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The Wayne Family
Bruce Wayne / The Batman
Bruce Wayne / The Batman

"I'm vengeance."

Portrayed by: Robert Pattinson, Oscar Novak (Young)
Dubbed by: Thomas Roditi (European French), Gerardo García (Latin-American Spanish dub), Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese dub), Alexander Gavrilin (Russian dub)
Appears In: The Batman (2022) | The Batman: Part II
"What I'm doing is my family's legacy. If I can't change things here, if I can't have an effect, then I don't care what happens to me."
After his parents were shot to death in front of him as a child, Bruce Wayne vowed to dedicate his life to waging war on Gotham City's criminals and rid his beloved home of the corruption that plagues it. To that end, he trained extensively for years, honing his body to its mental and physical peak, and became a masked vigilante who dresses as a bat to prey on his enemies' superstitions and fears, using an armored suit and gadgets.
- '90s Hair: He boasts curtain bangs in his Bruce Wayne identity.
- Action Hero: Well, this is Batman after all. Though, in this iteration, there's just as much emphasis on his detective work as there is on his physical battles against crime.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Downplayed, as it changes with Character Development. Here, Bruce is depicted as a lot ruder to Alfred and less willing to see him as family, bluntly telling him that he's not his father at one point and lightly chuckling at the notion that he is considered a Wayne. He does still care about him, however, and is horrified after The Riddler's bomb almost kills him, admitting to Pennyworth in the hospital that he truly feared losing him.
- Adaptational Mundanity: Unlike in The Dark Knight Trilogy, where Batman's cape allowed him to glide through an Applied Phlebotinum "memory cloth" cape, or in most other media, where his ability to glide with his cape is unexplained, here, Batman is merely able to convert it into a wingsuit, something that already exists. This is also shown taking a few moments to do, and still requires a parachute to safely land, so he only uses it in an emergency.
- Adaptational Personality Change: Not his real personality, but how he chooses to appear in public. His Bruce Wayne persona is more of a reclusive loner akin to Michael Keaton in the Burton films than the Millionaire Playboy of the comics and the Nolan films or the Honest Corporate Executive of the DCEU. Bruce Wayne is barely different from Batman, staying mostly immersed in his vigilante self, and feels that there's hardly any need for being Bruce Wayne. Reál is trying to get him out of his penthouse and become a proper activist supporting the city, and Alfred wants him to be more involved in Wayne Enterprises.
- Adaptational Slimness. He's noticeably leaner than most takes on Batman, which can be partially explained by this being relatively early into his crime fighting career (2 years), and him simply not yet having the time to put on the muscle.
- Adaptational Ugliness: Downplayed; he's still quite good-looking (this IS Robert Pattinson we’re talking about). However, compared to previous live-action depictions of Bruce Wayne, this version is noticeably more gaunt and unkempt-looking when not in the Batsuit, emphasizing the dark frame of mind Bruce is still in this early in his career.
- Adaptational Wimp:
- By virtue of this movie taking place in a setting that's even grittier and more grounded than the Nolan Trilogy, this incarnation of Batman is notably low-tech, with many of his showcased gadgets being tools for his detective work rather than assisting him in combat. His cape also doesn't serve any functional purpose beyond the intimidation factor, meaning that when Bruce needs to jump from the roof to escape the GCPD, he needs to frantically equip himself with an actual wingsuit, which does very little to deter Bats from suffering a disastrous crash landing immediately after making the jump.
- Similarly, this Batman doesn't use Batarangs or shuriken, and instead relies on his own two fists and whatever he can get his hands on during fights. He also struggles far more in fights against thugs than most other versions who would have cleaned out a whole room of them without breaking a sweat.
- Age Lift: Of his live-action interpretations, he might be one of the youngest live-action Batmen to date, being only 28, as opposed to other incarnations that had him more firmly set in his adult years, if not middle-aged or older. This puts him closer in line with the Post-Crisis incarnation of Batman, who began his career at age 26, while this Batman has been operating for two years as of the start of The Batman.
- Amateur Sleuth: Bruce, as Batman, often does detective work in his fight against crime, despite being independent from the GCPD. Naturally, he does work with the GCPD, though there are moments in which Bruce conducts his own detective work, usually in his own base of operations.
- Ambiguously Christian: Or rather, Roman Catholic if the use of "Ave Maria" in the film is anything to go by. The Wayne family manor was converted by Thomas and Martha into what seems to be a Roman Catholic orphanage as part of the Renewal project, complete with choir boys singing "Ave Maria" upon his arrival to announce his Mayoral run. Considering it would be weird for non-Catholics to open a Catholic orphanage out of their own repurposed manor, this is a pretty big hint as to what faith the Wayne's in this movie belong to. This has since been confirmed in the Apple exclusive commentary track, stating that the third act was Batman's "penance" for failing to catch on to Riddler's clues, and his descent into the waters of Gotham was his "baptism" and subsequent renewal.
- Ambiguously Jewish: In a promotional photo for the website, the Wayne's have a copy of the Zohar on their living room bookshelf. While simply owning a book, especially one that coaches spirituality, does not make you a member of any faith, it's the only book on the shelf with a specific name and purpose within the Jewish faith. While Batman has been considered some denomination of Christian since his conception (and Martha herself was canonically stated to be Irish-Catholic) the very recent New 52 continuity has Martha Wayne hinted at being Jewish thanks to the retcon of Kate Kane being Bruce's cousin, making her son Jewish under Rabbinic law if she is. Though considering how Martha in this movie is an Arkham, and thus Kate Kane probably doesn't exist in this continuity, though, that's likely not the case here like all canonical iterations of the character pre-New 52 where he is a cousin of Batwoman.
- Anguished Outburst: The revelation that Thomas Wayne was willing to work with Carmine Falcone in scaring off an unscrupulous journalist leaves Bruce aghast and disappointed. He angrily and somberly has a conversation with Alfred in the hospital about why Thomas would work with a mafia crime lord like him. Thankfully, this is remedied by Alfred telling Bruce that Thomas loved his wife and son and never intended to kill anyone.
- Animal Motif: Huh, I guess you're wondering what animal motif Batman represents?
- Anti-Hero: While committed to his "no-killing" rule deeply, this Batman is a lot more brutal and unscrupulous in his war against crime than many others, and he shows shades of selfishness due to his single-minded desire for vengeance for his parents' murder. A major factor in his Character Development is to learn the consequences of inspiring fear so he transitions into a great figure of hope who can inspire the people of Gotham to endure and be resilient.
- Armor Is Useless: Nope. One of Bruce's tactics to help sell the idea that he's an otherworldly creature to the superstitious criminals of Gotham is to sometimes tank their gunfire head-on, demonstrating how he's Immune to Bullets, before retaliating by beating the tar out of them with unbridled ferocity, intimidating many Mooks who witness his apparent invulnerability and viciousness towards them. At one point he pulls an Unflinching Walk straight through a hall of gunfire, lit by the sparks of the bullets bouncing off him. At the same time, it does have its limits. He may manage to tank a point-blank range shotgun blast square to his center mass, but all that kinetic energy has to go somewhere, and he is still knocked back and can do nothing but lay prone in extreme pain.
- Badass Boast: After being asked "The hell are you supposed to be?" by a thug, his response is a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown followed by "I'm vengeance."
- Badass Cape: A standard garb for any iteration of Bruce Wayne. That said, this one doesn't really allow Batman to glide long distances; instead, he has to fashion the cape into a wingsuit of sorts, and it turns out rough and crude, given that while it helps Bruce escape the GCPD, he still needs to use a parachute to land, which gets tangled up in a bridge and sends him tumbling down the street in an accident that would have gotten anyone else heavily injured.
- Bat Deduction: Despite being the Trope Namer, the Batman here subverts it hard. Any clues he picks up on comes from the tedious and rigorous use of real detective work. It takes a good long while for him to decipher the true meaning of the "You are el rata alada" riddle and, when he asks the Riddler via the web chat whether Penguin is the "winged rat", Riddler seems almost irritated that Batman isn't pulling the exact solution Riddler wants from his incredibly obtuse riddles.
- Battle Boomerang: Averted. This portrayal of Batman notably does not use any "batarangs"; the detachable bat-shape tool on his chest is used like a convention utility knife.
- Battle Couple: Not exactly a "couple" per se, but he does have a crimefighting dynamic with Catwoman, particularly in the climax when she attacks a Riddler follower to protect him as he's injured, and he, in turn, pulls a Heroic Second Wind to save her afterwards.
- Big Good: After realizing his quest for vengeance wasn't actually helping the people of Gotham, but was inspiring criminals like Riddler to endanger them, Batman steps into the light at the end of the film and decides to guide Gotham back from the brink as a symbol of hope rather than fear.
- Blue Blood: Or as close as you can get in a society without titled nobility. Being descended from the Waynes and Arkhams on his father's and mother's sides respectively, the two families, according to the Riddler, that were singularly important to the founding and development of Gotham. The fact that this film chooses to depict the tower housing Wayne Enterprises and the family's residence as a unique tower with prominent Gothic architectural elements both outside and inside, like an ivory tower, certainly reinforces the two families' status and influence.
- Boxing Battler: His main fighting style is boxing, which Pattinson trained in extensively for the part, and pummeling his opponents into submission, aided by his weighted gloves giving his punches extra force.
- Bruiser with a Soft Center: Rough and brutal as he may be, Bruce does have his moments of genuine kindness, respect, and remorse. He makes an attempt to reach out to Mayor Mitchell's son in his grief and saves him from an oncoming car, and tries to reach out to Selina when he realizes that they're both motivated by past tragedies that involved the death of their parents. By the end, he learns to be a Hope Bringer for Gotham's populace, instead of a Terror Hero.
- Byronic Hero: Bruce fits this to a tee. He is very asocial and aloof, has trouble reckoning with his past, and muses over his problems in dialogue and narration. On the other hand, he genuinely cares about the few people he's close to, does not kill anybody in his crusade, and his efforts are for a noble (if single-minded) cause. His convictions, while generally high-minded and heroic, end up creating problems, namely Riddler becoming inspired by the Dark Knight's actions.
- Catchphrase: "I'm vengeance" is implied to be one; he utters the line after beating down a thug at the start of the movie (in response to said thug's question of "the hell are you supposed to be?"). Penguin implies that Batman has used the same line with him, nicknaming Batman "Vengeance", which Selina briefly adopts it as an Affectionate Nickname. Hearing the line said by one of Riddler's followers is part of what makes Batman change his approach and move from being a Terror Hero to a Hope Bringer.
- Character Development: The Batman focuses on Bruce's journey from being an otherworldly embodiment of vengeance against criminals and the corrupt to being a compassionate knight to Gotham's people.
- Chase Fight: Bruce engages in one against the Penguin as the latter tries to escape. Oz does get a few good hits and stays ahead of Bruce by causing a huge pileup. Unfortunately, Bruce is riding the Batmobile, whose durability is enough to withstand explosions, and subsequently, he defeats and apprehends Oz.
- Chest Insignia: Bruce's iconic bat-shaped chest emblem is revealed to be detachable, and sharp, functioning as a large knife he can use when the need arises. Given its lethality, he never uses this as a weapon, only a tool, like when he severed a live power line threatening to electrocute civilians during the flooding of Gotham.
- Clark Kent Outfit: Done in an interesting way that may take inspiration from the trope namer. In civilian clothes, Bruce comes across as wimpy, disaffected and quiet, wearing clothes that are a bit too big for him and maintaining a slouching posture. When he becomes Batman, a combination of the bulky suit and more restrained mannerisms makes him seem significantly bigger and more imposing.
- Classical Anti-Hero: He's a hero, no doubt about that, but he also suffers from several issues and character flaws that he struggles to deal with throughout the film, such as his all-consuming rage towards crime and his desperation to carry on what he sees as his parents' legacy, to the point where he subconsciously becomes single-minded and selfish. His Character Development revolves around Bruce dealing with and eventually overcoming these flaws so he can be better for those he cares about and the rest of Gotham.
- Clothes Make the Superman: It's nowhere near the level of the Arkham Series batsuit, but this version of Batman has the most technologically advanced batsuit of any cinematic incarnation, even taking Adaptational Mundanity into account. This batsuit has a number of gadgets built into it—such as grapnel guns being incorporated into the gauntlets, a cape that can convert into a wingsuit, and the Chest Insignia doubling as a batarang-type cutting tool—that Batman would normally carry in his utility belt. Batman also wears eye contacts that double as cameras which are imperceptible to even the trained eye, and help him collect evidence without taking it from the police and can help him keep an eye on people that he can't reach himself, such as when Selina Kyle did reconnaissance for him in the 44 Below. On top of that, this is the single most durable batsuit aside from Ben Affleck's Powered Armor, shrugging off bullets well enough that he can do an Unflinching Walk into a hail of machine gun fire Superman-style (headshots and point-blank shotgun blasts will floor him, however).
- Color Motifs:
- The promotional material for The Batman heavily associates this Bruce with the color red. This fits really well with his violent and explosive nature, particularly in how he brutalizes the goons he fights (even Oswald tells him to calm down at one point). It's evident that Bruce is still very much at the "Anger" stage of his trauma.
- However, in one comparative image of him and Selina, you see hints of blue amongst the large red hue, alluding to how he's still a heroic and caring person beneath all that rage.
- The Comically Serious: Bruce isn't exactly a hilarious kind of guy, but most of the humor around him stems from the fact that he's deathly serious in most situations as opposed to trying to be funny, which then loops around to being funny in and of itself. Simply explaining that he's found the Ridler's "thumb drive" is delivered as a completely straight statement, but it feels like a punchline because of the macabre absurdity of the situation.
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Or in this case, Contrasting Reboot Main Character when compared to his previous incarnations.
- In the DC Extended Universe, Batman was portrayed as a seasoned veteran with an established rogues gallery and having experienced many of the major comic storylines, as well as existing in a fantastical world full of aliens, gods and metahumans. This Batman is only in his second year of crime fighting and encountering many of his villains for the first time, while existing in a much more grounded world.
- He's often compared by viewers to the Batman of The Dark Knight Trilogy, due to both existing in more gritty and grounded worlds and being introduced early into their careers. However Bale's Batman was introduced as an idealist who firmly believed in saving Gotham and making it better, while also having spent several years travelling the Earth and being trained the League of Shadows which made him skilled in combat and giving him skills and tactics similar to ninjas. This Batman is much more cynical and leans into the "I am vengeance" idea of the character though he does eventually realise this was wrong, while having much less combat experience and being more of a detective by solving the Riddler's crimes.
- A major difference between him and his previous live-action film depictions is his staunch insistence to sticking to his Thou Shall Not Kill rule. The Batmen the Batman Film Series had no reluctance about killing, Keaton's portrayal especially being brutal at times, while the DCEU version was introduced being especially brutal and planning to kill Superman, while simply being uncaring if criminals were killed during fights. Bale's Batman was inconsistent on this rule at first, allowing Ra's al Ghul to die instead of saving him and later accidentally killing Two-Face to save a life, but did become a believer on it in the end.
- Covered with Scars: Bruce's back is covered with scars from a mere two years of being Batman.
- Cool Car: The Batmobile is the obvious example, in this iteration being a modified street racer that Bruce had been working on since he was 16. In a more mundane capacity, Bruce drives a black 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in civilian life.
- The Cowl: Bruce usually dons the Batman identity during the night, which helps him to inspire mystique and terror upon Gotham City's criminals. By the end, he's since grown into wanting to use his reputation as a means to inspire hope to the denizens of Gotham, and is seen in the light of dawn.
- Creepy Good: His silhouette, outlook, and the Bat Signal that he projects to the sky invoke this for criminals, the GCPD, and the citizens of Gotham. That said, this reputation doesn't stop Bruce from having a strenuous and difficult working relationship with the police.
- Crimefighting with Cash: Bruce has used his family's fortune to mold his vigilante persona of Batman as well as craft the gadgets that he uses in his crusade against crime.
- The Cynic: Bruce is very sullen and caustic about the state of things in Gotham City, and this is part of the reason why he's so vengeful and brutal whenever he is active as Batman. Even so, he is adamant that things can be changed for the better, actively works to prove that, and moves past his cynicism at the end of the film, after seeing what his actions had inspired.
- Dark and Troubled Past: The murder of his parents, leaving him an orphan, is a major motivating factor for why Bruce is the Dark Knight and the reason his fight against Gotham City's criminal underbelly and its social, legal, and political corruption had started.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Per usual for Bruce. He wears a black/dark-grey costume that evokes bats and prowls in the night, but uses his combat skills and gadgets to fight for the greater good and uphold justice. Even more so by the end of the film when he decides to shift away from being a terrifying creature of the night to become a great symbol of hope to the innocents of Gotham.
- Deadpan Snarker: Downplayed, but even this colder and more humorless version of Batman has a moment or two of dry wit. He introduces himself to Selina by quipping "you're pretty good at that" while she picks a safe (and had no idea that he was even there).
- Deconstructed Character Archetype:
- He is one for the Terror Hero example, showing how this kind of heroism causes him more problems than it solves. Other Batman works paint Bruce as someone rising up to stop the city's descent into criminality, but here he's also painted as a symptom of it—yet another wounded boy lashing out at the people who wronged him. This Bruce's more withdrawn approach also makes his motives unknown and questionable to other characters, as his war on crime is called out several times as being selfish. Lack of concern for how he's perceived by the city at large leads to him accidentally inspiring the Riddler, who is a Loony Fan of his. His character arc has Bruce realizing that he needs to change his ways in order to make a difference in Gotham, and thus commits to becoming a Hope Bringer for everyone instead of someone who wants to hurt others as a part of his vengeance.
- The film also takes the "Batman is Bruce Wayne's true self" interpretation to its logical conclusion. Being Batman has consumed Bruce's life to the point that there's no distinction between Bruce Wayne and Batman at all: Bruce is Batman both in and out of costume, so much so that he retains his Batman mannerisms when presenting as Bruce Wayne. We later see that Bruce is actively neglecting his civilian life and family legacy in favor of his vigilante activities, viewing the Batman as his family's true legacy. This neglect has extended to his family's finances too, as the lack of oversight is what allowed the Renewal fund to be looted by mobsters and corrupt officials after his father's death.
- The plot takes a slight detour into deconstructing how much Bruce has molded his life around the trauma of losing his parents. The Riddler, as his Shadow Archetype, shows Bruce that there are many people in Gotham City that beat him in Misery Poker hollow and just fall through the cracks while Bruce's money and having Alfred did gave him some kind of safety net (and more reason said people fell through the cracks was because everybody saw Bruce becoming an orphan and focused on that). Also The Reveal about how much the Waynes were enmeshed with Falcone put a crack in the pedestal, if not shattered it completely.
- Determinator: He wouldn't be Batman otherwise. He fights crime in Gotham despite lingering doubts about whether he's making a difference. In the climax, Batman fights through dozens of Riddler's followers and multiple painful gunshots to save people, including Selina. Even after taking a heavy shot to the chest and needing a dose of adrenaline to keep fighting, Batman keeps going, and is still helping to evacuate people the next morning.
- Dented Iron: He might just be in his second year but despite his bulletproof armor he is shown to already have multiple scars on his back.
- Does Not Like Guns: So much so that he tells Selina not to use firearms and only tolerates the police using them at best. He is, however, okay with using his wrist-mounted Grappling Hook Pistols in combat as replacements for his usual batarangs, in part because they're much more practical as a mid-range weapon, and he only uses them in emergencies when he can't get close enough to a target to handle the problem in time, going for non-lethal wounding shots to incapacitate them and drag them closer.
- The Dreaded: He's spent two years cultivating the image of a terrifying creature that stalks the night, such that an opening montage has several criminals fleeing from shadows when they see the Bat Signal shining in the sky, convinced the Batman is coming after them.
- Elemental Motifs: Fire. Batman's vengeance is comparable to an out of control, all-consuming blaze, there is a smouldering car in the background when he captures Oz, and the Riddler tries to kill Bruce Wayne with a bomb. His first true act as Gotham's savior is setting off a flare, showing he will take on fire's positive attributes of light and warmth as well.
- Emerging from the Shadows: His first on-screen appearance is showing up in a dark train station just when a gang is about to assault someone for looking at them funny. It further emphasizes Batman's nature as The Cowl and as a Terror Hero.
- Establishing Character Moment: The Bat-Signal's light suddenly illuminates in the night sky. Two criminals who are about to commit a crime are immediately terrified upon witnessing the symbol and flee. Then, he shows up out of nowhere from the shadows to confront a pack of gangbangers in a dark subway station who were assaulting a train passenger. Bruce swiftly and viciously beats and intimidates them into running away before looking at the train passenger with an assuring glance. It's enough to present Batman as the terrifying vigilante, while reaffirming that in spite of his brutal approach to fighting crime, he's still a good man who wants to contribute to changing Gotham for the better.
- Everyone Has Standards: Batman may be particularly brutal, but he's steadfast in his commitment to his no-killing rule, and he's utterly disgusted to learn that his crusade inspired the Riddler's reign of terror. He's also absolutely horrified by Riddler's plan to flood Gotham and claim countless innocent lives.
- While Batman definitely plays up the more aloof side of him, it's clear from the look in his eyes as he listens to Annika's murder on Selina's voicemail that he's disgusted by what Falcone and his men did to her, and his Death Glare at the Dirty Cop who helped him do it speaks volumes.
- He's also disturbed by Riddler's assertion that the orphans were made to live in inhumane conditions and that it was all but expected for one of the babies to die each year from the cold. He's also similarly distraught at the idea his father had something to do with it.
- When he at one point gets overly critical and judgmental of Selina and her friend, she angrily reminds him that, whatever tragedy he may have suffered through, he comes off as having had a generally privileged upbringing compared to most of the people of Gotham and didn't have to struggle to survive the same way she and others did. Internalizing this, he genuinely apologizes for his attitude.
- The Fettered: Regardless of what he is and how others see him as, one consistent trait of Batman is that he can never bring himself to kill somebody, and will stop the moment he realizes that he's going too far. This even extends to others as he tries to make sure that Selina doesn't become corrupted by killing Falcone.
- Friend to All Children: In The Batman, he sees the son of the late mayor as a kindred spirit, and the kid does not fear him. He also goes out of his way to get the kid out of harm's way when a car rams through his father's funeral service. Notably, when the city floods at the end of the film, the same boy is the first one to place his trust in the Caped Crusader — and a girl later holds his hand before being airlifted.
- Gadgeteer Genius: While it is unknown where or how he got his grappling hooks and wingsuit, it is heavily implied through the copious amounts of car parts scattered through the Batcave that he modified the Batmobile from scratch himself.
- Genius Bruiser: Heavily downplayed, as the Bruiser part is perfectly fine, but he's working on the Genius part, especially when it comes to detective work. He's able to make very good deductions and is quick to notice when he's missed something, but he still relies on Gordon and Alfred for a lot of help, and he makes mistakes. That being said, it's clear he's got a sharp mind, has an innate talent for lateral thinking, and he's usually the first to solve Riddler's puzzles. He's still got quite a ways to go with his gadgetry, though.
- Good Is Not Nice: He has the best intentions, but his social skills are non-existent and he consistently sees the worst in everyone. Despite the fact that Selina is surprisingly helpful and owes him nothing, he remains brusque with her, which actively loses him her aid at one point, and he's repeatedly rude to Alfred. His first resort tends to be violence and intimidation, even when it's not necessarily the best option available to him.
- Good Is Not Soft: A hero and a vigilante with noble aspirations he may be, but Batman is not afraid of becoming just as vicious as the criminals he fights against, to the point where he inspires terror in nearly anyone who gets to know him. However, this becomes a detriment on a long-term basis in his crusade, prompting Bruce to try a more hopeful and optimistic alternative.
- Great Detective: On the way there. This younger Batman picks up clues fairly well and has a good working knowledge of forensic science seen when he examines the Mayor's corpse. He also goes on stakeouts and can solve the Riddler's puzzles repeatedly. Nevertheless, he misses out on some key details that stop him figuring the true scope of Riddler's plot.
- Guile Hero: He employs fear as a form of psychological manipulation and intimidation, best shown when he shines the light of the Bat-Signal into the sky, which alerts and scares off two gangsters into running away and abandoning whatever criminal act they were about to do.
- Guns Akimbo: Well, grapple guns akimbo, anyway. He specifically dual-wields his forearm-mounted grapplers during the final battle at the stadium against Riddler's followers.
- Hardboiled Detective: This cinematic iteration of Batman places more emphasis on his skills as a detective. Coincidentally, this take of the character is also quite cynical, brooding, and melancholic, which alludes to this trope. This excludes being alcoholic and being willing to use guns, but the spirit of a hardboiled detective is still apparent in Bruce.
- Heartbroken Badass: It's clear that he's never gotten over the murder of his parents, and that he uses his Batman persona to turn his grief against what got them killed: Gotham's corruption and rampant crime.
- The Hermit: As of The Batman, Bruce Wayne is this to the public despite his family's history of philanthropy. He's mostly removed from public life because his focus is solely on being Batman, and he has no real interest in engaging in the kind of lifestyle that his parents enjoyed. This stems from Bruce being in a dark place mentally and having not gotten over the murder of his parents, so he throws himself into the Batman role to the detriment of his life as Bruce Wayne.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Batman has yet to be on good terms with the GCPD, which makes sense since it's only been two years since he started his crusade. The only member of the police that trusts him is Jim Gordon. He's also somewhat feared and distrusted by the general public. Even the sincere and honest Bella Reál is wary of him, framing the fact that a vigilante is loose in Gotham as a failure on Mayor Mitchell's part. He finally gets past this at the end when he thwarts Riddler's plans for a massacre at Reál's post-election rally, and then aids in rescuing the victims of the attack, after which the news reports positively on his actions.
- Heroic Sacrifice: One that ends up being non-lethal, but is presented as Bruce taking a clear risk with his life regardless. Seeing a damaged power line is threatening to land in the rising flood waters sweeping into the mayoral rally, and nobody can reach the power box to turn it off in time, Batman grapples over to the power line and severs it with his chest-mounted Emergency Weapon, getting shocked in the process and falling into the deluge to nearly drown, but preventing the civilians caught in the flood from dying.
- Heroic Second Wind: Pulls one off to save Selina from one of Riddler's goons in the climax by injecting himself with adrenaline to overcome the shock and pain from a shotgun hit straight to the chest.
- Heroic Spirit: He does his very best to make sure that the Riddler doesn't succeed in his plan to flood Gotham. Even after being shot point-blank and incapacitated, and then being willing to risk being electrocuted, he doesn't stop trying to save as many people as he can, truly putting the wellbeing of others before himself for the first time, all after taking on an obscene amount of abuse. It's a culmination to Bruce's Character Development towards becoming a better hero than he was.
- Homemade Inventions: He wouldn't be a true Batman without his tools, except this time, all his gadgets, ranging from his own suit to the Batmobile, are much more practical and not entirely reliant on Bruce's vast fortune. Robert Pattinson says that this is a much more "Do-It-Yourself" Batman. This makes sense, since this Dark Knight has not been a vigilante for too long. However, he does have a pair of cutting-edge contact lenses that can act as high-definition cameras, even being able to record sound of a surprisingly high quality.
- Hope Bringer: After realising the destructive nature of his campaign as a brutal vigilante, Batman makes a decision to change his approach; starting by rescuing trapped civilians at the arena, Batman opts to become a symbol of hope to the innocents of Gotham to make sure that the change he enacts in the city is positive.
- Horrifying Hero: The fact that his signal being illuminated in the sky is able to scare gangsters into abandoning their intended crimes is more than enough to show that Batman is this trope. Most criminals tend to dart away when they realize they're no match for him, but it's deconstructed when it's revealed that this reputation was what ended up inspiring the Riddler into using fighting crime and corruption as a rationale for his own actions.
- Humanoid Abomination: Bruce tries to sell his alter-ego as an unstoppable, otherworldly monster that serves as vengeance incarnate rather than project himself as a conventional crime-fighter — and this treatment even extends to some of his allies, being taciturn and carrying with him an alien, inhuman presence wherever he goes. He gradually drops this over time, although he still remains to be feared — he just places greater emphasis on the "hero" part.
- I Am the Noun: He tells a mook "I'm vengeance." Earlier he says, "I am the shadows."
- Idiot Ball: Firmly grasps it when dealing with the second-to-last of Riddler's followers. Having knocked him down, Bruce simply walks slowly towards his target while he clearly is getting a high caliber weapon out of the bag, and then promptly gets shot and would have died if not for Selina's intervention.
- Immune to Bullets: A gunshot from near point-blank range, and shots from multiple cops as he ascends a building with his grappling hook, are shown to just bounce off his body armor. Later in the film, he outright walks through machine gun fire without so much as flinching. He even tanks a blast from a double-barreled shotgun in the climax, though it does knock him down, is clearly very painful, and leaves him fading in and out of consciousness from the pain and shock. It's implied his head might not be quite as well-armoured as the rest of his body, as the same shotgun being placed against his face for a point-blank attack is presented as a clear threat to Bruce's life.
- Implacable Man: Zig-Zagged. On the one hand, it's made clear that, when in costume, Bruce sometimes goes out of his way to cultivate this image, tanking bullets and attacks he might otherwise have avoided in order to make a non-verbal statement about how absolute he is as an avatar of justice, and nothing the criminals he faces can do will save them. On the other hand, when out of costume and in his downtime in the Batcave, it's shown that Bruce is suffering the consequences of such a reckless fighting style, having a back Covered in Scars from just two years of being a vigilante, and the implication is that he will suffer long-term repercussions from pushing himself like this. Not that he cares.
- Incompletely Trained: He's skilled enough in physical combat, but the film goes out of his way to show that because this is set in his second year of crimefighting, Bruce is still rather rough and unrefined in certain areas, especially in his skills as a detective. While he is adequate in figuring out clues and evidence, he still misses vital clues and riddles, and sometimes he needs aid from Gordon and the other GCPD members in further figuring out the motives and whereabouts of the Riddler.
- It's All About Me: Bruce is questioned by Alfred if he's going on his crusade for the sake of Gotham or for the sake of revenge on criminals for murdering his parents, especially when the crime rate has only gone up since Batman made his debut. Once Batman learns that the Riddler and his followers had followed Batman's example to enact their form of "vengeance" upon Gotham, he realizes that he was too self-involved at the beginning, and thus begins to remake himself as a savior of the innocents to set an example for those who truly want to improve the city.
- Jerkass Realization: After discovering the Riddler is a Loony Fan of his, he realizes his image as vengeance incarnate is inspiring a level of brutality that is only making things worse, and he vows to become a symbol of hope instead.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: This is easily one of the coldest versions of Batman we've ever seen, his trauma and dedication to his work leaving his people skills with much to be desired. He's also motivated mostly by rage and vengeance, which doesn't make for the happiest outlook. However, he's ultimately a good man who cares about others, sticks firmly to his principles, and by the end, has embraced a new role as a protector of the helpless and symbol of hope.
- Lantern Jaw of Justice: It comes with the territory when a character is portrayed by Robert Pattinson. The cowl emphasizes Batman's jawline more than any other live action version before it.
- Leitmotif: Something in the Way by Nirvana. The song plays twice in the film, the first time to showcase the bleak, tragic nature of Bruce's character, and the second time to emphasize Bruce's growth as a person and as a hero.
- Licked by the Dog: Selina's cats seem to take a liking to Batman, but not the bat in a cage owned by the Riddler. Bruce Wayne never liked bats either.
- Lightning Bruiser: Despite being decked out in bulletproof armor, he's still able to beat a thug in seconds and dodge an acrobatic kick from Selina Kyle.
- Like Father, Like Son: Both Thomas and Bruce Wayne believe in Gotham and chose to bypass the government in order to provide direct aid - Thomas with the Renewal project and Bruce with the Batman. Both generations also had their attempts backfire. Renewal was used to fund crime after Thomas' death, while the Batman inadvertently radicalized the disenfranchised, creating the Riddler.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Bruce is a sullen, melancholic, and emotionally withdrawn man who doesn't even bother to keep up with his position as one of Gotham's most influential people and is haunted by the death of his parents when he was a child. Even so, it doesn't stop him from trying to honor what he believes is his family's legacy, as well as being Batman for the sake of upholding the more noble and admirable qualities of Gotham—as extreme as his methods may be.
- Looks Like Cesare: When he takes off his cowl his hair is realistically messy, and his black eyeshadow is revealed to actually exist in-universe, rather than just being a representation of a part of his mask. With his pale skin, the resemblance is striking.
- Made of Iron: He takes several hits over the course of the movie that clearly incapacitate him, however briefly, but this just makes it even more obvious how tough he is. He gets blown several feet away by an explosion with his face just inches away from the bomb and is still able to walk and talk hours later like it's nothing. The failed parachute landing in the street doesn't seem to leave any lasting damage. He even gets electrocuted and falls several feet down into shallow flood waters after a grueling fight with Riddler's followers in the climax, and still has the strength to start lifting aside collapsed debris and rescue civilians. By the end he's taken enough damage to kill any normal man several times over in real life, even with the best armor, and he's still perfectly capable of intense physical effort.
- Manchild: A downplayed example Played for Drama. He's 28, but his closed-off and aggressive behavior brings more to mind a troubled teenager, owing to the fact that the traumatic death of his parents has emotionally stunted him. He starts to grows out of it as part of his Character Development.
- Married to the Job: At the end of the movie, Selina asks him to leave Gotham with her, maybe go to Bludhaven, "The Bat and the Cat". He doesn't say anything, just looks at the Bat spotlight painting the sky behind her. She smiles sadly—"Who am I kidding? You're already spoken for"—and they go their separate ways.
- Muscles Are Meaningless: He's noticeably slimmer than previous portrayals, particularly Ben Affleck's, but is still extremely strong and capable in combat, though he relies a lot more on the suit (especially the heavy armor) than other incarnations.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Realizing that he created the Riddler shakes him to his core and forces him to reevaluate his actions as Batman.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!:
- Bruce's methods of using fear and being an absolute monster in battle turn out to have their own fair share of problems in the long-run, which comes to a head when it's revealed that the Riddler admits to having been inspired by Batman in his tenure as a vigilante. Bruce doesn't take this revelation well, and furthers his change into pursuing a more optimistic and hopeful approach to protecting Gotham in the future.
- Bruce's neglect of his civilian life in favor of committing fully to being Batman causes him to completely miss the fact that all of Gotham's corrupt cops, politicians and mobsters have been pilfering from his family's charity fund. His culpability is highlighted by an early scene where Bruce skips a meeting with his accountants against Alfred's advice; it's likely they were trying to tell him about the discrepancies in the Renewal Fund.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Given this version of Batman is more inexperienced and struggling with anger and a desire for vengeance for his parents' murder, his fighting style can get brutal at times. In his first appearance, he pummels a downed thug with visible ferocity, something he does again with a follower of Riddler that almost kills him and Selina. Played for Drama, as this makes him think he is succumbing to his wrath and undoing his purpose as Batman.
- "No More Holding Back" Speech: After seeing one of Riddler's men echo his "I'm Vengeance" mantra, Batman realises that his quest for vengeance is limiting and damaging to himself and the city. So, after lighting the way for those trapped from the flood, he realises he must represent something much more powerful for all of Gotham than vengeance against crime and corruption."I'm starting to see now. I have had an effect here. But not the one I intended. Vengeance, won't change the past. Mine… or anyone else's. I have to become more. People need hope. To know someone's out there for them. This city's angry, and scarred. Like me. Our scars can destroy us… even after the physical wounds have healed. But if we can survive them. They can give us the power. To Endure. And the strength to fight."
- Not Quite Flight: Unlike some previous versions of the character (in The Dark Knight Trilogy most prominently), he doesn't use his cape to glide, but rather a wingsuit concealed in his suit. He doesn't quite stick the landing when escaping the GCPD.
- Not So Above It All:
- He seems more than a little flustered when he lays eyes on Selina Kyle for the first time. Even Alfred realizes that his interest in her extends beyond her involvement with the Riddler case.
- As he prepares to chase the Penguin in the Batmobile, he doesn't take off right away; Instead, he revs up the engine as loud as possible, stalls, and lurches the car forward. It almost seems as if Bruce is actively trying to dick around with him.
- Not So Stoic:
- He is shown to be visibly intimidated and even gasps upon reaching the roof of the Gotham PD building and realizing just how high up he really is before preparing his wingsuit escape.
- He's practically howling in panic and frustration as he races back to the manor in the Batmobile, having realized that the Riddler has sent him a mail bomb that Alfred will likely pick up.
- When he interrogates the Riddler in Arkham, he slowly becomes more unnerved and scared of him, mainly because he thinks he could know that Batman is Bruce Wayne, and is positively terrified when he uncovers the Riddler's true final goal.
- No-Sell: His suit is completely bulletproof, capable of deflecting bullets from automatic rifles and shotgun pellets at point-blank range without Batman so much as flinching.
- No Social Skills: This version of Bruce is completely subsumed by his Batman alter-ego and doesn't even bother to put in the effort as Bruce Wayne, who In-Universe is known as a recluse. Even as Batman, he's often rude and curt with his allies, even alienating Selina at one point, and later badmouthing her friend, until she sets him straight.
- Oh, Crap!: He freaks out when he discovers that the Riddler is intending to murder him next (by "him", he meant Bruce Wayne) and frantically drives away from the crime scene and to his residence, worried about Alfred to the point where he starts uncharacteristically shouting down the phone line about what the Riddler is planning. Unfortunately, by the time Bruce calls, Riddler had already detonated the bomb meant for him an hour earlier, though Alfred survives.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: He never raises his voice above a threatening whisper. And even when he does, he still yells with a rasp. Hence why it's jarring when he's racing towards Wayne Tower and screaming to Dory in his full voice when trying to warn Alfred about the Riddler's bomb. It's quite possibly the most normal Bruce sounds in the entire movie.
- Orphan's Ordeal: The deaths of his parents weigh heavily on Bruce's psyche. Bruce being Batman stems from the fact that he was never really able to move on from seeing his parents get gunned down right in front of him, and this served as a catalyst for Bruce to realize just how corrupt and miserable Gotham City really is. Riddler doesn't see it the same way, however, as he feels that Bruce had it far better than most orphans in the city.
- Outside-Context Problem: To Gotham's various crime families, something that becomes readily apparent in The Penguin. That series shows the various inner workings of Gotham's criminal underworld and the massive web of relationships and power struggles contained within...none of which can help them deal with the Batman's crusade. The final shot of the series makes this clear—Penguin has successfully disposed of all his opposition, rid himself of all his weak links, and even made some strides in getting Gotham's politicians in his pocket. He's fully under the impression no one can stand in his way now...and then we see the Bat-Signal light up in the night sky.
- Perpetual Frowner: The number of times that he slightly smiles in The Batman can be counted on one hand.
- Private Eye Monologue: While Batman is not exactly a private eye, he does do this in the beginning and end of the film as an homage to the film noir movies that it takes inspiration from.
- Rage Breaking Point: Matt Reeves has said this is a Batman who hasn't exactly found his footing, who lets his anger get the best of him, and the lines between Batman and Bruce Wayne are blurred. When a mook threatens Selina's life, he beats him while she looks on, shocked at what she's seeing.
- Ramming Always Works: Batman defeats the Penguin by simply accelerating the Batmobile enough to hit Penguin's car hard, causing it to violently tumble to the streets, incapacitating Oz and allowing Bruce to apprehend him.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: He's noticeably paler than other depictions of Batman. Fitting, since he rarely, if ever, goes out in the sunlight.
- Reckless Pacifist: He'll beat his enemies into submission and/or unconsciousness, but despite his drive to never kill anyone, his actions end up causing a problem in the long term, particularly inspiring more criminals, something that Bruce is not happy about.
- Revenge Is Not Justice: Bruce's Character Arc in the movie is him learning this.
- Science Hero: Being a billionaire, Bruce is rich enough to afford various high-tech equipment that he uses as Batman. Much of his detective work is done by using an advanced computer to further analyze crime scenes and webcam-based contact footage. He also demonstrates some knowledge of pathology, correctly deducing that the Mayor's finger was cut off after he was killed.
- Secret Identity: A variation; rather than a feckless playboy or executive socialite, this Bruce Wayne (reluctantly) presents himself as a somber recluse who's still dealing with his childhood trauma, because that's exactly what he is at this point.
- Secret-Identity Identity: This portrayal takes the idea of Bruce Wayne merely being "a mask", while the Batman is "the true identity", but in a different way (see above). Bruce is so consumed with being Batman that he neglects his civilian life entirely, leaving Alfred to handle his accountants and Wayne Enterprises. He can barely even stand sunlight, and believes that being Batman is all the legacy the Wayne family needs. This is deconstructed, as the absence of Bruce Wayne in public life allowed his family's urban renewal funds to be looted by greedy, corrupt officials and the mob, fueling the very criminal activities that Batman is fighting, as well as making him a target for the Riddler's war against Gotham's elite, despite the latter's idolization of Batman.
- Secretly Selfish: Though his crusade against crime and corruption is noble in theory, Bruce wants to be Batman full-time, and thus neglects his civilian persona. Alfred and Reál criticize Bruce's reclusive behavior, since billionaire Bruce Wayne, only child of philanthropists Martha and Thomas Wayne, has a responsibility to the city's well-being in ways that Batman cannot provide.
- Skeleton Motif: His cowl is sculpted to resemble a human skull.
- Something Person: His alter-ego, Batman, is this.
- Static Stun Gun: During his brawl against a group of gangsters in the train station, Bruce uses a taser built into the Batsuit to agonizingly stun and immobilize an attacking member while pinning him to a wall.
- The Stoic: Bruce isn't exactly the sort of guy to emote much. He stays quiet and only speaks directly and bluntly when he has to explain details and context. Tellingly, when he's emoting a lot more than usual, it's either because something bad is going down or he's becoming desperate.
- Strong and Skilled: He's very strong and skilled in a variety of fighting styles such as boxing, Muay Thai, Pencak Silat, Kali, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Jeet Kune Do and Kickboxing, all of which Robert Pattinson trained in for the role.
- Suppressed Rage: This iteration of Bruce Wayne is somewhat physically angrier and more brutal than his previous cinematic iterations. While he is open to letting this rage out when in battle, he also does the best he can to suppress it, feeling that not doing so would cause him to kill, an outcome that he does his best to prevent. He also at least masks his anger over the fact that Thomas Wayne made a deal with Carmine Falcone, only showing it to Alfred when they meet.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Being played by Robert Pattinson has its perks after all. That said, the "dark" aspect is further emphasized here than in other film versions, and it ends up Downplaying this trope, as Bruce, while still handsome, is noticeably more gaunt and unkempt when in his civilian guise.
- Technical Pacifist: Oh, he'll let criminals live...once he's done beating the ever-living shit out of them and they are incapacitated, or he's scaring them enough to run away demoralized.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Most of Batman's partnerships are tense and difficult, which is best shown with Selina Kyle and the GCPD, barring James Gordon. Selina has her own vendetta to settle with Falcone and clashes against Bruce's approach in dealing with the situation, and his vigilantism (not the mention the bat costume) makes most of the GCPD feel uneasy whenever he is in their presence, with only Gordon being able to hold a decent conversation with him most of the time.
- Terror Hero: Batman delivers a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown to a mook while his fellow gang members watch on in stunned silence. This aspiring reputation becomes Deconstructed, as not only does it result in unease with the GCPD and Gotham's populace, but also criminals such as the Riddler being inspired by Bruce's vigilantism, prompting Bruce to point his Batman persona and his nature as The Cowl in a more positively inspirational direction.
- This Means Warpaint: Bruce wears black makeup around his eyes while fighting his war on crime as the Batman (this is in contrast to the non-diegetic eye makeup of previous live-action Batman films, where the eye-shadow was treated as a part of Batman's mask, rather than something Bruce Wayne the character had put on).
- Thou Shall Not Kill: Unlike other live-action cinematic depictions of Batman, this iteration of the character unambiguously sticks to the principle his mainline comic book counterpart abides by, even discouraging Selina from killing someone. He is (so far) in fact the only live-action cinematic incarnation of Batman who cannot be extrapolated as having killed anyone either directly or indirectlynote . He later comes close to crossing the line while high on an adrenaline shot, but he stops himself.
- Tragic Hero: Tragedy is a major theme for Batman, and this depiction is no exception. His reasons for fighting against injustice and the eventual consequences and personal achievements that Bruce undergoes throughout his story all have undertones of tragedy, a sense that Bruce is constantly mired in and eventually decides to see as a motivator in an effort to become a better hero.
- Truer to the Text: Discounting George Clooney's Batman, who is
a recast of Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton's Batmen, this is the first cinematic incarnation of Batman since Adam West to never kill anyone on or offscreen. He even tries to get Gordon to subscribe to his no-kill rule at one point, though Gordon — being a Gothamite police captain without Batman's training or armor — refuses. - Two First Names: Wayne is also usable as a given name.
- Unorthodox Holstering: His grappling-hook guns are kept in spring-loaded holsters on his wrists. Other iterations of the character usually keep it on their belt.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Twice over, in both of his identities.
- As Bruce Wayne, his utter apathy towards the management of his fortune and the Wayne family assets (going as far as refusing to meet with the Wayne accountants to review the books) means he allows the misuse of the Gotham Renewal Fund by the city's corrupt officials and the mob to continue undetected and unimpeded.
- As Batman, his crusade against crime in Gotham City directly inspires the Riddler to embark on his own rampage to punish the city.
- Unwitting Pawn: Most of what he does while investigating the Riddler's murders advances the Riddler's own plans, such as when he brings Carmine Falcone in close range and sight of Riddler's sniper rifle.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Like all other versions of Batman, this one is heavily committed to fighting against and stropping the crime and corruption that plague Gotham City. However, his methods involve using fear and being as vicious and unforgiving as he can towards criminals, both of which don't really sit well with the GCPD, as Batman is violating several laws to accomplish a mutual goal. It also doesn't help that Bruce's more hardline approach to fighting crime ends up inspiring criminals like the Riddler, which serves as a wake-up call for Bruce to be more unambiguously good.
Thomas & Martha Wayne
Thomas Wayne & Martha Wayne (née Arkham)

Portrayed by: Luke Roberts and Olivia Grant
Appear In: The Batman (2022)
"I believe in Gotham. I believe in its promise. But too many have been left behind for too long, and that's why I'm here today, to announce, not only my candidacy for mayor, but also the creation of the Gotham Renewal Fund. Win or lose, the Wayne Foundation pledges a one billion dollar donation to start a charitable endowment for public works. I want to bypass political gridlock and get money to people and projects who need it now, like these children behind me. Renewal is about growth, it is about planting seeds, and renewing Gotham's promise."
Bruce Wayne's beloved parents, who were shot dead in Crime Alley during a mugging gone wrong. Thomas and Martha were famous socialites and philanthropists who used their influence in an effort to help Gotham City. Their son continues their tradition, but in his own way — specifically targeting criminals while keeping out of the public eye.- Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Martha Wayne. Her mother murdered Martha's father, as it was in Batman: Earth One, and Martha spent several years in an institution.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Thomas Wayne ends up getting this treatment, but it's more complicated than it initially appears. It's revealed that he isn't entirely the paragon of morality that his son thought he was, as he went to Carmine Falcone — an associate of his — to silence a journalist who was about to reveal his wife's checkered past ahead of his run for mayor. However, Alfred Pennyworth reveals during an emotional conversation with Bruce that Thomas was still a good man, and that he only did what he did out of desperation to protect his family rather than wanting to save face or defend his political ambitions, that he didn't want the journalist killed, and that he regretted what happened to the man so much that he was prepared to tell the police everything to rat out Falcone before his untimely death.
- Adaptation Name Change: Martha's maiden name is revealed to be "Arkham" rather than her traditional surname "Kane", much like in Batman: Earth One — and it's explicitly noted that the Arkhams and Waynes were two of the founding families of Gotham, so this is not a coincidence.
- Ambiguous Situation: As Alfred notes, there's no way to tell if their killer was working for Falcone, Maroni, or if he was just a random mugger who wanted money.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Thomas wanted the journalist threatening to expose Martha's mental health issues silenced. He got far more than he bargained for when Carmine Falcone had the journalist killed rather than simply intimidating him.
- Big Good: The Waynes attempted to be this, with Thomas' campaign for mayor being based around his Renewal project that would help restore Gotham to its former glory. Unfortunately, those plans were cut short.
- Broken Pedestal: Subverted, after Bruce discovers Thomas' link to Carmine Falcone. As it turns out, Thomas Wayne did know Falcone, and paid him to intimidate a journalist to hide Martha's history of mental illness, but didn't expect him to take the next step and murder him when intimidation didn't work, and was planning on turning both himself and Falcone in when he figured it out. Alfred notes that it's entirely possible Falcone had the Waynes murdered when it became clear Thomas was genuinely incorruptible and became a threat to the mafia. It's also suggested that Salvatore Maroni maybe had the Waynes killed so Thomas wouldn't end up in Falcone's pocket.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Martha Arkham saw her mother kill her father before committing suicide. She suffered mental issues afterwards and was committed to a psychiatric hospital for it.
- Deal with the Devil: Thomas was so desperate to protect his wife's privacy that he hired a mob boss for help. Unfortunately, while Thomas had only wanted to scare the journalist into silence, Falcone took it a step further and murdered the man.
- Everyone Has Standards: In line with Thomas' depiction in the film, Thomas was willing to go to a crime lord to ask him to intimidate Edward Elliot into silence. He didn't want Elliot killed and was horrified when he found out what Falcone had done, and was preparing to go to the police prior to his death.
- Evil Is Not a Toy: Even while defending his memory, Alfred has to admit that Thomas really should've known better than to go to Falcone for any favors, knowing it was not going to end well.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Zig-Zagged, as he was clearly aware that Falcone wasn't a good guy by any stretch, but he underestimated just how vile Falcone really was and didn't see that, as Falcone put it, Falcone wanted to have something to hold over Thomas.
- Happily Married. Thomas clearly loved Martha dearly. Alfred reveals that his desperation in trying to silence Edward Elliot was not to protect his political aspirations, but to protect his wife's reputation and sanity.
- He Knows Too Much: Maybe. Thomas was horrified when Falcone killed the reporter he just wanted to have intimidated, and told Falcone that he was going to the police to confess everything. He and Martha were shot to death that night, but no one knows for sure if Falcone really did it or it was just a coincidental mugging gone wrong.
- Horrible Judge of Character:
- Thomas, who apparently thought that Carmine Falcone was trustworthy enough to hide Martha's mental illness from Malicious Slander. He realized his mistake, but Alfred points out that by that point, Thomas knew too much and was a target for assassination.
- There's also the fact that he genuinely seemed to believe that someone like Falcone would just give the journalist a scare.
- Inconvenient Hippocratic Oath: Falcone reveals that he showed up at the Waynes one night with a gunshot wound because he couldn't trust hospitals, and Thomas Wayne patched him up right there at the dinner table. Bruce suggests it's just because, as a doctor and a surgeon, Thomas felt honor-bound to help a patient no matter what. It turns out that he and Falcone were at least acquainted.
- Like Father, Like Son: The major reveal of Thomas Wayne's story is that he did something with the best of intentions, but it ultimately created a tragedy because he failed to understand the potential consequences. His son, Bruce, did much the same thing with his actions as Batman; though his actions were meant to help, his Terror Hero crusade inspired the Riddler, and therefore indirectly caused the events of the film.
- Love Makes You Stupid: Thomas didn't want Elliot silenced to prevent a scandal or protect his rising mayoral campaign. He genuinely wanted to protect his wife Martha's privacy and went to Falcone in a Moment of Weakness. Even Alfred, who defends Thomas as a good man who made a horrible mistake, admits that Thomas should have known better.
- My God, What Have I Done?: According to Alfred, Thomas was horrified that Elliot was murdered by Falcone to keep him from publishing the Wayne family's dirty secrets, so much so that Thomas was planning to turn himself in to the police for his role in the affair.
- Moment of Weakness: Alfred describes Thomas turning to Carmine Falcone to protect his wife's privacy as this. His desperation to protect Martha led him to overlook what Falcone was capable of and the fact that Falcone having blackmail material on a rising mayor would be incredibly useful to a crime lord who controls the city from the shadows.
- Posthumous Character: Bruce's parents died after being gunned down in front of him in an alley, leading him to become Batman. However, their influence on the city itself extends well beyond their own demises.
- Related in the Adaptation: Taking cues from Earth One, Martha comes from the Arkham family.
- Riddle for the Ages: While there's evidence to support either Salvatore Maroni or Carmine Falcone being responsible for their murders (Sal, out of fear of Thomas ending up in Falcone's pocket, and Carmine to prevent Thomas from going to the police about Edward Elliot's death), or it simply being a chance encounter with a desperate street thug, it's ultimately never confirmed and both mobsters die before a concrete answer is discovered, ensuring the truth may never come out.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Thomas set up the Renewal fund with the honest belief that having the money freely available without government restrictions would be the best way to get it to the needy. After Thomas was murdered, corrupt officials quickly stole control of the fund precisely because there was no oversight to ensure it wasn't misused.
Household Staff
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth

"You have to keep up appearances. You're still a Wayne."
Portrayed by: Andy Serkis
Dubbed by: Jérémie Covillault (European French), Masaki Aizawa (Japanese), Denis Nekrasov (Russian)
Appears In: The Batman (2022) | The Batman: Part II
"It was my job to protect them, do you understand? I know you always blamed yourself... You were only a boy, Bruce."
The Wayne family's loyal butler.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: Alfred in the comics is bald and has a somewhat elongated face, while this version has a full head of hair and is more conventionally handsome. Especially noticeable is that he achieves this trope despite noticeable scarring around his eye, which arguably adds to his rugged handsomeness.
- Adaptational Hairstyle Change: Besides the hair, this Alfred has a beard in contrast to the pencil moustache he has in most comics and the clean-shaven Alfreds in most other Batman live-action movies and Gotham. It's most akin to Alfred's look in the Batman: Earth One comics, and also Joker (2019).
- Age Lift: Andy Serkis is younger than most film depictions of Alfred, largely in relation to Bruce's own youth in this movie.
- Composite Character: He has the grey-bearded appearance, backstory and injuries of his Batman: Earth One counterpart while being the caring, fatherly butler to Bruce Wayne.
- Classy Cane: Alfred uses one to move around, possibly due to injuries that he got during his time in the armed forces.
- Disabled in the Adaptation: Alfred walks with a limp and uses a cane, due to implicitly sharing the backstory of his Earth One version.
- Disney Death: A letter bomb intended for Bruce Wayne detonates in close proximity to him. Thanks to his quick reflexes in tossing it as far away from him as he can, he manages to survive, albeit laid up in a hospital bed for the remainder of his screen time.
- Family of Choice: As always, he shares a father-son-like relationship with Bruce, but it's also implied that Thomas Wayne viewed him as a honorary member of the family as well.
- First-Name Basis: Unlike previous versions and his comics counterpart who all largely call Bruce "Sir" or "Master Bruce", this one simply calls Bruce by his first name, showing a more casual dynamic between the two.
- The Heart: He urges Bruce to reel in his worst self-destructive impulses and fulfill his family obligations. While their relationship is strained at the time, Alfred is the closest thing Bruce has left to a father and the guiding influence in his life. Accordingly, Alfred getting injured by Riddler's letter bomb marks the film's Darkest Hour. It's not until he wakes up and reveals the truth about Bruce's parents that Bruce regains the will to continue as the Dark Knight.
- I Am Very British: Averted. This version of Alfred uses Serkis' natural London accent rather than the more RP one most previous versions have used, and more akin to the Alfreds of The Dark Knight Trilogy and Gotham.
- Idiot Ball: He's a smart guy who takes it upon himself to solve the Riddler's cyphered message by extrapolating from the key they got from the greeting card. However, he apparently didn't start by sticking in the known letters first, and instead jumped immediately to making guesses about the values of the other symbols to try and complete the key. This is so Bruce can seem smarter by telling him to remove his guesses and only look at the known letters, thus discovering the hidden message.note
- Like a Son to Me: Alfred's talk of how Bruce needed a father makes it clear that he's viewed Bruce like a son, but doesn't believe he deserves to be thought of like a father to the younger man. Nevertheless, his reaction when Bruce tells him so speaks volumes; and his expression when looking at Mitchell's son in the previous night's footage shows that he's clearly thinking of the night when he himself had to comfort Bruce.Bruce: Alfred, stop. You're not my father.
Alfred: [Quietly; pained] ...I'm well aware. - Made of Iron: Despite the fact that he took a C4 charge from no further than ten feet away, he's still alive, if laid out on a hospital bed for the rest of the film.
- My Greatest Failure: He feels responsible for Thomas and Martha's deaths, as he believes if he had been there with them, they would have lived. He admits that he tried to find the killer himself, but the trail went cold, and he couldn't assure Bruce if the killer was a hired hitman from Falcone or just a random mugger.
- No Hero to His Valet: In typical Alfred fashion. While the city sees only a monster in the shadows, he sees the sleep-deprived young man that's been his surrogate son outright refusing to balance his life and devoting his every waking moment to his crusade, to the detriment of both Bruce Wayne the public persona and Bruce Wayne the man.
- Retired Badass: Before entering the Wayne family's service, he was in the British intelligence service and has retained those skills; he taught Bruce how to fight, and helps him decode two of the Riddler's ciphers. His reflexes are still good enough to chuck the bomb away right before it detonates, saving his life.
- Servile Snarker: Certainly far less so than every other previous incarnation of the character (save Joker (2019)). He does have his moments though, remarking to Bruce "you're becoming quite a celebrity" upon seeing the Riddler's deranged letter addressed to Batman.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Of course. He just wouldn't be Alfred without his immaculate, expensive suits with this iteration having a nice waistcoat to go along with it.
- Shipper on Deck: Quickly realizes Selina has caught Bruce's eye, and not just professionally. He can barely start to voice his approval (and hope that this leads to his retirement) before Bruce cuts him off.
- Silver Fox: He's got a head of grey hair, signifying his advanced age, and is quite dapper and handsome.
- Tragic Keepsake: He wears a pair of Wayne cufflinks that Thomas gave to him.
Dory
Dory
Portrayed by: Sandra Dickinson
Appears In: The Batman (2022)
An elderly housekeeper in Wayne Tower.- Bearer of Bad News: It falls to her to tell Bruce that Alfred was hospitalized after opening a rigged package meant for him.
- Expy: Fills the role of Aunt Harriet from the '60s TV series, being an elderly housekeeper at the Wayne home, and left in charge after Alfred is put in hospital.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Unlike Alfred, she isn't aware their boss is a vigilante.
