Hush (DC)

Revision as of 06:57, 23 October 2020

Hush in Batman Eternal v1 #25.

Hush is a male comic supervillain who features in DC.

Biography

Origin

Tommy Elliot from Detective Comics v1 #852.

Thomas Elliot

At school, he went to his locker where he met a boy his age named Bruce Wayne where the two struck a friendship. (Batman v1 #614) As children, both him and Bruce Wayne often played strategic games with one another where they seemingly got along very well. This saw people comparing the two to being brothers and that they were best friends for life. (Batman v1 #609) On one occasion, he showed to Bruce a jade pendant he had taken from his brother with Wayne grabbing onto the item leading to an angry Tommy beating his friend in order to get the treasured heirloom back. (Batman v1 #613)

Once when visiting Metropolis, Bruce came to invite Tommy who attended the Wayne family trip where they saw the Green Lantern Alan Scott where they witnessed the hero battle the Icicle. (Batman v1 #611)

He then decided that his parents needed to die and plotted to arrange for their deaths. Tommy insisted that the driver stay home whilst his parents out in the car on a rainy night with him also severing the brake line. (Batman v1 #619) He then went to Wayne Manor to tell Bruce that Tommy's parents had suffered from an accident. (Batman v1 #610) The badly injured Elliots were in the hospital with Thomas Wayne in charge of the operation to save them but he could not save Tommy's father. However, Tommy's mother managed to survive with him infuriated as it meant that he could not take the family fortune and instead had to wait for her to die. For years afterwards, he had to pretend to be a good son to his mother but waited for her to die. (Batman v1 #619) When Bruce Wayne's parents died, him and Tommy hardly ever saw each other again. (Batman v1 #611) He later went to medical school with Tommy wanting to follow Thomas Wayne's footsteps and become the world's greatest surgeon. (Batman v1 #614)

Years ago, he attended a dinner with his mother where he was re-united with Bruce Wayne who was travelling around the world. However, the years had simply led to him resenting him and his mother for feeling trapped under Mrs. Elliot's control. During the dinner, he met Peyton Riley who similarly grew up under controlling parents and the two felt a kinship with one another. (Detective Comics v1 #848)

Around 10 years ago, he met a girl named Peyton Riley whose father was a notorious criminal but in her he found a kindred spirit in that she was also under controlling parents. The two started dating and he brought her home to introduce her to his mother but she instantly hated her on sight. One day, the two came to the Elliot home when he shockingly discovered that his mother Marla had called the family lawyer as she intended to cut her son from the family fortune as a result of an argument they had earlier. An angry Tommy had planned to use the money to become a surgeon and being denied it saw him snap where he told his mother that he had been responsible for his fathers death. He then confessed that he played the role of a dutiful son but only because he wanted the family fortune and then proceeded to murder his mother by strangling her to death. Meanwhile, Peyton had arranged for the murder of Mr. Prescott the family lawyer before he could draft the papers that would have denied Tommy his inheritance. He then arranged a story that his mother as happy at Tommy meeting Peyton after seeing how happy they were but her frail body caused her to stumble with her suffering from a crushed windpipe as a result. After gaining the family fortune, he cut ties with Peyton after finding her to be too needy and instead flew to Paris alone as he had no intention of being tied down to another person. (Detective Comics v1 #850)

He was later approached by the Riddler who had offered a cure to cancer and thus a means of curing his mother. However, Elliot had no desire to cure his mother and instead had a burning need to destroy Bruce Wayne. Thus, him and Nigma formed an alliance with one another with Riddler suggesting he take the name of Hush as part of the plan. Tommy's mother eventually died from cancer allowing him to finally come to inherit the Elliot fortune. (Batman v1 #619)

The plan to destroy Batman later came to involve tricking Harold Allnut into working for him. This involved placing a hidden relay within the Batcomputer that sent subliminal messages that would make Bruce reach out to Elliot. (Batman v1 #619) After Bruce Wayne was badly injured seemingly from a car accident, Dr. Elliot as flown in from Philadelphia to help operate on him. The surgery was a success and Wayne was expected to make a full recovery. (Batman v1 #609) He then went to Wayne Manor to check on Bruce but he was not at his home residence. (Batman v1 #610) As Hush, he was present in Metropolis where he witnessed Batman working with Superman after the Man of Steel had shaken off the effects of Poison Ivy's pheromone control. (Batman v1 #612) Tommy Elliot then attended the performance at the Gotham City Opera House where he joined Bruce Wayne, Leslie Thompkins and Selina Kyle who were present at the event. The performance was interrupted by Harley Quinn who had disguised herself as one of the performers and held the attendees hostage as she stole a jade pendant from Elliot. In the chaos at the opera house, Tommy chased after Quinn to get back the pendant only to seemingly be confronted and killed by the Joker when Batman arrived at the scene. (Batman v1 #613) In the aftermath, a funeral was held for Tommy Elliot with Bruce Wayne at the event where he mourned his friend. (Batman v1 #615)

Ambushing Catwoman, he attacked her where he managed to pull out a blade to stab her. Hush then had her prepped for surgery and removed her heart with machines only keeping her alive as a way of torturing Batman. (Detective Comics v1 #848)

Taken into the sewers, he vowed to kill the Architect if he murdered Bruce Wayne as Elliot believed that no one could harm the man except himself. However, he was knocked unconscious with the Architect planting a modified deadman's switch on him where he was tied to a site at Wayne Tower. The bombs were then on a timer where they were supposed to detonate alongside other explosives around the city. Batman arrived on the scene but was unable to disarm the explosives and had a choice of either saving the tower or saving Hush with him ultimately choosing the latter. (Batman: Gates of Gotham v1 #2)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.

Hush would later return to Gotham during the mayhem caused by Carmine Falcone's siege of the criminal underworld. During this time, he broke into the Wayne Mansion where he attacked Alfred Pennysworth and injected him with Fear Toxin leaving him paralyzed with fear. (Batman Eternal v1 #21) His machinations behind the scenes also led to the Architect being released from Blackgate Prison and eliminated the architect Andrew Trondsen for Zachary Gate. It was during this incident that Batman managed to realize that Hush was responsible for the attack at Wayne Manor. (Batman Eternal v1 #22)

Overview

Personality and attributes

Upon becoming a supervillain, he took the name Hush which was suggested to him by the Riddler as a joke between them on the need for secrecy to enact their plan against Batman. (Batman v1 #619)

From childhood, the two claimed that they thought alike which made their games fun when they played against one another. (Batman v1 #609) He always told Bruce that one had to think like their opponent in a match. (Batman v1 #611)

Tommy had said that no one stole from him and he worked to get his things back. (Batman v1 #613)

He had the penchant of calling Alfred Pennyworth by the nickname of 'Alf'. (Batman v1 #610)

Tommy and Bruce shared an expression between them which was 'Stick a Needle'. (Batman v1 #619)

He said he was never angry at Thomas Wayne being unable to save his father but what made him angry was that his mother still lived from the accident. (Batman v1 #619) It was said that the only thing he hated more than his family legacy was the Wayne family. (Batman: Gates of Gotham v1 #2)

Whilst growing up, he lived under the strict control of his mother where he served as her carer. In reality, he resented her and yearned for complete freedom from her. In those years, he played the role of a dutiful son as it was only then that she would allow him to go medical school. (Detective Comics v1 #848)

For a time, he as involved with Peyton Riley who was the daughter of a notorious mob boss in Gotham. In her, he saw someone who had suffered under controlling parents similar to himself. Though they dated for a time, he broke the relationship with her as he came to find her too needy and had no intention of being tied down to anyone. (Detective Comics v1 #850)

Powers and abilities

He was regarded as the best surgeon in the country with him being as good if not better than Thomas Wayne. (Batman v1 #618)

Hush was known to keep a hidden blade within the sleeves of his jacket that he could pull in a surprise attack on his opponent. (Detective Comics v1 #848) Sometimes, he was known to hide the small blade within a space by his jacket's neck allowing him to pull it out whilst putting his hands up. (Detective Comics v1 #850)

His family once had a chauffeur named Clarence who normally drove the Elliot's car. (Batman v1 #610)

The Elliot family had a retreat called Silent Key that had its own airstrip. (All-Star Batman v1 #13)

Notes

• Hush was created by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee where he made his first appearance in Batman v1 #609 (January 2003).

Alternate Versions

• In Superman/Batman v1 #17 (2005), Ra's al Ghul appeared in an alternate version of history that was interfered with by the Legion of Super-Villains who sought to raise Batman and Superman to be their enforcers. A version of history saw this Batman stop Joe Chill from murdering his parents leading to him being erased from the timeline. In the new version of events, Bruce Wayne's parents lived and he enjoyed life as a playboy billionaire with his best friend being Dr. Tommy Elliot who was a world renowned surgeon.

In other media

Television

• In Gotham, the character made a minor appearance in the first season in the episode "Mask" where he was portrayed by actor Cole Vallis. He was shown as a young boy in the same school as Bruce Wayne who began making fun of the death of his parents and was intrigued at whether he saw their dead bodies. In a second encounter, he would force a confrontation with Wayne and beat him up. After Bruce spoke to Alfred Pennyworth, the butler encouraged the young Wayne to stand up for himself and took him to Tommy Elliot's home. Once there, Bruce him Tommy to a pulp leaving him with a bloody nose and warning him not to make fun of his parents again.
• In Batwoman, Hush appeared in the setting of the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse where Tommy Elliot was portrayed by actor Gabriel Mann whilst actor Warren Christie portrayed him as he took on Bruce Wayne's identity.

Films

• In Batman Unlimited: Mech vs. Mutants, Hush appeared in a minor role in the animated film where he was voiced by actor Dave B. Mitchell.
• In Batman: Hush, the Hush identity featured in the setting of the 2019 animated film. Thomas Elliot was a brilliant surgeon and close friend to Bruce Wayne who was approached by Edward Nygma. Nygma at the time was suffering from a tumour that he wanted removed but he was informed it was inoperable. Thus, in desperation, he sought out the Lazarus Pit and went into its healing waters that gifted him with the insight into the true identity of Batman. He then decided to make a name for himself and crafted the identity of Hush with the purpose of finally defeating his foe. As Hush, he made numerous plans that involved Batman's villains with the goal of using them to weaken the Dark Knight. This chain of events culminated in the murder of Thomas Elliot in an effort to get Batman to kill the Joker.

Video games

• In Batman: Arkham Origins, Hush was referenced in the setting of the video game.
• In DC Universe Online, Hush appeared in the MMORPG video game where he was voiced by actor J. Shannon Weaver.

Appearances

• Batman v1: (2003)
• Detective Comics v1:
• Batman: Streets of Gotham v1:
• Batman: Eternal v1:
• All-Star Batman v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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