I am a major fan girl. Ask my brother. Whenever I'm hooked to new films or books, I literally talk about it for weeks until I eventually drain out everyone else's mutual interest towards such (but I really don't care). I have been a mega fan girl of Batman since, I really cannot remember! I grew up watching the animated series on local TV, I can even remember a re-run telecast of the live action 1960's series and loved it, no matter how much of a douche bag Batman and Robin were in their sexual-appetite-decreasing costumes. I love Batman, next to Han Solo, he was the next fictional character that I have dubbed as sexy, at the age of 6!
And though there have been countless Batman franchises in DC history, this entry is solely dedicated to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight installments. Not that I'm playing favorites (which I personally think I am), but, I have been a fan of Nolan's works since The Prestige (so, maybe I am playing favorites) and I have NEVER ever known any writer/director close to his genius (Scorsese, maybe?). Another reason for this tribute would probably be because, as a mega fan of Batman, it was only Nolan who made my childhood superhero's persona a notch closer to reality, non-comical in a sense.
So, the last installment of Nolan's trilogy soared straight to the top of the box office charts just this weekend. Living up to its title, The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan's culmination of Gotham City’s caped crusader, indeed, never failed to impress, rising to the top of this year's must-watch summer films. (WARNING: This entry might probably contain spoilers but I guess you've also probably seen the movie anyway.)
Cutting down the stalling short, this entry (in dedication to the Dark Knight trilogy) is actually a rundown of (Nolan) Batman's top villains, in increasing gravity, of course. I've actually decided to mull on this topic (after an almost 6-hour marathon on Batman Begins, Gotham Knight [animated] and Dark Knight) in realization on who truly is Batman's greatest nemesis.
Falcone(BB) + Maroni (TDK) - Yes, these two equally dim-witted mob thugs made it into my list and though their wits (or lack thereof) might have probably promoted them a position in the villain circle, these guys were, in fact, just pawns in the board. They were the trumpets signaling the entry of a far greater evil.
Dr. Crane (Scarecrow) - Yet another pawn in the Ra's Al Ghul chess board, but he was no match for a stun gun to the face! Credits to him for appearing in all three installments though.
Harvey Dent (TwoFace Harvey) - The one thing I liked about him was the mere fact that he actually lived up to his philosophy on heroism, "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." And even though I cannot blame the man for his drive for vengeance, I also cannot call him a hero. Dent was smart and brave, yes, but I guess sometimes wits and courage and the mere persistence to eradicate corruption and animosity are not the only virtues that fuel a true hero. Selflessness was perhaps one thing he lacked, in fact the only persona of selflessness in the first 2 films died answering Dent’s marriage proposal.
Selina Kyle (Catwoman) - Was not a villain at all. But since everyone else practically labels her as one, then I guess it's safe to say that even Batman lives by the proverb, "love your enemy", literally.
Talia Al Ghul/Miranda - That scheming little..! I've read that she and Bruce Wayne actually have a son in the comic series but apart from that, having twistedly living up to an illogical thought of ethnic-evil cleansing is evil beyond any levels. Like a Padme to a Queen Amidala, Talia is indeed credited for her success deception and in infiltrating her arch nemesis' (pants and) sanity. She was something worth living up for until she screwed it all up.
Bane - Always the minion, never the mastermind. His evil was driven by love. In fact, if he had been geared up towards the lighter side of the cast, he'd probably be stronger (and he initially proved it through a one-on-one death match in the sewers) than Batman himself.
Ra's Al Ghul - Perhaps the main man in Nolan's Dark Knight series. His was a vision of a world free from corruption and evil, thus gearing towards a so-called "cleansing". And though he always loathed how Gotham turned out to be a dystopia, it was Batman who practically made him realize, that there is indeed a pinch of utopia amidst corruption and evil.
Joker - Okay, now this is the real deal. Heath Ledger's role as the evil jester has indeed become an enigmatic role in all of Batman history. The Joker was the ideal villain (though not my number one in Batman's list) in a sense that, he had no reason for his animosities. Quoting dear Alfred, "Some men just want to watch the world burn", the Joker was a literal personification of such. "I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just... *do* things." To further elaborate the dynamics of Joker's villainous mentality would be pointless but unlike all the other villains in the films, comics, or literary history, the Joker had no drive for doing evil, he did not steal, kill or raged havoc for revenge or jealousy or greed or lust. The Joker was pure evil. The perfect villain.
And now this is where you might probably throw the word "hypocrite" on my face like a rotten tomato, because my number 1 villain in Nolan's Batman franchise is...
Bruce Wayne/ Batman - Rachel Dawes said it herself, Bruce was wearing a mask since he became the famed vigilante, his mask being Bruce Wayne, thus, Batman is his true persona. So here we realize that Batman consumed all the sanity that Bruce Wayne had left. We learn from The Gotham Knight (animated) that Bruce Wayne's greatest villain was himself. His irrational drive to wipe out evil was a notch closer to the Joker's insanity. Bruce Wayne was a man of intrigue, a billionaire who lives with his butler and aside from organizing fund raisers and over-billed parties, he had an appetite for vigilance. And though his works have always been geared for the greater good of all and his selflessness was the only ingredient missing for Harvey Dent to become a hero, his delusions of utopia has gradually made a dystopia out of him. It cannot be denied that he will always be an inspiration to the oppressed and the victims of injustice, but whereas evil will always have an end, so is his vigilance. Gotham City is ALWAYS safe in the presence of the Batman (and Robin) but what happens when they're gone in eventuality? Does Gotham ALWAYS have to rely on this masked crusader in hopes to save their days? Or should this crusader inspire the rightful authorities to abolish corruption and promote justice?
Batman is not an outlaw, no. He is a man who is taking justice into his own (filthy rich!) hands, but whereas he is fighting the baddies with his gloved-knuckles, he also fails to recognize the real men who are set to protect Gotham City. Batman promotes two important morals in Gotham, one is safety, because his very legacy eradicates fear in the victims and promotes the same in the guilty. Two, inspiration, especially on the part of the authorized protectors of Gotham City. This is where Commissioner Gordon comes into the picture because the morals of this ordinary policeman is where the real hero of Gotham lies, no mask, no gliders, no tank-turned-to-motorcycle vehicles, no "Bat"s, just pure justice, a true hero with the law on his badge and justice for all in his heart.
Batman will always be my hero and I guess the most important lesson I’ve learned from him is that “we all have villains to fight off in our lifetime, but unless we defeat our inner villains, we can never outwit the lesser villains of everyday”. Life is a constant struggle they say, but it is also the same struggle that makes it all worth living.
We are our own salvation.
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