How Deep Does Fear Lie? We Find All References to the Scarecrow
Greetings to all scarecrow fanatics. Even though the information I’m about to share with you is quite old and was known just a couple of weeks after the game’s release on consoles, PC players might be unaware of these events (at least none of my friends who played "Batman" knew anything about Scarecrow in AC).
So, a brief excursion into history. Scarecrow played a very significant role in [Arkham Asylum](/games?search=Arkham Asylum), constantly getting in Batman's way. His gas affected the Dark Knight at the most unexpected moments in the game, and every "trip" was good in its own way. For the final segment with Scarecrow, I personally wanted to give the developers an award.
Naturally, in the end, Batman (with a clear mind and a hot heart) tracks down the villain, who is just about to dump a massive amount of concentrated fear gas into Gotham’s water supply. At the last moment, Scarecrow gets seriously unlucky and is dragged away by Killer Croc, who happened to swim by. Anyone familiar with Killer Croc's story understands that it's almost impossible for an ordinary person to escape from this monster underwater. However, after the final credits (in one of three possible clips), we can see a clawed glove of Scarecrow grabbing the floating container of Titan.
Speaking of Titan and Dr. Crane, let’s take a look at Dr. Young's notes pertaining to Scarecrow:
"In my opinion, he is my most successful case at the asylum. Despite his strange penchant for role-playing games (suspiciously common among Gotham criminals), I fail to understand why Dr. Crane was ever considered insane. During our long conversations, he impressed me with his extensive knowledge of psychology and biochemistry. I am fully confident that if Dr. Crane were given access to his supplies of fear-inducing gas, he would not want to use it. I think he has completely relinquished the Scarecrow persona and put a cross on his criminal past.
Additional notes:
"For a long time, he bravely battled his anxiety neurosis stemming from a difficult childhood and psychological trauma. He was helped in this by intensive studies of psychology and sources of fear.
I’m starting to believe that the rumors about his experiments on people are greatly exaggerated.
A true genius in chemistry!
Will he help me with my research on 'Titan'?"
As you can now understand, by the time of the events in AC, we have Scarecrow deeply underground, and a whole container of "Titan" has fallen into his clawed hands. Yes, in the hands of a chemical genius who loves poisoning everything and everyone, there is a giant stash of a highly dangerous steroid.
Why did I say "deep underground"? Because since the events of AA, according to the record in the batcomputer, no one has heard anything about Scarecrow. Even the inmates on the streets of Arkham City are surprised by his absence, as all the other "stars" of the asylum are having a blast in the new city. Someone even suggests that Arkham City is an illusion created by his poisoned, fear-filled mind.
Now, let’s move on to the direct references to Scarecrow found in the game. First, let’s note the mask he used in the asylum that somehow ended up on the supports of the bridge. One can assume that the mask, along with a bunch of hay, was brought there by the numerous local crows with the aim of building a nest. This respirator is the answer to one of the Riddler's puzzles, and scanning it reveals this story:
"No one has seen Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow) since he was attacked by Killer Croc in the sewers beneath Arkham. Some believe that what was left of him escaped permanent death by clinging to a passing container of 'Titan', which was later washed out to sea. Others believe that Croc ate him. The relentless Batman spent several months searching for Crane, refusing to believe in his death. As long as Jonathan lives and plots revenge against Batman, Gotham will never be safe."
In general, Scarecrow is angry and lurking. Moving on. In the location of the second Riddler hostage, behind the platform, there are several tanks of fear gas. This is a bit strange, considering that both supervillains prefer to work alone. I tend to think that those tanks were meant to hold ordinary flammable gas (needed to burn the hostage). Thus, either the Riddler filled the empty tanks leftover from Scarecrow, or the developers were too lazy to draw a new tank model. The exact same gas container with Scarecrow's label can be found in Hush's hideout. Given their long history of collaboration, one might speculate that the villains are planning something together. Or perhaps it can once again be attributed to the developers' laziness.
Stole the screenshot from the internet
There’s another interesting point, indirectly related to Scarecrow. During the execution of Protocol 10, on the rooftops of the Amusement Line, you can find the bodies of gangsters whose uniforms suspiciously resemble Scarecrow's costume from [Arkham Asylum](/games?search=Arkham Asylum). A respirator and hood come as a set. The bodies can be found ONLY during the Protocol. And ONLY the bodies. You won’t find living representatives of the species anywhere. Considering that Scarecrow has always been a loner and never led gangs, one might speculate that he decided to test some new gas of his that controls consciousness. If you think about it, the time and place for conducting experiments on people were maximally suitable - crowds of unwanted societal outcasts running in terror under fire; Batman is too busy stopping the protocol. What an excellent environment for field tests! Although, perhaps he did decide to lead a gang and just under the radar tried to grab some territory.
Unfortunately, too far from the necessary events in my subsequent playthrough, so I’m giving a link to this video
After finishing the game, several other interesting points arise. When scanning frequencies with the sequencer, you can stumble upon three numbered radio frequencies transmitting numbers in a loop. The first station (coordinates 500.00 and 900.00, very faintly heard) transmits the numbers 5 15 9 7 21 18 18 14 3 5 24 15 12 7 22 3 10 5 15 9 22 3 8 25 26 15 16 25 10 15 17 25. To decode the message, every letter of the English alphabet must be assigned a number, starting from the end (z=1, y=2, etc.), and then add three to each number (i.e. z becomes 4).
The decoded message reads: "You will pay for what you have done to me" ("Ты заплатишь за то, что со мной сделал"). The second station is located at frequencies 700.00 500.00, transmitting the numbers 9 23 9 12 12 18 5 20 21 18 14 2 1 20 13 1 14. This one is easier to decode; you just need to match each letter at the start of the alphabet with the corresponding number (a=1, for example). The message: "I will return Batman" ("Я вернусь, Бэтман"). The last station is located at 200.00 500.00, with the numbers 3 20 26 18 26 16 24 1 11 4 24 9 3 8 5 2 12 18 6 16 7 11 3 10 17 5 13 4 21 8. This sequence is the hardest to decode, but it directly points to the author of the message. First, you assign a number to each letter (just like with the second station), which gives us the sequence C T Z R Z P X A K D X I C H E B L R F P G K C J Q E M D U H. Then, using the Atbash cipher (where each letter is replaced by the mirrored letter from the opposite end of the alphabet, such as a=z), we get X G A I A K C Z P W C R X S V Y O I U K T P X Q J V N W F S. Finally, you must use the Vigenère cipher - encrypting using a code word. The word is, believe it or not, "SCARECROW". The decrypted message reads: "Fear will tear Gotham City to shreds" ("Страх разорвёт Готэм в клочья"). However...
And lastly, I've left the most delicious bit for last - a whole secret stash of Scarecrow. Where is it? Head to the industrial district (there’s also the Joker's base), right to the enormous neon sign North Gotham Dock. Before it, on the anchor, is a ship (the bridge is used in one of the Riddler's puzzles). It belongs to the Falcone crime family, which specializes in cargo delivery. Stand on the far end of the ship from the bridge, on a small square protrusion, and apply the sequencer. Despite the absence of visible locks, the sequencer will start working in password cracking mode. The necessary password is "CITYOF TERROR" or "ЧЕРТОГ СТРАХА". By the way, this is the hardest password in the game, with a difficulty rating of 5.
Once you successfully crack the password, the hatch (and it was indeed a hatch) will slide aside, revealing the entrance to the hold. After descending the ladder, the game will switch to first-person mode, and you won’t be able to use detective mode. Inside, there are lots of transparent boxes with live insects and the lifeless body of one of Joker's henchmen at the far end of the ship.
As you approach, the prisoner will jerk and gasp, then fall silent again. Apparently, he’s under gas. To his right, you can read a bill titled CRANE0016. Here’s the text:
Live insects for medical research.
Comments:
Jonathan, I hope you will be pleased, Mr. Fine insisted on following the order accurately, so we adhered to his instructions in every way. By this point, you should have already received the previous 15 shipments. The remaining ones are already on their way and will soon arrive to you
Mr. Fine, also known as the Broker, is a well-known provider of equipment for criminals in Gotham. He helps them find hideouts. Specifically, in AC, he helped Zasz find suitable premises; he also has longstanding and strong business ties with the Riddler. It is thanks to the Broker that the Riddler manages to find all his numerous hideouts.
It’s slightly unclear how a Joker henchman ended up on the ship, but judging by the ruins there, he was looking for something valuable, which is when Crane caught him.
So what do we have in the end? Scarecrow has "Titan", access to any ingredients he needs (thanks to the Broker and Falcone), many supporters, his own gang, and a burning desire for revenge against Batman. I think you’ve already guessed who is waiting for the Dark Knight in the third installment (or in a massive DLC) with open arms.
Part of the material was taken from here, the rest are personal thoughts and impressions