Nygma eventually gives in and dons the tights and sets up a scheme to hold an entire five city blocks hostage by a mere riddle alone. If the city can figure out the riddle then no one will get hurt, but however they only have a little time to figure it out....
ACT II
In steps Hill to save the day by knowing the answer to the riddle. It is a scheme of the working of Rupert Thorne that lands Hill in the middle of the five block area. He is given the answer prior to the thing going off, but he doesn't know it. He takes his sweet time, then finally figures it out just before time runs out, it is written on a card that he throws in the trash. He is declared a hero almost immediately and is soon all over the media talking about the experience.
Meanwhile Bruce decides he needs to intervene, however Gordon stops him in the process knowing that several veterans on the force are hoping that Batman will come out of the shadows for this situation. Instead Gordon tells Batman that he is needed to eventually track down this Riddler.
The name of the hacker who is control of this thing, is now named as the Riddler, and has his video shown on several screens and his face is now made public. The Riddler begins to enjoy seeing his face on the screen. He is annoyed that the answer wasn't truly figured out, but that the whole thing was a sham from the get-go, and pissed that it took Hill so long to finally come up with the answer. He yells at Thorne about how many people could have died in the process because he put that idiot to the task of saving the day all as a political stunt.
Hill is outraged that this is happening in the city. No criminal should be allowed to do such things, he says, calling for a complete overhaul in change for the police force.
Meanwhile the FBI steps in to cause even more oversight and problems for Gordon. Gordon tells his wife if only he could retire already he would give everything up, but he can't retire and he has to restore Batman's name as one of the good guys, he can't retire until things are finally balanced out, and he is redeemed for the death of Rachel Dawes and Harvey Dent. Though it was the Joker who was to blame, there were plenty of other players that were helping him.
Thorne is betting that with a distraction, he can easily ship in a whole lot of illegal product for a massive sale. The only problem is that he is too close to the action and it is dangerous for him now that not a single person wants to work with him or be his fall guy. The mobs are just as scared as the citizens of Gotham, but crime never stops. Luckily he has the Riddler doing his bidding.
The next setup is dropped and the Riddler steps in to make the big distraction that Thorne needs, which is taking over an entire financial building and shutting it down until the people inside are able to figure out several riddles.
Thorne chooses Wayne Enterprises the only institution that Thorne can't seem to get under his thumb as his distraction setting. At Wayne Enterprises, Bruce gets ready to leave for the day, when in comes Selena cunning her way into his elevator. They get to the bottom floor and find The Riddler's face plastered on the TV screens downstairs in the main entrance hallways. He changes from the stupid one piece to a much more comfortable and a more fashionable green suit with a matching bowler hat and his cane when he finally appears off the screens in person. Selena turns out knows some martial arts and figures out some of his riddles right away and gets into it with the thugs that the Riddler has with him to save Bruce from getting beat up. The Riddler is impressed by her cunning and form. While the Riddler tries to charm her, Bruce runs away to "save his own neck" only to reappear a few minutes later as Batman. The two of them instantly go at it, while the Riddler tells Selena to watch him make a fool of the bat. They are evenly matched surprisingly, Batman learns that the Riddler too has moves of his own and then pulls a sword out of his cane, eventually it is kicked out of his hand and they two stand face to face evenly matched. There is however one thing that the Riddler is superior to everyone else with, his wit and intelligence. He gives Batman a puzzle to figure out quickly, when he grabs Selena and quickly knocks her out.
Batman works out the puzzle and gives his answer, however it is all a ploy for time as The Riddler escapes, just as a Swat force arrives hearing news that the Batman has appeared as well as the Riddler. Batman instantly has to fight to save himself, and makes it free, telling Gordon when he gets there that he's going to find out who this Riddler is soon enough.
Nygma had all his public data erased so that he no longer exists essentially, he is now The Riddler. He takes Selena to his private getaway which is a crappy loft in a tall ordinary building, swiftly ditching the thugs in a nearby river by knocking their car into it and throwing the one in his car out of the vehicle. When Selena awakes he apologizes that he had to knock her out, but instantly tries to make it up to her by giving her refreshments. He is impressed with her because she figured out several of the riddles. He starts wondering why the Batman would appear so suddenly and know The Riddler's whereabouts. It is a riddle that he is going to figure out.
The Riddler has twisted things in a new direction, feeling satisfied with himself for showing off his superior intelligence, but also by impressing Selena as well as leaving Bruce Wayne the rich snob that he is on the floor worried about his life, and watching him run away for safety and lastly by messing up the money drop that was supposed to end up in Thorne's possession.
Soon enough another of his riddles is found by police in a package delivered to Gordon himself, or "current resident." He outs Thorne as the big man behind the scenes "the Wizard of Oz," the man behind the mobs in a riddle. Gordon calls out help from Batman and they too start investigating seriously both this Rupert Thorne and Riddler.
Meanwhile Thorne is ticked and calls for The Riddler's death to all in the mob underworld. Riddler tricks the thugs go searching for him by having supplied them with several false addresses and then locks them all up when they go to these residences to kill him, giving them puzzles to solve to gain their own freedom. He has cameras in his loft. He has Selena in soft cuffs trying to seduce her, however he is only toying with her. He knows who she really is. She is a former whore, who had to start stealing to find a way off the streets, and she is code named "The Cat." The only reason she is even associating with Bruce Wayne is to get an artifact that he has at his Manor. Riddler knows all this because he is the one who wants the artifact, however he also desires her as well and hopes that after she gets it that the two of them could run away together. She decides its best to go with his offer and she pretends to fall for his wooing, seducing him in the process.
Gordon is supposed to meet The Riddler if he figures out the riddle alone without the police force, Riddler promises not to hurt him, but can bet that the city will be hurting if The Riddler's demands aren't taken seriously. Gordon meets the Riddler not informing anyone except a certain bat. He shows up to this meeting seemingly alone with The Riddler, who pulls out of his jacket quickly a black flashy thing, which alerts Batman who jumps in to stand in the way of Gordon being killed only to find that it is a holder with data on it linking Rupert Thorne to a series of deals that had recently gone down. He tells Batman that he was expecting him, actually hoping he would show, wondering if Gordon and Batman were still in cahoots with each other. He tells them also that he has other evidence that they can use to indict Thorne with. Then a puzzle problem is spun on the 2 of them and the Riddler escapes a second time, after he tells Batman that soon he will find out the riddle to Batman's true identity.
Bruce Wayne shows up to Selena's condo with wine and flowers, finding her in her underwear behind the door. She opens the door and pulls him inside. She discusses about their next date over a sip of the champagne he brought as they lay in her bed in their underwear with sweat on their faces. He apologizes again for leaving her so quickly, trying to convince her that he had to make sure that the police were told right away rather then out of cowardice. She tells him its alright, now that he has made it up to her and nothing happened to her, The Riddler, whoever he is just let her go. She then tells him about the upcoming Halloween Gala that is held by Rupert Thorne every year and that she is invited. He asks her what she'll wear, and she answers she might go as a Bat. Then she changes her mind, perhaps he should go as a bat instead. Yes since he ran away, he should prove that he has some courage and dress up as Batman, he adamantly refuses, which makes her pursue it even further. He eventually dissents, and then asks her what she will dress as. Then he decides he will pick it out for her and then deliver it on the night of, but suddenly has to leave due to a call from Gordon.
The Halloween Gala venue is changed to a property owned by Wayne Industries where normally social events are held. It is a huge museum-esque mansion that was turned into a museum for Wayne innovation displays. This is a perfect place for Gordon to arrest Thorne, while a perfect opportunity for Rupert Thorne to get in good with Bruce Wayne, so both parties seem happy to accommodate one another . It will have the finest security detail that Bruce has to offer, however the police will have an arrest warrant out on Thorne when he arrives. It will be easier to arrest him in public then at his home where the party is normally held, due to his high tech security.
Bruce forgets to get a costume and ends up getting one of the last ones at the Halloween shop that is worth anything, sending it over to Selena's condo as soon as possible. It is a skimpy cat suit, which has her wondering. Alfred shows up to her door to pick her up, only to apologize at Bruce's choice in costume. Alfred tells her Bruce chose it because it rhymes with bat, since she made him dress as Batman it's only fitting she should go as Catwoman, or something silly just like that.
They show up together and meet with Thorne. Bruce is not dressed up at all or seemingly so, but he is dressed like Batman he says, but as his alter-ego who probably dresses poorly. Since he doesn't have any unfashionable clothing, he comes in one of his suits He apologizes to Selena informing her that the costume was actually a last minute buy and there wasn't much of a selection and certainly not a Batman outfit as his current reputation wasn't doing so well for sales and Alfred was trying to cover for him with that silly lie. Alfred is surprised to see that he isn't in the costume he made him make, which took him hours to make out of cheap hard to work with leather. Selena informs Bruce that he is still a coward, but at least he is a better lover than a fighter. Thorne is arrested, making a huge scene of it in front of his guests, afterwards Bruce asks Alfred to take Selena home, but Selena says she can't sleep alone and pleads with Bruce to make it up to her, she kisses him close and meows at him, telling him that she doesn't want to sleep and definitely not alone. He falls for it and takes her to the manor instead. He tells Alfred to reschedule his plans for the following morning. Alfred gives him a look of contempt but does as he asks.
Fox pulls up a chair to his meal before him and picks up his food, about to eat, when a timer goes off. He gets up and turns it off, then sits back down and puts the food to his mouth, only to hear the phone go off. He puts his food down and goes to get the phone. Its a telemarketer informing him that his subscription to such and such is almost up, he says I know and he hangs up not letting her get another word in. He sits back down and puts the taco to his mouth a third time only to hear his name come from behind him. He turns around a bit spooked to find the Riddler standing in his living room. He says hold on, turns back around and takes a few bites, then turns back around "What is it?"
Bruce is in the middle of talking in front of the fireplace with Selena, when an urgent phone call comes in. He gets it, and informs Selena that he has to go back to the office right quick and will be back as soon as possible. Another riddle letter has been given to Gordon, who this time is ready to get the catch on the Riddler if they can. It was determined that he hacked into the files at Wayne Ent. and also the other places he hit stealing money and secret documents, but this was only found out that night by the Riddler's intervention. Bruce leaves to see what he actually hacked into heading into the new batcave and goes into the database at Wayne Ent. finding a hidden message left for someone with a riddle on it. He solves the riddle that was meant for him, well for Batman. Perhaps the Riddler has found out his secret identity. If he is capable of hacking even into the best state of the art firewall system then he is capable of anything, Bruce's patience is giving out on him. Who are you he asks his computer screen. Then he finds a code that translates into something. It is a riddle in itself once he translates it, and finds out that E. Nygma is The Riddler's true name. He searches the police database which is saved and downloaded on a constant basis, finding an Edward Nygma in the system that was arrested on charges of piracy, but later released due to lack of evidence. The mug shot was a bit iffy, but for the most part it looked like what the Riddler should have looked like a several years before.