Top 10 Batman Arkham Series Villains, Ranked

The first two games in the Batman Arkham series had some really great villains – except for the Arkham Knight, whose identity reveal was very anticlimactic (especially if you read the ‘Death In The Family’ story from the comics). The Dark Knight has one of, if not the best rogues gallery in all of comics, and the Arkham games really showcase what makes them so unique and deadly.

For this list, we’re going to be ranking the series’ villains based on how satisfying their boss battles were. But they have to be part of the main games – no DLC fights are allowed. The only additional rule is that if a villain – like Bane and Killer Croc – had multiple boss battles over different games, we’ll only be picking their best fight.

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10/10 Killer Croc (Arkham Asylum)

Killer Croc painfully reacts to a batarang being thrown at his shock collar during his chasing BatmanKiller Croc painfully reacts to a batarang being thrown at his shock collar during his chasing Batman

Killer Croc’s lair in Arkham Asylum is one of the scariest places in the entire series. The horror level cranks up to 11 because you don’t know when or from where he will leap out to send you to a watery grave. You also have to walk slowly across the wooden planks to avoid alerting him of your whereabouts and collect spores for an antidote for Joker’s Titan formula.

The only way to defeat Croc is by throwing Batarangs – which aren’t always accurate – at his shock collar, forcing him to fall into the water. The battle’s climax is a giant chase where you have to run hundreds of meters and detonate an explosive to end the fight.

9/10 Clayface

Batman tries to evade ClayfaceBatman tries to evade Clayface

Clayface first appeared as a prisoner in Arkham Asylum, where his appearance changed every time you stopped looking at his cell. However, it was the Arkham City game that gave the supervillain an unexpected boss fight. Throughout the fight, you run around a theater throwing freeze bombs at Clayface as he rolls around, throws projectiles, and slashes at you.

His attacks are easily dodgeable, but a big reason why Clayface is on our list is that you get to use Talia Al Ghul’s sword to slash him to pieces.

8/10 Solomon Grundy

Solomon Grundy uses the weights on his chains to attack BatmanSolomon Grundy uses the weights on his chains to attack Batman

He may have been born on a Monday, died on a Saturday, and buried on a Sunday, but Solomon Grundy should not be put outside our list of top Arkham villains. The fight against Grundy isn’t a cakewalk by any means — largely because he uses electricity to regain health throughout the fight.

At one point, Penguin injects Solomon with so much electricity that he explodes into a new form, which bathes him and his shackles in the fire. Then, he tosses all the weights around you like a hammer throw. While Grundy is doing that, you have to plant explosives and detonate them to damage him enough to land some punches on him.

7/10 Poison Ivy

Batman aims a batarang at Poison Ivy's chamberBatman aims a batarang at Poison Ivy's chamber

Poison Ivy has appeared in every Arkham game except for Arkham Origins, and her boss fight in Arkham Asylum is surely a hectic one. Not only has Ivy taken over all of the plants on the island, but she also places herself in a giant plant that shoots at you. You’re constantly forced to roll and dodge because Ivy controls deadly vines that come up from the ground to completely ruin your day. Ivy also unleashes possessed guards during the fight and attempts to stab you.

You can only damage and defeat Ivy by throwing Batarangs when her shield goes down after attacks, but the window to do so is somewhat short. Defeating her and making the situation on the island a little more normal is a huge relief.

6/10 Professor Pyg

Professor Pyg raises his knife while in conversation with BatmanProfessor Pyg raises his knife while in conversation with Batman

Professor Pyg’s boss battle is one of the creepiest fights in the entire series. Before joining the fight, Pyg sends his surgically created henchmen, Dollotrons, to attack you inside his surgical room as opera music plays in the background. The only way to take them out is by performing a unique takedown after they’ve been knocked to the ground – even then, they still get up and continue to fight you. After you take down his henchmen, Pyg sings “I’m going to make you perfect” in an opera-style tone and starts throwing meat cleavers as more henchmen surround you.

By pressing the counter button, you catch Pyg’s cleavers and throw them back at him to stun the villain. But as you try to capitalize on Pyg being stunned, he avoids the attacks by moving around the operating table, and all of the henchmen encircle you, making the area feel very claustrophobic. Oh, and you only have a certain amount of time to attack Pyg while he’s stunned. It’s a high-stress fight, but intensely memorable.

5/10 Scarecrow (Arkham Asylum)

Batman tries to evade Scarecrow's glare and line of sightBatman tries to evade Scarecrow's glare and line of sight

Even though you do fight him in Arkham Knight, the Scarecrow nightmare battles in Asylum are much better because they make him look more imposing. Also, the immense use of stealth makes the fights in Asylum stand out a bit more. Each fight has you going through a hellish world, all while you try to evade Scarecrow’s sight. If he sees you, you die. Every battle is designed differently and gives you several ways to create cover and evade him using your gear.

There are also some fighting elements as Crane injects the floor with his needle glove, causing skeletons to rise from the ground. While you never physically fight Scarecrow, it is really cool that you get to use the freaking bat signal to escape his grasp and eventually defeat him.

4/10 Ra’s Al Ghul (Arkham City)

Batman catches Ra's Al Ghul's sword between his handsBatman catches Ra's Al Ghul's sword between his hands

When he’s not trying to slice you in two with his sword attacks, Ra’s Al Ghul is disguising himself as one of his minions and tossing giant shuriken at you after growing in size. This boss battle puts Ra’s into the top five because it’s so unique. You have to use electrical charges to break down his giant form while avoiding the deadly blades that glide towards you like a fleet of metal shark fins.

The boss battle also plays an essential role in Arkham City’s story. You might have a bad father-in-law, but at least he’s not the leader of a group of assassins with a Lazarus Pit.

3/10 Deathstroke (Arkham Origins)

Batman desperately tries to block all of Deathstroke's attacksBatman desperately tries to block all of Deathstroke's attacks

We call all agree that the fight against Deathstroke in Arkham Knight is disappointing, as it’s nothing more than a tank battle. However, his fight with Batman in Arkham Origins is quite satisfying. The entire scene plays like a cinematic hand-to-hand fight sequence between two extremely well-trained fighters. The animations are so captivating that it’s easy to get distracted and misplace the location of the counter button.

Deathstroke uses smoke bombs to blind you as he leaps and falls from the sky, pummeling you with hits from his staff. The fight also gets very fiery when you gain the ability to use your Batclaw, grab an explosive barrel, and chuck it at him.

2/10 Bane (Arkham Origins)

Bane lifts Batman over his head in the iconic back breaking poseBane lifts Batman over his head in the iconic back breaking pose

The fight with Bane in Arkham Origins starts with a fantastic cutscene as he pulls you down through the ceiling of an elevator and decides to have a brawl in the hall. After he tosses you through a window, the fight begins, and it takes three straight attacks to stun Bane before you can unload a flurry of punches on him. Just when you think you’ve beaten him, the supervillain reappears later in the game in his monster form.

Once Bane gets in his monster state, the fight goes from combat to stealth-heavy as you have to perform silent takedowns on him. Later, the fight throws in a frightening chase element as Bane follows you after each attack. He also destroys grates after learning your maneuvers and tricks, forcing you to be more tactical when sneaking up on him to remain unseen.

1/10 Mr. Freeze (Arkham City)

Batman takes cover as Mr. Freeze stalks himBatman takes cover as Mr. Freeze stalks him

The fight against Mr. Freeze in Arkham City is the most iconic one in the series, and that’s why he’s considered the best villain in the Arkham video games. Throughout the fight, Freeze can kill you instantly after learning your location, so you have to defeat the mad scientist with stealth. Like Bane, Freeze also learns your patterns and attacks. If you surprise him by popping out of grates, he’ll freeze them, and he tracks you the entire time by following the heat left over by your footsteps. Also, if Freeze cannot find you himself, he’ll release tracking drones into the air.

When the drones locate your exact location, Freeze shoots ice bombs to inflict damage. He’ll also shoot ice bombs where he thinks you’re hiding; every one of his movements is very well calculated. You might think, ‘Well, I have detective mode, so I can see where he is at all times.’ Sadly, that doesn’t work because if you use the detective mode for too long, Mr. Freeze will jam it, and it can only be used for very small durations for the rest of the fight. Beating him leaves you with a nearly unparallelled sense of satisfaction.

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