And yet, even in those movies, if you paid attention like you said you did, even if he wanted to get out, there's always something that prevents him from actually achieving this goal and that's the beauty of the whole situation.
Alfred in this movie wants him to live his life but he forgets that there's another madman at loose and no, the police can't handle that. Bruce knows it and Blake knows it that only Batman can defeat Bane, just like he did in the end. So, i've always liked the idea that he wants to carry on with life..but just can't.
The line in Batman: Mask of Phantasm says it all. Watch that movie.
So, to my mind, like i said previously, even if Bruce gives up of being Batman, that means, is finished donning the cape and cowl, because he's too old or because his body can't handle it, he can't give up the fight against injustice because there's always new threats and new forms of injustice and plenty of ways to fight it instead of actually going out at night to beat up criminals. So, to simply give up of Gotham and forget about it, to me, is a disservice to the character. I understand the way it was done because that's the way Nolan saw it as being his end. I don't have to like it or agree. We can all have different interpretations and opinions so please don't say i didn't get the themes of these movies just because i don't agree with you.
