Well, why do I love the ending of the movie? I love it because it IS Batman at its heart, under the “Batman doesn’t quit” rule, it IS Batman. The themes of The Dark Knight Rises are of Bruce letting go and rising from the ashes. This is a part of Bruce’s journey through the trilogy, and it goes like this:
Batman Begins: Beginning.
The Dark Knight: Falling.
The Dark Knight Rises: Rising.
This is reflected in many aspects of the movie, in the dialogue, in the characters and even the colour palette. Throughout the movies Bruce is broken down and built up. So, to the ending! Bruce fakes his death, goes to live with Selina and Robin “John” Blake takes over as Batman.
John Blake and Batman’s ending (or is it?)
Before any of you say anything, it is implied that Robin “John” Blake becomes Batman more than it is implied that John Blake becomes Nightwing. Really think about this for a second, yes, John is revealed to be Robin and an amalgamation of all of the Robins. In my opinion, John has the origin of Jason Todd and the personality of Dick Grayson, even having Dick’s former occupation when he was a cop in Bludhaven. But what did Dick Grayson do after Bruce Wayne died? What did all of the Robins do when Batman died? They fought for the cowl.
As well as this, why would John become Nightwing? The Bat-symbol is rebuilt by Bruce, implying that BATMAN lives, not Nightwing. This is a symbol for Gordon that Batman lives, and a signal for John Blake, as Batman. This means that Bruce intended for John to become BATMAN and continue his legacy. This is also shown when Bruce gives John the BAT-cave and his monologue about Batman being a legend and a symbol that is ever-living. Why am I telling you this? Why am I proving that John took over as Batman? You’ll find out.
So, back to where we were before. Bruce fakes his death and John takes over as Batman. Remember in Batman Begins, where Ra’s Al Ghul was telling Bruce that he could become “More than just a man” that he can become “a legend”? Remember when Bruce said “People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.”? Emphasis on the words “legend” and “everlasting”. Bruce Wayne, through handing John Blake the cowl, has made Batman a legend, Batman has become everlasting.
Bruce Wayne’s Ending
So, onto Bruce’s happy ending. This is a scene of much unneeded debate. Yes, it’s real. I don’t know why people thought Alfred was imagining it. If Alfred was imagining it, he wouldn’t have though of Selina Kyle as the woman Bruce was with. He probably would have imagined Rachel, Bruce’s REAL happy ending. This is the scene that people say isn’t Batman, they say that Batman would NEVER have a happy ending.
Let’s go into the psychology of Batman. Most people agree with the theory that Batman is two people, Bruce Wayne and Batman, and maybe another that only Alfred knows. Bruce Wayne, at his heart, is a man trying to create a world where his parents wouldn’t have been shot. Bruce Wayne at his heart wants a happy ending. He is a man, he’s flesh and blood, he can be ignored, he can be destroyed but as a symbol, he can be incorruptible. Batman is that symbol. Batman is the exaggerated version of Bruce. He’s incorruptible, he’s EVERLASTING. Batman is an ideal. The real Bruce Wayne/Batman is a combination of the two. The difference between Bruce Wayne and Batman are that Bruce Wayne is a person that died a long time ago, a dead man that never left a body behind. Batman is an ideal. Batman isn’t a person.
So, what do we have here? An ideal and a dead guy.
The Dark Knight Returns- The “Definitive” ending to Batman
Most comic book fans consider Frank Miller’s graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns to be Batman’s definitive ending. The Dark Knight Rises, to a point ends similarly to The Dark Knight Returns but differently too. They both end in Bruce Wayne and Batman parting ways. In The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne keeps the body. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman keeps the body. Y’know what? I prefer Nolan’s ending. Why? Because Nolan ended it in a way that they both live. Batman and Bruce Wayne both live. Sure, Bruce Wayne gets the body, but Batman also lives on. Bruce Wayne lives on, lives a happy life. Bruce gets what he wanted. “But Jor, you said it ended similarly to The Dark Knight Returns, but it doesn’t sound similar at all!”
It is similar because Batman also gets his happy ending. This is a common misconception with Bat-fans. I think that people got the wrong idea out of The Dark Knight Returns, I think that people got the wrong idea out of Batman. Batman’s happy ending, is BEING Batman. Batman in a way does and doesn’t want a happy ending. Batman is already living his happy ending. Batman’s happy ending is to BE everlasting, it’s to be incorruptible. At the end of The Dark Knight Returns, Batman after getting rid of Bruce Wayne, after starting a plan to “bring sense to a world plagued by worse than thieves and murderers”, he says “This will be a good life, good enough.”. The comic ends. There you have it, Batman’s happy ending. Batman’s happy ending is to be everlasting. Batman gets his happy ending through John Blake and through whoever else becomes Batman after John Blake. In both endings, Batman lives. This is way beyond Bruce Wayne.
Batman was only just starting.
That’s why I like The Dark Knight Rises’s ending more than The Dark Knight Return’s ending. Nolan was able to pull off an ending for both Bruce Wayne and Batman, while creating a new beginning for Batman. Giving Batman his happy ending, that he never ends.
And then Frank Miller had to frick it all up with The Dark Knight Strikes Again!
JORELLINATOR OUT!
I'd like to thank Yonny 616 for inspiration for this article.