Amadeus Arkham

**Amadeus Arkham** (アマデウス・アーカム, *Amadeusu Ākamu*) was the founder of the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, naming it after his mother, whom he euthanized as treatment for her sever dementia.

He built his asylum on the grounds of his family's mansion on the outskirts of Gotham City, and personally treated its first patient, Martin Hawkins, who had previously murdered his wife and daughter. Initially, Amadeus devoted himself to curing Hawkins, viewing it as his duty, but he eventually succumbed to his desire for vengeance.

After administering fatal electro-shock treatments to Martin, Amadeus completely lost his grip on sanity, and was admitted to his own institution.

"*.*"

—Amadeus Arkham.

## Appearance & Biography

*Voice Actor*: Tom Kane (English), Not Known (Japanese), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (Spanish), Not Known (German), Not Known (Finnish), Not Known (Korean), Not Known (French), Not Known (Latin American Spanish)

### Appearance

* Hair Color: White (formerly Brown)
* Eye Color: Blue
* Height: 5 ft 11 in
* Weight: 175 lbs.

### Attributes:

* Highly respected psychiatrist, until his fall to insanity
* Heir to the Arkham land and fortune
* Delusional schizophrenic

## Journal Entries

His diary entries are recorded in, showing footage of the asylum and its patients:

**Journal Entry #1, June 4, 1920**
"Mother is dead. Dementia took her. With my knowledge, I can begin working to cure the world's ailments. The name 'Amadeus Arkham' will become legendary."

**Journal Entry #2, September, 1920**
"A radical step must be taken to combat Gotham City's diseased."

**Journal Entry #3, February, 1921**
"Construction has begun on the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the criminally insane. Finally, I will be able to treat my patients properly."

**Journal Entry #4, April 1, 1921**
"Returned home today to find my family murdered by my patient Martin Hawkins. I feel oddly detached."

**Journal Entry #5, September 17, 1921**
"Today, I begin treatment of Martin Hawkins. I **will** rehabilitate this man."

**Journal Entry #6, April 2, 1922**
"During treatment with Hawkins, I resorted to...**extreme measures.** It proved more than he could sustain."

**Journal Entry #7, June 4, 1923**
"Gotham City is lost. The lunatics are irrepressible. And Incurable. The only sensible treatment: Eradication."

**Journal Entry #8, October 18, 1923**
"Am I a doctor, or a murderer? I can no longer differentiate. I will give my last breath to deal with the filth that infects Gotham City!"

## External links

* Amadeus Arkham *Wikipedia*
* Amadeus Arkham *DC Database*
* Amadeus Arkham *Batman Wiki*

## Notes & Trivia

* Amadeus Arkham first appeared in Batman #258 (October 1974).
* On taking over the administration of Arkham Asylum, Quincy Sharp became obsessed with the hidden writings of Amadeus Arkham. As he read more of these memoirs, Quincy became almost two people: one who was dedicated to curing Gotham, and the other who desired only to eradicate the evil of insanity from Arkham. That second personality became known as the Spirit of Arkham. Though it was later revealed that the second personality was actually the result of a powerful medication given to Quincy by Hugo Strange.
* The circles in his cell in Arkham Asylum were similar to the circles that Azrael left as clues in *Arkham City*.
* Based on the carved symbols and writing, it is possible Amadeus's former cell was used by Joker to torture the kidnapped Jason Todd.