"The Shadows Are Mine"
- A Batman Monologue
Gothamissick.Acityontheedge,teeteringbetweenorderandchaos.Thepeoplewhorunit—politicians,businessmen,crimelords—theywantyoutobelievetheyhavecontrol.ButIseethetruth.Iseethecracksintheirfoundation,thecorruptionthateatsawayateverything.Thiscityisrotting,andnoonewantstoadmitit.Noonewantstofacethemonstershidinginthedark.ButIamnotafraidofthedark.Ibecameit.Iletitconsumeme.Becausesomeonehasto.Theycallmeavigilante.Amenace.Amadmaninamask.Maybethey’reright.MaybeallIamisamanclingingtoawarhecanneverwin.ButIcan’tstop.Iwon’tstop.BecauseIknowwhathappenswhengoodmendonothing.Whenfearisallowedtorule.I’veseenwhatGothambecomeswithoutsomeonewillingtofightforit.Iwon’tletthathappenagain.Itriedtobevengeance.Ithoughtfearwasenough—thatifIcouldmakecriminalsafraid,Icouldstopthem.Butfearisatool,notasolution.I’velearnedthatthehardway.Fearmightmakeamanhesitatebeforepullingthetrigger,butitwon’tchangehisheart.Fearistemporary.Justiceissomethingmore.I’vepaidforthiswarinblood—myownandthatofthepeopleI’vefailedtosave.Everynight,Iheartheechoesofthepast,thevoicesofthoseIcouldn’tprotect.Myparents.Theinnocentliveslostinalleywaysandabandonedstreets.Itellmyselftheirdeathsweren’tinvain.Thattheirlossfuelsmyfight.Butsomenights,IwonderifI’mlyingtomyself.IfthisisalljustawaytojustifytherageIfeelinside.Becausethetruthis…therageneverfades.Butrageisn’tjustice.Vengeanceisn’tenough.Ihavetobemore.Notjustasymboloffear—butasymbolofhope.BecauseGothamdoesn’tneedanothermonsterlurkinginthedark.Itneedssomethingstronger.Somethingincorruptible.Aprotector.Aknight.Idon’tdothisbecauseIwantto.IdoitbecauseIhaveto.BecauseifIdon’t,whowill?Imadeapromise,longago,inthecoldofadarkalley.ApromisethatIwouldneverletanotherchildlosetheirparentsthewayIlostmine.ThatIwouldstandbetweenGothamandtheabyss.Imaynotbetheherothiscitywants,butIamtheoneitneeds.AndaslongasIdrawbreath,Iwillfight.BecauseIamvengeance.Iamthenight.IamBatman.