WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the Arkham Knight back-up story in Future State: The Next Batman #1, from Paul Jenkins, Jack Herbert, Gabe Eltaeb, and Rob Leigh, on sale now.
When DC first brought over the Arkham Knight from the Arkham-verse video game series, many wondered who it would be as Jason Todd was still Red Hood and on relatively good terms with the Bat-Family. It turned out to be Astrid Arkham, daughter of Jeremiah, the famous asylum doctor, who was seeking revenge on the Bat and Damian Wayne with her cult of soldiers, the Knights of the Sun.
She thought the Bat killed her mom, Ingrid, by accident during a jailbreak but she'd eventually learn the truth as she was defeated. Now, in Future State: The Next Batman's time-jumped reality, we're seeing her atoning for past sins and trying to save the soul of her beloved city using Gotham's deadliest army: the Arkham Knights.
Now, as warped as she was in trying to take the Dark Knight down, Astrid was a bit sympathetic, driven by vengeance as she assumed the Batarang that killed her mother was flung by Bruce. In time, she'd come to accept she took the wrong side, giving in to the darkness rather than fighting for the light per all the fairytales and knight stories she loved so much. She's gotten a chance at redemption now and is living her second life trying to break the tyranny and oppression in the military state Gotham has become.
It's a fascist war-zone where civil liberties are being trampled on as masks and vigilantes are hunted like in Watchmen. Protestors, innocent or not, are being arrested or killed, houses of suspected infidels and dissidents are being raided by the army called Peacekeepers and in each sector, the Magistrate is promoting fear as a means of crowd control. Simply put, it's domestic terrorism and Astrid can't stand for their rights being taken away, from freedom of speech to well, just about anything that the Magistrate deems offensive and outlaw to the new status quo. It's why Astrid has a new army to break this rule and reset order, as she thinks it's also a way forward without the Bat, as Bruce has gone into hiding.
This back-up has her slaughtering soldiers to rescue Croc, albeit she considers murder a last resort. She will endorse it, though, which certainly keeps the likes of Zsasz happy in her crew. Two-Face is there as a strategist, Clayface, Mr. Dumpty, Anarky as well as an ailing Dr. Phosphorus, creating a mix of the Outsiders and Suicide Squad. But the thing is, Astrid looks after them well at Bruce's mansion, taking care of their physical and mental health, ensuring they're comfortable.
She's a true leader akin to the Caped Crusader, optimistic they can take their broken city back. And as they continue to seek recruits to swear fealty to her sword, they're going to be moving from strength to strength. Hopefully, stability can be maintained because with all these villains, it does feel like a molotov cocktail waiting to blow up. Still, the Peacekeepers can't chance it and are ramping up efforts in all sectors to render these Arkham Knights extinct.