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MAJOR spoilers for the just-released finale of the Endgame Batman comic arc:

During their climactic fight, Batman and the Joker each lay dying on the floor of the cave. Then, as Joker begins crawling toward the pool of Dionesium that will heal him, Batman grabs onto the Joker and holds him, desperately admitting that the Joker was right all along, and begging Joker's forgiveness for not seeing it earlier. He even mentions that he's sure that the Joker will survive, after the Dionesium is destroyed, seemingly confirming that he believes the Joker's story about being immortal. (This, despite the fact that the Joker was just begging Batman to let him go, which pretty clearly indicates he's not immortal.) Then, with his last breath, Batman says he's going to stay down in the cave with "my friend."

Why would he do this? Unless I'm missing some important story beat, it seems like an odd confession from Batman. Only a few possibilities occurred to me, but none of them seem quite right...

  1. Was he being sarcastic? This made the most sense as I was reading it, but that doesn't seem like Batman's usual grim, stoic nature. Plus, it doesn't explain that last few lines.
  2. Was he going a little nuts? Joker always insisted he would someday, but there doesn't seem to be enough lead-up to justify that, and his other priorities in that scene seem unchanged.

Can someone explain what happened here? Why would Batman make such an odd confession, especially at that moment, when everything seemed to be indicating the opposite?

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  • Bad writing. The only plausible explanation is that Batman was telling the Joker what he wanted to hear in order to distract/delay him while Julia worked.
    – Omegacron
    Apr 30, 2015 at 18:19
  • @Omegacron I thought that too for a while, but even that doesn't make sense: Batman maintains his point right to the end, even after the Joker is unable to stop Julia, and when saying those things seemingly gains him nothing.
    – Nerrolken
    Apr 30, 2015 at 19:11
  • Cause - he is Batman :D
    – RicoRicochet
    Jun 3, 2015 at 5:36

2 Answers 2

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It could be that he's saying the Joker has essentially become the Pale Man, not that he actually is the Pale Man. Joker has fooled Gotham into thinking he's immortal, so now he's immortal in that sense. Batman wants forgiveness for doubting that nihilism (Joker) is just as immortal as hope (Batman).

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Because if Joker indeed survive then he has won and no Symbol to fight for! Because he himself said before Batman he had no reason to fight for!

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