The release of Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson marked a new beginning for the Caped Crusader. Unlike Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, which was widely acclaimed but not free of controversy, The Batman managed to avoid one of the biggest debates surrounding Nolan’s Batman: the question of whether he broke his “no killing” rule.

Pattinson’s Batman Stayed True To His “No Kill” Rule

Batman’s code of ethics, including his “no guns” and “no killing” rules, has been established in both the comics and on the big screen. However, some Batman adaptations have seen the Dark Knight break his “no killing” rule. This was most notably seen in Tim Burton’s Batman movies, where Batman was responsible for several deaths. However, Pattinson’s version of the Caped Crusader stayed true to his “no killing” rule, even with his brutal fighting style in The Batman. None of the movie’s villains died at the hands of Batman, including Carmine Falcone, who was killed by The Riddler.

Nolan’s Batman Was Responsible For Several Deaths

Nolan’s Batman, portrayed by Christian Bale, was widely regarded as one of the best interpretations of the famous DC Comics hero. However, his version was not free of controversy. The biggest debate surrounding Nolan’s Batman was whether he broke his “no killing” rule. In each movie of the Dark Knight trilogy, Batman was directly responsible for various deaths. In Batman Begins, Batman allowed Ra’s al Ghul to die by not saving him. In The Dark Knight, Batman indirectly caused the death of Harvey Dent. In The Dark Knight Rises, Batman killed Talia al Ghul’s driver, resulting in her death.

The Batman Smartly Avoided Nolan’s Controversy

Despite the intense fighting style of Pattinson’s Batman in The Batman, he managed to avoid breaking his “no killing” rule, thus avoiding the controversy that surrounded Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. While some may argue that Nolan’s Batman did not break his rule, the fact remains that Pattinson’s version of the Caped Crusader stayed true to his ethics, even though he was still learning the ropes in his second year of crime-fighting. In this sense, The Batman smartly avoided Nolan’s controversy, allowing the Caped Crusader to stay true to his roots while still delivering an intense and action-packed movie.