How is Batman back in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?

Batman is one of the main villains in the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. But since the game is set in the Arkhamverse, players may be wondering how Batman is back in action following the conclusion of Batman: Arkham Knight.

The previous game in the Arkhamverse, Arkham Knight, finishes with Bruce Wayne, now unmasked as Batman, seemingly dying from an explosion in Wayne Manor. Batman returning in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League adds to the mystery, with the game taking place a few years after Batman: Arkham Knight events.

So, how is exactly Batman back in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? We know the answer.

Batman’s return in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League explained

Brainiac brainwashes Batman in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, making him a villain. That’s a lot to process, given the ending of Arkham Knight.

Batman’s return can be answered when you tackle interactive zones in the Hall of Justice early on in the game. One of them, showing a model of Batman and Superman shaking hands, explains that “several years after faking his death, Bruce Wayne finally returned.“

Batman was brought back to life by “metahuman superheroes from Metropolis.” Since the city is the home to Superman, I’m guessing he played a helping hand. These metahumans asked Batman to join the Justice League, and Gotham’s protector accepted, joining forces with Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash.

This half-assed explanation from developer Rocksteady seems to have annoyed Arkhamverse and Batman fans, who claim it makes the complicated ending of Arkham Knight even worse than it already was.