Current Events > Do you think Batman's no kill policy is a cool or lame aspect of his character?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Batman: I don't kill my enemies.
Oswald Cobblepot: Maybe that's why you have so many of 'em?

Batman has done worse things than killing.

I present to you the punishment he laid down upon an enemy called Lord Death Man.

Lord Death Man's power was that he would always resurrect after being killed.

What did Batman do to him?

He dropped him off a skyscraper.

Had Catwoman run him over with a truck.

Stuffed his broken body into a safe.

Launched the safe into the depths of space.

Thus leaving Lord Death Man to continually resurrect and die in a small metal box for the rest of eternity.

It's lame if it's because "I'll become just like them!"

It's cool if it's because he believes in the innate ability for redemption in all people

Batman: I don't kill my enemies.
Oswald Cobblepot: Maybe that's why you have so many of 'em?

He fudges his own rule though. "I'm not gonna kill you, but I don't have to save you! Later chump!" *boom*

Its stupidly forced. If they actually showed him struggling with extreme mental issues caused by PTSD from the shooting, it could at least help make it feel real, but otherwise it just feels like theyre just using it as a crutch.

It varies between depictions. I think it works best in Batman TAS because, iirc, it's just implied; never this hardline rule that gets announced repeatedly like, say, in the Nolan trilogy. It's been awhile since I've watched the series, but one of the few times I remember it even coming up was the Batman robo-clone choosing to destroy itself over the system shock of having taken a life. TAS also features the 'ideal' version of Batman wherein he doesn't have that holy war-level hatred of criminals, often pulling his punches and even displaying sympathy / understanding for villains who aren't beyond redemption; so the inherent hypocrisy of him beating the shit out of poor people isn't nearly as glaring as it is in other depictions.

Didn't Owlman say that.

The combat in the Arkham games really cements this point home, too. You don't kill anyone per se, but you can't convince me that Batman sending his knee through someone's back until their spine resembles a horseshoe is gonna be a "walk it off" kind of injury.

Under the Red Hood also engages with it in a great way (and also does a great job of mirroring it in Ras) The Red Hood, who is the resurrected Jason Todd, lays into Batman for letting the Joker continue to live after what the Joker did to him. I dont remember the details since its been years since I saw it, but it absolutely lives up the hype even without Mark Hamill.

Dumb. Gotham doesn't need Batman.

It needs The Punisher.

I hope you're not a cop

No and we are talking about fiction here. Besides, what good is it to not take out mass murderer like The Joker? While it's mostly a failing of the justice system, Batman has some blame as well.

The thing is that it's an unintentional side effect of the same superhero's stories going on longer than the typical person's whole life span. The vast majority of people Batman fights do not deserve to die.

The thing is that it's an unintentional side effect of the same superhero's stories going on longer than the typical person's whole life span. The vast majority of people Batman fights do not deserve to die.