Everyone knows why Bruce Wayne became the Dark Knight. The story of Thomas and Martha Wayne has been played so much that it’s eye-rolling whenever those events are recalled. Interestingly enough, there’s never been a true intimate focus on Bruce Wayne’s psyche following the traumatic events of his parent’s death.
Fox’s Gotham is the closest live-action series to document Bruce Wayne’s story after that moment, but the focus is never fully on him. Before Wayne even thinks about becoming Batman, a very personal story of how the DC hero battled through trauma and pain could open up layers about the man behind the mask. Comics have explored this avenue, but most of the live-action stuff keeps it straightforward, especially the movies. Focusing on the scars that made Bruce Wayne turn into Batman will give him the dimension that’s been missing in the live-action front.
It Would Be A Personal Story That Finally Opens The Layers Of Bruce Wayne
Live-action films have done a solid job of giving Bruce Wayne some character and depth. The problem is that he’s mainly treated as a rich pretty boy who masquerades around as Batman during the evening. There’s not much context beyond that unless it’s about the death of his parents or someone that he loves. The backstory we do get about the character is mainly focused on his elite training leading up to how he became the dark knight. The infamous scene of Thomas and Martha Wayne being murdered explains why he turned to crime fighting, but it never dives beyond the surface.
Though Matt Reeves does give an interesting spin on Thomas and Martha Wayne that sheds light highlighting that they weren’t perfect angels. Other than that, the Bruce Wayne character is cold. We do aspects of his life outside of the suit, but a story rarely focuses on the psychological damage that’s been done to him. Again, this kid watched his parents die in cold blood. That’s an extremely traumatic moment. There was an arc where Bruce Wayne (in comics) almost committed suicide. Or even a Flashpoint story where he gets a chance to go back in time and say goodbye to his parents.
Even Max’s Harley Quinn has a great character study on Bruce Wayne never letting go of that horrific moment. It’s understandable why filmmakers don’t focus on this because it’s mainly about Batman and the villains he fights. However, this is a rich narrative that can bring a new complexity to not just his character, but the DC world itself.
MAX’s Harley Quinn Did An Excellent Job At Focusing On Bruce’s Trauma
The animated series is great because it’s managed to properly tell a strong story that brought out the best of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. However, the supporting cast is given an excellent amount of focus, including Bruce Wayne/Batman. In the episode, Batman Begins Forever, Harley and the gang get trapped in a loop of Bruce’s most traumatic experience.
It was a powerful episode because it highlighted the humanity desperately missing in the live-action spectrum. More importantly, it didn’t just add layers to Bruce Wayne, but the characters surrounding him such as Quinn. However, it isn’t just the trauma that should be the focus of Bruce Wayne’s story.
There are plenty of comics that reveal some dark secrets about Thomas and Martha Wayne; The former of Earth-3 enjoyed killing patients in surgery. In Batman/Superman #16, Martha Wayne worked with Dr. Atom and let him take control of her world. Even in Todd Phillips’ Joker, Thomas Wayne was highlighted as a greedy businessman who could care less about the poor. Adding context to the history of Thomas and Martha doesn’t just help characterize Bruce, but the entirety of Gotham as well.
Batman’s Personal Story Can Branch Out The DC Universe
Matt Reeves’ The Batman also explores the shady lives of Martha and Thomas Wayne. It’s the first time a live-action series gave dimension to their characters and it helped the lore of Batman entirely. Villains like Hush can be spawned from a story of this nature without ruining the personal journey of Bruce Wayne. However, this doesn’t just have to be about the growth of Batman’s villains.
It can help flesh out names like Commissioner Jim Gordon or even Selina Kyle, or Alfred. If written well, the entire Gotham universe can be built from that tragic moment that brings a fresh perspective that has yet to be displayed in live-action films. Batman is one of the best heroes ever created. However, the live-action films haven’t truly tapped into the moments that make him such a captivating figure. It’s about time that we dig deeper into the events that shaped him as a human being.
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