The Scarecrow is an overly-obessive and deranged ex-professor of psychology who uses a variety of drugs and psychological tactics to use the fears and phobias of his adversaries. He does not commit his crimes for wealth, but rather as a form of "research" to further study the effects of fear on humans (later, he does it to satisfy his own psychopathic desires), making the innocent citizens of Gotham his unwilling guinea pigs.
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Other Personas of Jonathan Crane
History
Jonathan Crane's father was a failed psychologist who was obsessed with fear. A cruel and abusive man, broken by the loss of his wife, his father subjected Crane to countless psychological experiments, searching for a way to overcome and master the ability to feel fear. These experiments often involved locking poor young Jonathan alone in the dark in the basement of their house, despite Jonathan screaming and crying to be let out, and testing his psychoactive chemicals on his son.
At school, Jonathan was bullied and tormented by his fellow students for his gaunt appearance and social awkwardness, resulting in an overwhelming sense of isolation throughout his childhood. On one occasion when Jonathan was locked in the basement, his father had a heart attack and died, forcing Jonathan to breathe the fear gas his father had pumped in until the police finally arrived. Jonathan was rescued, but severely traumatized.
Jonathan grew up to become a professor of psychology at Gotham University, but was fired for his unorthodox methods, which involved abusing students with his own experiments in fear. Later, he attempted to become a practicing psychologist, but he flew into a rage when one of his patients refused to see the value of overcoming their fears; Jonathan murdered them. From that point onward, he dedicated himself to using the most extreme methods imaginable—pursuing his obsessions as the Scarecrow.