For a long time I have mocked one of my best friends because of his love for comic books. Reading a book with pictures seems so 3rd grade. And while I still, to this day have never read a graphic novel, I cannot help but be captivated by stories about superheroes. Gone are the days of a naïve focus on the superpower of the superhero. Today, I welcome the more mature, thematically-focused approach to such stories.
The more I watch Batman: The Dark Knight the more I love it. I love it because not only is it an entertaining movie, but it is a movie that is seeking to answer the question, “How do we overcome evil?” Sure, professors in ivory towers discuss how to solve “the problem of evil” philosophically, but what about the average citizen of Gotham city? It is one thing to have a solution worked out in our heads, it’s another thing to have evil visit our own doorstep.
Batman: The Dark Knight offers two ways to solve Gotham’s problem with evil. As the city begins to be rundown by mob men seeking to make a good chunk of change, Harvey Dent, Gotham’s District Attorney, steps in as the arm of the law. Dent seeks to bring about justice without compromise (or maybe a teensy-weensy bit of compromise) no matter the cost. Batman, on the other hand, is not burdened down with rules of a legal system and thus has more freedom to do what he wants in the name of justice.
Both Commissioner Gordon and Batman see hope in Harvey Dent. They both acknowledge that Gotham needs a lasting change that Batman can assist with, but never provide in full; Batman cannot provide such change because as Lucius Fox points out, Batman has “too much power for one man.” This is what Rachel Dawes explains to Dent at dinner with Bruce and his date. In support of Batman, Dent cites Rome as an example of one man taking over to provide justice. Dawes reminds Dent that Caesar never gave up the power that was granted to him and became a tyrant. Gordon and Batman turn to Dent as the hope of justice for Gotham City.
If the Joker were not involved in the story, either of these ways (the law or the hero) might prove to be effective in conquering evil. However, the Joker throws all of this off; with the Joker, there seems to be no sign victory over evil for the “good guys.” The Joker plays his cards right, and proves to be too much for Gordon and Batman: “[He] took Gotham’s white knight, and brought him down to [his] level.” The Joker explains that “madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.” Through the Joker, this movie is at least saying that evil is hard to put in a chokehold even for, as Batman states in reference to Dent, “the best of us.” Alfred says, “some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money…they can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” The reason evil usually defeats good is because evil does not play by the same rules. It’s chaotic! The Joker wins because everyone else is playing by “the rules.” When people think they have him cornered, he uses the trap door that no one else knew existed.
Have you ever tried to play a game with someone who cheats? You have two choice: (1) Cheat back or (2) Stop playing the game all together. The old adage, “Cheaters never win,” is a pipe dream. It is out of touch with reality. It’s more like, “Cheaters prevent non-cheaters from winning.”
So where am I going with all of this? Superhero movies reveal two things about our world:
1. Evil cannot be defeated by Law.
2. In desperate times, people will allow for a single man to provide justice, but we fear one man having too much power.
The Bible is a great place to find both of these realities at work. The people of Israel are called to be God’s special people and are given God’s special law. This law is meant to bring blessing and life. But the law proved to be unable to control the people as evil and sin still remained. When the people of Israel are finally given kings, their kings abuse their power by levying heavy taxes and stealing land from the people.
We have a hope of “Cheaters never winning,” with Jesus. The New Testament writers see Jesus as a person who overcame evil, even though it looked like evil got the best of him. Jesus’ willingness to die for God’s people shows that he is able to be trusted with all power and glory and honor and dominion. May we look to him with a steadfastness of hope!
“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin…” -Romans 8:3
this is awesome!
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