Origin
Tommy was a close childhood friend of Bruce Wayne (Batman). Both were born into wealthy families. Bruce’s father, Thomas, was happy to see the children become friends, something he thought Bruce needed so much. The boys loved to play strategy games, but Tommy was always able to outmaneuver Bruce.
Elliot hated his parents as a boy. Driven by his want for independence and wealth, he cut the brakes on his parents’ car and convinced their chauffeur to stay home that night, which led to the death of his father. However, Bruce promised Tommy that his dad would save Tommy’s parents and even though he failed to save Tommy’s father he was able to save his mother.
However, this enraged young Elliot. He took his anger out on Bruce, who had promised Elliot that his parents would be saved, and attacked his childhood friend. To Bruce’s shock, Dr. Wayne scolded him when he fought back and comforted Elliot like a father would a son, something Bruce never fully forgave his father for. Meanwhile, Elliot’s rage was fueled by the murder of the Waynes, which put Bruce Wayne in just the situation Elliot wanted himself. His hopes for wealth ruined, he decided to wait for a lucky day.
Creation
Hush was created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee. The character made his first appearance as an adversary of Batman in the 12 issue series Batman: Hush, published in 2003. He has since made appearances in Batman: Gotham Knights, and in the Batman R.I.P tie in story Heart of Hush.
Character Evolution
Modern Age: New Earth
Elliot’s mother later came down with cancer. While he went on to Harvard and became a successful surgeon, Elliot continued to hold an irrational grudge towards his childhood friend for having the “good fortune” he never had. Later on at some point in his career, Elliot became the doctor of Edward Nigma, the Riddler. Nigma was diagnosed with terminal cancer and decided to use one of Ra’s al Ghul’s Lazarus pits. In the insanity (or, as Nigma called it, clarity) that followed, Nigma uncovered the truth that Batman was Bruce Wayne. Elliot was amazed that Nigma had been able to completely remove the cancer and confronted him about it. Nigma said he thought Elliot would want to pay a fortune for a cure, since his mother died from cancer, but they discovered that they both had a common hatred for Bruce Wayne. Elliot and the Riddler decided to bring him down. Elliot created for himself the identity of Hush, a mysterious, trench-coated criminal with his head wrapped in bandages who often quotes Aristotle.
His identity came from Scarecrow singing, “Hush Little Baby”, (which is incidentally a nursery rhyme about a child who couldn’t be pleased) around Elliot. The two convinced and manipulated several other villains to help such as the Joker, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and Clayface. Even Superman got involved (thanks to kryptonite-laced pheromones given off by Poison Ivy) along with Catwoman (who began to fall in love with Batman possibly due to Poison Ivy’s pheromones).
Major Story Arcs
Modern Age: New Earth
Hush
Hush and the Riddler set up an elaborate plot against Batman, and began the execution of it by cutting the batrope with a batarang; inflicting on Batman near-fatal head trauma, for which Elliot performed surgery; getting Batman into a brawl with Superman; Elliot faking his own death and framing the Joker for it, provoking Batman into almost killing his archenemy; making Batman believe Jason Todd had returned to destroy him (this proved to have only been Clayface mimicking Jason); and even the killing of Harold Allnut. Throughout some of these events a man with bandages on his face and a trench coat would appear in the background and quote Aristortle and in only some of these instances is that man Tommy Elliot. Elliot finally revealed himself to a tired Batman and told him the truth about the Elliots’ murder and his own feelings about Bruce. The two engaged in a vicious battle while Hush continued to taunt Batman, reminding him of their past and thus distracting him. Hush kept Batman at bay at first by using his handguns, but also engaged Batman in hand to hand combat and was able to hold his own. Hush finally beat Batman by shooting an explosive he had planted on the Batmobile resulting in the splash damage to hit Batman from behind.
However, Batman was saved by the intervention of Harvey Dent, who had been cured of his mental condition and facial by Elliot. He betrayed the villain by alerting former police commissioner James Gordon of the plot on Batman’s life. Dent wound up shooting Hush twice, pushing him off a bridge. Batman jumps into the water both in an attempt to save him and uncover his identity. His body was never found; Superman has since suggested that it had been lost at sea. The courts wouldn’t charge Dent without proper evidence or a body, so he was cleared of all charges and released. Thanks to Superman’s x-ray vision, it was learned that Elliot had placed a tracking device in Bruce Wayne’s skull when he operated on him. Superman destroyed it with his heat vision at the request of Batman. It was revealed that the Riddler was the real mastermind behind the whole plot, guiding Elliot all along. Although Batman was unsure that Hush indeed was Thomas Elliot, he never got the chance to remove the bandages and see for himself.
Hush Returns
Hush resurfaced, and did so with a vengeance. He had been hiding in out in a swamp awaiting his next move and making his new plans to get his revenge. These plans are found by several innocents who accidentally stumble upon Hush’s hideout and are all quickly killed by Hush using an axe. Still determined to destroy Batman and not to let any other villains get in his way. Hush quickly carved out a niche for himself, Hush first warns the Riddler that he is coming back by paying a man to visit Riddler in jail and read him the riddle “What’s orange and doesn’t have many days to live?”, the Riddler desperate for help makes a bargain with the Joker to help him leave Gotham to which Joker agrees. When the Riddler escapes he is immediately hunted down and beaten within an inch of his life. The Riddler manages to escape by tossing himself off the building to which he meets Joker below. Hush warns Joker not to interfere but Joker simply laughs and orders his many thugs to severely beat Hush up. Thus causes Hush to rethink his plan and so he leaves for Star City.
Hush teams up with JLA nemesis Prometheus after saving him from Green Arrow, Hush throws a police officer off a building so that Green Arrow is forced to save him giving Hush and Prometheus enough time to escape. Hush brings a seriously wounded Prometheus to his apartment and begins to operate on him, healing his wounds. In return Prometheus agrees to help Hush take care of Batman. The two return to Gotham City where they ambush Joker and his men just as they are about to take Riddler to a safe house. Hush orders Prometheus to slaughter Jokers men while Hush severely beats Joker and after finishes off calling Joker nothing but “a bad joke”. Before Hush can kill Joker, Batman arrives just in time to confront him. Hush reveals to Batman that he is truly Thomas Elliot and everything he had said on the bridge that night was true. Hush then makes a quick escape along with Prometheus. Soon after their alliance began to torment Bruce Wayne and with the aid of the new Clayface exploiting his shape-shifting abilities, he was even able to shed doubt on his true identity and apparently also had Alfred framed for murder. Alfred’s name has since been cleared. Hush even killed Poison Ivy in a fruitless attempt to recruit her help. Blaming Prometheus for being responsible for the murder of Poison Ivy their partnership ends.
The Joker eventually came back to Gotham along with an army of trained pigeons and retaliated. He captured Hush and kept him sedated for three weeks, and implanted a pacemaker into him, effectively gaining control of his heart and him. Hush turned to the one man he felt he could trust or rather, predict Bruce Wayne. Wayne helped Hush on the condition that he be treated in and confined to Arkham Asylum. Hush agreed, and escaped after he was told that the surgery was a success. Batman got to him before he could confront the Joker, and the two men debated over killing such evil criminals. Hush demanded he be allowed to kill Joker and Batman seemed to agree and began to leave, but then revealed the pacemaker was still in his body, and he was allowed to escape. At that point the Joker arrived, and Hush began begged Batman not to leave. The issue ended unresolved. It is unknown what decision Batman made, although Hush did return.
Man-Bat
As some point Hush seemly decides that Black Mask has earned his attention, and Hush employs Murmur to help him take down Black Mask’s empire by killing several of Mask’s employees and blame Kirk Langstrom for the murders. Like most of Hush’s plans this involves many twist and turns, that end up with Hush double crossing Murmur, almost killing Black Mask and forcing Batman to almost kill Kirk. In the end Hush’s plan seems to fail but he does kill the human psyche of Man-Bat, making Man-Bat a feral version on his former self.
Heart of Hush
Hush then reappeared, following Batman and Catwoman as they tracked down the criminal known as Doctor Aesop. During Batman and Catwoman’s battle with the Aesop’s men, Hush appeared in the warehouse and shot Aesop twice, killing him. He then told Bruce that the warehouse would not be the battlefield for their final confrontation and quoting, Aristotle, vanished through a window. Hush has surgically altered his face to look like Bruce Wayne’s, planning to steal his identity.
Later, he fights with Catwoman. He shows her his face, startling her, and steals her heart, leaving her on life support. He lures Batman to him, and they fight. Batman manages to save Catwoman. Hush goes to Wayne Manor, and finds the Batcave. Hush fights Batman again, and steals a helicopter. However, his facial bandages get caught in the propeller and he is presumed dead. Catwoman knows otherwise, and leaves him a video telling him that she had recovered, and that she had also stolen all his money. Hush, who is badly injured, is outraged.
Faces of Evil/Hush Money
Hush, now penniless, tries to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. He is saved by two men who think he is Bruce Wayne. Hush realizes that while he may not be able to trick Batman’s close friends about his identity, he can trick others. Hush begins to pretend to be Bruce, taking money from various Wayne owned enterprises. While in a foreign country he is captured by Catwoman. Catwoman tortures him, at one point using him as a ‘punching bag for a rhino’. She then makes him run away as a decoy for the poachers they are traveling with. While he flees she releases all the animals. Hush is captured by Robin and Nightwing who had been posing as two poachers. They take him into custody.
Gotham City Sirens/Streets of Gotham
He has taken over the role of Bruce Wayne because Dick Grayson says that Gotham needs Wayne as a symbol of hope. He even takes Harley Quinn out on a date though “The Joker” crashes that date and vows vengeance against Wayne. He is kept under watch by Batman’s Outsiders at his childhood home and his money flow is limited by them, so that he doesn’t empty the Wayne fortune.
House of Hush
Hush becomes increasingly impatient with being constantly watched and decides to use his Bruce Wayne likeness to get an Arkham inmate named “Jane Doe” released so that she can help him escape from the Outsiders.
Batman: Gates of Gotham
After the destruction of Gotham’s ancestral bridges, the Architect pays Hush a visit at Arkham Asylum and offers him a chance to participate in his venture to instill chaos in Gotham. Gordon informs Dick about Hush’s escape from Arkham Asylum but Dick tells Gordon that Hush will have to wait since the security at Wayne Tower must be maintained. During the reopening night of the Iceberg Lounge, the security sensors at Wayne Tower go off. The sensors indicate an explosive device has been placed in Bruce’s office. Dick tells everyone inside Wayne Tower to evacuate while he calls in Batman for help. As soon as everyone got out of the building, Dick went to Bruce’s office and discovers Hush tied up in a straitjacket with a bomb strapped to him.
Hush informs Dick that if he disconnects the bomb from the straitjacket then the timer will speed up but Dick had no other choice. He had to sacrifice Wayne Tower in order to save Hush. Dick cuts the bomb off of Hush and they both jump out of the office window. Dick grapples to a nearby building and watches in horror as Wayne Tower burns to the ground. Angered by Hush’s involvement in this, Dick interrogates him and wants to know why the bomber is targeting the historical pillars of Gotham. Hush tells Dick that the Architect is actually targeting the men who built Gotham which means the descendants of Gotham’s founding fathers and the twin architect brothers who helped the founding fathers.
Powers and Abilities
Intellect
Like Batman, Thomas Elliot possesses no superhuman abilities and instead relies on his exceptional intellect and athleticism. He is a skilled neurologist and has genius-level intellect. Thomas specializes in brain surgery and is also a proficient plastic surgeon, as he repaired the scar tissue on Two-Face’s face. Elliot is a master strategist and manipulator, responsible for setting in motion a grand series of events aimed at killing Batman.
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Hush is also a skilled martial artist, as he was able to hold his own against Batman in hand-to-hand combat.
Equipment
He is an expert marksman, using twin .45 caliber pistols.
Character Profile
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 220 lbs
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Red
- Citizenship: American
- Place of Birth: Gotham City
- Marital Status: Single
- Occupation: Criminal; former surgeon
- Known Relatives: Roger Elliot (father, deceased), Marla Elliot (mother, deceased)
Other Version
Batman Beyond
In Adam Beechen‘s run-on the Batman Beyond series, Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne are opposed by an all new Hush. Before Terry became Batman of Gotham City, Bruce Wayne had a final battle against Tom Eliot. When Hush jumped into a civilian window, the civilian defended herself by, shooting and killing Hush at point-blank range in the chest. When Bruce wanted to get a closer look, the police came storming-in behind him. Bruce had to quickly run away since he wasn’t on all “good” terms with Gotham’s finest.
The new Hush escaped from Cadmus Labs and this new Hush has had an intimate relationship with Dr. Nora Reid, a medical authority that works under Dr. Amanda Waller at Cadmus Labs. Now, Terry’s relationship with Bruce, as mentor and student is strained, as Bruce only strives for Terry to be perfect. Hush is later found out to be a damaged clone of Dick Grayson the ex-Robin of Batman, and the retired Nightwing. This future Hush is later impaled by a robotic Bat drone after Terry threw him off of Dick Grayson.
Other Media
Video Games
Lego Batman
Hush is an unlockable playable villain in the video game Lego Batman.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Hush has an unlockable Character Bio in the game Batman: Arkham Asylum when his name (Thomas Elliot) is seen and scanned on a white board. And also has a plaque in his name for being a “generous” benefactor for Arkham Asylum this is seen when the player goes through many of Riddler’s challenges.
Batman: Arkham City
Hush appeared in the game in an “Identity Thief” side mission. After finding the coincidence between victims of Identity Thief, he reveals himself in a secret operating room near Solomon Wayne Courthouse. He is voiced by Kevin Conroy.
Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes
Hush is found on top of a garage in open world Gotham City, once you defeat him he becomes a playable character.
DC Legends
Hush is a playable character in the mobile game DC Legends. He is a physical affinity character, meaning he uses weaponry and close quarters combat in his attacks. Street level heroes and villains typically have this affinity.