The Dark Knight Rises On Lao's kidnapping and death

[XtremelyBaneful]

I apologize if such a thread was made already,

but I have a question.. when something like this happens, I think internationals would be really pissed off. Not only was a man brought overseas against his will, but he died in the city he was trying to escape from.

Nothing about this was touched upon in the film, I suppose because it is not that important to the story, but his death also occurred on the same day as the last scene in the film when it ends, so maybe repercussions will be shown somewhere in the film.

Perhaps Bane recruits some of Lao's men or something of the sort? Actually, I dunno. Sounds unlikely. Seems unlikely too.

 

[misterteenwolf]

i'm not sure of the technical term but he was wanted by gotham pd when batman came and got him overseas. he was paying for police protection but that's technically illegal. the hong kong government can't openly state that they're protecting a wanted fugitive from the united states. the way that batman comes and kidnaps him is questionable but the hong kong government certainly wouldn't go out of their way to get him back. that would cause all kinds of bureaucratic mess

 

[CrypticOne]

I forget, how did Lao die?

Spoiler

Was he burned on top of that money?!

 

[AnneFan]

I forget, how did Lao die?

Spoiler

Was he burned on top of that money?!

Yes.

 

[CrypticOne]

Yes.

Wow. What a way to go out. Seems like fire was the symbol for that movie.

"Everything burns."

 

[KneelBeforeZod]

I apologize if such a thread was made already,

but I have a question.. when something like this happens, I think internationals would be really pissed off. Not only was a man brought overseas against his will, but he died in the city he was trying to escape from.

Nothing about this was touched upon in the film, I suppose because it is not that important to the story, but his death also occurred on the same day as the last scene in the film when it ends, so maybe repercussions will be shown somewhere in the film.

Perhaps Bane recruits some of Lao's men or something of the sort? Actually, I dunno. Sounds unlikely. Seems unlikely too.

(1) Regarding a Lao connection ...

I don't think Lao had all that many men. He was a businessman, accountant, and money launderer ... not a mob boss. He had some private security -- but they're hired guns, not personal devotees. I doubt they'd care much once the paychecks stopped.

There won't be a Lao connection. He was a paper pusher. Batman would be more likely to get comeuppance from devotees of the Chechen, Falcone or Maroni. Mobsters have a lot more pull than does a money launderer.

(2) Regarding a China connection ...

China doesn't extradite citizens -- but Batman isn't an official agent of the U.S. or Gotham. He's a vigilante. The Chinese government might hold Batman responsible ... if they can find him. Guess they could kidnap and torture him -- like they did Jack Bauer on 24 (after he stormed a Chinese embassy to capture a terrorist they were harboring, and the Ambassador got killed). They also might hold Harvey Dent responsible, figuring he enlisted Batman's help getting around extradition laws ... but Dent is dead.

I doubt there is a China connection. It is possible there would be geopolitical ramifications to an American vigilante kidnapping a Chinese citizen to an American city ... where he was burned alive by a psycho. But this ain't 24. I don't think the geopolitics will make much difference.

And, its 8-years later.

If Bane's plot includes a revenge element from the events of The Dark Knight, I'd bet on a mob connection, not Chinese. Maroni, Gamble, the Chechen, etc. got burned pretty heavily in TDK. Or, maybe a revenge element from Batman Begins -- the League of Shadows is probably pretty pissed off; and the Falcone family took a major beating.

KBZ

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

(1) Regarding a Lao connection ...

I don't think Lao had all that many men. He was a businessman, accountant, and money launderer ... not a mob boss. He had some private security -- but they're hired guns, not personal devotees. I doubt they'd care much once the paychecks stopped.

There won't be a Lao connection. He was a paper pusher. Batman would be more likely to get comeuppance from devotees of the Chechen, Falcone or Maroni. Mobsters have a lot more pull than does a money launderer.

(2) Regarding a China connection ...

China doesn't extradite citizens -- but Batman isn't an official agent of the U.S. or Gotham. He's a vigilante. The Chinese government might hold Batman responsible ... if they can find him. Guess they could kidnap and torture him -- like they did Jack Bauer on 24 (after he stormed a Chinese embassy to capture a terrorist they were harboring, and the Ambassador got killed). They also might hold Harvey Dent responsible, figuring he enlisted Batman's help getting around extradition laws ... but Dent is dead.

I doubt there is a China connection. It is possible there would be geopolitical ramifications to an American vigilante kidnapping a Chinese citizen to an American city ... where he was burned alive by a psycho. But this ain't 24. I don't think the geopolitics will make much difference.

And, its 8-years later.

If Bane's plot includes a revenge element from the events of The Dark Knight, I'd bet on a mob connection, not Chinese. Maroni, Gamble, the Chechen, etc. got burned pretty heavily in TDK. Or, maybe a revenge element from Batman Begins -- the League of Shadows is probably pretty pissed off; and the Falcone family took a major beating.

KBZ

He seemed to be a pretty rich guy. I mean if he is up there ****ing with Wayne Enterprises he must be, plus they had those lines about how he's paying the cops or whatever, as if he runs that part of Hong Kong... meh. I guess since it is not that important to the story it won't be addressed. Would make for some cool fanfics, though.

 

[KneelBeforeZod]

I'm sure he was loaded. But, rent-a-cops and hired commandos tend to stop fighting when the paychecks stop coming. Most won't hold a grudge enough to hunt Batman down ... especially since he whipped their asses last time they saw him.

KBZ

 

[DasFeuerSteigt]

Wow, I never spotted anyone on top of the money before. How did I miss that?

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

^ Maybe because Lao wasn't able to make any gagged mouth muffled sounds.

 

[KneelBeforeZod]

Wow, I never spotted anyone on top of the money before. How did I miss that?

Yeah, he's up there.

What'd you think Joker did with him after kidnapping him out of his jail cell?

KBZ

 

[DasFeuerSteigt]

Yeah, he's up there.

What'd you think Joker did with him after kidnapping him out of his jail cell?

KBZ

I have no idea, I just always quickly forgot about him.

 

[MessenjahMatt]

I have no idea, I just always quickly forgot about him.

Yeah, took me a few viewings to even realized that's what happened. It had to be cut out of the film for ratings purposes, since they went through the trouble of creating a dummy to set on fire but never showed it or even hinted at it.

 

[KalMart]

Yeah, took me a few viewings to even realized that's what happened. It had to be cut out of the film for ratings purposes, since they went through the trouble of creating a dummy to set on fire but never showed it or even hinted at it.

Didn't you notice that he threw a wad of cash at him before setting it on fire?

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I noticed it on the first go around. In fact, that scene stayed with me so much that I couldn't concentrate the rest of the film. I kept thinking if Lau was a descendant of Puyi or something. Or maybe he was a descendant of Confucius. Did he have a heir? Did the Joker kill off the last descendant of Confucius? That's a bigger crime than scarring Dent. But NO! Can't be. I am sure he has many cousins to carry on the Confucius name brand.

 

[MessenjahMatt]

Didn't you notice that he threw a wad of cash at him before setting it on fire?

Yeah, but I was so engrossed in Heath's performance that Lau is completely out of my mind after that. Especially since he's never seen or heard again.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Yeah, but I was so engrossed in Heath's performance that Lau is completely out of my mind after that. Especially since he's never seen or heard again.

How can charred corpses be heard?

 

[KalMart]

Yeah, but I was so engrossed in Heath's performance that Lau is completely out of my mind after that. Especially since he's never seen or heard again.

I remember finding it immediately funny that he actually hit him with it.

 

[MessenjahMatt]

How can charred corpses be heard?

He wasn't gagged or anything, he would've started screaming like hell once he caught fire.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

He wasn't gagged or anything, he would've started screaming like hell once he caught fire.

im pretty sure he was gagged.

 

[MessenjahMatt]

nope.

 

[Cassandra Cain]

Well the audience can't really tell whether or not he was gagged, which is pretty much all that matters (I didn't even remember seeing his face fully, save for the fact that Joker threw cash at his face...but I somehow knew it was Lau nonetheless). But even so, I always wondered why we couldn't hear him screaming for this life. I guess Nolan wanted our full focus on Joker and his speech. It worked.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

nope.

that might have been an outtake.

 

[MessenjahMatt]

that might have been an outtake.

It's a screenshot from the actual film.

 

[KalMart]

Chinese people burn quieter than other people.