All of Batman's foes pose a threat to the Dark Knight in one way or another, but the shadowy, Gotham-based cabal known as the Court of Owls is perhaps one of the Caped Crusader's most dangerous enemies. Debuting in 2011 during Scott Snyder's and Greg Capullo's tenure on the Batman comics, the Court of Owls is set to be featured as the main antagonists in the upcoming Gotham Knights.

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In Gotham Knights, Batman's allies surely face an uphill battle when it comes to dealing with these owl-themed fiends. However, for fans unfamiliar with the comic books, questions undoubtedly exist about the Court of Owls and their motives. With this information in hand, players will know not to take these fellows lightly once Gotham Knights finally releases.

6 The Court Secretly Rules Gotham City

Court Of Owls From DC Comics

First and foremost, the Court of Owls is a secret society based in Gotham City. The members of this organization are composed of the city's wealthiest and most influential citizens. By pooling their combined resources, the Court is able to pull Gotham City's strings from behind the scenes. This power has enabled the court to become the de facto rulers of the city.

Obviously, as a secret society, the identities of the Court members are unknown to the general public. Even amongst themselves, the Court favors wearing owl masks to further conceal their identities. The public, at least in the comic books, possesses only a vague awareness of the cabal's existence. Average Gothamites regard the Court as just a myth.

Part of the Court's status as a myth is reinforced by the existence of a popular nursery rhyme, which many of Gotham's citizens seem to know. The gist of the nursery rhyme is that if someone whispers a word about the Court of Owls, a Talon will be sent to kill them.

5 The Court Has Existed For Centuries

Batman Investigating the Court Of Owls From DC Comics

A secret society doesn't come to rule an entire city overnight. In the comics, the Court is rumored to be hundreds of years old, their history stretching back to at least colonial times. Details of their exact origins, however, remain vague. Whether or not Gotham Knights will shed new light on the issue remains to be seen.

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It's also worth noting that since the Court of Owls is at least as old as Gotham City itself, their members have sporadically tangled with Bruce Wayne's ancestors. In a club that's composed primarily of the rich, the Wayne family is a noticeable exception, having never been members of the unscrupulous organization.

4 Talons Serve As The Court's Assassins

Talon & Batman From DC Comics

An organization like the Court of Owls needs to enforce its will somehow. That job is accomplished by highly-trained assassins known as Talons. Typically, only one Talon serves as the Court's chief enforcer at a time, although there are exceptions to that rule. When a Talon is no longer able to effectively perform its duties, a replacement fills the role.

Interestingly, Talons that are retired aren't discarded completely. They're placed in a kind of stasis, where they can be reawakened at any time to serve once again, a process that effectively renders Talons nearly immortal.

3 Revived Talons Are Extremely Hard To Kill

Talon on the Attack From DC Comics

The same process that keeps Talons alive for centuries also makes them incredibly difficult to kill. Upon being revived, these assassins are injected with a serum that gifts them with extreme regenerative capabilities. As such, Talons can survive even grievous injuries to fight again another day.

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The only method to counteract this strength is to expose a Talon to extremely low temperatures. Doing so causes a Talon's body to shut down, forcing them to reenter stasis. It will be interesting to see if this weakness comes into play in Gotham Knights' gameplay.

2 The Court's Recruitment Methods

Nightwing & The Court of Owls From DC Comics

How exactly does one become a Talon? Many of the Talons were former circus performers, kidnapped as children by the Court and trained to become deadly assassins. In the comics, Dick Grayson was actually slated to become a Talon before being adopted by Batman.

Years of intense and merciless training render Talons unquestionably obedient to the will of the Court. Their proficiency in combat makes them highly dangerous foes, capable of withstanding tremendous amounts of damage before they're defeated.

1 The Labyrinth Is The Court's Proving Ground

Batman Stabbed by the Talon From DC Comics

One of the most horrific locations associated with the Court of Owls is the Labyrinth. It's a gigantic maze, where an aspiring Talon must prove himself to the Court by besting his predecessor in single combat. Whoever emerges victorious either retains or usurps the title of Talon.

In the comics, the Labyrinth is also the place where Bruce Wayne is tortured both physically and psychologically by the Court in an attempt to break his spirit. Batman escapes, though the whole ordeal nearly kills him. It's an iconic location for the court, and one that would surely be interesting to witness in Gotham Knights.

Gotham Knights is set to release on PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.

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