10 Batman Fates Worse Than Death

4. Realising That Whatever Reality Exists, There Will Always Be Batman - Flashpoint

Thomas Wayne Batman
DC Comics

Now, this isn't to say that having Batman is inherently a bad thing. The Dark Knight embodies hope and perseverance as much as he does the existence of some of the most horrific criminals fiction has ever known, but you do have to admit it's just a little bit upsetting that, no matter the universe, in some shape or form, Batman will always exist.

In each of DC's realities, inevitably a moment will occur that will lead to the creation of a Batman. These Bat-men aren't always good, but even those that are usually pursue their path after being confronted by a tragedy at a tender age.

This crushing sense of inevitably was felt hardest in the Flashpoint reality, where Thomas Wayne adopted the mantle of Batman following the murder of his son, Bruce.

When a time-displaced Barry Allen informs Thomas that his son also grew up to be Batman, the feeling that greets Thomas is one of hope, because there's a chance he'll be able to trade his own existence for the son that was cruelly taken from him decades ago. However, when Thomas finds himself flung into mainstream DC continuity, he tries his best to get Bruce to stop being Batman, so upset is he by the fact his son has had to dedicate his life to crimefighting.

Crucially, the point here isn't that Batman existing is a bad thing, but rather that, in every reality, an evil so great will rise that Batman is a necessary force. It's inspiring in some ways, but more than a little dispiriting in others.

Content Producer/Presenter

WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well. In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.