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O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! The Batman's here, it's time to play.
~ The Mad Hatter quoting the Jabberwocky poem from Alice Through the Looking-Glass when first seen in Batman: Arkham Knight, and his most famous quote.


Jervis Tetch, better known as the Mad Hatter, is a supporting antagonist in the Batman: Arkham franchise.

He is an insane Alice in Wonderland-themed supervillain and one of Batman's many foes. He is a true product of insanity and schizophrenia, becoming obsessed with the story "Alice in Wonderland" and the incredible ability to control a person's mind through hypnosis techniques. Jervis acts as the Mad Hatter, as well as uses his mind control abilities to recreate other characters as well as kidnapping girls to make them his "Alices".

He was voiced by Peter MacNicol, who also portrayed Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Fenwick in Recess: School's Out!, Doctor Octopus in The Spectacular Spider-Man, X the Eliminator in Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. and another Batman villain, Man-Bat, in The Batman.

Biography[]

Past[]

Jervis Tetch was originally a normal scientist that grew up as a major fan of the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland book by Lewis Carroll. He studied the various effects that chemicals have on the mind but began to believe that he was the real Mad Hatter for unknown reasons. Thanks to his psychosis, he believed that he had to find Alice because she had been forcibly taken from him during "their adventures" by the Red Queen's forces and any attempt to deny their adventures was the result of brainwashing. Using his previous research, he developed Alice in Wonderland-themed masks that allowed him absolute control over others although those with a strong will could resist it. Using it, he had amassed a small gang of mind controlled thugs and kidnapped an unnamed woman by the time that Christmas Eve dawns on Batman's second year as a crime-fighter.

Arkham Origins[]

Shortly after solving the Lacey Towers murders, Batman encounters three henchmen in rabbit masks, singing that Batman is invited to the Mad Hatter's tea party. After they collapse, Batman receives a message from the Mad Hatter who requests Batman to enter a business proposition with him. However, his attempt at recruiting Batman is interrupted by a kidnapped girl desperately calling for Batman's help. Enraged, the Mad Hatter silences her and tells the Caped Crusader that the girl is "Alice" and that she's been through a lot recently and promises to make her "right as rain" soon.

Batman heads to his lair within a hat-shop in the Bowery to rescue her so the Mad Hatter, anticipating the hero's arrival, then makes final tests on his mind control, and discovers with glee that the devices actually work, not addressing him as "sir" aside. Batman, after taking out the brainwashed criminals, proceeds to interrogate the Hatter about the girl's whereabouts but Hatter traps him in "Wonderland" by tricking him into looking at a clock. When the Dark Knight escapes it and yet again confronts Mad Hatter but he holds Alice at knife-point only for Batman to knock him out with a reverse Batarang which allows him to tie up Tetch. Although the GCPD don't pick him up for several hours due to the chaos caused by the Joker, the Mad Hatter stays unconscious for the rest of the night.

Arkham Asylum[]

After being imprisoned at the newly re-opened Arkham Asylum, Warden Quincy Sharp takes a special disdain to the Hatter and has him locked up in solitary confinement, deep underground. This prolonged isolation drives the Hatter to an even deeper level of insanity. Whilst there, he is approached by Hugo Strange, who is fascinated in the Mad Hatter's brainwashing techniques. After first trying his psychological skills upon him, breaking the Mad Hatter somewhat by showing him pictures of his former victims (he himself being unable to remember killing them due to his schizophrenic episodes) and convinces the Mad Hatter to help by giving him young girls to be his new Alices, Strange manages to steal Mad Hatter's discoveries and uses the mind control to keep control over Sharp himself, and then later use it to brainwash his TYGER security guards to assure their complete loyalty.

Arkham City[]

During the Joker's takeover of Arkham Asylum, the Asylum was destroyed so it was shutdown and abandoned in favour of a new prison named Arkham City. Since Strange has no more need for the Hatter, he has him thrown in Arkham City as just another prisoner for him to slaughter during Protocol Ten. The Mad Hatter returns to his old base at the hat shop and manages to use his skills to build up his gang, filling it with brainwashed prisoners taken from the other gangs and prisoners in general.

After Batman saves Vicki Vale from Joker's snipers, the Mad Hatter somehow discovers his radio frequency and plants a post-hypnotic suggestion that makes it sound like Alfred has found a cure to the Titan Virus. In reality, what Batman injects himself with is a knockout psychedelic drug that allows Tetch and his men to take him back to the hat shop. When Batman wakes up, he finds himself in a twisted tea party and Jervis reveals himself before slipping a mind control mask onto Batman to try to finally take control of him. Although the mind control makes it look like he's on an eternally plunging pocket watch, Batman manages to resist the mind control, take down his brainwashed henchmen, tear off the mask and destroy the Mad Hatter's hat by stomping on it and knocking him out. With the Hatter no longer a threat, Batman leaves him unconscious and leaves to continue his mission without even tying up the Hatter.

Due to being in hiding, the Mad Hatter survives Protocol Ten but doesn't leave his hideout for the rest of the game although he can be found kneeling by his hat afterwards. When confronted by Batman again, he is told to never attempt mind control again and the Hatter pathetically claims that he is guaranteed to lose without the Dark Knight. When the GCPD storm and shut down Arkham City, the Mad Hatter is arrested once again without incident. However, Hugo Strange's mass murder of prisoners during Protocol 10 violates thier constitutional rights and the GCPD are forced to release all of the prisoners which includes Tetch.

Arkham Knight[]

Batman, that crazy son of a bitch Jervis Tetch just walked into the precinct and handed himself in. He says he's taken hostages, wants to talk to you.
~ Aaron Cash reporting the Mad Hatter's surrender.

Nine months later, the Mad Hatter is not part of Scarecrow's alliance of villains against Batman but he has become even more insane. He still kidnaps people whom he believes to be Alice, but his delusions have reached a point where he even mistakes men for her and he has trained himself to no longer react to pain. A riddle within an old mask-shop in the Arkham Knight's HQ refers to the Hatter.

Realizing that Batman is his "one true Alice", the Mad Hatter tries to draw him out by kidnapping three police officers who have names thematically relevant to Alice in Wonderland. and hiding two of them in their cars, having rigged them with explosives first. In the third car, he puts explosives as well but, instead of the third officer, he leaves a book containing rhymed verses of Batman's past encounters with the Mad Hatter whilst also rigging the last siren to hypnotize Batman if he comes close. After Batman realizes that the Arkham Knight's Militia has captured Barbara Gordon, the Mad Hatter hands himself into GCPD Headquarters willingly and demands to see the Dark Knight. When Aaron Cash tries to force the officer's locations out of him, Jervis demands the Batman or he will leave since he points out that they have no proof he actually committed a crime. When Batman arrives, Tetch tells him about the kidnappings and cryptically how to find them.

After Batman saves the two policemen and returns with the book to the Mad Hatter, he tells Batman to open it to find out where the last policeman is held. Batman opens the book and, in an illusion created by Mad Hatter, falls into the book, where he has to fight against enemies in stages which look like Gotham and Arkham City. Whilst he fights illusionary enemies, Mad Hatter reads off the poems he wrote about their intertwined fates whilst trying to get Batman to kill the White Rabbit Officer Hutch. After Batman defeats all of the enemies and escapes the book by freeing Officer Hutch, the Mad Hatter cowers in the corner until he is grabbed by Batman. Horrified at his failure, the Mad Hatter is helpless as Batman drags him away and throws him in a cell within Maximum Security. What happened to the Mad Hatter after this is unclear as he stays in his cell for the rest of the night but it's likely that, given how deep his psychosis is, he was sent to Arkham Asylum after it reopened.

Personality[]

Batman: You used police sirens to hypnotise us. I want to know how.
Tetch: Oh no, no, no, no. A magician can't reveal his tricks. I'll keep you guessing just for kicks. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Oh Alice, why not brew some tea and come and snuggle up in here with me?
Batman: You need help, Jervis.
Tetch If you want to help me, then why so callous? Join me, Batman. Be my Alice.
~ The extent of the Mad Hatter's eventual psychosis.

Nothing is known about the Mad Hatter's personality from before his mental break aside from him being a genius scientist. What is clear is that he has an extreme case of paranoid schizophrenia, causing him to believe he's the Hatter and that Alice is "kidnapped by the Queen of Hearts' forces." During Arkham Origins, he was clearly mentally unstable but retained some sense of normalcy; speaking coherently and normally but was the obsessive belief that anyone he liked was "his Alice." Although he tended to act cordial, he often yelled at his Alices when they rejected or insulted him and even held one "Alice" at knife-point when cornered by Batman.

After multiple defeats by Batman and his time with Hugo Strange, the Mad Hatter has completely lost all semblance of sanity. By Arkham Knight, he has begun speaking exclusively in menacing rhyme and considering Batman "his Alice"; playfully taunting and trying to attract his adversary through his psychosis.

Victims[]

Victims killed by Mad Hatter
  • Multiple women he calls Alice
  • Multiple citizens of Gotham
  • Multiple GCPD officers
  • Multiple Arkham Asylum staff
  • Multiple Arkham City staff
  • Multiple Blackgate staff
  • Multiple Black Mask thugs
  • Multiple Two-Face thugs
  • Multiple Penguin thugs
  • Multiple Joker thugs
  • Political Prisoners
  • Multiple TYGER guards
  • Multiple Blackgate inmates
  • Multiple Arkham Asylum inmates
  • Multiple Arkham City inmates
  • Many of his own thugs

Relationships[]

Allies[]

Enemies[]

Quotes[]

Arkham Origins[]

Greetings and salutations, Batman. I am Jervis Tetch; inventor, entrepreneur, and part-time haberdasher. You must be wondering why it is I sought you out. Well, I have an employment opportunity I'd like to discuss with you.
~ The Mad Hatter's self-introduction to Batman and his first chronologically spoken words in the series.
Oh, don't mind Alice. Poor dear. Her mind is all aflutter. And who can blame her after all she's been through?... But I'll have her right as rain soon enough. Don't you worry about that.
~ The Mad Hatter when "Alice" spoke up during his call with Batman.
Tetch: Careful now! I don't want any accidents. Everything has to be perfect.
Criminal: Of course.
Tetch: Of course
sir? You must refer to me as sir at all times. Do you understand?
Criminal: Yes.
Tetch: what?
Criminal: Yes, I understand.
Tetch: Yes, I understand
sir.
Criminal: Yes.
Tetch: No,
sir.
Criminal: Oh, this is maddening! I'll have to look into the neural interface. The good news-the best news really- is that it works! You all listen. Maybe not as well as you should but you all listen. That's always been the problem though, hasn't it? No-one ever wanted to listen to what Jervis had to say. He might as well have been invisible. But now? Oh ho ho ho. Now you'll have to pay attention. Because you won't have a choice!
~ The Mad Hatter as heard by Batman upon entering his shop.
Tetch: You came! How wonderful! It really is an honour to make your-URK!
Batman: Where's the girl?!
Tetch: Whatever do you mean?
Batman: Alice!
Tetch: Excellent, then you know why you're here.
Batman: What are you talking about?
Tetch: Oh, perhaps we don't see eye-to-eye after all. Let me remedy that. Tick tock, watch the clock.
~ The Mad Hatter when meeting Batman.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Welcome to Wonderland, Batman! Oh, it's where I first met Alice you know! Oh, what grand adventures we had. But then they took her from me. Poor, sweet Alice. Lost and alone! I HAD to find her. Had to bring her home. And I did! It was quite the journey, let me tell you, but she's here again. Safe. With me! Still, the forces of the Queen are everywhere conspiring to reclaim her which is why I've brought you here. Who better to protect Alice than the Batman himself?
~ The Mad Hatter after sending Batman to Wonderland.
Oh dear, it seems that you've gotten all turned around. Which way's in? Which way's out? Oh dear, oh dear. What is my route?
~ The Mad Hatter after Batman arrived in the infinite door room.
Well, well you've figured it out but it taxed you, didn't it? Drained a bit of that willpower of yours, hmmm? Thoughts getting heavier? Finding it harder to maintain control? Soon, Batman. Soooooooon... Careful now! It's not all flowers and tea parties down here! In fact, Wonderland's home to some very nasty creatures! It brings out the best-and the worst in us!
~ The Mad Hatter after Batman escaped the infinite door room.
Tetch: Don't worry, Alice is in very good hands? More tea, Alice?
"Alice:" Get away from me!
Tetch: Oh my, it seems someone's forgotten thier mannnners!
"Alice:" You're crazy!
Tetch: Not crazy Alice; mad. There's a difference you know. What it is, I can't remember-ah ha ha ha ha ha!-but you trust me on this.
~ The Mad Hatter's argument with his victim as Batman fought thugs in Wonderland.
You must be wondering why I've brought you down here. Well, see, I've developed the most wonderful device; one that compels obedience. Now, with weaker minds, it works quite easily. Stick my creation on my heads and, just like that, they're under my control! The stronger willed individuals, however, require a bit of oh... breaking in. And this, my friend, brings us to the here and now! You are my Humpty Dumpty, Batman. Your mind is shattering and, when I put the pieces back together, you'll be mine forever. Heh heh hee hee hee.
~ The Mad Hatter's problems with mind control.
No, no no. This is wrong! All wrong! All upside down and inside and out and wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Stop it! Stop it right now! There's no winning down here. Not for you. I'm in control. You play by my rules! You and Alice both! Do as I say! Do as I say right now!
~ The Mad Hatter as Batman began to break his control.
You've ruined everything! My lovely party all in tatters. The table overturned and the guests all gone. I think you should leave. In fact, I demand it.
~ The Mad Hatter when Batman broke free from his mind control.
He can, he will; he just have to leave. He can, he will; he just have to leave. He can, he will; he just have to leave. Really now, you're becoming my pet peeve.
~ The Mad Hatter before being knocked out.

Arkham City[]

Tetch: More tea, Batman?
Batman: Where am I? What's going on?
Tetch: What a question. Shall I tell him? Oh ho, he looks so confused. Maybe I should. Well, it's simple really. I planted a teeny, tiny little idea in your head. A sort of remote hypnotic suggestion. Very complicated stuff. I'm sure you wouldn't understand but, as you can see, it worked. You're mine now. You're mine and there's nothing that Strange can do about it. Oh, are you not going to drink your tea? It's special tea. My specialTea. My speciality. Ahhhh ha.
Batman: Go to hell, Jervis.
Tetch: Simply put, I made you see what you wanted most. Mm hmmm. What was it? Tell me. Tell me. Tell me! Oh ho ho, so predictable; just like Alice. Never doing what I want without ludicrous amounts of psychoactive controls. Well, if that's what's necessary, it's a good job that you've already taken them. All we need now is a finishing touch. A special new hat just... for... you. You are my soldier now, Batman! You will do everything I say.
~ The Mad Hatter revealing himself.
Oh no, no, no, no. Ohhhhhhhh, this isn't right! You can't be doing this! Your mind belongs to me now.
~ The Mad Hatter when Batman failed to fall under his control.
Nooooooooo! My hat! My beautiful hat! What've you done?!
~ The Mad Hatter after being defeated.
Batman: Don't ever try to get in my head again, Hatter.
Tetch: But you don't understaaaaaand! I need you! I can't win without yooooooou!
Batman: Then you lose. I'm not your slave. Not now, not ever.
~ The Mad Hatter when confronted by Batman after his defeat.

Arkham Knight[]

Cash: The tea party's over, freak. Start talking.
Tetch: As you can see, I'm baulking. Bring me Batman or the Hatter is walking.
Cash: I give the orders here, not you.
Tetch: And you'll have three dead cops by the time I'm through.
Cash: We'll see about that. Now quit with the rhymes.
Tetch:Then let me talk to the Bat and I'll confess my crimes. Ha ha ha. Sorry.
Cash: Talk, God damn it!
Tetch: Now, now officer. You mistake me for a snitch.
Cash: Where are they, you little son of a bitch?!
Tetch: Ha ha ha ha. That certainly scratched my itch.
~ Aaron Cash trying and failing to interrogate the Mad Hatter.
Hmmm. let's see, let's see. Oooooh. One, two three. A hat-trick of your boys in blue. Do they live or die? That's up to you. Hm hm hm.
~ The Mad Hatter revealing his hostages.
Batman: Where are they?
Tetch: Such violent means but all in vain. I've trained my mind to feel no pain.
Batman: Don't make me put that to the test.
Tetch: Oh, Batman. Allay your fears, prick up your ears. You'll soon hear their tears. Just listen for the siren's song. Yes, you'll find your Alice before too long.
~ The Mad Hatter when being menaced by Batman.
You've found the Cheshire Cat, all grinning, but don't be fooled. Don't think you're winning.
~ The Mad Hatter's message that was left with Officer Katz.
The Queen of Hearts and roses red. Oh, be careful Alice or she'll have your head. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
~ The Mad Hatter's message that was left with Officer McQueen.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! The rabbit is gone, he's hopped away! I'm sure he only wants to play. Return the book and then we'll find how little Alice lost her mind.
~ The Mad Hatter's message that was left with Officer Lory's car.
Tetch: Oh. Why yes, there's three. Oh, silly me. The answer's in the book, Batman. Open it and see.
Batman: Tell me!
Tetch: No joke, no joke control your rage. The answer is there, just turn the page.
~ The Mad Hatter when confronted by Batman.
Down the rabbit hole you fall, where madness reigns from wall to wall... Through the rhyming words we tumble, where villains toll and psyches crumble. Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
~ The Mad Hatter when sending Batman into his "Wonderland."
Welcome to my Wonderland, it's time to play a game. I'm here to make you understand what drives a man insane.
~ The Mad Hatter "welcoming" Batman into his Wonderland.
Where are you, Alice? Where'd you go? Oh, this isn't right. Oh no, no, no, no, no!
~ The Mad Hatter after Batman rescues Officer Hutch.
Oh. Ohhhhhhhh! What?! No! I had you, don't you see?! You're mad! You're mad! You're just like me!
~ The Mad Hatter after being defeated.
Ah agh! No-oh-oh-oh! Aliiiiiice! No, this can't be how it ends. There's tea for two, we can still be friends.
~ The Mad Hatter after being imprisoned.

Game Over Lines[]

Arkham Origins[]

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
Oh dear, oh dear. What have I done? Oh, that's right. I killed the Batman.
Alice? Alice... Ha ha ha. You're not Alice. Ha.
~ Whilst playing as Deathstroke.
Oh lovely, Mr. Deathstroke. Would you like some tea? Alice?
~ Whilst playing as Deathstroke.

Arkham City[]

When you wake up, you will be mine.
You're late, Batman. Late, late, late.

Arkham Knight[]

Oh no, no. Alice dear, you cannot perish. There's so much for us to cherish.
You're dead? Oh no, this will not do. I had such frabjous plans for you.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Well, ya found him. Ha ha ha ha! Victim three. You're homicidal, just like me. Look back on this and you will find how madness lurks in every mind.
~ If Batman knocks out Officer Hutch.

Gallery[]

Images[]

Arkham Origins[]

Arkham City[]

Arkham Knight[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • Mad Hatter is the one who was inadvertently responsible for the development of Arkham City caused by Hugo Strange taking advantage of Hatter's obsession with Alice.
  • According to audio files from Knight, he was cut from the original game where he would have had interactions with the inmates and got relegated to DLC.
  • He is considered one of the darkest Batman: Arkham villains, alongside Victor Zsasz and Professor Pyg, when it was noted outside of in-game that he committed horrendous acts during his kidnappings. What Sharp learned from Mad Hatter was enough to disgust him to the point of keeping him locked up and throwing away the key.

Navigation[]

          Batman Arkham logo Villains

Joker's Gang
Joker | Harley Quinn | Clayface | Frank Boles | Razor | Mister Hammer | Harley Quinn's Thugs | Ian Chase | Boogy

League of Assassins
Ra's al Ghul | Talia al Ghul | Lady Shiva

TYGER
Ra's al Ghul | Professor Hugo Strange | Quincy Sharp

Penguin's Gang
Penguin | Solomon Grundy | Sickle | Ricky "Loose Lips" LeBlanc | Tracey Buxton | Candy | Qing Lu | Tiny the Shark

Two-Face's Gang
Two-Face | Paulie B

Falcone Crime Family
Alberto Falcone | Carmine Falcone

Gotham City Police Department
Commissioner Loeb | Howard Branden | John DeMarco | JT Wicker

Bane's Militia
Bane | Bird | Andrew Carter

Anarky's Gang
Anarky

Arkham Knight's Militia
Scarecrow | The Arkham Knight | Deathstroke

Black Mask's Gang
Black Mask | Ian Chase

Suicide Squad
Amanda Waller | Deadshot | Harley Quinn | Captain Boomerang | King Shark | KGBeast | Killer Frost | Black Spider | Bronze Tiger

Brainiac's Army
Brainiac | Superman | Flash | Green Lantern | Batman | Terminauts

Deacon Blackfire's Cult
Deacon Blackfire

Others
Poison Ivy | Riddler | Killer Moth | Humpty Dumpty | Catwoman | Mr. Freeze | Deadshot | Azrael | Hush | Mad Hatter | Calendar Man | Chucky Berks | Robert Hanes | Mad Hatter Thugs | Great White Shark | Maxie Zeus | Prometheus | Ratcatcher | Tweedledum and Tweedledee | Electrocutioner | Copperhead | Ferris Boyle | Professor Pyg | Firefly | Killer Croc | Man-Bat | Simon Stagg | Dr. Penelope Young | Warden Ranken | Victor Zsasz | Christina Bell | Johnny Charisma | Albert King | Henry Adams | Thugs | Lunatic Inmates | Lex Luthor | Riddler Thugs | Joe Chill

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