He doesn't just kill people. Victor Zsasz creates "art." Or at least, that is what he tells himself every time he carves a new tally mark into his skin. If you've been wandering the grimy, rain-slicked corridors of Arkham Island in Batman: Arkham Asylum, you’ve likely stumbled upon a specific, haunting phrase: Zsasz is counting on you finding his work.
It’s not just flavor text. It’s one of Edward Nigma’s more morbid riddles. Finding the solution isn't about solving a complex math equation or finding a hidden lever. It’s about looking at the tragedy Zsasz left behind.
Where to Find the "Work"
You'll find this specific riddle in the Penitentiary section of the game. Specifically, it's located in the Guard Room right above the main entrance area (Arkham West).
Most players miss it because they’re too busy chasing down the Joker or trying not to get jumped by inmates in the shadows. But if you head into that upper security room, the scene is gruesome. Three guards are propped up at a table. They aren't just dead; they’ve been posed. Zsasz arranged them to look like they are playing a casual game of cards.
It’s eerie. It’s quintessential Zsasz.
To solve the riddle, you have to:
- Enter the room with the three deceased guards.
- Zoom in on them using your first-person view or Detective Mode.
- Hold the environment scan button.
Once the scan completes, the Riddler will chime in with his usual condescending tone, and you’ll unlock the Killer Moth bio or a similar reward depending on your progress.
The Psychology of the Scene
Why does Zsasz do this? Honestly, it’s about "liberation." In the Arkhamverse lore, Victor Zsasz believes that everyone is just a "zombie" going through the motions of a meaningless life. By killing them, he thinks he’s freeing them.
Posing the guards at a card table is his way of mocking their former lives. They were just men waiting for their shift to end, maybe playing a hand of poker on their break. Now, they're frozen in that "mundane" state forever.
He counts on you finding it because he wants his "art" to be seen. He’s a narcissist with a blade. Every mark on his body represents a life taken, and he’s saving a very special, large spot for the Batman.
Beyond the Asylum: The Arkham City Connection
While the phrase "Zsasz is counting on you finding his work" is a riddle from the first game, the theme carries over heavily into Batman: Arkham City. In the sequel, the "Cold Call Killer" side mission forces you to literally track his work across the city.
He calls payphones. You have to race against the clock to answer them. If you fail, he kills a hostage.
In his hideout in the Industrial District, you see the culmination of this obsession. He has prisoners trapped, and you can see the bodies of those he already "liberated." One hostage is submerged under a bridge, visible only in Detective Mode. It’s a callback to the same twisted mindset: he leaves clues, he leaves "work," and he expects you to be the witness to his madness.
How to Handle Zsasz in the Games
If you're looking to actually take him down rather than just scan his victims, here is the breakdown of how he usually operates in the series:
- Arkham Asylum: You first encounter him in the Patient Pacification Chamber. He has a guard strapped to an electric chair. You can't just run at him. You have to use the gargoyles to get behind him and perform a silent takedown or a glide kick.
- Arkham City: After tracking his calls and triangulating his position, you enter his hideout. The floor is flooded with electrified water. You have to use the Ice Grenade (given by Mr. Freeze) to create platforms and navigate the room stealthily. If he sees you, he kills the hostages.
- Arkham Knight: He makes a very brief, blink-and-you-miss-it cameo on a security feed in Oracle’s clocktower, but he isn't a primary threat. His "work" is mostly a legacy of the previous two entries.
Why This Riddle Matters
The Riddler's challenges are usually just puzzles, but the Zsasz ones are different. They provide a narrative bridge. They tell you more about the villains than the main cutscenes often do.
Scanning those three guards tells you that the Asylum has completely lost control. It shows that even in a high-security prison, a man with nothing but a shard of glass can turn a guard room into a gallery of the macabre.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you're trying to 100% the game, don't just scan and leave.
- Check the Tapes: There are Interview Tapes scattered around the Penitentiary that detail Zsasz’s sessions with Dr. Sarah Cassidy. They are genuinely some of the most unsettling audio logs in the game.
- Look for the Mark: If you look closely at the character model for Zsasz in the bio menu, you can see the tally marks. It’s a level of detail that Rocksteady is famous for.
- Master the Batarang: In Arkham City, during the final confrontation with Zsasz, don't overthink it. Use corner cover. Wait for him to peak out from behind the hostage, and quick-fire a Batarang. It's a one-hit takedown once you're in position.
The "work" is always there. You just have to be willing to look into the dark corners of the map to find it.
