If you haven’t finished the game, turn away now as this will contain many a spoilers.
To start off, the games ending.
Hugo Strange is dead. Joker is dead. Ra’s Al Ghul is dead again for a while
With everything that has happened in Arkham City, one is left to wonder. What’s next?
There are a few easter eggs laying around that can provide hints, and some side missions offer what’s to come as well.
We’ll start off with easter eggs. Now, you might have seen these floating around the internet. I’m just here to confirm for any doubtful people who might suspect photoshop or whatever, damn non believers.
First easter egg: Harley pregenant!?! In Jokers office at the steel mill, next to Harley Quinn’s old costume, is a pregnant …stick thing. And it’s positive! Also, in an alternate ending in Catwoman’s story, Harley is singing Hush little baby.
Second Easter egg: Scarecrow boat. Scarecrow does not appear in Arkham City, however, a boat with one of his victims and a heap of creepy stuff can be found. In this boat, he has shipment orders from Falcone, one of Gothams’s mob bosses. Whether these are supplies of his fear gas is unknown but that’s what it probably is, OR, it could be related to TITAN. Why is it related to TITAN? In end of Arkham Asylum, Scarecrow gets his hands on a box of TITAN. So, Scarecrow may have studied the formula whilst in Arkham City, and is now planning to use it in the next game. Batman fans are aware of Scarecrow becoming Scarebeast in the comics, a hulking version of himself, so Scarecrow using TITAN on himself in the next game would make sense, but after the death of Joker, he would have to modify it so it won’t kill him. Also, the password to get into the boat may also have some signifance. The password is City of Terror, this could mean that scarecrow is planning to spread his fear gas throughout Gotham City. also, Scarecrows suit from Arkham Asylum is found lying on top of the bridge leading to Jokers territory. Will Scarecrow have a new costume? Oh, I can’t wait to see
Side Missions: two side missions in the game might give some more hints. Actually, one of them definetly gives out a hint. The side mission Mysterious Watcher involves DC Comics Azrael. I don’t know much about this character, but anyway. Azrael, once completing the side mission, informs Batman that once the story line in Arkham City is complete, a dark future will be upon Gotham City and Batman can’t stop it. the second side mission, identity thief, involves DC villain Hush. When the side missions is complete, Hush reveals himself to Batman his plan to humiliate Bruce Wayne by impersonating him. Batman says he’ll deal with Hush tomorrow, but whether this happens is unknown. Does Hush become a major part of the next game? We can only wait.
Alternate ending: in catwoman’s storyline, there is an alternate ending at some point. The ending involves a radio broadcast from Oracle. She says that Joker’s forces have taken over Wayne Manor, Batman and Jim Gordon are dead…now, this could be a broadcast from the future, but I think it’s just the event that unfolds if you make the wrong decision in Catwoman’s story.
Next up are some parts in the game that I think will play a role in the next Arkham Game
Protocol 11: upon Hugo Strange’s death, he activates protocol 11. This involves Wonder Tower exploding, BUT, there could be more to it. the password for activiating this protocol is WAYNE. Every fan knows that Hugo Strange knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. Protocol 11 might not have just blown up the tower, Batman’s secret may have been let loose to whoever is aware of Protocol 11.
A new setting: obviously a new setting will be in the next arkham. Arkham Asylum is gone, Arkham City is shut down and possibly restored to it’s original part of Gotham City. And, some inmates in arkham city say that Blackgate, the other prison in Gotham, has been turned into a shopping mall. Are we looking at playing in the whole of Gotham City? Will vehicle use finally come in, and can we drive the batmobile or the batwing? Mind you, I actually think the bat bike would be way cooler to use than the batmobile.
A new nemesis: with Joker dead, the spot for Batman’s greatest enemy is open. Riddler is sure to try and take this spot, although he believes he already is Batman’s superior. Harley’s yet to be born child may be raised, as I like to put it, as the Heir to the throne to the clown prince of crime.
Clayface: Clayface may have been beat, but I think rocksteady may have left something very important out of the fight with him. After beating clayface, Batman pushes him into the Lazarus pit. Now, when I saw that, I thought “Oh shit, that won’t be good” but…nothing. Nothing happened. In my view, clayface falling into a Lazarus pit would’ve turned him into something pretty nasty. But, Rocksteady let it slide. But, this lazarus powered clayface could appear in the next game, in fact, I’m hoping he’ll appear in the next game.
Poison Ivy: in Asylum, Ivy was injected with a dose of TITAN, giving her control over a giant, tentacle plant monster thing. now, TITAN would have killed Ivy like it did Joker, BUT, Ivy is able to cure herself of toxins and diseases. lucky her, and poor Joker. But, her exposion to TITAN might have had some other effect perhaps, and she is just waiting to reveal that
There’s probably more to it yet, but we can only wait and see. Rocksteady teased their next Arkham at the Spike videogame awards, with a CGI Joker holding an ARKHAM WORLD SCRIPT.