History ComicBook / BatmanLastKnightOnEarth

* LodgedBladeRecycling: During the final confrontation between Batman and Omega, earlier in the fight Omega hits and stabs Batman with a metal pike with Darkseid's head on it. The latter then proceeds to rip it off of himself and make use of it to great effect against his opponent.

* SimulatedFantasyPostApocalypticReality: The story begins with Bruce Wayne waking up in Arkham Asylum, and for a while, it seems as if his experiences as Batman have just been an elaborate fantasy... but then he happens to notice AGlitchInTheMatrix, and the truth is soon unveiled: the world has been reduced to a post-apocalyptic ruin as a result of an unspecified cataclysm, all the heroes are either dead or have given up, and Alfred has been keeping Bruce trapped in a simulation in order to keep him from trying to be a hero - even preparing a recreation of Wayne Manor and a stretch of Gotham City for him to have an ordinary life in. With Bruce unwilling to remain in the comforting illusion now that he knows the truth, Alfred sadly allows him to leave for the wasteland of the real world...

[[caption-width-right:350:"There's no going back, people..."]]

->''All stories have an end. Even [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} his.]]''
-->-- '''{{Tagline}}'''

->''All stories have an end. Even his.''

-->-- {{Tagline}}

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: This story has a lot in common with ''ComicBook/OldManLogan'' as it follows the character as he explores a post-apocalyptic wasteland that killed nearly all of Earth's heroes. [[spoiler:However despite what Batman at first believed, the villains had little to do with destroying the world except for Lex who's speech convinced humanity to embrace evil and kill the heroes.]]
* AmazonBrigade: Some of the last of heroines and villainess around are Wonder Woman's Amazons, which includes Donna Troy, Poison Ivy, Vixen, and Supergirl.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: [[spoiler:Issue #2 reveals that Lex challenged Superman to a debate of ideals that would end in the death of loser, which ended in Lex ''himself'' being moved by Superman's ideals. Unfortunately, the world chose Doom, resulting in Superman's death and sent the world on a path towards destruction. So Lex got what he wanted (the world choosing Doom and Superman dead) just as he underwent a HeelFaceTurn.]]

* LetThemDieHappy: After injecting them with Fear Venom, Omega tells Alfred that he managed to convinced the Waynes not go to the ''Zorro'' showing, saving Bruce's parents and preventing him from growing up into Batman.

* NoodleIncident: During the time between the "present" and the future setting of the story, multiple crises took place and are alluded to, few of which receive much explanation.

* OffScreenMomentOfAwesome: As seen in flashbacks, Omega not only managed to kill Darkseid and use his head containing the Anti-Life Equation to take over the world, but managed to kill Brainiac as well as Black Adam when they got in his way. He also managed to defeat Martian Manhunter and use him as a tool for his ultimate plan despite all the Martian's powers.

And… he was never Batman.

So begins this sprawling tale of the Dark Knight as he embarks on a quest through a devastated DC landscape featuring a massive cast of familiar faces from the DC Universe. As he tries to piece together the mystery of his past, he must unravel the cause of this terrible future and track down the unspeakable force that destroyed the world as he knew it…

* DistantFinale: "The last Batman story" and implied to be the overall GrandFinale of Snyder and Capullo's run on Batman, all taking place in a distant, post-apocalyptic, dystopian future. Also, due to the "justice vs. doom" mantra of Lex Luthor being key to its backstory, it could count as one to ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2018'' as well, which is also written by Snyder.

* {{Irony}}: A dark meta-example. [[spoiler: In various [[Main/{{Elseworld}} Elseworlds]], Bruce Wayne has been presented as the BadassNormal champion of humanity to defy his superpowered colleagues when they began resorting to extremist methods. Here though, when an anti-super mob kills various heroes including his own son when he failed at trying to get them to be reasonable, he turns against humanity.]]

And... he was never Batman.

''Batman: Last Knight On Earth'' is a three-issue miniseries written by Creator/ScottSnyder and drawn by Greg Capullo as "the last Batman story", taking place in a post-apocalyptic world where the villains have won (then somehow subsequently lost) and an amnesiac Franchise/{{Batman}}, allied with the severed head of ComicBook/TheJoker, fights to learn how and why. It is part of DC Comics' [[Creator/DCBlackLabel Black Label]], an imprint focusing on out-of-canon and imaginary tales.

* CharacterDevelopment: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed.]] While Batman doesn't change much throughout the story, his opinion of the Joker is heightened from believing that he is not fit to be a Robin at the latter's request [[spoiler:([[TemptingFate although Joker does adopt the suit and mantle later]])]] to [[spoiler:claiming that the clown would be a better Batman than [[BigBad Omega]] ever could be]].

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Yeah a couple of RedShirt Owls died in the last battle, Joker/Robin was almost killed and Dick Grayson and Duke were temporarily poisoned by the Scarecrow, but the new Bat Family survived and have ditched their Owl gear to go back to their old costumes. Diana rescued a brain-washed Martian Manhunter and magic is returning while the Green is selecting a new avatar. Best of all, another baby Ka-El has successfully arrived on Earth.

* AdaptationalHeroism: [[spoiler: The Joker, having spent ten years as a head in a jar hanging on a hook in the desert, is overjoyed when Bruce finds him, and rather than attempt to torment him in any shape or form, is instead completely and utterly chummy with the Dark Knight throughout the entire story, chatting nonstop, treating him like an old friend rather than his greatest enemy. He even goes so far as to asking to be the next Robin, which Bruce initially flat out refuses, but by the end of the story when he plugs himself into an exosuit the late Tim Drake built, he doesn't betray him and stays by his side, indeed becoming the new Robin, showing his newfound friendship with Batman was genuine. By the very last page, Joker has achieved something no one ever expected: finally becoming a hero.]]

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Witnessing the slaughter between the [[BeastMan grotesque]] [[ComicBook/AnimalMan Animal Men]] and the bandaged and crazed [[ComicBook/UnknownSoldier Unknown Soldiers]], Batman tells the Joker that they have to help them. Joker looks upon Batman's folly and simply asks "Which side?". Batman then says "Both of them." but realizes Joker's point and [[RunOrDie leaves the area rather than get between these powerful combatants.]]

* CharacterDevelopment: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]]. While Batman doesn't change much throughout the story, his opinion of the Joker is heightened from believing that he is not fit to be a Robin at the latter's request [[spoiler:([[TemptingFate although Joker does adopt the suit and mantle later]])]] to [[spoiler:claiming that the clown would be a better Batman than [[BigBad Omega]] ever could be.]]

* MorallySuperiorCopy: While we do follow Batman, we're not exactly following Bruce Wayne. The protagonist is a Batman Clone/Copy, while Bruce Wayne ended up becoming the BigBad Omega. The Batman clone soon becomes a RedeemingReplacement after ultimately defeating and killing Omega.

* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: A rumor goes around that Omega was born and bred in Gotham and may very well have been one of Batman's proteges. [[spoiler:It turns out to be [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when Omega's identity is revealed]].

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:The Joker, of all people, ends up helping Batman and the resistance against Omega, even becoming his new Robin. By the story's end, he is still standing with the heroes]].

** Of all people, [[spoiler:'''the Joker''' becomes the newest Robin, after the death of Tim Drake and also him bothering Batman if he could become one]].

* DueToTheDead: [[spoiler:Diana makes it clear that, while she doesn't forgive Lex Luthor for his past actions, she will make sure that people know about his HeroicSacrifice allowing her and Batman to escape]].
* DyingDream: [[spoiler:Omega gives Alfred one of him managing to convince the Waynes to not go see ''Zorro'', thus preventing Bruce from becoming Batman. Being that Omega ''is'' the real Bruce, it's heartwarming in a sad way, despite having said goodbye to Clone!Bruce, Omega still allows his surrogate father to die happy]].

* FaceHeelTurn: Omega is revealed to be [[spoiler:the original Bruce Wayne]].

* AdaptationalHeroism: [[spoiler: The Joker, having spent ten years as a head in a jar hanging on a hook in the desert, is overjoyed when Bruce finds him, and rather than attempt to torment him in any shape or form, is instead completely and utterly chummy with the Dark Knight throughout the entire story, chatting nonstop, treating him like an old friend rather than his greatest enemy. He even goes so far as to asking to be the next Robin, which Bruce initially flat out refuses, but by the end of the story when he plugs himself into an exosuit the late Tim Drake built, he doesn't betray him and stays by his side, indeed becoming the new Robin, showing his newfound friendship with Batman was genuine. By the very last page, Joker has achieved something no one ever expected: finally becoming a hero]].

* KilledOffscreen: A lot of heroes have died by the time the story starts. [[spoiler:When Batman meets with the surviving members of the resistance against Omega, Barbara reveals that Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, Kate Kane, Stephanie Brown, and Harold have all been killed]].
* LateToTheTragedy: [[spoiler:Dick sadly explains that Batman and Wonder Woman arrived just a few days before Omega activates his new mind control device and just a few days after the resistance launched an attack to try and stop him. Said attack involved the deaths of Tim Drake and a number of resistance members, which ended up demoralizing the remaining survivors]].

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Diana recounts how the original Batman allowed an anti-superhero mob into the Hall of Justice in an attempt to reason with them. This led directly to the deaths of several members of the Justice League, including Bruce himself. [[spoiler:As it turns out, he survived, and the whole incident led to his becoming Omega]].

* PrecisionFStrike: The Joker and Wonder Woman both say "shit."

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Omega, the de-facto BigBad of the story, wears a suit like this, only somewhat evocative of Batman's motif, signifying his supposed connection to Bruce. [[spoiler:As it turns out, it's actually an EvilCostumeSwitch]].
* RedeemingReplacement: [[spoiler:The Batman clone/copy the story focuses on ultimately becomes one for the original Batman (who had become Omega) after defeating him and bringing peace back to Gotham]].

** [[spoiler:Omega is eventually revealed to be the original Bruce Wayne. When he allowed members of an anti-superhero mob into the Hall of Justice in an attempt to reason with them, the crowd brutally tortured him near to death. The whole incident and the long, painful recovery afterwards destroyed his faith in humanity and led to him becoming Omega]].

* AdaptationalHeroism: [[spoiler: The Joker, having spent ten years as a head in a jar hanging on a hook in the desert, is overjoyed when Bruce finds him, and rather than attempt to torment him in any shape or form, is instead completely and utterly chummy with the Dark Knight throughout the entire story, chatting nonstop, treating him like an old friend rather than his greatest enemy. He even goes so far as to asking to be the next Robin, which Bruce initially flat out refuses, but by the end of the story when he plugs himself into an exosuit the late Tim Drake built, he doesn't betray him, and stays by his side, indeed becoming the new Robin, showing his newfound friendship with Batman was genuine. By the very last page, Joker has achieved something no one ever expected: finally becoming a hero]].