r/DC_Cinematic • u/Ok-Championship-9514 • 1d ago
DISCUSSION What happened in Gotham during the eight years in between the dark knight and the dark knight rises?
Attention fellow Dark Knight movie fans! Have you guys ever wondered what happened in Gotham during the eight years in between the dark knight and the dark knight rises? I have read from The Dark Knight Rises plot line that “organized crime has been eradicated in Gotham by the Dent Act, legislation that gives expanded powers to the police.” Aside from that, what else do you guys think what happened in Gotham during those mysterious offscreen eight years? Feel free to tell me what you guys think.
11
u/ItsMeBenedickArnold 1d ago
The answer is alluded to at the party at Wayne Manor in the beginning of the film. Gordon is referred to as a “war time” commissioner I believe.
Meaning since the Jokers downfall, along with the Dent Act, the streets are kept pretty clean. They also show black gate prison packed with criminals that were put in under the Dent act as well.
11
u/CrusaderOfTruth 1d ago
I originally wrote this a few weeks after The Dark Knight Rises came out because I had the same question. Enjoy.
At the end of The Dark Knight we are left with a few clues as to what series of events could occur. In the Dark Knight Rises we see where the actions of that ending have eventually led. Let's fill that in. Batman/Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon decide to lie about Two Face/Harvey Dent's killing spree and blame it on Batman. Because of this lie, both of their worlds change drastically in very opposite directions.
In Batmans world of crime fighting, it meant only a minor speed bump in his continuing battle on injustice. He had to be more stealthy meaning more late nights in Wayne Tower. He couldn't risk being seen driving in his loud and recognizable vehicles. He couldn't risk being as noticeable to the public for fear of rioting or capture. So by staying in his tower he has access to the city from its center hub, by grapnel and glide only. Bruce mentions it off hand to Lucious one day so, secretly, Lucious starts planning and development for a more maneuverable vehicle for Waynes late night exploits. This will eventually be ready for use in 8 years time for The Dark Knight Rises however, Batman slowly weens off fighting crime over the next year. Seeing as all associated with The Dent Act have no option for paroll Batman can relax in knowing they will be locked away forever. With one exception.
The Joker is still scheming. He demands a trial by jury of peers. The Joker brings up claims saying he was an innocent citizen that was kidnapped and mutilated by The Batman while forced to commit and be a patsy for “crimes The Batman committed”. Because of Batmans wanted status he could not defend as witness to the crimes Joker had done. With mob lawyers covering the Joker and a little jury rigging he was eventually dropped of all charges. With no prints (“burned them off”) aliases (accept “his word” on his name and he is a man of his word) The Joker/”John Smith” is found by reasonable doubt to be innocent. Upon hearing the verdict, Batman knows better than to let him back on the streets so he does what must be done and imprisons the Joker in Wayne Manor. Knowing that this is going to take full commitment of care Batman hangs up his cape and cowl. He becomes a recluse in his own home. A prison he shares with his adversary.
Alfred is not entirely keen with it but understands why it must be done and obeys. He then takes his role of caring for the many bruises scars and broken bones Bruce Wayne now receives as a one man prison guard. Over the years of remaining indoors Bruce looses contact with the outside world and focuses his attention on treating The Joker. It never seems to take. Until one day during a particular brutal outburst by the Joker, Bruce counters his attack with a move that eventually leads to the Jokers slow and painful death. Bruce is devastated for having killed a man, breaking his one rule, and in the house of his family. Alfred tries to console him in proving it was just chance that had caused some type of internal bleeding. After all chance is unbiased, fair.
Bruce slowly comes around by wanting to turn another of his darkest tragedies into something good and decent. Instead of building a monster for criminals to fear he wants it to be a beacon of hope for all to be warmed by. He wants a way to have a legacy of peace. What greater way than to devise a way for clean renewable energy for the whole world. He then decides to pour his billions into a project he feels will save lives out of remorse from the act of taking one. But the fear still drives Bruce. He fears the use of a device for clean renewable energy can be made into a weapon and take more lives than it would save.
In all Batman has done for the city, saving lives and stopping crime, he is branded as the villain for being the hero. For Jim Gordon in all that he has done for the city, saving lives and stopping crime, he is branded the hero for lying about murder.
In Jim Gordons world of fighting crime the lie destroys and corrupts him. Upon hearing of Batmans decision to disappear and the reason behind it he becomes more unnerved by the thought of this man who saved the city, being an ever watchful guardian to one man. Gordon begins to think of the legal and moral ramifications of keeping someone a prisoner for so long and it begins to drive him to drink. He comes to the conclusion he is lucky to have a friend willing to plunge their hands into the filth. He has to go to charity events and fund raisers as commissioner and speak of his “good friend” Harvey Dent. This eats at his soul. His wife eventually leaves him taking the kids because of this and it brings him down further. With Batman now gone and crime at an all time low Gordon is left alone with these thoughts. He contemplates suicide because he feels he is the only man being punished. It isn't until hearing the news of Bane in Gotham that he starts to realize he is still needed.
tl:dr Batman/Bruce Wayne keeping Joker a prisoner in Wayne Manor/Batcave for about 5 years. Which explains his hiding from the public light for so long and his increasingly getting out of shape and body damage.
3
4
u/TheAquamen 1d ago
Catwoman probably had her origin in that time, seeing as how we never see or hear about her in the first two films. If she is the same age as her actress Anne Hathaway, then eight years prior she would have only been 22.
5
u/TMP_Film_Guy 1d ago
Superman Returns and it’s fine. Green Lantern flew up and needed him for something so he left again.
2
u/Top_Star_3897 16h ago
Superman Returns was before The Dark Knight.
•
u/TMP_Film_Guy 10h ago
Yes but in universe The Dark Knight takes place one year after Batman Begins so it takes place in 2006. Superman could have returned right after the credits rolled.
3
u/nbdy_1204 1d ago
I imagine that the events after TDK occurred as follows:
-Batman continues to operate from the shadows for the next 3-4 years; during this time, Wayne Manor and the Batcave are rebuilt and become Bruce's base of operations again. Simultaneously, Gordon becomes the driving force behind the legislation that will eventually become the Dent Act. While Batman operates in the shadows, neutralizing the remnants of Gotham's organized criminal syndicate, Gordon collaborates with city officials on a solution to keep criminals off the city streets once and for all. After four years, the Dent Act is signed into law; organized crime is dismantled; and Batman retires.
-Year 5: Crime in Gotham reaches an all-time low. Gotham is finally at peace -- but Bruce Wayne remains restless. Deprived of purpose, Bruce devotes himself to a more noble cause that doesn't demand vigilantism: creating clean energy to power all of Gotham. After all, it was the idea of Harvey Dent, not Batman, that saved Gotham from its troubled past -- but perhaps Bruce Wayne could guide her people toward a brighter future? As we know, the Clean Energy Project was discontinued upon the publication of Dr. Pavel's paper on weaponized fusion reactions. This failure deeply wounds Bruce. Devoid of purpose as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, he quietly retires from public life.
-Years 6-8: As Bruce spends the next three years in the solitude of Wayne Manor, Gordon's home life slowly deteriorates. His family, tired of praising the madman who nearly, move to Cleveland. Gordon becomes a shell of a man, spiritually defeated by the very victory he and the Batman had meticulously manufactured.
It is against this backdrop that Bane and the League of Shadows initiate the ultimate plan to destroy Gotham City once and for all. Queue the opening of TDKR.
2
2
u/HaikusfromBuddha 1d ago
Crime was probably at an all time low since most of the mob bosses were locked away and Nolan verse does t have super villains.
Batman was retired because there was no major crime anymore.
3
2
u/Odd_Advance_6438 1d ago
This is a great question! I like thinking about offscreen lore
Im assuming there probably weren’t a ton of big time costumed criminals if Batman didnt feel the need to jump back in until Bane showed up
2
1
1
u/Ok-Championship-9514 1d ago
Thanks for your generous upvotes everyone! Do you guys know of any fanfics exploring this topic? If not, what do you guys think a fanfic about this topic would be titled?
20
u/ChildofObama 1d ago
They put a bunch of criminals in prison with no possibility of parole with the Dent Act, which wiped out organized crime.
That just left petty thieves and low level criminals that can be handled by the GCPD.