Who are the 'Children of Arkham'

In Episode 2 of Telltale Games' new Batman series, we were introduced to a revolutionary terrorist group calling themselves the Children of Arkham. The titular villains stormed the debate between Mayor Hill and District Attorney Dent, with Oswald Cobblepot (aka The Penguin) at their head. But there is clearly a bigger, shadowy organization being Penguin and his men. And with Gotham's safety on the line, we have to ask: Who are the Children of Arkham working for?

Possible Children of Arkham Leaders

Hugo Strange

Strange seems like the obvious pick for the leader of the Children of Arkham, but that doesn't mean he isn't the is necessarily the wrong one. Strange has featured heavily in the DC Universe lately. He was the main villain for the back half of Gotham Season 2. He is currently the main feature of a 3 book crossover event in the DC Comics titled "Night of the Monster Men". And the re-releases of the Arkham games will put him back on people's minds as the main antagonist from Arkham City. Hugo Strange is everywhere right now, so assuming he is featured in one more property isn't that outrageous.

Then there's the situation itself. We are dealing with a group of crazy people, who seem to be mind controlled, and are calling themselves the Children of Arkham. Hugo Strange is a psychiatrist who uses pharmaceuticals and experimental procedures to turn patients at Arkham Asylum into his loyal soldiers who he has do his dirty work for him. We wouldn't be at all surprised if the Children of Arkham turn out to be a recasting of the Monster Men. Then again, that would mean this is one of the few things we wouldn't be surprised by in this game. So maybe Strange isn't outside the box enough for our purposes.

Hush

At first glance, a connection between Hush and the Children of Arkham may seem like it's straight out of left field. DC Comics hasn't done much with the character lately, though there are rumors that an animated version of Hush may be Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill's swan song. And Hush's relative anonymity in the DC Universe may be the exact reason that Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's villain could be a chief candidate for the head of the Children of Arkham.

Just like Strange, Hush has a medical degree and easy access to medical equipment and chemicals that could be used to synthesize a mind control drug. Also like Strange, Hush is known for acting as the ring leader behind other villains who are fighting in the trenches against Batman. Hush also has the added benefit of being deeply tied to Bruce's past, just like Penguin, Falcone, and Mayor Hill. If we're looking at three more episodes centered around the Wayne's past, a villain that goes all the way back with Bruce could be a fantastic tool to enhance that story. As one last benefit, there's also Hush's role as the identify thief that could have something to do with the perception that the Waynes used to be criminal masterminds.

The Joker

I know. I know. But let's be real. Joker has always found his way into Batman video games. He even managed to be the main antagonist in a game that took place after his death. So would it really be that surprising if the man behind that stark white mask happened to have stark white skin?

We could even see a situation similar to The Killing Joke, in which we never find out who is actually leading the Children of Arkham. But- perhaps in a fight against Batman- the leader is sent falling into a vat of toxic chemicals in an Ace Chemical plant. Presumed dead the GCPD give up the search only to have the final shot of the game be the right hand of that murderous clown we all love to hate come up out of some waste water behind the plant.

Batman: A Telltale Series releases Episode 3: New World Order on Oct. 25th