Red Hood’s backstory starts with him being found and adopted by Batman to replace Dick Grayson as Robin. However, his thirst for vengeance far outweighed his thirst for justice, and he continuously defied one of Batman’s most sacred rules: never killing criminals. As Robin, Red Hood was not a very popular figure among readers, with his death being decided through a vote that DC Comics issued, and fans voted for him to be killed off. Once he took on the alias he uses in Gotham Knights, he instantly became more likable and interesting.
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What Happened to Red Hood
Prior to the events of Gotham Knights, Red Hood, aka Jason Todd, was an orphaned child who would roam the streets of Gotham stealing tires off cars to make enough money to survive. He one day stole the tires off the Batmobile, impressing Batman enough to bring Jason Todd under his care and tutelage to become to the next Robin following the departure of Dick Grayson. This, however, was cut short due to Jason’s lack of faith in Batman’s methods and his eagerness to eliminate every villain and criminal he came across.
Todd decided to hunt down the Joker after the villain attacked a hospital, but was caught and tortured instead. The Joker sent a video to Batman of Jason Todd being beaten with a crowbar, and by the time Batman made it to the location, the second Robin was dead. Batman grieved the loss of Todd and eventually replaced him with Tim Drake. However, the League of Assassins had other plans, using the Lazarus Pit to resurrect Jason Todd, which is why he appears in Gotham Knights.
What is The League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is an ancient group led by Ra’s al Ghul with the singular goal of eradicating all corruption from the planet by destroying corrupt civilizations and building them back up in their image. Every League of Assassins member is extremely dangerous and highly trained to kill, which seems like the perfect group for Jason Todd. The League even trained Bruce Wayne before he became Batman, and the only reason Bruce did not continue working with the League was because he refused to kill.
The League of Assassins is one of Batman’s most dangerous villains, having either killed or captured The Dark Knight in various issues of the comics. Ra’s daughter, Talia has a very close relationship with Batman and is even the mother of his child, Damien Wayne. In Gotham Knights, the League of Assassins plays a vital role in the story, with Ra’s al Ghul being the one who attacks and kills Batman at the start of the game, kickstarting the events that eventually lead the Bat Family to investigate the Court of Owls.
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Red Hood and the League of Assassins
Talia al Ghul was the person responsible for reviving Jason Todd, as she had plans that required the return of the second Robin. Due to the effects of the Lazarus Pit, however, Jason returned with a broken mind that grew even worse once he learned that Batman never avenged him by killing The Joker. So, Jason vowed to kill both the Joker, so that he could never kill others again, and Batman, for leaving him to die and not killing the Joker after Jason’s death.
Jason decides to adopt the new identity of Red Hood, wearing something that is extremely similar to the costume that the Joker first wore before falling into the vat of toxic chemicals that converted him into the mad villain. Jason eventually leaves the League since he does not want anything to do with their mission of ending corruption, as he is only interested in seeking revenge against Batman. Eventually, Batman is able to heal Jason’s mind and prevents him from killing the Joker, helping him return to his life in the Bat Family under the new identity of Red Hood.
Red Hood has one of the most disturbing character origins in all of DC Comics, and this makes his character in Gotham Knights even more interesting. From his relationship with the other knights, to his need to right all the wrongs he had committed, Jason is a hard-headed and powerful vigilante that protects Gotham City in the name of Batman. With the League playing such a major role in Gotham Knights, Jason Todd also has a very interesting story within the game, as he has to deal with the return of Talia al Ghul as well as the death of his mentor, Batman.
Gotham Knights is now available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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