assailant's gaze and shining a Batsignal at him, destroying the giant Scarecrow and ending the hallucination. Back in reality, Batman went back to Gordon, only to find that it was in fact the body of another security guard Scarecrow killed.
The Scarecrow later attacked Batman with his Fear Gas once again, after Batman destroyed Dr. Young's Titan formula. This caused Batman to relive his parents' deaths, walking down a long, never-ending hall that turned into a city street in the pouring rain. As Batman walked down the 'street', he heard his parents and himself talking in the background, before they were met and attacked by Joe Chill. Batman then briefly took the appearence of his eight-year-old self, hearing Jim Gordon and another officer discussing the murder in the background, before Gordon himself asked the young Bruce about the criminal. The voices soon ended, and another giant Scarecrow hallucination ensued, in which Batman escaped Scarecrow's hold once more by shining a Batsignal at him. This time, upon returning to the real world, Batman found that he had somehow made his way into the top of Arkham Mansion's clock tower, and was locked in.
Scarecrow used his Fear Gas for a third time when Batman re-entered the Intensive Treatment center. The toxins caused Batman to relive the starting events of the game, but with the Joker and Batman in opposite positions. Much to the Scarecrow's surprise, Batman was able to break free of the Scarecrow's hold, waking up clutching Crane himself. Scarecrow injected Batman with even more Fear Toxin, leading up to another giant Scarecrow hallucination, in which Scarecrow watched as Batman fought his army of skeletons, including two larger ones (actually Joker's thugs, two injected with Titan). Batman broke free once again, causing the Scarecrow to flee to the sewers below. Batman followed Crane there and confronted him by an underground river, leading straight to Gotham's water supply.
The Scarecrow threatened to drop a bag of his Fear Toxin into the water supply, plunging Gotham's citizens into constant terror for up to one hundred years. Before he could do anything, however, Killer Croc attacked Scarecrow from the water, knocking the toxin bag harmlessly to the ground. Batman stopped Croc from eating Crane by activating his shock collar with a Batarang, causing Croc to retreat into the water, dragging Crane with him. Scarecrow, however, apparently escaped Croc through means unknown. In one of the three alternate endings after the credits, Crane emerged from the water by the docks and grabbed onto a floating crate containing the Titan formula.
Patient Interviews[]
The Scarecrow's patient interview tapes.
Tape One[]
Jonathan Crane: “Patient Interview 1. Patient was referred to me after the incident with Dr. Murphy. He appears to have suffered a breakdown of sorts. I believe it was brought about after the loss of his wife and child. As yet, the patient has been unable to speak. Continued observation shows little mental activity. It's as if the shock of what he saw triggered his mental collapse.
Security Guard: “There's someone in here! It's him! We've found him! Break down the door!"
Jonathan Crane: “Note to self. As ever, it is difficult to continue my research under such conditions.”
Security Guard: “Step away from Dr. Combs. Now! Get down on the ground! We found them. Someone get a medic. Oh God, what's he done to him?”
Tape Two[]
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Patient interview 6. Dr. Crane has been back in custody for 3 weeks. Regular sessions have been inconclusive. I am not sure he is actually insane.”
Jonathan Crane: “Good evening, Stephen. How are you tonight?”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “I'm conducting the session, Jonathan.”
Jonathan Crane: “Of course. If that helps you cope, I wouldn't have it any other way.”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Let's talk about the events 3 weeks ago. What did you think you'd achieve? Dr. Murphy is still in therapy.”
Jonathan Crane: “I wanted to understand him. His personal demons. His fears. It's all quite fascinating, really.”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “But you are...were a respected doctor. A brilliant mind, now just another resident in Arkham.”
Jonathan Crane: “Can I have a drink? A strong one? This kind of question bores me.”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “I'm afraid not.”
Jonathan Crane: “Interesting choice of words, Doctor. Tell me, what are you afraid of?”
Tape Three[]
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Patient interview 9. Dr. Crane continues to evade questions. I believe he is quite sane. Just evil. He takes no interest in the people he has hurt. His research appears to be the only motivating factor in his life. What is it about fear that drives your obsessions?”
Jonathan Crane: “Fear drives everything, Stephen. Everything. Your life is governed by fear. Every decision you make is a product of that fear.”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Don't be ridiculous.”
Jonathan Crane: “You married your wife...Margaret, isn't it?...because you were scared of dying alone. You have children because you are scared of leaving nothing behind that really matters. You go to the doctors because you're scared of dying. Do I need to go on?”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “No. I think that will be all for today. Guards!”
Tape Four[]
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Today I have another interview with Crane. I cannot say I am looking forward to it. I've been feeling anxious. I don't like to admit it, but...I think he's getting to me.”
Jonathan Crane: “How are you today?”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “I keep telling you, this is my session.”
Jonathan Crane: “It was your session, Doctor, but not anymore.”
Security Guard: “Are you OK, doc?”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “I think...yes..I...”
Jonathan Crane: “Oh, he's fine. Just questioning his grip on reality. You should be doing the same any second...”
Security Guard: “Mom, is that you? Wait, what are you doing?”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Get off of me... Help! I need help here. I can't breathe...”
Jonathan Crane: “Like I said... You're all part of my experiment now!”
Tape Five[]
Jonathan Crane: “Asylum interview 1. My experiment is underway. Working alone, I have created my ultimate Fear Gas, its potency a revelation.”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Ah! Ahh! They're all over me!”
Security Guard: “Please, daddy, don't do it! Ah! Ahh!”
Dr. Stephen Kellerman: “Keep away! Keep away! Keep away!”
Jonathan Crane: “I have pumped enough gas int the Medical Center to break 100 minds. It should only be a matter of time before... What?”
Batman: “Give it up, Now!”
Jonathan Crane: “How...how are you still standing? How come it's not affecting you?”
Batman: “Who says it's not?”
Jonathan Crane: “I knew it. What was it like? What have you seen?”
Batman: “Officer Cash. Get this formula to the air-conditioning system. Now! You failed, Crane. Again. I've been working with Dr. Kellerman, creating an antidote to the toxins in your cologne. He fooled you, Crane. How does that make you feel? Threatened, humiliated? Scared?”
Trivia[]
- The third encounter with Scarecrow, in which the game appears to reset then show a false Game Over screen is most likely a reference to the Metal Gear Solid games.
- Additionally, the mention of "Doctor Murphy" in Scarecrow's interview tapes could have been a reference to Cillian Murphy, the actor who played Scarecrow in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
- The needles on the Scarecrow's right hand, bare a strong resemblance to the fictional serial killer, Freddy Krueger's claws.