Summary
I recently got the chance to rewatchBatman: GothamKnight, the lesser-known and yet canonical fourth movie that’s secretly a part ofChristopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy. An animated feature released in 2008 just beforeThe Dark Knight,Gotham Knightis set between the events of Nolan’s first and second Batman movies. As such, I had a few realizations about the feature with its 78-minute runtime, especially regarding elements I’d completely forgotten relating to the rest ofThe Dark Knighttrilogy.
Consisting of six different chapters, each segment ofGotham Knightwas produced and animated by different Japanese animation studios, each with its own visual tone and style. Regardless, the events of the movie as a whole are connected and meant to be canon to the version of Gotham and Batman created by Christopher Nolan and his live-action trilogy, though the events themselves are rather inconsequential to the trilogy’s narrative overall. In any event,here are 10 realizations I had rewatchingBatman: Gotham Knight, a DC feature I hadn’t seen in quite a long time.
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10The First Story Sets Up Batman As An Urban Legend Made Real
Various First Impressions
In the first chapter, “Have I Got A Story For You”, a group of teens gathers and discuss their various experiences seeing Batman for the first time. While one kid describes The Dark Knight as a monster made out of smoke and shadow, another sees him as a giant winged bat monster. Another sees Batman more as a robot armed with an array of gadgets before the real Batman emerges and takes down the criminal known only as the Man in Black.
To that end, it’s very much like the episode “Legends of the Dark Knight” fromBatman: The Animated Serieswhen a group of kids similarly gathers to tell Batman stories. However,I realized it also ties intoBatman’s debut in Gotham inBatman Beginswhen he was fighting the League of Shadows and Scarecrow.With fear toxin having flooded the city, Batman first appears to several citizens and criminals alike as a literal bat-monster, something that likely aided in The Dark Knight initially being viewed as an urban legend and something beyond human.
9The Second Story Reveals The Fallout Of Batman Begins
The Narrows
In the second chapter, “Crossfire”, MCU officers Crispus Allen and Ramirez deliver the Man in Black to Arkham, the institution for the criminally insane that greatly expanded in the wake ofBatman Begins. While it’s not described in great detail withinThe Dark Knighttrilogy itself,Gotham Knighthelped me realize that the worst section of Gotham known as the Narrows was effectively taken over and fully became part of the greater Arkham infrastructure. After all, it was the part of Gotham that was hit hardest by the Scarecrow and the League fear attacks.
8Lucius Fox Was Working On An Epic New Batmobile
Tumbler Meets Burton-Era?
In the third chapter (“Field Test”),Batman’s unofficial armorer Lucius Foxprovides The Dark Knight with some new tech. However, he’s also seen briefly working on a brand-new Batmobile, one I didn’t look at closely enough upon my first viewing. Despite having provided Wayne with the impressively armored Tumbler inBatman Begins, it looks as though Fox was inspired to keep the vehicular experimentation going with this new model that was never featured in the live-action films.
In essence,this new Batmobile looks to be a cross between the Batmobile from 1989’sBatmanstarring Michael Keaton and the Tumbler seen in the Nolan movies. Although Batman does end up driving this new ride while dealing with Sal Maroni and the Russian, it’s only in this singular chapter alone. That said, I certainly enjoyed seeing this souped-up Batmobile appearance, even if it was just a “car cameo”.
7It’s Good That Nolan Kept Batman’s Tech Grounded
A Force-Field Was A Little Too Out There
Lucius Fox didn’t just provide Bruce Wayne with a new car in “Field Test”, he also gave Batman a reworked gyroscopic electromagnetic guidance system taken from a satellite. Having been modified by Fox himself, the new device was rigged to electromagnetically deflect small arms fire via advanced sonic sensors. This effectively granted Batman his very own force field, though one that couldn’t account for ricochets potentially injuring or even killing those nearby, hence Batman’s decision to discard the device before the events ofThe Dark Knight.
While fun as a one-off gadget,I realized that it’s probably for the best that a force field didn’t make its way into the live-actionDark Knightfilms. Nolan’s films are ultimately very grounded with a certain level of realism, and this includes thegadgets and devices Batman uses in his crusade. To that end, I’m pretty sure a bullet-deflecting force field would have crossed the line too much.
6The Fourth Story Is The Only Chapter Where Batman’s Logo And Suit Are Accurate
Batman Actually Looks Like Nolan’s Dark Knight
As previously mentioned, every individual segment ofGotham Knightcomes from different animation studios. This means that every story featured a Batman and Bruce Wayne that looks pretty different from the next, even though the chapters are all connected and are meant to be set in the sameDark Knightuniverse. However, I realized that only the fourth chapter “In Darkness Dwells” is the only segment that has a Batman and overall aesthetic that actually resembles the live-action films.
As seen in this fourth segment, the Bat Signal is the only one that has the same logo design as the one in Nolan’s movie.The same is true of Batman’s suit with the all-black padding, gold utility belt, and correct cowl. To that end, I did find myself enjoying this story more than the others, in part because of the greater accuracy toThe Dark Knighttrilogy itself.
5Gotham Knight’s Scarecrow Sets Up His Dark Knight Rises Appearance
Scarecrow As A Judge
“In Darkness Dwells” also reveals the fate of Scarecrow following when he was last seen inBatman Beginsand his brief appearance getting captured by Batman at the beginning ofThe Dark Knight. Likewise, I realized that his appearance inGotham Knightbasically foreshadowsScarecrow’s role inThe Dark KnightRises.In the third Nolan film, Doctor Jonathan Crane is released from Arkham by Bane and his men during their Gotham takeover. Scarecrow subsequently becomes the city’s new judge as appointed by Bane, handing down execution and banishment sentences to those deemed unworthy.
Keeping that in mind,Gotham Knightputs Crane in a very similar role, having forged his own cult of followers in the Gotham sewers comprised of Arkham escapees and the homeless. Upon capturing a cardinal, Scarecrow is seen passing his own brand of judgment upon the man before Batman finds Crane and saves the cardinal, destroying Scarecrow’s underground throne in the process.
4Killer Croc Proves Nolan Chose The Right Villains
Waylon Jones Is A Hard-Sell For This Version of Gotham
Waylon Jones' Killer Croc also debuts inGotham Knight’sfourth chapter. Established as an inmate at Arkham whom Crane was helping get over his fear of bats, it was revealed that Jones suffered from a rare skin disorder and had filed his teeth to points, having joined a circus of freaks as Killer Croc, an origin mirroring his most common origins in the comics. However, it was also confirmed that Jones had Crane’s fear toxin pumping within his bloodstream which could be transferred through his bites. Protecting Scarecrow’s lair in the sewers, tying Croc to Scarecrow in the Nolan-verse was certainly an intriguing idea.
That said,Croc appears far more reptilian and monstrous than one would expect forThe Dark Knightfranchiseand its more grounded universe. As such, Croc’s appearance inGotham Knightfurther cements my longstanding (and generally popular) belief that Nolan absolutely picked the best villains possible for the live-action trilogy. Whether it’s Crane, Joker, Two-Face, Bane, or even Ra’s al Ghul, each one could feasibly exist in the real world. Killer Croc on the other hand requires the limits of reality to be stretched a little further than is likely comfortable for this Batman universe.
Cassandra (Lady Shiva?)
The fifth chapter, “Working Through Pain”, features flashbacks to Bruce Wayne’s years abroad. As such, this new story confirms thatBruce Wayne had more than one teacher beyond Ra’s al Ghul. While traveling through India,Bruce learns from a woman named Cassandra who guides him in the art of controlling pain. However, I noticed upon rewatching that Cassandra and Bruce are featured training near artwork of the Hindu god Shiva. As a result, I feel as though this new teacher could be Lady Shiva from the comics who helped train Batman duringKnightfall.Interestingly enough, her daughter was also named Cassandra (and became a Batgirl).
2Gotham Knight Pays Homage To More Than One Batman
Keaton and Conroy
WhileGotham Knightis meant to connect to the canon ofThe Dark Knighttrilogy, it’s not the only version of Batman the animated feature pays homage to. Examples include Kevin Conroy voicing Batman in all six segments ofGotham Knight, the iconic voice actor known for voicing the Caped Crusader inBatman: The Animated Series, theArkhamvideo game trilogy, and more. Likewise, the aforementioned first chapter is basically a different version of the “Legends of the Dark Knight” episode from the animated series, as well as the “true” Batman looking a lot like Conroy’s version.
I also noticed that “Working Through Pain” features a brief cameo from the exact same Batmobile driven by Michael Keaton’s Batman from the 1989 movie directed by Tim Burton. It appears when Alfred arrives to pick up an injured Dark Knight following his battle with Killer Croc and Scarecrow.While it isn’t featured again, it is a fun little Easter egg to Keaton’s Dark Knight I didn’t notice the first time I watchedGotham Knight.
1Deadshot Will Always Be A Great Batman Villain
World’s Greatest Marksman
The final segment ofGotham Knightis entitled, “Deadshot”, debutingThe Dark Knightuniverse’s version of Floyd Lawton, the World’s Greatest Marksman. Having been hired by criminals in Gotham to take out Batman,it’s very exciting to see Deadshot take on The Dark Knight, just as it is on the page and in any version of the two DC rivals. To that end, it does make me wish thatWill Smith’s Deadshot could have had more of a legitimate confrontation with Batmanin 2016’sSuicide Squad.
Deadshot’s love of firearms contrasted with Batman’s hatred is on full display inGotham Knight.It’s a prime example of how Lawton has the potential to be such a strong Batman villain going forward in the rebooted DC Universe. As such, it was fun rewatching this final segment featuring Deadshot, especially after the villain has received such a greater spotlight on screen than he had back in 2008 whenGotham Knightfirst released
The Dark Knight
Cast
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is the second installment in the Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale as Batman. Released in 2008, the film follows Batman’s alliance with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent as they combat the organized crime that threatens Gotham, facing the menacing Joker.
