The Dark Knight Saga/Characters

This page is for tropes related to characters appearing in director Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Saga.

Due to being a Character Sheet, spoilers are below.

Bruce Wayne (Batman)


""Well, a guy who dresses up like a bat...clearly has issues.""

Played by: Christian Bale

This particular incarnation of Batman is unique from other live-action movie portrayals in that we actually see him begin as an inexperienced vigilante before becoming the veteran crimefighter we all know and love.

""A vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed, or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they can't stop you, you become something else entirely... A legend, Mr. Wayne.""
 * Animal-Themed Superbeing: Animal Alias variant, as per usual.
 * Anti-Hero: Type III. Has resorted to the Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique on many occasions, including dropping someone off a building and breaking both their legs on one occasion. Has also caused quite a lot of collateral damage with equipment like the Tumbler, and acts dickish and anti-social in his rich billionaire persona to help hide his activities as Batman.
 * Badass
 * Badass Biker: Becomes one in The Dark Knight thanks to the Bat-Pod.
 * Badass Beard: Has one in the Backstory of Batman Begins when in prison and kicking seven criminals' asses at once. He has a beard again in The Dark Knight Rises, but that may be a Beard of Sorrow.
 * Badass Cape
 * Heartbroken Badass: After.
 * Berserk Button: When the Joker reveals that, and taunts Batman about it, Batman starts beating him even more brutally, roaring at him to
 * Big Damn Hero
 * Byronic Hero
 * Character Development: A large part of The Dark Knight shows his Moral Code solidifying compared to the end of Batman Begins, in response to Joker's aggression. Notably, it seems that the people of Gotham's unwillingness to give in and kill when faced with dire circumstances inspired Batman to take his Thou Shalt Not Kill policy more seriously
 * Combat Pragmatist: Batman has one rule. Everything else is fair game like shooting blades into the face of The Joker; and even his one rule has been bent a bit when dealing with  by not killing but also not saving.
 * Conveniently an Orphan: Anyone who's read the comics should know that his origin story was due to his parents being murdered by a mugger.
 * Cool Car/Tank Goodness: The Batmobile Tumbler.
 * Cool Garage: The Batcave throughout much of Batman Begins, but when, Batman uses a literal garage as his base of operations in The Dark Knight.
 * The Cowl
 * Crazy Prepared: Though not quite as much as his comic or DCAU counterparts—yet.
 * One notable example: at the end of Begins, Ra's has him pretty soundly pinned. In The Dark Knight, we see that Batman's gauntlets have spring loaded scallops, which would help in just such an occasion
 * Crimefighting with Cash
 * Dark and Troubled Past/Death by Origin Story: His parents were killed when young, prompting his journey to becoming Batman.
 * Dark Is Not Evil: Anyone whose read the comics should not be surprised at this.
 * These movies in particular, more than most other adaptations, place a major emphasis on how dark the character is. They also place a major emphasis on how morally good and selfless he is.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Determinator: Well obviously.
 * The Dreaded: To criminals. Though, they still don't fear him as much as they fear The Joker.
 * The Fettered
 * Fiction 500
 * Friend to All Children: It's interesting to see that the kids interacting with Batman (the boy in the Narrows and Gordon's son) are not afraid of him, unlike most adults. Consistent with his comic book incarnations.
 * Genius Bruiser
 * Good Is Not Nice: From his Jack Bauer Interrogation Techniques to his willingness to make decisions he is hated for, this Batman is a major example of this trope.
 * Guile Hero
 * Guilt Complex: He blames himself for everything that goes wrong; his dead parents, the people The Joker kills,
 * Guttural Growler: As Batman.
 * : By the end of The Dark Knight.
 * Honor Before Reason
 * Hurting Hero
 * The Idealist: Surprisingly inconsistent with his comic-book counterpart, even though he still possess most traits of a cynical superhero.
 * If You Kill Him You Will Be Just Like Him: His refusal to kill stems from his belief that it's the very thing separating him from the criminals he fights.
 * Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Uses this often to get information but when he does it against Scarecrow by  and then interrogating him; it makes Scarecrow   Later, in The Dark Knight, it doesn't work at all against The Joker due to him being Too Kinky to Torture.
 * Jerkass Facade: Batman's public Bruce Wayne persona is only dickish because he's trying to fulfill peoples' assumptions about him and distract from the theory that he might actually be Batman. He's not dickish in private.
 * McNinja: Had training along these lines from The League Of Shadows. However, due to their Knight Templar tendencies and, Bruce left them (violently) and later;.
 * Messianic Archetype
 * Not So Different: Subverted. Shortly after Batman attempted to interrogate a mob boss about the Joker's location, the Mob Boss stated that he realizes now that the Joker is actually more deserving of fear than Batman since the Joker is perfectly willing to kill, unlike Batman.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity
 * Order Versus Chaos: Represents order to the Joker's chaos in The Dark Knight.
 * The Paragon Always Rebels: An odd example, in that the League Of Shadows trained him...but they were genocidal Knight Templars; and he decided to leave due to believing in Thou Shalt Not Kill. Later, as Batman, he would fight them again to.
 * Parental Abandonment: HIS PARENTS ARE DEEAAAAAAAD!
 * Rich Idiot With No Day Job
 * Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Represents idealism to The League of Shadows' cynicism in Batman Begins.
 * Stealth Expert: Along with Batman's obligatory Stealth Hi Bye, although Gordon nearly caught him the first time he tried this with Gordon.
 * The Stoic
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome/Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Terror Hero: Although Batman has inspired hope in Gotham by the time of The Dark Knight (enough to inspire Heroic Wannabes), criminals are scared shitless of Batman. At least until the mob realizes Batman won't actually kill them.
 * That Man Is Dead: It is heavily implied in the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises that Bruce Wayne may have forsaken his Batman identity (at least temporarily), as, when conversing to a hospitalized Commissioner Gordon, he says to Gordon: "What if [Batman] doesn't exist anymore?"
 * Thou Shalt Not Kill: Deconstructed. The Dark Knight explores how this moral high ground makes him drastically weaker than the Joker. Foreshadowed by Ducard in Batman Begins.
 * Technical Pacifist: There are still a few collateral deaths to his name.
 * Took a Level in Badass: Throughout Batman Begins. Also, compare to The Dark Knight: In the former, he has trouble fighting four ninja and otherwise heavily uses stealth and fear tactics when fighting groups. In the latter, he charges multiple SWAT team squads armed with guns in high visibility head on and soundly defeats them.
 * Troubled but Cute
 * Ubermensch
 * Vigilante Man: The police see Batman as this in Batman Begins which allows
 * Also, Henri Ducard has advice for Bruce on this:
 * Also, Henri Ducard has advice for Bruce on this:


 * The Wise Gotham Prince: Figuratively, of course.
 * You Killed My Father: Subverted. Bruce never gets closure with Joe Chill, his parents' murderer.

Henri Ducard


""If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them and stab them in the heart.""

Played by: Liam Neeson

A major figure in the secret organisation known as the League of Shadows, Ducard approaches Bruce Wayne on behalf of Ra's Al Ghul. He becomes Bruce's mentor, training him and attempting to impart his philosophy of justice to him.


 * Affably Evil: He's really quite polite and even regretful while explaining to Bruce exactly why Gotham has to die.
 * Ancient Conspiracy: Is part of the League of Shadows; which he claims was involved with various historical events that hurt civilizations.
 * Anti-Villain: Extreme methods aside, the Shadow Warriors do want to fight for justice and make the world a kinder and gentler place.
 * However, their main prerogative is to slay evil first and foremost, consequences be damned: Much like a doctor so obsessed with cutting out a tumor that he forgets the point is to save the patient's life.
 * Badass Beard
 * : Of the first movie.
 * Body Double:
 * Combat Pragmatist: He is the one who teaches Bruce how to be one.
 * Composite Character: In the comics, Ducard and  are two separate characters.
 * Deadpan Snarker:
 * Don't Think, Feel: Averted, he trains Bruce to fight rationally instead of being dominated by emotion.
 * Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He does not understand why Bruce would refuse to be an executioner.
 * Evil Mentor: He trained Bruce in how to fight criminals; but also tried to make Bruce a Knight Templar and later,
 * Fallen Hero
 * Hannibal Lecture: He tries to disprove Bruce's idealism by telling just how corrupt Gotham really is while . Bruce disagrees and believes there is still hope for Gotham.
 * Heartbroken Badass: Reason he is where he is, unless you assume his Freudian Excuse to be a lie. (See main page for details.)
 * He Who Fights Monsters
 * Kill It with Fire:
 * Knight Templar
 * Names to Run Away From Really Fast:
 * Not So Different
 * Parental Substitute: To Bruce, for a few short years.
 * Broken Pedestal
 * Put Them All Out of My Misery
 * Utopia Justifies the Means
 * Warrior Therapist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * We Can Save The World Together
 * Warrior Therapist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * We Can Save The World Together

Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow)


""I told you my compound would take you places. I never said they'd be places you wanted to go.""

Played by: Cillian Murphy

A corrupt psychiatrist with a penchant for studying fear. He's allied with Carmine Falcone and works for, aiding in the plot against Gotham by developing a powerful 'fear gas'.

""You look like a man who takes himself too seriously. Do you want my opinion? You need to lighten up.""
 * Blue Eyes: Well, he is played by Cillian Murphy.
 * Deadpan Snarker: A less obvious example than Lucius, but he has his moments.


 * The Dragon
 * Evil Is Hammy: Acts like this but only after.
 * Faux Affably Evil: More obvious than in Ducard's case, since he almost always speaks in a calm tone of voice and likes to use gentle phrases like "clear your mind" when about to drug people.
 * Four Eyes, Zero Soul
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: Scarecrow is eventually  in Batman Begins.
 * Kill It with Fire: Lights Batman on fire at one point in Batman Begins.
 * Mad Scientist
 * One-Scene Wonder: In The Dark Knight.
 * Psycho for Hire: In some ways he's one himself, though he's a more subtle psycho than most. In other ways, he creates them.
 * Psycho Psychologist: Enjoys the power the mind has over the body and ruining peoples' sanity with his fear toxin.
 * Scary Scarecrows
 * Scary Shiny Glasses
 * Soft-Spoken Sadist
 * Stoic Spectacles
 * Unexplained Recovery: Was hit with a dose of fear gas that by his own calculations should have driven him completely insane in about an hour in Batman Begins. However, when he shows up early in The Dark Knight, he appears fine.
 * Villain with Good Publicity
 * Voice of the Legion: His voice, and anyone else's, has a very creepy effect after you've inhaled his gas.

The Joker


""Let's put a smile on that face.""

Played by: Heath Ledger

A no name criminal that quickly turns into one of the biggest threats Gotham and Batman have ever faced. Violent, unpredictable and insane, he almost brings Gotham to its knees before  This particular version is notably less cartoony and much more subtle in his methods.

"The Joker: Oh, and the suit? It wasn't cheap. You ought to know. You bought it."
 * Abusive Parents: Assuming the scar story he told Gambol is true, he was pretty much abused by his father, apparently cutting up at least the left half of his face.
 * Adaptation Distillation: Joker was heavily affected by this. He still has a sense of humour, but he loses most of the things that made him The Joker, like the Joker gas, the acid posies or just the eccentricities in general. However, this only draws more attention to how terrifyingly psychopathic he is, because without his fantastical props he's forced to use far more mundane and unpleasant methods to achieve results. Like pencils.
 * In fact, the Joker in the film is actually very similar to how the Joker was in his original appearance in Batman #1: darker humor, being a terrorist by announcing his moves in advance, crimes that made little sense at all except that he liked comitting them, etc. Basically, the Joker has come full circle.
 * American Accents: He speaks with a Chicago accent.
 * Ax Crazy
 * Bad Boss: The Joker even makes his own henchmen kill each other for money in his first scene. And let's not get started on his idea of "tryouts" to join him...
 * Batman Gambit: In this series is even better at it than the Trope Namer. Most of his plans begin with him issuing a public threat, then planning for what he expects people to do in response.
 * The Berserker
 * Berserk Button: Does not take kindly to being called a "freak."
 * Big Bad: Of the second movie.
 * Bright Is Not Good: He has a pale white clown face, a purple waistcoat and green hair in contrast to Batman's black outfit.
 * Card-Carrying Villain: Literally, as he uses joker cards as his "signature". Apart from that, he styles himself an "agent of chaos".
 * Chaos Is Evil: He's a definite Card-Carrying Villain and calls himself an "agent of chaos".
 * Cheap Costume: Averted. Joker used some of the money he'd been stealing from mob banks to get entirely custom-made clothing.

"Bank Manager: Oh, criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. Look at you! What do you believe in, huh? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN? (Joker leans down and sticks a grenade in the manager's mouth) Joker: I believe whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger."
 * The Chessmaster: Everyone in the movie plays right into his hands until the finale. Even when things happen to him, he already has a way to make it work in his favor.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He even manipulates his cohorts to backstab each other after their part in the bank heist was accomplished at the start of the film, which even the Mob-employed Bank Manager was horrified at, leading to this exchange:

""Look what I did to this city with just a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets.""
 * Collector of the Strange: He has a never-acknowledged but noticeable tendency to hang on to particularly nice weapons (or dogs) that he comes across. And his knife collection could stock a roadside museum.
 * Crazy Prepared: Even moreso than Batman. What's most impressive is that he can be thus without Batman's functionally limitless cash.

"Joker: It wasn't hard. You see madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push! (laughs hysterically)."
 * Combat Sadomasochist: Taken Up to Eleven; as he obviously enjoys hurting and killing others but also enjoys Batman's Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique and laughs madly in enjoyment when . In that last instance, he stops laughing,.
 * Combat Pragmatist: He seems self-taught, and definitely can't take the highly-trained and skilled Batman in a fair fight. So, in the climax of The Dark Knight; he
 * The Corrupter: His gift isn't simply in causing chaos, pain and grief. It's bringing out the capacity for causing chaos, pain and grief in others; ensuring his actions have an immense knock-on effect and that even by killing him, he wins.

"Joker: You see? This is how crazy Batman has made Gotham! If you want order in Gotham, Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in. Oh, and every day he doesn't, people will die. Starting tonight. I'm a man of my word. (hysterical maniacal laughter)"
 * Dangerously Genre Savvy
 * Darker and Edgier: Easily the darkest, cruelest portrayal of the Joker ever shown on film or television.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Apparently fills in for Scarecrow in the role of villainous snarker, such as with the page quote he provides for Unhand Them, Villain!...
 * Death Seeker: Subtly. He really doesn't seem to care if he lives or dies, his fun comes primary.
 * Diabolus Ex Nihilo: He has no Start of Darkness and no believable backstory.
 * Dragon with an Agenda/Dragon-in-Chief: To the mob, though by the end of the movie he's not even pretending to follow their orders any more, making him more of a Dragon Ascendant.
 * The Dreaded: Feared by EVERYONE: mob bosses, civilians, cops, and for very good reasons.
 * Even when Maroni thought The Joker was still technically working for him and the mob, he was still too scared of the Joker to give up any information about him to Batman.
 * Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: His refusal to believe in fundamental human decency is what destined his "social experiment" to failure before it even began.
 * Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: "And I thought my jokes were bad..."
 * Eviler Than Thou: To the mob.
 * Evil Is Not a Toy: The mob attempted to use him to advance their own interests, but had no idea just how destructive he really was.
 * Evil Laugh: Pretty obvious.
 * Exact Words: His policy in regards to threats.

""I'm a man of simple tastes. I enjoy...dynamite, and gunpowder, and gasoline.""
 * Faux Affably Evil
 * For the Evulz: He's even the trope picture and the trope quote (well, kind of, the quote in question was technically from Alfred when he was talking about a Burmese Bandit who constantly stole and destroyed for destruction's sake when giving a comparison in regards to the kind of character the Joker was, but same principle).
 * Freudian Excuse: Openly mocked by him, as he gives completely different accounts of how he got his scars and became the monster he is depending on the person he's talking to. In the end, the Joker has no reason for what he does. He simply is.
 * From Nobody to Nightmare: Considered a small time hood by Batman at the start of the movie. But over time proves to be one of the deadlier threats around.
 * Glasgow Grin
 * The Heavy
 * Humans Are the Real Monsters: The Joker seems to believe in this; as
 * The Hyena: See Laughing Mad below.
 * Knife Nut: When he's searched, they find a whole lot of knives and a handful of sharp objects that could be repurposed as knives in a pinch. There's one hidden in his shoe. He gives a speech praising them, and often just sort of has one in his hand or about his person for no specific reason. He really likes his knives.
 * Lack of Empathy
 * Laughing Mad: Right when Batman foiled him and threw him off the roof to certain death before saving him, he started breaking out into laughter. After yet another phase of his Villainous Breakdown is through, he starts up with the laughter again, and ends his final scene with it.
 * Large Ham: As then-Lieutenant Gordon acknowledges at the end of Batman Begins
 * Mad Bomber: He loves blowing things up. Cars, ferries, hospitals, :Rachel, Harvey, all fair game. He even carries a bundle of grenades under his coat to the mob meeting just in case they get unfriendly.

""Now I see the funny side. Now I'm always smiling.""
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Mind Rape: Does this to an already very stressed.
 * Monster Clown
 * Multiple Choice Past: He has several stories about how he got the scars on his face.
 * This of course being a reference to The Killing Joke, the Trope Namer.
 * Nietzsche Wannabe: He even paraphrases a quote from Nietzsche: "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger."
 * Not Afraid to Die: He's completely unfazed by the prospect of death.
 * Nothing Is Scarier: One of the things that makes him so horrifying is we really don't know anything about him. He gives a Multiple Choice Past and we can't tell which one, if any of them is the truth. He has no origin or reason or explanation. He just is.
 * Only Known by Their Nickname
 * Order Versus Chaos: Represents chaos to Batman's order.
 * Psycho for Hire: He starts out as one of these (with a huge emphasis on the psycho), but he doesn't really stay in the employ of the mob for long.
 * Put the Laughter In Slaughter: He even lamphades this. The circus truck he commandeered has had its logo "Laughter is the Best Medicine" altered by way of a spray-painted red "S" right before "Laughter".
 * Red Herring Shirt: In the opening scene of The Dark Knight, a mob-employed bank manager opens fire at some Mooks wearing clown masks. Too bad for him one of them was secretly The Joker.
 * Sadistic Choice: Enjoys giving others these; like making Batman choose between saving . To make that Sadistic Choice worse he.
 * Slasher Smile: Carved into his face in a similar fashion to a Glasgow smile.

"Joker: You have nothing! Nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength."
 * The Sociopath
 * The Spook
 * The Stinger: In Batman Begins.
 * Strike Me Down with All of Your Hatred: How he, and how he hopes to corrupt Batman too.
 * Taking You with Me: Implied when Gambol attempts to have him killed before settling on a bounty. He revealed that he wired himself with explosives and had a string on his finger in case he ended up gunned down by the Mafia during their day meeting.
 * Terrorist Without a Cause: His plans are not a means, they are an end.
 * Too Kinky to Torture: He enjoys pain. When Batman tries the Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique on him, he just laughs:

"The Joker: If we don't end this problem. Eh... Gambol, here, will not gain a nickel for his grandma. Gambol: (slams fists onto the table) ENOUGH WITH THE CLOWN!"
 * Ubermensch
 * The Unfettered
 * Unreliable Narrator: Naturally.
 * Villainous Breakdown: A rather subtle one, but quite noticable.
 * Villainous Crossdresser: Briefly as a nurse.
 * Vocal Dissonance: The Joker mostly speaks in a high voice, but when he becomes angry his voice becomes monstrously deep, almost a snarl. The best example is when he has the Bat-wannabe tied up on camera and he yells at him: "LOOK AT ME!"
 * Waistcoat of Style
 * Your Mom: When trying to convince the mob to hire him to kill Batman, he points out in a thinly-veiled insult to Gambol and his grandma, that their funds will end up hurting if they don't end him soon. Gambol was already PO'ed at the Joker for robbing their Mob Bank of over $6,000,000 in the beginning of the film, and apparently using it to buy his suit. The comment about him and his grandma had him losing all patience and thus wanted him killed.


 * You Remind Me of X: "You remind me of my father...I hated my father."
 * Your Little Dismissive Diminutive: A frequent source of this.

Bane


""It doesn't matter who we are. What matters is our plan.""

Played by: Tom Hardy

A powerful criminal and terrorist with big plans for Gotham city.

"Bane: When Gotham is... ashes... you have my permission to die."
 * Badass: We've only the trailers and some leaked images, but every one of them only further cements how much a Badass Bane will be
 * Badass Boast:

"Bane: Nobody cared who I was until I put on the mask."
 * Badass Longcoat
 * Bald of Evil
 * Big Bad: Of the third film, if promotional material is to be trusted.
 * Breaking the Bonds: He effortlessly snaps off his bonds in the prologue.
 * The Chessmaster: He appears to be heading in this direction judging from the current trailers and prologue.
 * Cool Mask
 * Combat Pragmatist: Unlike The Joker from The Dark Knight, he definitely knows how to fight. Like The Joker, he has no problems with "unfair" tactics
 * Darker and Edgier: How Tom Hardy and others have described the new portrayal.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Another villainous example. In his first scene he snarks about how terrible the CIA are at High Altitude Interrogations,
 * Death Faked for You:
 * Dissonant Serenity
 * The Dreaded: The new trailer has even Catwoman expressing fear of him.
 * Evil Sounds Deep
 * From Nobody to Nightmare: Invoked.

"Broker: What are you?
 * Genius Bruiser: It appears that he is FINALLY going to get this treatment outside of the comics.
 * In just the first six minutes of The Dark Knight Rises, he both defeats mercenaries and a CIA agent by
 * Also hinting toward such a treatment is this line from the third trailer:
 * Handicapped Badass: This rendition of the character has him having suffered a serious injury at some point in the past, the resultant pain of which he gets through by wearing a mask that provides him with an anaesthetic gas.
 * Keeping in mind the gas itself is also a major handicap, given that it's, y'know, knockout gas.
 * Mask of Power: He uses the mask to get through the pain of a serious injury.
 * Also a possible subversion: anesthetic gas generally causes extreme muscle weakness, loss of hand-eye coordination, reduction in tactile function and severe drowsiness. Even worse, a constant supply will put most people in a coma.
 * Race Lift: The character is Hispanic in the comics.
 * Shadow Archetype: To Batman.

Bane: I'm Gotham's reckoning."


 * Trojan Prisoner: See Genius Bruiser.
 * Undying Loyalty: One of his mooks is willing to wait on a crashing plane simply because Bane needs to make sure the authorities find the number of bodies they're expecting.
 * Whole Costume Reference: His shaved head and face mask evoke the imagery of the Mutant Leader in The Dark Knight Returns while retaining Nolan's trademark realism.

Selina Kyle (Catwoman)


""There's a storm coming, Mr. Wayne.""

Played by: Anne Hathaway

A mysterious 'associate' of Bane.

"Catwoman: My mother warned me about getting into cars with strange men. Batman: This isn't a car."
 * Biker Babe: At one point, she rides a Batpod, according to promotional material.
 * Catgirl
 * Combat Stilettos: Selina has them in her Catwoman outfit.
 * Dark Action Girl
 * Deadpan Snarker: Has a moment of this with Batman in the third trailer:


 * Femme Fatale
 * Paper-Thin Disguise: Her Catwoman suit has goggles but no mask. But it's possible this incarnation isn't trying to disguise herself. Bruce points out that it's a "brazen" choice for a cat-burglar, to which she quips "Who are you pretending to be?"
 * Sensual Spandex
 * Spy Catsuit
 * Woman in Black

Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon (prev Lieutenant (prev Sergeant))


"I don't get political points for being an idealist; I have to do the best with what I have."

Played by: Gary Oldman

Intelligent, thoughtful and a believer in real justice, Jim Gordon is one of the few honest cops in Gotham. These qualities make him a close and valuable ally of Batman. With Batman's help, he rises steadily through the ranks of the GCPD, eventually becoming Commissioner.


 * Badass
 * Being Good Sucks
 * Benevolent Boss
 * By-The-Book Cop: As by the book as you can get in Gotham, anyway.
 * The Commissioner Gordon: Gordon assists Batman, first unofficially and then officially.
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: For the first film, mildly. He never comes across as a moron, just an average guy. But he proves what a complete badass he is frequently.
 * Determinator
 * Friend on the Force: Is this for Batman; especially in Batman Begins when most of the police do not trust Batman at all.
 * Good Parents: Shown to be one for his son in The Dark Knight.
 * Internal Reformist
 * Knight in Sour Armor: Big time.
 * Papa Wolf
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Two First Names

Commissioner Gillian B Loeb


Played by: Colin MacFarlane

The bullheaded and no-nonsense Gotham City Police Commissioner. Loeb is an honest man, but views Batman as a dangerous vigilante.


 * Adaptation Distillation
 * The Alcoholic: A little.
 * Bald Black Leader Guy
 * Drinking on Duty: It's implied that his answer to people making death threats is by drinking alcohol on duty. Unfortunately, that answer ends up failing him in that
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be pretty snarky and snide to his employees, but he's not a bad guy by any stretch of the imagination. And he's one of the few cops that aren't hopelessly corrupt.
 * Race Lift
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Reasonable Authority Figure

Detective Arnold Flass


""Don't suppose you want a taste? I just keep offering, thinking maybe some day you'll get wise.""

Played by: Mark Boone Junior

A highly corrupt cop and Gordon's partner. He works on Carmine Falcone's payroll, to the point where he even acts as muscle for the mobster.


 * Adaptation Distillation: Although he is named after a character from the comics (who is also a corrupt ex-cop), and his personality is about the same, his appearance is more indicative of Harvey Bullock.
 * The Brute
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Dirty Cop
 * Jabba Table Manners
 * Jerkass
 * Police Brutality

Detective Gerard Stephens


""I'm a twenty-year man. I can tell the difference between punks who need a little lesson in manners, and the freaks like you who'd just enjoy it.""

Played by: Keith Szarabajka

An experienced GCPD detective, Stephens is an honest cop and has a place among Gordon's most trusted.


 * Badass
 * Cowboy Cop
 * Drowning My Sorrows
 * Genre Savvy: His above quote, but he falls for it anyway because the Joker is that good. Later when the Joker is using him as a hostage, he's screaming at the cops "It's my own damn fault, just shoot!".
 * Knight in Sour Armor
 * The Lancer: Implied to be it for Gordon.
 * Police Brutality
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Undying Loyalty: to Gordon.

Detective Anna Ramirez


""He can't resist showing us his face.""

Played by: Monique Gabriela Curnen

A rookie officer and one of Gordon's most trusted cops.


 * Bad Cop, Incompetent Cop
 * Canon Foreigner
 * Expy: Of Renee Montoya.
 * Fair Cop
 * Freudian Excuse:
 * Hot-Blooded
 * Sadistic Choice:
 * Sadistic Choice:

Detective Michael Wuertz


Played by: Ron Dean

An older detective and one of Gordon's most trusted cops.


 * Bad Cop, Incompetent Cop
 * Canon Foreigner
 * Chekhov's Gunman
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Expy: Of Harvey Bullock.
 * Kicked Upstairs: He has apparently been promoted to finding Batman's true identity early in the film, although most of the "suspects" were completely bogus, such as Michael Jackson, Sasquatch, and Abe Lincoln, implying that Gordon or one of the higher ups ensured he wouldn't bundle any cases or let his corrupt nature in the way of important cases.
 * Kicked Upstairs: He has apparently been promoted to finding Batman's true identity early in the film, although most of the "suspects" were completely bogus, such as Michael Jackson, Sasquatch, and Abe Lincoln, implying that Gordon or one of the higher ups ensured he wouldn't bundle any cases or let his corrupt nature in the way of important cases.

Alfred Pennyworth


""Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it, but that's the point of Batman, he can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make: the right choice.""

Played by: Michael Caine

The Wayne Family butler, Alfred is Bruce's guardian, confidante and oldest friend. He's the only one  who knows Batman's identity, having aided him from the very start.


 * The Jeeves
 * Battle Butler
 * Beware the Nice Ones: Alfred knocks out a member of the League Of Shadows in Batman Begins to save Bruce and is revealed to have once burned down an entire forest to catch one person in The Dark Knight.
 * Cool Old Guy: Oooh yeah.
 * Deadpan Snarker: In The Dark Knight, though less so in Begins, where he still had his moments.
 * The Mentor
 * Parental Substitute
 * Morality Pet: To Batman; not that Batman isn't a good person, but without Alfred's advice, Batman would go off the rails pretty quickly.
 * Retired Badass
 * Servile Snarker
 * Undying Loyalty
 * Warrior Poet: In his younger days.

Lucius Fox


""If you don't want to tell me exactly what you're doing - when I'm asked, I don't have to lie. But don't think of me as an idiot.""

Played by: Morgan Freeman

A research head at Wayne Industries and personal friend of Thomas Wayne. He supplies Batman with all his gadgets and technological advances, later

"Lucius: Let me get this straight: you think that your client, one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands; and your plan, is to blackmail this person? Good luck."
 * Cool Old Guy
 * Deadpan Snarker: Arguably the most triumphant example in either movie.
 * Gadgeteer Genius
 * Genre Savvy:


 * Honest Corporate Executive
 * Ironic Echo: In Batman Begins, he is told "Didn't you get the memo?" by William Earle who . Later,
 * Also does an Ironic Echo to Lau in the span of one conversation with him in The Dark Knight.
 * Magical Negro: Technological magic, mind you.
 * Omnidisciplinary Scientist: As well as engineering Batman's gadgets, he knows enough about toxicology to.
 * The Smart Guy
 * Secret Keeper
 * Technological Pacifist
 * Unflinching Walk: Gets one as he walks away from  after using it to.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Gives one to near the end of The Dark Knight about.

Thomas and Martha Wayne


""Bruce... don't be afraid.""

Played by: Linus Roache & Sara Stewart

The parents of Bruce Wayne, well-known and well-loved billionaires who are tragically cut down by a mugger in front of their young son.


 * Death by Origin Story
 * Death by Irony: Gunned down by one of the very people they were trying to help.
 * Fiction 500
 * Good Parents
 * Happily Married
 * Honest Corporate Executive
 * Legacy of Service
 * Posthumous Character
 * Non-Idle Rich

William Earle


""I think after 20 years we can allow ourselves to stop thinking about what Thomas Wayne would've done.""

Played by: Rutger Hauer

Following Thomas Wayne's death, William Earle stepped in as the head of Wayne Enterprises. He had Bruce legally declared dead during his leave of abscence, and has pulled Wayne Industries in morally dubious directions.


 * Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive: Though not really doing anything illegal (that we know of), he's still doing things with the business that the Waynes would not approve of.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Evilly Affable
 * Hoist by His Own Petard
 * Laser-Guided Karma
 * Obstructive Bureaucrat
 * Only in It For the Money
 * Screw the Rules, I Have Money
 * Smug Snake

Coleman Reese


""Sir, I know that Mr. Wayne is curious about how his trust fund gets replenished. But frankly, this is embarrassing.""

Played by: Joshua Harto

An accountant at Wayne Industries who figures out Batman's true identity after discovering Lucius Fox's original designs for the Tumbler. Unfortunately, this information turns out to be a lot less profitable and a lot more dangerous than he imagined.


 * Asshole Victim
 * Blackmail: Wants to try this on Bruce upon learning he's Batman. Lucius Fox explains why trying to blackmail a billionaire who is also Batman is a bad idea to him.
 * Didn't Think This Through
 * Dirty Coward
 * He Knows Too Much
 * Jerkass
 * Morally-Bankrupt Banker
 * Smug Snake
 * Slime Ball

Carmine Falcone


""This is a world you'll never understand. And you always fear what you don't understand.""

Played by: Tom Wilkinson

The original head of the Italian Mob in Gotham City, considered untouchable by just about everyone.

"Falcone: Look around you. You'll see two councilmen, a union official, a couple of off-duty cops and a judge. Now, I wouldn't have a second's hesitation blowing your head off right here, right now, in front of them. That's power you can't buy."
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Disc One Final Boss
 * The Don
 * Evilly Affable: He seems like he's be fun to have around in a...bullying, scary kind of way.
 * Genre Savvy: He doesn't go into business with anyone before learning their dirty secrets.
 * Go Among Mad People: He slits his wrists to get sent to Arkham so he can blackmail Crane into helping him. Crane promptly fear-gases him, and the insanity stops being an act.
 * He Knows Too Much: so.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: In his first scene, he gives a young Bruce Wayne a Reason You Suck Speech about how he'll never understand Gotham's underworld. This leads Bruce to soul-searching and world traveling, culminating in his becoming Batman and taking Falcone down.
 * Underestimating Crane was also very unwise.
 * I Own This Town:


 * Mind Rape:.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivers a powerful one to a young Bruce Wayne.
 * Smug Snake
 * Starter Villain
 * Villainous Breakdown: In the scene where he is captured, he becomes progressively more disheveled and fearful as Batman takes his goons down. Later, when speaking to Crane in the asylum, he starts off as his usual self...sarcastic, confident...but he grows just a little uncertain when Crane starts talking about his mask. He plays it off with some humour, and then out comes the mask...
 * Villain with Good Publicity: Sort of. Everyone knows he's a crook, but he's very good at paying off the right people so that no solid evidence is ever successfully brought against him until Batman comes into the picture.

Victor Zsasz


Played by: Tim Booth


 * Adaptation Expansion: His role is much more expanded in the Batman Begins video game.
 * Ax Crazy
 * Bald of Evil
 * Thin Goatee Of Evil
 * The Cameo
 * Covered with Scars: Glimpsed briefly during the Arkham break-out as a little Continuity Nod.
 * Good Scars, Evil Scars
 * Knife Nut
 * Two Scenes Wonder
 * Psycho for Hire
 * Serial Killer: Hinted at, since there's so many scars on his body and if you know about his comic book origin...

Salvatore 'Sal' Maroni


""I thought the D.A. just played golf with the mayor, things like that?""

Played by: Eric Roberts

The new head of the Italian Mafia in Gotham, and following the turf wars with his fellow mobsters, entered into an alliance with them against Batman. He's complicit in the Chechen's hiring of the Joker.

"Batman: He [The Joker] must have friends! Maroni: Friends? Have you met this guy?"
 * Anti-Villain: Borders as a Type I, as he demonstrates his own personal code of conduct when dealing with the war between Batman and the Joker.
 * Big Bad Wannabe
 * Deadpan Snarker


 * Defeat Means Friendship: In the animated bridge between films, Maroni and the Chechen get both their asses kicked by Batman and end their war. Debatable as to whether or not this is canon.
 * The Don
 * Dragon Ascendant: To Falcone, though we only meet him after he's assumed power.
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Even he gets bothered by the extent to which Joker is willing to go to get to Batman and Dent.
 * He mainly cares about making profit, and there's absolutely no profit in the Joker's actions.
 * Possibly.
 * Screams Like a Little Girl: When Batman drops him off the second floor.
 * Smug Snake
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Calls out Batman on letting people die to the Joker as opposed to unmasking himself.

The Chechen


""You said you were a man of your word...""

Played by: Ritchie Costner

The head of the Russian Mafiya in Gotham, once a weak outfit that took advantage of the power vaccuum left by Falcone. He's entered into an alliance with his fellow mobsters. When the Joker offers to kill Batman, it's the Chechen who puts the word out to hire him.


 * Beard of Evil
 * Big Bad Wannabe
 * Defeat Means Friendship: In the animated bridge between films, Maroni and the Chechen get both their asses kicked by Batman and end their war. Debatable as to whether or not this is canon.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard:
 * Large Ham
 * The Mafiya

Gambol


""I'm puttin' the word out: five-hundred grand for this clown dead. A million alive, so I can teach him some manners first!""

Played by: Michael Jai White

A short-tempered mob leader in Gotham, now part of an alliance with his fellow mobsters. Unlike Maroni and the Chechen, he despises the Joker.


 * Angry Black Man
 * Asshole Victim
 * Bad Guys Play Pool
 * I Want Them Alive
 * Hair-Trigger Temper:
 * Hot-Blooded
 * Scary Black Man: Pity the Joker's way scarier.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man
 * Sharp-Dressed Man

Lau


""I'm good with calculations.""

Played by: Ng Chin Han

The 'accountant' for the Gotham Mob.

""I'm very good at calculations.""
 * Bound and Gagged:
 * The Chessmaster


 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive
 * The Evil Genius
 * No Honor Among Thieves: Sells out his clients very quickly when caught.
 * Out-Gambitted: By both Batman and the Joker.
 * Smug Snake
 * Smug Snake

The Manager of Gotham National Bank


""Criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. Whadda YOU believe in?""

Played by: William Fichtner

A bank manager in charge of a mob bank in Gotham.


 * Authority Equals Asskicking: You see that dude with the shotgun? He's in charge of the bank being robbed.
 * Badass Bystander: He's the trope picture for a reason.
 * Badass Boast: His "You and your friends" threat.
 * The Cameo
 * Casting Gag: William Fichtner was cast because of his previous role in the bank heist thriller Heat.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Does not have a high opinion of criminals who kill each other for money as he tells to who he believes is just a Mook.
 * Honor Among Thieves
 * One-Scene Wonder
 * Shotguns Are Just Better

Ginty


""Give it to me, and I'll do what you shoulda done 10 minutes ago.""

Played by: Tommy Lister

A large, intimidating criminal on the ferryboat.


 * Bald of Awesome
 * Bald Black Leader Guy: Well, he does take charge in his scene.
 * Large and In Charge
 * One-Scene Wonder
 * Scary Black Man:
 * Large and In Charge
 * One-Scene Wonder
 * Scary Black Man:
 * Scary Black Man:
 * Scary Black Man:

Rachel Dawes


""Harvey, you're Gotham's D.A. If you're not getting shot at, you're not doing your job.""

Played by: Katie Holmes & Maggie Gyllenhaal

Bruce's childhood friend turned attorney, Rachel is a crusades for justice on the strictly legal side of the law.


 * Canon Foreigner
 * The Chick
 * Damsel in Distress
 * Groin Attack: Gives The Joker, one but The Joker enjoys it.
 * Hello, Attorney!
 * Hot Chick in a Badass Suit
 * Love Interest: Seems to be one for Bruce in Batman Begins but Rachel can't fully get over Bruce being Batman and not as she remembered him when they were young. In The Dark Knight, she's moved on and is now Harvey Dent's Love Interest.
 * The Other Darrin: Played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins, then by Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight.
 * Plucky Girl: Despite her grim surroundings, she's determined to clean up Gotham.
 * Love Interest: Seems to be one for Bruce in Batman Begins but Rachel can't fully get over Bruce being Batman and not as she remembered him when they were young. In The Dark Knight, she's moved on and is now Harvey Dent's Love Interest.
 * The Other Darrin: Played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins, then by Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight.
 * Plucky Girl: Despite her grim surroundings, she's determined to clean up Gotham.

Harvey "Two-Face" Dent


""You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.""

Played by: Aaron Eckhart

A high-powered district attorney that is trying to help bring down the criminal empire in Gotham. However, a tragic incident caused by the Joker in the middle of the film changes his mindset and causes Harvey to go after those he deems responsible for his misfortune.

"Batman: Gotham needs its true hero."
 * Abusive Parents: According to the novelization, his father was very abusive towards him. In fact, the coin he inherited from his father was the same one his father often used to decide whether to give him a beating or not.
 * The Ace
 * Broken Ace
 * All There in the Manual: The novelization expands on his character: Batman decides to do some sleuthing on Harvey Dent to see whether the DA is as perfect as the public thinks.
 * Anti-Hero: Type V (post-Face Heel Turn).
 * Anti-Villain: Type II (post-Face Heel Turn).
 * Awful Truth:
 * Based on a Great Big Lie:
 * Beware the Nice Ones: Oh yeah. Revenge turns even the nicest person into something they never thought they would ever become.
 * Big Bad/Big Bad Ensemble: Along with the Joker.
 * Blond Guys Are Evil: However, he wasn't evil until his awful tragedy.
 * Dark Secret: Harvey embodies this trope in a way,
 * Evil Counterpart: What Bruce could turn into if he ever lost his grip on sanity.
 * Face Heel Turn:
 * Fallen Hero: After.
 * Freudian Excuse: The reason why he is so determined to root out corruption within the Police Department was because he was beaten as a child by his father; and since his father was an ex-cop, the police never did anything about it.
 * further compounded by
 * Hello, Attorney!
 * I Am Batman: Did this to save Batman's skin in the middle of the film. Was eventually released after they found out he lied.
 * Internal Reformist
 * Knight in Shining Armor: Discussed, as he's referred to as "Gotham's white knight", but ultimately subverted.
 * Knight Templar: After giving in to his desires for revenge.
 * The Messiah: Until he decides to take justice into his own hands.
 * Misplaced Retribution:
 * Nietzsche Wannabe: After.
 * :  so Gotham can still have a hero who will inspire hope and faith.
 * Nietzsche Wannabe: After.
 * :  so Gotham can still have a hero who will inspire hope and faith.


 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge
 * Tragic Villain
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Would Hit a Girl: Knocks out  with a punch to the face, when she.

Joe Chill
Played by: Richard Brake


 * He Knows Too Much:
 * Justified Criminal: He lived during Gotham's Depression and had to make due in robbing just to get back.
 * Sympathetic Murderer: He was a desperate man looking to rob a rich couple to get a couple bucks - his hand shakes as he holds the gun, he looks pathetically terrified as he threatens them, and he clearly panicked when he shot it. The movie makes clear that his crime wasn't due to real malice but a symptom of the city's downward spiral. Years later, he feels genuinely sorry for what happened to the Waynes, not that it matters to Bruce.

Mayor Anthony Garcia


""Are you up to it? You better be. They get anything back on you, those criminals will be back on the streets...followed swiftly by you and me.""

Played by: Nestor Carbonell

Gotham City's young and cynical mayor. He's targeted for assassination by The Joker.


 * Corrupt Politician: Averted. Despite the high levels of corruption in Gotham, the Mayor seems pretty clean if justifiably cynical.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Ultimate Authority Mayor
 * Ungrateful Bastard: If the trailers for The Dark Knight Rises are any indication.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man
 * Tempting Fate

Mike Engel


Played by: Anthony Michael Hall

A reporter for Gotham Cable News.


 * Ascended Extra: Aside from a small role in the film, he was more or less expanded in the viral campaign for The Dark Knight, having interviews with notable people like Harvey Dent on his show.
 * Bound and Gagged:
 * Catch Phrase: The above quote.
 * Dead Line News: Forced at one point to read commands to Gotham by The Joker.
 * Expy: For some people, its Jack Ryder just without the insanity or powers.
 * Intrepid Reporter
 * Mouth of The Joker: Delivers Joker's threats after being taken hostage late in The Dark Knight.


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