The Dark Knight Year One: The Dark Knight Analysis

[DarKJediKnight]

It's almost a year since TDK was released (one week from now), so I thought that maybe I could share this simple flowchart of the plot and events that occur and comprises the story of TDK. You might already know how the story flows without me sharing my own analysis, or you might even have your own take on how TDK plot flows, but still I felt that this simple flowchart could be an additional help to those who are still trying to understand the story and plot of TDK.

I call this flowchart the Joker's Mind Maze, cause it's Joker's plans and his crazy mind that drives the whole plot of TDK (and sorry for the excessive water mark, there are still unresponsible netizens that might claim that they've thought of this, even though this is a very simple thing t:

Legend:

Rectangle - Original Plan
Tilted Rectangle - Diversion to the Plans
Circle - Outside Factors that do or do not directly affect his (the Joker's) plans

I'll post my explanations later (or maybe you can do your own, base on this flowchart if you understand what I'm trying to do).

 

[frakkingoff]

The only information I can make out from that flowchart is the fact that it was made by DarkJediKnight.

I mean, seriously, did you need to post your name all over it so intrusively, so that none of the actual important text can be read?

Does your name even need to be on it at all? Is it so revolutionary that you are legitimately scared that someone might steal it - and that a little signature in the corner just wouldn't be enough?

 

[Killer Queen77]

The only information I can make out from that flowchart is the fact that it was made by DarkJediKnight.

I mean, seriously, did you need to post your name all over it so intrusively, so that none of the actual important text can be read?

Does your name even need to be on it at all? Is it so revolutionary that you are legitimately scared that someone might steal it - and that a little signature in the corner just wouldn't be enough?

LOL, it IS a little distracting.

And...well, wasn't TDK released on 18th July in the States, and one week later in the UK??

So really - we still have more than a month left before its first anniversary.

 

[Blaztro]

kind of hard to follow the flowchart. YOu know, it is possible to make those watermarks a lighter, less obtrusive shade of grey.

 

[nathaniel]

Its nice you have done this but...

TDK is NOT a very complicated movie, im still trying to figure out why anyone thinks it is I realy doubt anyone who has seen it is puzzled over what happend.

 

[Killer Queen77]

Its nice you have done this but...

TDK is NOT a very complicated movie, im still trying to figure out why anyone thinks it is I realy doubt anyone who has seen it is puzzled over what happend.

Er, some parts of TDK are pretty complicated and can take a few viewings before you get your head around them. You don't have to be quite so condescending.

 

[Anita18]

Its nice you have done this but...

TDK is NOT a very complicated movie, im still trying to figure out why anyone thinks it is I realy doubt anyone who has seen it is puzzled over what happend.

It isn't complicated over "what happens" really, but it can be complicated once you start analyzing things in the Joker's point-of-view: what his immediate motivations are, what his long-term motivations are (if he has any), what he must have planned in his head going into a situation, what could have been his fallback plans, etc.

Goyer and the Nolans just didn't dump things in there to happen for the heck of it. Writing a compelling plot is VERY difficult, and is probably the most difficult part of writing a screenplay.

Although I think a flowchart is probably the wrong way of going about it. I've been pondering a list of what Joker's plans were, and may post it once I'm done with it.

 

[Anita18]

I'm too lazy to reformat, so lemme see if this attachment works....

Basically, I lay out the situation in each of Joker's plans in the movie, the goal, the trick, other possibilities, and the result.

In my view, his overall goal was not turning Harvey Dent. Joker could not foresee what Harvey could or couldn't do, nor could he foresee if Harvey would die in the warehouse if Batman or Gordon failed to save him. He certainly likes taunting Batman and Gordon about it though, because he can.

From the very beginning, his goal was the ferry experiment. since he steals enough ammonium nitrate for the job before the movie's timeline even starts. (Even before the bank robbery.) Everything else leading up to the ferry situation was to ensure that people would fear him enough to make his threat credible.

 

[Bat-Gasm]

The only thing that still gets me about TDK. Is who was in on Gordon's fake death plan.

If I could just somehow wrap my mind around that.

 

[voyzovrezon]

The only thing that still gets me about TDK. Is who was in on Gordon's fake death plan.

If I could just somehow wrap my mind around that.

Well, we do know for sure it wasn't his wife.

 

[Killer Queen77]

The only thing that still gets me about TDK. Is who was in on Gordon's fake death plan.

If I could just somehow wrap my mind around that.

Yeah, that part still confuses me after many repeated viewings!

Stephens looks genuinely shocked when Gordon is 'shot'. Yet in the MCU straight after, he and the other cops are going about their business while Rachel's on the phone to Harvey. And she doesn't look all that shocked when Harvey says to her 'And he's gone'. Especially seeing as Gordon is supposed to be a friend of Rachel's, according to her - you'd think she'd react a little more surprised to hear that he'd died! Oh I don't know, lol.

 

[Mac_Hine]

I'm too lazy to reformat, so lemme see if this attachment works....

Basically, I lay out the situation in each of Joker's plans in the movie, the goal, the trick, other possibilities, and the result.

In my view, his overall goal was not turning Harvey Dent. Joker could not foresee what Harvey could or couldn't do, nor could he foresee if Harvey would die in the warehouse if Batman or Gordon failed to save him. He certainly likes taunting Batman and Gordon about it though, because he can.

From the very beginning, his goal was the ferry experiment. since he steals enough ammonium nitrate for the job before the movie's timeline even starts. (Even before the bank robbery.) Everything else leading up to the ferry situation was to ensure that people would fear him enough to make his threat credible.

Good read and made me see a couple of things that I hadn't thought about. Thx for the work Anita.

 

[batman11]

I'm too lazy to reformat, so lemme see if this attachment works....

Basically, I lay out the situation in each of Joker's plans in the movie, the goal, the trick, other possibilities, and the result.

In my view, his overall goal was not turning Harvey Dent. Joker could not foresee what Harvey could or couldn't do, nor could he foresee if Harvey would die in the warehouse if Batman or Gordon failed to save him. He certainly likes taunting Batman and Gordon about it though, because he can.

From the very beginning, his goal was the ferry experiment. since he steals enough ammonium nitrate for the job before the movie's timeline even starts. (Even before the bank robbery.) Everything else leading up to the ferry situation was to ensure that people would fear him enough to make his threat credible.

Great read Anita. Nicely compiled.

 

[Anita18]

Yeah, that part still confuses me after many repeated viewings!

Stephens looks genuinely shocked when Gordon is 'shot'. Yet in the MCU straight after, he and the other cops are going about their business while Rachel's on the phone to Harvey. And she doesn't look all that shocked when Harvey says to her 'And he's gone'. Especially seeing as Gordon is supposed to be a friend of Rachel's, according to her - you'd think she'd react a little more surprised to hear that he'd died! Oh I don't know, lol.

Well, there was just an attempt on the mayor's life, and they only caught a few of Joker's goons, not to mention the Joker was still at large. Despite losing their leader, they have to continue doing their jobs.

I actually doubt that anyone at the MCU knew Gordon was still alive, but there must have been someone on the GPD who did, because he managed to sneak in there as the SWAT van driver. Or maybe the GPD is so incompetent WITHOUT Gordon that he was able to sneak in there on his own. Obviously someone at the hospital Gordon was taken to had to have been in on it, but that's the only requirement.

Gordon being a "friend" of Rachel's was somewhat of a joke, in reference to BB where they were the only civilians on the ground with the fear toxin antidote thanks to their "mutual friend." I'm sure if Gordon was really a friend of Rachel's, Harvey would have known about it already.

 

[Anita18]

Good read and made me see a couple of things that I hadn't thought about. Thx for the work Anita.

Great read Anita. Nicely compiled.

Woo! I'm glad someone actually read it!

 

[voyzovrezon]

Woo! I'm glad someone actually read it!

I always read your analysis. You'd be a great screen writer.

 

[Anita18]

I always read your analysis. You'd be a great screen writer.

What's funny is that I've never written a screenplay in my life. I'm too ADD - if I get an idea for a story, I never see it through.

 

[voyzovrezon]

I've written short stories for a creative writing class I took. One was about a lab rat that gets injected with growth hormone. You can take it from there. t:

 

[DarKJediKnight]

Okay, Here i go. I've made the pic much bigger and the watermark lighter. The flowchart is very simple, and I've read Anita's analysis and I could say that we are both on the same path though with different interpretation on some tiny bits.

First let me explain how the Joker's mind work. He said that he was a guy with no plan but it doesn't exactly mean that he doesn't organize his schemes. It's just that when he sees something during/at the middle of the execution of his plan that could make his plan more exciting or that could serve his plan's purpose, he doesn't mind bringing that factor into his plan. That made him like a dog chasing cars, "he doesn't knows what to do once he caught it". He just chases it, he just do it. Those factors are represented as circles in the flowchart.

Now it doesn't exactly mean that these outside factors directly affects or changes Joker's plans, like that factor where Joker was interrogated by Batman. Whether Batman was there or not there working with Gordon, his original plan (which is to escape from the prison with Lau while authorities look for Dent and Dawes) would still work.

In the plan where he spreads panic throughout Gotham by threatening to bomb hospitals, he sees two factors that could make his plan and goal more exciting. Even if Reese doesn't go to the TV station to reveal Batman's identity, Joker could just send a video to the TV station (like what he did on his past threats) which would tell his plans to the whole city. He also sees that he could make Dent his "ace in the hole" if ever his other plan fails.

One other thing that is noteworthy with Joker's character is that he's ready to die just to prove his point, to reach his goal. What is Joker's goal really with all these plans? I think we all know that by now, and that is to show everyone is just as crazy as him.

This is my take on what happened during the capture scene with the other three main characters:

Bruce Wayne – willing to reveal himself to the public, but was urged by Alfred (not to be a hero, make the right choice) and Rachel (they’ll never let us gonna be together) not to. Harvey takes the blame for himself before he could act.

Harvey Dent – has a strong faith in Batman’s crusade against crime (you can’t give in) so he takes the blame for himself. He didn’t conspire with anyone (especially Gordon) and just “makes his own luck”. He trusts Batman “to save his ass”.

Gordon – he was made unconscious by the bullet shot, but was saved by his vest. Off screen he gained consciousness, told a few and his most trusted men to keep his secret to formulate a plan to capture Joker. When he sees what Dent does in the press conference he realizes he must let it happen, let Batman capture Joker while the latter’s after Dent. Meanwhile he decides that he must be there when all that happens so if anything goes wrong (and it does), he would take the opportunity to take Joker down himself, by inserting himself in the SWAT protection team.