Gordon

“A hero can be anyone, even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat
on a young boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended.” – Bruce Wayne

The line above aptly defines the unsung hero of the Batman trilogy, Commissioner Gordon.
Gordon is an honest policeman, who through his dedication, rises through the rank from a beat
cop to Police Commissioner. Throughout the series, he represents law and order in the most
benevolent form of the phrase. He is the person who essentially places the idea that there are
good people who still exist, particularly after the brutal murder of his parents in Bruce Wayne’s
young mind. Through such a simple and kind action, he becomes a hero in Bruce’s life and sets
him on the right path. In a city which is corrupted by greed and where criminals are looming
large, Gordon remains incorruptible. For these reasons, he is the first person in law enforcement
that Batman contacts. 

Though an everyman like us and despite having conflicting ideologies, Gordon becomes the
stalwart ally of Batman. Knowing next to nothing about Batman and his history, he decides to
place his bet on him and entrusts him to clean up the city. It is Gordon who creates the Bat
Signal at the end of Batman Begins, which he uses to “remind” the city that Batman is out there.
He helps Batman with information whenever required and gleefully ignores the official policy to
arrest the vigilante on sight. He respects Wayne and acknowledges all that he has done for
Gotham. He calls Wayne the Dark Knight, the silent protector of Gotham and throughout the
movie, plays an important role in Bruce’s pivotal plans to save Gotham.

“I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay
down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous, and happy. I see that I hold a sanctuary in their
hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. It is a far, far better thing that
I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”

Gordon has devoted his entire life to make Gotham a better place. Reciting the above paragraph
from a Tale of Two Cities, Gordon dreams of a better Gotham, free of all corruption and crime.
Through his action, he proves time and again that his duty towards the city is his first priority
even before his family. Unlike Batman or Harvey Dent, Gordon is not motivated by vengeance
or headlines. He just wants to catch the bad guys – because it is the right thing, and because
Gotham needs something better. That he is regularly obstructed by corrupt officials and cops, is a
constant thorn in his side, but he never becomes complicit himself, and never stoops to
vigilantism. He just gets on with the job, playing the long, patient game of law enforcement and
detective work.

“I don't get political points being an idealist. I have to do the best I can with what I have.” –
James Gordon

Even though Gordon is highly moral, he is also a pragmatist who remembers the practical
realities of life. When Dent confronts him about the dirty cops in his department, he simply says
that he has to rely on those cops if he wants to get the job done. He knows that citizens of
Gotham will not be able to handle the truth about Harvey Dent becoming evil and hence, to save
the soul of Gotham he reluctantly becomes an accomplice in Wayne’s plan to sacrifice himself
towards the end of the second movie. 

Throughout the movie, Gordon makes numerous personal sacrifices for the benefit of the city.  In
The Dark Knight, Gordon saves Batman and is responsible for the capture of the Joker by faking
his own death. He is willing to sacrifice his families trust to let the plan work. By allowing
Batman to take the blame for Two-Face’s crime, he sacrifices his integrity and has to lie to
everyone for 8 years, something that has huge emotional repercussions for him. He pays a heavy
price for it, in the starting of third movie we get to know that his family, which he valued so
much, has left him. 

All in all, Gordon is a truly good cop and a devoted officer of the city of Gotham. His devotion
to his city and doing the right thing defines him, even if that comes at a personal cost. And in that
way, along Batman, Jim Gordon was the hero Gotham needed.

Alfred Pennyworth

Every man set on a path to greatness needs an unwavering support system to keep him sane.
Usually, it is someone who can call a spade a spade. For Batman/Bruce Wayne, this support
comes in the form of his butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred is Bruce’s confidant and the father-
figure in his life. Having been with the Wayne family since Bruce was a baby, Alfred became
Bruce’s legal guardian after Bruce lost his parents. He handles all the affairs of Bruce Wayne’s
life - whether it’s skilled technical support, medical aid or simply managing the complicated
schedule that comes with being a business leader, nighttime vigilante and wealthy playboy—it’s
all under the purview of Mr. Pennyworth. He shares a special relationship with Bruce- advising
him in the matter of life, work, and love.
 
  “Some people just want to watch the world burn” - Alfred Pennyworth

The main trait associated with Alfred Pennyworth is wisdom and he uses his wisdom to help and
motivate Bruce throughout. When trying to rationalize what the Joker wants, Alfred is the first to
understand Joker’s psyche and tells Bruce that Joker just wants chaos to reign in the world. This
tells us, that our retired war veteran has a deep understanding of the world and its people and
nothing escapes his experienced eyes. In Batman Begins, it is Alfred’s wisdom that guides Bruce
as he battles his inner demons and helps him steer towards a crime-fighting career. 

Alfred: “Why do we fall, sir?” 

Alfred: “So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.”
Bruce: “Still haven’t given up on me.”
Alfred: “Never!”

Alfred is one of the most loyal characters in the story. His trust in Bruce is unshakable, he never
gives up on Wayne, even when Wayne gives up on himself. When the League of Shadows
attacks Wayne Manor, Alfred not only saves Bruce’s life when he was trapped under a beam, he
also rallies him to resume his fight against the League to save Gotham. During the course of the
movie, we realize Batman is not perfect; he makes mistakes, trusts the wrong people, and often
has to face consequences of his mistakes. But despite Bruce’s mistakes, Alfred always remains
the cornerstone behind Bruce’s ability to keep fighting. He is not afraid to say what needs to be
said even if it is something that Bruce does not want to hear. He is the guiding light and the voice
of reason in Bruce’s life, the only constant in the otherwise challenging world of our hero. 

"You are as precious to me as you were to your own mother and father. I swore to them that I
would protect you, and I haven't." - Alfred to Bruce 

More than anything, Alfred loves Bruce as much as his own parents and cares deeply for him.
Rachael Dawes gives Alfred the task of giving Bruce a letter when the time is right. But after
Rachael’s death, Alfred reads the letter and discovers that the love of life of Bruce Wayne, had
chosen Harvey Dent over him. Knowing that this rejection will crush Bruce, he burns the letter.
The burning of the letter symbolizes his parental love who just wants to save his surrogate son
from further hurt. However, in the third part, we see that to prevent Bruce from becoming
Batman again, he comes clean about the burning of the letter. Angry and hurt, Bruce orders
Alfred to leave, which he reluctantly agrees to. This shows that like any loving parent, protecting
Bruce is the priority in Alfred’s life.
 
It is because of this love and unwavering loyalty towards Bruce that Alfred worries deeply about
him. He understands the importance of Batman to a city such as Gotham, but after a lifetime of
raising Bruce, he still sees a young, scared boy where most see a hardened hero. According to
him, every night the bat-signal flashes across the city skyline, it is another night that boy will
spend searching for a way to undo something that could never be undone. A search that Alfred
realizes could very well lead to his end. And therefore, Alfred like a true friend and a parental
symbol wants Bruce to have a life beyond his caped crusades as Batman, something which he
knows is taking a toll on him. He wants him to give up the vigilante’s life and live a quiet &
happy personal life away from all the chaos. It is his only dream, and we see the trilogy end with
this dream of Alfred coming true. The relationship between Alfred and Bruce is the most selfless
relationship portrayed in the movie, something which guides Bruce since the first part of the
movie and is vital in his transformation in becoming the Dark Knight of Gotham city. 

Lucius Fox

I call it The Bat. And yes, Mr. Wayne, it does come in black. -Lucius Fox to Bruce Wayne

As CEO and President of Wayne Enterprises and the Wayne Foundation, Lucius Fox is one of
Bruce Wayne's closest allies. As the CEO, Lucius is an astute businessman who prevents Wayne
Enterprises from going bankrupt. Without the skills, support and talents of Lucius Fox, Bruce
Wayne cannot be Batman. He is the money and armor behind Batman’s crusades, the man
behind many of Batman’s equipment and vehicles including his suit and the batmobile. He is
smart and witty and enjoys a fun relationship with Bruce.

“Let me get this straight. You think that your client, one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in
the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare
hands; and your plan, is to blackmail this person?. Good luck with that!” -Lucius to Reese
From the very beginning, Lucius Fox plays a vital role in Bruce Wayne’s life, both personal and
professional and Bruce Wayne’s life as Batman. He is one of the very few people to know about
Bruce’s secret identity. Right from saving Bruce’s life in the first part by developing an
antidote(and learning about his secret identity in the process), to helping him plan Lau’s
abduction in the sequel, he proves himself to be a steady and calm ally to Bruce, someone who
appears to be in control always. When Kyle uncovers Batman’s secret identity, instead of
panicking, Lucius rather threatens him back and puts him down in a patronizing tone.
Throughout the movie, we see glimpses of a powerful leader in him who remains tough under
difficult situations and does not shy away from taking tough decisions.

Apart from being an aid to Batman during his various crusades, and providing ammunition and
funds to Wayne, Lucius Fox is also one of Wayne’s most trusted friends. An important moment
that shows the amount of trust both men have in each other is when Fox agrees to help Batman
locate the Joker using the sonar tracking network he is completely against.

Lucius Fox: This is too much power for one person.

Batman: That is why I gave it to you. Only you can use it.
Lucius Fox: Spying on 30 million people isn’t part of my job description.

From Wayne’s perspective, Lucius is the only person whom he can trust with such power. From
Lucius’s perspective, even though the act of spying on Gotham’s population is completely
immoral and against his ethical code, he agrees to help Batman just this once because of his trust
and belief in Batman’s purpose. The fact that Lucius wants to resign immediately after, serves as
a testament to his strong ethical code and his integrity as a person. It shows that even in the most
desperate of times, Fox can draw a line between good and bad. Not only this, just like Alfred,
Lucius is never afraid to speak his mind and guide Bruce to the right path when he thinks he is
crossing the line.

Throughout the trilogy, Lucius proves that he is not only a true friend, someone whom Bruce can
always lean on but also an ideal leader who is calm, composed, ethical and well-reasoned even in
the toughest of times.
Personal sacrifice and community benefit

Through the characters of Bruce Wayne and James Gordon, Nolan recurringly depicts how
heroes must sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the community.

In the first part, we see Bruce sacrificing his relationship with Rachael by keeping his dual
identity as Batman because the city needs him. We also see Gordon faking his death and causing
emotional trauma to his family to catch Joker. There are multiple other instances where these
characters make sacrifices for Gotham, but the ultimate sacrifice is seen towards the end of the
second movie.

The soul of Gotham is about to be crushed by the revelation of Harvey Dent’s turning evil. The
people of Gotham have expressed their faith by not destroying each other in the Joker’s trolley
death trap. And Batman decides to reward that faith. 

“Sometimes the truth isn’t good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people
deserve to have their faith rewarded.” – Bruce Wayne

To stop the Joker from winning and to keep Gotham’s hope in the good in society alive, Batman
and Gordon enter a political conspiracy that taints both of them. They falsely let Dent die a hero,
and as the white knight of Gotham and agree that Batman will take the fall for him.

Through this single act, while Gordon sacrifices his integrity and suffers the emotional
repercussion of keeping a horrible secret, a bigger sacrifice is made by  Bruce who sacrifices the
very nature of his existence, and the solace he finds in being Batman. Not only that, but because
he must take the fall himself, the sacrifice has to be made in a way that morally compromises
him. He is branded a murderer with his entire legacy tainted and the entire GCPD chasing after
him, but he goes through with it for the city of Gotham.

“So, we will hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he is not our hero. He is a silent
guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight.” – James Gordon about Batman

Two faces of a coin: Good vs Bad

The two faces of a coin represent the duality in life and the theory that good and bad coexists and
are sides of the same coin. In Batman trilogy, it is Joker who believes in this duality of life. The
most literal example of this duality in the Batman trilogy is Harvey Dent’s coin which he uses to
decide the fate of his subjects after his accident.

While Harvey’s coin holds one part of the dualism that inhabits this saga, his character contains a
large portion of it himself. People of Gotham are led to believe that Dent is the city’s “white
knight”. He is a strong and passionate man who can imprison hundreds of mobsters without
being a vigilante like Batman.  But it is only later that we come to know the evil that resides
within him. After his accident, which burns half his face, he becomes the living embodiment of
the Joker’s ideology of a cruel world being ruled by chance and chaos. He does not care about
what is right or wrong anymore and becomes what his character represents the most - the “Two-
Face”. Both Harvey Dent and Two-Face are two sides of the same person. Through his character,
we realize that everyone has both good and bad residing inside him, what defines a person is
which side he chooses to act upon. 

The character of Batman and Joker also represents the two sides of the same coin. Both Batman
and Joker are the results of traumatic events and desperately searching for meaning. However,
they come to two entirely different conclusions: Batman decides to become what terrifies him
and force an oppressive form of justice in his city, while the Joker decides to create chaos. While
Batman forces life to make sense and have meaning, Joker gives up on finding meaning and
becomes a nihilist. Batman chooses to uphold traditional morality while Joker laughs in the face
of it. Because of this great divide between the two, they symbolize two separate forces. Joker
represents chaos and Batman represents order. 
Gordon and Mahatma Gandhi
Commissioner Gordon’s character in the trilogy can be compared to Mahatma Gandhi. Gordon is
the symbol of law and order. In a city whose soul is in danger and where almost everyone is
corrupt, Gordon remains the only incorruptible person. Though in his journey towards making
Gotham a better place he is regularly obstructed by corrupt officials and cops, he never loses his
faith in city’s justice system and never stoops down to vigilantism like Bruce Wayne or Harvey
Dent, his other counterparts. He remains a part of the legal system and fights within its confines.
Just like him, Gandhi also fight for his country’s freedom not by breaking the law but through
the principles of non-cooperation and non-violence. Both Gordon and Gandhi, in their struggles
to make their city/country a better place are not guided by any personal motives, but they fight
for the people and because it is the right thing to do. Even though both of them are idealists with
a strong internal moral code, they also see the practicalities of life and never compromises
pragmatism for bookish idealism. For their mission’s success, both Gordon and Gandhi make
personal sacrifices. Throughout his journey, Gandhi keeps his family’s interests after his
commitment to his mission, something which causes tensions in his personal life. Even Gordon
has to sacrifice his family for the cause of saving Gotham’s soul. For both of them their duty
towards people come before their personal lives.
Where they differ is their role in directly inspiring people. While Gandhi is the face of the
movement he leads and becomes a beacon of hope for all his followers, Gordon works in the
background giving support to leading figures like Harvey Dent and Batman and entrusting them
to lead and inspire the people.

Alfred and Aai(Rohini’s Mother)

The fatherly figure in Batman’s life shares a lot in common with Aai’s character from Milind
Bokil’s Thirsting for Water. To become a successful leader, one often needs a constant and
unwavering support system. Both Aai and Alfred provide the protagonists with their
unconditional support. Alfred is an aged war veteran whose experienced eyes have seen the
world more than Bruce. He understands the nature of people and is the first to figure out Joker’s
intentions. Just like him, Aai in Thirsting for Water has also reached a point of self-actualization.
Through her years, she has developed the ability to grasp the real essence of things. Both Aai and
Alfred are very wise and acts as voice of reason for the protagonists, guiding them through their
internal conflicts in multiple instances of their journey. While in the first part, we see Alfred
driving Bruce towards his destiny of fighting for Gotham, a similar purpose is fulfilled by Aai
who helps Rohini discover her shining star. While Aai believes that Rohini is an independent
person who can take care of herself and therefore gives Arun’s letter to Rohini even though she
knows that it might hurt her, Alfred is a little overprotective when it comes to Bruce and burns
Rachael’s letter to prevent Bruce from getting hurt.