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"Nature always wins."
―Poison Ivy's last words seconds before her death[src]

Dr. Pamela Isley was a plant-human hybrid, the result of a scientific experiment gone wrong, and who was known as Poison Ivy. Ivy's known goal was to wipe out all of humanity and to cleanse the world of pollution. She developed a variety of powers including pheromone seduction, plant manipulation, and mind control, as well as various toxic based abilities.

Biography

Batman: Arkham Origins

Poison Ivy did not actually appear in the game, but she, or rather, her identity of Dr. Pamela Isley, was alluded to in the DLC, Cold, Cold, Heart, where she was implied to have visited GothCorp sometime between the main story and Mr. Freeze's takeover of GothCorp.

After Arkham Origins

Ivy's crimes became more ecologically focused as she increasingly abandoned her human side, and identified more with the natural world. Ivy's unique brand of eco-terrorism often put her into conflict with Batman, whose iron will usually protected him from her seductive powers.

Apparently, Ivy preferred to be all natural while she was in incarceration with her plants and barely covered herself: she only kept one or two buttons on her shirt buttoned, wore foliage panties, and took on a "naked goddess" persona.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman, while he searched for Warden Sharp at the Penitentiary at Arkham Asylum, came across Poison Ivy in her cell at the Green Mile. After she sensed that her plants were in pain, Ivy plead desperately with Batman to save them. Not sharing her concern, and knowing full well what kind of havoc that Ivy could wreak if she was released, Batman disregarded her plea, left her in her cell, and continued to look for the Warden. Soon after, Harley Quinn also made her way past Ivy, and Ivy begged her to let her out so that she could rescue her "babies." At first, Harley refused because Ivy wasn't on Joker's 'Party List;' however, she gave in rather quickly and unlocked the cell door, which left Ivy free to make her way over to the Botanical Gardens.

After he discovered Joker's Secret Lab in Botanical Gardens, Batman went to Ivy, whose plants had been used to help create the venom. Ivy refused to help at first, and decided instead to let the Joker "have his fun," but eventually agreed after Batman threatened to destroy her plants if she didn't cooperate. Ivy then told Batman that the spores that were needed to create the anti-venom were produced by a plant that was located deep in Killer Croc's Lair. Before he left, Batman instructed Ivy to return to her cell or he'd be back, to which Ivy replied that she'd be waiting for him.

The Joker then subsequently injected Ivy with the Titan Formula. Instead of creating a "monster plant" as the Joker expected, Ivy remained the same on the outside (although with glowing green irises) but gained an enhancement to her chlorokinetic abilities, induced rapid growth and evolution among her plants, and even among the newly mutated plants were a species that produced glowing airborne toxic spores (though it should be noted that Batman said that Ivy used a similar species of plants during an attack on Gotham City a year ago).

Ivy took the opportunity to take over the entire island with her newly mutated plants, vowed to kill Batman and eventually, the Joker himself, much to his delight; and looked forward to the coming battle. Batman eventually returned to the Gardens with the anti-venom formula, where Ivy beckoned Batman to come to her lair. Along the way, Batman was attacked by two security guards who were under Ivy's control, and was forced to defeat them both. Batman attempted to inject Ivy's Plants with the anti-venom before he was stopped by an attacking Ivy, who forced him to contend with more Arkham Guards who were infected by her mind-controlling plant spores, including William North and Eddie Burlow. The two engaged in a long and strenuous fight, which resulted in Ivy's defeat. After the Joker's defeat, Ivy was taken back to her cell by the Arkham Staff.

After Arkham Asylum

Poison Ivy AC

Poison Ivy settling nicely in Gotham Central Park her new home in Arkham City.

After she was given an overdose of Titan by the Joker, her attempted escape, and her mind-control of the Asylum Guards during the Arkham Asylum Riot, Ivy was left to die in her airtight cell by Warden Sharp, who blamed her for the mass destruction of Arkham Island.

As her health started to decline, Ivy prayed for salvation, which came in the form of a priest who was unknowingly covered in pollen from the trees near his church. As he performed the last rites, Ivy manipulated the pollen spores into an antidote that worked in harmony with the unique, natural toxins in her blood, and to the amazement of the priest, she began a full recovery.

Furious, Sharp locked Ivy in a biological containment unit and arranged for her to be one of the first criminals that was sent to Arkham City which was intercepted by Catwoman who then freed her.

Catwoman explained to Batman that while she procured stolen goods and other items around Arkham City, she rescued Ivy from the TYGER Guards, and then dropped her off in Gotham Central Park. It seemed that this was part of a plan by Catwoman to gather powerful allies for future venues in Arkham City. Catwoman promised to water Ivy's plants, a promise which she broke and that lead to the events between her and Ivy in Batman: Arkham City.

During his transfer to Arkham City, The Riddler hired Ivy to help him escape his holding cell so that he could head to his new hideout.

Ivy briefly appeared later in Two-Face's Trial against the Joker as a jury member, where she testified against him, and blamed him for her poisoning, the destruction of Arkham Asylum, and the attempted murder of Harley.

Batman: Arkham City

Poison-Ivy-Batman-Arkham-City-590x411

Poison Ivy waiting in the Gotham Central Park Gardens.

"Well what do you have here? Weird, out of place plants... check. Mindless, hypnotized henchmen... check. The oh so subtle odor of rotting pumpkins... check. Looks like I've found the entrance to Ivy's lair."
―Catwoman[src]

Ivy's presence in Arkham City came with the Catwoman Online Pass: she appeared in two out of four of Catwoman's Episodes.

While she plotted to break into Professor Hugo Strange's TYGER Confiscated Goods Vault, Catwoman decided to ask Ivy for assistance, and said that she preferred a woman's touch. Catwoman headed to Ivy's Lair, an old hotel, that was full of plants and hypnotized thugs, where Ivy was shown to be angry with her. Ivy attacked Catwoman with the hypnotized thugs and heat-seeking spores, which she had prepared for months to rid Arkham of "flesh-sacks" and replace them with spores; despite Catwoman explaining that she "just wants to talk". When all the thugs were defeated, Ivy used one of her vines to attack and hang Catwoman upside down, where she expressed her anger over the death of her plants, which Catwoman promised to look after, and stated that the only remaining one of those flowers was within Strange's Vault.

Catwoman offered to retrieve the flower for Ivy if she created a route for her to get into the vault. Ivy agreed reluctantly, and knew that Catwoman could get the plant for her. Catwoman showed some confusion at first, as if Ivy would do it or not. Later, it was shown that Ivy had used her vines to create an underground tunnel to the vault. Once Catwoman was inside the vault, she spotted Ivy's plant, threw it on the floor, and killed it as revenge for Ivy attacking her, and distant screams of Ivy could be heard. When, (or if) Catwoman decided to return to see Ivy, she blamed the death of the plant on Strange. Filled with hatred, Ivy stated that she would take her revenge on Strange, and then on Gotham.

Ivy was eventually kidnapped, alongside Catwoman, The Carpenter, and Vicki Vale by The Mad Hatter, and brainwashed into believing that they were specific characters from Alice in Wonderland (in Ivy's case, the Red Queen/Queen of Hearts), and later fought Batman alongside the others before Batman removed the effects of her brainwashing.

Batman: Arkham Knight

Ivy was offered a chance by Scarecrow to take Gotham City and rid themselves of Batman once and for all. After Ivy refused his offer, Scarecrow took her prisoner and brought to his penthouse in Chinatown as a test subject for his new Fear Toxin. Fortunately for Ivy, the gas didn't affect her and she was taken into custody by Batman once he took down Scarecrow's Henchmen. Ivy was taken to the GCPD Lockup in the Batmobile and was placed in an isolation chamber.

Later, Batman realized that he needed a way to counter the effects of Scarecrow's new fear toxin and that Ivy was the only one who showed a natural immunity to it. After Batman arrived back at the GCPD, Ivy revealed to him that she had created a spore to counter the effects of Crane's toxin which she used on a molecular level. Ivy also theorized that she could make the whole city immune as well, but she couldn't produce enough of it on her own. The only way for Ivy to do so would be at Gotham's Botanical Gardens which was where Batman took her to. Ivy began manipulating the only living large plant in the gardens with the help of the Batmobile's ground penetrating sonar emitter. Once the plant was brought back to life, the Arkham Knight's Militia began to attack it, and lead to Batman to defend Ivy while she worked to produce the spore.

When the Knight sent more troops and tanks to attack the Botanical Gardens, Ivy utilized the plant that she was in and Batman used the Batmobile to take out more tanks that came into the vicinity of the gardens. After Ivy and Batman took out the drones, the militia sent in five Cobra Tanks to attack them, which Batman took down on his own. After he realized that Ivy wasn't safe, Batman tried to bring her back to the GCPD, only to be alerted by Alfred on the Cloudburst which went off and sent Crane's fear toxin all throughout Gotham. The toxin actually caused her plants to begin dying, so she stayed with them while Batman went to find Simon Staggs in hopes of destroying the cloud of fear toxins.

After Batman dealt with the Cloudburst and the Knight, Batman headed back to the gardens once more to check on Ivy. When he arrived, Batman found a weak Ivy give one last burst of power that she had into the plant, which restored it and absorbed Crane's toxin into herself. Batman held Ivy in his arms before she dissolved into particles, and thus died from the effects of the toxin. After Ivy's corpse disintegrated, the plants that she used, cleansed Gotham of all the toxin.

Patient Interviews

Batman_Arkham_Asylum_-_Patient_Interview_Tapes_-_Poison_Ivy

Batman Arkham Asylum - Patient Interview Tapes - Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy's patient interview tapes.

Tape One

(Patient Interview #41; November 12)

  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Patient interview. Pamela Lillian Isley. November 12, 11:33 AM. Good morning, Pamela. How are you today?"
  • Poison Ivy: "Fine. Today is a special day."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "What do you mean?"
  • Poison Ivy: "This is the anniversary of my new life, when I found my true self, my destiny."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Are you referring to the event with Dr. Woodrue?"
  • Poison Ivy: "Yes, what else? Of course, at the time I thought Jason had poisoned me, but in retrospect he did me a huge favor."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "And why do you believe what he did has... helped you?"
  • Poison Ivy: "He showed me the bigger world. A world I should protect. Of course, my first offer was rejected."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Offer? You tried to kill everyone in Gotham."
  • Poison Ivy: "Well, sometimes you need to prune back hard in order to make something flourish."

Tape Two

(Patient Interview #42; November 13)

  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Patient interview. Pamela Lillian Isley. November 14, 10:21 AM. Hello, Pamela. Today I'd like to go back to something you said in our last conversation."
  • Poison Ivy: "Ask me anything you like."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "You said your first offer to help Gotham was rejected. How can you possibly believe that?"
  • Poison Ivy: "What do you mean?"
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "You released thousands of poisonous spores into Gotham, killed hundreds of people. How does that help anybody?"
  • Poison Ivy: "I'm not interested in bodies, Doctor. Horrible fleshy sacks walking around destroying my poor babies with their greed and arrogance."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "But aren't you one of those fleshy sacks? You're a... were a doctor too. How can you turn your back on us?"
  • Poison Ivy: "Quite easily, as it happens, but not you....Stephen. You're different. I feel we have a connection."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Really? You do?" (Dr. Kellerman is slowly being seduced by Ivy's mind control and is falling under her spell)
  • Poison Ivy: "Of course.."

Tape Three

(Patient Interview #43; November 15)

  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Pamela! I got you what you asked for. Do you like it?"
  • Poison Ivy: "Oh yes, Stephen, I love it. Such a beautiful flower. Do you mind it if i keep it?"
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Oh no, Pamela. I can't leave it. It's against all the rules. I'll just bring it and show it to you when I visit."
  • Poison Ivy: "But it's me, Stephen. I get so lonely on my own. You wouldn't want me to be lonely, would you?"
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "No, of course not. Keep it. Just don't let anyone see it. Really. No one."
  • Poison Ivy: "You can trust me, Stephen. Thank you. Now give me a kiss."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "I can't... people will see."
  • Poison Ivy: "No one's watching. What is wrong with you? Don't you love me? Call me Ivy."
  • Dr. Stephen Kellerman: "Of course I love you."

Tape Four

(Patient Interrogation # 1; November 17)

  • Warden Quincy Sharp: Where is Doctor Kellerman?
  • Pamela Isley: How should I know, Warden? It does seem careless of you to have lost him.
  • Warden Quincy Sharp: I have no time for your games Miss Isley. Tell me where you have him. We have security footage of you and him leaving your cell last night.
  • Pamela Isley: So?
  • Warden Quincy Sharp: Do I need to spell it out? We know you hypnotized him, or whatever it is that you do. We know he took you somewhere, but conveniently, security cameras across the island were mysteriously covered by leaves and flowers at 3 AM. Now tell me where he is!
  • Pamela Isley: I’m not saying a word unless you do exactly what I tell you to do.

Tape Five

(Patient Interrogation # 3; November 18)

  • Warden Quincy Sharp: We found him. No thanks to you. The poor man could have died.
  • Pamela Isley: So?
  • Warden Quincy Sharp: He has a wife. A child.
  • Pamela Isley: As do the plants he tramples underfoot. The spores he breathes in and destroys my children. Why does he deserve anything more than them? You people ignore what is happening in front of your eyes.
  • Warden Quincy Sharp: I refuse to put the welfare of plants before the welfare of people.
  • Pamela Isley: And that is why you will lose. There's more happening than you know, Warden. It’s all connected.

Attributes

Height = 5' 8"

Weight = 115 pounds

Psychological Profile

180px-Poison Ivy img

Poison Ivy's photo

Yet another patient whose treatment is complicated by a bizarre medical condition, Isley has a modified genetic code that incorporates plant DNA and renders her physically toxic to others. She is essentially deeply antisocial, believing herself to be not only inhuman but superior to others; this diagnosis is tied into her hypersexuality, which takes the form of a constant attempt to seduce others to do her bidding. She also displays a narcisstic belief in her role as the protector of the entire natural world.

Additional Notes

Oddly, Isley is another former doctor who is now an inmate.

She seems resentful during our treatment sessions; I believe the fact I'm a woman frustrates her erotomania. She desperately believes that all male residents of Arkham are at least partly in love with her.

I've been looking through her old research papers, many of which were never published. There is some fascinating work there...

Quotes

Batman: Arkham Asylum

  • "It's rude to keep a girl waiting, Batman."
  • "Save me from the evil Bat."
  • "I need help here, boys."

Batman: Arkham City

  • "A billion micro-organisms will enter your bloodstream. Spores will grow, replacing the blood in your veins, and when I'm done, your flesh will be replaced with bark."
  • "I've spent weeks perfecting the toxins that will destroy your pathetic meat sack of a body."
  • "You can't outrun nature, Selina. My spores will fill your lungs and kill you from within."
  • "Do you really think you can beat mother nature?"

Game Over Lines

Batman_Arkham_Asylum_-_Game_Over_Poison_Ivy

Batman Arkham Asylum - Game Over Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy's game over lines.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

  • "You're dead and buried, darling."
  • "Sorry love. You're plucked."

Batman: Arkham City

Batman_Arkham_City_-_Game_Over_Poison_Ivy

Batman Arkham City - Game Over Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy's Arkham City game over screens.

Catwoman
  • "You shouldn't have come here, Selina."
  • "You ruined everything, Selina!"
Batman
  • "And another arrogant human dies."

Trivia

Poison Ivy sketch

Poison Ivy Concept Art Arkham Asylum by artist Carlos D'Anda.

Arkham origins-easter egg-Isley

Pamela Isley's I.D. badge at GothCorp in Cold, Cold, Heart.

  • In Dr. Young's Notes, she had seen only her own profile, due to the fact that her picture was the only picture that had her genetics (lips) on it, although the lipstick could have belonged to Dr. Young.
  • The vines on Ivy's body were intended to resemble body tattoos.
  • Tasia Valenza, who voiced Poison Ivy in the game, also voiced Martha Wayne.
  • Pamela Isley's ID badge at GothCorp during the Cold, Cold, Heart DLC was most likely a reference to the team-up between Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin.
  • It appeared that Ivy's powers grew since Arkham Asylum, given her claims to have perfected new pheromone formulas, which was a reference to her former status as a scientist.
  • Poison Ivy was the only character that Batman did not interact with, as he could not enter the building that she was in. However, it was likely that he was aware of her location, as there were large plants that covered the area.
  • It was mentioned in an Arkham City Story that Ivy was able to cure herself of the Titan Formula via the spores on the clothes of a priest who visited her in her cell. Despite that, Batman made no attempt to ask Ivy to manufacture a cure for him, most likely because she was more hostile toward him than Mr. Freeze.
  • Ivy seemed to have a friendship with Catwoman before the game, but she became angry at her because Catwoman forgot to water plants that Ivy had given her, and, as a result, the plants died. Although Catwoman tried to smooth things over, Ivy only begrudgingly helped her, and was still mad at her by the end of the game.
  • Batman_Arkham_City_Lockdown_-_Poison_Ivy

    Batman Arkham City Lockdown - Poison Ivy

    Poison Ivy Lockdown

    Both Catwoman and Ivy lost their possessions to Hugo Strange and had them permanently lost during the events of Protocol 10.
  • Ivy appeared in Batman: Arkham City Lockdown in the Business District Level, where she took over the GCPD with the usage of her toxic pheromones and turned them against Batman. After he took care of the GCPD, Batman arrived at the Solomon Wayne Courthouse to find Ivy awaiting him with Robin who she also had under her control. Batman engaged in an intense battle against his sidekick and ultimately won. Ivy admitted defeat and surrendered to Batman willingly. Although Ivy attempted to kiss Batman as a means to escape, he outsmarted her and handcuffed her away back to Arkham.
  • Unlike the other voice cast, Tasia Valenza did not reprise her role for Arkham City Lockdown. Instead, Amy Carle assumed the role of Poison Ivy.
  • When Batman talked with Officer Boulden at the GCPD, he learned that he was attracted to Ivy.
  • Although Ivy apparently died, if the player went back to the place of her death, they could see a flower that grew from Ivy's clothes.

See Also

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