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. 
- — The Riddler src
The Riddler (real name Edward Nashton) is a Gotham City-based serial killer and terrorist gifted with genius-level intelligence. After being inadvertently inspired by the Batman's vigilante activities, he performed a string of high-profile murders and exposed Carmine Falcone's web of corruption in the city.
History
Early life
A young Edward at the orphanage
Edward Nashton was born around 1992 and abandoned to grow up in Gotham City, New Jersey, at a poorly-conditioned orphanage. He found socializing difficult, due to a mental disorder seemingly inherited from his mother, and so became quiet, finding his comfort in solving puzzles to distract him from the bullying he endured.[3]
In 2002, the orphanage was visited by businessman Thomas Wayne, who announced his candidacy for mayor and plans to renovate the orphanage.[5] However, Thomas was killed the following week and the orphanage was never renovated, leaving Edward with a sense of abandonment that defined the remainder of his life, and a growing hatred for Thomas's now orphaned son, Bruce, who was properly cared for while the other orphans starved and could barely survive.[1][5]
Edward grew up to be highly intelligent, but with extreme anxiety and suicidal ideation. He worked as a forensic accountant at KTMJ for years, while still finding his escape in puzzles.[2]
Becoming the Riddler
In costume as the Riddler
As an adult in 2021, Edward formed an admiration for the recently emerged vigilante Batman, who inspired fear in Gotham's criminals. While working at KTMJ, he discovered a web of corruption leading back to crime lord Carmine Falcone, who used the city's Renewal fund to control it from the inside out.[2][1][6]
He decided to expose this corruption to the public, and, inspired by the Batman, he donned a baggy green outfit and mask, taking on the name "The Riddler". Over the course of a year, he formed a close social media following through his custom-built dark web site, "rataalada.com", and formed a plan to kill all of Falcone's associates. He discovered that government officials, including Mayor Mitchell, Commissioner Savage, and District Attorney Colson, were on Falcone's payroll, and selected them as his targets. In the hopes that the Batman would help him, the Riddler decided to leave ciphers and puzzles with his victims to get the Batman's attention and request his aide.[7][1]
Exposing Gotham's secrets
First message to Gotham
On Halloween night of 2022, the Riddler murdered Mayor Mitchell in his home, leaving behind a thumb drive with evidence of the mayor's extramarital affairs, as well as a riddle and cipher for the Batman. When he then killed Commissioner Savage, he posted a message to social media, exposing not only the contents of the drive for all of Gotham, but the corruption of the commissioner as well.
A game with Colson
The night of the mayor's funeral, the Riddler kidnapped District Attorney Colson and fastened a bomb around his neck, taped a cell phone to his hand, and a riddle addressed to the Batman on his chest. He sent Colson to the funeral, and when the Batman arrived, confronted him over a video call. The Riddler livestreamed their interaction, and teased the Batman with more hints and clues to the nature of Falcone's web of lies. After forcing Colson to confess his complacency, the Riddler detonated the bomb, killing Colson and sending the Batman deeper into an obsessive state trying to solve the case.
The Riddler then lured the Batman to the remains of the Gotham Orphanage, revealing his next target to be Bruce Wayne, and, while he left more hints about the truth via "rataalada.com", sent a packaged bomb and riddle to Wayne Tower, with the intent to kill Bruce Wayne as his next victim before revealing the truth about Thomas Wayne. However, Bruce's butler and legal guardian, Alfred Pennyworth, instead opened the package with the bomb and was hospitalized by the explosion. Despite missing his target, the Riddler still exposed to Gotham the truth about Thomas Wayne's cover-up of his wife's mental illness.
Confronting the Batman
The Riddler then placed seven car bombs along the border walls to the river, and returned home to his apartment and recorded a message to his closest followers telling them to kill everyone in the city square when the bombs blew, all while a furious Batman brought the police to arrest Falcone at the Iceberg Lounge. However, Edward shot Falcone from his apartment with a sniper rifle, effectively dismantling Falcone's criminal empire for the time being. He was arrested and taken to the Arkham State Hospital, where he finally confronted the Batman face to face. Edward explained that Batman inspired him to be a serial killer and wanted to team up with his hero. The Batman angrily rejected him, causing Edward to freak out and spill about the bombs, which he taunts about since Batman hadn't figured out his endgame.
Making a friend
Batman went to the city center, which was celebrating the election of new mayor Bella Reál, as the city flooded and Edward watched gleefully, safe in Arkham. Unfortunately for him, the Batman and the police stopped the Riddler's followers and saved everyone they could. Despite this small victory, the damage was done, as most of Gotham's streets were submerged in water, and Edward made a new friend and ally in Arkham, a fellow inmate and serial killer named the Joker. He and the Joker then formulated a plan of escape, all while Edward somehow continued operating "rataalada.com" for his remaining followers to know that all was not lost, until the site's domain was seized by the GCPD.[1][8]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- 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 the Batman.[1]
- Tactical Analysis: Edward is a meticulous planner, creating an incredibly complex plan filled with riddles and puzzles he created himself to unmask the truth about Gotham City to the public. He was able to form an incredibly dedicated and secretive cult of internet followers to carry out his plans, host incredibly hard-to-access virtual live-streams that served as meeting places for his followers to create plans, and place seven vans by Gotham City's seawall to blow it up and flood the city.[1]
- Computer Operation
- Computer Hacking: Edward coded a thumb drive to hack into the computer it was inserted into and automatically email agencies pictures from the computer's email account.[1]
- Mechanical Engineering: Edward is a genius engineer, able to create various complicated traps and devices to kill his targets, such as a special cage that directs starving mice to a person's face, or a combination-locked time bomb fastened around a man's neck and detonated remotely.[1]
- Forensic Pathology
- Leadership
- Intimidation
- Charisma
- Singing
- Artistry
- Multilingualism: Edward speaks fluent English, and due to the nature of some of his riddles, it can be presumed that Edward has at least some knowledge of the Spanish language.[1]
- Weaponry
- Demolitions
- Firearms: Edward is proficient with a sniper rifle, able to deliver a fatal shot to Carmine Falcone at a lengthy distance from his apartment window.[1]
- Gadgetry
- Stealth: Edward is incredibly stealthy as the Riddler, able to sneak into Mitchell's home without being seen or heard, and hiding silently in the GCPD gym and Colson's car before attacking his victims.[1]
Other Characteristics
- Mental Disorder: Edward is afflicted with at least one severe mental disorder. He believes that death and destruction can be justified in the pursuit of truth and justice, and enjoys seeing his demented justice carried out across the city with sadistic glee. He finds inspiration in the Batman's rampage of violent crusade of righteousness, instilling fear to get across a message. However, he gets very upset when things don't go his way, throwing tantrums and screaming angrily. Edward seems to think he is in the right, however, and doesn't need any help, despite his closest friend being the Joker, a sadistic mass murderer.[1]
- Restricted Senses: Edward needs glasses to see, and wears them as part of his costume as the Riddler.[4][1]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
Notes
- This version of the character is exclusive to the continuity of the Batman Epic Crime Saga and is an adaptation of the Riddler. The original character was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang and first appeared in Detective Comics #140.
- The Riddler was portrayed by Paul Dano. Joseph Walker portrayed Edward as a child.
- Dano also wrote the prequel comic The Riddler: Year One.
- When writing and designing the Riddler, Reeves took inspiration from the Zodiac Killer in terms of costume and methodology.[9]
- This is the first live-action version of the Riddler to use the New Earth version's "Nashton" surname, as opposed to "Nigma" or "Nygma", which most other adaptations use.
- The Riddler's website, "rataalada.com", is a real website that tests visitors with riddles and ciphers from the Riddler himself.
Trivia
- Edward used a voice modulator to disguise his voice as the Riddler.[1]
- Even with his great intellect, Edward has not deduced that Bruce Wayne is the Batman, despite loathing one and idolizing the other.[1]
- Edward's preferred social media site is "nigma.org".[2]
Recommended Media
Related
- 9 Appearances of Edward Nashton (The Batman Saga)
- 30 Images featuring Edward Nashton (The Batman Saga)
- 5 Quotations by or about Edward Nashton (The Batman Saga)
- Character Gallery: Edward Nashton (The Batman Saga)
External Links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 The Batman (2022)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Riddler: Year One #1
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Riddler: Year One #4
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Before The Batman: An Original Movie Novel (2022)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Riddler: Year One #2
- ↑ The Riddler: Year One #5
- ↑ The Riddler: Year One #6
- ↑ www.rataalada.com
- ↑ YouTube - Chinese Filmmaker Lu Chuan Conversation with The Batman Cast – Angel Wang on YouTube
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