Batman shouldn't have been there. It was Christmas Eve, for crying out loud. But in the world of Batman: Arkham Origins, holiday cheer is basically non-existent, replaced by a $50 million bounty and a city full of assassins. Most players remember the Deathstroke fight or the snowy rooftops, but if you really want to talk about the soul of that game, you have to talk about the Arkham Origin Joker electric chair sequence.
It's messy. It’s loud. Honestly, it’s one of the most stressful "no-win" scenarios ever put into a superhero game.
For a lot of us, this wasn't just another boss fight gimmick. It was the moment the series stopped being about punching thugs and started being about the psychological car crash that is the Batman-Joker relationship. Let’s get into why this scene actually matters and why, years later, people are still arguing about whether Batman "cheated" his own code.
The Setup: A Choice Between Two Deaths
Basically, the scene goes like this: Batman has tracked the Joker down to the Royal Hotel, but everything has spiraled out of control. The Joker isn't just trying to escape; he’s staging a play. He’s sitting in an electric chair, looking bored and manic all at once.
Here’s the kicker. The chair is wired to Bane’s heart.
Every time Bane’s heart beats, it charges a battery. If that battery hits 100%, the chair fries the Joker. So, Batman is given a choice that feels like a slap in the face. He can kill Bane—literally stop his heart—to save the Joker’s life. Or, he can let Bane live, which means the Joker gets executed.
It’s a classic Joker move. He puts Batman in a position where keeping his "no-kill" rule actually results in someone dying. If he lets the Joker die, he’s a murderer by omission. If he kills Bane, he’s a murderer by action.
Why the Arkham Origin Joker Electric Chair Scene Changed Everything
Before Origins, the Arkham games felt established. Batman was the legend; Joker was the rival. But Origins is a prequel. This Batman is young, angry, and frankly, a bit of a jerk. He’s not the zen master we see in Arkham City.
The Arkham Origin Joker electric chair moment is the first time this version of Bruce Wayne realizes he isn't fighting a criminal. He's fighting a philosophy.
1. The Shock Gloves Loophole
Batman eventually "solves" the puzzle using the Shock Gloves he took from Electrocutioner earlier in the game. He stops Bane’s heart, technically "killing" him to stop the chair. Then, he uses the same gloves as a makeshift defibrillator to bring him back.
Some fans call this a brilliant tactical move. Others think it’s a total cop-out.
Think about it. Batman essentially gambled with two lives. If those gloves had shorted out, or if Bane’s heart hadn't restarted, Batman would have been a double murderer before his second year of crime-fighting was even over. It shows a level of desperation we rarely see from the Dark Knight. He was backed into a corner and had to play God with a pair of electrified mittens.
2. The Birth of an Obsession
This is the part most people overlook. While Batman is stressed out of his mind, the Joker is having the time of his life.
When Batman saves him, Joker doesn't say thank you. He’s confused. He’s fascinated. Up until this point, he thought Batman was just another vigilante with a hero complex. Seeing Batman "kill" Bane just to save a monster like him? That’s what creates the obsession.
In the therapy session with Harleen Quinzel (later Harley Quinn) right after this, Joker describes Batman as the "missing piece" of his life. The electric chair wasn't an execution device; it was a matchmaker.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Choice
There’s a common misconception that Batman had plenty of time to figure this out.
He didn't.
The UI in the game shows the battery charging. The dialogue is frantic. Joker is screaming at him. Gordon is there, caught in the crossfire. It’s a sensory overload. The developers at WB Games Montréal wanted the player to feel the same panic Bruce felt.
You’ve got to remember that at this point in the timeline, Batman and Captain Gordon don't even like each other. Gordon thinks Batman is a menace. Watching Batman "kill" Bane in front of him almost ruins their relationship before it even starts. It takes the rest of the game—and arguably years of history—to fix the damage done in that room.
The Legacy of the Scene
So, why does the Arkham Origin Joker electric chair still show up in YouTube essays and Reddit threads in 2026?
Because it’s the most "Joker" thing the Joker ever did in the entire series. In Arkham Asylum, he turned into a giant monster. In Arkham City, he died of a disease. Those were physical threats. But in Origins, he attacked Batman's mind.
He forced Batman to realize that his code isn't a shield; it's a target.
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If you’re revisiting the game or playing it for the first time, pay attention to the silence after Bane "dies." That split second where the world stops? That’s the most important moment in the game. It’s the moment the Batman we know was actually born.
Actionable Insights for Players:
- Upgrade Early: If you're replaying, make sure you've mastered the Shock Gloves' combat flow before the hotel sequence; it makes the narrative transition feel smoother.
- Watch the Therapy Scene: Directly after the hotel, don't skip the Joker/Harley dialogue. It provides the essential "why" behind the electric chair stunt.
- Look for Parallelism: Compare this scene to the ending of Arkham City. You'll see a direct mirror of Joker's obsession with being "saved" by Batman.