Batman is one of the more enigmatic superheroes out there. Troubled past, billions of dollars, and a sweet Bat-Car don’t necessarily add up to being the wholesome Captain America. Batman is troubled, sure, but he’s also a harbinger of justice and (lots of) punching. Over on the subreddit DC_Cinematic, one fan said the Caped Crusader was turning into his enemies.
“I think of the things I love and gets overlooked about this fight is how Batman is basically slowly becoming similar to his rogue gallery. He uses green (Kryptonite) gas like the Joker. His “Breathe it in, that’s fear” line is similar to Scarecrow. His mask being torn in half is just like Harvey Two Face. And the way he studies Supes moves and attacks him is similar to bane. Basically, Bruce is becoming the very thing he had been fighting against.”
The post is, of course, referring to the epic fight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Whether or not you consider Ben Affleck a good Batman is something for another post. The crux of the argument is basically that because Batman used certain tactics more akin to his enemies and he’s becoming just like them.
The general consensus seems to be that the take is a bit of a stretch, but it’s a cool theory nonetheless and isn’t entirely based on fiction.
“Yeah, it’s a reach. But it’s honestly a really unique way of looking at this moment. I dig it,” said KrimsonGaming. User An-29 chimed in with a different point: “Is it that of a reach tho? I mean, most of Batman’s famous foes are always a reflection of him one way or another.”
User No-Office-2392 said maybe those things weren’t so coincidental after all. “Considering how Snyder pays attention to detail, like doomsday having Zods wounds. This doesn’t really seem all that far fetched to be honest.”
Another user named andrehateshimself chimed in with a fun Marvel reference: “Reaching farther than Reed Richards.”
Another pretty good argument here from user TheAngryBlackGuy:
“Maybe, it would’ve been cool if it was shown if he actually got his idea from his rogues. Many times in the past Batman does just that, he used Scarecrow’s fear Toxin on Hal and Diana I think in his Tower of Babel plans. He’s used Freeze’s tech to slow down his circulatory system after being poisoned, he keeps their shit as trophies and to study their methods.
If he referenced Joker gas when manipulating the kryptonite… I always wondered why he used gas? I’ve never seen it used like that. Normally its just held up to Superman and he falls down. Or some kind of projection ray (Metallo, Lex Suit) or forged into a bullet. BVS is the first I’ve seen it in a gaseous state.
OP isn’t wrong about saying Batman is turning more like his rogues, that was the point of his character in BVS to show him going down a darker path, a path he swore to never take, and got lost in his grief until Superman showed him a better way.”
This argument is just basically saying director Zack Snyder, if he was indeed trying to make that point, could’ve tied everything in a little better and showed how Batman was learning and intentionally using those tactics he learned from his rogue gallery. This would’ve maybe been heavy-handed, but this is the Snyderverse we’re talking about, and what wasn’t heavy-handed in his take on the universe.
Finally, user lumberzach215 said that OP had everything the wrong way:
You have it all backwards.
Bruce’s rogues gallery have always represented or fed into different parts of him.
Penguin- Wealth
Riddler- Detective
Scarecrow- Fear
Bane- Tactics
Two Face- Dual Personas
Joker- Antithesis to Batman’s desire for control
At the end of the day, only Snyder knows if he was intentionally showing Batman’s descent into the baseness of his enemies or just trying to make a cool movie for everyone to enjoy. Regardless, you can watch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice again on HBO Max and decide for yourself.