| “ | Dark days are here, Batman. The prophecy has come true. From the ashes of Arkham City, the fires are raging and Gotham is burning. I can see that same fire in your eyes. Before this night is through, that fire will consume you. Gotham will need a new savior, a new guardian, a new Batman. | „ |
| ~ Azrael to Batman on the prophecy. |
| “ | I thought myself the instrument of God, not the tool of Man {…} I do no one's bidding but God's. The Order must answer for what they have done to me. | „ |
| ~ Azrael to Batman after breaking the sword and planning to confront the Order. |
Years ago, Michael Lane was part of a program to create the ultimate crime fighter. Instead, it turned him into an insane criminal. Thwarted by Batman, Michael confessed his sins to a priest of the religious sect, The Order of St. Dumas. They recruited Michael to fight evil as Azrael, who wore the mystical Suit of Sorrows and wielded the Sword of Sin. Azrael appeared in the Side Mission Watcher in the Wings in Batman: Arkham City, and the Most Wanted Mission Heir to the Cowl in Batman: Arkham Knight.
He is voiced by Khary Payton, who also portrays King Ezekiel, voiced Cyborg (Teen Titans), Cyborg (Teen Titans Go!), Cyborg (DC Animated Film Universe), Drebin 893, and Knox.
Personality
Michael Lane devoted his life, body, and soul to the Order of St. Dumas and became the Order's crusader and "the instrument of God". Azrael was unaware that the Order had stolen his free will.
In Arkham City, Azrael spoke very cryptically when he was confronted by Batman, and relayed prophecies and "the gates of Hell." In Arkham Knight, however, Michael did this less and saw that Gotham would need a new Batman when Bruce was finished. Azrael completed all of Batman's challenges so that he would become Gotham's new protector. However, this appeared to be a ruse as Lane was only there to earn Batman's trust and then kill him.
The player was given two options. If they picked the 'Kill Batman' option, then Azrael would try to strike Batman down only to be countered, knocked out, and taken to the GCPD Lockup where he delusionally proclaimed that he was Gotham's new savior and the Order had more right than Batman ever had. With the 'Break the Sword' option, Azrael shattered the sword, left the Clock Tower, and made peace with Batman before he said the Order of St. Dumas would pay for what they did to him, which showed that there was still some of Michael Lane left in there.
Nine months after Batman stopped Protocol Ten and saved Gotham from possible destruction, the prophecy of the Order of St. Dumas had become reality. The dark days were here and Scarecrow returned to have his revenge along with the Dark Knight's worst enemies to finish him once and for all and to see him burn. Azrael saw that his prophecy had come true, and signaled Batman to approach him. Azrael then told Batman that he deserved to be his rightful successor as protector of Gotham, if ever Batman should perish, and informed him that he would follow Batman's code not to kill, and handed his sword to him in the process. Not knowing what the future held for him, Batman decided to test Azrael by letting him fight several simulations of enemies. Batman secretly used these to study Azrael, whose fighting style had been eerily similar to that of Batman's, by letting Alfred study the simulations.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Azrael eventually proved himself worthy to Batman. However, the latter opted to wait until he said so, which prompted Azrael to tell him that Gotham needed him now. As Azrael departed, Alfred informed Batman that he had discovered Azrael's identity as Michael Lane, as well as an irregularity in his physiology. At the Batcomputer in Gotham's Clock Tower, Batman found a microprocessor surgically implanted in Azrael's brain, that was attached to the temporal lobe. Upon viewing Azrael's memories, Batman recognized the Order's symbols from Arkham City and suspected that his memories were tampered with, and were used to modify his behavior unconsciously. Using the Batcomputer to find all the symbols embedded in the memories, Batman discovered a subliminal message that revealed that Azrael's true mission was to gain Batman's trust and kill him, for Batman had kept him from being the rightful protector of Gotham, which the Order believed needed to be willing and relentless.
Azrael secretly infiltrated the Clock Tower, where he confronted Batman, who told him that the Order had been manipulating him. Batman let Azrael take his sword and gave him the choice to kill him or not. If Azrael decided to kill Batman, he would be knocked out and imprisoned in the GCPD Lockup by Batman. If Azrael came to his senses, he either broke his sword or left it on its display and made amends with Batman before he vowed that the Order would pay for what they had done to him and he left the Clock Tower.
Biography
Batman: Arkham City
When Bruce Wayne was thrown into Arkham City, Azrael watched him outside the gate and disappeared from a building. Batman encountered Azrael many times throughout his "incarceration" in Arkham City, where he gave cryptic statements before he disappeared and left ambiguous signs. Once all the symbols were collected, they formed a map which lead Batman to the Church and Medical Center. At the church, Azrael revealed that he had been sent to observe Batman, and believed that he was a warrior that was foretold by an ancient prophecy. Azrael revealed that he was sent by the Order of St. Dumas to deliver a prophecy to Batman. He told how the city would burn, and that Batman was the "warrior" who would save Gotham City, but would fall in the process. Batman remained skeptical of Azrael's prophecy and claimed that he did not believe in fairy tales. But Azrael held firm in his belief, and told Batman that they would meet again as he departed Arkham City.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Nine months after Batman stopped Protocol Ten and saved Gotham from possible destruction, the prophecy of the Order of St. Dumas had become reality. The dark days were here and Scarecrow returned to have his revenge along with the Dark Knight's worst enemies to finish him once and for all and to see him burn. Azrael saw that his prophecy had come true, and signaled Batman to approach him. Azrael then told Batman that he deserved to be his rightful successor as protector of Gotham, if ever Batman should perish, and informed him that he would follow Batman's code not to kill, and handed his sword to him in the process. Not knowing what the future held for him, Batman decided to test Azrael by letting him fight several simulations of enemies. Batman secretly used these to study Azrael, whose fighting style had been eerily similar to that of Batman's, by letting Alfred study the simulations.
Azrael eventually proved himself worthy to Batman. However, the latter opted to wait until he said so, which prompted Azrael to tell him that Gotham needed him now. As Azrael departed, Alfred informed Batman that he had discovered Azrael's identity as Michael Lane, as well as an irregularity in his physiology. At the Batcomputer in Gotham's Clock Tower, Batman found a microprocessor surgically implanted in Azrael's brain, that was attached to the temporal lobe. Upon viewing Azrael's memories, Batman recognized the Order's symbols from Arkham City and suspected that his memories were tampered with, and were used to modify his behavior unconsciously. Using the Batcomputer to find all the symbols embedded in the memories, Batman discovered a subliminal message that revealed that Azrael's true mission was to gain Batman's trust and kill him, for Batman had kept him from being the rightful protector of Gotham, which the Order believed needed to be willing and relentless.
Azrael secretly infiltrated the Clock Tower, where he confronted Batman, who told him that the Order had been manipulating him. Batman let Azrael take his sword and gave him the choice to kill him or not. If Azrael decided to kill Batman, he would be knocked out and imprisoned in the GCPD Lockup by Batman. If Azrael came to his senses, he either broke his sword or left it on its display and made amends with Batman before he vowed that the Order would pay for what they had done to him and he left the Clock Tower.
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