8 Ways Batman V Superman Could Be A Total Let Down
3. Batman Is A Psychopathic Killer?
If there's one thing Batman should never do, it's kill the criminals he goes after. While there are plenty of beloved heroes who do take lives in the heat of battle (Wolverine for example, and even Superman as we saw in Man of Steel), those who refuse to do so are usually even more revered by comic book readers. Batman is obviously among that select group and his refusal to kill his enemies is both an interesting character flaw - how many people would still be alive if he just took out The Joker? - and something which makes him great because he refuses to stoop to the level of those he fights. Unfortunately, it appears as if Batman v Superman's Dark Knight doesn't take the whole no killing thing all that seriously. The teaser appeared to show him blowing criminals up from the Batwing, while the screengrab above from the second trailer quite clearly depicts Batman snapping the neck of one of those mysterious soldiers adorned with Superman's logo. The fact that Batman brands the criminals he captures is weird enough, and it's clear that this version of the Caped Crusader is going to be pretty f***ed up and unhinged. Perhaps the murder of Robin pushed him over the edge and Batman v Superman will serve as his redemption of sorts (with Batman realising that he's taken his vigilante ways too far and needs to become a hero again for example). That's a pretty unsatisfying narrative if that's the case, and it's hard to see how Batman could possibly be redeemed if he kills indiscriminately in this world. Even the version of the character in The Dark Knight Returns only killed when he had to, so it's hard to figure out why Snyder would go in this direction (even in kill or be killed situations, the hero finds a way to avoid taking a life in the comics). Ben Affleck's Batman has so far been shaping up to be the most comic book faithful version to date, but if he kills, it's easy to imagine interest and support in him wavering from even the most devoted fans.
