Why We Love the Batman

The latest installment in the Batman series has finally hit the theatres. Some critics are saying that Christian Bale is the best bat to date because he really delves into the darkness within Bruce Wayne that forces him to don the cape and cowl.

But why do we love the Dark Knight? Why have generations of people watched the TV shows and cartoons and turned the movie franchise into money-making and merchandising juggernaut? Because he reminds of us that place within each of us that would love to have the power to avenge wrongs and strike fear in the hearts of those who hurt us. Bruce Wayne's motives may have evolved into altruism, but they are rooted in a deep-seeded anger over the loss of his parents at the hands of a common street thug. He does not use guns because he sees muzzle flashes in his nightmares right before he sees his mother and father fall to the ground. His vengance is cold and personal. He wants to put his hands on you and pull you close so he can see your fear, and you can see his rage.

Why the bat? I'm sure there are many theories on that, but since medieval times, humans have associated bats with the undead. The vampires that come out of the night to bite our necks, suck our blood, and drain our lives. Vampires are shape-shifters and the legends say that they morph into things that people in the Middle Ages would have feared most. Bats, wolves, vaporous spirits, etc. But the bat endures as one of the most feared of the vampiric forms because they can fly and they do bite and suck blood.

In any case, I would venture to guess that Bruce Wayne chose the bat because they are prevalent in the old buildings in Gotham and he knew that a large, half-bat/half-man would twist the primal fear of old legends and ghost stories that we all keep hidden in the corners of our minds.

We also love the Batman because he is our protector. Where the police fail, he succeeds. He is seemingly everywhere all the time. We feel safe because even though law enforcement calls him a vigilante, someone in power sends up that bat signal everytime something bad happens. We are reassured by the knowledge that a dark angel guards the night.

And finally, we love the Batman because we feel for him. His choice to become our protector is also a choice to be alone. His solitude and isolation protect his secret, but they also forbid him from getting too close to anyone. Anyone who loves the Bat and is loved by him is a target. He didn't really choose to be Batman. Fate chose him. Even if he wanted to stop, he couldn't and still be able to look directly at the face in the mirror.

So we look up at the rooftops with a silent mixture of gratitude and guilt because we know he has given his life to us. We love the Batman because he lets us sleep at night knowing that in a world full of evil and chaos, there ARE still heroes.