The Dark Knight (film)/Heartwarming

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Batman: "You don't have to thank me."
Gordon: "Yes, I do."

  • In the climax, when both ferries choose to spare the other. After watching the Joker's nigh-unstoppable killing spree for the past two hours, seeing his Humans Are the Real Monsters view proven wrong is a real thrill. What especially got This Troper was the moment when the big threatening criminal took the detonator, saying "I'm gonna do what you should have done ten minutes ago," and then throws it out the window, then sits down again. This troper got the impression that he was praying, especially as he was joined by other prisoners bowing their heads.
    • To me personally, that's always an especially touching scene because when he finally gets up after listening to the yelling and debating and offers to "do what they should have done ten minutes ago", the guy holding the detonator look as though he doesn't know what to think, and as if he's afraid (of course he would be though). He of course gets intimidated by the big black guy and hands it off to him, especially with the way the black guy was talking it almost seemed as though he was implying, "I'm experienced, I'm the criminal, I know what to do so I'll do it." What I always deeply appreciated was when he tossed it out the window, and the man (and a few others) looked shocked among other things. I'm sure there were people in the audience who were also touched that the big, intimidating "Scary Black Man" criminal ended up being the saving grace (remember, he did this not knowing what to expect from the other ferry) of all those other people instead of the authority figures who should have know what to do in the first place. Another thing that's funnier (or not) in retrospect: when one of the women on the other ferry said (only a few seconds after the Joker announced what was happening), "We don't all have to die! Those men had their chance!" Also, the guy who was so ready to blow up the ferry with the criminals on it. In the end... they was proven wrong. They all were. In the best of ways.
    • Made even better by the look of disappointment on The Joker's face when he realizes he was wrong.
    • The Joker's view gets doubly proven wrong when Batman spares his life instead of letting him fall. The disappointed look on Joker's face at this is priceless.
    • "What were you trying to prove? That deep down everyone is as ugly as you? You are alone."
      • Jim Gordon reuniting with his wife after he was presumed dead.
      • Also, at the end when Batman willingly decides to be the hero Gotham deserves, and the villain it needs.
      • Plus the closing speech by Gordon.

Son: "Why's he running Dad?"
Gordon: "Because we have to chase him. ...Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A dark knight.

  • A meta-fictional example is when Heath Ledger was awarded a posthumous Academy Award for "outstanding actor in a supporting role". His family, including his father Kim, went onstage to accept the statuette on his behalf. Kim said that Ledger's young daughter Mathilda would inherit the Oscar when she turns 18. Not a dry eye in the whole Kodak theatre.
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