Bruce Waynes Greatest Heroic Sacrifice Has Nothing To Do With Death

No matter how hard Batman fights, it seems that Gotham City will always need a protector. While most may think that Batman can't defend Gotham forever, Bruce Wayne, of course, finds a way. Instead of fighting to the death to save his city, Bruce sets up a system that lets him live forever as Gotham's only protector.

Batman unveils his surprising contingency plan in Detective Comics #27's story "Twenty-Seven" by Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy. This story explores the idea of Batman's ultimate contingency plan, which allows him to defend Gotham City forever. Every twenty-seven years, Batman clones a younger version of himself in his prime. That version of Bruce then takes over as Batman.

This cloning plan ensures that Gotham City always has a Batman at his peak, ready to fight the forces of evil that plague it. As Batman explains, Gotham City does have times of peace, but peace always eventually devolves back into chaos, and this plan allows Batman to be there as Gotham's protector, forever.

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"Twenty-Seven" from Detective Comics #27 by Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Matt Hollingsworth, and Steve Wands.

After losing his parents in Crime Alley, Batman devoted his life to fighting crime and saving the city that his parents loved. Many people have assumed that Batman would die for Gotham City, fighting an impossible war that he can't win. While even Batman himself admits this might be true, this contingency plan shows that death won't be Batman's ultimate sacrifice. By cloning himself over and over, Bruce can protect Gotham forever, but he's also left it open in case he ever changes his mind. After every clone awakens, they're explained the process and their choice.

Batman will always do his best to protect Gotham, and that's the true tragedy of this plan. Everyone always assumes that Batman's crusade will ultimately end with his death and that crime in Gotham City will continue on as always. But this isn't true: Batman isn't just laying down his life to die for Gotham City, he's also giving Gotham City his life, forever. Every clone is given the choice to either take on the mantle of Batman or to leave and live their own life as Bruce Wayne.

Batman Will Always Choose to Protect Gotham City

Gotham Will Always Have Its Dark Knight Protector

That's the ultimate tragedy of Batman's crusade in Gotham City. Crime will always be part of Gotham, no matter how many Batmen fight against both crime and supervillains. While there are moments of peace in Gotham, the villains always return. It would be easier for Batman to fight until the day he dies, but death won't solve anything. After Batman dies, crime will return. Batman's ultimate sacrifice here isn't his death: it's his life. Batman is admitting he'll never have a true retirement, and he'll never see the city truly saved. Batman isn't promising Gotham his death, he's promising the city his life.

Detective Comics #27 is available now from DC Comics!

Batman

One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.

Created By Bob Kane , Bill Finger

Alias Bruce Wayne

Alliance Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family

Race Human

FIRST APP Detective Comics #27 (1939)