One line of dialogue from the Joker seemingly creates a plot hole in 1989’sBatman, but there may be an easy fix. The game-changingBatmanwas a commercial, cultural, and critical success in 1989, forever altering the superhero genre and establishing Batman as one of DC’s most profitable characters. While the film remains a beloved classic, it is not without flaws, of course, though new materials set in its continuity – such as theBatman ’89comics andJohn Jackson Miller’s 2024 novelBatman: Resurrection– have retroactively fixed some of them.
One apparent flaw in 1989’sBatmaninvolves Bruce Wayne’s discovery that the Joker murdered his parents. Towards the end of the film,Jack Nicholson’s live-action Jokerattempts to murder Bruce Wayne in Vicki Vale’s apartment, pointing a gun at him while asking: “You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” Joker elaborates further, stating, “I always ask that of all my prey,” but the problem is, other than Bruce Wayne and his parents, Napier never said this quote to any of his other victims, seemingly creating a plot hole.
The Joker Only Uses The Quote On “Prey”
There is a fairly simple explanation for Joker’s quote and the apparent plot hole it creates. Joker states thathe asks the question of all his “prey,” indicating that perhaps onlysomeof his victims hear the question before he kills them. The Wayne family were defenseless as they left the Monarch Theatre as was Bruce Wayne, who, despite his outburst in Vicki’s apartment, is only a socialite and business owner – as far as Joker knows. Thus, all three were considered “prey” by the Joker, while his other victims were not.
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The Joker kills many characters in 1989’sBatman. Before his transformation into the Joker, Napier fatally shoots GCPD Lt. Max Eckhardt. The man was corrupt and violent, andthus would likely be seen as a fellow “predator” by Napier. The same logic likely applies to crime bosses Carl Grissom, Antoine Rotelli, and Vinnie Ricorso, as well as Joker’s own right-hand man, Bob. The Joker kills countless innocent Gotham citizens through Smylex-contaminated products and Smylex gas during Gotham’s bicentennial parade. Since Joker did not personally and directly kill them, however, he perhaps would not ask his signature question, by his logic.
Why Burton Batman Media Doesn’t Address This Joker Plot Hole
Interestingly, this supposed plot hole was not addressed by theBatman ’89comics andResurrection, with both properties making efforts to explain, correct, or add additional context to some of the potentially confusing elements of 1989’sBatmanand its sequel,Batman Returns.Resurrectionhas the ideal opportunity, given the way it revisits the events of the 1989 film - but, ultimately, neither property needed to go back and explain this particular plot element. Simply put, the 1989Batmanlinealready justifies itself with the Joker’s twisted explanation.
Batman
Cast
Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce’s trusty butler named Alfred.
