Scarecrow- Stagg POV

  But despite his wealth and power, Stagg was now a prisoner on his own ship, locked inside and chained to the bars. The moment Stagg saw him he screamed and pulled frantically at his chains. He slammed his head against the bars and cut open his forehead. Blood poured out.

  “You’re a monster,” he shouted. “Now Scarecrow’s sending monsters at me. Leave me alone. I swear to God I won’t let you turn me into a monster, too. I’ll fight you. I’ll fight all of you. Keep away from me. Keep away.” His voice was becoming more hysterical with each sentence.

  Stagg’s eyes were glazed over. He’d been drugged—most likely poisoned with Scarecrow’s fear venom.

  “Stagg, I’m here to help you,” Batman said, keeping his voice calm and even. “Scarecrow is making you see me as a monster, but I’m not. I’m your friend.”

  “Nonononono. You are a monster. Your face doesn’t have flesh. I can see your skull where the skin should be. Your eyes are on fire. You want to burn me with them, but I won’t let you.” He lowered his voice to sound menacing. “I have soldiers here, you know. With weapons. And they’ll put you down like the damned monster you are. They won’t stop until you’re dead.”

  There was no easy way to calm him down. Batman needed to try a different tack.

  “All right, Simon. You’ve got me. I am a monster. But Scarecrow turned me into this. Scarecrow hates me like he hates you.” He shifted his tone to conspiratorial. “Maybe the two of us can work together, and defeat him before he turns you into a monster, too. What do you say to that, Simon? Do you want to help me defeat Scarecrow?”

  Stagg stared, and all at once his fear was replaced by giddy confidence.

  “You hate Scarecrow, too?” he said with a gleeful madness. “You want to hurt him for what he did to us?”

- Batman: Arkham Knight, chapter 26