Warning! Spoilers ahead from Batman and Robin #9!The secret origin of Batman’s newest villain is revealed, and she’s turned out to be Hush’s equivalent to Harley Quinn (with a minor twist). For months, the Dynamic Duo has been haunted by the mystery of who Shush is. With her identity finally uncovered, she reveals her tragic origin story.

In Batman and Robin #9 by Joshua Williamson, Simone Di Meo, and Nikola Čižmešija, the Dark Knight has been taken captive and Damian is determined to find him. Under the impression that his principal is Man-Bat’s partner, Shush, Damian confronts her. However, it’s revealed that Shush is actually Damian’s teacher, Ms. Hall.

Hall reveals that she was once a doctor and that Thomas Elliot was her mentor. However, after Elliot’s life as Hush was revealed to the world, Hall lost everything. She fell in with Man-Bat, who convinced Hall to reclaim Hush’s identity and rebrand herself as Shush.

Shush Reveals She Was Hush’s Protege

Things in Gotham City got wild after numerous science labs began being targeted by Man-Bat and his new partner, Shush. Man-Bat, now under the influence of a new persona known as the Bat, was embarking on a new crusade to destroy Batman’s public image and replace himself as the city’s prime protector. The identity of Shush perplexed both Batman and Robin, though the former strongly suspected she had something to do with Tommy Elliot, Bruce’s former childhood friend who grew up to become the villain Hush. Damian, on the other hand, suspected Shush was secretly his former mentor, Mistress Harsh.

Hush and Shush’s relationship could be seen as a twist on the Joker and Harley dynamic. But Shush was never a fangirl of Tommy Elliot and only turned to crime after his criminal endeavors negatively impacted her life. Harley embraced a clown aesthetic like the Joker because she was so infatuated with him in her early days. Shush, on the other hand, reappropriated his image to take back the power he took from her when her life fell to pieces. It’s a tragic origin for Shush, but one that helps prevent her from being seen as a Harley Quinn ripoff.

Shush Went a Very Different Route Than Harley Quinn

It would have been easy to make Shush a lovesick follower of Hush, mirroring Harley Quinn’s initial journey as the Joker’s sidekick. Instead, the Batman and Robin creative team made the wise choice to show that Shush only took on Tommy Elliot’s imagery as a way of putting her life back together. It’ll be interesting to see where Shush goes from here now that Ms. Hall seems to regret the part she played in Man-Bat’s scheme. Maybe, like Harley Quinn, Shush is going to take a villain’s gimmick and try becoming a hero.

Batman and Robin #9 is available now from DC Comics.