Riddler

* Riddler
* Edward Nashton

*"My life has been a cruel riddle I could not solve, suffocating my mind, no escape. But then, today, I saw it. A single word on this ledger, sitting on the desk beside me: Renewal. The empty promise they sold to me as a child in that orphanage. One look inside and I finally understood. My whole life has been preparing me for this. The moment when I would learn the truth. When I could finally strike back and expose their lies. If you want people to understand, really understand, you can't just give them the answers. You have to confront them, torture them with the horrifying questions, just like they tortured me. I know now what I must become."*
―Riddler in his diary[src]
**Edward Nashton**, known publicly as the **Riddler**, is a former forensic accountant turned serial killer and terrorist who seeks to entrap Gotham's elite and to publicly unmask the city’s darkest truths with a series of puzzles and tortuous devices. His vendetta against Gotham put himself in conflict with Bruce Wayne, due to his ties to the Wayne Family.

## Biography

### Early Life

#### Childhood and Teenage Years

*"You know, I was there that day. The day the great Thomas Wayne announced that he was running for mayor, made all those promises. A week later, he was dead, and everybody just forgot about us. All they could talk about was poor Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne the orphan. Orphan. Living in some tower over the park isn’t being an orphan. Looking down on everyone with all that money, don’t you tell me. Do you know what being an orphan is? It's thirty kids to a room, twelve years old and already a drophead, you wake up screaming with rats chewing your fingers, and every winter one of the babies die because it's so cold."*
―Riddler to Batman[src]

Edward Nashton grew up in the Gotham Orphanage, neglected and shunned by his peers for his love of riddles and puzzles. Combined with a bitter interaction with Bruce Wayne at a young age, in which Wayne smiled at Nashton, which he took as his way of saying he was better than them because of his money, Nashton grew up quiet and bitter at those around him, especially the elite of Gotham City, feeling himself superior to everyone else who thought him invisible.

Following Thomas Wayne’s death along with his wife, Martha at the hands of an unidentified mugger, the city’s corrupt police and city officials, alongside Carmine Falcone took over the Gotham Renewal Fund and turned it into a front for money laundering, thus cutting off funding for the orphanage and forcing its orphans, Edward among them to live in poverty for the rest of their childhoods.

At seventeen, Nashton held a job as a delivery boy at an Italian restaurant known as Fumento's, which he got so he could pay for his education. One day, Nashton noticed an illegal race with a group of rich teenagers being set up through Gotham. Still angry at the city's socialites, Nashton decided to finally get back at them by placing an explosive in the car of Dex Starling. A few days later, he put his plan into action, hoping to cause a pileup and seriously hurt the racers, but another racer helped out Starling and a pileup was avoided.

#### A New Beginning

*"You could have tried to make a connection. But you didn't. Because you're incapable. Because you are a fuckup! Because you deserve--"*
―Edward Nashton[src]
To Be Added...

#### People Lie, Numbers Don't

*"How come whenever I try to scream it never makes a sound?"*
―Edward Nashton[src]
To Be Added...

#### Birth of the Riddler

Eleven years later, Nashton secured a job in accounting, and, after driving past it, decided to destroy his old home of Gotham Orphanage, due to all his bitter memories there. A few nights later, he snuck in and pulled the fire alarm, alerting everyone in the place to go outside, allowing him to douse the building in gasoline and burn it to the ground.

Upon realizing how oddly unsatisfying the crime was, Nashton decided to leave clues and riddles at his crimes to let the people of Gotham City know who had wronged them, gaining himself a notoriety. Thus, he reinvented himself into the psychopathic serial killer and terrorist known as the "Riddler", donning a baggy green suit and mask in his murders and other various crimes, and continuing to commit crimes unhindered for two years straight.

### Exposing Gotham

#### Targeting the Gotham Elite

*"NO MORE LIES!"*
―Riddler[src]
Over the course of the next two years, Riddler discovered deep seeded corruption in Gotham, tying Gotham's elite to crime lord Carmine Falcone. He then decided to use his knowledge and skills to reveal the truth of Gotham's corruption to the people of the city by way of targeting those connected to this corruption and killing them to create mass panic. Over the course of his reign of terror, the Riddler amassed a following who believed in his cause and joined him in his schemes.

#### Assassination of Don Mitchell, Jr.

After some careful planning and creating a list of targets, Riddler began his crusade against the corruption and stalks Mayor Don Mitchell, Jr. and his son during Halloween, before bludgeoning him with a carpet tucker. Batman was called upon the crime scene, learning of what the Riddler did. Riddler left a message for Batman to read but was scowled by Commissioner Pete Savage upon letting a vigilante tamper with a crime scene.

#### Assassination of Pete Savage

Riddler then kidnapped the commissioner and killed him by rigging a sophisticated rat cage to his head, forcing several rats inside to eat away at his face. He broadcasts this crime on the evening news. He left another clue for Batman, and then left a print on the car which is revealed to be from the Iceberg Lounge along with a girl named Annika Kosolov, who works there. Batman arrives there and questions the Penguin, the lieutenant of the Falcone crime syndicate, on his involvement, but gets no leads.

#### Riddles for the DA

*"I've been trying to reach you. You're part of this too."
"How am I part of this?"
"You'll see."*
―Riddler and Batman[src]
At the Iceberg Lounge, the Riddler kidnapped district attorney Gil Colson and attached a collar bomb to his neck. He commandeered Colson into plowing his SUV into the crowd at Don Mitchell, Jr.'s funeral at Gotham City Hall with tape around his mouth reading "NO MORE LIES", a phone taped to his hand and a letter taped to his chest reading "TO THE BATMAN". Riddler watched this event from the balcony, looking down at Bruce Wayne before escaping.

Sure enough, Batman approached Colson, allowing him and Riddler to meet face to face for the first time. Riddler activated a two-minute timer to the bomb and forced Colson to answer three riddles relating to his corrupt dealings with the mob. Batman assisted with answering two of them, but Colson refused to answer the third; naming Carmine Falcone as the informant who tipped the GCPD about the Salvatore Maroni bust. Colson opted to die, believing himself to be a dead man either way, and the Riddler subsequently blew up his head.

#### Rata Alada Riddle

As Riddler left behind a riddle taped to Gil Colson's chest, Batman incorrectly deduced the informant to be Penguin. Riddler was disappointed when the Batman captured Penguin, and instead urged Batman to realize the bigger picture. Through his riddle, Riddler led Batman and Jim Gordon to the ruins of the Gotham Orphanage, where Riddler explained the rationale behind his politically motivated crusade. Riddler sent a letter bomb to his next target, Thomas Wayne's son, Bruce Wayne, but his butler Alfred Pennyworth intercepted it first just before it exploded, unwittingly blowing up Pennyworth instead, although he survived.

#### Assassination of Carmine Falcone

*"I hope you're listening to this Bruce Wayne, this is your legacy too, and Gotham needs you to answer for the sins ofyour father"*
―Riddler's message to Bruce[src]
As Batman began to realize the true context behind the botched Carmine Falcone-Thomas Wayne arrangement, Riddler releases and exploits the evidence of the Waynes' connection with Falcone, including Martha Wayne's history of mental illness, towards the public. Riddler watched from the sidelines as Batman confronted Falcone, leading to his arrest. As things get heated between Falcone and Penguin, Riddler took up a sniper rifle and assassinated Falcone, fulfilling his ominous riddle to "bring the rat into the light"; Falcone was the informant in question who tipped the GCPD about the Salvatore Maroni bust.

By killing Falcone, Riddler robbed both Penguin and Selina Kyle, Falcone's illegitimate daughter, of their vengeance against him. A witness saw Riddler escaping to a cafe, where he ordered a coffee and a slice of pumpkin pie, but was immediately surrounded by SWAT, led by Jim Gordon, and Nashton remained undeterred and continued watching the television across the counter. The SWAT team pointed their rifles at his head, and he eventually surrendered with a smug smile on his face, as he looked at Batman from outside the window. Martinez then slammed his head into the counter, and Nashton is arrested for the murders of Don Mitchell, Jr., Pete Savage, Gil Colson and Carmine Falcone.

#### Visitation in Arkham

In Arkham State Hospital, Riddler requested a meeting with Batman, hoping the vigilante had learned of his plans and wanted to join him in safety. In the Visitor Center, Riddler bemoaned the fact he'd failed to kill Bruce Wayne, his comments make Batman suspect he had deduced they were the same person. During the conversation, however, Riddler revealed he was actually inspired by Batman and expressed his belief that they worked together to take down Falcone. Batman, however, rejected the notion, causing Riddler to have a mental breakdown. As the interrogation continued, Riddler realized that Batman did not know about his upcoming plans, causing him to realize he had outsmarted the vigilante. As Batman attempted to get him to confess to his plans, Riddler joyously celebrated, singing "Ave Maria" as Batman struck the window in anger.

#### Befriending Joker

After Batman left, Riddler was returned to his cell in the Maximum-Security Ward to watch the car bombs go off around Gotham. He witnessed the bombs destroy Gotham's reservoir and flood the city, gleefully predicting the explosions. However, his followers' attack was foiled by Batman, Selina Kyle and the GCPD. After learning of their failure to kill Bella Reál and Batman's interference, Riddler's sanity finally reached a breaking point, leading him to have a breakdown in his cell, with the Joker initiating talk with him from the next cell stating, "one day you're on top and the next you're a clown", during this Riddler begins to cry. Then Joker calms him, reassuring him of his success stating that Gotham City loved a comeback story, then he gives up a riddle "the less of them you have the more one is worth", to which Riddler answered a friend, as the two began to laugh maniacally together.

## Personality

*"You showed me what was possible. You showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence. You inspired me."
"You're out of your goddamn mind."
"What?"*
―Riddler and Batman[src]
The Riddler is a ruthless, egomaniacal serial killer who greatly abhorred the establishment within Gotham, specifically the corrupt elite. Growing up in an orphanage owned by Bruce Wayne's parents, he was always shunned by his peers, particularly Bruce himself, which made Nashton bitter and envious towards the Wayne family (whom he originally idolized, particularly Thomas), thus setting up his deep-seated hatred for the city's rich and powerful, particularly those who are corrupt. Despite his vain demeanor, he is sufficiently intelligent, as shown with how he planned his crusade to take down Gotham's corruption, as well as with the elaborate riddles and clues he leaves behind at the scenes of his murders.

Being a sadist, he believes that it is necessary to express his victim's demise in the most horrifying and creative ways done, while also showing it on Gotham Television. Additionally, he is very well-intentioned in trying to expose the secret immoral truths surrounding Gotham to its civilian populace. He has an inspired obsession for Batman, seeing the cape crusader as an aggressive ruthless influence on his motives to clean Gotham as he sees fit. His view on Batman's mask is how he sees himself wearing the Riddler mask; a means to feel free of any boundaries to be the real him.

He is deluded to the point that he believed Batman was an ally to his cause, expecting him to enjoy the scenery of Gotham being flooded and the assassination attempt on the newly elected mayor. When Batman rejected him by calling him a delusional psychopath, he freaked out and screamed in immense disappointment, and when Batman demanded to know what Riddler had done, the latter merely gave a clue by tauntingly singing Ave Maria. On the plus side for Riddler's case, he has some compatibly with others who are fond of and follow his anarchy, as his private social media allies worked with him to set his plan in motion believing themselves, alongside with him, to be vengeance, and a certain jail inmate took thrill-seeking interest with him on what they were going to do in committing more of their crimes in Gotham.

Riddler also often behaves in a manner that can be easily seen as strange: often moaning and grunting in uncommon or weird ways, his pitch and volume constantly in flux, often behaving somewhat childlike and sometimes in a manner that can be read as perverse, and occasionally seeming to throw small fits.

Despite these negative traits, the Riddler did still possess a few morals. When he was planning to burn down his old orphanage, Riddler made sure to pull the fire alarm and waited until everyone was safe outside before setting the place on fire. Riddler also has a friendly manner when interacting with his subordinates. This is shown during Riddler's private video when he refers to his followers as "guys" and thanks them for their support. Riddler also targets only those who have abused their power, he never attacks people that are not corrupt such as Jim Gordon, lieutenant of the GCPD.

## Abilities

*"I don't guess. I know."*
―Edward Nashton[src]
* **Genius-Level Intellect**: Edward is incredibly intellectually gifted, working as a forensics accountant before beginning his life of crime under his Riddler persona, having a natural gift for solving puzzles and riddles, and being a master of creating intricate codes that at times managed to stump Bruce Wayne. At his accounting job, he is able to process weeks of data in a day. His co-worker Zach Morley mentioned that if he actually tried to push his limits and be more social at his job, he could replace the computers and do all the work they do.
	+ **Master Tactician**: Edward was able to form an incredibly dedicated and secretive cult of Cult to carry out his plans, host incredibly hard-to-access virtual live-streams that served as meeting places for his Cult to create plans, and place seven vans by Gotham City's seawall to blow it up and flood the city.
	+ **Expert Programmer**: Edward is known to have created the website Rataalada.com, as well as hosting it into the dark web, meaning he has knowledge of programming.
		- **Expert Hacker**: Edward hacked a thumb drive to automatically email news agencies blackmail of Don Mitchell, Jr. at the Iceberg Lounge.
	+ **Skilled Investigator**: Edward is an incredibly investigator. He was able to discover and expose classified documents and information about Don Mitchell, Jr., Pete Savage, Gil Colson, all of them people with great power and influence in the media, and even about Martha Wayne's tragic family past and Thomas Wayne's secret partnership with Carmine Falcone, including their participation in the assassination of a journalist.
	+ **Explosives Mastery**: Even at a young age, Edward was skilled in preparing explosive devices, as he used one to sabotage Dex Starling's race car. As the Riddler, he was responsible for the Flooding of Gotham City after strategically placing seven vans
* **Skilled Combatant**: While he admits that his strength is more mental than physical, Edward has some degree of skill in fighting, as he was able to murder Don Mitchell, Jr. with his bare hands.
* **Skilled Marksman**: Edward was able to snipe and kill Carmine Falcone at a lengthy distance from his own apartment window.
* **Stealth**: Edward managed to infiltrate Don Mitchell, Jr.'s home and stand behind him in the shadows, completely undetected. He also broke into Gil Colson's car.

*"He told me that if I didn't do exactly what he said, he'd kill me."*
―Gil Colson[src]
* **Intimidation**: Edward is a very frightening and intimidating individual. He is capable of inspiring fear to his victims, he threatened D.A Prosecutor Gil Colson with killing him if he didn't crash his car into Don Mitchell, Jr.'s funeral.

## Equipment

### Weapons

*"Aww. Poor little rich kids! Did someone bust up your racing party? Too bad! I wonder who it could have been."*
―Edward Nashton[src]
* **Explosive Device**: Edward prepared a complicated explosive and placed it in the tailpipe of Dex Starling's black muscle car.

*"We got blunt force trauma. Lacerations on the head. He got hit a lot of times. And hard."*
―CSI to Jim Gordon[src]
* **Carpet Tucker**: Edward used a carpet tucker to kill Don Mitchell, Jr. and to knock out Gil Colson.
* **Shears**: Edward used a pair of poultry shears to cut off Mitchell's thumb. He attached it to a portable drive in the mayor's Aston DB11 and used the shears to pop one of the tires.
* **Syringe**: Edward injected Pete Savage with arsenic, or rat poison.
* **Sniper Rifle**: Edward utilized a sniper rifle to kill Carmine Falcone.

*"I've parked seven vans all along the city seawall. And on the big night, they will go boom. When the vans blow, the flooding will happen so fast, evacuation will not be an option. Those who are not washed away will race through the streets in terror. As breaking news hits higher ground in Gotham Square Garden... celebrations will turn to panic, as the venue becomes the city's shelter of last resort."*
―Riddler[src]
* **Bombs**: *To be added*

### Other Equipment

*"My mask allowed me to be myself completely. No shame, no limits."*
―Edward Nashton to the Batman[src]
* **Costume**: Riddler's baggy green costume allows him to carry additional equipment to commit his crimes.
	+ **Mask**: As the Riddler, Nashton wears a green face-covering mask to hide his identity and intimidate his enemies.
* ***Rataalada.com***: *To be added*
* **Duct Tape**: Riddler used duct tape to tape up the head of Mayor Mitchell's corpse so he could write his message of "NO MORE LIES" and spread the message of Gotham's corruption.

## Facilities

* **Gotham Orphanage**: *To be added*
* **Apartment**: *To be added*

### Prisons

* **Arkham State Hospital**: Nashton is placed in this facility after successfully putting his plan to bomb Gotham City's reservoir into motion. He later befriends the Joker, an inmate who shares with him a riddle about the value of friendship.

## Relationships

Allies* Bev
* Ana Joon - Informant
* Riddler's Cult - Subordinates
	+ "Ogleman1029"
	+ "WarIsMyName"
	+ "RatchetThatShit"
	+ "PleaseHold"
	+ "xxREIGNITINxx"
	+ "Cheismyname"
	+ "ShitThatRat"
* Joker - Fellow Inmate and Friend
	+ Thomas Wayne †
	+ Martha Wayne †
	+ Bruce Wayne - Target
* Dex Starling - Attempted Victim
* Martin - Former Co-worker
* Zach Morley - Former Co-worker
* Richard Stone † - Former Employer
* Mr. Higgins † - Victim
* Batman - Rival
* Don Mitchell, Jr. † - Target and Victim
* Gotham City Police Department
	+ Pete Savage † - Target and Victim
	+ Mackenzie Bock
	+ Jim Gordon
	+ Martinez - Detainer
* Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Gil Colson † - Target and Victim
* Carmine Falcone † - Target and Victim
* Oz Cobblepot/Penguin
* Bella Reál - Target

## Riddler's Riddles

*"Now, ever since I was a child, I've always loved little puzzles. For me, they are a retreat from the horrors of our world."*
―Riddler to Gil Colson[src]

 Follow the maze until you find the rat. Bring him into the light and you'll find where I'm at.
 It can be cruel, poetic, or blind. But when it's denied, it's violence you may find.
 If you are justice, please do not lie. What is the price for your blind eye?
 Since your justice is so select, please tell us, which vermin you're paid to protect?
 I grew up from a seed, as tough as a weed. But in a mansion, in a slum, I'll never know where I come from.
 The sins of the father, shall be visited upon the son.
 See you in hell.
 What's black and blue and dead all over?

## Trivia

* Riddler's typical signature is a question mark.
* The Riddler wears glasses over his mask much like the Zodiac Killer, who is a big influence on this version of the character.
	+ Another heavy inspiration for the Riddler is the real life Unabomber (Theodore Kaczynski), who bombed mainly US airlines and universities over an 18-year period from 1978 to 1995 due to seeing the Industrial Revolution as harmful to both nature and humanity itself.
* Nashton's driver's license lists his date of birth as July 21, 1984. This is seen during the behind-the-scenes footage on the costume designs of the film. However, Before The Batman: An Original Movie Novel makes it abundantly clear that Nashton and Batman are roughly the same age, which would place Nashton's birth in 1991.
* His Driver's licenses both say he is six feet tall.

## Behind the scenes

* In DC Comics, Edward Nygma is a master criminal in Gotham City and a common recurring adversary of the Batman.
	+ In the New Earth version, the Riddler's real name was Edward Nashton before he changed it to Edward Nigma for a new goal in life. However, in most other versions, he was born as Edward Nigma, Edward Nygma, E. Nigma, or Edward E. Nigma, this being a play on the word, "Enigma".
	+ The Riddler's backstory is original to this film. In the comics, his traditional origin-story comes not from having been an orphan but rather being raised by a physically-abusive father who believed he was unintelligent.
* Jonah Hill was rumored to be in talks for the Riddler before he exited negotiations and Paul Dano was cast.
* Riddler in The Batman Universe will be the fifth live-action incarnation of the character following incarnations portrayed by Frank Gorshin, John Astin, Jim Carrey, and Cory Michael Smith.
* Riddler's costume seems to more evoke fellow Batman rogue Thomas Elliot, better known as **Hush**, rather than his traditional question-mark garish uniforms, including a facemask of bandages and a trench coat with more use of guns. His MO of being a serial killer who leaves taunting letters and riddles as calling cards at the scenes of his crimes, in addition to wearing spectacles over his mask and the design of his logo also evokes the notorious Zodiac Killer in real life.
	+ Director Matt Reeves even confirmed in an interview that he based the Riddler on the Zodiac Killer because he communicated through ciphers and riddles.
	+ Coincidentially, the direct-to-video animated film *Batman: Hush* had Riddler don the "Hush" identity as a second alter-ego. *The Batman* itself even alludes to the film via the Joker's riddle, which originated from the film adaptation.
* Riddler also shares similarities with a comic version seen in *Batman: Earth One*, notably being a serial killer who targets corrupt officials and members of Gotham's organized crime and has an obsession with Batman.
* Edward Nashton/Riddler served as the main antagonist of *The Batman*.
* Edward Nashton/Riddler will serve as the main protagonist of *Riddler: Year One*.
* The Riddler's role is very similar to the serial-killer, "Holiday" from Batman: The Long Halloween, a comic storyline written by Jeph Loeb which The Batman has various parallels to. In this comic, Holiday is an enigmatic serial-killer who starting on Halloween begins murdering individuals connected to Carmine Falcone's criminal-empire. Ultimately it is revealed that Holiday is multiple murderers operating for different motives.
	+ While the Riddler appears in *Batman: The Long Halloween*, he has a fairly minor role. In the comic he is hired by Carmine Falcone to assist in deducing Holiday's identity, gets tortured by Sofia Gigante, then accuses Falcone of being the killer before getting cast out and nearly becomes Holiday's next target. He is later found by Batman, drunk in a bar, is interrogated, and is one of the few super-villains not present for the murder of Carmine Falcone.
* The Riddler wears similar clear-paned glasses to those worn by the Riddler in *Batman Forever* (1995).
* In Riddler: Year One, Edward uses a crossword-puzzle app where the prompts are “a water utensil”, “a public way”, and “a formal dinner". This is a reference to the Riddler's first-appearance in *Detective Comics Volume 1 #140* (1948) where the Riddler uses a giant electric crossword puzzle to feed Batman and Robin these clues with the answers, "Basin", "Street" and, "Banquet" connecting to his crimes.

## References

Lewman, David (February 1, 2022). *Before The Batman: An Original Movie Novel*. United States: Penguin Books.
Reeves, Matt & Craig, Peter (writers); Reeves, Matt & Clark, Dylan (producers); & Reeves, Matt (director) (March 4, 2022). *The Batman*.
3. ↑ *The Batman: The Official Script Book*
4. ↑ "Jonah Hill In Talks For Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ At Warner Bros" - Deadline
5. ↑ "Chinese Filmmaker Lu Chuan Conversation with The Batman Cast" - Youtube

## External Links

* Riddler on DC Database
* Riddler on Wikipedia