10 Times Movies Secretly Spoiled Their Own Story

The two big reveals in The Dark Knight Rises are the true identity of Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) love interest Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) and the real fate of Bruce himself, both of which are quite blatantly signposted earlier on.

Firstly, Miranda Tate of course turns out to be Ra's al Ghul's (Liam Neeson) daughter Talia, a twist that's foreshadowed two-fold.

For starters, Christopher Nolan lingers on a distinctive scar on Talia's back similar to the League of Shadows brand seen in Batman Begins, and she also mentions to Bruce at a party that she wants to "bring balance to the world," which is basically the League's motto.

As for the final fake-out with a presumed-dead Bruce turning up alive in Florence? Before resigning from his post as Bruce's butler, Alfred passionately tells Bruce, "I've sewn you up, I've set your bones, but I won't bury you. I've buried enough members of the Wayne family."

It's a stirring and memorable quote, and one which would've come off totally hollow if Bruce did in fact die in the end.

And so, when Alfred is sobbing over what appears to be Bruce's grave in the film's closing montage, attentive viewers should be aware that Alfred didn't in fact bury Bruce.

Moments later we get the payoff, with Alfred giving a very-much-alive Bruce a knowing nod in Florence, and that's all she wrote.