Within the Batman universe(s) there are plenty of fantastic villains to jazz up plotlines and make Bruce Wayne’s life something like a living hell from time to time. The silver screen has seen many of them, but recently a few got an updated look and new hype due to Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008).

First was Ra’s Al Ghul, who didn’t so much have a mental issue as he did a Grand Master Plan that he was intent on completing. The power that he held was something to be feared, as well as the fact that Bruce believed he was a friend until halfway through the movie.

Batman

Second was Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow. In the film, he wasn’t entirely ‘bad’ like Ra’s. He didn’t know that the fear toxin he was developing would be spread throughout the city to cause panic and mayhem, but he certainly had no qualms using the inmates at Arkham Asylum as guinea pigs to test it on. He’s the kind of man who is so fascinated by the human mind (specifically the effects fear has on it) that he will go far past what is considered humane to further his research. He gets joy out of seeing a mind contort and collapse into itself, and he loves to pick apart people to see into their darkest corners. Batman himself intrigues the scarecrow.

Third was the Joker, my people’s favorite of the group so far. (Mr. Ledger’s performance was amazing, after all). He is a man that doesn’t follow any rules. Money, power, and human life mean nothing to him, and he does what he does just for the trill of it. He enjoys chaos and creating chaos at any cost. Unfortunately for Batman and Gordon this means that there is no bargaining with him, no deals, no threats. He simply doesn’t care. This is why some say he is the most dangerous Batman villain there has ever been and will ever be. As Alfred said, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

The fourth is Harvey Dent, who towards the end of the movie became Two-Face. The least ‘bad’ of the four featured in the movies so far. He is driven by his sadness at losing his girlfriend and almost-fiancé, Rachel. The Joker used him to prove a point, that “madness is like gravity, all it takes is a little push”. He wanted to prove that he could break Gotham City’s golden boy, that anyone could be broken, anyone could become a villain; and he succeeded. Harvey couldn’t cope after Rachel’s death, and decided that there was no right or wrong in life, it was all chance. So he began using his two-sided coin (one side scarred now, like his face) to make all his decisions for him. His morals were out the window now, and he went about exacting revenge on those who had a hand in Rachel’s death. Some he killed, some he set free, but all of it was based on a 50-50 chance.

I hope the next movie can live up to the first two.

May we reconvene under the blood red moon,
-Black Widow