Why Batman MUST Die

[sterlingcomics]

http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/27/12420329-why-batman-needs-to-die-in-dark-knight-rises?lite

 

COMMENTARY: Director Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman has always been darker, grittier and more realistic, but now he and his fellow series creators have told Empire magazine that "The Dark Knight Rises" may come to a definitive end. Will Batman have to die to bring closure to the trilogy?

 

The director’s brother, Jonathan Nolan, certainly makes it seem that way.

 

“It’s the right way to end it -- to blow the whole thing up!" he told Empire. "It’s better than trying to spin the thing out indefinitely and make it into the Bond franchise.”

 

Batman’s possible death, however, is inherently problematic. Superhero stories don’t end in tragedy. Batman is stronger, more courageous and has all the right gadgets and sidekicks. If he cannot defeat evil, then what does that say about the rest of us? Imagine if Voldemort defeated Harry Potter or if Frodo and Sam hadn't destroyed the Ring. If even the greatest, the anointed fail, then certainly that means we are helpless to the evils of the world.

 

Still, some tales are meant to be tragic. What if Romeo and Juliet had run off and lived out their days in love and happiness, or if Humphrey Bogart’s Rick had stayed with Ilsa in “Casablanca”? Tragedy in film helps position the moral compass of society, exposing the natural vulnerability and flaws of people through on-screen characters.

 

To see misery unfold unrelentingly on screen or in text is one of the greatest forms of catharsis we can experience. For a hyper-affluent, handsome, righteous hero like Batman to die would be a blow to the good-triumphs-over-evil trope that is so thoroughly ingrained in Western cultural and religious traditions. The good figure -- the Christ figure -- must always rise after being beaten down; yet, as anyone struck by tragedy knows, this is not always the case in real life.

 

Batman’s death would be the only satisfying conclusion to this trilogy that has seen its own fair share of heartbreak with the death of Heath Ledger, who played The Joker in “The Dark Knight.”

 

Still, his death would upend the first rule of superheroes: They are beyond human and therefore out of reach of death’s mighty grasp. Batman as a symbol of good over evil is forever immortal. The character Bruce Wayne's fate, however, is up in the air.

 

But is his death absolutely necessary for a satisfying ending to Nolan's series?

 

"You’ve given them everything,” a distressed Catwoman says in the trailer, whereupon Batman forebodingly replies: “Not everything. Not yet.”

 

"The Dark Knight Rises" hits theaters July 20.

 

[DrWatson]

Who cares? Death is nothing but a momentary headline in today's pop culture.

[Random]

Obey!

[Mac Man]

I suspect they'll make it seem likely that he dies, but there will be some ambiguity at the end--make it appear as though the man is dead but the legend continues.

[Gotham Kid]

I suspect they'll make it seem likely that he dies, but there will be some ambiguity at the end--make it appear as though the man is dead but the legend continues.

 

+1

[oakman29]

Is Bane going to break Batmans back? Holy snap,crackle,pop Batman.

[Guest Reader]

I suspect they'll make it seem likely that he dies, but there will be some ambiguity at the end--make it appear as though the man is dead but the legend continues.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Along the lines of Dark Knight Returns.

[Gsims718]

Anyone think Gordon Levitt will take over the mantle at the end?

[USArmyParatrooper]

The director’s brother, Jonathan Nolan, certainly makes it seem that way.

 

“It’s the right way to end it -- to blow the whole thing up!" he told Empire. "It’s better than trying to spin the thing out indefinitely and make it into the Bond franchise.”

 

 

Like a Bond franchise? That's like McDonald's saying they don't want to become another fast food chain like those fools over at Johnny Rockets.

[Anfield Fox]

You can't kill Batman. The movies are a multi-billion dollar money maker for WB when you include box office, DVD sales, licensing, toys, etc. Not gonna happen, not permanently. There will be another Batman in 3-4 years, with a different director/cast, that is certain.

[DeliBebek]

I suspect they'll make it seem likely that he dies, but there will be some ambiguity at the end--make it appear as though the man is dead but the legend continues.

Or it will be a copout, like Bruce Wayne doesn't die, but since he'll never be Batman again, "Batman" is dead, until someone decides to be Batman.

 

Or there will be enough "easter eggs" hinting he isn't really dead to keep us guessing until the reboot.

 

Or it will just be one more time that Batman has died.

[Unca Ben]

I dunno.

 

I see Nolan's Batman as a self-contained 'universe'.

 

This trilogy bears little resemblance, and has no continuity with the earlier Batman series of films from the late 80's through late 90's.

 

Those 80's - 90's Batman movies had nothing to do with the 60's TV series, or the movie serials from the 40's.

 

I believe Nolan can (and will) do whatever he wants, even sacrifice the character for the sake of a great story without any regard to future tales. Any future Batman movies could continue the Bruce Wayne / Batman character without concern to the ending of this current trilogy.

 

It makes for more fun and creative stories this way, no status quo from series to series. Batman as a cultural hero and legendary figure is larger than any individual story.

 

Like Robin Hood. Or King Arthur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ogami]

Anyone think Gordon Levitt will take over the mantle at the end?

 

I do.

[Ogami]

I dunno.

 

I see Nolan's Batman as a self-contained 'universe'.

 

This trilogy bears little resemblance, and has no continuity with the earlier Batman series of films from the late 80's through late 90's.

 

Those 80's - 90's Batman movies had nothing to do with the 60's TV series, or the movie serials from the 40's.

 

I believe Nolan can (and will) do whatever he wants, even sacrifice the character for the sake of a great story without any regard to future tales. Any future Batman movies could continue the Bruce Wayne / Batman character without concern to the ending of this current trilogy.

 

It makes for more fun and creative stories this way, no status quo from series to series. Batman as a cultural hero and legendary figure is larger than any individual story.

 

Like Robin Hood. Or King Arthur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also agree with this.

 

It won't matter if Batman dies. This is a self contained story.

[Fedoraman]

Killing Batman would be box office poison.

 

Not going to happen.

[chrisco37]

He won't die. You'll think he's dead, but he won't be. As others have said, it'll be kinda like DK Returns.

 

The last scene will be a funeral and they'll be lowering the casket down into ground. Fade to black.

 

Then....

 

 

Theme music booms and credits run.

[Speedy-D]

You can't kill Batman. The movies are a multi-billion dollar money maker for WB when you include box office, DVD sales, licensing, toys, etc. Not gonna happen, not permanently. There will be another Batman in 3-4 years, with a different director/cast, that is certain.

Too true. They'll play with making it seem like he's dead, or like he's gonna die, but I don't see how they could afford to do it.

[Speedy-D]

I dunno.

 

I see Nolan's Batman as a self-contained 'universe'.

 

This trilogy bears little resemblance, and has no continuity with the earlier Batman series of films from the late 80's through late 90's.

 

Those 80's - 90's Batman movies had nothing to do with the 60's TV series, or the movie serials from the 40's.

 

I believe Nolan can (and will) do whatever he wants, even sacrifice the character for the sake of a great story without any regard to future tales. Any future Batman movies could continue the Bruce Wayne / Batman character without concern to the ending of this current trilogy.

 

It makes for more fun and creative stories this way, no status quo from series to series. Batman as a cultural hero and legendary figure is larger than any individual story.

 

Like Robin Hood. Or King Arthur.

 

 

 

 

 

Not like Robin Hood or King Arthur. With both of them, you're stuck with the basic story structure, beginning to end. You can't kill Lancelot whenever you want, it has to follow the well known outline as Thomas Malory wrote it 500 years ago.

 

And while it's true that this series of movies is very unlike the previous ones, no one has ever gone so far as to say "Batman's dead!!" only to be followed in the next movie with "Oops, no he's not!!"

 

The movies' audience is not the comics' audience. They're not used to characters dying and returning with some silly reasoning a month or a year later. I'm trying to think of a movie series that has even attempted that, and I'm failing.

[kdoginohio]

He won't die. You'll think he's dead, but he won't be. As others have said, it'll be kinda like DK Returns.

 

The last scene will be a funeral and they'll be lowering the casket down into ground. Fade to black.

 

Then....

 

 

Theme music booms and credits run.

...after the credits we'll see his body being lowered into the Lazarus Pit by Thalia.

[Dr Chaos]

Since we are talking Batman, they should do what they did on the TV show. Place him in an easily escapable situation involving an overly-elaborate and exotic death.

 

I can never get the embeded youtube videos but this link should sum things up nicely.