Merton

Merton
Family	Grady Harris (cousin)
Affiliation	Merton's Gang
Occupation	Criminal
Status	Alive
First	"A Dark Knight: Pax Penguina"
Portrayed by	Michael Buscemi

"I'm an outlaw. Outlaws have a code. Criminals, they'll take everything. They'll take a man's livelihood. Like the Penguin and his licenses. But we're gonna show him, you'll see."

—Merton to Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock^[src]

Merton is the leader of a small gang of criminals.

Biography

Merton and his cousin Grady Harris ran a crew a few years ago. Merton, Grady, and their fellow gang members interrupt a wedding reception and demand cash and jewelry, but are stopped by Victor Zsasz. He tells them that they must be licensed by Penguin to commit crimes. After the gang refuses to back down, Zsasz shoots Merton's finger off, telling the rest to leave the loot behind. After being told about the licenses, Merton and his fellow gang members arrive at Gotham Asylum to see Jonathan Crane. The warden, Reed explains the toxin his father injected him with overloaded his fear response, and that he uses that to control Jonathan. Merton explains that he needs Jonathan's fear serum, and pays Reed to release him. Merton and the gang take Jonathan back to his childhood home and uncover a chest full of Gerald Crane's notebooks and chemicals. They torment Jonathan by putting a scarecrow on display while he creates more of the serum for them. After receiving the serum from Jonathan, Merton and his fellow gang members successfully rob the First National Bank of Gotham. After receiving a name from warden Reed, Jim and Bullock track down Merton and his gang, but Merton and Grady get the jump on them. They tell the detectives that they are outlaws with a code and are nothing like Penguin. After seeing Penguin threaten to destroy the gang on the local news, Merton and the gang set a plan in motion to take down the Penguin. They arrive at The Iceberg Lounge and are quickly caught by Penguin. Penguin puts them on display and makes a speech about how he is the one keeping Gotham safe, not the GCPD. Though Bruce Wayne suggested they be turned over to the GCPD instead of them being done away with. After the lights go out upon being turned off by Ivy Pepper, the gang members attempt to escape with the crowd. While Grady got away, Merton and the rest of his gang are unsuccessful upon them being defeated by Gordon, Bullock, Zsasz, Bruce, and Alfred Pennyworth.

Merton confessed to the GCPD where Jonathan Crane is being held as the GCPD arrives at the hideout where they find Grady tied up and dressed as a scarecrow stating that Scarecrow is coming.

Appearances

Season 4

• "A Dark Knight: Pax Penguina"
• "A Dark Knight: The Fear Reaper" (mentioned)