Batman: The Animated Series was the main piece of media to bring complexity out of comics and into the mainstream. Slowly, Batman and his villains are becoming shells of their former selves. #batman #batmantheanimatedseries #videoessay
I see a lot of confusion and disagreement around my comment that Bruce is Batman's persona and he has been replaced by Batman. I'm discussing BTAS and the writers' bible which can be found here: tvwriting.co.uk/tv_scripts/Collections/Animation/Batman/Batman_Writers%27_Guidelines.pdf It supports my points in the character section. It's also a really interesting read if you like Batman or the show. I posted it in a few other comments so I might as well put it here because I think some people are mixing versions of Batman. After all, he is unique in certain ways across all media. I forgot to include it in the video so here is the supporting evidence from the creators.
This guideline they followed for the show works perfectly for BTAS because they still made Batman empathetic, nuanced, and kind. I think the problem with this stance for a lot of people nowadays is that most modern Batman runs and adaptions have him as violent, ruthless, and borderline uncaring to his villains. This would be fine if he had growth or developed from this, but they keep doing the same arc for him and regressing him back to this. It always ends in a positive arc conclusion, but then they just do it again with everyone acting OOC like we just had in the most recent comic run. The Batman with Battison seems to (this could totally go the opposite direction in the sequel) have Bruce realize he needs to change at the end of the movie. He has that entire literal baptism symbolism moment in the water and becoming a beacon of light/hope for the people where the kid was the first one to follow his lead out of the building. Then we have that long shot of him waiting with that person on the stretcher as a moment of kindness and reassurance because he doesn’t want to be just a symbol of vengeance and fear anymore.
Another very good example is the banquet scene in Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, where everyone is wearing a mask. When Selina asks "who are you supposed to be?", Bruce replies by saying something like "eccentric billionaire Bruce Wayne", which implies that Bruce Wayne IS a mask...a disguise. That's what Rachel says to him at the end of Batman Begins.
It wasn't just BTAS. It's true in the comics, too. There's a moment where Wonder Woman has Bruce and Superman hold the Lasso of Truth and speak their true names. She says, "Diana," Superman says, "Clark Kent." Bruce says, "Batman."
@Cell287 that's just factually not true but I still love his no kill rule but now days its done poorly cuz they take away his humanity and make him overly brutal so I can't buy new batmen not killing it's dumb and bad writing
"Could you picture your Batman comforting a scared child? If yes, that's a certified Batman. If no, then that's the Punisher in a silly hat." -Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions EDIT: I know Punisher has comforted kids in the past. I'm just quoting the general idea of "Batman-as-Symbol-of-Hope".
Funny considering how we're introduced to Bruce in BvS by being at ground zero of Man of Steel's final fight, and see him try to save who he can, and even confort a child who lost her mother.
Even Zacks batman comforters a child in the begging of BvS also no don't care for Snyder's version but people forget that batman being compassionate to more than a child tho is when you know it's batman like his villains
Bro comforting children is the baseline for all Superheroes, it isn't something peculiar to only Batman. Even All-star Batman who is just an asshole at some point comforted Dick when he took him in. Even the punisher does it which makes this quote just weird.
Also snyderverse batman isn't even adapting the story Zack "likes" right since that batman explained why he doesn't use guns while snyderverse DERP I'M GONNA USE GUNS
@@OctavioMagnus I like his batman, mostly the outfit because that one is just perfect. I liked how he was the guy who was wrong the hole movie and in the end he changes back to the hero he was, as seen in justice league. Also he does comfort a child in BvS. I understand not liking him as a matter of taste but if people want to be complete critical they should análise the movie as a hole not just go with what someone says.
Someone once said that as a kid, he thought this was Batman’s easiest fight, because all he had to do was sit next to a child. But as an adult, he realized, that “fight” was his most difficult.
Something I liked a lot in The Batman movie is how Bruce realizes his anger and violance will only generate more of it, and to overcome this he has to be something else, he has to be hope
Yeah, I think Matt Reeves gets it. Christopher Nolan got it too. That moment in Batman begins when he gives the Game of Thrones kid his parascope thing. And when he volunteers to let Gordon throw him under the bus at the end of the Dark Knight. He could have let Harvey Dent take the fall, he could have told Gordon to blame everything on the Joker, but Gotham was more important to him than his own reputation.
@@kos8571 Would you not? His entire mission is to end crime and the evil that took his parents. I think there’s his own other intentions with mere vengeance against the world, but it’s not as if he prioritizes his own pursuits above the lives of others. They ARE what he desires to help. I suppose you could also say that he learns to stop seeking vengeance because it gets in the way of his heroism, although I’d say that’s more exemplative of him growing as a man, and not his innermost intentions
Watched "Baby Doll" with my 10 year old daughter. That last "I didn't mean to" broke me like it always does. As the credits rolled, I looked over and saw my daughter crying, too. "That was a sad one, Dad, but I liked it."
The show was ahead of is time, and created some of ours own great villains. Harley and Baby Doll along them. Mary not getting seen for what she wanted to be seen as is also a tragedy. She just wanted to be acknowledged as more than her role, than a child from a TV show. It's almost like Daniel Radcliffe. After Harry Potter, he tried to branch out, almost like he was rebelling again the role. Mark Hamel, ironically enough, is a great example. Luke Skywalker and Joker.
@CaffeineVampire, I'd love to see a batman who drinks mocktails. A huge helping of alcohol in the manor, Alfred mixes up something for himself and Jason, D&D get a coke and batsy just has a shirley temple.
The batman Zack brought in is the one that lost everyone Jason Todd was thought to be dead and don't get me wrong batman doesn't drink like an alcoholic or anything but he does drink at quote unquote Bruce Wayne events but not a lot I think his idea was to make him a little more human more realistic
@@sethwells1602 Exactly. He showed us a Bruce Wayne who's old and lost everything, it made sense for him to have these type of destructive habits. And it's even more inspiring when we see how much he changes for the better in ZSJL.
One thing I love from the recent Nightwing run is from issue 100 where Dick tells Bruce “You were young, you were driven and you were grieving. And you put all that aside to take in a kid who had lost everything in an instant.” He continues, saying: “You didn’t have to do that. You could have turned your back on me.” Bruce says “No, I couldn’t.” Dick replies and says “No. You couldn’t. And I’ve tried to repay that kindness every day of my life since.” That is Batman. That is who he is. He lives to protect people not just as Batman, but as Bruce Wayne. People seem to forget the latter...
But he didn't protect Dick Grayson as Bruce Wayne, he did so as Batman, which is really pretty screwed up. He should've arranged for proper foster care, not turned him into a child soldier. Hell, he could've made his own orphanage, screened every caretaker, and made sure Dick and many others had access to everything they could need.
@@SonicMegaKinghow many people in foster care would be able to relate and understand Dick? Bruce took him in and wasnt just like "in going to train this kid to be Robin", but intended the kid to have a somewhat normal life. Unfortunately Dicks hurt and rage compelled him to seek out Zuko, his families murderer, to get revenge and it almost got him killed. THAT'S when Bruce decided to train him to fight, survive and to have empathy and compassion. I ask you, what foster care would have been able to help him or save him when Dick decided to hunt the murderer on his own? Nope, Bruce was the best course: in fact, they were what each other needed at the time. Change my mind.
@@SonicMegaKing except, Dick was hurting and raging. He sought out Zuko just like FoolishPrince said. Dick would've gotten himself killed, if Bruce didn't take him in.
@@FoolishPrince Reminds me of this scene from Young Justice: Wonder Woman : You indoctrinated Robin into crimefighting at the ripe-old age of nine. Batman : Robin needed to help bring the man who murdered his family to justice. Wonder Woman : So he could turn out like you? Batman : So that he wouldn't.
My favorite example that's not in this video is the end of "The Man Who Killed Batman." Batman has just reappeared after his apparent death, and takes the man believed responsible, "Sid the Squid," to prison. However, he lets the other inmates believe that Sid is actually a criminal genius who _almost_ killed Batman, instead of the meek, bumbling coward he really is. Batman didn't have to do that, but he saw that Sid was harmless and just wanted a little respect, so he let Sid keep his (unearned) reputation among Gotham’s underworld.
Weren’t the criminals in the prison also saying that Sid made The Joker look like a fool? You know Joker is going to take him out once word reaches him
@@peterversionone Realistically, yes. I don’t think the writers had that possibility in mind, though, since deliberately putting a target on someone's back isn't Batman's style. (Looking at you, Snyder.)
Batman is at his best when he's being the hero he truly is, wanting to help his villains and doing everything in his power to make Gotham a better place, not just being edgy and violent.
I mean I wouldn’t use edgy and violent considering Gotham criminal he’s facing off are deranged psychopaths, so he has to be the terror to them. But I agree that writer forget to write Batman as his best when he’s the caring compassionate hero we know him as.
There was a scene in a comic quite a few years ago (I believe written by Doug Moench) in which Batman saves a woman from something (can't remember what), brings her up to a rooftop, and she starts sobbing. He holds her and says 'it's alright let it out, I'm right here". THAT is Batman.
The most iconic scene for me with Batman is him sitting with Ace as she dies. He is compassion. He understands pain, trauma, heartbreak, and loss. He understands it all so keenly and his most powerful, fundamental desire is to see no one else suffer it.
There's a reason why Batman volunteered to get to Ace when Waller wanted to use a weapon on Ace, but Batman never intended to use that weapon on Ace. He knows that Ace suffered enough already. He sat down with her until her time came, and yet, the world was saved in the end. All because of Batman's compassion to Ace. The best part about the Ace scene is that it led to Waller creating Bruce's future successor: Terry McGinnis (Is that how you spell his name?). One of the biggest W's in Batman's history.
@@ARTSONICFAN990 The most fascinating thing about that for me is that Waller has to know Batman doesn't want to use the weapon. But she trusts him to know if it's needed and do it anyway if he has to. It's the biggest sign that Waller understands Batman up to that point, and I wholly agree that Ace was what convinced Waller the world needed a Batman. She went to mad, evil lengths trying to do it, but fortunately got called out and took that L. That the world decided to anoint Terry anyway wasn't on her.
Paul Dini wrote a comic about when he was assaulted and robbed. He talks to the various characters from TAS, but Batman is notably quiet. Dini wonders where Batman falls in all of this, why didn't Batman protect him after all Paul has done for him? Batman finally speaks, telling him that he was there when Dini was left on the ground injured. He was the one who told Paul to get up and survive.
zack never understood that batman isn't an unhinged psychopath like the punisher, he's a hero who mostly spends time saving lives than just being a boogeyman to criminals.
There are even crossover issue where Batman interacts with The Punisher. He completely despises how Frank Castle deals with common thugs and criminals.
As the late great, legend Batman himself, Kevin Conroy once said (I’m paraphrasing) Batman’s compassion, especially his compassion towards his villains is his greatest strength.
See I like The Batman (2022) largely because Robert Battinson isn't properly Batman yet, he's just "Vengeance", who is a sorta extreme version of a Zack Snyder Batman- but over the course of the film he realises that *just* being Vengeance is a dead end that only creates more pain, hence he grows further in to being a Conroy type Batman throughout the film. He's not quite there yet, but I think he might be closer in part 2
I have to agree on that. I was watching the movie and I was "this is kind of cool but I think he leans to much into the Snyder's Batman side of things" and then the final hits and the moment he realizes he has to be the hope is the moment the whole movie clicked for me. That was a true Batman moment, no doubt
@@FUDOYUSEI2814 The absence of Batterangs also helps. Throughout the majority of the film Batman is without his most iconic crime fighting tool, but by the end of the film he has it and uses it to save everyone. Even at the risk of his own life. The second he pops that Bat symbol off his chest and uses it to cut the light, he completed his transformation from an agent of vengeance… into the true Batman.
I legit bust out laughing when you said dressing up like a bat & spending every second dedicated to recapturing the same 15 people every night takes extreme dedication 😂😂
Everytime I say I hate batman, I always mean the modern one, the "batgod" as some people dubbed him. Batman was always at his best not as an overpowered human character, but as the *human* superhero. The one who tries to help his villians instead of crippling them and then saying "I dont kill so im not evil". All my favorite batman media is when batman is showing his humanity instead of simply being dark and cold to everyone. Thank you for talking about this batman
I dislike Modern Batman as well . I always think of this quote from Batman Beyond and how it describes how Batman has fallen: 'I don't hate him. I hate what he's become.'
I feel like The Batman movie directed by Matt Reeves did a great job of showing that plus if I'm not mistaken, that movies inspiration was from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and Batman: The Animated Series.
God, we're never getting another piece of media aimed at children, but with writing at an adult level like we got with Batman. It never flinched from difficult subjects, it never dumbed complex concepts down, it just wrapped them in a dressing that kids could enjoy even if they didn't understand. It could stoke conversations between parents and children. My dad used to love watching Batman, and Gargoyles with me... I miss those days
Wonderful video. This is also why, despite being quite unpopular with a certain sub-set of the fanbase, why Robin is integral to Batman. Batmans life was stolen from him, and in his own way, it drove him mad. But by building a family of his own, he is reclaiming that life. Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, Barbara, Gordon and Alfred gives Batman hope, and he channels that hope outward. Both to Gotham, and to us, the readers/viewers/players.
People clown Pattinson's Batman for being a novice detective but his batman is someone that I can see comforting a child. I believe that was highlighted with how he empathize with the mayor's kid.
It's why I don't like most of the modern comics after the 90s. They make Batman too Psycho or brutal. He cares about people, and his family but has a hard time showing it because he's emotionally stalled, but not incapable. Speaking of Babydoll, I hated the second episode that paired her with Croc. It ruined her character. It would have been nice if the episode showed Batman checking up on her and mak sure she was okay, or her doing the same for him maybe even criticizing how much colder he's become.
“Love is a croc” was definitely one of the weakest episodes. Babydoll is entirely different and she probably should have stayed as a one off character. She’s not interesting enough beyond her motivation in the original episode but your idea would have been cool to see
0:38 Zack snyder is the type of guy who could say unashamely "Homelander did nothing wrong..." and defend him saying that all the victims he killed or torture deserve it... even blind spot despite homelander and the audience barelly even knew him outside of beeing a wannabe daredevil.
Batman is complete because he is a walking contradiction. He was born because of death. He is a vengeful child in an adult's body. He lives so that others don't have to die. He goes through hell so that others can be happy. Batman and Superman both represent hope, but while Superman is the absolute pinnacle role model, Batman represents the other side of the same coin; the human side. The flawed side. The complicated side. This is what makes him feel so real and relatable in a sea of characters that can do anything. Batman isn't about super powers or good triumphing over evil. Batman is about how there's darkness inside all of us, but that doesn't mean we can't still do the right thing or find redemption. Batman is about how when it really comes down to it, the hero and his villains aren't really so different. They're all just human beings struggling with life in their own way. There's always still hope for a better tomorrow.
the episode that stood out most for me is Harleys bad day (the clip you had) where instead of incarcerating her without a word he shows he understood the misunderstanding and only wants to help her, he gave her hope even after all the bad things she had done up to that point including on that day. something not many people would even attempt to understand. (plus i love that she thanked him with a big ol kiss too). it wasn't only a wholesome episode but also one that showed the struggles of someone coming out of prison, even when they try to do the right thing they can't help but watch their backs or worry about simple misunderstandings which ultimately end them up back in prison, so for batman to give her the encouragement and hope she surely needs is wonderful and shows how compassionate he really is.
A moment that I remember strongly about Batman that a lot of people don’t talk about was in the Justice League episode, “Injustice for All” When Lex Luthor and Humanite break out of jail, they flee into Metropolis and Luthor creates a distraction by starting a fire to the closest building he saw. Batman, who was hot on their trail stopped at the burning building, the moment he gets out of the car, immediately looks up to see if anyone is trapped inside, spotting a little girl crying for help on the top floor. She flees further into the burning building as falling debris block the window. Batman immediately calls for backup, runs up to the side of the burning building, grapples up to the window where he last saw the little girl. He breaks into the debris and immediately scans the room to find the little girl. He spots her in the corner of the room scared for her life. He reaches out for her, picks her up into his arms as she says, “I’m scared.” He responds in a soothing voice, “Don’t be, it’s going to be alright.” He keeps running for an exit, but the building keeps crumbling on top of them. Soon, they’re corned on a staircase will the last support giving up on them, causing them to fall straight into the fire. Hawkgirl swoops in and saves Batman and the little girl, and they take the little girl to safety in the arms of her father. Keep in mind, that Batman is in Metropolis and this is only the beginning of the Justice League, this little girl probably doesn’t even know who Batman is, she was most likely expecting Superman. She was probably scared of Batman at first since he is a man dressed up as a bat, but he comforts her and lets her know that everything is going to be alright. So when she looks back on that day, she’s gonna remember that it was a man in a giant batsuit that helped eased her fears. For each part that this entire scene shows is that Batman doesn’t care if he’s the Alpha Male or not. If he did, he wouldn’t have called in for backup. He’s not stupid to think “I can do all this on my own, let’s risk lives.” Batman doesn’t care if he doesn’t have superpowers or that he’s powerless to stop the fire on his own or save the little girl on his own. The whole scene showed he’s just a man who is doing everything he can and that he never gives up. Even the last part where the support breaks underneath them, he holds onto the last remains of it with one hand before it breaks entirely. He doesn’t care about the glory of saving lives or earning a medal for every person he saves or every criminal he brings in. He cares about saving people and making sure they can live a bright future, free from pain.
My problem is zack uses edge instead of dark. Edge just makes things depressing for the sake of pushing boundaries. Dark tends to understand and develop a world in a sad but realistic way. It's the difference between a teenager making batman a gun welding killer who pops pills while an adult has batman debate the league of shadows to why a crime ridden city is worth being saved even if it would be easier to destroy and reboot it. One seems fun on surface level and another takes introspection of character.
Justice League: Unlimited also shows a wonderful moment of Batman showing his softer side, when he walks alone to try to convince Ace to fix what she's done Ace read his mind and saw that not only does he understand her suffering, but that he never had any intention of using the weapon Amanda Waller gave him. After she tells him what happened to her [she was pretty much deprived of her childhood thanks to an early version of Cadmus doing experiments on her over and over], she mentions that she knows she's about to die anyway and, in tears, asks him to stay with her because she's scared, which he simply sits in the swing next to her and holds her hand till she passes away. THIS is who Batman is supposed to be, someone who can see that many of the villains are just people who have been delt a very horrible hand just like Bruce himself had and lashed out at the world.
And yet, the world was saved in the end. All because of Batman's compassion to Ace. The best part about the Ace scene is that it led to Waller creating Bruce's future successor: Terry McGinnis (Is that how you spell his name?).
Another great example of Batman's compassion for those from tragic backgrounds is the moments he spends with Ace in her final moments. If that doesn't make you sad, you aren't human.
Babydoll and Ace. Two characters who show off how 'human' Batman can be. Sure he could've taken both down and easily. He didn't. He chose another way. He chose his humanity over vengeance. He chose to show them a better way and through that, makes other people change (or consider a change). When Bats walked up w/ Ace in his arms, you could see the depth of his sadness; he sat w/ her until her time came. Even someone as stoic as Amanda Waller was so moved that she decided the world needed a Batman. She gained massive respect for Bruce but also began the Batman Beyond project and the formation of Terry McGinnis.
It's such a perfectly Waller thing to do, to violate someone out of respect for them, justified by it being for the good of the world. Damn those writers were good.
I hope we can one day get the “we can rehabilitate you, save you” and for joker to say the iconic line “no, it’s too late for that” only for him to crack a joke and Batman to finally laugh at one, ironically putting an end to their relationship as it shows that some people just can’t be helped and that no matter how hard he tries he is still human. For joker to give up his adventures and stay in a cell, but never be normal again. That, would be a good ending to the story of the joker
Batman and Spiderman are both favourites of mine because both witnessed a lot of tragedy in their lives but take it in completely different ways while still being on the same path of a beloved superhero. Both are incredibly selfless and while Batman is more selfless than Spiderman, both deeply care about helping others. They will even go out of their way to comfort or ensure the safety of an enemy of theirs if they see that it is needed. Both also want to help villains redeem themselves if they see the chance to do so. Just so many things about heroes like Batman and Spiderman that I love.
Fair point, he actually is alcaholic in that one for obvious reasons cause an elderly father loosing his family is different to a child loosing his parents. But I wouldn't trust Zack to write Batman, I think he's too obsessed with Batman's edgy side and not enough to his other qualities.
@@kennethsatria6607 Both are equally painfully and traumatizing. But theres a deeper connection to a parent loosing their child. Your own blood, one you raised and one you want to see grow up into something amazing or just live a happy life. But in that timeline, Thomas didnt get that. He watched his son get gunned down infront of him and his wife turned insane.
Thank you, sir. I think Batman is at his best not when it's intensely dark, but when the character's compassion and humanity is on display. The comic "Batman: Ego" did a great job of showcasing who Bruce really is. Beneath the loss and anger is a man who believes in the intrinsic value of human life. And he fights for that righteous truth, even when the torrent of fear and pain inside of him invites him to do the opposite.
Bruce wasn't taking pills to deal with his parents' deaths. He was taking them to deal with years of physical injuries. I just figured that would be obvious. After all, he may be The Batman, but he's still human.
Bruce asking for his parents to forgive him is my favorite scene in any movie ever. I did count on being happy. I cry every time Also good criticism on Zach’s take on Batman. To me Batman’s most important character aspect is how he values life. Batman has a deep understanding of the value of all life due to his tragic beginning
This is a big part as to why I like Batman. He deals with the worst of the worst and through it all, no matter how bad it gets, he still doesn't kill. I don't think because it's just that then he will be lowered to the level of his enemies, but he's an arbitrator of justice and has a deep well of compassion. It's not just that he has to force himself not to kill, but that he doesn't want to and when he does he knows he will regret it. That was some of the best parts of the show, not when Batman's friends were rescued or when he saved the victim of the villain, but seeing the villains realize just how much goodness is in Batman. I can't think of a single recurring villain that didn't at one point or another show remorse or regret or respect to Batman and that's great
Literally Zack Snyder's interpretation is just The Punisher or Deadshot. Yes, Batman can, and has been, overwhelmingly gritty in interpretations and certain runs, but his main central character is not one that is barely getting out of bed without reaching for the bottle. A character can be dark and not a substance abuser to cope as well; I believe Batman's coping is entirely his fighting of crime, as apposed to people like Punisher who believe criminals should die, but also cope with crippling alcohol addiction. Not to mention that he has such a fear of losing people that he intentionally works alone.
I was having lunch when you mentioned Baby Doll. I gulped and almost choked. If I needed to say which episode of TAS is the most impactful, not counting the other heart-wrenching episode from JLU featuring Bruce and Terry, it is this one. Those portrayals are the best Batman. I don't agree with you when you said Bruce has his choice cut off when his parents died. He had a lot of potential, open doors left and right, with good management he could have lived an hedonistic life as Bruce Wayne. Only... He chose the Batman door, to be more than just a rich boy living the life, and to use all his resources to help those in need and protect those who are weak.
I’m so sick of people trying to subvert our heroes. Bruce Wayne does more than enough charity, Batman is not some selfish catharsis but a selfless mission.
I may not recall this perfectly but there was a scene featuring the Justice League where Wonder Woman had them all touch the lasso of truth to expose all of their hidden identities to show that they trust each other absolutely. Superman says "I'm Clark Kent" Flash says "I'm Wally West" Wonder Woman says "I'm Diana of Themyscira" Martian Manhunter says "I'm J'onn J'onzz" and they all look over and Batman and he says: "I'm Batman"
One detail I feel like other people never talk about is while every other super hero sends their bad guys straight to prison, Batman always sends them to Arkham Asylum, a place that's supposed to help them and offer them the chance to return to a normal life, and no matter how many times they refuse it, Batman continues to give them that choice to start over
Do you hear yourself? Comics writers literally make a circus out of this, portraying Batman as a man who will send murderers to the asylum a hundred times, even when they have committed mass murder. You all hate Batman so much.
If a kid isn’t scared of Batman and can look at him in the eyes, if Batman prioritises saving a kid or spends the last minutes with one that is afflicted of some form of terminal disease… this is Batman! The only “Bat” I would see taking pills or alcohol is Kirk Langstrom.
Probably my favorite moment of this DCAU Batman was how he handled Ace in Justice League Unlimited. All everyone saw when they looked at Ace was a dangerous destructive meta human that needed to be brought down. But Batman saw her for what she actually was, a lonely and frightened young lady that had her childhood tragically stolen from her just like he did. When Bruce became the one tasked with dealing with Ace instead of using the means he was given to kill her what he actually ended up doing was simply sitting with and talking with her. Bruce could fully empathize with everything Ace went through and what she was feeling and all he had to do to "deal" with her was simply offer his hand and be there for her when she needed somebody the most. Batman gave Ace comfort and peace of mind in her final moments and that to me was pretty dang heroic.
I believe that a large part of Bruce’s compassion for others (even villains, represented by his No Kill Rule) stems from Thomas. As a doctor, his job was to heal and save lives, and I’m certain he instilled the sanctity of life into Bruce at a young age. By not killing his enemies, and actively supporting their rehabilitation, he is honoring his father’s legacy. Also another one of Batman’s villains that are like a dark mirror to him is Scarecrow. Both use fear and intimidation, but Batman only uses it on criminals to protect the innocent, while Scarecrow uses it for his own twisted ends. What’s worse is that Jonathan Crane is a doctor like Thomas (a psychiatrist, which is an MD), but instead of healing people of their fears and trauma, he makes it worse. I could imagine a show where Batman is particularly disgusted at this prospect.
Kevin Conroy/Bruce Timm's Batman will always - always - be my Batman. And Baby Doll is one of my favorite episodes. I even teared up watching this video. Subscribed.
DCAU Batman will always be the greatest version of Batman. He was compassionate, empathetic, vulnerable, and very human. That's what the live action versions lack. Snyder's Batman is by far the worst he's just edgy for the sake of being edgy. I liked Bale and Pattinson they are really good. Keaton is good because of nostalgia. But none of them compare to the DCAU version or Kevin Conroy's Batman in general. Kevin's Batman is the most human of them all and that's why he's the best. There will never be another Batman like Kevin Conroy.
...isn't Batman canonically very much against alcohol? I remember something about Nightwing commenting on how he has only seen Bruce drink a glass of any alcohol beverage like 4 times, the movies with Christian Bale kinda paid attention to that because in the scene where Bruce leaves some party with a glass of wine, he immediately pours the drink over the balcony.
For the various reasons you mentioned about the Batman of BTAS, I consider TNBA a soft reboot and the original continuity ended with Batman and Mr Freeze: SubZero. In many ways, TNBA and the following Justice League show had a more comic-accurate version of the character, but I never got over the loss of the nuanced, heroic, empathetic Batman of BTAS.
The point of batman isn't him being dark. It's him being in darkness while he himself is a light (at least compared to the darkness. To metropolis he seems like a weird emo kid, because everything is relative). It's hard to put into words which is why batman's writing is so good
I don't think Bruce is entirely just a mask. He is for the most part. If you look at Mask of the Phantasm, Alfred is shocked to see Batman emerge. Because Bruce Wayne is gone. The young man with a bright future did not exist any longer and was swallowed by that shadowy figure. He keeps calling him Master Bruce, because that's what he is supposed to do. But when he comforts him in the end, he calls him just Bruce. Not Master, no front act to put on. He talks to him as a father would to a son. In that intimate moment Alfred calls him by name. By true name. And that to Alfred is Bruce. He was the first to think Bruce was gone. So he would know after all these years.
And seeing what became of Bruce in Batman Beyond and Epilogue really is perfect. He literally lives through Terry vicariously, as that's what gives him life and hope again. The Batman. Always the Batman. Because he is the Batman and without the Batman, ever since the pearls snapped, there is no Bruce Wayne.
If you dont like Batman then you don't understand him. I've spent almost a decade learning about Batman through comics, movies, tv, interviews, and so on. And at the end of it all, Batman just a boy just trying to keep people from dying and ever feeling as bad as him ever again. That's the defining part. Batman does not want even the worst people to go through the worst things. His heart is unbreakable, his spirit ; undying. Batman is the dark avenger of evil , and the hope to the innocent.
The coolest thing about a well written batman is how he addresses villains by their real names. It’s a stubborn refusal to play into their constructed reality and shows how anchored he is.
This is my favorite episode too. So powerful how he comforts baby doll. Such a great roll model. Great presentation, especially with it as your first video on this channel.
I like this. After a tough day it’s nice to hear a power of a favorite character to be described as more than “I’m rich”. Your analysis came at a point where this was nice to hear, thanks.
Excellent work on the video! Your core message is exactly why i believe Batman V Superman and Zack Snyder's Justice League work together as a story so amazingly! Seeing how Bruce shifts from a old, bitter, violent vigilante who lost everything besides Alfred and isn't opposed to killing his foes, to a more hopeful, caring, dedicated, inspiring leader, all thanks to Superman's influence and sacrifice, even leading to the formation of the JL and Supes ressurection, earning him a new found family with people similar to himself, is very inspiring and compelling. It's what made this version of the Caped Crusader become my favorite one, and retroactively made me appreciate older and newer versions in a time when i was tired of the Batman, and fall in love once again. It's a shame many people laser focus on a single element of the story, it being Batman killing, and dismiss everything else that forms the narrative and its emotional core.(Especially when other versions of Batman killed without having this type of justification or even show him killing in a positive light, which BvS doesn't since he's essentially an antagonist to Clark just like Lex is and he's showcased as a scary, almost horror monster, way.) It's perfectly okay to dislike it or prefer other versions, that's totally valid. But the way many straight up disregard it and even throw shade and insults at Zack just cause of his personal views is very disgenuous and kinda toxic. (So i really appreciate you being overall respectful in this essay, as a fan of not only Snyder but DC as a whole.)
The episode where he sits with the young woman in the swings until she passes instead of almost everyone else saying she has to die still gets me as a 40 year old man. His compassion, empathy, understanding and humanity is some of the traits I really haven't seen anyone get fully correct in any of the movies, only the comics and animations.
1:16 Bruce wayne isn't the mask, batman isn't necessarily bruce wayne either. Batman is a personification of bruce wayne's turmoil and a manifestation of his grief. bruce wayne is bruce wayne, but he is not the bruce wayne he shows the world. batman is the other side of bruce, but bruce wayne still has an identity. This is explored a lot in batman ego
Right. Like I’d say Bruce talking to Robin inside the Batcave, or especially if they were doing something in Wayne Manor together, IS Bruce Wayne. It’s just, Batman is ALSO Bruce Wayne
If you noticed, other JL members when arrived will say *"What's going on"* or *"Stop that"* But Batman, when he arrived, he always say *"Let me help you"*
Even though they are consumed in Darkness, light will follow to show the way. Showing Batman TAS Villains would still have their humanity. When The Villain is created, or the villain has no choice.
Batman is also my favorite fictional character, not just because of how interesting his is as a vigilante, but also because of the impact he's had on my life. Reading my first ever Batman comic changed the direction of my life forever! Now I'm a huge comic book nerd who has made so many friends because of Batman, and for the past couple of years I've been even writing my own original comic book stories! I'm an author now, and I only got here because of how much Batman inspired me, and the lessons his stories have taught me...I never gave up on myself, and it's because of The Dark Knight
