Scarecrow

Jonathan Crane's "fear-form" in Season One of The Batman

*"Do you remember the first time you felt fear? Well there is no need to be afraid anymore Bruce... Let the wolf in the door."*

― Scarecrow to Batman ("City of Fear")
Dr. **Jonathan Crane** was a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who conducted experiments on inmates (and political figures) under the identity of Scarecrow, portrayed by aidanrooney. This went on until he was eventually stopped by The Batman in the first season of his series, now he resides in Arkham among the very people he tested on. . .

## **Biography:**

### **City of Fear**

In Season 1 of The Batman we are first introduced to Jonathan Crane as a mild mannered doctor working in Arkham Asylum unbeknownst to Batman Crane used his Fear Toxin to leave Carmine Falcone in a comatose state. Leaving him presumed dead. After a cat mouse chase Batman first encounters the Scarecrow allowing the side effects of his Fear Toxin to take effect, sending Batman into a hallucination of his time training in Nada Parbat with the League of Shadows.

During this hallucination Batman died due to the dose of Fear Toxin used being too potent but was revived via a Lazarus Pit, Batman now obsessed with taking down the Scarecrow works out his identity being Dr. Crane, after cross referencing Falcone's IV Bag to the Fear Toxin residue. Batman travels to Cranes Cabin in Slaughter Swamps where Crane was waiting for him, using a smaller dose of Fear Toxin to influence Batman and try to convince him that the reason Gotham is in the state it's in, is because of his presence. Batman eventually learns that Crane was a guanine pig of his fathers experiments, with the last tests side effects having Jonathan feel no fear. Jonathan snapped one day and used a concoction of his fathers chemicals on him creating Dr. Phosphorus. Once Batman learns this he tried to threaten Crane with violence, but Crane was one step ahead of him revealing he has sent Dr. Phosphorus to Wayne Tower, causing a fire.

The last time Scarecrow is encountered is in the season finale "City of Fear" After surviving the fire at Wayne Tower with the help of Jim Gordon. Batman learns that Crane has taken the Arkham Family hostage in their manor, Batman gives chase following Crane through a door entering another hallucination. Batman experiences his worst fears; failing those he swore to protect as he see's Jerimiah Arkham's son dead on the floor, a zombified Alfred, and being attacked and torn apart by his rogue gallery. Eventually escaping to find his parents, Batman starts to put it together that none of this is real and when pushing forward he meets a nightmarish Ducard who blames him for his death, causing a fight which ends with Batman being thrown back into the Lazarus pit. When Batman woke up he was in a graveyard with hundreds of Scarecrows all clawing and attacking him, Batman manages to barley escape with his life ending up inside the Monarch Theatre with Jonathan Crane. Both brawl in a fight across the theatre until Batman stabs Scarecrow in the chest with a batarang, stunning him and in that moment Batman used the projector to drown Scarecrow out in light ending the hallucination. Batman still reeling from the effects of the Fear Toxin he continues to beat and batter a bloodied Crane while Arkham's son holds a gun to Batman terrified of him. After Batman talks the boy down revealing his identity to him, Crane see's this claiming "I am not scared anymore." As Gotham's Finest cart him away to Arkham Asylum.

## **Paraphernalia:**

Scarecrow used a deadly kind of Fear Toxin. The toxin was a powerful psychotropic hallucinogenic, which caused disturbing images of fear in its victim's minds. When he was still a doctor, Crane used the toxin to experiment on his patients (who were nicknamed Crazies). The gas, in large doses, was mentally dangerous and was capable of breaking one's mind.