All through the hallowed halls of fandom and the web, each dialog about who Batman might beat in a battle at all times comes right down to the identical query: “How a lot prep time does he have?”
It is because it’s largely accepted by followers that with the suitable period of time to organize, the Darkish Knight, grasp strategist that he’s, might muster the ways and assets to win any battle. With the primary season of the multiplayer MultiVersus preventing recreation underway, we determined to place that principle to the check in opposition to the sport’s present out there roster. How a lot time wouldn’t it take Batman to organize for victory in opposition to every of them? Let’s discover out!
Harley Quinn
As one of many common rogues in Batman’s gallery since 1992, Batman already comes ready for Harley Quinn on a second’s discover. Simply because she’s semi-reformed currently doesn’t imply he isn’t prepared for her to interrupt a mallet out in opposition to him on a whim. Batman’s bested Harley many instances earlier than, and he is aware of the routine to do it once more.
Prep Time: None wanted
Superman
How do we all know Batman’s nonetheless ready for Harley, even when she’s not hanging off the Joker’s arm anymore? As a result of he’s nonetheless at all times ready for his finest pal. Given the sheer variety of alternate realities the place Superman turns dangerous, Batman at all times comes ready for the Man of Metal with a piece of Kryptonite—whether or not it’s a hoop in his utility belt or a laced piece of gum in his mouth. And but, Batman vs. Superman is known as a battle of attrition. Batman could have the minerals to take down Superman, however hey, so does Lex Luthor and Massive Blue’s nonetheless up within the sky. DC’s different main preventing recreation franchise, Injustice: Gods Amongst Us, gave us an actual timetable for Batman’s victory, and that’s what we’re sticking to right here.
Prep Time: 5 years
Marvel Lady
Marvel LadyThe issue right here is that each time Batman pretty fights Marvel Lady, Marvel Lady wins. She did it in Marvel Lady: The Hiketeia, she did it in JLA: A League of One, she did it in Darkish Nights: Loss of life Metallic. To achieve no matter gear or perception is required to defeat Diana of Themyscira, Batman must embark on a very Homeric odyssey earlier than confronting the dwelling Greek delusion. In case you’re a pupil of Greek mythology, you would possibly already see the place we’re going with this: the standard-issue size of any unattainable quest to appease and even finest the gods, whether or not you’re speaking about The Iliad or The Odyssey, comes right down to the identical arduous time. To reliably put together for an enemy like Marvel Lady, we’d anticipate no much less from Batman than the gods demanded of Odysseus.
Prep Time: 10 years
Garnet
Batman could at all times be ready, however he can’t see the long run. Garnet, de facto chief of the Crystal Gems, can. But when Steven Universe has taught us something, it’s that undoing an enemy requires an emotional enchantment. To actually perceive Garnet sufficient to defuse her—actually—he’d want to grasp the present she comes from. Or a minimum of the gist of it, with the correct curation of episodes. Garnet’s core parts, Ruby and Amethyst, seem individually in simply over ten of episodes by the sequence. (I do know, it looks like extra, proper?) It Batman optimizes his time, it received’t take lengthy for him to get a way of what drives Garnet aside, even when she sees it coming.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Steven Universe
As viewers of Steven Universe know, the easiest way to resolve your variations with Steven is thru the ability of music. Fortunately, as a result of episodes sometimes run round eleven minutes, these emotionally transferring songs are typically on the brief facet. Batman’s a reasonably fast examine, so we expect it might solely take him one time by to study his cues. As soon as that’s over, Steven’s a pal for all times and able to be fitted for a Robin costume. Excellent news, Batman, this one’s obtained self-healing powers!
Prep Time: 90 seconds
Shaggy
Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, as we encounter him in MultiVersus, has been gifted with intimidating energy by unlikely circumstances. However even on this agitated state, the way in which to Shaggy’s coronary heart stays his abdomen. Cooking has by no means been considered one of Batman’s sturdy fits, however a well-timed meals supply (or maybe a few of Alfred’s legendary finger sandwiches) will assure him the win.
Prep Time: half-hour or it’s free
Velma
Because the brains behind Thriller Integrated, Velma Dinkley is an apparent Batman fangirl. As a result of the 2 have paired up a number of instances up to now, Batman’s profiling work is already completed right here. It’s at all times the identical story: she does all of the work and on the finish of the evening, the canine will get the credit score. Just a bit of the popularity she’s been lengthy denied can have Velma prepared to change sides. The one downside? Batman could have to spend a while training learn how to give a praise within the mirror.
Prep Time: Like 5 extra minutes tops, after which Robin actually wants to make use of the toilet, he’s severe
Arya Stark
If you’re itemizing off the best Recreation of Thrones characters, it is arduous to not put Arya Stark on the prime. A shapeshifter, a grasp murderer and a terror with a sword. However Batman’s fought Clayface. He’s fought Deathstroke. And he’s fought Ra’s al Ghul. And he’s beat all of them. There’s no type that Arya can take that may give Batman pause. Nicely, possibly his mom. However even then, Arya’s medieval coaching hasn’t ready her for something like a Bat-Taser.
Prep Time: None
Jake the Canine
Jake is without doubt one of the strongest characters at the moment within the MultiVersus roster, which is saying one thing in a lineup that features Superman. However whereas Jake’s stretching and shapeshifting talents are virtually limitless, he’s nonetheless in a position to really feel ache. And with Batman’s legendary recordsdata on his closest allies, there’s probably greater than sufficient munition in his information on Plastic Man and Elongated Man to beat Jake. This one’s only a matter of heading right down to the Batcomputer, collating information and formulating a workable technique.
Prep Time: quarter-hour, or an hour if Robin is downloading Minecraft mods once more
Finn the Human
One other cool teen with a cool sword. You’re good, Finn Mertons, however you’re not Batman good.
Prep Time: He’s obtained this
The Iron Big
Hmm… okay, no downside. Simply give him just a little time to cobble a sufficiently big electromagnetic pulse collectively. This’ll work.
Prep Time: Someday, possibly two with delivery
Tom & Jerry
A typical Tom & Jerry cartoon is about six or seven minutes lengthy. In case you obtained as much as get a drink when the opening credit begin, they’re already making an attempt to kill one another by the point you get again to your seat. Bruce can put on his Batman Returns go well with to this one, he wins it with out even making a transfer.
Prep Time: Like 30 seconds
LeBron James
LeBron is an intimidating pressure out on the court docket, however massive males make massive targets. There aren’t any refs to name foul in MultiVersus when Batman hits you with an Arkham-style takedown assault, or when he deflates the basketball you utilize to assault with a well-placed batarang. If this had been the NBA playoffs it is perhaps a unique story, however the MultiVersus area is Batman’s home.
Prep Time: 24 second shot clock
Reindog
As an unique character to MultiVersus, Reindog is the least identified amount on this free-for-all. Even the Batcomputer’s prodigious recordsdata have little information on this legendary determine, apart from his allegiance to the misplaced kingdom of Zanifeer and his formidable gem of energy. Alternatively, gem-based energy isn’t unprecedented within the DC Universe. Simply ask Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, or Eclipso of the Black Diamond. Nonetheless, it’s not learning magic that’s going to present Batman the sting. Right here, Batman’s victory is assured by his affinity with animals. It shouldn’t take him longer than a regular canine obedience course for the abilities to convey Reindog to heel.
Prep Time: 6 weeks
Morty
MortyBecause the grandson and frequent companion of essentially the most infamous mad scientist within the multiverse, Morty Smith has borne witness to terror past the void that may even give Batman nightmares. He’s confirmed able to unimaginable bravery and resourcefulness when deserted by his grandpa Rick to fend for himself. However overlook all that, as a result of Morty continues to be simply an adolescent, and Batman is Batman. Batman’s repute precedes him. As an observer of the multiverse, Morty will know higher than to attempt preventing a person whose extra violent incarnations pop ribs in his enemies like crab legs at a seafood dinner. On this case, it’s going to have been Morty who’s finished the prep for this battle, and he’ll be ready to give up.
Prep Time: None
Gizmo
Gremlins are fairly straightforward to take care of if you understand how. All it actually takes is a sunny day. Heck, if daylight is unavailable, even a powerful flashlight is ok. The one downside right here is that Batman’s not significantly nicely versed in popular culture. Regardless of the centerpiece of his Batcave being a tyrannosaurus rex, he as soon as admitted to Inexperienced Lantern that he was unfamiliar with Jurassic Park. Batman has what he wants in his utility belt to defeat Gizmo, however earlier than the battle, begins he ought to in all probability a minimum of see the primary film.
Prep Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Taz
Similar to the technique for taking down Tom & Jerry. Batman’s simply obtained to perch himself on a gargoyle and let the poor sucker tire himself out from all of the spinning.
Prep Time: 3 seconds to identify an appropriately shadowy vantage level. (Heck, in all probability not even that. That is Batman’s bread and butter.)
Bugs Bunny
There’s completely nothing Batman can do to organize for Bugs Bunny. The extra severely he takes this battle, the extra analysis he does, the extra he’ll discover himself hoisted upon his personal petard. Batman has all of the qualities of self-righteousness and rigidity, which make him the proper foil to the Wascally Wabbit, setting the Darkish Knight up for divine failure, maybe set to the tones of a classical opera like so many Fudds and Yosemites earlier than him.
Prep Time: Not sufficient time within the woyld. What a sap. What a maroon.
That’s about how we see it for the sport’s present roster, however MultiVersus is at all times increasing. Gizmo’s fellow gremlin Stripe, the mighty Black Adam and Rick Sanchez (woof, good luck on that one, buddy) are all on their solution to the battlefield. The excellent news? Batman—and also you—have loads of time to organize.
MultiVersus, the free-to-play platform fighter from Warner Bros. Video games and Participant First Video games, is now out there on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X/S and PC. For extra data on how one can get in on the motion, click on right here.
Alex Jaffe is the writer of our month-to-month “Ask the Query” column and writes about TV, motion pictures, comics and superhero historical past for DCComics.com. Observe him on Twitter at @AlexJaffe and discover him within the DC Neighborhood as HubCityQuestion.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed on this function are solely these of Alex Jaffe and don’t essentially mirror these of DC Leisure or Warner Bros.
