Jerome

Jerome and his twin brother Jeremiah were born to Lila Valeska and Paul Cicero. Lila was also known to be physically abusive towards Jerome, and seemed to favor Jeremiah more over him. When Jerome was a child, his brother spread lies to their family that jerome would abuse and torment him. Examples including lighting his bed on fire, and holding a steak knife to his throat. This would cause Lila and Uncle Zach to have Jeremiah taken away, and send him to live with a rich family in Gotham. The ordeal would fuel Lila's abuse towards Jerome. This resulted in Jerome developing a hatred for his brother and a thirst for revenge. Sick of his mother's constant nagging, especially after she had sexual relations in the room next to his, Jerome killed his mother, and was allowed by Paul Cicero to clean up in his trailer. Jerome and several others looked on as Barbara Kean walked into Arkham for the first time. He later approached her on the behalf of Richard Sionis, attempting to persuade her that a girl needed a friend in the Asylum, as bad things happened there all of the time. Jerome and the escaped prisoners threw people off (bearing letters for his group) a roof into a crowded street as a way of spreading fear. The next morning, Jerome showed Theo how much of a stage present he had. While examining Theo's weaponry, Jerome got into an argument with Robert Greenwood over who would be the leader. Theo decided to settle it with a game of Russian Roulette. Greenwood pulled first, and then Jerome risked his life by pulling the trigger three times, showing just how crazy he was. After that, Theo and Greenwood both accepted Jerome's leadership. The Maniax's targeted a bunch of high school cheerleaders on a bus. They doused in gasoline and planned to set it on fire, but the intervention of the GCPD forced the Maniax to retreat. Disguised as police officers, The Maniax infiltrated the GCPD. Jerome is an utterly remorseless, unpredictable, ruthless, manipulative and psychopathic person who deeply enjoys needless acts of violence and chaos. While he initially acted as a regular person, crying over his mother's death and being polite to others, he showed his true colors once Jim Gordon deduced he had killed his mother. Unlike most criminals, Jerome does not care about organized crime or profiting from his crimes, he simply wishes to cause as much chaos and violence as possible. He was shown to be a new class of criminal, one who killed who he wanted, and did what he wanted with no overall motive other than making Gotham crazier than it was. Jerome is a showman; whereas most criminals would work from the shadows and conceal their crimes, he often broadcasted the carnage and violence he would inflict through his crimes, and he would always have a theatricality to his insanity. Jerome desired to create a legacy for himself, no matter how cruel or corrupt, and he shows sadistic pleasure at the prospect of being remembered as a curse upon Gotham. His cruelty and remorseless nature was also shown by the fact that he killed most of his family members, never once hesitating when he had the chance to. It should be noted that Jerome’s family members had abused him throughout his childhood which resulted in a lack of emotional family bonds. This lack of familial attachment and negative experiences are likely the reason he didn't hesitate to kill them, or show remorse after ending their lives. When Jerome Valeska is first arrested in Gotham, he appears deceptively innocent and clean-cut. His bright red hair is neatly combed, his face pale and youthful, and his demeanor seemingly timid and distraught as he's questioned about his mother's murder. Dressed in plain civilian clothes typical of a carnival worker, Jerome looks like an average young man—almost forgettable. However, as the interrogation unfolds, his calm facade cracks to reveal a chilling grin and a sinister glint in his eyes. In that moment, his entire presence shifts; his voice becomes mocking and theatrical, and his once-innocent appearance takes on a far more menacing edge, hinting at the madness lurking just beneath the surface. He has dim green eyes which sometimes look grey. Jerome Valeska treats hostages with a twisted sense of amusement and theatrical cruelty. He doesn’t view them as people, but as props in his chaotic performances—tools to provoke fear, make a statement, or simply entertain himself. He often taunts them with dark humor, enjoying their terror and confusion, and delights in creating spectacle through violence or threats. His behavior is unpredictable—he might be laughing one moment and deadly serious the next—keeping his victims off balance and terrified. There’s rarely any genuine anger behind his actions; instead, he exudes an almost childlike glee, as if the whole situation is a game, and their fear is part of the fun.