[ The Picture of Dorian Gray. An interesting quote to apply to this situation. The upper echelon is supposed to think the Bat is an urban legend cooked up by the Poorsโข to help them sleep better in their crappy neighborhoods. Considering Crane is bringing him up, he must not think so. ]
I didn't think an educated man like yourself would believe in fairytales.
[Beneath the myth and the legend, the Batman is a man caught in the struggle between good and evil, between courage and fear.]
Fairytales are like parables. Full of moral lessons and political statements from the time they were written. [He rolls his shoulders.] Perhaps the Batman presents himself as an urban legend because it's easier to work that way. Imagine what one could accomplish were half the city afraid.
[ Bruce takes a moment to consider what Crane is saying. Making the bad people afraid is what the Batman is built on. If they hesitate to attack another innocent family because they don't know if the Batman is watching? That's a win. He'd take it. He wanted people to be afraid if that's what it took to make them stop. ]
[Such a wholesome question from an innocent and honest patient. Crane retains his iron level of control. Showing no emotion. No excitement. Feeling afraid of people stopped working a long time ago. Now he watches them, categorises them, and files them into different areas of his life. Only a few files are kept open on his desk. The most fascinating. The most interesting.]
Not at all. I find him stimulating.
[Meaning he's someone worth finding time to study.]
[ There's always a question that lingers: What do you do with the ones who are not afraid? He'd found the answer in Robin's death. Seen it with perfect clarity. If they weren't afraid to stop, he would remove them from the board. He stares at Crane for a moment, eyes focused even while Robin is on the edges of his vision, smoke billowing from him like a campfire. He isn't afraid. What would Bruce do with him? ]
Who knows, Dr. Crane. Maybe he feels the same way about you.
[Hope is a psychological coping mechanism. He prefers cold, hard evidence.
But he sees Bruce watching and he stares back from the abyss. His gaze is cold and his emotions fluid, twisting around and unable to be pinned down. Whatever (whoever) dwells beneath remains obscure and undisturbed. Nietzsche is not his preferred philosopher but he finds the quote appropriate in the moment.]
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no subject
I didn't think an educated man like yourself would believe in fairytales.
no subject
[Beneath the myth and the legend, the Batman is a man caught in the struggle between good and evil, between courage and fear.]
Fairytales are like parables. Full of moral lessons and political statements from the time they were written. [He rolls his shoulders.] Perhaps the Batman presents himself as an urban legend because it's easier to work that way. Imagine what one could accomplish were half the city afraid.
no subject
Are you afraid of the Batman, Dr. Crane?
no subject
Not at all. I find him stimulating.
[Meaning he's someone worth finding time to study.]
no subject
Who knows, Dr. Crane. Maybe he feels the same way about you.
no subject
[Hope is a psychological coping mechanism. He prefers cold, hard evidence.
But he sees Bruce watching and he stares back from the abyss. His gaze is cold and his emotions fluid, twisting around and unable to be pinned down. Whatever (whoever) dwells beneath remains obscure and undisturbed. Nietzsche is not his preferred philosopher but he finds the quote appropriate in the moment.]