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Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Gotham (哥谭), also called Gotham City 13 48 |
| Role | Principal setting of Link’s rise from Arkham escapee to underworld ruler 10 72 |
| Status | By Link’s later return, its streets are cleaner and gang violence is less visible; Batman has restored a measure of peace 372 |
Geography and Notable Locations
- East End — Link and Harley Quinn’s first refuge after escaping Arkham; later the starting point of Chaos Direction’s territorial expansion 12 58.
- Financial District — home to Wayne Tower and Chaos Direction’s headquarters at 11 Adler Street 37 40.
- Docks — the site of Link and Harley’s escape into the city, and later of a Falcone arms deal that tests Link’s rules 10 70.
- Gotham Cathedral — where the Court of Owls and League of Assassins attempt a truce before Link arrives to claim authority over Gotham 60.
- Underground network — sewers, abandoned subway lines, shelters, escape routes and hidden bases mapped by a system reward Link receives at the Batcave 68.
History
Gotham’s criminal world is divided among established bosses and smaller gangs when Link arrives. Harley identifies Penguin, Black Mask and Two-Face as major players; Penguin’s exploitation of the Viper Gang gives Link an opening to recruit his first followers 13 17. Link’s campaign against Penguin leaves a power vacuum, and his subsequent takeover of Black Mask’s territory makes him a major force in the East End 25 36.
The city’s visible gangs are not its only powers. By tracing historical records and business ties, Link uncovers the Court of Owls, a secret council connected to Gotham’s old families and institutions 48. He then maneuvers the Court and the League of Assassins into a war. While they fight, Chaos Direction moves into abandoned neighborhoods, disarms gangs and offers merchants security 52 55 58.
Link’s New Order
| Development | Effect on Gotham |
|---|---|
| Territorial expansion | Chaos Direction takes nearly a third of the city during the Court–League conflict; its forces establish secure zones but also block police access in areas they control 58 59. |
| Three underworld rules | Link forbids selling contraband to minors and harming innocent civilians in gang conflicts, and requires territorial and business disputes to go to Chaos Direction for arbitration 67. |
| Consolidation | After the Falcone Family’s surrender, Link’s staff integrate rival territories and businesses. His organization comes to control more than 60% of Gotham’s underworld 72. |
An A.R.G.U.S. review attributes a 50% fall in Gotham’s violent crime over one month to Link’s imposed order rather than to the GCPD or Batman 69. The stability rests on surveillance, fear and Chaos Direction’s enforcement, not on lawful control of the city 67 68 70.
Later Gotham
When Link returns after a long absence, he finds cleaner streets, scarce gang graffiti and fewer visible shootouts. Batman has rebuilt a more human order on what remains of the peace established during Link’s rule. Harley, meanwhile, works as Dr. Harleen Quinzel at the Quinn Mental Health Counseling Center 372.