The Batman: 10 Questions After Watching Still Need Explanation? The Joker Story? Who Killed Bruce Wayne’s Parents?
The Batman is dominating the cinecomics scene, with the DC film continuing to exceed box office expectations and surprise fans. The film centers on the masked crusader during his second year of fighting crime, as he pursues the Riddler, a serial killer who targets Gotham City’s elite citizens. He discovers the corruption that connects to his family during the investigation and is forced to join new allies to capture the Riddler and bring the corrupt people to justice. Matt Reeves’ film, which is unrelated to any other live-action project in the DC universe, is committed to establishing its own mythology – a mythology so dense it naturally raises questions.
The Batman: 10 Questions After
The Batman hit theaters exactly a month ago and its HBO Max debut date is approaching. Let’s try to answer some big questions we have after watching the movie.
Who Killed Bruce Wayne’s Parents?
The biggest narrative doubt introduced by The Batman – to which there isn’t really an answer in the film – concerns who attacked Thomas and Martha Wayne before they died. Over the course of the second half of the film, Bruce presents conflicting accounts of who may have killed the Waynes, following the words of reporter Edward Elliot threatening to overthrow the campaign for mayor of Thomas. While Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) originally told Bruce that Salvatore Maroni had orchestrated the murder of Thomas and Martha, Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis) suggested otherwise, believing it was Falcone who ordered the hit. Later, he argued that he couldn’t be completely sure and that the murder could have simply been set in motion by a random man who wanted to rob them.
This ambiguity echoes many stories from the original comics regarding the Waynes’ deaths. One of the ideas was even that the killer was just an ordinary “Joe Chill.” The new Batman movies might not explain that ambiguity, but it seems likely that it could be addressed again.
Hush
Another surprise in the Wayne murder story is the fact that the reporter trying to expose their family history was called Edward Elliot – a name that surprised fans. In the comics, Edward is Thomas Elliot’s great-great-grandfather, a childhood friend of Bruce who eventually becomes the super-villain face-stealing maniac Hush.
Consider the fact that Nashton’s viral video literally put the word “Hush” on the screen while describing the conspiracy that sought to silence Edward Elliot. So, fans kept wondering if a later Batman chapter could introduce Tommy. Some have even taken the theories one step further, suggesting that Nashton may be an alias and that the puzzle is actually Tommy. Not only does the Riddler costume mirror Hush quite well, but it could hypothetically reprise the animated film Batman: Hush.
Is There A Deeper Conspiracy?
We definitely need to mention the overall storyline of the Waynes, Arkhams and their influence on Gotham. This seems to be at the heart of what killed Thomas and Martha years ago. The Riddler’s video message establishes that the Waynes and Arkhams are two of Gotham ‘s oldest families . And it is clear that their control over the city extends beyond the Waynes’ estates and Arkham Asylum. Although Falcone is considered to be at the top of the chain during the events of The Batman, there are other secrets he keeps until his death that he won shortly thereafter.
The idea that the Waynes and the Arkhams have long-standing roots in Gotham is certainly not new. But that’s a pretty cool detail when you consider the Court of Owls, the ancient secret society that first debuted in the comics. Carmine Falcone may be a member of the Court of Owls and the secret society may have helped him rise to power. Robert Pattinson hinted that the Court of Owls might appear in the second film, so we’ll have an answer soon.
Did Venom Appear in The Batman?
One of the more particular theories regarding The Batman refers to the moment when Bruce injects a green liquid into his leg to try to gain the strength to continue fighting in the third part. The substance may just be some form of liquid adrenaline, but fans have quickly pointed out its resemblance to Venom, which Bane uses to gain his strength in the comics Was that really Venom? And could this perhaps suggest a connection with Bane in the upcoming films, even if the latest Batman trilogy has already addressed the subject?
The Rise Of The Power Of Penguin
The final moments of The Batman show Gotham flooded, along with Bruce’s monologues about how the townspeople are trying to heal. Among them is Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (Colin Farrell), who has made himself heard in Falcone’s old hideout and appears to be planning his rise to power. We already know that a Penguin sequel series will be made on HBO Max – but what exactly will be the driving force behind the series? What new characters or sources of conflict might Oz run into? And will the Gotham flood help him fix the Iceberg Lounge properly?
The Joker Story
One of the film’s final sequences takes us to Arkham Asylum, where the Riddler befriends a cellmate (played by Barry Keoghan) who tries to push him back. As fans have discovered, especially after the deleted five-minute scene involving Robert Pattinson and Barry Keoghan went online, that character is clearly The Batman’s version of the celebrated Joker villain. How was this version of Joker born? What are his plans for Gotham City? Maybe we’ll find out more in the Arkham Asylum series that’s in development with HBO Max.
Selina’s Future
The final moments of The Batman show Bruce and Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) separate, after the latter decides to leave Gotham after Falcone’s death. When asked, Selina makes it clear that she is not 100% sure of what she is going to do – she could go north to Blüdhaven to fight other corrupt businessmen there. She looks sure she’ll be featured in the sequels too, but how will she change this time away from Gotham? Could we see her story in a spin-of project?
How Will Batman Change In The Next Films?
Though The Batman’s ending involves other characters’ plots, the deepest moments relate to the role of Bruce as he begins to realize that Gotham needs him as a symbol of hope. It is unknown what the future holds for Bruce, other than Selina who claims that he will have to fight the “takeover” of people trying to gain control after the floods and Falcone’s death. Either way, Bruce Wayne seems ready to face whatever that entails. How will he relate to his alter ego Batman in the sequels, both in private and in the public eye? As the DC canon demonstrates, there are a lot of storytelling possibilities for this – and we may see an as-yet-unreleased Batman journey.
More Scenes Dedicated To Bruce Wayne
Starting from this, one of the strongest elements of Bruce’s characterization in The Batman is his involvement in his alternate secret identity. To the point that his life as Bruce Wayne is quite neglected. Newspaper clippings in the Riddler’s hideout suggest that Bruce has been featured in the tabloids in the past, possibly due to a potential love interest. Now that the protagonist’s vision of being Batman has changed, will his vision of Bruce Wayne be the same? Could we see him making a conscious effort to build his persona and perhaps find another love interest in the future? Matt Reeves’ comments seem to suggest this.
The Villains And Heroes Of The Sequels
The Batman ends with a serious twist for Gotham City, as the flood has left the situation more shaken than ever. Between that, the death of Falcone and Batman who now publicly operates as a hero, it seems pretty sure that new villains and costumed heroes will come out. What new Batman-related characters could we see in a sequel? Fans have already mentioned characters like Robin and Mr. Freeze, but we still don’t have certainty.
