Arkham Knight: The Ubiquity of Fear

[@Flaynustheflayedanus4815]

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

[@michaelkaduck1915]

I really felt for Batman's struggle with fear of failure, as I am someone who struggles to be able to deal with it. As a person with an anxiety disorder and who is partially autistic, it makes fear even worse, making the hard obstacles I encounter so painful to deal with. Thus, my relationships have suffered. Don't let fear get to you. You can get through it if you're honest with yourself. I am a deeply insecure, socially anxious, very much flawed person. But I am always trying to encourage myself to keep on going. I want you all to know you're not alone. Fear is in our nature, but you shouldn't let it get to you. And even if you do, it's okay. You're not perfect, but you can still come back from it.

[@billyheaning]

One of my favorite quotes of all time: Courage isn't the lack of fear. Courage is still going in even when you are afraid.

[@LoneSilverBullet]

How is it that you so perfectly capture every bit of what I love in my favorite stories, and so poignantly sum it up as to make me come away loving it even more? Witchcraft? Charts? Common interests? Who can say.

[@StoryStreet]

Probably witchcraft, but don't tell anybody.

[@zachalexander7558]

Really well done video man, really thought provoking. This made Arkham Knight’s story so much more enjoyable to me.

[@jamestolbert1856]

I love it

[@jamestolbert1856]

Due to this video and the clips I saw

[@jamestolbert1856]

I love Joker’s involvement in the game because it’s thematic to the story and also I love his dialogue

[@jacobglaser7773]

Great video! I thought Jason's motivations were more compelling in the Red Hood movie. Jason didn't hate Batman for not saving him. He hated Batman for holding on to his useless no killing rule and, in a sense, allowing Joker to continue murdering innocent people.

[@brucew565]

Jason actually only hated batman for not saving him because he was hurt. Jason, behind all his useless bravado, is just a over sensitive whiny child. And Batman isn't obligated to murder anyone. If he is going to save the city, he is going to do it on terms. Batman can't be faulted for being disgusted by murder

[@jamestolbert1856]

@@brucew565I really love Jason Todd and I hope they give him redemption arc from anti hero to hero

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

​@@brucew565 exactly, friend! Batman's no killing rule isn't "useless", it isn't him being "well-meaning yet misguided" or anything like that, and it doesn't need some explanation like "I'm afraid I can't stop once I start" or whatever. In fact, I HATE when writers try to "explain why" Batman has his one rule. Can't he just avoid killing because killing is wrong? That is literally all you need!

[@duskthunder9274]

Omg you deserve way more subs

[@StoryStreet]

Honestly, I'm surprised I have as many as I do! But the channel keeps growing, so who knows what's gonna happen? Thanks so much for watching!

[@bengough6772]

Yes the batmobile fights suck and the game world plays similar to other sand boxes but it looks so gorgeous and I love the story. Great game

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

I actually really like the Batmobile most of the time. The only Batmobile segments I don't like are when you have to fight Cobra Tanks, and it's mostly because the Cobra Tanks are so fucking scary and it's way too stressful every time. So, even though Arkham Knight is my favorite piece of Batman media ever made, with my favorite Batman story ever told, I do actually dread replaying it sometimes because I know I'm gonna have to go up against Cobra Tanks eventually.

[@jahannargolwala6441]

You're like the Movies with Mikey but for video games. And I sincerely mean this as a compliment.

[@StoryStreet]

Well then, I will take it as a compliment. Thank you.

[@Spider-Fan006]

Arkham Knight is my favorite Batman game but you brought the theme of the game I never thought of I'm no different then Batman I'm afraid of failure I'm afraid of not being able to live to people's expectations of me which has led be to be lazy closed off and cold because I'm afraid of letting people down my fear of failure has led me to this point of my life and I have to overcome it one day thank you for bringing the theme of this game to my attention.

[@javierfernandezfavieres2816]

In 11:05 I really believed he was going to say "Fear is the mind killer"

[@Lycanboy]

"Any batman fan could have told you by the halfway point of the game" is pretty generous, not gonna lie. Literally the first scene we see him, in Ace Chemicals, where he's like "I know everything about you" I turned to my friend and was like "I bet that's gonna be Jason Todd." The scenes in the movie theater just confirmed it, lol.

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

I actually guessed it before the game even came out, but I don't see why people think his identity being predictable is such a bad thing. It never bothered me that he was obviously Jason Todd, people really will nitpick this game to all Hell.

[@Lycanboy]

@@DavidRYates-tk2tq Oh, I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it was very predictable.

[@CamSeanoaTolls26]

This was my favorite Batman game actually. Loved these videos. Batman is my favorite

[@lorekeeper2611]

Honestly Joker didn’t annoy me in this game because he felt like a manifestation of guilt. Joker is brutally honest, and he might be working to get a rise out of Batman, but the problem is… he’s not wrong, or at least, Bruce feeling guilt or regret isn’t necessarily wrong.

[@thecollinhill]

This was a great wrap up to your Arkham trilogy videos. I fall into the dissapointment category, in terms of my opinion for this game. You touched on what made this game bearable, and that is the thematic elements of the story, Batman's internal struggle. Tank missions aside, rehashed Red Hood storyline aside (with terrible marketing to boot), this game had some redeeming qualities, and you touched on them quite well. I hope to see more of your work soon. *Insert Batman Approves meme *

[@StoryStreet]

Thank you so much! More videos are on the way!

[@AustinNGrayson]

Him being more brutal to quickly end the fight was fully intentional. It’s talked about in the Azrael Arkham stories. Less stylish more efficient. He’s getting older and more bitter, and of course the Joker blood isn’t helping with that. But he’s Batman and as a symbol he still holds onto hope.

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

I thought it was supposed to be less about him being bitter and more about escalation. Like, the criminals continually get slightly better and better at countering Batman, so he has to fight harder and harder. Then again, it doesn't have to "either/or", it can be both bitterness AND escalation, right?

[@xtutotv4675]

hey, I know making videos can be a challange, and you absolutely nailed it. Your production value looks high, and your analisys is on point, I know that the words of a stranger may not be... prestigious, but they are genuine. Good job.

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

This game was already my favorite Batman story ever told, but you've just made me love it even more than I ever thought was possible by pointing out these themes.

[@michaelfryers1914]

I think also Joker appears because he fears becoming like joker. He blames himself directly for the jokers death, feeling as though he killed him. This is proven through the brief exchange in the movie studios elevator just before you look for the infected people when Joker blames Bruce for his death. Because batman feels like he killed joker, he feels like he's crossed that line that he fears to cross. Joker keeps saying he'll make batman kill again, and also through the whole game is begging to be in control. This doesn't literally mean joker will control him, but rather Bruce will give up and give into his fears and become an agent of chaos. This is just a poor summary of what I took away from the story,

[@Xehanort10]

2:22 The flashbacks were good but had Jason done more than just send tanks and drones after Bruce and if his boss fight had been a fight with him using all the skills he was taught by Batman as the 2nd Robin and what he learned while building up his army instead of you just having to grapple under him while avoiding being sniped he'd have been a better villain.

[@brucew565]

I think you missed the point. Batman neither ignored his emotions nor reacted to them. If anything, Poison Ivy reacted to her fear. She only agreed to help Batman when he pointed out how her plants will be hurt if she didn't help him. He responded to his emotions in the most level headed way possible. That's really the hallmark of the character: level headedness. My favourite thing about Batman is how he is always presented with temptations to give in to an easy immoral choice but through incredible mental strength and perseverance, he pulls through always. All the time. This is done in previous Batman games too but it's one of the central themes in Knight. The joker, in this game and within this universe from Batman's perspective, is characterized as this mercilessly terrifyingly sadistic and relentlessly force of evil that defies morals. And given what Joker's done to Batman in the Arkham verse and pretty much any other media, it's easy to believe given the uncompromising lengths of evil to get what he wants is a good representation of what Batman fears most. This image of Joker, Batman's polar opposite, who's killed and terrorised his closest allies and friends is constantly espousing ideas of what Batman should and shouldn't do. It's contextualised by the brilliant use of the plot device of the fear toxin having an extended effect. By this way, Rocksteady gave players a window into Batman's mind and what he is thinking about any given point in story. We know all the time what Batman's thinking about at any given moment. This level of personal connection with Batman is missing in all previous Arkham games. This is interactive storytelling at its best. We know what's going on inside the hood because his fears are being spoken aloud. This makes Batman incredibly human while still doing justice to his "extraordinary mortal among ordinary mortals" side of the character. It's in Batman's nature to be stoic brooding and refusing to give in to the immoral temptations that his villains, particularly the Joker, always confront him with. It's a story of overcoming fears with a great deal of perseverance and self control while being surrounded by situations that cause self-doubt. That makes Batman the hero he is and the story of Arkham Knight does that beautifully. I am surprised and flabbergasted by how well Rocksteady knows Batman that they were able to weave a story about Batman's perseverance and self-doubt. The story of good in people and in Batman and his strength required to outlast the forces of inward evils. Joker was Batman's fear and Scarecrow was the catalyst of that fear. I don't see how batman was being controlled by his emotions..

[@firstnamelastname8512]

If I could add onto your analysis, at the very end of the game, Bruce is unmasked and injected with fear toxin. We see his greatest fear of the Joker, or emotional chaos, win. At this point, the Joker has taken full control of Bruce. Notice how I said Bruce, not Batman. Then we see the Joker injected with fear toxin. We see his worst fear of being forgoten realized. Batman locks him away, and returns to reality. What I am trying to point out is that Batman’s emotions become locked away. In the end, reason wins. Only Batman remains.

[@thewrongdimension9819]

Wow what an interesting and thought provoking comment I have found. Say more right now!

[@brucew565]

You do realise that batman and Bruce are not different people.. right?? Bruce Wayne is just Batman's persona not a separate personality just like how Clark Kent is Superman's persona.

[@arcattila]

The neutralizing agent scene... that was amazing!! First time playing it i remember thinking this is amazing.. my favorite moment in the arkhamverse

[@cydia1720]

It’s my favorite and first game i ever played and finished

[@christaylor7916]

Great video man

[@KINGTAZER117]

Another great video essay

[@The_Real_Zapper]

This made me wanna play this again. Which says something since this is the only Batman Arkham game that I haven’t beaten more than 4 times.

[@mikelennox6900]

This guy's fantastic

[@Rman94]

Not just abandoned Jason was enraged that Batman didn't kill Joker, that even though he thought Joker had killed Jason Batman didn't avenge him and for years after Joker continued to kill and ruin lives till his death. Batman's line from Arkham City about even after everything Joker did he still would've saved him is a perfect example of this. Jason deep down didn't't want to kill Batman per say, he wanted him to kill the villain(in this case Scarecrow since Joker was dead) in order to prevent more suffering. What Jason felt Batman should've done long ago.

[@Deadforge]

Arkham Knight is not a disappointment it did a lot of great stuff and some less so but still just as badass as all the games are.

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

It has the best Batman story ever told, the Fear Takedowns were an incredibly awesome addition to the gameplay, AND it has the best designs we've seen for both Batman's suit and the Batmobile. People who say it's a "disappointment" are really tripping on something.

[@Deadforge]

@DavidRYates-tk2tq I agree whole-heartedly even though I do have a soft spot and a fondness for Asylum that I find to be quite a standout game.

[@annatrupiano9351]

arkham is a video game that i have 13 times yeah i know if the past 8 months this game is a masterpiece, and so is this video

[@GrtSage]

Fear keeps us alive but it also keeps us from living.

[@odz6218]

Arkham city I grew up on it Look at my name

[@danielriley6111]

The Irishman?

[@odz6218]

@@danielriley6111 that's my name don't ware it out

[@danielriley6111]

@@odz6218 but why point it out? What does it have too do with the comment?

[@nigeltube9585]

I just remembered this is some guy in a bat suit.

[@icecold1805]

I guess the problem with Arkham Knight it's that it is too good for some people to appreciate. Like Doom Eternal has been.

[@brucew565]

It's the best game I ever played 😀

[@bengough6772]

Lol that's a good point

[@JEF_W]

Could you do a video essay on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed?

[@Tyler_W]

Great video. Yet another reason Arkham Knight is great. Not perfect (and it's the only game in the seriee with a gameplay mechanic I disliked: the tank stealth battles), but overall, it is still a really good game. Definitely top 20 of the generation at the very least, just as Asylum and City were the previous generation.

[@icecold1805]

I am dissapointed with people who is dissapointed with Arkham Knight. I do think it is by far the best of hte trilogy. The sheer variety of tools at your disposals allows you to be truly fear incarnate. Just watching videos of pros playing this game, like Arkham Videos, he creates panic and havok among the grunts in predator moments and it's absolutely awesome. And the plot I think it's awesome, the best of the franchise by far. Yes, the plotwist of the AK is not impressive, but even then, the game just chokes you in tension. And when you recover barbara, and things seem to be winding down, then tension ramps up again, and it just... you can almost not breath. It's by far the most consistent of the plots in the Arkham franchise and it feels great.

[@Xehanort10]

7:34 Joker shouldn't have been in either Origins or Knight. Origins should have been a Batman Year One style game set before the villains turned up with Batman fighting common thugs, corrupt cops and gangsters not been set the very night he first met Joker. And Arkham's Knight's "5 people are infected with Joker's blood including Batman but there's no cure and one of them killed the other 3 then himself when he realised Batman was infected only for Scarecrow's fear toxin to somehow cure Batman of the infection at the end" subplot was pointless. Mentions of Joker and showing the effects his death had on Gotham would have been enough.

[@dysonwitwer6430]

I think the biggest problem with Arkham Knight is it was easily the least scary of all the arkham games. I think they did scarecrow bad and did his segments bad, which hurts not only gameplay but the story as well

[@tyleroutland1248]

Arkham Knight my least favorite Arkham game I hate this game

[@deathspark47]

It’s not even bad it’s my second most played one right behind city

[@tyleroutland1248]

@@deathspark47 personally I hate it I hated the story the writing, the battle mode two much batmobile I hated 90 percent of the season pass no boss fights I didn't like the ending I didn't like the joker story in Knight I hated the Arkham Knight I hated how rocksteady never told us how scarecrow survived from killer crock no flashbacks nothing Arkham Knight was dissapointing to me and not a good ending to the Arkham franchise to me

[@tyleroutland1248]

@@deathspark47 oh and I didn't like the side quests they were boring and repetitive

[@deathspark47]

@@tyleroutland1248 I liked joker better than him in city it was different he was in the mind of Batman which was pretty dope but yea objectively it’s the worst the batmobile was repetitive but the man bat side mission was pretty cool, personality I like the combat and how much faster you can traverse as batman and the graphics are amazing it just comes down to personal preference but I wouldn’t say it’s a terrible game

[@tyleroutland1248]

@@deathspark47 and that's okay everyone has different tastes in games I don't think its the worst game I ever played I just think to me personally it's the worst for me in the Arkham series

[@dreamwasdenied1782]

Amazing video it actually made me tear up . Keep the great job