As I am sure many of you are aware, we are a mere four months away from the release of The Dark Knight Rises, the final film in the Christopher Nolan Batman series. As the release of this film gets closer, the debate by Bat-fans over how Nolan will end his series heats up. I know firsthand as I am active on one message board in particular where there is often a debate to be had as to how this film will end. I have read pages and pages of well written theories and responses over the past several months. All of them equally thought provoking and engaging. Believe me when I say that I have lost time to these boards and the content within them.
I have also participated in these discussions and offered my two cents from time to time, as I am no casual observer. But what I haven't done is really truly weigh in on what I feel we can expect from Nolan's final Batman film. There is alot of threads that Mr. Nolan has to try and tie up in the two hours plus he has in which to do so. I do not envy him. But I will endevour in this post to think like him and try and understand what his plan is for this film. What is it he wants to accomplish here and more importantly where does he leave this character story-wise that he himself feels comfortable and satisfied with. I will also interject some desires of my own for this story and yes I will tackle the big question: Does Batman die at the end? Without further adieu, let's dig in:
It is always wise to first understand where you have been before you can know where you are going. The same applies here. For us to understand what Nolan will do in this final film, we need to first understand what the first two films in this series put forward.
In Batman Begins, Nolan gave us the origin of Batman. That was the objective of that film, but it was not the only one. More important to Mr. Nolan, was making the audience know Bruce Wayne and more importantly still- come to care for him. It cannot be argued that the entire first act is devoted to Bruce Wayne. We learn that Bruce has been searching for some time for a way to understand the criminal mind. He has failed in his attempts and becomes lost. Until Ra's Al Ghul arrives and gives him a purpose again. Now let's pause a moment and think about the importance of this. Bruce has an objective and a good goal, but becomes lost. He then needs an outside force to provide him with purpose again and define him. Is that perhaps the role of Bane in the The Dark Knight Rises? Is he the outside force that shakes Bruce up and gives him purpose again?
Later on Bruce is on a plane with Alfred on his way back to Gotham. The two discuss his plan for the city and how he is going to turn things around. I feel personally this conversation is very important in understanding what Nolan wants to do in this final film. Bruce states to Alfred that he wants to use this symbol (not yet a Batman) to shake the citizens of Gotham out of apathy and in doing so get them to be engaged and fight to wrestle their city back from the corruption and crime that has overtaken it. He also makes it clear to Alfred that the symbol is necessary because as Bruce Wayne, a man made of flesh and blood, he does not have the wide reaching power to make this change.
Now let's look at this all for a second. Bruce basically states his most important objective with the Batman: inspire the citizens of the city to act and when ready give them back their city and allow them, a blanket term for the police, courts, politicians, and ordinary citzens, to care for and maintain it. This clearly means that Bruce is setting out to do this for a finite period of time. He does not want to be the Batman forever, like the Bruce Wayne in the comics. He simply wants to use The Batman for a time in order to get Gotham back on the right path then graciously disappear into the shadows.
The second thing to look at here is Bruce's belief that only through Batman can he make any real change to Gotham. This is an interesting thing to think about. Bruce is one of the, if not the wealthiest people in all of Gotham. He is also one of the most prominent people in Gotham as far as celebrity. In short, he has power within the city, with his name and his father's company, and also the wealth created due to this company. And yet even with all that power, Bruce still feels he cannot change Gotham as just himself. That only the Batman can do. It could be said that to Bruce he is nothing and the Batman is everything.
Personally, I always thought that was an error in judgement by Bruce. I think he was too eager and quick to write off the changes he could make on the city as just plain Bruce Wayne. He was obsessed with the symbol and the power it contained if executed correctly. I think this is a loose thread that Nolan is going to go after in TDKR. He is going to set out to prove Bruce's logic wrong here and show just how much power little old Bruce Wayne really has.
The next part in Batman Begins I want to quickly look at here is when Rachel sees Bruce again for the first time since he has returned. After hearing Bruce tell her that there is more to him, despite his casual, playboy image, Rachel tells him that it is not who he is underneath that defines him, but what he does. Now on the face of it, this statement could be interpreted to mean that it doesn't matter that Bruce is Batman, but more what he does as Batman that matters. I don't agree at all with that statement. In fact, I would argue she is saying more that Bruce may have the desire to help Gotham, but unless he acts using his power, resources, and money, it doesn't matter.
Bruce is being shamed into action here. Much like he wants to shake the citizens of Gotham out of apathy with Batman, Rachel is trying to shake him out of the apathy she perceives in him as well. It is an interesting scene that kind of questions if Batman is the best way for Bruce to help the city he loves.
One final thing to consider is Thomas Wayne's statement to a young Bruce after his fall into the cave. Thomas asked Bruce why do we fall and the answer is so that we can learn to pick ourselves back up again. This statement is a theme that weaves through this film but also the next film in the series and I suspect TDKR as well. Bruce will fail, bad things will happen, mistakes will be made, but he will learn from them and pick himself back up to continue to fight the good fight.
We end Batman Begins on a up note. Ghul is dead, the city is safe. The Batman is established, as is his relationship with Gordon and we are shown what is to come with an ominous playing card.
Now let's move on to The Dark Knight. In the TDK we find a Bruce Wayne who has been the Batman for over a year. He has done quite well as the city has a new district attorney not afraid to fight the good fight and the mob more or less on the ropes. Bruce's plan is working and through Harvey Dent he begins to see that the end of his crusade is nigh.
Then the Joker shows up and that all changes. The Joker represents a class of criminal Bruce never really expected to have to contend with. Bruce thought he would only be dealing with mob types- low level thugs all the way up to the big chiefs. He never thought he would have to fight a man without any clear desires and motives. A man who simply wanted to cause suffering and death.
The Joker was a figure brought into this series in order to test just what Batman and more importantly Bruce Wayne can withstand and how far he is willing to go in order to save his city, how much is he willing to sacrifice for the greater good. The Joker causes Batman, and by extension, Bruce to fall. He causes great pain to Bruce through the murder of Rachel and the scarring of Harvey Dent. He also pushes him to his limits and tests truly where Batman's limits lie.
Let's stop here and discuss the death of Rachel Dawes for a moment. This was an important event within this series for several reasons. The first is that it established that Christopher Nolan was playing for keeps and any character could die within the course of these films. This is important to remember when we think about how Nolan may end TDKR. But just as important, it taught Bruce that he was not the only one who could lose as a result of his crusade. I feel that Bruce naively thought that he could either keep all those around him safe or that none of them would be taken from him due to his actions as Batman. In any event, Bruce learned that those around him could be taken from him at any time. Coming to this realization and seeing it play out can only cause Bruce to push people away from him more as time passes in a foolish and ultimately incorrect attempt to keep them safe.
In addition, it was Bruce's selfish choice to save Rachel over Dent that lead to what happened to Dent and was a contributing factor in the murderous acts he committed once becoming Two-Face. Bruce chose his own happiness over what was best for Gotham. He decided that it was more important for he and Rachel to be together than it was for Gotham to have its white knight. If he had chosen Dent, Rachel would have be saved and Dent would have died a hero. His death would have solidified his legendary status and lead to others with similar ideals to come forward and continue the fight.
This is interesting to consider and causes me to question if Bruce will have learned his lesson and will no longer put his own interests ahead of the city's in TDKR. Perhaps he will learn it too well and we will find him in a state of forced isolation, his obsession with the Batman and cleaning up the city out of control?
Alot of TDK revolves around the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel as many characters talk about the end of Batman. Or that the time has come when the city no longer needs Batman. Bruce speaks on this point to both Alfred and Rachel. Batman stepping down is discussed during the dinner scene with Bruce, Harvey, and Rachel as well. This film works to once again establish that Bruce does not want to do this forever and is looking for signs that he can cease his time as Batman.
But as the Joker says at the end, "we could go on like this forever". While I know they can't do this forever, the Joker's statement does bring up a valuable lesson Bruce learns at the end: he is no where near that light at the end of the tunnel. In short: he will have to be Batman for a much longer time than he expected. In fact, I would argue that Bruce finds himself in a position where he doubts if there can even be a foreseeable end for Batman.
This is important to consider, a Bruce who is resigned to being Batman for as long as he is able and his feeling that the city will need him for that long of a period of time. Could we find a Bruce in TDKR who has become stuck in the mud, so to speak, and has continued to be Batman for many years, all the while become more and more lost within the monster?
The other large thing to think about in TDK is the compromise that is made by Batman and Gordon in order to preserve the positive legacy of Harvey Dent. Bruce decides that rather than allowing The Joker to win, Batman will claim responsiblity for Harvey's actions. It is a bold choice by Bruce and one that seems to be made with compassion. Bruce believes that the people of Gotham need to admire Harvey and in so doing begin to use him as an example of how to take their city back. Bruce once again is looking for an out as Batman. He believes by making this sacrifice that it will inspire people and put Gotham back on that desired right path.
But is it truly going to work over the long run? Will this sacrifice by Bruce really spur people into action in honor of Harvey?
I think this sacrifice by Batman provided Gotham just a band-aid. It is not a long term solution for the city. It is a short term one. One which is kinda destined to fail.
With that in all in mind, let me discuss some of the things that will be in TDKR:
As established through interviews with Nolan and others, this film picks up eight years after the events of TDK.
1) We will find a Bruce 'frozen in time'.
Bruce will continue to be Batman through the entire eight year gap. Many have argued he will go into semi-retirement during that time. I say no way. Bruce will never retire from being Batman for any reason. I don't buy him just stopping for 8 years. Of course he will have gotten more covert in his approach over that time period in order to avoid capture at the hands of the GCPD. He may even go out less often as a result. But he will continue to be Batman during that eight years.
Now what specficially does 'frozen in time' mean? To me it means that Bruce has continued to be Batman for eight years and has allowed Batman to take over. He is still going out as Batman on a pretty regular basis to continue to fight for the city. But he is stagnant emotionally. He has not changed at all since we last saw him in TDK. In fact, I would argue he has regressed and is far worse off both emotionally and physically when TDKR starts. He has not moved on emotionally from the death of Rachel and his failure with Harvey. Day by day, month by month, and year by year Bruce has become more and more of a recluse and has also allowed the Batman and all he represents emotionally and mentally to slowly seize control. When we see Bruce again in TDKR he will be nearly all Batman. Which nicely leads me to my next point:
2) Bruce will finally have to fight unassisted.
I believe strongly that by the end of TDKR Bruce will be fighting without the emotional support of Alfred and the technical help of Lucius Fox.
Now let's start with Alfred first here. Alfred has stood by and supported Bruce while he pursued his crusade as Batman. He supported him both physically and emotionally, often patching up his wounds and offering words of wisdom at the right moment. He is Bruce's most trusted partner and the only family he has left. But with his deep love and affection for Bruce, can Alfred take watching him continue to be Batman, with all the damage that entails to Bruce, for 8 years?
As Alfred watches Bruce become more and more reclusive and sees his surrogate son become more and more lost in his monster, can he just do nothing? I don't believe so. In fact, I would argue the conversation that can be seen in the latest trailer sort of proves that. I think Alfred has it out with Bruce. He first confesses that he believes he has failed to protect Bruce by allowing him to continue to be Batman and stand by as that obesssion consumed him. But then Alfred is going to put forth an ultimatium. Either Bruce stops being Batman or Alfred will leave. Sadly, Bruce cannot let Batman go and Alfred is forced to leave.
Now there are some who think Alfred will die in this film. That is a distinct possibility in my opinion. Again, Nolan has no problem killing off a main character. But looking at the previous films, I just don't see this happening. I think Bruce will lose Alfred for a time due to his choice to continue being Batman. But I don't think he will lose him forever. To me if Bruce loses Alfred it will only send him deeper into his feeling of guilt and remorse and he will never be able to let go of the Batman. Nolan's objective here is for the Batman to end and not go on forever.
Lucius Fox will also, like Alfred, raise his concerns over Bruce's obsession with The Batman. He will also try and reason with Bruce to let go of The Batman. Fox will believe, like Alfred, that the city is better and they are in 'peace time'. Due to this, there is no further need for Batman and therefore no further need for Bruce to continue to put himself through physical, emotional, and mental pain and harm. Of course, Fox will also fail to convince Bruce.
I do believe that Lucius Fox will die in this film. It has been curious to me that to this point Lucius has been kept hidden in the marketing for this film. He has not been seen at all in either of the trailers and Morgan Freeman's scenes in the film have not come to light. We know he is in the film, but we don't know when or for how many scenes. I think this is intentional by Nolan himself. It is classic misdirection.
Nolan is trying to distract us with Bane and Catwoman, the threat to the city and all of that. While keeping hidden some of the more important plot points involving Lucius and others. I think Nolan is going to kill Fox and he is going to do so in order to cause Bruce to function alone for the first time. The Batman of the comics never had a Q figure like Lucius, a figure who designed his gear, provided him with high tech weaponary, or who assisted him when he went out as Batman. I personally like the use of Fox in these films and it made sense for the world in which Nolan has placed Batman.
But I think Nolan wants Bruce to suffer another collateral damage type loss, like Rachel, in TDKR. For Nolan, I think it is important for Bruce to come to a point where he no longer needs training wheels and he becomes The Batman we all know and love from the comics. Despite the differences in Nolan's films, I think one of his objectives all along is for Bruce to become The Batman in nearly all aspects, save for the whole being Batman forever thing. He wants Bruce to start to create his own tech and design his own solutions to problems presented to him by the villains he faces.
In Begins, Fox generated the antidote to the fear gas. In TDK, Fox created the new Bat suit, showed Bruce the sonar technology, and assisted Bruce in Hong Kong in his attempt to capture Lau. Fox also helped Bruce find Joker through the cell phone survellance system. In short, Fox did alot of the heavy lifting in the previous two films. In TDKR, it will be Bruce who will have to do alot of the lifting alone.
3) The League of Shadows will return.
This is really kind of an obvious one for those with any knowledge of TDKR. It is clear that Nolan cannot leave things with the League lie as they were following the events of Batman Begins. No, the league will make another attempt to destroy Gotham. But this time it will be under the leadership of Talia Al Ghul, the daughter of one Ras Al Ghul.
Talia will come to Gotham under the guise of Miranda Tate and will work as an executive at Wayne Enterprises. I feel she will have been working there for several years when TDKR starts. Now what I think will be more interesting about Talia is the overall role she will play within the plot and how she will effect Bruce.
I think Talia will be the one to encourage and nurture Wayne toward giving his family fortune back in charitable donations to the city. I believe her motives for doing so will be to bankrupt Wayne Enterprises. You see Talia will have a two pronged attack planned against Wayne, the man responsible for killing her father. She will gain his trust as Miranda and cause him to bankrupt his own company and will employ Bane and his goons to destroy Bruce physically and also emotionally by bringing death and destruction to his beloved city.
But what is more interesting to me is that Talia will also cause Bruce to realize the power he has as Bruce Wayne to cause change to the city of Gotham. This comes back to my point about the flaws in Bruce's logic regarding the symbol of Batman. Talia will set Bruce on a path of enlightenment in which he will see the error in his logic and realize he cannot save Gotham as Batman alone.
This will be an unintended consequence of Talia's plan and one that will cause her ruin.
At this point we are gonna pause and allow me to take a breather before I face certain ruin. But don't fret, I have much, much more to get into in Part 2...so stay tuned.
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