The Dark Knight Returns

***The Dark Knight Returns*** is a 2012 superhero film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is the third installment of Nolan's *The Dark Knight Trilogy* and a sequel to 2008's *The Dark Knights*, starring Christian Bale and supported by Henry Cavill who reprises his role from 2011's Superman, alongside Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman and Ana de Armas and Tobey Maguire from their respective franchises; joined by newcomer Robin Williams. In the film, Bruce Wayne / Batman picks up the mantle of Batman after four years of chaotic abscence to fight Superman / Clark Kent, whose fighting inadvertadly caused the death of Bruce's friend Alfred Pennyworth; both manipulated and spearheaded by Edward Nygma.

## Cast

* **Christian Bale** as Bruce Wayne / Batman, the former vigilante of Gotham City
* **Henry Cavill** as Clark Kent / Kal-El, the Superman.
* **Robin Williams** as Edward Nashton, a higher up of Wayne Enterprises with much control over the business
* **Gary Oldman** as Commissioner Gordon, chief of the GCPD
* **Morgan Freeman** as **Lucius Fox**
* **Ana de Armas** as Lois Lane, a journalist in the Daily Planet

## Plot

We open just before the final scuffle between Bizarro and Superman, in a high-rise building in Metropolis. Alfred Pennyworth and Edward Nygma, the current heads of Wayne Enterprise, sit at one end of a business table in a board room; across a group of investment bankers and lawyers; hoping that they'd be symphatetic to Wayne Enterprises' rapid nosedive from the market due to Bruce Wayne's proffessional departure. Alfred notices his phone buzzing, it's Bruce, surprised, he excuses himself and picks up the phone; Nashton notices a strange thing flying through the air: Bizarro and Superman fighting. A decrepit Bruce Wayne sits in a rebuilt Wayne Manor with his phone to his ear, desperately trying to get through to Alfred. Nygma and Alfred now exit the building, Nashton guides the elder, who doesn't seem to be able to pick up his pace; dissapearing in the violent plum of dust and debris. Back in manor, Bruce shakily lowers his phone in shock, the shock on his face transforms into anger.

**18 months later**, a news montage reveals the discovery of Kryptonite in the Artic, near the hidden location of the Fortress of Solitude. We also see several people being terrified of Superman, and although a minority, it is a loud one, calling for the expulsion of the alien. The news segment then follows up to the causes of this negative feeling, the Metropolis massacre, an interview with a survivor: Edward Nashton, who reveals that Alfred did not survive, and is the sole acting CEO of Wayne Enterprises now, declaring that he will do all in his power to have Gotham deliver its neighbour city the goods neccessary for its survival. years after the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman has disappeared. Organized crime has been eradicated in Gotham City thanks to the Dent Act giving expanded powers to the police. Commissioner James Gordon has kept the criminal acts of Dent after his disfigurement a secret and allowed the blame for his crimes to fall on Batman. He has prepared a speech to read revealing the truth but decides not to read it. Lois turns off the TV, and goes to eat breakfast with Clark, subtly exposing how Metropolis has been since last year's battle.

Bruce lowers himself to the Batcave, having developed a newer suit, he sighs, turning on the lights of the Batcave once again, staring around him, he talks with Lucius, who also believes the Superman is dangerous and a threat to the world, but is much less eager to act as intensly as Bruce wants to, who believes he must kill the Man of Steel after he inadvertadly took away the last piece of Bruce's past, they discuss, and Lucius is determined to put some sense into his head, but Bruce wants to die fighting, a cold angry man. He puts on the costume once more and begins training. Oswald Cobblepott (cameo by Colin Ferrell like ten years beforehand maybe) and his gang rob a bank wearing bird-themed masks, however, they are intercepted by a returning Batman; and are brutally beaten down. After learning of Batman's form of justice, Clark Kent (Superman's civilian identity) seeks to expose him via *Daily Planet* articles. Edward Nygma is in Wayne Enterprise, he receives a welcome party after he is fully recovered from the attack, and we see he is contacting the government to try and obtain control of the Kryptonite. Edward attempts to persuade Senator June Finch to allow him to import kryptonite discovered below the pavement where Bizarro decomposed so that it can be used as a deterrent against future Kryptonian and metahuman threats. She declines, but Nygma makes alternative plans with Finch's subordinate, granting him access to Bizarro's remains and the area in the Artic where the Fortress of Solitude is hidden. Clark encourages Perry to cover the story after discovering Batman's newfound brutality and return, but he shots him down after saying he is too much of a controversial topic for the very safe Daily Planet, also calling him out on his denial to further condemn Lex Luthor.

Bruce attends a gala at LexCorp to steal encrypted data from the company's mainframe here we get Bruce Wayne returning and that classic Bale style of comedy from the Dark Knight movies, he also meets up with Clark Kent, the two oblivious to eachother's iddentities. Ultimately antiquities dealer Diana Prince takes it from him; she returns it after failing to access the information. Wayne tells Lucius that he plans to steal and weaponize the kryptonite, if necessary, to fight Superman; Fox once again warns Bruce to not bring war to the world, and Bruce snaps, telling him that he brought the war to them. Batman goes to steal the Kryptonite cargo using the newly modified Tumbler, ultimately meeting up with Superman, Batman threatens him.

After a pep talk from Martha, who will be coming over to Metropolis in a few days, Clark chooses to attend the Gotham hearing, hugging his adoptive mother. A widely publicized hearing, led by Finch in Gotham is held to question Superman's actions against Bizarro, giving a heartfelt speech of how he handled the situation, revealing that he is infact an alien, but one born in Earth, one raised by human parents, living among them, laughing among them, loving among them, that he is no different, and that he chose to use his powers for good. A bomb smuggled in by an unknown attacant etonates, killing everyone present except Superman. Superman blames himself for not detecting it in time and self-imposes exile, he goes to meet up with Lois, who is heartbroken, and begs him to not leave her, much to her dismay, he does; and she begins working in uncovernig the truth behind the bombing. In the evidence room, Commissioner Gordon examines the evidence, discovering a question mark drawn on the bomb. Gordon turns on the Bat-Signal the first time in four years, and Batman arrives. "We've got another freak." He says, handing him the remains of the bomb to investigate. In the Batcave though, Batman ultimately chooses not to examine the bomb, being fully and completely dedicated to the threat of Superman rather to a possibly unknown new bomber and chooses to use the Kryptonite he stole to make a new stronger suit and Kryptonite-powered combat gloves. Superman saves a woman from a mugger, but she runs away in terror after seeing her, Clark is absolutely devastated. Lucius confronts Bruce, he doesn't want to see him die for nothing, an angry Bruce storms off as Lucius is left alone in the Batcave. Meanwhile, Lois is investigating the bombing, having managed to scavenge some evidence, a single video chip titled "My motives", playing it on her computer, revealing a video: a mysterious person who can only be seen wearing a bowler hat with a question mark in it, explaining that it is a mark of anonimity, who warns the citizen of the world to see how the wretchedness and the Antichrist will be banished from the earth thanks to him, the desilusional speaker leans forwards. He says, the desilusional man leans forwards to reveal that he's wearing war-makeup on his eyes, and that he is infact Edward Nashton.

Edward is about to get on a private Wayne enterprises helicopter, now wearing the war paint in anticipation for the big battle between Batman and Superman, about to get there via his private Wayne Enterprises helicopter, he's cut off by Lois Lane. Ed admits to everything, getting Superman to question himself and turning the public against him was all meant to keep him busy while he enacted a plan against an innatural false god who causes death and destruction everywhere he goes; Lois laughs, saying that he's done now, and that she was recording the conversation; Ed laughs as well, changing Lois'expression: "Oh please, Mrs. Lane, what do you think I am. A comic book villain? No... I set the plan in motion ten minutes ago." He reveals, the two stand over Wayne Tower, observing the bay...

Ontop of an abandoned building near the Gotham-Metropolis bay, Batman ignites a makeshift Bat-Signal, shining brightly and defiantly into the night sky. Even from Metropolis, the signal is seen in the distance, Lois realizes what's about to happen and runs away to alert Clark; Nygma smiles, looking forwards at the Batsignal: "Riddle me this... Riddle me that... Who's afraid of the big... black... bat." He mutters, getting on the helicopter as Diana Prince stares. Superman arrives, announcing that he's taking him in, Batman would jump down from the building, throwing a Kryptonite-forged Batarang that would stick to Clark's chest, and releases Kryptonite gas, greatly weakening him. With the Kryptonite on his side, Batman more than hold his own, but Superman almost goes too far, having been pushed recently; meanwhile, the helicopter reaches the Wayne Enterprises research facility, Edward goes into a room with a pod where Bizarro's remains had been put into. Something starts banging from outside the door, before Wonder Woman in full custome breaks down the door, Ed seems to have expected this but not quite so early. He goes on to explain he knows she's someone very powerful and very old, and goes on to say his creation needed to be tested, it's not quite finished yet but there's no time like the present. Edward releases the monstruosity, appearing like Bizarro but much bigger, with a grey-ish skin, the few hair patches that remain are snow white, and the body is more deformed than before, but much more bulkier and bigger. "What should I call my baby? I think Solomon Grundy's a good name, he was born on a monday after all..." Ed suggests; Grundy locks onto Wonder Woman and a battle begins. Batman has taken a commanding upper hand in the fight with Superman, the Grundy fight finally ends, with Wonder Woman stabbing the deformed creature in the heart and finally killing it, Wonder Woman is about to catch Ed, he says "A certain crime is punishable if attempted but not punishable if committed. What is it?" Before taking out a gun and shooting himself in the head, she stands there in silence and leaves, although the creature is not yet dead, its heart still beating, and although its hair falls off completely, boney portrusions start going through the body.

Batman has Superman cornered and completely debiliated: "**You're feeling it now, aren't you? What we have to live with every day... your own mortality.**" Batman would further pummel down Superman, having him ummobilized. "In your last moments, I want you to remember this." Batman would pull him closer to him, showing a photo of Alfred. "**I want you to remember this face, a good man, an honest man.**" He pulls the photo away and leans even closer. "**And I want you to remember mine. In all the painful seconds to come, in every instant of your agony. I want you to remember the one man who beat you.**" With Superman defeated on the ground, Bruce brings out the bat-shaped Kryptonite spear, he puts it to his neck, and just before cutting it off clean, the disfigured voice of a woman behind him stops him, begging him to stop. Bruce turns around to see Martha, begging him to leave his boy alone, kneeling down on the ground, covered in bruises from the fight, the blood from her face mixed with tears. Flashback to Martha Wayne seeing her husband get shot, screaming in anguish. Bruce's hand starts shaking, he drops the spear accidentally, breathing heavily, he steps back, seeing Martha with a struggling Clark, that sight fills him with conflicting emotions to say the least; having hated Superman for the reckless damage he caused, the collateral damage, the lives he ruined, and he realizes Superman was just like any of them, furthermore, that he was a child at heart, a scared child who had just stared death in the face, like he was, innocents in a battle that didn't need to be fought. Batman had become the very thing he swore to destroy. Slowly but surely, Superman gets up, and painfully limps away with Martha; a shocked Bruce is left standing there, in complete shame.

A few days later, Clark is upset, in the hospital bed with Lois and Martha by his side, Lois was successful in exposing Ed Nygma for orchestrating the bombing and his many other crimes to bring Superman down. With the bombing proved to have nothing to do with Superman, the public has also been embracing him more than before. There's a knock at the door, it's Diana, requesting Clark's help. We cut to the exterior of Wayne Manor, near the cementary, Bruce somberly stares down at the gravestones of his parents, and Alfred. Diana and Clark approach him from behind, he turns to see the pair, guilt has aged him. Asking them what they want, Diana answers that they want his help, responding that Edward had created something that threatened the safety of the entire world. Bruce denies their offer, Diana understands, handing him a USB Drive, leaving him alone, pondering about his future.

### Post-Credit Scene

Arkham Asylum, prisioner cell 1940, the prisioner inside the cell is kidnapped, a black bag is placed on his head. He gets dragged to an unknown place, surrounded by soldiers. In front of him stands Lex Luthor, playing with a dice in his hand. "I've been informed that you're quite the resourceful man. Our operation has not gone quite as expected. We need resourceful men." We hear a muffled chuckle from behind the bag, it is removed, to reveal a familiar face.