Batman Speech

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Notes, this was written in the way I was told to write it and it has to be spoken aloud of Thursday April 8th. Enjoy

If you were told that there was a man flying around town with the latest technology, driving a tank, and wearing a cape and cowl calling himself Batman you’d be kind of scared or worried, or at least interested. Whether you know him as “the Caped Crusader”, “the Dark Knight”, or “the Batman”, Batman is a fascinating character. I was interested in the animated TV show at a young age but as I got older that fascination moved into comics and movies as well. However the archetype hero whether as Batman or Bruce Wayne has a rich history of a very evolving and changing character. But his original roots are some of what you will here today. Today I will tell you about, how Bruce Wayne became Batman, his morals in fighting crime, and how he is different from other heroes.

First how Bruce Wayne became Batman, the story the most of you will know, starts with his parents being murdered in front of his eyes at a young age while exiting a theater. But a lot of the origin after that has been skipped in recent recreations of this story, up until the 2005 film “Batman Begins”. At this point Bruce’s life he is about 20 and has lived in Gotham all these years as the sole heir to his father, Thomas Wayne’s company, Wayne Enterprises. After trying to kill his parents murderer after his trial he decides to study abroad to learn about the criminal. He leaves everything and lives like a criminal for several years before going into training around the world in fields such as martial arts, man hunting, science and medicine. In one telling of this story, depicted in the 2008 animated film “Gotham Knight” he even takes training to eliminate the feeling of pain. When he returns home some stories depict it as him returning from the dead and no one knowing he was gone, while others have only his butler, Alfred, knowing about it. He decides that he wants to fight the crime and corruption of Gotham but he knows he cannot do it as a man. He has to become an idea, something iconic and something fear-inspiring. This comes from what one of his teachers tells him “You must become more than just a man in the mind of your opponent.” Going off his childhood fear of Bats, Bruce decides “its time for my enemies to feel my dread”

Next Batman or rather Bruce’s morals in fighting crime, because of his parents murder Bruce has many questions about the criminal and before he went into training while abroad he lived as a criminal. “The first time I stole so that I wouldn't starve, yes. I lost many assumptions about the simple nature of right and wrong. And when I traveled, I learned the fear before a crime and the thrill of success. But I never became one of them.” His first and in some cases only rule is that he will not kill. And no other villain tests him in this as much as the Joker. Joker has killed so many innocent people including several close to Bruce, even the second Robin, Jason Todd. But he refuses to do the deed; he just keeps sending him to Arkham where he will break out. His reason for this is murder would make him as bad as the criminals he fights, but is it ok to kill to prevent future killing? Of course several people have challenged Batman with this question including recently Jason Todd, back from the dead of course because it’s a comic and he asks him this. “Bruce I forgive you for not saving me. But why on God’s green Earth is he still alive…I thought killing me-that’d be the last person you’d ever let him hurt” The biggest dilemma that faces Batman here is morals and a lot of philosophers would say it is OK to kill the Joker. Taking a famous philosophical debate of the trolley tracks if five people are on one set of tracks and one on the other. Is it then OK for a bystander to pull the switch that would kill the one rather than five but also cause them to have to commit murder. But in Batman’s case Joker is the one person on the other tracks and the five people one the other he put in danger, so is it right then? I’ll let you decide that.

Lastly how the hero of Batman is so different from other heroes. The first and most obvious comparison is that he does not have super powers. But this doesn’t mean he isn’t a hero. Another is unlike a lot of heroes his persona is a scary one. If you were just some random kid you’d be more likely to run to Superman than to Batman at first glance, however much Batman needs the theatrics, costume, and equipment for fear and crime-fighting. Perhaps the biggest setback for him though is how his city does not perceive him as a hero often. He is one and possibly the only hero I know of that is considered a vigilante in his town. Not only does he fight criminals but he is often at odds with police and citizens.

I talked about, how Bruce Wayne became Batman, his morals in fighting crime, and how he is different from other hero’s. Whether you know him as “the Caped Crusader”, “the Dark Knight”, or “the Batman”, Batman is a fascinating character. In conclusion whether a casual, just-want-to-watch-the-movies fan, or a devout studier of the comics and philosophy, Batman is a fascinating character.