Edward Nygma (Burtonverse)

Edward Nygma
Alias(es)	The Riddler
Appeared in	Batman Forever
Status	Incarcerated
Actor	Jim Carrey

"If knowledge is power, then a god am I."

―The Riddler

Edward Nygma worked at Wayne Enterprises and had an obsession with Bruce Wayne. When Wayne refused to work with him, Nygma used his invention to increase his intelligence and took up the identity of The Riddler.

Biography

Batman Forever

Edward Nygma became a researcher under the employment of Wayne Enterprises, and had developed a device to beam television signals directly to a person's brain. Bruce Wayne, convinced that mind manipulation would raise too many questions, turns the idea down, but Nygma continues to work on it after hours. When Fred Stickley, the head of the research department, discovers Nygma's clandestine overtime, Nygma knocks out Stickley and then uses him to test his device, discovering that he can use it to absorb people's knowledge. Realizing that Wayne was right about it being mind manipulation, Stickley fires Nygma, but Nygma murders Stickley, doctors the security footage to make Stickley's death look like a suicide, and then resigns from Wayne Enterprises.

Edward Nygma, who has been stalking Wayne and leaving riddles for him, is inspired and delighted by watching Two-Face's raid at the circus on live television and creates his own alter-ego in the form of The Riddler, a master of puzzles and quizzes. He perfects his brain-manipulation device into a system which beams signals to and from the human brain in order to simulate an immersive television viewing experience. This has the side-effect of allowing the Riddler to read viewers' minds, as well as augmenting his own intelligence. Making a deal to use his brain-manipulation device to discover Batman's true identity, he becomes partner-in-crime with Two-Face in order to fund mass-production of the device. Successful, he readopts his Nygma persona and hosts a launch event for a set-top version of his device. Nygma convinces an unwitting Wayne to try it, resulting in Nygma and Two-Face discovering Wayne's alter ego. Armed with the knowledge of Batman's true identity, the villains later converge upon Wayne Manor. Unwilling to have Two-Face kill his idol, Nygma (as the Riddler) blows up the Batcave and leaves a final riddle for his nemesis, while Two-Face kidnaps Doctor Meridian.

Bruce and Alfred eventually solve the riddles, each one having a number in it:

1. "If you look for numbers on my face, you won't find thirteen any place." (a clock)

2. "Tear one off and scratch my head; what was once red is now black instead." (a match)

3. "The eight of us go forth, not back, to protect our king from a foe's attack." (chess pawns)

4. We're five little items of an everyday sort; you'll find us all in 'a tennis court'." (vowels- in the words 'a tennis court')

Each number corresponds to a letter in the alphabet, with 1 and 8 being digits for the number 18. 13 being "M", 18 for "R" and 5 for "E", M-R-E, or "Mr. E"- mystery, or enigma- Mr. E. Nygma.

Batman travels to Riddler's lair with his crimefighting partner Robin; however, their vehicles are destroyed by the Riddler and Two-Face. The heroes end up having to swim to the location, where they are separated. Batman fights his way through the Riddler's deadly traps and finally reaches him. Nygma sits in a large throne beneath the glass chamber that collects the brainwaves of Gotham's citizens. He reveals Chase and Robin, imprisoned in large containers over a large, deadly pit. Riddler, challenges Batman with the greatest riddle of all ("Can Batman and Bruce Wayne truly co-exist?"), giving him the choice of rescuing only one of them. Batman distracts Nygma with a riddle of his own; unable to resist, the Riddler takes his hand off of the control that would drop the two. Batman uses this distraction to hurl a Batarang at the brain-wave hub, shattering both it and the Riddler's massive intelligence. Before Nygma collapses, he springs the trap doors in Robin's and Chase's cages, sending them plummeting to their apparent doom. Batman rescues both of them. He later returns to Edward after defeating Two-Face, his mind now enfeebled by the brainwave reversal. He answers Nygma's riddle saying, "I had to save them both. You see, I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be, but because I choose to be". But one wonders if the Riddler even heard or understood the answer - just after Batman tells him the answer, the Riddler is screaming in terror as he sees a bat flying towards him.

The Riddler is later committed to Arkham Asylum, and Chase is asked to consult on his case. She is told that he has been screaming for hours that he knows who Batman is. Wondering if The Riddler has indeed remembered the information taken from Bruce Wayne's brain concerning Batman's identity, she goes to Nygma's cell. She identifies herself and then asks Riddler if he remembers her. When he answers yes, Riddler offers to reveal the identity of Batman to her if she says please. She does so, and The Riddler responds by telling her that he thinks he himself is Batman, and as if to prove his point, he starts flapping his arms like a bat.

Relationships

• Bruce Wayne/Batman - Employer turned enemy.
• Dick Grayson/Robin - Enemy.
• Fred Stickley - Boss, enemy and victim; deceased.
• Alfred Pennyworth - Enemy.
• Chase Meridian - Enemy.
• Harvey Dent/Two-Face - Partner; deceased.
• Sugar - Ally.
• Spice - Ally.

Appearances/Actors

• Burtonverse (2 films)
  • Batman Forever (First appearance) - Jim Carrey
  • Batman & Robin (Costume only)
• Burtonverse (1 comic)
  • Batman Forever: The Official Comic Adaptation

Behind the scenes

• Before Jim Carrey was cast, Joel Schumacher called up Robin Williams about playing The Riddler, with Lee and Janet Scott Batchler writing the character with his comedic delivery, and he talked to Akiva Goldsman about what The Riddler would do in his kitchen in San Francisco. Due to a salary dispute, Carrey was cast.
• John Malkovich, Brad Dourif, Michael Jackson, Phil Hartman, Matthew Broderick, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Kelsey Grammer, Micky Dolenz and Mark Hamill were also considered for the role.
• Joel Schumacher cast Jim Carrey because Schumacher and Warner Bros. felt that he was perfect for the part, following the success of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
• Jim Carrey helped design a lot of his costumes.
• While learning to twirl a cane, Jim Carrey reportedly broke around a dozen prop canes and some of his trailer furniture.
• Jim Carrey had an idea of The Riddler with a question mark shaved into his head, but decided not to, since he was going through divorce proceedings. 
• In the rough November 1994 workprint of Batman Forever, the one fans saw at Kevin Smith's Smodcastle Cinemas, Edward Nygma's introduction was extended, with the Breakfast Machine cue from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure composed by Danny Elfman playing in the background.
• In the earlier drafts of Batman Forever, Riddler's real name was Lyle Heckendorf, and his rival company was called HeckTech, and Schumacher came up with a scene that was not in the final film where Lyle stalks Bruce Wayne and Chase Meridian at the circus and stole clothes from a fortune telling leprechaun, which form the basis of the Riddler outfit.

Trivia

• Although the Riddler doesn't appear, when Mr. Freeze was being held in Arkham, one of Nygma's green Riddler outfits was still being held in a storage room, along with one of Two-Face's.

Gallery

Batman Forever

Deleted scene of Riddler drugging Chase Meridian.

Riddler concept art by Carlos Huente.

See Also

• The Riddler