The Batman’s Ending Makes A Superman In This Universe Pointless

Pattinson’s Dark Knight becomes a symbol of hope for Gotham toward the end of The Batman, which makes Superman’s existence pointless in his universe.

The cathartic ending of Matt Reeves’ The Batman suggests that Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight may not need a Superman. After being the dreaded shadow of vengeance almost throughout The Batman, Pattinson’s Caped Crusader goes through a rite of passage and becomes a beacon of hope for Gotham. Riddler’s malicious schemes come to full fruition, and Batman is unable to do anything to stop them. However, even when Gotham seems beyond saving, Batman tries, which makes all the difference in his characterization. This transformation not only proves to be an effectively unique way of introducing a familiar superhero to the audiences but also eradicates the need for a Superman in Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe.

Superman and Batman have always been depicted as contrasting forces like day and night. While Batman is often depicted as a tough-as-nails billionaire who grew up seeing the worst in humanity, Superman is a down-to-earth farm boy whose healthy upbringing taught him empathy. Owing to this, Batman’s fleeting sense of faith forces him to expect the worst out of his surroundings, while Superman somehow finds hope even during the darkest times. Robert Pattinson’s Batman is no different, but his newfound empathy toward Gotham’s citizens, even when the city is a literal war zone towards The Batman‘s ending, shows that his cynicism is way behind him and that he is ready to be a symbol of hope for his people. Therefore, the fact that Batman’s new symbolic status is grounded in hope in Matt Reeves’ movie eliminates the need for a Superman in that universe.

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Why It’s A Good Thing The Batman Doesn’t Need Superman

From the beginning itself, The Batman uses Bruce Wayne’s inner monologue to establish that he is unlike any other iteration of the character on the big screen. The darkness, solitude, and lust for vengeance of his caped demeanor bleed into his personality just like his cowl leaves behind traces of black when he takes it off. However, unlike Ben Affleck’s Batman, he does not let his anger consume him and stops it from manifesting into Gotham’s streets. The Batman also portrays The Dark Knight as a detective first and only then as a masked vigilante who lurks in Gotham’s shadows to serve justice.

These distinctive elements in his personality affirm that The Batman — the movie and its subsequent franchise — are solely about the titular superhero. Involving a Superman in the mix would only diminish the personal touch that Robert Pattinson brings to Batman’s inner battles and crime-fighting endeavors. Not to mention, since the DCU is already creating a complicated multiverse of superhero crossovers with two Batmen and one Superman, another Superman in Reeves’ universe would only further muddle character identities and storylines.

Will Other Heroes Ever Appear In The Batman Franchise?

Since The Batman is not cannon to the DCU and seems to revolve solely around Batman and his Gotham adventures, it seems less likely that any other major DC heroes will appear in it. Like Joker, The Batman has etched its own path by presenting a dark, grungy, never-seen-before Batman, which suggests that it will probably not introduce hefty superhero crossovers like the DCU. Instead, The Batman will likely move forward with Robert Pattinson’s Batman as its primary protagonist while introducing a plethora of classic villains and heroic side characters like Robin and Titans.

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