Batman Kills: The One-Man Reign Of Terror We Love To Love

Under normal circumstances, it might seem a tad ridiculous to suggest that we need a reality check regarding a fictional character. But, these are not normal circumstances - far from it. A vitriolic outrage appears to have swept the globe in the wake of Zack Snyder’s Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice – a film that has split audiences clean down the middle, and given rise to a pained wail of, “Not my Batman!” accompanied by verses of “You don’t understand the character,” with a catchy chorus of, “BATMAN DOESN’T KILL.” Now, I am by no means the first to tell you that Batman does, in fact, kill – repeatedly and brutally. Whether you like it, or dislike it, the fact remains – the guy is responsible for a whole lot of death. What I find fascinating in the character, though, is why he kills, and what I find fascinating in the fandom is why it causes such a heightened, emotive response when he does. With this latest portrayal of the Caped Crusader, in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, there seems to be a clear division between those who feel Ben Affleck’s screen version of the Dark Knight is the best yet, and those that declare the characterisation is entirely wrong – specifically because (spoiler alert!) he kills people, both directly and indirectly, and also because he appears to consciously decide to kill Superman, in a sinister and pre-meditated fashion. This, some argue, contradicts the thing that is widely held to be the defining characteristic of Batman – which is the fundamental belief that killing is unacceptable. It certainly does make sense for this to be the case. We all know the origin story of the Caped Crusader – how his perfect, privileged childhood was shattered by the brutal slaying of his beloved parents, and how this early trauma led to his vigilantism as an adult. We all know he is a character enveloped by a creeping darkness – consumed by the need to fight crime and protect his precious Gotham City. Having been orphaned by a criminal with a gun, it is entirely logical that he would find crime and firearms abhorrent. He even says so, very clearly, on many occasions, in several forms of media. No guns, no killing – those are his words to live by. It also makes sense for this to give rise to the “BATMAN DOESN’T KILL!” cry. He has told us that this is his rule – that this is central to his ethos – so surely that means that anyone depicting him as a murderous, bloodthirsty killer has misunderstood his character, right? Well, not really, because – and bear with me here – Batman as a character is not so simple, and that is actually why we love him so much. Batman has been with us for over 75 years now. There are almost eight decades worth of comic book stories about this one man. He is among a select few comic book characters to have been so embraced and adored by readers and audiences that he has long since transcended his original medium and has become firmly entrenched in film, television, animation and video games - in addition to his ongoing, vast, comic book presence. This leads to two very important facts. Firstly, with such a long history of comic book stories, he has been reinvented, rebooted and ‘retconned’ countless times, leading to many subtle alterations and evolutions of his character. Secondly, with so many versions in other media added into the already varied mix, he has actually been portrayed in popular culture in a wider range of ways than many figures from classic literature. This all adds to the reason why we love him. Batman is one of the most relatable of all comic book characters. He is, literally, just a man. He’s not an alien, or a mutant, or an intergalactic policeman. He’s not an ancient being related to Greek Gods, nor is he part-robot. He’s just the world’s greatest detective, who happens to be rich enough to have some cool gadgets. We can relate to his grief, we can relate to his anger and we can relate to his desire to protect what he loves. Batman is us, and we all have a Batman of our own, tucked away in the dark recesses of our minds. So, when Batman says that he doesn’t kill, and that this is central to his ethos, we want it to be true. We are rooting for him to succeed. We reflect on the balance between the dual identities of Bruce Wayne and the costumed vigilante, and the meaning these both hold for him. We demand that storytellers adhere to his ‘no kill’ rule, and any time they don’t, we declare it to be wrong, or an aberration, or “non-canonical.” Here’s the thing though – Batman is us, and we are Batman. When he says that he doesn’t kill, this is the goal to which he aspires. But, being us – being human - he is imperfect, and though he strives to do the right thing, sometimes events conspire against him. This is the heart of our relationship with the Dark Knight. As a character, he aspires to be better than the criminals around him - better than those that killed his parents - while protecting his city. As fans, we aspire to the heroic aspects of his character (and to the cool gadgets and car) and we’re haunted by his darkness, just as we are haunted by our own. Many argue that it is his ‘no kill’ rule that sets him apart from the criminals he pursues because, without it, he would be just another killer. But it is, in fact, his conscience that sets him apart, and to which we also relate and aspire. His conscience is the thing that both keeps him from killing most of the time – and it is the thing that leaves him crushed and devastated when he fails to reach that goal. When he does kill, it is often indirectly – either through purposeful inaction, or by coincidentally manipulating circumstance to result in death – because if a villain meets their end while engaging in criminal activity, that’s their own fault, right? But, he also kills purposefully on occasion, and for us to cling to ‘purposeful inaction’ as evidence of the innate goodness of the character is to do Batman a great disservice. We must also accept those occasions when he takes the decisive step to kill – because the Caped Crusader has always existed entirely on that line between right and wrong. It is the nature of his inner struggle. This is, perhaps, why many were so troubled by Batman’s actions in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice – because he kills people and consciously decides to kill Superman. The point is this, though – Ben Affleck’s Batman is a version of the character that has been pushed over that line on which he usually exists and is struggling to find his way back. He is a man in deep crisis. This is why a final, piercing echo of his childhood trauma is essentially a light in the darkness, leading him back to where he should be. Throughout the movie (outside of dream sequences), he kills villains – including using firearms mounted on his Batmobile (which are also a constant for the character across different versions) – and it is an indication of his downward spiral. He meets each act of aggression with an equal act. Somebody shoots at him – he grabs their gun and fires. Somebody stabs him in the shoulder – he pins them down and stabs them back, in exactly the same spot. This is Batman distributing true vigilante justice - taking an eye for an eye, until he is saved from himself, and the final scenes find him gearing up to charge onward once more. This is what makes the character of Batman a hero - in every version. He continues to strive, despite his occasional failure. He has spent three quarters of a century facing down foe and predator, the like of which would cause many to turn tail, or turn rotten – but still he reaches for that goal, because it is the right thing to do. He tells himself, and others, that he doesn't kill - so how dire must the circumstances be for him to break that rule? How far must he have been pushed for him to consider using the weapon that killed his parents? These aspects of his character constantly create unparalleled, high level drama. Of course, it is well within his capabilities to kill each and every one of his nemeses – but he is striving to be better than that. Batman is us, and we are Batman – and this is why we love him. The only difference is that, for Batman, the stakes a little higher. When Batman fails to reach his goal, it’s a little more serious than letting a gym membership lapse, or not managing to learn a new language. When Batman fails to reach his goal, people tend to die – a lot – in every medium he currently occupies. Still unconvinced? Let’s take a look. Comic Books The Batman we know and love today is very different from the Batman of the 1960s, who is, in turn, very different from the Batman of the 1950s, who is, again, very different from the Batman that first appeared - courtesy of Bob Kane and Bill Finger, in 1939. As with most comic book characters that have achieved such longevity, he has become a reflection of the times – and the Batman of 1939 and 1940 was a fearsome, brutal man who was quick to mete out violent justice to those that broke the law. In his earliest incarnation in Detective Comics Vol 1. – before his origin story coalesced – he carried a gun and killed a great many villains, including the Mad Monk. He evolved, however, and his ‘no kill’ rule soon became the thing to which fans would doggedly pin him. But, Batman is us, and sometimes we fail. Although Batman does succeed more often than not in his comic books, people do die, and he is responsible - as we can see in just a few examples from more recent times. Batman Annual No 8 (1982) Batman kills Ra’s al Ghul and sends his ashes into space. This was later retconned, of course, and Ra’s al Ghul returned – but reducing him to a powder and scattering him in orbit is pretty definitive. Batman #420 (1988) Batman locks KGBeast underground and walks away – unarguably leaving him to starve to death. This was also later retconned, but was clearly intended as a lethal action at the time. Batman #425 (1988) The Dark Knight unwittingly crushes a drug dealer with a stack of cars in a junk yard. Detective Comics #613 (1990) Batman kicks a villain during a confrontation – knocking him into another, and sending both bad guys falling into a garbage grinder. Of course, this was accidental, but he was responsible for their grisly demise, nonetheless. All-Star Batman And Robin #7 (2007) In a particularly grim incident, Batman burns a group of armed robbers alive, beats them down while they burn, and then leaves them to die while he hooks up with Black Canary on a nearby rooftop. Obviously, a number of Batman comic book titles really aren't "canon." With over 75 years of publication history under his utility belt, there are all kinds of different takes on the character, in all kinds of alternative universes, and 'Elseworld' stories. The point is though that Batman kills, regardless of the canonical status of the story - therefore the idea that "Batman killing isn't canon" is illogical. Video Games Now, clearly, in video games, the player is in control of the character, right? But, surely if Batman’s golden rule is not to kill, then that shouldn’t be a possibility in his video games, should it? The trailers for the Arkham Games indicate a different state of affairs, though. Batman: Arkham Origins Official Trailer Batman rams a villain’s head into a junction box. He then knocks two other guys out, and leaves them in the building with a live, ticking bomb - which explodes. Batman: Arkham Origins Nowhere To Run Trailer Batman is clearly seen ramming a glowing rod into the torso of a villain lying prone on the floor. In sections of other Arkham Games footage, Batman can be seen variously ramming a car door into a man’s throat, punching a guy in such a way as to cause him to be shot in the head at close range by a Batmobile cannon, and throwing an exploding propane tank into a man’s face. With the best will in the world, those villains are not getting up. Film and Television How’s this for irony: The only screen incarnation of Batman that doesn’t seem to kill anyone (with the exception of the 1943 and 1949 serials) is the one that appears in Batman And Robin (1997). You know, the film that is almost universally regarded as one of the worst ever made, in the history of mankind. I suppose it could be argued though, that instead of killing people, this version of Batman killed the franchise instead. But, outside of that travesty, Batman always kills – with the Batman of 1992’s Batman Returns being the one that most closely seems to resemble a serial killer. Batman (1966 TV series) Batman kicks a villain and accidentally turns him into anti-matter. Batman (1989) Batman kills a villain with his Batmobile, kills a villain by throwing him down a tower, and he facilitates the death of The Joker, by attaching him to a tower-top gargoyle with a grappling line, as he tries to scramble aboard a helicopter. Batman Returns (1992) Batman kills at least five villainous minions – using methods such as burning alive, dynamite in pants, and a grenade. He then facilitates the death of The Penguin when a bunch of bats cause him to fall into some unpleasant water and die a slow and agonizing death. Batman Forever (1995) In addition to causing an explosive pile-up of villain-laden cars, and swerving the Batmobile so that a missile hits the bad guys in a classic car, Batman facilitates the death of Harvey Dent when he throws a bunch of coins at him – an act that causes Dent to fall from a great height. Batman Begins (2005) While training in a temple, Batman takes the moral high ground and refuses to kill a bad guy – but then takes action that causes the temple to explode, killing many instead. He also kills Ra’s al Ghul on a doomed train, literally telling him that, “I won’t kill you, but I don’t have to save you” – making clear the morally ambiguous distinction the Caped Crusader apparently uses to allow him to sleep at night. The Dark Knight (2008) Batman kills the Joker’s Truck Driver, and also drops Harvey Dent off a building (again). The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Batman facilitates the death of Talia al Ghul by taking action that leads to her truck crashing. DC Animation’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 (2013) While The Joker technically kills himself in the end, the violence perpetrated by Batman leads to that happening – not least the fact that the Dark Knight intentionally (but not fatally) snaps The Joker’s neck. DC Animation’s Batman Vs Robin (2015) A young Bruce Wayne kills an owl in cold blood with a bow and arrow. Isn’t the gratuitous killing of animals an early indicator of serial killer tendencies? In Conclusion... If it is a mythological, fabled ‘no kill’ Batman you seek, you will find him in Batman And Robin. This is the only version that is entirely wrong, however, because it is not the ‘no kill’ ethos that is central to the character; it is the striving – and sometimes failing - to reach the ‘no kill’ goal that defines him. Ben Affleck’s Batman is steeped in precisely that conflict which means that, while Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice has a great many problems as a film, the characterization of Batman is categorically not one of them.