DC Just Proved The Riddler is Always Going to Be Batman’s Most Tragic Villain

by

The Riddler is famous as one of Batman’s most recognizable enemies, but DC Comics recently highlighted how that’s actually quite sad. For years, Edward Nygma, or ‘Eddie,’ has taken pleasure in demonstrating his intelligence, creating puzzles and dangerous traps to prove he’s smarter than Batman – even though he rarely succeeds. However, beneath the green suit and question mark obsession, there’s a hidden side to Eddie. It’s a part of himself he seems to desire to express, but he can’t quite bring himself to fully embrace.

Fans who’ve followed the Riddler’s story know he hasn’t always been a flamboyant villain. He’s attempted to live an honest life, even using his intelligence as a detective. But despite his efforts to change, Eddie always seems to fall back into a life of crime. Now, a powerful encounter with his arch-enemy reveals the core of who the Riddler is and why he’s unable to reach his full potential.

Riddler’s Psychosis is So Much Worse Than Fans Thought

The latest issue of the Batman comic, written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Jorge Jiménez, picks up right after the events involving Robin. Bruce Wayne, while waiting at the hospital, watches a TV discussion featuring his longtime enemy, Hugo Strange, and a new Arkham Towers doctor, Anna Zeller. Zeller is promoting her invention, the Crown of Storms, which uses electrical impulses to treat mental illness. Batman is shocked to discover that the Wayne Family foundation is helping to fund this technology.

Batman is investigating a link between his family’s wealth and a man named Zeller when trouble erupts at Wayne’s science lab. The Riddler has broken in, knocking out security guards and quickly bypassing the building’s defenses to reach his target: Zeller’s Crown of Storms. However, Batman arrives just as the Riddler is about to grab it. Batman is frustrated, questioning why the Riddler would jeopardize his progress with Nygmatech to resort to this familiar pattern of crime.

There’s a serious problem with the Riddler. During his attacks on Batman, Eddie keeps presenting riddles that show his obsession is spiraling out of control. At one point, he even shows Batman a grocery list cleverly disguised as riddles – a task that took Eddie hours to complete. The Riddler wasn’t after the Crown of Storms for the thrill of the challenge; he desperately wanted the Crown to stop his compulsion to create riddles. Or, failing that, he hoped it would land him in Arkham Asylum, where he’d heard rumors that a Dr. Zeller was secretly testing the Crown on patients.

The Riddler is Doomed to be a Batman Villain Forever

It’s really telling to see this, because it actually clarifies a lot about the Riddler’s inconsistent behavior. Before the New 52 comics, Eddie Nashton had a successful period working as a private investigator, but he returned to crime after a bomb injured him – understandably so. More recently, in The Riddler: Year of the Villain one-shot, he tried to turn his life around, but quickly fell back into old habits. As Batman noted in this issue, Eddie even started Nygmatech, a company focused on encryption technology, not long ago.

It’s obvious Eddie Nashton realizes he’s not fulfilling his potential as the Riddler. He’s a genuinely intelligent person who’s demonstrated his abilities, but he’s struggling with serious mental health issues. His compulsion with riddles controls his actions, and it’s only gotten more intense over time. Every time he attempts to improve, his mental health pulls him back down, because he hasn’t been able to get the help he needs to manage his condition.

Unfortunately, the way comics are made means the Riddler probably won’t ever truly change. While some villains, like Catwoman and Harley Quinn, have moved towards being more heroic, Eddie Nashton has repeatedly tried to reform himself without success. It seems no matter what he does, the Riddler is destined to remain one of Batman’s enemies.

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/7-dc-villains-defeated-batman-joker-riddler-bane-darkseid/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-07 18:18