Alaysia Beard
Shawn Welnak
PHI 113 SEC 1
Batman’s Right
The portrayal of heroism complexities that Christopher Nolan shows in The Dark Knight
is what most people don’t notice when first viewing the film. On the surface is the image of the
said hero, Bruce Wayne as Batman, being a motivational character and the only true good over
all the evil throughout the film. When truly delving into Nolan’s goal with each character, it’s
observed that Batman has an internal struggle in his acts of heroism, due to the chaos the Joker
brings while trying to maintain order. Nolan uses the actions of the Joker to reveal Batman’s true
complexities of being a hero. It comes down to personal sacrifice, moral ideas and figuring out
the purpose of his identity. Moments that reveal Batman’s moral compromise and the fight for
order is the scene where Batman has Fox use the “SONAR” surveillance tech, next is Batman
interrogating the Joker, and last is Batman taking the fall for Dent’s actions.
On the surface, the mass amount of surveillance computers that Batman created, using
Fox’s idea of “SONAR” from earlier in the film, seems beyond smart in order to locate the Joker.
However, Fox could see deeper into Batman’s idea of combining all the cell phones in Gotham
to be used as a microphone. He called it, “Unethical, dangerous,” and continued to say, “...this is
wrong... this is too much power for one person,” (Nolan). Which turns to the question of why
Batman gave that duty to Fox, most likely due to Batman knowing Fox as an ethical person,
either he would complete the job as his last or not at all. This instance reveals the crossing of
ethical lines to fight chaos and maintain order by Batman and shows that Fox is the more stable
character in this moment. Just as Batman makes a morally questionable decision as his act for the
greater good, the boys and specifically T., (Trevor), in The Destructors make a decision that is
morally different to their usual acts. Their reason of deciding to destroy Mr. Thomas’ house was
as rebellion towards inequality in their society, post blitz. Even Blackie’s thoughts that Greene
included, “Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambitions of fame for the gang,” explain the
urge they had for such a defiant act to get a one up towards those doing better in society (Greene,
6). Similarly, in Walker’s article “The Existentialism Behind Nolan’s Batman”, she makes point
on the strain amongst the need for order and action compared to personal needs. To which
enforces the way Nolan uses the Joker by making Batman openly delve into the morals of being
a hero and pondering over what is truly worth the greater good to maintain order, such as
utilizing the public’s phones to find the Joker.
Following is the interrogation scene in the film where they caught the Joker and Batman
is able to talk to him fully. Batman does lose control by becoming violent so he can force the
Joker to talk to him instead of leading him on. The Joker keeps taunting Batman over being the
hero for Gotham and his endless drive for order which is forcing Batman to make decisions away
from his morals as a hero. This scene illuminates the struggle between Batman’s moral identity
internally and externally as a protector. Trying to keep order will compromise his own morals,
further showing Nolan’s intention of conveying the complexities of heroism. While there’s the
fight to contain order, T. in The Destructors more over destroys the idea of order. Almost as an
aspect that the act of destroying the house can bring new meaning, to where both T. and Batman
have to deal with the cost of pushing for change.
In the end of the film is the revealing of personal sacrifice and the other complexity of
heroism being responsibility. Batman chooses to take full responsibility of Harvey Dent’s crimes
to keep the hope alive in Gotham, while sacrificing his good versus evil reputation. There had to
be the idea of a “white knight” kept alive. Batman said to commissioner Gordon, “Sometimes the
truth isn’t good enough, sometimes the people deserve more,” to which truly reveals his sacrifice
of maintaining the good (Nolan). By risking his own reputation and accepting being the said
villain, Batman prioritizes the stability and order of Gotham over his own self. This sacrifice
further proves the intention of Nolan’s portrayal of the complexity of being a hero and the
personal demands it takes. Furthermore, T. in The Destructors decides to sacrifice the idea of
personal gain to focus on Mr. Thomas’s house so he can make a greater statement. Although this
decision breaks down order rather than maintaining order, it still gives T. his identity as a leader
of chaos and for Batman as the “villain”. Both Nolan and Greene use their main characters and
the sacrifices to make point on the risk of facing chaos. In relation to Walker’s argument, it is
that Batman is representing authenticity by being okay with the consequences of his choices to
remain the “villain”. It brings a form of meaning in the midst of chaos just like existentialism
focuses on sole responsibility in the definition of an individual’s role, such as Batman’s role to
be righteous.
Overall, Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Greene’s The Destructors each show how
individuals solve chaos within an easily impacted world, both in opposite manners but through
similar ways. These ways being sacrifice, moral compromise and existential authenticity. With
Walker, her perception of existentialism makes my points stronger by diving deeper into the
reason behind each characters actions.