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In The Dark Knight Rises, the first time we see the batcave we are following Alfred, who is looking for master Bruce. He finds Bruce in the batcave, in the middle of an isolated slate obelisk (Alfred needs to touch a button to produce a bridge to reach this obelisk), where Bruce is using the computer to check Selina Kyle's profile.

The second time we see the batcave Bruce Wayne is using a gadget to help his wounded knee. We see a batcomputer in a different location (near the brick arches he kicks to test the knee-gadget). Then Bruce produces the bridge and walks to the slate we had seen before. We can appreciate two marks when it is rising from the water. One mark is were the batcomputer was the first time we saw the batcave. From the other, a case with the bat suit is produced. The second bat computer can still be seen on the background, behind Alfred.

The third time, Alfred is using the same batcomputer we have seen the second time. He is checking the news. After landing the bat Batman uses this one too to check the device he got from Bane's henchmen.

So it is clear that there are there two different batcomputers (batterminals? batstations?) in the batcave. Even if Batman loved redundancy I don't think there's an undetermined number of batcomputers randomly hidden around, waiting to pop-up on demand. Also, the first time we saw him using one he would have had ignored the first terminal and gone to the further and more difficult to reach one (in spite of his difficulties to walk...). So, all this looks weird to me.

Can somebody clarify why are there two different batcomputers in the batcave-Rises?

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    I think you underrate redundancy. It is important in mission critical applications, you can't stop fighting crime to repair the Batcomputer! There's also the emergency backup Batcave, but perhaps I've said too much. Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 5:04
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    Why can't there be multiple computers for different tasks.. Expert Systems aren't like your PCs. They are specialized for specific tasks only.
    – Dr. Doom
    Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 5:56
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    Same reason I have 3 computers in my home office. Because I'm Batman! errr... because I can.
    – BBlake
    Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 12:21
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    Don't go for physical structure. And, search "Expert System". It's not like your PC on which you do everything from gaming to music listening.
    – Dr. Doom
    Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 12:21
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    I work with computers for a living. My home current has five. One primary station with the most RAM and best processor for my desktop design, to use multiple applications, support multiple monitors and design my largest databases. I have a second one of almost the same caliber for my wife to work on, but when she is at work, I will compile on mine while I work on hers. The others are two servers and a laptop for remote work or remote access. If I can find a use for five computers, I am confident Batman can have more and find a use for them in his crime-fighting career. Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 23:13

1 Answer 1

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It is unlikely there is more than one computer in the Batcave.

  • What we see are more likely to be terminals accessing a primary computer at a hidden location, either in the Batcave or someplace else more secure, somewhere else.

  • This would be a logical security feature protecting Batman's data and resources, requiring an access key available only to him and those who know it.

In the canon comic DC Universe

The Batcomputer is a supercomputer, whose specs are on par with any of those used by leading national security agencies, that permits global surveillance and also connects to a massive information network as well as storing vast amounts of information, both on his foes and his allies.

  • Depending on the DC continuity and Batman's predispositions, he may tap into resources of all the world's major intelligence agencies and is able to use official records from the FBI, NSA, CIA, Interpol, MOSSAD and MI-6 public and private resources.

  • He was also able to utilize the Department of Extranormal Operations records and at one point was able to utilize Brother Eye's data systems as well.

  • A series of satellite link-ups allows easy access to Batman's information network anywhere in the globe. The smart-systems are protected against unauthorized access, and any attempts to breach this security immediately sends an alert to Batman.

  • Depending on the DC Continuity and whether Batman is a team player, he may also connect his systems to Justice League computers which may use alien technologies and have resources the Batcomputer may not. He has had his technology connected to the Watchtower which used Thanagarian, Martian and Kryptonian technologies.

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In the Dark Knight Series:

If we assume the Batcomputer is indeed a very powerful supercomputer, it is likely all you are seeing is a terminal aspect of the primary computer.

  • Given Batman's specialized needs, he would not be likely to have a supercomputer at every site, even if he could afford them, since they need care and maintenance of a specific nature to function properly.

  • It makes more sense for there to be one primary system and one secondary backup system at a remote location, should the primary be discovered or destroyed. If I Batman's budget, I would certainly purchase a building somewhere and fill it with the capacity to back up the primary Batcomputer in at least one other place.

  • The existence of these supercomputers are not to be confused with any number of instances (places where the Batcomputer can be accessed remotely) when we Batman sitting down to work on his the computer.

  • These instances can include his Batcave, any remote sites like his bunker, the computer access in the Tumbler/Batmobile, or even in a personal computer he may have in his costume accessing the supercomputer remotely by voice.

Production Notes

The user interface designer for the movie, The Dark Knight Rises, Jorge Almeida, discusses his design aspects given what he was told he would be working with in Flicks and Bits.

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"“For ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ I was told to keep the UI style real-world, which is obviously consistent with the style of the first two films. I read the script and was shown concept art for various sets, including the batcave and the fusion reactor. Both of these sets had a very sleek high-end style which was well constructed and designed, not hacked together."

Touching on his approach to the interfaces shown in ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ and in particular the Batcave, Jorge Almeida had the following to say:

“The production designer, Kevin Kavanaugh, showed me production art for the batcave, which included a 9 monitor workstation which rose out of the ground. We discussed the scenes where the workstation would be used. He wanted it to look powerful without being slick or sci-fi. The challenge was to make it look interesting without feeling designed”…..”

When Bruce Wayne was doing research on Selina Kyle, the goal was to keep the UI from looking like a web browser. Gotham is an old city, so I thought using images of newspaper pages and arrest reports would suggest more of a historical archive than a website. I like mixing photoreal elements with the graphics when possible. I think it adds warmth to the design, and helps the audience register the information quicker.”

enter image description here

  • The Batcomputer was designed to appear as a remote visual interface. You could think of it as a browser interface for his supercomputer. A Chrome laptop might be an apt description. There is no operating system only a connection to a data source. The Batcomputer is the source and where ever Batman is accessing the system becomes the terminal he uses.

  • This meant any time you saw the Batcomputer in action, you were likely seeing an instance of the main computer running from a remote terminal. This makes sense. It means Batman only has one supercomputer, likely in the Batcave with a redundancy in another location as a backup. Any sites he uses remotely like his bunker would connect to his main computer without having to store any files or information on those machines as a security feature.

  • Batman logs in. He works, he gets whatever information from the Batcomputer (where ever the actual supercomputer resides) and then he logs off. No chance of any data being found or recovered because nothing is stored on site.

    • This setup makes sense considering Batman's security needs, he can't afford to leave data trails lying around. There is never any data stored anywhere local.

    • Without hard drives to worry about and as long as he destroys the equipment properly no way to trace the data back to its source system (which could be further obscured using the telecom systems of the planet like hackers do to hide their activities).

    • In that way he could have as many terminals (places where he can access the Batcomputer) as he desires in any facility connected to his private high speed network.

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  • Pretty detailed answer. You put a lot of effort to it. Thanks.
    – Kreann
    Commented Sep 13, 2014 at 13:27

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