Aliases : Edward Nygma, Edward Nashton.
Base of Operations : Gotham City, NJ.
Tag : riddler
Important Plots : Who is Batman?
Journal(s) : jla_extras, eddie_nygma
Status : Played

Powers and Abilities : The Riddler is a brilliant criminal mastermind, and occasionally employs various devices to aid him in his criminal efforts. Apart from that, and his wardrobe of questionable taste, he is an ordinary, if well-educated, human being. He is also known to employ female costumed sidekicks, typically designated as Query and Echo.

History : The Riddler is one of Batman's oldest foes - he has crossed paths with the Caped Crusader a number of times over the years. Originally, he appeared to be little more than a common thief with a question mark motif, but the Riddler swiftly demonstrated a unique penchant for matching wits with the World's Greatest Detective. He would leave clues to upcoming crimes at the scene of previous crimes, creating a kind of intellectual challenge for Batman in a misguided attempt to outwit him.

In fact, he seems psychologically compelled to leave these clues - it is believed to relate to a childhood trauma inflicted by his father, who would beat young Edward for telling lies; or even for telling the truth, if it seemed outlandish. This obsession with riddles and compulsion to leave clues, as well as his apparent kleptomania, are the elements which lead to his diagnosis as 'criminally insane', and his placement in Arkham Asylum. Still, the Riddler demonstrates strong, rational thinking and may, in fact, be exaggerating the extent of his psychological problems so as to prevent his incarceration in a more typical prison environment. He is certainly among the sanest of the Arkham inmates.

The events of the 'Hush' storyline revealed that the Riddler had been diagnosed with incurable brain cancer, and stole into one of Ra's al-Ghul's hidden sanctuaries for dip into a Lazarus Pit. This rejuvenated his body and neutralized his brain tumor. The Pit's effects are also known to cause temporary dementia, and Edward's dip was no exception - the temporary psychotic break that followed provided him with a moment of clarity, allowing him to put together observed clues in his own memories, and deduce the identity of longtime foe, Batman. He used this information, in conjunction with the villain called Hush, to orchestrate a gauntlet of torment for the Dark Knight. Ultimately, Batman deduced the culprit, and confronted Edward with the horrible truth - his own psychological limitations would never allow him to reveal Batman's identity.

The Riddler quietly cooled his heels in Arkham Asylum. He arranged for an escape via the criminal information-broker known as the Calculator, and set about on his latest crime spree.(Who is Batman?) Satisfied that he would not become the victim of one of Zatanna's mind-wipes, the Riddler went back to Arkham and has seemingly been rehabilitated. Released, he now plans to start a detective agency.

Edward maintains a friendly fellowship with the other members of Batman's Rogues Gallery. He seems particularly fond of the Penguin, whom he regards as intelligent enough for compelling conversation, and Catwoman.

Other Sources :

• The Riddler at the DC Database Project
• The Riddler at Wikipedia

Divergences : Diverges immediately after the events of the 'Hush' storyline.

Disclaimer - unless otherwise noted, all characters are property of DC Comics, used here only for roleplaying purposes.