It's obvious Bat is definitely not a fan favorite but...
I can't think he's not important to this whole series of events that happens in the Junkyard. There must be a reason that out of all the tribe members in Maribel, there was so much focus put on his character and all the encounters he has with Embryon. I'm by no means a writer so I'll try and put this in a way that makes sense. It's a bit spoileriffic so I'm gonna put it under a cut. (It's recommended you have played both games entirely, just to be safe.)
Bat is self centered, selfish, and by no means loyal to anyone, being a very good manipulator and looking out to always be on the winning side. He's despicable and I got so frustrated with him for causing so much harm in his path. I literally wanted nothing more than to wring his neck and do away with him. I was so unsatisfied that Embryon does not get the satisfaction of a direct kill. He gets his end from a blast Embryon set up and at times I really thought Heat should have just eaten him. It should have been that simple...
But after much thought, I honestly see Bat as being one of the first few batch of children set up for the God Project.
I have mentioned in a previous post of mine that I felt that anyone that had been spotlighted had some sort of influence on Sera's life, whether directly or indirectly. Sera was number 19 and from hints given it seems that Cielo was also a candidate. That leaves 17 other children and no one gives me a stronger feeling than Bat.
The moment Bat's emotions awakened reinforces that feeling:
When the agreement was made for Maribel and Embryon to join forces...
It can be implied that it's very likely Bat was second in command to Jinana and I think up to that point, he was extremely loyal. Maribel was said to be one of the weaker tribes, if becoming allies with Embryon would have increased their chances of survival, why would it trigger such an adverse reaction from Bat?
I think it was because he was betrayed. He was taken advantage of. He has obvious trust issues and a dislike and disrespectful view of authority figures after his emotions awakened. He just wants to survive at any costs, doesn't matter who he has to take down. He's his first priority.
What if he was one of the first test subjects of the God Project? The adults tricked him. He thought he was going to help but finds out he's being used to benefit all others and that he might die. So then he does what's kinda ingrained in our nature, he rebels and fights for his survival. This isn't what he thought he signed up for.
Serph, Heat, and Argilla might have been somewhat involved. Or at least their real world counterparts Sheffield, O'Brien, and Nurse Argilla. It fits in kinda perfectly.
Now the timeline has me baffled, I have no clue how long any of them were involved in the project. Sera's biological age is around 7 or 8 and Sheffield and O'Brien are said to be relatively young geniuses in their fields so I wouldn't put them any older than maybe mid-20's.
But how fast did the Karma Society go through 18 other children? This is a whole 'nother topic but the reason I brought this up because Bat appears so much older than say Cielo or Sera. It can be said that the strain on his body might have had the same side effects of hyper aging or maybe Junkyard Bat might be the true age he would have been if he hadn't died.
I sense I'm railing off topic, as I tend to do, so I'm going to end this here. But this is why I don't despise Bat anymore. I sympathize but I recognize that what he did was immature and wrong, but it kinda makes you think doesn't it? What stories are going untold and being set up for interpretation?
I am still convinced Bat is a nickname and his real name might be Bartholomew. Kinda like Heat is Hershel. I just have a hard time with strange names just being tacked onto more normal surnames. Hershel O'Brien. Pfft. Gonna stop now...
bringing up harley got me thinking about what potential back stories the other tribe leaders that weren't really touched upon had. i once went about creating head canons with a friend of mine about who their counterparts were and their possible connection/relationship with sera. i always felt that if they were tribe leaders (other than the embryon crew), they had some sort of bigger influence in her life?
