Despite its large cast of playable Batfamily , Gotham Knights is still missing several key figures from the comics, though one reportedly may have a part to play. Since the game's announcement, fans have wondered whether Damian Wayne, Batman's son and one of his many protégés, would make an appearance. Recently, Gotham Knights' Creative Director appears to have teased that while Damian may not be the main character, his presence will be felt and the reason for his absence thus far will become clear.
Gotham Knights takes place after the death of Bruce Wayne and puts players in the shoes of four of his former apprentices as they attempt to keep Gotham City from falling apart in his absence. The game's protagonists are Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), and Robin (Tim Drake). When it was initially announced, some fans debated over whether Gotham Knights' Robin was actually Tim or Damian, before receiving confirmation that it was in fact the former. With Damian's traditional role as Robin seemingly occupied, the question of what his role in Gotham Knights' story will be is an interesting one.
During a recent interview with Gotham Knights' Damian could become the new Batman in the wake of his father's death. In that same interview, Redding stated that it was their intention to "start a new franchise built around Gotham City," and the son of Batman could be a worthy lead for such a franchise.
Is Damian Wayne The New Batman In Gotham Knights?
Even without personally appearing, Damian Wayne's influence could still be felt in a number of ways, each having the potential to significantly impact the formation of this new universe. This could take the form of Damian's mother, Talia al Ghul, or potentially the League of Assassins, the shadowy organization helmed by Ra's al Ghul, Damian's grandfather. With the Court of Owls being both Gotham Knights' main antagonists and a similar organization to the League, an appearance from them wouldn't be unreasonable. While its premise may be reminiscent of the end of Batman: Arkham Knight, Gotham Knights isn't part of the Arkham universe, so Talia and the League are both completely unknown quantities, and have more than enough room to be introduced in this story.
Aside from potential machinations to take over his father's mantle, Damian could play a number of roles in Gotham Knights' story. For instance, he could arrive in Gotham to challenge Tim Drake for the title of Robin, though his ambitions are usually set higher than that. Damian's motivation could also be to challenge the titular Knights for allowing his father to die, perceiving them to be inept and unworthy to follow in Batman's footsteps. This would better suit both Damian's typical early personality and the drama of the narrative; given how Damian is usually portrayed prior to spending time with Bruce, this challenge would likely be to the death.
The mantle of Batman being posthumously ed down to his son would be a refreshing and emotional way to begin this new game franchise. Damian's game that was canceled for Gotham Knights would have been a similarly impactful follow-up to Arkham Knight, but WB Games Montréal could still end up elevating Damian to be Bruce's successor. All of Gotham Knights' protagonists deserve more time in the spotlight, and Damian Wayne is no exception.