The Dark Knight Rises Should Bruce Wayne/Batman Die or Retire at the end?

[KalMart]

That could also work. It would give WB the option of returning him

Like in The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Ugh. It'd be the John Waters' Batman.

 

[Bathead]

The Legend Ends.

The way I read that poster was:
first it says
"The Legend Ends"

And THEN it says,

"The Dark Knight Rises"

 

[Fabian]

'The Legend Ends' just means the story ends.Dont over-analyze it.

 

[KalMart]

Many of us brought up the idea of Batman dying/retiring even before the movie's title was announced.

 

[KalMart]

The way I read that poster was:
first it says
"The Legend Ends"

And THEN it says,

"The Dark Knight Rises"

Speaks of martyrdom either way, no?

 

[Fabian]

Many of us brought up the idea of Batman dying/retiring even before the movie's title was announced.

yeah but thats something everybody hopes to see one day in a batfilm.

 

[KalMart]

yeah but thats something everybody hopes to see one day in a batfilm.

Who knows...this might be that film.

And actually, it seems it's what most people (at least here) don't want.

 

[Nevincer]

Speaks of martyrdom either way, no?

 

[Nevincer]

Who knows...this might be that film.

And actually, it seems it's what most people (at least here) don't want.

Yeah, it was the completely unthinkable here until the marketing started emphasising it. Honestly, I didn't really think of it as a possibility until I watched Begins extensively, picking up on things like the Wayne's galvanizing the city into saving itself through their deaths and such. Then there was that first interview where Nolan talked about being excited about the 'conclusion' in the script instead of 'blowing up the balloon', which is key. I wouldn't say it's something that you'd immediately think of for the Batman character, but at least from what you can pick up from the writing in these films, it does seem an appropriate conclusion for this Nolan trilogy, irrespective of the source material itself.

 

[Bathead]

Speaks of martyrdom either way, no?

No. That does not necesssarily follow.

 

[Bathead]

yeah but thats something everybody hopes to see one day in a batfilm.

Speak for yourself. I hope to see no such thing. And I'm not the only one.

 

[Godzilla2014]

Yes. So the tagline and title either suggest a heroic death or are contradictory.

But given the conservative mindsets of big studios and their assets (eg: Batman ALWAYS has to have a girlfriend to prove he ain't gay) - I'd be surprised if they were that bold.

Instead I predict a Harry Potter / Godfather 3 style bookend where we flash forward 10 or so years and see an aged Bruce and Alfred shutting down the cave after a rewarding career. A few fitting comments about how Bruce made a difference and how his Father would be proud. Maybe even a reference to others taking over the fight?

This ending allows Nolan to wrap up his universe but also gives WB the option to pursue "untold stories" if they chose to in years to come.

It's the sort of compromise I've come to expect from Hollywood

True, the movies have always given Batman a case of the Notgays. I don't understand why studios think that the audience would assume a character is gay if they don't have a love interest.

As for the flash forward ending idea, I think that would be something of a cheap cop out.

 

[KalMart]

No. That does not necesssarily follow.

The king is dead...long live the king...etc...?

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I seriously am beginning to think this "end" will be Batman becoming a global hero. Somewhat like Batman incorporated. I think with Nolan sticking around as producer for MOS it gives them the freedom to reuse the popular cast in a potential Justice League, and also gives them an excuse to reboot. Nolan made the case the film is about Wayne's only superpower, his wealth. I think that indicates the end has to involve his wealth being put fully towards helping people. So I'm thinking you'll see the Dark Knight RISE from vigilante to SUPERhero by shifting his goals from simply beating up crooks to being proactive. It feeds into his cellphone tech in the last film and the rumors of Fox's fate. I could see him shift towards creating an almost Batman incorporated that could include people like those Batmen and Catwoman who shared his passion.

 

[jabroni2kz]

'The Legend Ends' just means the story ends.Dont over-analyze it.

i don't know, IMO "the epic conclusion to the dark knight legend" means the story ends

"the legend ends" would be totally pointless to add on if it also means the story ends---it has to mean something different

 

[corkyberlin]

what about the fact that Chris Nolan loves a non-ending ending?

I mean, it just seems kind of antithetical to what Chris Nolan has established in the last 2 movies. Kill Bruce Wayne? To what end?

I mean, if you think about it, this is the third part in a story about defying and rising above limitations.

Begins - Spiritual limitations where Batman's moral universe is defined, his image is cemented and he becomes something more than just a man.

Dark Knight - Psychological/Moral where Batman has to grapple with not being able to save everyone and acknowledging that the choice to try and save someone isn't the same as choosing to kill/destroy someone else.

Dark Knight Rises - Physical/??? Bane is an equal opposite to Batman in the known Batman Universe. He was created to break Batman so Batman could rise to the challenge of facing an equal-opposite (Chris Sims wrote a really awesome article about this a while back). To say that that equal-opposite could kill/completely destroy him undercuts what Batman is.

I say he's not dying in this movie.

 

[KalMart]

i don't know, IMO "the epic conclusion to the dark knight legend" means the story ends

"the legend ends" would be totally pointless to add on if it also means the story ends---it has to mean something different

The world itself may keep going and won't suddenly disappear. But this story version will not be told any longer. Narrative wise, it's been clear that he's after a palpable ending to his version of the big story arc, not just a non-continuation after the next chapter. There's no real rule or reason why he can't have Wayne/Batman die or end in this any moreso than having Dent die. So it's certainly not 'nonsensical' in concept to have him die. It just might not be what a lot of Batfans want even as an elseworlds tale or what have you, and in lesser hands be a cheap story device. But if this particular filmmaker wants to use that, it's a good chance that it'll be an interesting alternative.

 

[BestGirl]

I seriously am beginning to think this "end" will be Batman becoming a global hero. Somewhat like Batman incorporated. I think with Nolan sticking around as producer for MOS it gives them the freedom to reuse the popular cast in a potential Justice League, and also gives them an excuse to reboot. Nolan made the case the film is about Wayne's only superpower, his wealth. I think that indicates the end has to involve his wealth being put fully towards helping people. So I'm thinking you'll see the Dark Knight RISE from vigilante to SUPERhero by shifting his goals from simply beating up crooks to being proactive. It feeds into his cellphone tech in the last film and the rumors of Fox's fate. I could see him shift towards creating an almost Batman incorporated that could include people like those Batmen and Catwoman who shared his passion.

That doesn't sound like a real end to me, more like a continuation. We already know that Batman will require a total reboot after this movie and your idea wouldn't lend itself to that.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

That doesn't sound like a real end to me, more like a continuation. We already know that Batman will require a total reboot after this movie and your idea wouldn't lend itself to that.

We don't know that the ending will require a total reboot. No one said that. They said they were looking into rebooting the franchise. You guys read way, way, WAY too much into WB comments.

 

[BestGirl]

We don't know that the ending will require a total reboot. No one said that. They said they were looking into rebooting the franchise. You guys read way, way, WAY too much into WB comments.

I thought that info came from Devin Faraci.

 

[KalMart]

You can find a way of continuing anything...heck, have someone else become Batman after Wayne dies, etc. The question is, what should they do? I would think that they should reboot because this version has made its statement and taken its place in this era. Its storytellers and actors are moving on, so instead of someone else trying to feed off it, better to let a new creative team start with a clean slate....probably about 7 years from now.

 

[Megarob]

You can find a way of continuing anything...heck, have someone else become Batman after Wayne dies, etc. The question is, what should they do? I would think that they should reboot because this version has made its statement and taken its place in this era. Its storytellers and actors are moving on, so instead of someone else trying to feed off it, better to let a new creative team start with a clean slate....probably about 7 years from now.

Agree. I like the idea of someone NEW who LOVES Batman, and loves the story coming in and portraying their take on the story.

 

[ChrisNolan]

Batman dies.

 

[KalMart]

Agree. I like the idea of someone NEW who LOVES Batman, and loves the story coming in and portraying their take on the story.

Well, I think Nolan showed a lot of love and/or respect of Batman on a pretty deep level, and used that to portray him in his own unique style. You'd hope that any filmmaker would take as much care and seriousness, regardless of their style.

 

[gugumugats]

I used to think that it would be cheap to kill off Bruce rather than have him achieve some sort of closure as far as his personal issues go.

HOWEVER, after reading the new EW article and reading of Nolan's reference to A Tale of Two Cities, I decided to visit good old SparkNotes for A Tale of Two Cities http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/twocities/canalysis.html

I ran into this little quote:

Carton’s death has provided much material for scholars and critics of Dickens’s novel. Some readers consider it the inevitable conclusion to a work obsessed with the themes of redemption and resurrection. According to this interpretation, Carton becomes a Christ-like figure, a selfless martyr whose death enables the happiness of his beloved and ensures his own immortality.

.

Now I am conflicted as to whether it would be "cheap" to kill off Bruce. I am starting to see how killing him off acts as some sort of culmination for Bruce's story, and that his death would not necessarily conflict with his self-actualization.