The Dark Knight Rises Would Bruce have gone away with Miranda?

[Mach2Infinity]

If Miranda Tate had been the real deal and not actually Talia al Ghul. Do you think Bruce would have chosen her over Selina? Just re-watched the film recently and it made me wonder. Particularly with scenes where he states "I haven't forgotten about you" when he returns to Gotham.

 

[Ivan Drago]

I would have gone with her.

 

[The Batman]

Yup. The man was sprung. So sprung that he actually "broke character" when Miranda betrayed him, using his normal voice while in costume for the first time in the trilogy.

Miranda is of the same mold as Rachel, and IMO, Rachel is the love of Bruce's life in the Nolanverse.

 

[shauner111]

Yup. The man was sprung. So sprung that he actually "broke character" when Miranda betrayed him, using his normal voice while in costume for the first time in the trilogy.

Miranda is of the same mold as Rachel, and IMO, Rachel is the love of Bruce's life in the Nolanverse.

First time since Begins actually, when he speaks to Rachel in the batcave with a normal voice. Interesting that he also speaks to Selina like that after Talia flees and Bane is killed.

 

[Brother Jack]

I do think Bruce's feelings for her were legitimate, but it's difficult to gauge because Miranda was strategically preying on his grief and loneliness. She was intentionally evoking Rachel in her appearance, ties to the Wayne family business, and brings her up explicitly with the picture when she's in the manor with Bruce. Ironically, Selina also finds that picture but never asks Bruce about her.

 

[BatLobster]

I do think Bruce's feelings for her were legitimate, but it's difficult to gauge because Miranda was strategically preying on his grief and loneliness. She was intentionally evoking Rachel in her appearance, ties to the Wayne family business, and brings her up explicitly with the picture when she's in the manor with Bruce. Ironically, Selina also finds that picture but never asks Bruce about her.

Great observation.

Yeah, I always took it as Bruce's feelings for Miranda were tied up in him seeing her as a Rachel replacement (IE someone he could have a normal life with). And by extension, Bruce's fixation with treating Rachel as his one hope for a normal life is something Rachel warns against in TDK. So I always saw the fact that he ends up with Selina as another instance of Bruce finally being able to let go and move on, which is what TDKR was all about. He falls into Miranda's arms early in the film not because he's moved on (like Alfred and Lucius are urging him to), but actually because he hasn't and she uses that.

I think the contrasting of Bruce's interactions with Selina and Miranda, and having Miranda exploit his grief about Rachel was a subtle but clever aspect of TDKR. The romance angle was certainly not the primary focus or strong point of the trilogy, but they still managed to get some emotionally complex things in there- they just weren't at the forefront. The Bruce/Harvey/Rachel love triangle is another example. It manages to be a source of a lot of drama in the story (even extending to TDKR with the letter), but it's never overplayed in a soap opera-ish way or anything.

As to the original question...I'm honestly not sure. I think in Bruce's mind, he would've been planning to save Miranda and be with her-- but with Selina fighting side by side him with him to save Gotham, and looking damn fine on that Batpod while doing it...I think it's possible he would've eventually ruined things with Miranda by having an affair with Selena.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I do think Bruce's feelings for her were legitimate, but it's difficult to gauge because Miranda was strategically preying on his grief and loneliness. She was intentionally evoking Rachel in her appearance, ties to the Wayne family business, and brings her up explicitly with the picture when she's in the manor with Bruce. Ironically, Selina also finds that picture but never asks Bruce about her.

Nicely observed.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

He should've gone away and settled down with both girls.

 

[titansupes]

He should've gone away and settled down with both girls.