Graduate 121: Batman: The Dark Knight and the Modern Apocalypse

These are my initial reflections on the just-released Batman: The Dark Knight. It's all quite loose and imprecise. There may be spoilers in the following material. You have been warned.

When you hear the word, "prophet," what comes to mind? Someone who tells the future? Someone who tells you what will happen before it happens? Someone who foretells significant events?

In the Bible there are actually two distinct kinds of prophecy. Prophets in the Old Testament served as the mouth-pieces of God. Especially in a time when the kings and people were continually turning away from God, the prophets were the ones who called on the people to return to God. They often warned that if the people did not turn then bad things would come, in the form of plagues or famine or invading armies or exile. These prophets warned the people about the judgment that would come if they did not change their ways. Those were the first kind of prophet. The second kind of prophet is commonly associated with Apocalypse. They also warn the people of future trouble; the difference is that the people can't do anything to change it. For instance, in Revelation, the Apostle John writes of tribulation and wars and persecution; but his purpose isn't to make the people change their ways. The warning is something more like: "Hang on tight. It's going to get rough."

I suspect that if we think about it, we'll find that we're far less comfortable with this second kind of prophecy. We won't like the idea that bad stuff is going to come and there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it except endure. We don't like that.

Batman confronts us with the problem of Apocalypse. Evil that is completely irrational, that has no aim, no goal, but just revels in wickedness and chaos confronts us. We want to know what they want, what will satisfy them, what will make them stop doing evil; the problem is that they don't want anything, except to do more evil; nothing will satisfy them, except to cause more destruction; and nothing will stop them from doing evil. How do we deal with this kind of situation?

It's one thing to deal with an evil that wants something. You can try to satisfy the want and thereby remove the evil. There are rules of engagement that, if you follow them, can forestall or prevent the evil. But when you are confronted with relentless evil, insane evil, what can you do? The rules no longer work. Principles can no longer keep us safe. Laws can't help us. So what do we do? Do we abandon the rules? Do we abandon the principles? Do we abandon the law?

What happens when a man who makes his own fate is suddenly confronted with the reality that he is not in control of his life--that he is out of control? What happens when he discovers that it is not within his power to right the wrongs of the world? What happens when he realizes that his best is not good enough? Does he abandon principle, rule, law? What happens when the white knight is exposed--his corrupt heart revealed, his imperfect soul shown to all the world?

What happens to a people that live by the rules only so long as the rules work? What happens when the rules stop working? Do they abandon the rules? What happens when the thing that we have put our hope and confidence into fails us? Do we abandon hope?

Why do we live by the rules? That's the question. Because when the chips are down we will have to decide whether or not to continue to live by those rules and we will have to decide whether our reasons for living by the rules continue to hold even in the darkest times and places.

What will prevent one neighbor from betraying another? Fear? Possibly. Guilt? Maybe. Sentimentality? Perhaps. But these are not solid foundations on which one can build an edifice that will stand strong in the midst of storms. Things may work out this time, but what about next time? And what about the time after that? As evil relentlessly beats against the gates and walls, will they stand?

What about that white knight? Must we hide his scars in order to preserve hope? Must we hide his failings so that people do not lose confidence? Is our only defense against total despair the broken system that we have built from our own inadequate resources? Is the only way to defeat the relentless darkness to sacrifice someone--for someone to become as wicked and evil while everyone else continues to pretend that its our system that keeps the evil at bay.

"It's going to be alright." Is that a lie? Can anyone say that with confidence? Is it possible to be "alright" even in death?

Batman confronts us with evil on an Apocalyptic scale. But it does not present us with Apocalypse. Because Apocalypse is about revelation and uncovering. Batman is about covering things up and pretending.

How can we deal with relentless evil? That is the question. How can we deal with relentless evil? I don't think Batman has the answer. I don't think the screenwriters know.

Who will stand as a prophet in this apocalypse? Who will call us to stand strong and true in the midst of relentless and overwhelming evil? Who will remind us that truth and goodness and beauty are real and even worth dying for? Who will put his confidence and trust, not in any human being or any human institution or any human system, but in something far greater, better, and more enduring? Who will stand faithful with the only thing--the only One--who is unchanging and eternal and who has promised to bring justice and victory over evil?

Is there anyone?

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.