Batman: Knight is Darkest Before Dawn by: David McGuff Copyright FADE IN. The Batman logo. TITLE. CUT TO: EXT. GOTHAM CITY - NIGHT GOTHAM CITY at night. An overhead shot. The city sparkles. For those who don't know better, it looks inviting... BRUCE WAYNE (V.O.) I've spent the years since my parents death, travelling the world. I've seen every corner of the globe, a few times over. If I had to, in one word, describe what makes Gotham City different from every other place I've ever been, the word I'd use would be, "Hunger." EXT. GOTHAM CITY AIRPORT - NIGHT ...A private jet LANDS on an airstrip... BRUCE WAYNE (CONT'D) Some places have a hunger about them, and either you feed them what they want, or it'll eat you alive. I've felt it many times myself, that hunger, the way Gotham will start pulling at you when it wants something, when it wants more. I've left Gotham, but Gotham has never left me, it's been eating me alive... EXT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT ...Establishing shot. We see a silhouette in the distance approaching the door. Bruce Wayne has come home... BRUCE WAYNE (CONT'D) And that's why I'm coming home. INT. WAYNE MANOR - ENTRANCE LOBBY - NIGHT The door. A KNOCK is heard. A well dressed butler appears to answer the door. It is ALFRED. The Wayne family's loyal butler, and the closest thing Bruce Wayne has to a parental figure. He is paternal, yet stern, very formal, and possessing a wry, dry British sense of humor. Alfred OPENS the door. We see BRUCE WAYNE for the first time. This is a very young Bruce Wayne, in his mid-to-late twenties. Bruce is an enigma. There is no telling who he really is, or if he even knows. He can be charming, arrogant, and cavalier, and then switch as quickly to brooding, embodying a sense of underlying tragedy, of sorrow, guilt, and anger. One gets the sense Bruce is always wearing a mask. A pregnant pause. The two men LOOK at each other. They have not seen each other since Bruce was a teenager, and haven't spoken in years. They work this out silently for a moment. BRUCE (Slight smile) Alfred. ALFRED (Professionally, yet tender) Master Wayne. Welcome home. EXT. GOTHAM CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT A taxi STOPS in front of the GOTHAM CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. A middle aged man STEPS OUT, PAYS the driver, and TURNS to face the building. LT. JIM GORDON has arrived at his newest assignment. Gordon is a grizzled, weary middle-aged cop. Wearing a traditional thick cop mustache and glasses, the man has seen a lot in his years. Gordon is a good cop, honest, with a bit of a temper. Gordon ENTERS the building. INT. GCPD - LOBBY - NIGHT Gordon APPROACHES the front desk, taking in his new home. Before he reaches it, he's STOPPED by a cop. DETECTIVE FLASS PLACES a hand on Gordon's shoulder. Flass is a big guy, a former Green Beret, arrogant, and a dirty cop. He abuses his power and is brash about it. Like a big frat boy who now has a gun and a badge. FLASS Lieutenant Jimmy Gordon? GORDON Jim Gordon. FLASS (Extending a hand) Jimmy, nice to meet you. Detective Johnny Flass. They shake hands. FLASS Call me Johnny. Let's take a ride, show you around town, whadd'ya say? GORDON Well I haven't exactly settled in, I haven't even seen my apartment yet. FLASS I'll drop you there, c'mon, Commissioner's orders. GORDON Well, when you put it that way. CUT TO: EXT. GOTHAM STREET - NIGHT An unmarked cruiser DRIVES through the night. Gotham carries a sense of danger, hopelessness, and decay about it. A mix of neo-gothic and post-modernist styling containing both iconic gargoyle statues, high-reaching spires, and tall skyscrapers, and regardless of the neighborhood, there is a sense of urban decay. GORDON (V.O.) Gotham. How did I get here? I ended up in Internal Affairs in Chicago. They hold up justice, integrity, and truth up like a carrot. Dangle it in front of your face. But taking down a cop, you're no different than a common street thug. Not in their eyes anyway... Only difference is they're a lot better at running a good cop out of town than criminals. CUT TO: The car STOPPING. A group of teenagers on a corner. Flass GETS of the car. We remain with Gordon in the car, LOOKING through the windshield, as Flass moves away from the car, TOWARD the group of teenagers. The situation looks a little tense as Flass CONFRONTS them, then suddenly turns VIOLENT. Flass cold-cocks one of the kids, and continues to beat him, and pushes some of the others confrontationally. GORDON (V.O.) Gotham PD is trying to send me a message. This isn't Chicago. Do I stop him? No. Watch him. Memorize every move. I'll need every advantage I can get. INT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT Bruce Wayne and Alfred sit across from each other, enjoying a glass of tea. They're in a deep conversation. ALFRED I'm not sure I understand, Master Bruce. BRUCE It's a vow Alfred. ALFRED I'm familiar with the concept. BRUCE (Almost to himself) I'm just not sure of the "how." ALFRED I'm not understanding the "why." Is it revenge? BRUCE More like retribution. ALFRED Am I to understand you've spent the last 10 years globetrotting, studying to be a detective and a martial artist to boot and now you've returned home... put simply? BRUCE More or less. ALFRED And you intend to do what exactly? BRUCE (Rehearsed, as if he's refined it) To make sure what happened to me never happens to anyone else. I made a promise on the grave of my parents that I would rid this city of the evil that took their lives. I believe in Gotham Alfred. I have to save Gotham, bring justice. This city deserves that. ALFRED And what do you deserve sir? BRUCE Gotham. EXT. GOTHAM CITY EAST END - ALLEY - NIGHT Bruce Wayne walks through an alley, wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, and shoes, and has adorned his face with a scar running from his cheek to jaw. BRUCE (V.O.) This is the how. The East End. A criminal hotbed. CUT TO: A man strong arming a woman. He's a pimp, she's a prostitute. He's making quite a show of berating her. We're watching from a distance, Bruce is close to the shot, watching the action with us from across the street. Things are getting physical. The woman is not backing down, but she's not aggressive, she knows exactly what she can get away with. The PIMP is an average sized man, wearing a nice, if flamboyant, suit. The woman is a very attractive and seductive looking female in her 20's. She also possesses an undercurrent of danger. Her name is SELINA KYLE. BRUCE (V.O.) In the grand scheme of Gotham's problems, this is a minor offense. But, big things often have small beginnings. CUT TO: A close shot of the pimp standing over the woman. She glares up at him angrily. Bruce appears over his shoulder. BRUCE Leave the girl alone. SELINA Look pal, I can take care of myself. PIMP Maybe you're looking for a good time? BRUCE I'm not interested in your solicitations. Leave. Now. I won't ask again. PIMP (Getting serious) Me neither. The pimp swings his cane at Bruce, but Bruce ducks and rolls to the side, as he stands the cane is already coming back at him. He blocks it with his forearms, but is immediately regretful for doing so, as the pain is severe. The fight continues back and forth, with Bruce gaining the upper hand, but not without being on the receiving end of a few blows. The pimp has just been knocked down, and Bruce goes for the haymaker, only to be swept off his feet. He lands with a thud. Selina stands over him, Bruce scrambles to his feet. Selina throws a punch which Bruce ducks, regaining his bearings. BRUCE What are you doing? SELINA Selina Kyle doesn't need to be saved, hero. I had it under control. BRUCE I was helping you. Whose side are you on? SELINA The same side I'm always on. Mine. She helps the pimp up, and we see her pickpocket keys and a roll of cash from his coat. She turns to leave and winks at Bruce. PIMP (Back on his feet with a gun pointed at Bruce) You're dead. Bruce dives around a corner as a shot rings out. He takes off running down the street, with shots ringing out behind him. They pass a few blocks. Bruce approaches an open manhole after turning down a closed street. He looks down at it. Without hesitation he jumps down. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN. EXT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT Gordon steps out of Flass' car, closing the door behind him without a look back. He walks toward the house, a bag in hand. GORDON (V.O.) This is the place. Located right here in Old Gotham, right next to the headquarters. I'll take that a subtle hint that they expect me to work more than live. Gordon unlocks the front door, and goes inside. CUT TO: INT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT He arrives to a bare home, just a few boxes scattered about. He flips a light on. GORDON (V.O) I've been divorced from Barbara for almost five years now. I was never much of a husband, or a father. I was a provider, that's about it. Barb hung in there longer than I expected. She had a few affairs, but how could I blame her. When she left, I let her go. It only took me a little longer to wear out my welcome in the Chicago PD. The kids were grown by that point, so there wasn't anything to keep me from transferring. He looks around the empty house. GORDON (V.O.) The more things change the more they stay the same. Gordon makes his way into the kitchen, he flips the light on, someone is seated at the kitchen table. It is James Gordon. JAMES GORDON is the son of Jim Gordon, about 18, and has a cold detachment about him. He is enough to give you the creeps, staring blankly behind coke bottle glasses. He gives off little inflection, other than a distant amusement occasionally. JIM Hi Dad. Been a while. GORDON James...? JAMES Dad. I'm not here to upset you. GORDON You just broke into my home. JAMES I'm sorry I don't know what that means. GORDON I haven't seen you in years, since we sent you...away... and this is how you say hello? Let's face it James, it's not as if we were playing catch out back a lot while you were growing up. JAMES I was never very coordinated. GORDON You know what, I'm done. I can't do this James, I love you but I can't. JAMES Dad, I'm only looking for two minutes and then I'll leave. I won't bother you again, I promise... Please. GORDON What's on your shirt? JAMES It's blood dad. I killed the landlord when she came by to give me a key to the place, after I told her I was your son. Her head is stuffed in the toilet of the bathroom. The air thickens. JAMES It's just ketchup, see? Sorry. I helped myself to a sandwich while I was waiting... Gordon stands. JAMES I was trying to make a joke. I'm not good at humor. That's part of it. I'm sorry. Two minutes and I'm gone. GORDON (Sitting) Alright James. Here's what's going to happen. (He goes to the sink and gets a glass of water, and returns to sit) I'm going to drink this glass of water. When I'm done. We're done. JAMES Fair enough. Thank you. I came to say that... I know how much pain I've caused over the years. I do. Mom, Babs. I'm here to say... I'm sorry. GORDON You're sorry. JAMES I'm not going to pretend I'm a good person. Have I hurt people? Yes. Have I done bad things? GORDON Bad things? You practically tortured two boys to death. For what? Picking on you? You almost burned down a church on Fat Wednesday. Bad things? Jesus, what about Bess Keller back when you were this high-- JAMES I never hurt Bess. GORDON Your sister thinks differently. The last time I talked to her anyway. JAMES Which has been how long now? GORDON You don't need to remind me of my failure as a father. JAMES You did always prefer criminals and psychopaths to your own family. GORDON That's not true. JAMES Which only makes it all the more perplexing that we've never had any relationship to speak of. I've always resented that. GORDON This cup is getting awfully empty. JAMES I traveled around after they expelled me from the boarding school. I thought maybe if I got away, things would be different. But everywhere I went I got into trouble. Gordon notices a pool of water forming outside the bathroom door. JAMES (CONT'D) I was in a small town in Texas. A laundry mat. When this guy comes in, drunk, and starts verbally berating me. He spit in my laundry. I just took it. I kept thinking to myself this is a test. I can't do what I normally do. If I can just hold it together. GORDON What did you do James? JAMES But even as I was thinking this, I was memorizing his license plate number. Thinking how fun it was going to be to hurt him, or his girlfriend, or his mother, or his pets. Later that night I found the address of the guy, I went to his house. GORDON James... JAMES I didn't do anything. I stopped myself. I checked myself into a mental hospital. And that was the start. GORDON Of what? JAMES Of me getting better. Because here is what I learned. I am a psychopath. GORDON James. JAMES It's a clinical diagnosis. Well the clinical term is actually long and convoluted, but here's the crux of it. The part of my brain that allows me to function socially doesn't work right. It underproduces some chemicals. I'm on a new drug. It's supposed to help. It is helping. I've found some calm. I'm going to try to get a job. I think I like it here in Gotham. I feel like I fit in. The pool of water is growing larger. GORDON I don't think that's a good idea. JAMES I do. Maybe we can play catch when you're off duty. Or hide and seek. GORDON James. JAMES I'm not here to upset you dad. I'm a psychopath, it's not possible for me to feel empathy, but I think I can understand why you didn't want me before, but I'm getting better now. I want a father. I should go now, you don't look very thirsty. James leaves. Gordon looks down at his cup, and then to the large pool of water outside the bathroom door. He slowly gets up and moves toward it. He puts his hand on the door. He hesitates. He pushes open the door. CUT TO: The inside of the bathroom. A toilet paper roll is shoved into the toilet causing it to overflow. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN. INT. SEWER SYSTEM - NIGHT The sewer tunnel is dark and wet. Running water can be heard in the distance. Bruce looks tired, and his physical injuries are prevalent, he is limping a little. BRUCE (To himself) This is where rushing in head first bites me in the ass. Should've taken the time to memorize the Gotham sewer systems. A noise. In the distance. Bruce stops. He refocuses. Breathing is light. Very tight closeup. He can't see. He can't hear anything. Suddenly a black bag is slung over Bruce's head and he is drug into the darkness with hardly time to scream. CUT TO BLACK. FADE IN. INT. SEWER SYSTEM - NIGHT Blackness. A POV shot. The bag is removed, everything is foggy for a second, a face comes into focus. It is the face of WAYLON JONES. Waylon Jones is a horribly disfigured man. His skin is vaguely reptilian, scaly and cracked. He has a large physique. His eyes resemble snake eyes. We cut further back, revealing a dark black room, the sounds of water in the distance. We are still in the sewer. Bruce lies on the floor hands tied behind his back regaining consciousness. JONES Welcome back to Gotham... Bruce Wayne. BRUCE (Dazed) Where am I? JONES You're in the lion's den Daniel. BRUCE What do you want? JONES A lot of money. We'll be asking for a ransom soon. Gotham's prodigal son ought to catch quite a sum. But, before we do that, I have an insurance policy. (Produces a pill) It's a designer drug. It brings about your worst nightmares, your greatest terrors, your biggest fears. I happen to have acquired the first sample. You'll be my lab rat. Bruce stares daggers into him. JONES The quiet type, eh? Boys. Two of the men approach Bruce, who is up to his feet, he kicks the first man in the chest, and sidekicks the next. Two more men step forward, and the four manage to subdue Wayne, forcing him to his knees. One of the men grabs his face and forces his mouth open. The leader drops the pill into his mouth daintily. They close Bruce's mouth and plug his nose while he struggles in vain. Jones massages Bruce's throat in a creepy fashion, like you would a dog. Bruce swallows the pill. He is dropped forward. The crew goes to exit. JONES Sweet dreams. A POV shot. Like a sleepy eye blinking we staggeringly... FADE TO BLACK. A few moments of blackness and silence. We hear the shriek of a bat. What follows is a Lynchian nightmare, a moment of dream logic and terror. A mix of bats, gunshots, flashbacks to parents being killed, graves, thunder claps, lightning, a twisted gotham city, all finally climaxes in what will be Bruce's inspiration for Batman. Somewhere between a bat and a man, stands a ghoulish figure, that should be a horrific representation of batman (Think Blackest Knight Zombie Batman). These visions interact with Bruce Wayne, who is sweating, screaming, in fear. The final apparition, the Man-Bat, stands before a paralyzed Wayne. All of the frantic and surrealness of the previous images, along with any shrieking music stop. It is dead silent. We hear Bruce breathing frantically. He is pressed against the wall away from the figure, which looms silently over him. BRUCE (In a frenzied panic) Stop... please stop... I'm terrified. Terror. Terrible. Criminals are a terror. I must disguise my terror. Criminals are cowardly. I must strike terror. A superstitious omen. A cowardly lot. I must be black. Terrible. Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot. I must be a creature. I must be a creature of the night. Mommy's dead. Daddy's dead. Brucie's dead... I shall become a bat. Bruce forces himself to turn and look at the creature, panic in his eyes. He rises against the wall, eyes locked on the creature. The creature emits a mutated distorted shriek of a bat, the sound is deafening. Bruce is still staring at the creature. Something is changing inside him. His expression is evolving from outright panic, to something else. There seems to be a determination setting in, and anger begins to show. He is now standing. He is no longer leaning against the wall. He is face to face with his greatest fear. And he is not backing down. His face is now devoid of fear, it is now pure will and blind anger. This is a defining moment. He is no longer Bruce Wayne. He is Batman, even without the cowl and cape. The persona has been formed. He is no longer afraid, he has mastered his fear, harnessed it. Bruce lets out a primal roar and charges headlong into the creature, which suddenly vanishes. Bruce slams into the wall and crumples to the floor. All is silent. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN. The same room. Although now Bruce's body is missing. The door swings open. Jones and his four henchmen enter. They stop. They don't see anything. A pregnant pause. WHAM! Bruce emerges from the shadow, with his bound hands now in front of his body, and clotheslines a henchmen. What follows in borderline superhuman. These five men (all of which are physically imposing) can not handle this new Bruce Wayne. He savagely beats all of the men. It is no easy task, but this is no normal man. He shrugs off blows, and delivers axehandle shots with his clenched fists, sending the men careening into the wall. The last standing is the cult leader after this minute long battle, and he is caught with a double fisted uppercut that lays him out. Bruce staggers out the door. We follow him close behind as he traverses the sewers, the journey finally culminating with him reaching daylight through a drainage opening. It is raining. Bruce is soaked in it as he falls to his knees panting. EXT. WAYNE MANOR - DAWN Bruce Wayne staggering toward his home, in a shot that echoes the earlier one of him approaching the home. INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAWN Wayne enters the door, and can barely hold himself upright. Alfred enters rushed. ALFRED Are you alright, sir? BRUCE (Distant) I saw the bat. I knew. In an instant, I understood what my direction has been all these years, what is possible for me. I know what I have to do Alfred. INT. UNMARKED CRUISER- NIGHT Flass and Gordon are riding in an unmarked cruiser, Gordon stares out the window in thought. He seems to be resisting any contact with Flass. FLASS You know Jimmy, you're starting to make people nervous. You don't take a little off the top, don't take your cut, it's bad for team morale. You gotta play ball here in Gotham Jimmy. GORDON I'm here to do my job. I'm no snitch. FLASS Don't get me wrong, I believe you Jimmy. But some of the guys, they heard some stuff out of Chicago. Gordon turns back away, ending the conversation. CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT The scene of a homicide. The victim; a lieutenant of the Maroni crime family. He's been killed in a particularly grisly fashion, his legs cut off at the knees, and stabbed multiple times. His dead corpse is adorned with a Leprechaun top hat, and in his breast pocket is a four leaf clover. It is St. Patrick's Day. A .22 caliber pistol lay next to the body. The gun barrel is topped with a baby bottle nipple, to muffle the sound. Gordon and Flass make their way to the crime scene across the warehouse, passing a few lingering cops, and ducking under the crime scene tape. GORDON (V.O.) In a few weeks I've managed to make a name for myself in Gotham PD, and for all the wrong reasons. I'm too clean for Gotham. And then something like this happens. And I'm reminded just how in over my head I may be. FLASS (To an officer) What's the skinny? OFFICER BALKER Victim was tortured first. Deep lacerations all over the body, as well as bruising, particularly around the neck. Cause of death is loss of blood, femeral arteries were severed during the amputation of the lower legs. Victim was conscious at that point. GORDON Any background? OFFICER BALKER A made man in the Maroni family... Didn't help him here. GORDON And the hat and clover? A taunt to the gang? We looking at an organized crime related killing? Irish mob? Micky "The Mink" Sullivan? OFFICER BALKER Unknown. Somebody certainly wanted to send a message. FLASS He's a sick fuck. Message received. Send any relevant findings to my desk. I'm starving, and I need some coffee. Flass turns to go, and Gordon watches him off with disdain. INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Bruce Wayne sits in a chair, sketching in the margin of a newspaper. Alfred enters with tea. Wayne seems to be concentrating very intently, he doesn't notice Alfred's entrance. ALFRED Your tea, sir. BRUCE (Without looking up) Did you see the article about the killing last night? ALFRED Yes sir, quite grisly, if I do say so myself. BRUCE Unnecessarily so. They've got it wrong. ALFRED Whom is it, that has what wrong? BRUCE The paper. They're attributing it to a family against family killing. Citing the Falcones as likely suspects. This is more. Whoever this is, they're going to do it again. ALFRED What makes you so sure? BRUCE He wants to be caught. He left clues, taunts, signals. He's trying to communicate something more than just killing someone. I've got to be there when he strikes next. ALFRED You, sir? BRUCE In a sense. I've been trying to hammer it out. ALFRED Ah, yes, your bat-man. BRUCE I'm starting to make sense of it all, the visions. It's just actualizing it, making what I felt a reality. That creature, it terrified me, it was everything I'd ever feared, right there in front of me. If, if I can become that, I'll scare my enemies, yes, but it's more than that. I'll overcome the fear, by embracing what scares me most, and becoming it... it's more than overcoming the fear... it's transcending fear itself... EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT Jim Gordon looks out over the edge of a bridge, onto the water down below. We are looking at a profile, the shot changes focus, it reveals another man walking in the distance. Gordon gives him a glance and begins to follow him. He tails behind as the man walks through the city. We are perhaps treated to flashback visuals as Gordon spins his yarn. GORDON (V.O.) If you're thinking about visiting Gotham City, all the travel guides say the same thing "Visit in the winter." They talk about the city looking fresh, new. Read between the lines, and you'll see they're saying visit Gotham when the real city is covered up. When Gotham is wearing its mask. I've never liked the snow. It covers everything up. Footprints buried. Clues lost. Though, what is hidden in the snow comes forth in the thaw. Thank god it's spring. BLOUNT, a middle aged man, the suspect, crosses the street. Gordon is caught on the other side by traffic. He waits impatiently. GORDON (CONT'D) Roy M. Blount. I've been trailing him all night. An unsolved case lying on the desk they put me in, in a manner of speaking. He's not a suspect. The papers have dubbed him the Peter Pan Killer. His M.O. is to sneak in through kids' bedroom windows, and steal them right from their own bed. They're never seen again. At least not in one piece. Seven kids dead since last summer. No witnesses. Just open windows. A silhoutte up ahead rounds a corner, Gordon redoubles his speed to catch up, maintaining his caution and distance. GORDON (CONT'D) The window's a mislead. It's a catchy detail he knows a dirty cop will leak for a payday. So, everybody buys new locks for their windows. While the guy comes in through the front door. Each kid was found in the city dump. Mutilated. Drugged with ether. As a cop I deal with the human capacity for evil everyday. It exists in people. People like Roy Blount. A shot with Blount in the foreground, and Gordon trailing far behind. Blount is oblivious. GORDON (CONT'D) You might not see it at first. On the surface he's just a quiet man who owns a cleaning business. An earnest stand-up guy. But look closer, look right when I tell you, and you'll see the real Roy beneath the surface. When you've been a cop as long as I have, you get good at seeing it in people, the dark spark of something... beneath. They're in a neighborhood now. Houses line the streets. Gordon is far behind. We follow in front of him, his look is determined. GORDON (CONT'D) Right now, my son is in town. He claims he's on medication that... helps. So the real question is-- what do I see when I look at my son? There was never any question that something was different about James... something was wrong. An infant that never cried. Mutilated a bird, and said he just wanted to see where the eggs were. There was never any question that something was different about James... something was wrong. A closeup of Blount's face, he turns a corner, and for a second he is in profile to Gordon. GORDON (CONT'D) There in Roy's eyes. To everyone else, he's just a man out, swinging the chain. But he's going to kill someone tonight. It's all there underneath. We see Roy reaching in his pocket. GORDON (CONT'D) The real Roy beneath this one. The predator. The killer. We see Roy produce a rag and a bottle of ether, wetting the rag. Roy starts up a sidewalk toward a front door. Gordon takes cover. Roy searches in his pocket. A key is produced. The door is unlocked. Roy enters. Gordon begins to follow cautiously. You scratch the surface and it's all there. Underneath. If you looked you'd notice a string of unsolved home invasions within a ten mile radius of Blount's home. You'd see that he has a burn on his arm and his neck, a flash burn. Maybe you're not too careful smoking when you've recently come in contact with a highly combustible substance. Like ether. Gordon is in the house, he moves to a bedroom, gun drawn. Roy is unlocking a window, opening it. GORDON (CONT'D) With some cross-referencing you'd see every family with a missing kid has used Blount's cleaning business at one time or another. And it'd all make sense. Tonight, Peter Pan comes home to find Wendy's door locked. Gordon bursts into the room gun drawn. GORDON (CONT'D) Freeze! Don't move! You're under arrest! INT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT Alfred stands in the hallway. He looks anticipatory. ALFRED Will it be much longer sir? BRUCE (O.S.) Do you have somewhere to be Alfred? ALFRED No sir. (Dryly) I seem to be dying of anticipation. Alfred's facial expression changes. We see a closeup of Alfred's face, but Bruce is not in the shot. BRUCE (O.S.) Well Alfred? ALFRED I am to understand this is the prototype, sir? BRUCE Not exactly a ringing endorsement. ALFRED Hmf. I suppose you'll take up flying next? Like that fellow in Metropolis. We finally see Bruce as Batman. It is a disappointment. He is in a prototype costume, resembling the Animated series Batman. Grey tights, black underwear. BRUCE Hardly, Alfred. ALFRED Sir, if I may make a suggestion. BRUCE By all means. Bruce looks down, fiddling with his costume. Meanwhile Alfred has circled around, and is now carrying a baseball bat. Wham. Alfred hits Bruce right in the stomach. Bruce drops to a knee with an "oomph." BRUCE Alfred, what the hell?! ALFRED I imagine that will smart in the morning. I am no criminal, master Bruce. They will do much worse. I recommend armor. BRUCE Too heavy, cumbersome. I can't sacrifice my mobility. ALFRED That's true. Can't have you blundering about. However, Wayne Industries has recently been involved is some testing of lightweight armor for the united states military. I've had a small case held back... for quality assurance. BRUCE Maybe you should be the one in the suit. ALFRED Will I also be getting the status of billionaire playboy, sir? INT. COMMISSIONER LOEB'S OFFICE - NIGHT Gordon enters the office. LOEB is seated at the desk. Loeb is a middle-aged, slightly effeminate man. He is husky, and menacing in an unconventional way. LOEB Yes, Gordon, do come in and sit down. GORDON (Sitting) You wanted to see me? LOEB Yes, yes I did. Would you like a piece of candy? GORDON No. LOEB (Grabs a piece from the bowl on his desk, unwraps it and pops it in his mouth) Suit yourself. Now, down to business, I'm sure you're a busy man. The Peter Pan Killer. Apprehended by Jim Gordon. First week on the job. Gotham's new hero cop. GORDON I'm no hero. LOEB Don't be modest, sure you are. You come in and make this entire precinct look like a bunch of goons. You're a super cop, the best of us. You should be in Metropolis. GORDON I don't believe in vigilantes. LOEB And I don't believe in heroes. I value loyalty Mr. Gordon, not initiative. If I want an ongoing investigation solved, I'll let you know. GORDON Understood. LOEB Splendid. INT. WAYNE MANOR - GYM - APRIL FOOL'S DAY - NIGHT Bruce Wayne is in a wifebeater and a pair of windpants. He is kicking and punching a punching bag. He is sweating profusely. The bag rocks violently. Alfred approaches. ALFRED The suits have arrived. I have made one ready, in your quarters. Perhaps at some point you'll want a headquarters of sorts. It would be a shame for the identity of the Batman to be discovered by a postal worker, or the gardener. BRUCE Agreed, but until then, I'll just use the backdoor. ALFRED You'll also need a vehicle of some sorts, communications, technology advancements, perhaps gadgets, sir. BRUCE I feel like you're trying to make a point. ALFRED This will all cost a great deal of money, not to mention time and effort. Why not save yourself the time and effort, and put your fortunes to good use? BRUCE You mean like my father? ALFRED Precisely. BRUCE My father was an angel. A paragon of light for Gotham. He offered them a Utopia, they fought for the right to live in Hell. So I must be a demon. A creature of the night. ALFRED This city looked up to your father. BRUCE The people of Gotham have to look out for themselves, they can't afford to look up to anyone. I'm not here to be looked up to. I'm here to inspire. (They pause, a moment between them. An understanding is reached in silence) I've spent over a decade preparing for this day Alfred. Why don't I feel ready? Maybe I'm wrong about this... ALFRED While I don't necessarily condone this course of action, however, I cannot fathom what you must feel. Your world was ripped out from under you at a time and age when no one should have to deal with such circumstances. It was unfair to expect you to continue like nothing had happened. I did my best with you . (Bruce begins to speak, Alfred holds up a hand, stopping him.) It doesn't make sense, any of it, even today. Perhaps the world doesn't make sense until you force it to. If this is the way you force it to make sense, then so be it. The two men look at each other. There is years of history behind their eyes. They know each other in ways most don't. INT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT Bruce sits on a stool. The room is barely lit from above. Shadows fall over Bruce. He is wrapping his knuckles with tape like a boxer. He zips up the front of his suit. The pants slide on. The gloves zip up. The boots come on. The gauntlets latch on his forearms. We see the back of his head as he pulls the cowl on. The cape is whipped over his shoulders and covers the camera. CUT TO BLACK. EXT. STREET - NIGHT FADE IN. A dark street, orbs of streetlights dot the pavement. Batman speeds through on a motorcycle, cape blowing in the wind. EXT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT A black van pulls up. Another van is already present. The first van is flanked by several men. One is armed with a gun. The second van unloads, three men step out. One is armed. Each group of men are generally surly looking, some wearing ski masks. Two women are dragged from the van. They are bound and gagged. They have been drugged and physically mistreated. GUNMAN Here are the girls. Where's the cash? CRIMINAL It's here. He nods to a nearby man, who in turn goes around to the opposite side of the van. GUNMAN Hurry it up. CUT TO: We're looking into the shadows. A silhouetted figure moves closer to the camera. It is the familiar outline of the caped shoulders and cowled head. It draws closer. A single bar of light lights across the eyes (a la Skyfall). CUT TO: We're back with the vans. The exchange is proceeding. Two men meet in the middle. A briefcase changes hands. CRASH. Batman has arrived. He flies in from above, kicking the man who passed the briefcase, sending him crashing. He turns quickly over each shoulder, whipping batarangs at the two armed gunman, dropping them. THUG What the hell? GOON Who the hell's the psycho in the suit? There are still 5-8 men standing, and an all out brawl ensues, Batman fending for himself against the attackers. What follows is a visceral and violent fight. It is not pretty, perfect, nor easy. But one thing is clear. This is not the same Bruce Wayne who was almost bested by a lone thug. This is Batman. A man possessed. Batman stands alone. The thugs lay strewn about around him. One stirs, he is crawling away, toward the gun, dropped by one of the thugs hit by the batarang. The girls huddle nearby in fear. Batman notices him, he makes a move to stop him. He is too late. The man has the gun. He points it at Batman. Batman encroaches slowly, the man gives ground. THUG (Backing up) Stay back, or I'll shoot. You know whose business you're messing with? Carmine Falcone. The Roman. Batman continues unabated. The thug fires. Batman doesn't break stride, we're not sure if the shot hit its mark or not, regardless, it has made no difference. THUG Why don't you die?! (He is now backed against the van. He finds himself right next to the huddled girls, still bound and gagged, terrified) Maybe you don't die, but they do. (Puts a gun to the nearest girl's head) Take one more step and I blow her brains all over the pavement. Batman stops. There are maybe six feet between them. There is a silent tension for a few moments. In a flash Batman whips another batarang at the thug. A shot rings out, the thug drops the gun, as he falls to the ground clutching his shoulder. We see the gun lying on the ground. We pan above it, following the pavement. Until we discover a blood spatter on the ground. Someone has been shot. One of the girls is slumped over. The other is covered in blood, maybe her own, maybe the other's, she is gagged, but it is obvious she is screaming. Whatever sedative she is under, the adrenaline seems to have trumped it for the moment. Batman has failed. He rushes forward and snatches the thug off the ground in one swift motion, pulling him to the edge of the parking garage. They are leaning over the edge. BATMAN You killed her! THUG Please don't hurt me! BATMAN Give me one reason I shouldn't drop you over the edge. THUG I don't want to die! BATMAN Did she?! THUG I don't know... I'm sorry! BATMAN Wrong answer! THUG I don't know what you want me to say! BATMAN (He has control of himself again. For a moment we were sure he would drop him) I'll tell you. You're going to tell Carmine Falcone that the Batman has come. That this is my city. That he's finished. THUG I will, I will. I promise. You'll never see me again in Gotham, I swear! BATMAN You're wrong. If I want you, I'll find you. There's nowhere you can hide from me. You can never escape me. Nothing harms me. But I do know pain. I know pain. Sometimes I share it with someone like you. (Pause) A fall from this height won't kill you. (He lets the thug go) Batman turns around. The girl who was previously slumped stirs. She is not dead. The thug plummets down, landing, breaking both legs, but living. EXT. PARKING LOT - APRIL FOOLS DAY - NIGHT A parking lot. A small crowd is gathered around a car, that has been parked with it's nose against a wall. A man is pinned between the car and the wall. Detective Flass is there, as Lt. Jim Gordon approaches. A .22 caliber pistol with a nippled tip lies on the hood. GORDON What's the story? FLASS That's Vinny Falcone. Nephew to the big Falcone. Nice guy, I play racquetball with him at the gym. Problem is he's pinned between this car and the wall. GORDON Why don't we get him out? FLASS That's the funny thing. The impact seems to have, well cut him in half. The only thing keeping his top with his bottom is that car. We move it, and he's a dead man. GORDON And how is that funny Detective? FLASS Well, strictly speaking it's not. But this is April Fool's Day. GORDON This isn't over. This is just the beginning. FLASS Think so? GORDON Two holiday themed killings in the span of a few weeks. I'm a cop, I don't believe in coincidence. FLASS Just when I thought Gotham was getting boring. Flass turns and walks away. Flass begins talking with a reporter. Gordon glances back at Flass, a disapproving sigh from Gordon. OFFICER RUSSELL He's requesting to see family, sir. GORDON Let them come. And god help the poor soul that has to back that car up. FLASS (Returning) Gordon, just got a call, there's been an, well let's call it an incident in West Gotham. GORDON It never stops does it? EXT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT Gordon and Flass are at the same parking garage Batman made his appearance in earlier. The group of downed thugs are tied back to back, medics are on the scene. FLASS (Leaning over the wall) He dropped the poor SOB from here. GORDON It's not the same man. No one is dead here. FLASS No, Jimmy, it's not. Witnesses keep talking about a giant bat. GORDON Nothing is too strange for Gotham. FLASS Excuse me I have to make a phone call. GORDON Urgent matter? FLASS I'm not sure what you mean Jimmy. GORDON Curious why a lead detective left a murder scene to this lesser crime scene, and we're the first officers here to boot, just a little strange don't you think? Who are you protecting? FLASS (Smiles, dangerously) You're asking too many questions Jimmy. (Walks away) EXT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT Batman has made it home. He stands in front of the tombstones of his parents, in full costume (except the cowl), cape blowing in the wind, staring down. Alfred approaches. ALFRED Sir. BRUCE I couldn't save them Alfred. I was helpless. ALFRED You never grieved for them. Even as a child. Why not spend those years abroad learning to come to terms with what happened? BRUCE Grief is the enemy. There's no time for grief. Grief turns into acceptance. Forgiveness. Grief forgives what can never be forgiven. ALFRED Forgive who? BRUCE The man who killed them, for taking away what I can never have back. My parents, for leaving me. For setting a standard so high I can never live up to them. And most of all myself. For allowing it to happen. For giving in to my fear. It almost happened again tonight. He almost shot her, right in front of me. But, she survived. Because Batman had conquered his fear. He did what Bruce Wayne could never do. Batman saved their lives. ALFRED Batman is a mask you wear. To protect yourself. BRUCE I wear a mask. And that mask, it's not to hide who I am, but to create what I am. ALFRED I will not give up on Bruce Wayne. BRUCE Bruce Wayne is the mask. A mask I've been wearing since I was a child. Since that day... but it's become a liability. Bruce Wayne is dead. The only thing that matters now is my mission. Nothing will stand in the way. ALFRED You are not the first man to have lost his parents Master Bruce! The rain falls on murderers and madmen, the same as it does on innocent children... That is the way of the world, and I will not live to see you succumb to it. I vowed to stay by your side until you became a whole man again. BRUCE I don't know who I am anymore. The only thing that makes sense is Batman. ALFRED I will help Bruce Wayne. If it is his wish I help this Batman, then so be it. I've known you your whole life, and I've gone along with this scheme of yours. I can't decide if it's the hero in you that is driving you... or your dark side that compels you to keep putting yourself in harm's way- trying desperately to make up for the murder of your parents. INT. FLASS' CAR - DAY Flass is driving, Gordon looks out the window. The disease between the two is growing. FLASS Quiet over there Jimmy... GORDON It's Lieutenant Gordon! FLASS Testy today Jimmy. GORDON (Pause) I've requested a transfer Flass. I've also filed a report on you to Commissioner Loeb. It includes evidence of police brutality, bribing, corruption, racketeering, fraud and evidence tampering over the last six weeks. FLASS I don't know whether to laugh at you, or cry for you Jimmy. Either way, it's been nice knowing you. INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Bruce Wayne sits at a computer. He is typing furiously. Alfred approaches with tea. BRUCE I've hacked Gotham PD's server. Pulling up reports on all the officers. ALFRED May I ask why? BRUCE It's not enough that I stop crimes and those who commit them, if they're arrested by dirty cops. If they're not prosecuted by DA's who are dedicated to keeping them behind bars. It's humiliating to admit that Batman has limits... he can't save this city alone. ALFRED I'm glad to see you've come back to your senses, sir. BRUCE Lieutenant Gordon. Recent transfer. Former internal affairs Chicago PD. Good at his job. Maybe too good. More importantly, he seems to be a good cop. He just filed a report on his partner. To Commissioner Loeb. Loeb is as dirty as they come. Gordon has to know that, just on instinct. So why file the report? He's just beating his head against the wall. ALFRED Sounds like someone I know. INT. RETAIL STORE - NIGHT Gordon is browsing a book shelf. James appears at the end of the aisle. JAMES We've got to stop meeting like this. GORDON What are you doing here? JAMES I work here now. I have a job. GORDON That's... good. JAMES They say I'm doing very well. DEBBIE, the manager, walks by. JAMES Hey Debbie, this is my dad. DEBBIE So nice to meet you, James has told me so much about you. GORDON Is that so? DEBBIE He has been just the biggest help around here. I can't remember the last time I met such a sweet and helpful young man. (Leaving) Well, it was nice meeting you, I've got to get back to work. JAMES (Eyeing his father) Dad, I'm trying. Can't you see that? Gordon looks unsure, mixed feelings. INT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT We see Gordon asleep. The phone rings. He answers groggily. GORDON ...hullo? … Kilmer's on duty can't he... no sir... yes sir, on my way. EXT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT Gordon walks across the parking garage, headed for his car. A figure steps out from behind a car. Another. There are five men surrounding Gordon. Several are carrying blunt weapons. They are all masked. MASKED MAN Evening officer. GORDON Evening gentlemen. You're a little late. I was expecting this party a little earlier. MASKED MAN Hope we can make it up to you Jimmy. GORDON No please, allow me-- Gordon steps forward and decks the Masked Man (Flass) and lays him on his back. The others close in, Gordon fights admirably, he is in remarkable shape for a man his age. A blow from behind drops him to a knee. The attackers re-circle around him. FLASS It was good to know you Jimmy--- A smoke bomb is dropped in the middle of the men, they step back confused. Batman swoops down. In the shroud of mist he takes down each of the attackers. The mist clears. Batman stands, smoke still clinging at his ankles. Flass appears from behind Batman, ready to strike, Gordon steps between them-- GORDON Look out! Gordon knocks Flass out with a right cross. He protected Batman. Gordon turns. Batman is gone. INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Bruce Wayne sits at a table, Alfred over his shoulders. A newspaper sprawled in front of them. BRUCE Apparently the Batman, "Assaulted a group of police officers after they broke up a human trafficking operation." ALFRED Perhaps you should buy the Gotham Gazette. BRUCE The truth will eventually come out. ALFRED And the Holiday Killer? BRUCE Why do they give them nicknames? Why give them exactly what they want? Recognition, infamy. ALFRED Mother's day is approaching, sir. If the pattern is to hold true. INT. GORDON'S HOUSE - NIGHT Gordon's bedroom. He lies in bed awake. The window is in the background, the light of Gotham pierces in through the window. The light on Gordon's face is blacked out. He looks toward the window. It is Batman. BATMAN Can't sleep? GORDON No. BATMAN We need to talk. GORDON Indeed we do. BATMAN It's about Holiday. GORDON It's about you first. I owe you my life. But I don't understand you, your endgame. I don't know if I can trust you. I don't know who you are. BATMAN You might be the only honest cop in Gotham. I'm going to save Gotham City. I need your help. GORDON I don't work with vigilantes. BATMAN There's a new DA in Gotham-- GORDON Harvey Dent. BATMAN Get to know him. GORDON You're breaking the law just like they are. Just because you're wearing a mask doesn't make you above the law. BATMAN The mask isn't to protect me from you. Batman is gone. Gordon relaxes. The phone rings. Gordon turns to look at it. INT. HARVEY DENT'S OFFICE - NIGHT HARVEY DENT sits at his desk, a smattering of papers and folders litter his desk. Harvey Dent is a man, about forty, handsome, charismatic, could easily be a politician. Except for the earnest passion, zeal, and conviction he exudes. He takes his job very seriously, and works incredibly hard to do it well. Gordon enters. HARVEY I'm sorry about the late call Lieutenant Gordon. GORDON Having a hard time sleeping anyway, Mr. Dent. HARVEY Please call me Harvey. Through the grape vine, I saw your report on Detective Flass. I'm impressed Gordon. You've got some balls on you, I'll give you that. GORDON You're not lacking brass yourself. HARVEY I wasn't elected to this office to sit in a comfy chair, and it damn sure wasn't for the pay. I want to make a difference in this city. I want to raise my family here. I'm a Gotham boy, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let them take this city from me. I'm going after them. The Maroni's, the Irish, and the Falcone family. I'm going to take down the Roman. I'm taking Gotham back. GORDON Rome wasn't built in a day, and it's going to take more than that to crush the Roman Empire. HARVEY And someone has beat me to the punch. That's why I called you in here. GORDON (He's figured it out) Holiday... HARVEY Two hours ago. Caroline Falcone, mother to Roman Falcone, found brutally murdered. One shot to the head, with a .22, nippled barrel, her heart cut out, cut open, and stuffed with chocolates, before being wrapped with a bow. GORDON Jesus H. HARVEY The feds are sending in someone to investigate. FBI's own Agent Nigma. Apparently can crack any puzzle wide open. GORDON Can't hurt. HARVEY I don't want him to solve this case Gordon. Gotham City needs us to beat this guy. Bring him to justice. For morale. To restore their confidence in law enforcement. But between you and I, it'd be a shame to catch him too fast. Man has to be my favorite serial killer of all time. GORDON That's a hell of a thing to say. HARVEY I've got some leads, suspects. I'd like to bounce them off you, and if you're up for it, you're lead on this case. GORDON I'm not a detective. HARVEY You solved the Peter Pan killings in no time. I cut a deal with Loeb. I turn a blind eye to the corruption is GCPD, and stay focused on the streets, and he gives you detective, and this case. Sorry Gordon, it's the best play I had. I needed you. GORDON (Perturbed) The suspects? HARVEY Sal Maroni. Boss of the Maroni crime family. Has the most motive, his family has always played second fiddle to Falcone, and been on the wrong end of many-a-bad deals. Motive and fully capable of committing the crimes. Bruce Wayne. His father, Dr. Wayne once saved the life of Roman Falcone's father. The Wayne banks are also extensively used for laundering. Bruce Wayne's return also closely coincided with the start of the murders. Old grudge? Atoning for father's sins? The man's a mystery. There's also the enigma of this Batman. GORDON Also the possibility of my son, James, as a suspect. HARVEY Just keep me informed. GORDON (Stops before leaving) Shouldn't you be at home? It's Mother's Day. HARVEY Gilda knew what she was getting into when she married me. Besides, we don't have kids. GORDON (Leaving) Goodnight Mr. Dent, I'll be in touch. EXT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Gordon knocks on the large door. He looks around the grounds. He's never seen anything like this before. Alfred answers. ALFRED Hello. GORDON Hello, (shows badge) I'm Detective Jim Gordon, Gotham PD, is Bruce Wayne home? ALFRED May I ask what this is pertaining to? GORDON Just need to ask him some questions. ALFRED Come in, I'll wake Master Wayne. CUT TO: INT. WAYNE MANOR - LIBRARY Gordon sits in a chair, looking around nervously. He has never seen this type of wealth. Bruce walks in, for a fraction of a second surprise registers on his face. The something switches on. He exaggerates his stagger in, his grogginess. The public persona of Bruce Wayne takes shape. BRUCE I apologize for the wait officer, I had a rather late evening. GORDON I should've come later? BRUCE No, no, I should be up by 2:30. Anyway, what can I do for you? GORDON It's about-- BRUCE Some tea? Coffee? I can have Alfred fetch some. GORDON No, thank you that's-- BRUCE Alfred! Alfred appears. ALFRED Yes, Master Wayne? BRUCE Some tea for our guest, and coffee for me... oh and Alfred, Irish coffee. (To Gordon) Hair of the dog. GORDON Thank you Mr. Wayne. BRUCE Now what is it I can do for one Gotham's finest? GORDON I just have a few questions. BRUCE Fire away. GORDON You're aware of the holiday? BRUCE It's the 25th of May. I wasn't aware it was one. GORDON The Holiday Killer. BRUCE Catchy nickname. GORDON I appreciate your sense of humor Mr Wayne, you'll pardon me if I don't share it. Three people have been brutally murdered. BRUCE I apologize, I had no idea. GORDON You don't get out much do you? BRUCE I maintain a healthy level of detachment. GORDON But your father didn't. He wouldn't turn down anyone in need of help. BRUCE If you've come to lecture me about my not living up to my father's legacy, I can assure you there's nothing you can say I haven't already heard. GORDON (Patience thinning) Your father saved David Falcone's life from a bullet wound here in this house. His son, Roman Falcone, runs this city. Several victims of the Holiday has been a member of the Falcone family. The start of the killings coincide with your return to Gotham, would you care to comment on that coincidence? BRUCE No. I wouldn't. Are you coming into my home and accusing me of murder, Detective Gordon is it? Is that the best Gotham PD could come up with? GORDON I apologize for any offense, I'm just doing my job. BRUCE I think we're finished here. Good luck on your case Gordon, sounds like you'll need it. Alfred will show you out. (Leaves) Alfred enters. GORDON I think I'll take that Irish coffee now. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Batman on a motorcycle, zipping through the streets. BATMAN (V.O.) It's the night before Father's Day. The city is on edge. EXT. BUILDING - NIGHT Batman is perched atop a terrace, looking across the street at a window. Figures move around inside. BATMAN (V.O.) Gordon and Dent brought in Sal Maroni. They can hold him for 24 hours. Maybe they'll save a life. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon alternate pacing the room and confronting a seated SAL MARONI. Sal Maroni is a weasely looking man in his forties. He has a practiced cool in these situations, he's not worried about the outcome. DENT You're wasting my time denying it Maroni. We know it was you. MARONI Listen pal, I ain't denying or confirming that I may or may not have killed someone in my day. But this, this has no class. I ain't a freak, you understand. There's something to be said about respect and honor amongst thieves, so to speak. GORDON We can hold you for twenty-four hours. We intend to exercise that right. MARONI Whatever floats your boat pal. Just make sure you got room in the morgue for the next body, me being here don't change a thing. INT. GCPD BUILDING - HALLWAY - NIGHT Gordon walks down the hallway, a file in his hand. Loeb intercepts him. LOEB A word Detective Gordon. GORDON Yes sir. LOEB Sal Maroni is a personal friend of mine, and a trusted source, so may I ask why he is being held in a cell here in my building, without my express written consent? GORDON He's a suspect. LOEB Sal Maroni is an asset. Therefore, not a suspect. GORDON We'll know tomorrow. Gordon brushes past Loeb. LOEB And about that report you filed. Flass is an outstanding officer, and your claims are baseless. Keep testing me, and I'll have your goddamn head on a platter. INT. HARVEY DENT'S OFFICE - NIGHT We see the closed door of Dent's office. The lights are out. The door opens, Dent walks in flipping on a light, EDWARD NIGMA sits at Dent's desk, feet on the desk. EDWARD NIGMA is an FBI agent, and a young one. He's a prodigy of sorts, arrogant perhaps to a fault, but brilliant nonetheless. He has no hesitation speaking his mind. He is tall, wiry, and elusive. His intelligence allows him to play games with others. DENT Agent Nigma, I presume? NIGMA I do like to make an entrance. District Attorney Harvey Dent and Detective Jim Gordon. A pleasure. GORDON I'm sure. DENT How can we help you? NIGMA I'm afraid you can't. I've reviewed your file on the case, and to put it kindly at best you've been bashing your head against the wall, at worst you're incompetent. I've done my research, I might be looking at the only clean public servants in this city, so I assume your intentions are good, but good intentions alone a solved case does not make. DENT Have you ever worked on a case like this? NIGMA Experience is overrated. I like puzzles, riddles, I find them intriguing. I enjoy going through the machinations of solving it, the Rubik's cube if you will. What you two are doing is peeling off the stickers, plugging them back on and calling it done. It's insulting. Sal Maroni isn't the Holiday Killer anymore than I am. GORDON What makes you so sure? NIGMA Common sense. Logic. Powers of deduction. It's obvious. DENT We're still holding him the 24 hours. He'll get out at 11:59 tomorrow. Father's Day will be over. We'll know then if he is or isn't. NIGMA In the meantime, another innocent person will die. CUT TO: A montage of Father's Day. A mixture of Gordon driving, Dent pensively looking out his window, Maroni behind bars, Batman on his motorcycle. This should only last the first half of Gordon's voiceover, not very long. EXT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT Gordon pulls up in a car, gets out and closes the door behind him. He walks to his front door, the pressure has drained him. GORDON (V.O.) It's Father's Day. Everybody is watching. We're watching for Holiday. The city is watching us. Talking heads say maybe we shouldn't catch him. Feds are involved. Like a black mirror, Gotham City will shroud you in shadow if you stare too long. I'm afraid I've gazed into the abyss too long, and the abyss is looking back. But I'm afraid to look away. Every time you try to get some purchase, the city changes beneath you, surprising you in new, terrible ways. Father's Day is over. Maroni was in jail. There has been no killing. It's not enough to convict him, but damn if it doesn't feel good. Gordon reaches his door. There is an envelope taped to the front. It reads "Dad." Gordon opens it. There is an inscription on the inside of the card. JAMES (V.O.) (The card is being read in Gordon's head in his son's voice) Happy Father's Day Dad. I didn't do anything special for you. It's what I didn't do that makes it special. James. GORDON (V.O.) ...and there goes Gotham again... shifting right beneath my feet. INT. JAIL - NIGHT Maroni is being released from jail. He receives his personal effects from the clerk. He walks with a smugness, as a victor. He leaves through the front door, the night is dark, quiet. EXT. JAIL - NIGHT Maroni descends the steps, breathing in the air. A figure approaches. We see a closeup of a nippled gun. Maroni turns. The gun fires. Maroni falls. INT. DENT'S OFFICE - DAY Nigma, Gordon, and Dent are in the office. Dent and Gordon look gassed. This is not only exhausting them, but now threatening their pride. NIGMA I hate to say I told you so. GORDON The MO's changed. It's not just Falcones now. NIGMA What about this Batman character? DENT He's been seen. Involved in stopping muggings, assaults, robberies, and attempted murders. He's apprehended a lot of suspects for us. Between him and the Holiday, we might be out of a job. NIGMA He's a vigilante Dent. He is our number one suspect. Murdering criminals is just another type of vigilantism. GORDON There's an outstanding warrant for the arrest of the Batman. NIGMA You can't catch him. You'll have to solve the riddle of the Batman. Gordon I'd like you to go to Arkham Asylum, there's a young woman, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, who is making quite a name for herself in the psychological field. EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - NIGHT Gordon exits his car. The gates and fence of Arkham Asylum loom high above. Gordon looks up apprehensively. BATMAN (O.S.) Gordon. Gordon halts. Batman looms in the shadows. BATMAN You're here to see Dr. Quinzel. About Holiday. GORDON You're the number one suspect. A vigilante. BATMAN You need my help. GORDON I'm going to need more than your word that you're not behind this. BATMAN I'm on your side. GORDON Then why the suit? Why not a gun and badge, or something. What makes us different? BATMAN Deep down you're essentially a good person. Deep down I'm not. INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - DR. QUINZEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT DR. HARLEEN QUINZEL sits at her desk sorting through papers. Dr. Harleen Quinzel is a young, attractive woman, with a fierce intelligence. Her intelligence allows a playful side, as she sees the humor in things. She speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent, hair in a ponytail, glasses on her face. Gordon appears outside the door and knocks. The door pushes open a little. GORDON Dr. Quinzel I'm Lieutenant Gordon, we spoke earlier. QUINZEL Please come in. GORDON I'm sorry to disturb you at such a late hour. QUINZEL Nonsense, everyone's been talking about it anyway. Now it'll be constructive. GORDON I understand you're a leading psychologist in the field of pathological criminals. QUINZEL It's a little broader than that, but yes, I specialize in the psychological profiling of the criminal element. GORDON My apologies, I'm a little out of my element doctor. We're looking for something, anything you can tell us about what this Holiday Killer is, a profile. QUINZEL It's hard to say. Like all serial killers, he wants to be caught. That explains the trademark gun, and nipple. But it's also crude, simple. Everything about the killings are very cold, calculated, detached. What's interesting is the differences in the killing of Maroni, there wasn't nearly the brutality. Maroni was killed in public. Not moved like the other bodies. The vicinity of the shot is much closer, suggesting more... emotion. GORDON Suggesting? QUINZEL Impossible to know, without.... more killings. GORDON Not an eventuality I'm hoping for. One more thing doctor... Batman? QUINZEL Something very interesting about a grown man who dresses up like a flying rodent. Past trauma splitting into two identities... He's fascinating. Anyway, would make a hell of a paper. I'm currently writing one on the gentlemen in the next room. We see through a window into a dark room. A shrouded figure sits at a chair. GORDON What's his story? QUINZEL Hard to say. He doesn't really fit into any psychological profile, or he fits into all of them... He does have a great sense of humor though. GORDON He have a name? QUINZEL If he does he's not sharing. No history. I've taken to calling him Mr. J. EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - NIGHT DR. JONATHAN CRANE exits the building with a briefcase in hand. BATMAN Crane. Batman steps out of the darkness. CRANE You're more terrifying in person. EXT. GOTHAM CITY- NIGHT Batman moves through back alleys and across rooftops, making his way toward Wayne Manor. CRANE (V.O.) People get married because they're scared of dying alone. They have children because they're scared they won't leave behind anything important. They go to doctors because they're scared of dying. You wear a mask... what are you afraid of? BATMAN (V.O.) The truth is, I'm crazier than any of them in Arkham. Batman is a fine line. And if I cross it, I'll bring all of Gotham down with me. Glass shattering is heard off screen. BATMAN (V.O.) I'm already in motion. My joints are stiff. Lactic acid burns my muscles. As I get closer to the source the adrenaline takes over. I don't feel anything. Batman jumps into the middle of an alley. A woman and a man step out from a corner. They are armed with martial arts type weapons (ulongs, knife) BATMAN (V.O.) I realize too late it's a trap. Batman crouches low in a fighting stance. They attack. Batman skillfully avoids the first several attacks, using jujitsu to use their force against them. Batman is weary, this is not a perfect outing. Batman is caught with a brass-knuckled fist across the face, he stumbles back. Batman's face is bloodied and determined. The fight rages on. We don't see the end of it. INT. DENT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Dent, Gordon, and Nigma confer around Dent's desk. An air of tension rests over the men. They are tired, frustrated, and at their wits' end. DENT Two shots to the head. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. GORDON God damn it Dent! Now's not the time. NIGMA There have been... some rumors Mr. Dent. GORDON You can't pin this on the Batman. He doesn't use a gun. NIGMA An absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. GORDON Speaking in damn riddles again. DENT Rumors Mr. Nigma? NIGMA Don't play dumb Dent. All the families are talking. They say you killed Maroni. DENT There were no witnesses. NIGMA You made sure of that. DENT (Standing up) Like hell I did you son of a bitch! NIGMA There are also rumors of the Batman having a source on the inside. The rumors are piling up Mr. Dent. DENT Are you saying I'm the source? What the hell kind of proof do you have? NIGMA (Smiles) The tail does not wag the dog Mr. Dent. INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Bruce Wayne is sleeping, sprawled out on the bed. He is shirtless, deep bruises and lacerations are aplenty on his skin. Alfred enters. ALFRED Master Bruce. Bruce wakes up. He stirs, groggily coming to. BRUCE How long have I been out? ALFRED Two days. Fifty-two hours to be exact. BRUCE What's the date? ALFRED July 3rd. Bruce rolls out of the bed, onto the floor, on his back. He gives a look to Alfred, who stands on Bruce's feet, as he begins doing crunches. BRUCE I can-- ALFRED You needed the rest. I won't hear of anything else. BRUCE Tomorrow is-- ALFRED I am well aware of the date, and the significance. Hence, my decision to let you sleep. BRUCE Some things never change. ALFRED Have you heard of the Stanford Prison Experiment? BRUCE Stanford 1971, Philip Zimbardo. Within six days guards, prisoners, and superintendent became lost in the experiment and internalized their roles. Guards exhibited genuine sadistic characteristics. Prisoners forgot they had the choice to leave. They accepted degradation, abuse. ALFRED Yes sir, that is correct. BRUCE What's your point? (Sits up) Are you suggesting Batman is in danger of becoming a guard? ALFRED Quite the opposite sir. That Bruce Wayne could become a prisoner. INT. DENT HOME - BASEMENT - NIGHT Harvey Dent is seated in a workshop in his basement. He is pouring over case files. Papers are strewn around. GILDA DENT enters. Gilda is Harvey's wife. A small, pretty, unobtrusive woman. She is supportive, but has a sad note underneath her face and voice, in the eyes. Being married to Harvey hasn't been easy. GILDA Harvey? Harvey are you down here? DENT What's up? GILDA Jim Gordon just called. Not much of a lead from Arkham. DENT Damn Nigma. Waste of time. GILDA I'm scared Harvey. I'm scared some night that phone is going to ring and... and it'll be someone calling to tell me that you... that you're... DENT (Hugs her) That's not going to happen. GILDA (Noticing something over his shoulder) What's that? DENT (Turning) What's what? A .22 pistol with a baby's bottle nipple over the barrel tip. GILDA On your workbench. Harvey that's one of the guns isn't it? Like the killer in the papers. "Holiday." DENT It's evidence. We're working on this case nonstop. We have to stop him. Her. It. GILDA Harvey. I'm your wife. Talk to me. Since when do you bring evidence home from the office? DENT What are you asking me? GILDA Harvey. DENT What are you asking me?! I'm the District Attorney. I do it all the time. GILDA All the time? HARVEY Are we having this discussion?... I'm getting some sleep. (Goes to exit) GILDA Harvey. I don't see you. Tell me what to do. HARVEY I'm sorry. But until Holiday and Falcone are off the streets... Gotham needs me. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to you. (Exits) GILDA (Picking up the gun) Whatever it takes to get you back Harvey. EXT. GOTHAM CITY - JULY 4TH - NIGHT Batman looks up at fireworks, the colors gleaming off the suit. BATMAN (V.O.) Freedom. Fear. Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free. INT. HARVEY DENT'S OFFICE - JULY 4TH - NIGHT Dent sits looking out the windows. The colors flood through the blinds on an intensely focused Dent. DENT (V.O.) Independence Day. Gotham City is still under the tyranny of crime. As long as it is not free, neither am I. I must liberate Gotham. EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT Gordon is picking a lock on a door. GORDON (V.O.) This investigation is going nowhere. Loeb is intentionally dragging his feet to protect criminals. Nigma has his head up his ass. The door opens. Gordon enters slowly. GORDON (CONT'D) I'm going to solve this case. It starts with James. I have to know. If he's doing it, there has to be evidence here. Drawers open. Shelves are rummaged. Doors are opened. Furniture is moved. Nothing. Gordon opens the basement door. He flips the light switch. Nothing happens. He starts down the stairs. His walkie startles the silence. WALKIE All units, robbery in progress, Gotham City Bank. Gordon stops, and leaves. The shot hangs, looking down into the dark room. INT. FALCONE HOME - NIGHT The nippled gun. A gloved hand. The back of a masked head. A baroque room. A large desk. An open window. Blowing curtains. FALCONE (O.S.) I thought I might get the pleasure of meeting you. Two cronies jump the gunmen. The gun drops. Falcone sitting at his desk. ROMAN FALCONE is the head of the Falcone family. A mob boss. Cool, brutal, and smart. He has a mediterranean look, and piercing eyes. The two cronies jostle the masked hitman toward Falcone. A coin falls out of the masked man's jacket. Falcone rises and picks it up, smiling, he fingers it. FALCONE What's the most you've ever lost on a coin toss? INT. FLASS' OFFICE - POLICE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT Blackness. A gunshot. A crashed window. Batman. Batman lands in the office. Flass is dead. A dark figure moves toward the door. The chase is on. CUT TO: An empty, dark hallway. The echoes of footsteps. They grow closer for several seconds. A dark figure rounds the corner. He runs by us. He is out of our sight. Batman rounds the same corner. In pursuit. CUT TO: EXT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT Batman bursts through the door. He is alone. A POV shot. The shot changes colors. Suggesting a scanning by Batman of different reading such as infrared, ultraviolet, etc... Echoes coming from the building. Voices shouting "freeze" and "stop." Batman turns and exits our view. He is fleeing. INT. FLASS' OFFICE - DAY The office is now a crime scene. Crime scene tape is up. There is blood on the desk. Gordon and Nigma confer. NIGMA One shot to the head. Couldn't have happened to a worse person. GORDON This is the police department. How does he get in? NIGMA That's hardly a riddle Jimmy. (To the officers working the scene) Give us a minute. (To Gordon) Your whereabouts last night? GORDON (Lies) Home. Asleep. First time in days. NIGMA Either your people are blind as a bat, and let the Batman walk right into this station, or a cop killed Flass. And your history with Flass. It's compelling to say the least. GORDON I'm not going to dignify that with a response. NIGMA Classy Gordon, I like that about you. All the eyewitness accounts see Batman leaving, not arriving. Why? GORDON He came in through the window. NIGMA Or maybe like your Peter Pan killer, that's a mislead. Where was Harvey Dent? GORDON Where is Harvey Dent? NIGMA Indeed. One of the two of you are likely the Batman, methinks. GORDON You're supposed to be working to identify and apprehend the Holiday. Not the Batman. NIGMA Batman is Holiday. I'll either catch the Bat, or the lunatic who dresses up as him. It's only a matter of time. INT. DENT HOME - NIGHT Gilda sits staring out the window. She is troubled. Harvey has been missing for days. THE BASEMENT. Gilda walks down to the basement. A noise. She turns. Startled. GILDA H-Harvey? Is that you?... Harvey you've come back. You've come-- BATMAN Where is your husband Mrs. Dent? GILDA I don't know... I don't know. I--I don't know where he is. I hardly know what to do without him. BATMAN Mrs. Dent-- GILDA It's your fault you know? That he's gone. Ever since you've shown up, something changed. BATMAN You know why we have to find him don't you? We found a gun. A .22 in a briefcase in his office, with the serial numbers filed off, a bottle nipple. The weapon Holiday uses. GILDA He said he brought it home from the office. BATMAN In the grooves of the vise on your husband's workbench. There are metal filings. Gun metal. GILDA Please find him. Find my Harvey. (She exits) EXT. GOTHAM PARK - NIGHT Gordon walks solemnly next to the Gotham River. His head is lowered. He reaches down, and skips a rock across the water. JAMES I've always liked parks. I have good memories. GORDON I'll always see you at that age. As my boy. JAMES It's called Helmut-Greeble Phenomenon actually. Or the "Glacier Effect." As in your brain preserves your memory of a past acquaintance the same way a glacier preserves dead remains. GORDON You're my son. Not an acquaintance. JAMES I know you're suspicious of me Father. I'm grateful you are. Truthfully, if you weren't skeptical of me at this point I'd probably question your police skills. (Pause) That was a joke. GORDON I have good memories as well. In parks. Do you remember the picnic we had? You, me, your mother, Barbara... and that other boy. JAMES Ben Wolff. GORDON Ben Wolff. He took your glasses and buried them. Babs pushed him in the pond for it. I remember now. What a jerk kid. Quite a kid, your sister. JAMES We were all just kids. Ben actually lives here in Gotham. He's a pharmaceutical representative. Apparently a booming business in Gotham. He lives on the East side. He was as nice as could be. Funny, the way some people take a while to grow into the people they're going to be. GORDON While others never... change. JAMES Do you think I've changed, or remained the same? GORDON I'm not sure James... I'm not sure which would be better... or worse. INT. FALCONE HOME - NIGHT Falcone sits at his desk. A bottle of champagne sits in front of him. As well as a stack of money. BATMAN Celebrating Mr. Falcone? FALCONE The Holiday situation has been handled. And my chief rival is out of the picture. So yes, yes I am. I'm glad you stopped by, I was hoping to meet you. So that we could talk. This city is turning into a freakshow. Serial killers with cutesy nicknames. Now you. Crime used to have some honor to it. Class. BATMAN A killer in a suit is still a killer. FALCONE I'm not denying what I am. I'm not the one in the mask. BATMAN Where's Harvey Dent? FALCONE So, you figured out your golden boy has fallen off the wagon?... He was alive when he left here. All I did was make sure his outside was as freakish on the outside as he is on the inside. BATMAN Harvey Dent isn't Holiday. FALCONE Maybe he's not. Maybe I am. Maybe you are. Any man that comes uninvited into my home, will get a similar welcome. If you catch my drift. Maybe it's the champagne, but I'm in a good mood. I'm going to give you a chance to go. To get a head start. BATMAN You've eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. It's spirit. Your feast is nearly over. You're no longer safe. FALCONE Let me tell you a story. When I was young, I wanted to expand my father's business from New York to Metropolis. I set up shop. Small time stuff. There was one day, I was boosting a car, when whoosh, in an instant, I'm a thousand feet above the city. The big, blue boyscout. "Son," he said. Clouds drifting below my feet. "You don't want to go down this road. Trust me." I couldn't get over how fast it'd happened. It put the fear of god in me. I swore I'd never go back to Metropolis. Not for one day. That's what I'm trying to tell you. In Metropolis gods walk the streets. But Gotham? It's a city of men. And under that mask, you're a man. Same as me. You bleed like I do. I set that trap for you the other day. The two assassins. I wanted to see just how much of a man you were after I got your little message. You did not disappoint... I am ruled by god... but I rule men. And you are a man. (Pulls out a gun) And you will die like one. The gun fires. Batman shrugs a slug to the chest off. He closes in on Falcone. Gripping him by the throat. BATMAN I'm no god. I'm much worse. Tell me everything about Dent! FALCONE I burned his face! But he's alive! He's alive! I swear! EXT. STREET - NIGHT Batman zooms through the streets on a motorcycle. BATMAN (V.O.) Alfred, search Gotham hospitals. John Does with severe facial burns. ALFRED (V.O.) I'll do you one better. I'll match the John Doe and raise you an escaped patient, who during the escape stabbed two nurses, one is critical. BATMAN (V.O.) Dent. EXT. DRAINAGE DITCH - NIGHT A broken and bandaged Harvey Dent trudges through a gutter aimlessly. One half of his face and head are wrapped in gauze and bandages. DENT (V.O.) Some people go to the beach to forget their problems. They can watch the waves for hours. I understand the fascination. There's a pattern. Then, there is no pattern. Like flipping a coin. We want it all to mean something. Order, structure. We want to find the pattern. But in the end, it's just waves. I understand that now. (He is fingering a coin) This was my father's. His lucky coin. It's all I have left of him. It's all that is left of me. Of Harvey Dent. Harvey Dent believed in order. I believe in the coin. He flips the coin. And catches it. The scarred side of the coin faces up. DENT (Delicately) I'm sorry Gilda. (Grimly) And more so for the Roman. INT. LOEB'S OFFICE - DAY Loeb is standing at a filing cabinet, while Gordon is seated. LOEB The only reason you were ever made a detective or on this case is I needed to scratch Dent's back. But, he's gone, poof. Taken care of. And now it's your turn. I have an eyewitness report of you breaking and entering into a home. But that's really not even the point. You see, you're a suspect in the ongoing investigation of the murder of Detective Flass. GORDON What evidence do you have?! LOEB (Holding up a piece of paper) Exhibit A. What I'm calling a baseless, slanderous, and downright malicious attack on Flass in the form of this so-called report you filed. Motive, check. GORDON It'll never hold up. LOEB Don't underestimate me. Your gun and badge please. You're relieved of duty. Gordon places them on the desk. GORDON I followed up on that sex trafficking bust Flass and I did. Talked to some guys. Followed the money. My report is sitting on the Assistant DA's desk. Your name is all over it. I thought you should know. EXT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY Bruce Wayne sits in the grass. A cool breeze blows. It is dusk. He is meditative. Alfred approaches. ALFRED If I didn't know better, I'd say you looked at peace. BRUCE Trying to clear my head. The answer is right in front of me, I'm just not seeing it. ALFRED Peculiar month August. No major national holidays. BRUCE That makes him unpredictable. ALFRED No national holidays. However, there is an unofficial holiday here in Gotham. It's called the Roman Holiday. It is the birthday of one Alberto "Roman" Falcone. August 31st. BRUCE I'm going to stop him. INT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT Gordon is up late again. A cup of coffee sits in front of his computer. He stares ahead wearily. GORDON (V.O.) Call it a hunch. Intuition. Morbid curiosity. But I don't believe in coincidence. COMPUTER SCREEN. The name Ben Wolff is typed. GORDON (V.O.) Missing persons report filed a few days ago. My stomach drops. Do I believe in coincidence? BATMAN (Appearing from shadows) I know where the Holiday is going next. GORDON I'm not a cop anymore. BATMAN Neither am I. Are you willing to let more people die? GORDON What do you got? BATMAN August 31st. The Roman Holiday. Gotham tradition. A crime family celebration. Holiday is going after the Roman. GORDON Its probably nothing, but, I happen to share a birthday with the Roman. BATMAN Holiday won't be coming for you. GORDON I'm not so sure. I don't believe in-- BATMAN --Coincidence. I can't be in two places at once. GORDON I've begun to wonder. I can take care of myself. They reach a silent agreement. INT. LOEB'S OFFICE - NIGHT Loeb stands across from a small group of officers in SWAT like equipment. LOEB I need you men to complete a simple task. Eliminate Jim Gordon. It's a pity to resort to such brute tactics, but I really have no choice. INT. FALCONE HOME - ROMAN HOLIDAY - NIGHT Roman Falcone walks down a hallway, he is patted on the back and told "happy birthday" by party-goers. BEDROOM. Roman places his glass on a desk, and walks over to the window. He gazes out the window. FALCONE The stars are beautiful over Gotham. Letting you live was a mistake. One I will not repeat. Dent walks into the shot from the shadows. DENT (Holding up a gun, removes the nipple) No reason to be quiet anymore. FALCONE What is this? DENT What needs to be done. How much longer did you think I would let you and your family tear Gotham City in half? Splitting it between good and evil. My city. FALCONE I'll burn it down before I let a freak have it. DENT You're a criminal Falcone. You've been in court so many times you could probably pass the bar. You know justice has two sides. Innocent or guilty. Like this coin. Clean. Or scarred. (Flips the coin up) Call it. Falcone pulls a gun from his jacket and shoots Dent. Catching him in the shoulder. Dent falls to a knee. The coin hits the ground scarred side up. DENT My lucky day. Dent shoots Falcone in the leg. Falcone drops the gun, and staggers backward. Dent closes the gap. His gun hovers close to Falcone's temple. A batarang sticks to the wall above Falcone's head. BATMAN Harvey. DENT (Using Falcone as a human shield) Harvey is gone. Two-Face is more like it don't you think? BATMAN Or Holiday... Let him go. TWO-FACE The courts will send them all back to prison or Arkham. They will escape. And we have the same problem. Again. And again. BATMAN If you pull that trigger, how are you different from the Roman? TWO-FACE That's rhetoric. You know the system doesn't work. Or else why would you do what you do? Justice can be decided like the flip of a coin. Two shots ring out. Falcone is dead. BATMAN Two shots to the head. TWO-FACE Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. BATMAN What've you done? TWO-FACE Falcone should've killed me. When I came here I should've been a dead man walking. Instead he turned me into the walking dead. BATMAN Give me the gun. TWO-FACE I did what needed to be done. For now. BATMAN You'll never convince me of that. TWO-FACE There won't be any judges to be bribed. No witnesses who will disappear. The Roman is dead. I killed him. BATMAN I can get you help. TWO-FACE Coming from you? BATMAN You betrayed everything you believe in. TWO-FACE Not everything. I'm going to turn myself in. We'll see how the law and order handle Harvey Dent. Batman goes to leave. TWO-FACE You know don't you? There were two Holiday killers. Batman is gone. INT. GORDON'S HOME - NIGHT FADE IN SLOWLY. Gordon is tied to a chair. A knife sticks out of his thigh. He slowly regains consciousness. James is bent over in front of him. He has a party hat on. JAMES Happy b-day pops. GORDON (Drowsily) James...? GORDON It's your surprise party. Barbara called while you were out. She left a very lovely voicemail. I can see why you loved her more than me. I've thought about it pretty often over the years. Honestly, I think it's because she's so different from me. I was the first. You got it right the second time. She always went around with her heart on her sleeve. She is genuinely nice. It's not an act. She cared about everyone. And me... I'm different. Of course, eventually, like any kid, I stopped worrying and just accepted who I was. Learned to go with it, I guess. I was telling the truth about checking myself in to get help. The medication worked. I actually felt things. For people. Not like you do, but a pinch of empathy. And I realized something. Something big. GORDON What are-- JAMES What I realized was, well I'd always thought there was something wrong with me. That I was damaged. Now I see that it is everyone else that is wrong in the head. Men free of compassion, we're the strong ones. More highly evolved. Which is why I came back. To beat you. At your own game. Gotham is a city of Nightmares. Do you remember when mom said that? When the Wayne family was killed? She was right. Not in a simple scary boogeyman way. Gotham gives you a vision of yourself at your weakest. This Batman, he tries to shape Gotham out of obsession or some pathological need. But you, you do it out of compassion. Empathy. Out of weakness. You're the weakest man in Gotham. Gordon reaches for the knife in his leg. Blood has coagulated around the knife. JAMES I wouldn't touch that if I were you. It's lodged in your femoral artery. If you pull it out, you'll die within a couple minutes. I am your worst nightmare dad. I'm the face you see in the glass. In the black mirror. A man with no conscience. No empathy. GORDON (Coming to) I'm going to disappoint you James. It doesn't take anything extraordinary to see that you're a psychopath. JAMES When did you know? I mean really know? GORDON Maybe I've always known. JAMES That's awfully abstract. GORDON And here I thought you were different. From all the others. I've heard about the big bad villains in Metropolis. That's what always scared me about you. Because I knew when you came for me there wouldn't be any grandstanding. There wouldn't be any speeches or crazy traps with vats of acid or kryptonite. You'd just appear in my bedroom one night and your hands would be at my throat. But, it appears I was wrong about you. James reaches down and pulls the knife out of Gordon's leg, and drops it on the ground. JAMES No. You've always been right. That's what I love about you. Relax dad, breathe in, breathe out. I'm going to make your life mean something. A loud CRASH is heard off screen. The door has been kicked in. Three men pour in, the men Loeb sent. James turns. He is shot. Riddled with three bullets. He falls. Dead. Gordon is in shock. He looks up from the chair. He is losing blood. FLATFOOT Looks like he beat us to you. No matter. Batman drops into the frame. The cops turn. There is a fight. Batman disarms and defeats the three cops. Batman turns. Gordon is slumped over in the chair unconscious. EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT Several weeks have passed. Gordon and Batman stand atop a roof. Gordon is on crutches. They are silent a moment. Gordon fingers his badge. He has been reinstated. BATMAN Was it worth it? GORDON Hmm? BATMAN Bringing down the Roman. What it cost... GORDON If you're asking me "Did the good guys win?" Yes, the good guys won Batman. But I won't know if it was worth it for a very long time... Batman drops off the rooftop. Nigma enters. GORDON Agent Nigma. NIGMA You know, you remind me of my father Gordon. My father hated me. Always called me a moron. I was determined to prove him wrong, so I entered a contest at school. A twenty dollar prize to the kid who could solve an almost impossible logic problem. I won, of course... he was convinced I had cheated. He kept yelling, "You must have cheated! Admit it, you moron, you cheated!" I swore i didn't, and he hit me for lying. GORDON Dent isn't the Batman Nigma. NIGMA Then who is?!I'm not leaving Gotham until I have an answer to the riddle. GORDON I see without seeing. Darkness is as clear as day. What am I? Gordon leaves. NIGMA Who am I?... Gordon. Gordon stops. NIGMA It turns out my dad was right. I cheated. INT. DENT HOME - NIGHT Gilda is packing. The house is cluttered with boxes. She is packing. She takes one box in particular and places it in the fireplace. GILDA (V.O.) Harvey... I'm doing what needs to be done... Do you remember, you promised? We would finally have time together. When you didn't have so much work to do. I read your case files. I found the gun in the basement. You told me it was evidence. But, I knew. You had an idea. So we could have time together. A child. A secret. You are my Apollo. You can do no wrong. I believe in you Harvey. There won't be any evidence to convict you. She sets it on fire. EXT. WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT The graves of the Waynes. Bruce stands over them. Alfred stands beside him looking down. ALFRED Sir, Mr. Cobblepot has been named new head of the board of directors of Wayne Enterprises. And one Hugo Strange is the new police commissioner after the indictment of former Commissioner Loeb. There have also been reports of serial cat burglaries in the city... And your friend Gordon has reopened a number of cold cases, among them, the murder of your parents. BRUCE Nothing haunts me more than finding out who killed my parents. I've dedicated my life to stopping the criminal who killed them, regardless of the face he wears. The form is of no consequence. I'll read the full dossiers later. I'd like to be alone for a moment. Alfred turns and goes. Bruce looks down at the graves. The shot lingers for a good 10 seconds. It is a mystery what he could be thinking. EXT. GOTHAM CITY - NIGHT Batman is perched high above the city. He stands. BATMAN I made a promise to my parents that I would rid the city of the evil that took their lives. No matter what that evil looks like or becomes. I believe someday I will make good on that promise. I have to. I believe in Batman. Batman drops off the ledge. The shot rises into a dark night sky. FADE TO BLACK. THE END.