The Dark Knight Saga: Difference between revisions

* [[Combat Pragmatist]]: Nobody is an upstanding duelist in these movies, but the Joker is by far the least reserved fighter. Trying to kick Batman in the groin with a ''knife strapped to his shoe'' takes the cake(and this is after he shoves one of his mooks into the fight as a distraction)...until he tops that by {{spoiler|setting three mad dogs on Batman then beating him with a crowbar in the climax}}.

** The Scarecrow in [[The Dark Knight Saga|the first film]] is no slouch either. Upon meeting Batman for the first time, he promptly hits him with a dose of [[Brown Note|fear gas]], splashes him with kerosene, and ''[[There Is No Kill Like Overkill|lights him on fire!]]''

** Batman's style for the movies, the Keysi Fighting Method, is set entirely around this concept.

* [[Composite Character]]: The movies' versions of Loeb, Flass, and Ducard. The movies' Flass resembled the dark-haired, unshaven, overweight Harvey Bullock more than the comics version of Flass, who was blonde, clean-shaven, and muscular, though movie Flass did retain his comic counterpart's corruption. Likewise, the movies' Loeb only shares the name of the comics' character, resembling Michael Akins in both looks and personality (African-American, young, and honest) more than the comics' Loeb (Caucasian, old, and extremely corrupt). Then there's Henri Ducard {{spoiler|, which is only an alias for Ra's al Ghul in this continuity.}}

** The distance wasn't implausible, as a sniper in Afghanistan recently (2010) was reported to have hit a target at 2.7km. The glass thing... was just Deadshot being Deadshot. His employer even complains about how flashy it was.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: Aside from the ironic echoes WITHIN Begins and Dark Knight, (see their respective trope lists for those) there's arguably some ''between'' the two movies. We hear the following conversation between Batman and Gordon towards the end of Begins:

'''Batman''': ... [[Think Nothing of It|and you'll never have to]]. }}

** And then there is this, towards the end of Dark Knight:

'''Batman''': [[Think Nothing of It|You don't have to thank me.]]<br />

'''Gordon''': ... yes, I do. }}

** There's also this quote Ducard says in Begins to his then-student Wayne:

** Wayne, having apparently internalized this lesson, paraphrases this in The Dark Knight:

* [[Jerkass Facade]]: Bruce Wayne combines this with [[Obfuscating Stupidity]] to protect his Batman identity.

* [[Kill It with Fire]]: Attempted {{spoiler|by Crane, on Batman,}} and done successfully {{spoiler|by Joker, on mob accountant Lau.}} It's horrifying both times.

** In ''The Dark Knight'', Bruce asks Mr. Fox if his new suit can stand a dog attack. Fox says that it would certainly be able to stand up to a [[Catwoman (comics)|cat...]]

** The Joker's constantly changing backstory (see: [[Freudian Excuse]]) is reminiscent of a quote in ''[[The Killing Joke]]'', in which we are presented with a possible origin, but later the Joker claims he does not remember what made him the way he is clearly or consistently:

** Grant Morrison's ''Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth'' was another reported inspiration. It contains a scene in which the Joker, on the phone with Batman, tricks him into thinking he's stabbed a nurse in the [[Eye Scream|eye with a sharpened pencil]] (It is actually an April Fool's Day prank, to help hasten Batman's arrival at the asylum).

** Joker's story about his abusive, alcoholic father seems to recall the story he told his then-therapist Dr Harleen Quinzel in the story ''Mad Love'' from The Batman Adventures, that was later adapted into an episode of the animated series.

* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: Just like in the comics, Bruce Wayne downplays his intellect and behaves like a [[Rich Idiot With No Day Job|stereotypical eccentric billionaire]] so that no one would suspect he is really Batman.

** After Bruce puts his lamborghini in between the big truck and the police SUV, he acts like this to Gordon.

'''Jim Gordon''': You don't watch a whole lot of news, do you, Mr. Wayne? }}

* [[Omnidisciplinary Scientist]]: Lucius Fox appears to be an expert in toxicology, ballistics, computer technology, sonar, radio communications and personal protective equipment, to name a few.

* [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]]: The Warriors of The League Of Shadows, who ''genuinely'' want to make the world a better place... by burning it to the ground and building a new one over the ashes of corruption.

** Harvey Dent is worried about this, with Gotham city very supportive of him challenging the mobs despite the backlash it might bring.

* [[Western Terrorists]]: Ra's Al Ghul is...{{spoiler|Liam Neeson}}. (Oddly, the name ''is'' Arabic for "The Demon's Head", and the organization is multiethnic and headquartered somewhere in or near the Himalayas.) And Joker is referred to as a terrorist multiple times, though terrorists [[Terrorists Without a Cause|usually]] have some sort of motivation ''beyond terrorism''.

* [[What You Are in the Dark]]: More or less the point of the series. Everyone stares into the abyss, [[Drama Ensues]], and the abyss stares back.

* [[Ax Crazy]]: Mr. Zsasz. Though he's pretty quiet during his small amount of screen time, the tie-in video game displays him as very much so.

* [[Bad Cop, Incompetent Cop]]: Supposedly most of Gotham's police are portrayed as corrupt. Gordon and Loeb are the only apparent exceptions to this (though you might assume Loeb is fairly incompetent).

'''Gordon''': He's paid up with the right people. }}

* [[Badass Boast]]: "You're not the devil. You're practice"

* [[Body Double]]: {{spoiler|Ra's al Ghul.}}

* [[Break the Haughty]]: Clearly happens to [[Smug Snake|Carmine]] [[The Don|Falcone]] in prison, who goes from smugly untouchable crime lord to lunatic restrained in an insane asylum mumbling "Scarecrow... scarecrow...".

''Cue [[Evil Versus Evil|Crane spraying the fear toxin in Falcone's face]], [[Laser-Guided Karma|making Falcone scream in terror]].''<br />

'''Crane''': {{smallcaps|They scream and they cry. Much as you're doing now.}} }}

* [[Create Your Own Villain]]: At the end Gordan is discussing with Batman how the police and the mob escalate the war against each other, before shifting to how Batman may have drawn out someone else who likes to dress in a costume. When Batman wonders what Gordan is getting at he is told of a unusual bank robbery that had occurred, by someone with a flair for the theatrical just like him, and leaves a [[Sequel Hook|calling card.]]

* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Various characters show signs of this, though Lucius Fox is the most apparent, like during his conversation with Bruce Wayne about a full body armor suit.

'''Lucius Fox''': ... you expecting to run into much gunfire in these caves? }}

** Alfred Pennyworth might qualify too, though not to the same extent as in the sequel. "What's the point of all those pushups if you can't even lift a bloody log?"

** Jonathan Crane as well.

'''Crane''': Well, I would hardly have testified to that otherwise. }}

* [[Death by Secret Identity]]: When he was an ally of Bruce's, {{spoiler|Ducard knowing Bruce's true identity made him valuable.}} Once [[The Reveal|he showed his true colors]], though, his knowledge was another reason to blow him up.

** Or [[A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil|A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Good]].

* [[Doing It for the Art]]: In story example. In the novelization, it's hinted that Bruce considers the Batman an art that he is willing to sacrifice many things to achieve its perfection. Alfred even calls him out on it.

* [[Don't Think, Feel]]: Inverted. Bruce Wayne starts out driven by rage and guilt. The League of Shadows teaches him to use his head.

* [[Due to the Dead]]/[[Antagonist in Mourning]]: At the end of the novelization, {{spoiler|Bruce buries Ducard, or what was left of him after the monorail crashed, next to Thomas Wayne.}}

** When Ducard explains his plan for {{spoiler|poisoning Gotham}}, he adds that Crane helped under the impression that the plan was to hold the city to ransom. Does this imply that Ducard expected Crane to object to mass murder, or that Ducard wanted to make sure Crane thought there was something in it for himself?

** Also, Crane's conversation with Falcone about Rachel Dawes earlier in the movie leaves unclear whether his remark at the end was indignation, or just not wanting the details in case questioned on it later on:

'''Falcone''': Yeah you do. }}

* [[Evil Is Stylish]]: Both Henri Ducard and Jonathan Crane wear sharp suits. And then there is the ninja attire of the League of Shadows.

* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: This movie's various villains would probably be even more threatening if not for their rivalries among each other. Perhaps the clearest instance of [[Evil Versus Evil]] is when Falcone tries to [[Blackmail]] Crane, saying things like "I never go into business with a guy without finding out his dirty secrets" etc... and Crane gasses him with fear toxin then and there.

* [[Expospeak Gag]]: After Lucius Fox finishes explaining exactly how he derived the antidote for Crane's fear toxin:

'''Fox''': [[Deadpan Snarker|No. I just wanted you to know how hard it was]]. }}

* [[Face Death with Dignity]]: Ducard took his death rather well. Then again, he is {{spoiler|Ra's Al Ghul, who may or may not be immortal.}}

* [[Four Eyes, Zero Soul]]: Dr. Jonathan Crane.

* [[Freudian Excuse]]: Henri Ducard expresses a potential candidate for this while still a mentor to Bruce Wayne, though whether it is true or not is left unclear...

* [[Funny Background Event]]: When [[Da Chief|Loeb]] is talking to Gordon during the climax, it's on a cop's chest-mounted radio and the guy's being dragged along behind him as he paces around.

* [[Fun with Acronyms]]: The music on the soundtrack is named after species of bat, containing six listed in order as;

* [[Genre Savvy]]: When told that Batman had infiltrated Arkham, Jonathan Crane told his men to do "what anyone does when a prowler's around. Call the police." His plan was to lure Batman outside, where the cops would take care of him, reasoning that his own operation had gotten far enough that there was no way it could be stopped. It didn't work, but it was a much more intelligent decision than most villains tend to make.

* [[Graceful Loser]]: Henri Ducard. When he is beaten, {{spoiler|he just closes his eyes and accepts his demise after the battle in the monorail}}.

** Subverted when Batman decides not to kill {{spoiler|Ducard}} but instead leaves him to die in a train crash.

** Played straight earlier in the movie though, when Bruce Wayne was ordered to kill a murderer.

'''[[Knight Templar|Ducard]]''': Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share.<br />

'''Bruce''': That's why it's important. It separates us from them. }}

* [[McNinja|McNinjas]]: Batman himself. Plus the League of Shadows in ''Begins'' are [[Equal Opportunity Evil|quite a diverse group]].

* [[Meaningful Echo]]: {{spoiler|When Rachel asks who Batman is, he replies with the same words she previously had berated him with while he was acting like a vapid playboy, saying that despite his assertions he's not that person underneath, his actions are what should define him}}.

{{spoiler|'''Rachel''': ''Bruce?!''}} }}

** "[[Tear Jerker|Why do we fall, sir?]]"

* [[Non-Idle Rich]]: Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father, who still works as a doctor at the hospital despite being worth billions. Bruce also qualifies, when he's not engaging in frivolous pursuits in order to maintain his image as a [[Rich Idiot With No Day Job]].

* [[Oh Crap]]: Averted by Ra's when Batman swoops down to confront him. In contrast with the terrified reactions of Batman's previous opponents, Ra's nonchalantly remarks:

** Played straight when he realises Batman intends to ''crash'' the train, as well as leave him there.

* [[Office Golf]]: [[Played for Laughs]] when Bruce teaches this sport to a secretary.

* [[The Paragon Always Rebels]]: Bruce for Ducard and the League of Shadows

* [[Put Them All Out of My Misery]]: Depending on how you interpret Ducard's expressed attitude towards Gotham and his [[Freudian Excuse]], he may be type 3 or type 4 of this.

* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: Carmine Falcone gives a VERY contemptuous (albeit somewhat valid) one to Bruce Wayne, during their conversation at a restaurant.

'''Falcone''': ... because you think you got nothing to lose. But you haven't thought it through. You haven't thought about your lady-friend down at the D.A.'s office. You haven't thought about your old butler. Bang! People from your world have so ''much'' to lose. Now, you think because your mommy and your daddy got shot, you know about the ugly side of life, but you don't. You've never tasted desperate. You're Bruce Wayne, the Prince of Gotham - you'd have to go a thousand miles to meet someone who didn't know your name. So don't come down here with your anger trying to prove something to yourself. This is a world you'll never understand, and you always fear what you don't understand. }}

* [[Rule of Symbolism]]: Bats at multiple points in the film. Batman goes from just being afraid of them, to surrounding himself with them in the batcave, to later summoning them against the SWAT officers when they surround the building he's in. How's THAT for an extended metaphor?

'''Thomas Wayne''': ESPECIALLY the scary ones. }}

* [[Rule of Three]]: Instead of having one main [[Big Bad]], Batman Begins has 3; there's the [[Smug Snake|arrogant]] [[The Don|crime boss]] Carmine Falcone, there's the [[Knight Templar|self-righteous]] [[Ancient Conspiracy|ancient vigilante group leader]] Ra's al Ghul, (who would probably hate the kind of lawlessness men like Falcone stand for) and then there's some corrupt psychiatrist called Jonathan Crane who stated that he works for the latter but is implied to also work for the former. [[Captain Obvious|That can't end well.]]

* [[Say Your Prayers]]: One could see {{spoiler|R'as/Ducard's}} [[Obi-Wan Moment]] as this as well.

* [[Scary Scarecrows]]:

* [[Secret Keeper]]: Bruce ends up with {{spoiler|three}} of them by film's end.

* [[Self-Deprecation]]: Bruce Wayne mentioned that Batman "clearly has psychological issues". Justified since he kinda has to do that in order to maintain his secret identity as Batman.

* [[Star-Making Role]]: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman. While ''[[American Psycho]]'' was a cult hit, ''Batman Begins'' is the film that made him a bona-fide star.

* [[Suspect Is Hatless]]: During the Batmobile chase with the increasingly frantic cops.

* [[That Man Is Dead]]: Crane, after being exposed to his own fear gas.

* [[Training Montage]]: "The Will To Act" is downright epic. It helps that Ducard is played by the same actor who played [[Star Wars|Qui-Gon Jinn]].

* [[Trainstopping]]: Subverted. {{spoiler|When the monorail carrying the vaporizing device to the center of the network of water mains has to be stopped, Batman has the track destroyed instead of trying to stop the train.}}

* [[Wham! Episode]]: After {{spoiler|Ra's Al Ghul}} visits Bruce, {{spoiler|Wayne Manor is burnt down; Thomas Wayne's monorail prominent throughout the movie is used to spread Scarecrow's fear gas throughout the city; there are mass prison breakouts including Arkham Asylum and Bruce is left for dead as Wayne Manor crumbles. Fortunately, Alfred pulls a [[Big Damn Heroes]] moment; enabling Bruce to escape the manor...which leads to Batman saving most of the city (the Narrows, full of the poor and criminals, have all been driven insane by Scarecrow's fear toxin; emphasized by everyone there viewing Batman as a literal monster and trying to kill him) and leaving his [[Evil Mentor|mentor]]; Ra's Al Ghul (a prominent and major villain in the comics), to die in an explosion caused by destroying both the monorail tracks and the monorail itself.}}

* [[Xanatos Gambit]]: When Batman encounters Ra's al Ghul in the train, Batman starts jabbing at the train's controls with a knife, to at least make it look like he's trying to stop the train (he actually ends up locking the controls). {{spoiler|However, he already sent Gordon to make a gap in the train's elevated tracks, such that the train would be destroyed if it wasn't stopped.}}

'''Batman''': [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Who said anything about stopping it?]] }}

** He then uses ''that'' as a distraction so he can pull a(n explosive) batarang and [[Magnificent Bastard|get out of Ra's hold, make a point, and escape]].

* [[You Do NOT Want to Know]]: A frequent theme of this movie.

'''Falcone:''' Ignorance is bliss, my friend. Don't burden yourself with the secrets of scary people. }}

 

== The Dark Knight ==

* [[The Ace]]: Harvey Dent. {{spoiler|[[Broken Ace|At first.]]}} Rifftrax said it best after he punches a witness who pulls a gun on him, unloads the gun, states the model and manufacturer before placing the weapon in front of the man who wanted him dead, essentially tells him to try harder next time, and then says he's not finished with the witness:

* [[Adopt the Dog]]: And train them to behave in ways that'll likely eventually force them to be put down.

* [[All There in the Manual]]: The novel clears up a few details about Dark Knight, such as Dent's [[Knight Templar]] tendencies. Bruce doesn't believe Dent could have a skeleton-free closet, and investigates. Turns out his dad was a cop who abused his mother, and whenever the police were called, they'd look the other way. Eventually, Dad killed Mom while Harvey was away at school. This gave Harvey an understandable dislike of dirty cops. Bruce eventually realizes he's been digging so hard because he's jealous. Etc.

* [[American Accents]]: [[The Joker]] has a Chicago accent, as do several of the GCPD, especially Wuertz. The pub scenes practically oozes Chicago, as opposed to the New York feel that one got in ''Begins''.

* [[Analogy Backfire]]: When talking about Batman's necessity:

'''Rachel:''' Harvey, the last man they did that with was called [[Gaius Julius Caesar|Caesar]], and he never gave up his power. }}

** [[Inverted Trope|Caesar appointed himself dictator. The others before him usually saved Rome from whatever was happening, resigning soon afterwards]].

* [[Beauty to Beast]]: Harvey Dent.

* [[Berserk Button]]: Joker always gets a lot more serious when someone calls him a "freak" or "crazy." This is somewhat ironic given the [[The Mad Hatter|character's usual sentiment]] in other media.

'''Chechen''': [[Funetik Aksent|Dey won't work for a fuh-reak]].<br />

'''Joker''': "Fuh-reek?" Why don't we [[Disproportionate Retribution|cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches]]? And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog ''really'' is. }}

** A less trivial example is that of mentioning Batman's relationship with Rachel. Joker saying "does Harvey know about you and [[Your Little Dismissive Diminutive|his little bunny]]?" happens to be the straw that broke the camel's back and is immediately followed by Batman smacking Joker's head against a glass window, then repeatedly punching Joker and yelling "[[Memetic Mutation|WHERE ARE THEY?]]"

* [[Bilingual Bonus]]: Bruce Wayne drives a Lamborghini Murcielago... [[Stealth Pun|Murcielago being spanish for "Bat"]].

* [[Blackmail]]: Subverted when an accountant stumbles onto Bruce's secret:

'''Reese:''' [''clears throat''] ... keep that.... }}

* [[Blatant Lies]]: Joker is fond of these, from lying about the locations of his victims, to fake origin stories, his [[Weapon of Choice]]... [[Fridge Logic]] dictates that even his spiel about not making plans can't be true.

* [[Bloodless Carnage]]: Despite the brutality, there is very little blood. This may have been one of the factors that led to such a dark movie being rated PG-13.

* [[Blunt Yes]]: When [[The Joker]] is confronted by mobsters on his past theft from them.

'''Joker:''' [[Blunt Yes|Yeah.]] }}

* [[Bomb Throwing Anarchist]]: Well, Rocket Propelled Grenades, actually.

* [[Card-Carrying Villain]]: Played with. Although [[The Joker]] never call himself "evil" or "a villain," he styles himself an "agent of chaos", describes his past and future heinous acts with a grin & smile, and intentionally positions himself as the [[Foil]] to the heroic Batman and Dent. Also, he carries joker cards and uses them as his "signature!" And unlike most examples of the trope, it is dead serious.

* [[Cassandra Truth]]: Early in the movie, Jim Gordon's assessment of how much of a threat the Joker is seems better than that of almost any other character. When the Joker makes a threat against Commissioner Loeb's life, Gordon seals off city hall, orders a search of the building, and informs Loeb of this. Loeb does not take this threat very seriously, saying "the police commissioner hears a lot of threats" before sitting back and having a drink. The drink was laced with acid. Even the protagonist underestimates the Joker's threat early on in comparison to Gordon.

'''Batman''': One man or the entire mob? He can wait. }}

** [[Not So Harmless|And boy, does this come back to bite them in the butt later...]]

* [[Character Outlives Actor]]: [[Word of God]] says that The Joker was executed between the events of the second and third films, due to the [[Actor Existence Failure]] of Heath Ledger.

* [[Cheap Costume]]: [[Averted]] by the Joker.

** And [[Defied Trope|defied]].

** Played straight with the amateur Batmen at the start of the film.

'''Batman''': [[Deadpan Snarker|I'm not wearing hockey pads.]] }}

* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: The spikes fitted on his gauntlets.

* [[Comic Book Movies Don't Use Codenames]]: {{spoiler|The name "Two-Face" is only uttered once, when Harvey remembers that cops used to call him "Harvey Two-Face" when he worked for internal affairs}}.

* [[Comically Missing the Point]]: Done intentionally by Lucius Fox

'''Lucius Fox''': [[Implied Answer|Like a submarine, Mr. Wayne. Like a submarine]]. }}

* [[Cool Bike]]: The Batpod. Apparently the center part where the rider sits is gyro-stabilized, as it's always upright. Batman catches up with the Joker by taking some [[Excuse Me, Coming Through|major shortcuts]] in the chase sequence, and re-emerges into Joker's view by tumbling out of an alley... while still staying upright. Batman can even drive it up a wall, flip over backwards, and it'll spin around and keep Bats' ears pointing upward.

* [[Dead Line News]]: Mike Engel and his crew tempt fate by {{spoiler|going to Gotham General Hospital to cover the evacuations. They wind up hostages of the Joker. They all get rescued unharmed at the end but they still become the story they were reporting on.}}

* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Alfred Pennyworth dials up the snarkiness in comparison to the first film ("you've gone from not-sleeping in a mansion to not-sleeping in a penthouse!") but Lucius Fox is still the most obvious example.

'''Lucius''': ... now that's more like it, Mr. Wayne! }}

** Also, Joker kind of fills in for Crane in the role of villainous snarker.

** Bruce Wayne himself.

'''Bruce''': Accomplice? I'm going to tell them the whole thing was your idea. }}

** Even though he's only in the film for a few minutes, Crane gets in a few good ones too:

* [[Deal with the Devil]]: {{spoiler|Harvey Dent accuses Gordon of this for not getting rid of all the possibly corrupt officers in the Gotham Police Department.}}

** The Mob's decision to hire the Joker, [[Evil Is Not a Toy|which comes back to bite them later on.]]

** A careful look at Maroni's behavior suggests he never really approved of the Joker or his methods. He seems surprised and slightly alarmed to hear his associates hired the clown because "we haff to fix reel problem- Bat-muhn". Maroni wants to turn things back to the way they were before, the mob had all the power and authority. He has no interest in the Joker's blatant anarchy, which explains why he turns on the Joker as soon as they retrieve the money (ironically, Maroni does exactly what The Joker predicts will happen to Batman: "They need you right now... but when they don't? They'll cast you out. Like a leper.")

** When the Joker and his mooks rob a bank, the banker (who has been watching the gang of robbers [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder|shooting each other so they'd keep more of the money for themselves]]) points out the apparent decline in the standards local evil holds itself to.

** The Joker mockingly uses this on Batman, about how he let him kill people. "Even for a guy like me, that's cold."

* [[Even Evil Has Loved Ones]]: {{spoiler|Dent}} threatens to kill Maroni's wife as revenge.

** Evil cannot even understand lesser evil, apparently.

* [[Eviler Than Thou]]: The Joker constantly berates small-time crooks and [[The Mafia|mobsters]] for being petty and shallow enough to care only about profit while ignoring [[For the Evulz|loftier ideals]] [[Complete Monster|of Evil]]:

* [[Evil Is Not a Toy]]: The mob was content with using the Joker to advance their own interest. That is until he decides he doesn't want to work with them anymore and starts doing worse to them than Batman ever did.

* [[Evil Is Stylish]]: The Joker loves elaborate [[The Sadistic Choice|sadistic choices]], playing cards (both as his business card and signature at some of his killings), and dropping clues about his next targets. {{spoiler|After he fails to kill Harvey Dent, he puts nametags on two men he killed reading "Harvey" and "Dent" the next night to taunt him. He's also immediately impressed by Harvey's very villainous Heads-or-Tails gimmick.}}

* [[False Reassurance]]: {{spoiler|Two-Face confronts someone who wronged him looking for information. When asked whether providing that information will save him, Two-Face says it couldn't hurt his chances. This suggests a more merciful outcome, until it turns out his survival is based on a coin toss. Combined with [[Exact Words]], Two-Face says it couldn't hurt HIS chances, not the driver's.}}

* [[False Roulette]]: Harvey Dent interrogates one of the Joker's henchmen this way. {{spoiler|The revolver is fully loaded, but he's using a two-headed coin, so there's no risk. Not that the henchman or Batman know this.}} When Batman arrives on the scene, he's quick to call [[What the Hell, Hero?]]

'''Harvey''': Not exactly. }}

* [[Fast Roping]]: The Gotham SWAT team employs this trope to raid the Joker's HQ. Batman comes by later and when he realizes that {{spoiler|the hostages and captors have switched clothes,}} he uses the same rappel lines they used to to tie them up and knock them out.

* [[Glasgow Grin]]: [[The Joker]].

* [[Godzilla Threshold]]: this is essentially what [[The Joker]] is for this version of Gotham's criminal underworld, unfortunately for everyone involved, no one was quite prepared it. Alfred summarily lampshades;

'''Alfred''': You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand. }}

* [[Good Cop, Bad Cop]]: The Joker accurately predicts that Gordon intends to use a form of this interrogation technique. However, {{spoiler|he's caught off guard by discovering that the bad cop is Batman ...even though he still doesn't talk until he wants to.}}

* [[Guile Hero]]: Harvey Dent because of his political status and indirect, mostly non-violent means which{{spoiler|, before his transformation into Harvey Two-Face,}} made him more effective than even Batman in his role to clean up Gotham City from the mob.

* [[Ham-to-Ham Combat]]: Between the Joker and Batman throughout the entire movie. The Joker even lampshades this in the final scene between the two of them:

* [[Happy Flashback]]

* [[Heartbroken Badass]]: Bruce Wayne after {{spoiler|Rachel's death}}.

* [[Heroic Wannabe]]: A gang of doughy vigilantes with bat-costumes and guns. {{spoiler|One ends up being a victim of The Joker}}.

* [["Hey You!" Haymaker]]

'''Batman''': (just off-screen) Then you're gonna love me. *PUNCH* }}

* [[High Altitude Interrogation]]: [[Subverted Trope|Subverted]] and [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in ''The Dark Knight''. Batman wasn't threatening to kill Maroni to get his information but looking to use the situation in a novel way that would actually make this [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]].

* [[I'm Not a Hero, I'm X|I'm Not A Hero. I'm whatever Gotham needs me to be.]]

* [[Indy Ploy]]: The Joker claims to be doing this, but it's really, really unlikely most of the time, considering the fact that he knew exactly how everyone in the city would react {{spoiler|right up until the grand finale,}} with Batman himself being the only wild card, and a minor one at that. Considering how well everything worked out, it's more likely he's falling back on the character's long standing similarity to Batman, doing what he can to plan ahead and making up what he can't.

*** YES.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: Not as frequent as it was in ''Batman Begins'', but there are some considerably impactful ones here.

* [[It Got Worse]]: It ''starts'' with {{spoiler|the DA and his assistant/fiancee kidnapped and strapped to time bombs}} and just goes downhill from there.

* [[I Will Show You X]]: During an argument between a witness on the stand and Harvey Dent:

{{spoiler|''Witness pulls out a gun and tries to fire it. The gun jams.''}} }}

* [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]]: Used three times. Interestingly, it's never really effective.

** When Batman beats up the Joker. Even discussed, as the Joker criticizes Batman's technique ''while Batman is beating him''. {{spoiler|This case comes with a surprise. The Joker had always been planning to give up accurate locations...he just lied about who was where to screw with Batman's head. Of course, considering how he took a long time to divulge the locations, it probably wouldn't have mattered if he did tell the truth about who was where.}}

** Batman also ''throws a man off a roof'', breaking both his legs, in order to get information (although it doesn't work because the man in question pointed out that the fall wouldn't kill him, which Batman implies is exactly the reason why he chose that height). It still doesn't work, as the man doesn't really know anything about The Joker anyway; and even if he did he is ''far'' more scared of The Joker than Batman.

'''Salvatore Maroni:''' [incredulous] Friends? Have you *met* this guy? ... No one's gonna tell you nothin'. They're wise to your act. You got rules. The Joker, he's got no rules. No one's gonna cross him to you. }}

** Dent ain't so bad at this himself. He uses his flip-a-coin Russian roulette technique several times to get some answers. Although, because he uses a 2 sided coin, he doesn't exactly leave a man's life to chance. {{spoiler|Not for the first half of the film, anyway.}}

* [[Laughably Evil]]: Again, the Joker.

* [[Let Me Tell You a Story]]: Bruce Wayne is trying to figure out [[The Joker]]'s motivations. Alfred tells him this:

'''Alfred:''' Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. [[For the Evulz|Some men just want to watch the world burn.]] }}

* [[Love Cannot Overcome]]: Rachel doesn't want the problems of being Bruce's love interest until he's done being Batman.

* [[Love Makes You Evil]]: Sort of... {{spoiler|Harvey Dent losing his girlfriend is the key ingredient in driving him to madness.}}

* [[Loves the Sound of Screaming]]: [[The Joker]]...

* [[Madden Into Misanthropy]]: The Joker pulls an extreme version of this on {{spoiler|Harvey Dent.}}

* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: Salvatore Maroni, a.k.a. the only person to profit from The Joker's presence...{{spoiler|until he forgets to put on his seatbelt}}. The Joker too, especially in the way he manipulates {{spoiler|Harvey Dent.}}

* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9psvYv1O4I last fight between Joker and Batman] is a borderline example of this. Sure, Batman puts up a BIT of a fight, but that doesn't stop Joker from sending attack dogs after him, beating him with a crowbar while the dogs are on him, knocking him into a net after he escapes the dogs, repeatedly kicking him while he's caught in the net, and knocking him throw a window when he's escaped from said net. Not that the Joker should've been expected to show any restraint in the first place...

** This is because, of course, the Joker's combat flailing would be no match for a trained fighter whose outfit is made of super-advanced body armor. Among all of this, though, is that the sonar headset Batman is wearing happens to be malfunctioning in part from the blow to the head Joker opens with. Toe to toe, in a fair fight, the Joker is OBVIOUSLY outclassed. That's why he never fights fair.

*** This is almost highlighted given its comparison to the showdown in the 1989 ''Batman'' movie, where, atop an equally high building, Batman gives the less well armed Joker a damn sound beating, before the latter almost throws ''him'' to his death. Adding to that Batman turning down the same opportunity used to finish him off in the original film, the whole final showdown almost seems like a [[Mythology Gag]].

* [[Noodle Incident]]: A minor one at the state funeral for {{spoiler|the commisioner.}}

(''Probably foreshadowing, given how rapidly Batman's popularity declines after the funeral...'') }}

** If you watch the movie with the subtitles on, you can see that he said, "as long as you keep your politics out of my office".

* [[The Power of Legacy]]: At the end of the film, after Harvey Dent's {{spoiler|death, Batman tells Gordon to tell the police force that it was Batman, not Harvey, who was responsible for Harvey's murders, so that Harvey does not lose his white knight reputation.}} ''The Joker must not win.''

* [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]]: During the fundraising party for Harvey Dent:

'''Batman:''' [[Dynamic Entry|Then you're gonna love me.]] }}

* [[Precision F-Strike]]:

** Later in the same scene, {{spoiler|Gordon says "we got you, you son of a bitch" when he (temporarily) captures the Joker.}}

* [[Preemptive Declaration]]:

 

'''Batman:''' No, but I know how you got ''these''! ''(launches his spring loaded scallops at Joker's face)'' }}

* [[Product Placement]]: A lot. One notable case is Bruce Wayne's driving a Lamborghini Murcielago. Also a [[Bilingual Bonus]] [[Stealth Pun]]: ''murciélago'' is Spanish for ''bat''.

* [[Psycho for Hire]]: The Joker, with the emphasis on "psycho," since he doesn't really stay in the employ of the mob for long. He's definitely in it for the psycho part, though.

* [[Psychopathic Manchild]]: Just as an accountant was about to give in to one of Joker's earlier threats (reveal the identity of Batman or people die) he goes on TV to announce that he changed his mind, that he decides that a world without Batman would be too [[For the Evulz|boring]], and that if said accountant was not killed in less than an hour, that he would blow up a hospital.

* [[Psycho Strings]]: On the soundtrack the Joker's one-note theme is made mostly of these. (One note? [[Better Than It Sounds|You have to listen to it to understand]].)

* [[Retired Badass]]: Alfred apparently did some military spec-ops work some time before being Bruce's butler, providing him with anecdotal experience concerning the Joker's MO.

** The story also goes to hint at a rather [[Beware the Nice Ones|dark side]] to the generally pleasant and amiable sophisticate:

'''[[Determinator|Alfred]]''': [[Kill It with Fire|We burned the forest down]]. }}

* [[Right Behind Me]]: "Don't tell me it's Wayne. The guy's a complete [[Curse Cut Short|f--]]"

* [[Rule of Three]]: The Joker's third "scar story" is subverted by Batman.

** Subverted... by Batman. Played straight... by the movie itself. And [[Double Subversion|double subverted]]... due to both. We never hear Joker's third story but Batman giving him scars makes the movie itself a third story. As a result somehow manages to fit all three.

(Batman launches his gauntlet spikes point-blank into Joker's face) }}

* [[The Sadistic Choice]]: Joker has several in ''The Dark Knight''. So much so that Roger Ebert interprets this concept as one of Joker's main themes.

** It seems notable that the messenger of chaos is the one with the most elaborate 'plans'.

* [[Scare Chord]]: The Joker's leitmotif.

* [[Screams Like a Little Girl]]: Salvatore Maroni as he's dropped from the second floor by Batman.

* [[Should Have Thought of That Before X]]:

'''Gordon''': You should have thought of that before you let that clown out of the box. }}

* [[Shout-Out]]: "[[Eminem|Will the real Batman please stand up?]]"

* [[Shown Their Work]]: The [[SWAT Team]]'s tactics when entering the building the Joker's minions have occupied are based on real-life SWAT procedure: the officers approach the suspects with weapons at the ready and identify themselves, demanding that the suspects surrender and put their weapons down. Until the suspects present a threat to either the officers or innocents, they have to hold fire. More than one reviewer [[Reality Is Unrealistic|questioned why SWAT wasn't opening fire, not realizing that this was how they really operate.]]

* [[Shut UP, Hannibal]]: Batman to the Joker.

* [["Shut Up" Kiss]]: Harvey to Rachael, after his press conference.

* [[Smash the Symbol]] {{spoiler|This moment is after [[Batman]] said he would take the blame for Harvey Dent's murders; it's implied that people are smashing the bat-signal to symbolize their increasing disapproval of Batman. This is a somewhat unconventional approach to this trope, seeing as how rather than portraying it as destroying the symbol of a villain, it is instead destroying the symbol of a hero who is (willingly) being mistaken for a villain.}}

* [[Smug Snake]]: Maroni. [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/88/RobertsMaroni.jpg/250px-RobertsMaroni.jpg Just look at that smile].

* [[Spanner in the Works]]: The Joker is a self-proclaimed " Agent of Chaos" - he really doesn't plan, he just sizes up his enemies' plans and attacks the weak point that causes the most chaos.

* [[The Spook]]: Both Batman and The Joker.

* [[Stealth Pun]]: The Joker blocks a stretch of road with a vehicle on fire. {{spoiler|[[Visual Pun|It's a fire truck.]]}} Just another way the Joker [[Crosses the Line Twice]].

** By the end of the second act, the Batmobile had lost a wheel (the Batpod), and the Joker got away.

** During the trip to China:

'''Lucius Fox''': Like a submarine, Mr. Wayne. [[Deadpan Snarker|Like a submarine]]. }}

** The {{spoiler|final dilemma Joker presents is similar to the Prisoner's Dilemma. One of the parties in the dilemma is a ferry full of convicts}}.

* [[Technical Pacifist]]: Batman won't outright kill anyone, but he has no qualms dropping a man from a fire escape because he ''probably'' won't die from the fall.

* [[Tempting Fate]]: "He's going to need something a lot bigger than that to get through this truck!" Cue the freaking ''rocket launcher''.

** "''Some two-bit whack-job. Wears a cheap purple suit and make-up. He's not the problem. He's a nobody''". [[Not So Harmless|Hohoho if they only knew back then...]]

** "''My dogs are hungry! [[Costume Copycat|Pity there is only one of you...]]''"

* [[The Dreaded]]: [[The Joker]] is feared by ''EVERYONE''.

* [[Think Nothing of It]]: After {{spoiler|Batman saves Gordon's son}}

'''Gordon:''' Yes, I do. }}

* [[Throat Light]]

* [[Title Drop]]: {{spoiler|The final words spoken are the movie's title, at the end of Commissioner Gordon's monologue.}}

* [[Too Kinky to Torture]]: The Joker. Detective Stephens, who's in charge of watching him, even [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] it:

* [[Torture Always Works]]: Subverted ''hard'' by the Joker during Batman's interrogation: "You have ''nothing''! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"

* [[Trailers Always Spoil]]: Many people knew {{spoiler|Gordon wasn't [[Killed Off for Real]]}} because of the Joker's trailer line of {{spoiler|"Good eeeevening, ''Commissioner''." Gordon hadn't yet been made commissioner at the time of his supposed 'death'.}}

** Played for laughs with the Joker when he {{spoiler|blows up the Gotham General Hospital}}. He starts walking away without looking back, only to notice the explosions have stopped. Joker turns around and starts fiddling with the detanator, but nothing happens. He fiddles with the detonator some more, until he's startled by a ''huge'' explosion. Joker then resumes walking away without looking back...only now he's walking much faster than before.

* [[Unhand Them, Villain!]]: The Joker does this to Rachel when Batman tells him to let her go. She happens to be hanging halfway out a window.

* [[Unreliable Narrator]]: The Joker, naturally.

* [[Unwanted Rescue]]: {{spoiler|Harvey}}. "NO! NOT ME! WHY ARE YOU COMING FOR ME?!" Doubly so, {{spoiler|as Batman also wanted to save Rachel over Harvey. The Joker's just a bitch like that.}}.

** For a more straightforward example, when Rachel and Harvey are kidnapped {{spoiler|the lights in the warehouse where Harvey is held are on, whereas Rachel's are switched off. Could also qualify as Foreshadowing, but only by a few seconds.}}

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Pulled by ''the Joker'', of all people.

** Technically, Batman did not plan on the latter part, as Bruce Wayne did indeed intend to turn himself in, but Dent ended up taking his place. Wayne's reaction shows that this was definitely not something that he had anticipated. On that note, Rachel Dawes' reaction to this was also similar to The Joker's.

** Pulled earlier by Batman when {{spoiler|Harvey Dent attempts to interrogate one of the Joker's men using a revolver and his coin.}}

** The 'hero' part might be debatable, but Harvey does this to {{spoiler|Ramirez, when he confronts her for delivering Rachel to the Joker.}}

** When the [[Scary Black Man]] on the ferry is facing down the Warden, he tells him in blunt terms that "Give it to me, and I'll do what you should have done ten minutes ago." Then he {{spoiler|takes the detonator and chucks it out the window, making this a retroactive version of this trope.}}

** Gordon's wife's reaction to his [[Faking the Dead|faking his death]]. He offers up a small excuse about how it was for her protection, but she still smacks him.

* [[Would Hit a Girl]]: Two-Face knocked Anna Ramirez into unconsciousness, after his coin spares her life.

* [[Xanatos Roulette]]: The entirety of Joker's plan. He even [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] this, saying that he has no plan and that he's just doing things to see what happens.

** Might be a case of [[Obfuscating Stupidity]].

*** He's CLEARLY aware of what individuals will do in his little Sadistic Choice scenarios, and cleverly makes this predictable response the WRONG answer. So he sets up a situation, predicts what will happen, and plans out a way to punish the test-taker.

* [[You're Insane!]]: "No. No, I'm not."

* [[Your Little Dismissive Diminutive]]: This version of [[The Joker]] uses a LOT of these.

'''Joker (to Harvey Dent):''' I just took your little plan and I turned it on itself. }}

* [[Your Mom]]: The Joker used this insult about Gambol's grandmom to make him pissed.

== The Dark Knight Rises ==

* [[Badass Boast]]:

* [[Bald of Evil]]: Bane.

* [[Be All My Sins Remembered]]: A leaked photograph, regarding a mention of Harvey Dent, reveals that Bane ends up exposing Dent's crimes to the public after eight years of secrecy.

* [[Evil Sounds Deep]]: Bane.

* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: [[Invoked Trope|Invoked]].

'''Bane:''' Your punishment must be more ''severe''. }}

* [[Flying Car]]: The Bat, à la the Batmobile from [[Batman Beyond]] or the more standard [[Cool Plane|Batwing]].

** [[Defied Trope|Defied]] in the third trailer:

'''Batman:''' This isn't a car. }}

* [[Forced to Watch]]: Judging from Bane's dialogue in the trailers, it seems he wants Batman to see Gotham burn before he kills him.

* [[Masquerade Ball]]: One's going on in the theatrical trailer, with Bruce Wayne, Miranda Tate, and Selina Kyle in attendance.

* [[Meaningful Echo]]: A stock broker at one point asks Bane the same question Carmine Falcone asked Batman almost a decade earlier.

'''Bane:''' I'm [[Shadow Archetype|Gotham's reckoning]]. }}

* [[Mythology Gag]]: The "R" in the cheer sign (0:12 in the trailer) is the logo of Red Robin.

* [[Ominous Latin Chanting]]: "Deshi Basara", Bane's thematic chant (although it's not Latin, but Moroccan Arabic meaning "He Rises").

* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: Catwoman.

'''Selina:''' Yeah? Who are *you* pretending to be? }}

* [[Prisons Are Gymnasiums]]: Seems we'll get a heroic example with {{spoiler|Bruce Wayne doing push-ups to get back in Batman shape while imprisoned.}}

** The surviving home player in the end zone is real life Steelers player Hines Ward who was one of many current and former Steelers players involved in the filming. Steelers coach, Bill Cowher, even makes an appearance as the Gotham Rogues' team coach.

* [[Undying Loyalty]]: Bane's underlings appear fanatically loyal to him. For instance, when he tells one of his mooks to remain on a crashing plane in order to fool the authorities<ref>who are expecting to also find the body of a prisoner in the wreckage</ref>, the mook simply nods happily... and asks an ominous question.

'''Bane''': ''The fire rises.'' }}