Arkham Asylum

* Current
* Former

The **Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane**, typically called **Arkham Asylum** or simply **Arkham**, is an ailing psychiatric hospital – prison located in the heart of Gotham City.

Most if not all of Batman's rogues gallery have been sent to Arkham at least once over the years.

## History

Years before the events of the series, while Harvey Dent was still Gotham City's district attorney and before Commissioner Gordon hit rock-bottom, the Joker was spending time in Arkham for his various crimes. New psychologist Harleen Quinzel was brought in to be his shrink, and more pressingly, figure out where in Gotham he had hid a bomb, set to blow up that night. Despite, believing she had gotten him tell him the truth, he had duped them all and the bomb was actually inside Arkham's chef, Luigi, who blew up, creating a hole in the cafeteria wall for the Joker to escape through. He took Harleen hostage but was eventually recaptured after Poison Ivy, who herself had managed to escape, saved them from a bullet and later surrendered to the Arkham guards.

In present time, Harleen, now Harley Quinn the Joker's girlfriend and sidekick, was sent to Arkham after a heist at a yacht with the Joker, where he left her behind in order to escape himself. She spent a whole year in Arkham, believing the Joker would come to break her out although Ivy, who had now become her best friend, tried to convince her he never would. The Riddler then provided Ivy a seed which she used to escape, and while she offered to take Harley with her, Harley insisted on waiting for "Mistah J", so Ivy simply knocked her out and took her. The three made their escape and the break out and riot was big enough to be reported by the news.

After the events of "Lovers' Quarrel", the Riddler and Doctor Psycho were taken to Arkham, as well as Two-Face who had been held at the GCPD since he was overthrown by Jim Gordon during "There's No Place to Go But Down". Additionally, Harley checked herself in after confessing her love to Poison Ivy only to be shot down and for Ivy to choose to go through with her wedding to Kite Man. Her crew came to break her out so she could attend the wedding but she wanted to stay and "silently brood". However, Two-Face told her something was going to ruin Ivy's wedding and he would only tell her more if she helped break him out, which she did. Although Riddler eventually escaped or was let out as he could be seen running his normal schemes a few weeks later.

Following a huge battle between Gotham's villains and the GCPD at the Old Gotham Corn Factory, King Shark and Clayface were captured by Commissioner Gordon and put in Arkham. After about two weeks there, Two-Face and Gordon attmpted to use them as bait to lure Harley and Ivy back to Gotham. they planted a phone for King Shark to find and use to call Harley for help, which he did. However, they realized something was wrong and hired actors to play them, luring the GCPD officers to the roof while the real Harley and Ivy managed to break out Clayface and King Shark.

After Joker was elected mayor of Gotham Arkham came under new management and was turned into "Arkham Community Center" with a new much brighter and open look. Much was presumably changed within the the institution as well and Doctor Psycho started running his own podcast from Arkham, having his own recording room. However, Harley and Ivy broke in to get him out as they needed him in order to get into Bruce Wayne's mind and save the kidnapped Frank the Plant.

After he was caught attempting to rob a bank (hoping to be reunited with his master Bruce Wayne who was incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary) Alfred Pennyworth was taken to Arkham to go through their social rehabilitation program. At the same time Victor Zsasz was transported to the facilities as well for unknown reasons. Eventually, Alfred is taken to Blackgate, however, just when he arrives to prison, Bruce Wayne is leaving after using his conexions to be released early.

## Locations

Visitation roomHallwayCafeteriaCellblockHarley Quinn's cellExtreme IsolationOffice/recording booth
## Staff

### Current Staff

* No Pinkie Pete (guard)
* Unnamed man (guard)

### Former Staff

* Doctor Harleen Quinzel (psychiatrist)
* Harvey Dent (district attorney)
* Cheryl (guard)
* Luigi (chef)

## Patients

### Former Patients

* Joker
* Harley Quinn
* Poison Ivy
* Two-Face
* Killer Croc
* Calendar Man
* Man-Bat
* Scarecrow
* KGBeast
* Riddler
* King Shark
* Clayface
* Doctor Psycho
* Alfred Pennyworth

### Intended Patients

* Queen of Fables (escaped before arrival)

## Appearances

* "Til Death Do Us Part" (interior and exterior)
* "Finding Mr. Right" (interior)
* "Being Harley Quinn" (interior; inside Harley's mind)
* "A Seat at the Table" (interior; flashback to "Til Death Do Us Part")
* "All the Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues" (interior and exterior; flashback)
* "Something Borrowed, Something Green" (interior and exterior)
* "Harlivy" (interior and exterior)
* "Batman Begins Forever" (interior and exterior)
* "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special" (interior; flashback)
* "B.I.T.C.H." (exterior)

## References

1. ↑ "All the Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues" *DC Universe* (May 8, 2020).
2. ↑ "Til Death Do Us Part" *DC Universe* (November 29, 2019).
3. ↑ "Something Borrowed, Something Green" *DC Universe* (June 26, 2020).
4. ↑ "There's No Ivy in Team" *HBO Max* (July 28, 2022).
5. ↑ "Harlivy" *HBO Max* (July 28, 2022).
6. ↑ "Joker: The Killing Vote" *HBO Max* (August 18, 2022).
7. ↑ "Batman Begins Forever" *HBO Max* (September 1, 2022).
8. ↑ "B.I.T.C.H." *Max* (July 27, 2023).
9. ↑ "Killer's Block" *Max* (September 14, 2023)