The Batman Trilogy’s Perfect Ending Has Already Been Done Elsewhere

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Riddler: Secrets In The Dark PodcastThe third installment of Matt Reeves’ The Batman trilogy could introduce the perfect final villain for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight, though The Riddler: Secrets In The Dark already used the DC antagonist in a similar fashion. Matt Reeves’ The Batman introduced a young Bruce Wayne taking on realistic villains such as a crime lord Penguin and a terrorist mastermind Riddler. While the upcoming The Batman – Part II and The Batman – Part III could take a different route and feature more fantastical antagonists like Clayface, there’s a long list of grounded Batman villains who could make the jump to the big screen for the first time.

Following the events of The Batman, villains like Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy can take advantage of Riddler’s attack on Gotham to strike. Otherwise, less physically powerful criminals like Professor Pyg and the Ventriloquist can use their smarts to one-up the Riddler’s strategy, or mysterious villains like Hush and the Court of Owls can reveal secrets behind the deaths of Bruce Wayne’s parents. However, one antagonist who isn’t discussed as often as the rest of Batman’s rogue gallery could be the ideal enemy to round up Matt Reeves’ The Batman trilogy due to his parallels to the Dark Knight and his potential for becoming Batman’s morally gray successor.

The Batman 3’s Perfect Final Villain Has Already Been A Murder Mystery Antagonist

First introduced in 1992’s Batman: Sword of Azrael #1, the anti-hero Azrael is a member of the Order of Saint Dumas — a religious organization concerned with divine justice. Azrael fights crime in Gotham, but unlike Batman, his belief in the Order’s doctrine leads him to use violent methods of vigilantism. The most famous version of the character is Jean-Paul Valley, who takes up the Batman mantle after Bane breaks Batman’s back. In the Spotify exclusive podcast The Riddler: Secrets In The Dark, Azrael brutally murders various Gotham criminals, leading Batman to seek the help of the Riddler in order to clear his name.

Related: Casting The Batman Sequels’ Potential Villains

Azrael’s brutality makes him a great fit for The Batman – Part III‘s main villain, as Robert Pattinson’s Batman already went through a similar period before. Having learned how to fight crime without causing more pain than necessary, Batman could help Azrael do the same. Azrael killing notable Gotham criminals and blaming it on Batman is the kind of mystery-thriller plot that fits Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe perfectly, and Batman’s already established conflict with Paul Dano’s Riddler sets up a natural way to bring the villain back. Unfortunately, it would be difficult for The Batman sequels to use this plot without it coming off as an obvious copy.

Why The Batman Series Could Still Use Azrael

Including Azrael in a supporting role in The Batman‘s sequels is more likely than featuring him as the main villain, and it could fulfill the same purpose. Azrael’s parallels with Batman would help develop Robert Pattinson’s unique Bruce Wayne as he sees Gotham’s underworld get increasingly populated with new vigilantes. As Batman’s legacy becomes a key part of The Batman trilogy’s overarching story, anti-heroes like Azrael can become new threats to it. An important part of the conclusion to Batman’s story in the trilogy lies in its aftermath, so teaching other vigilantes like Azrael to take care of Gotham’s underworld would keep Batman’s legacy alive even after he’s gone.