Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may not feature Batman as a playable protagonist, but it still bears fruit from Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham franchise. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could have been set in its own original continuity, but because it isn't, there seem to be plans up Rocksteady's sleeve for its perpetuated narrative.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League thrusts players directly into the action with an open-world Metropolis that is overrun and invaded by Brainiac, a high-profile Superman villain. It is important to note first and foremost, however, that Task Force X has not been sent into Metropolis to put down Brainiac. Instead, players must battle Superman and the Justice League.

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Superman is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice's League's Alpha Target

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Task Force X's primary directive in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is, as the title states, to "kill" the Justice League. But if their objective truly is to kill the superhero ensemble, Waller must not believe that Brainiac's corruption can be reversed, and therefore the most effective solution is to put them down in order to reduce the number of casualties. Players will then go toe-to-toe with Green Lantern, the Flash, and Superman at least.

As is depicted in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's official announcement teaser, Superman is the squad's "Alpha Target." Superman as an Alpha Target assigns him the utmost priority due to the sheer power that Kal-El possesses as a Kryptonian, and he is almost certainly going to be one of the game's last boss battles as a result. Superman's flight, heat vision, x-ray vision, super strength, super speed, and frost breath could all make for a fantastic boss battle throughout Metropolis.

It is likely, though, that Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark will not actually murder these characters, but free them from Brainiac's control by the narrative's conclusion. Further, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's cinematic narrative trailer suggests that Wonder Woman is not suffering from Brainiac's corruption for one reason or another and that she aids the squad in taking down Superman. Of course, that could be following her own battle with Task Force X that we have not seen yet.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's boss-rush could then be comprised of each subsequently fought Justice League affiliate reverting back to normal and assisting the squad in taking down the next hero, and so forth. Brainiac's invasion backdrop with myriad enemy spawns could simply set the stage for the Justice League's boss battles and not actually be a boss that players fight themselves, though it is also probable that Brainiac may be fought in tandem with the whole of the Justice League once they are reformed.

There is currently no confirmation that an Omega Target exists alongside Superman's Alpha Target. But while Brainiac could justifiably fit that bill for a final boss battle, there is one other Justice League affiliate who has yet to be accounted for in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League that could easily classify as an Omega Target once Superman has been subdued.

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Could Reserve Batman as an Omega Target

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If ever there was a reason to sustain the Batman: Arkham series for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, it would be to reprise the franchise's seminal iteration of Batman. There is currently no official announcement that Batman will even appear in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but it would be opportune and highly anticipated to have him appear as a late-game antagonist since Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League apparently fits somewhere in his continuity.

Batman may not have the remarkable yellow sun-fueled abilities that Kal-El does. But Batman's expert skills, gadgetry, and intellect have proven more than a match for not only Superman but the entire Justice League on more than one occasion. If corrupted by Brainiac, Batman could be an incredible, unbridled threat to Metropolis. Batman's boss battle could implement multiple vehicles from the Batmobile to the Batwing in combat, as well as batarang projectiles and unique trap gadgets that could temporarily deactivate or suspend players' abilities.

Rather, Batman's whereabouts, if he is in fact present in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, are undetermined. Moreover, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League fitting into Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham franchise posits a strange continuity rift, and it is uncertain when the game's events take place. If it takes place following Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham trilogy, then Batman's character iteration may be wildly different based upon Batman: Arkham Knight's Knightfall Protocol. That could be retconned or altered, but then it would be nonsensical to have used this franchise continuity.

Indeed, Batman has been the most topical talking point of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League since its announcement. While it would feel like a missed opportunity if Rocksteady did not include Batman, it would also allow the other Justice League members and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's four playable protagonists to have their own rich detail and developments. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has already shown narrative homages to Batman with fans' celebrations and his own statue in the Justice League's Hall of Justice.

Harley Quinn's franchise lore within the Batman: Arkham series is almost equally representative to that of Batman's, for example, but Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League provides a much more colorfully vibrant and visually striking aesthetic for her to play around in. Batman may or may not be an Omega Target in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but it is clear that Rocksteady's attention to detail intends to continue respecting the character, even if he does not end up making an authentic appearance.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's gameplay demonstration finally revealed what players can expect from general traversal and regular combat against Brainiac's horde. But fans have yet to see what boss battles will look like against the Justice League and its Alpha Target, Superman. If Batman does appear, however, he will hopefully not be revealed early and be reserved for a surprise encounter that can appease Rocksteady fans and feature a memorable boss battle.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is scheduled to release in 2022 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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