I think this is what makes Nolan’s Batman trilogy interesting. It’s not contemplation about happiness utilitarianism but pondering what makes a good Philosopher King.
Ra’s al ghul and the league of shadows believe in top down control and, like our irl rulers, are prepared to sacrifice others to achieve it. Their endgame might actually be an ok utopia in theory, since we know Gotham (“the republic”) is terrible 2/
Scarecrow, the seeming first villain of the trilogy, wants to control people for the sake of control and his ego. He has no delusions it’s for a greater good & it shocked to find his masters, the league of shadows, imagine 1. 3/
Heath joker represents the spirit of rebellion against all authority, legit and otherwise. He wants to assure a philosopher king never rises. My Gen thought he was an anarchist but he’s more of a misandrist. 4/
Heath joker convinces one possible philosopher king (Bruce’s preferred one) to give up the goal. Harvey as representative of legit and properly applied law+order is antithesis of joker. 5/
As the 2nd film blatantly states (bc Nolan is never subtle) Bruce sees himself as a short term stop gap before a good philosopher king can be installed to head the Republic. 6/
Bane then is something of a nietzschean. Will to power Zarathustra sort who appears to reject the concept of philosopher kings, like Nietzsche & the modern philosophers of his era. Reject attachment to other humans to go beyond good and evil 7/
This is why a French Revolution parallel happens as a result of Bane. His ideas are modern philosophy; opposed to Bruce and R’as’s classical philosophical stances. 8/
But just as modern philosophy, Americanism, & French Revolution are just a front for satanism (luciferianism, Gnosticism); Bane is just a front for Talia Al Ghul & a return of the league of shadows. Like Nietchze he’s a stooge of Satan with delusions of importance 9/
Bruce winning, in the end, shows Nolan’s belief in classical philo with a preference for Plato. His films tend to warn us that the other type of philosopher kings (the league of shadows sorts) are at war with those of the Plato bent. He wants the latter to win 10/10
The MCU is so stupid that when they make a film that SHOULD address the above issues (“Civil War”), outlining Cap’s outlook vs Tony’s, they just turn it into a dumb (and ugly) airport fight bc they’re mad the other makes too many Whedon style quips. 11/10
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