After getting picked up by Lieutenant Gordon for playing hooky and going to the theater, Bruce is met at the police station by his parents. Apologizing for running off into the city once again, he's instead met with a playful rebuke from his father about insulting a movie they were supposed to see together, jokingly disinheriting him from the family. The conversation turns serious as Thomas tells Bruce he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone after what happened with the bats. After some more playful banter, Bruce's parents decide to skip the gala they are supposed to attend and go back to the theater as a family. This conversation with his parents is an indicator of the huge amount of guilt Bruce places on himself. If he hadn't gone to the city, if he could have resisted his reckless nature and convinced his parents to go to the gala event, his parents could still be alive. This is the signpost for Bruce's survivor's guilt, adding to years of psychological trauma which eventually shape Batman. The glimpse of his parents further demonstrates the relationship he had and would continue to have had with his parents had fate not struck them down so soon, adding to the coming tragedy. Another great aspect of this scene is Thomas' description of the movie's hero: "I mean, a guy using what he has to fight for people who can't fight for themselves." Who does that sound like?
Richard Church has a Bachelor of Arts in English and a diploma in Television Writing and Producing. He is an aspiring writer for short stories, novels and screenplays. He is also an avid fan of comic books and graphic novels.
