DENT
Gordon’s gone, Rachel.
RACHEL
He vouched for these men –
DENT
And he’s gone. The Joker’s named you next.
Rachel looks around the bullpen. Eyeing the detectives.
DENT
Rachel, I can’t let anything happen to you. I love you too much. Is there someone, anyone in this city we can trust?
RACHEL
Bruce. We can trust Bruce Wayne.
DENT
Rachel, I know he’s your friend but –
RACHEL
Trust me, Harvey, Bruce’s penthouse is now the safest place in the city.
DENT
Okay. Go straight there. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going. I’ll find you there.
Wider shows us we are –
INT. BASEMENT, CONDEMNED BUILDING – CONTINUOUS 145A
DENT
I love you.
Dent hangs up the phone. Taped to a chair in front of Dent – the Joker’s Thug, blindfolded. Dent rips off the blindfold …
EXT. FIRE ESCAPE – NIGHT 146
Maroni opens his eyes. Batman is holding him by the collar.
BATMAN
I want the Joker.
MARONI
(looks down)
From one professional to another – if you’re trying to scare someone, pick a better spot. From this height the fall wouldn’t kill me.
BATMAN
I’m counting on it.
Batman lets go. Maroni falls. And screams.
EXT. SIDEWALK – NIGHT 147
Maroni nails the pavement, clutches at his leg, which is badly broken. Batman flies down, landing over him – hauls him up. Maroni hollers in pain.
BATMAN
Where is he?
MARONI
I don’t know, he found us –
BATMAN
He must have friends.
MARONI
Friends? You met this guy?
BATMAN
Someone knows where he is.
Maroni looks up at Batman. Sneering.
MARONI
No one’s gonna tell you anything – they’re wise to your act. You got rules … the Joker, he’s got no rules. No one’s gonna cross him for you. You want this guy, you got one way. And you already know what that is. Just take off that mask and let him come find you.
Batman drops Maroni.
MARONI
Or you want to let a couple more people get killed while you make up your mind?
INT. BASEMENT, CONDEMNED BUILDING – NIGHT 148
Dent shows the Joker’s Thug a gun. Bullets. Loads the gun. Shoves it in his face.
DENT
You wanna play games?
Dent pushes the gun against the Thug’s head with real malice.
Pulls it away and fires. The Thug flinches. Dent puts the gun barrel against the Thug’s temple.
JOKER’S THUG
(rattled)
You wouldn’t …
Dent pulls his lucky coin out of his pocket.
DENT
No. I wouldn’t. That’s why I’m not going to leave it up to me. (Shows him coin.) Heads – you get to keep your head. Tails … not so lucky. So, you want to tell me about the Joker?
The Thug, scared, says nothing. Dent flicks the coin into the air, slaps it onto the back of his gun hand (aiming with wrist horizontal). Dent shows him the coin. Heads. The Thug exhales, shaking.
DENT
Go again?
JOKER’S THUG
(sobbing)
I don’t know anything!
DENT
You’re not playing the odds, friend.
Dent tosses the coin again. This time it doesn’t land. Dent looks up. Batman is there.
BATMAN
You’d leave a man’s life to chance?
DENT
Not exactly.
BATMAN
His name’s Schiff, Thomas. He’s a paranoid schizophrenic, a former patient at Arkham. The kind of mind the Joker attracts.
Batman moves away from Schiff.
What do you expect to learn from him?
Dent is shivering with frustration.
DENT
The Joker killed Gordon – and, and Loeb. He’s going to kill Rachel …
BATMAN
You’re the symbol of hope that I could never be. Your stand against organized crime is the first legitimate ray of light in Gotham for decades. If anyone saw this, everything would be undone – all the criminals you got off the streets would be released. And Jim Gordon will have died for nothing.
Batman hands Dent his lucky coin.
BATMAN
You’re going to call a press conference. Tomorrow morning.
DENT
Why?
BATMAN
No one else will die because of me. Gotham is in your hands, now.
DENT
You can’t! You can’t give in!
But Batman is gone.
INT. BEDROOM, WAYNE PENTHOUSE – NIGHT 149
Rachel watches Gotham through the window. Wayne enters.
RACHEL
Harvey called. He says Batman is going to turn himself in.
WAYNE
I have no choice.
RACHEL
You honestly think it’s going to stop the Joker from killing?
WAYNE
Perhaps not. But I’ve got enough blood on my hands. I’ve seen, now, what I would have to become to stop men like him.
Rachel looks at Wayne. She cannot help him.
WAYNE
You once told me that if the day came when I was finished …
Wayne moves towards her.
We’d be together.
RACHEL
Bruce, don’t make me your one hope for a normal life –
Wayne takes her in his arms.
WAYNE
But did you mean it?
RACHEL
Yes.
They kiss. Then separate. She looks sadly into his eyes.
RACHEL
But they won’t let us be together after you turn yourself in.
Wayne nods. Leaves. She watches him go.
INT. BAT-BUNKER – DAWN 149A
Alfred shovels documents into an incinerator – blueprints, designs, files. He pauses, looking down at a book.
ALFRED
Even the logs?
WAYNE
Anything that could lead back to Lucius or Rachel.
Alfred tosses the book on to the fire. Stares at Wayne.
WAYNE
People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do?
Alfred looks into Wayne’s eyes with a fearsome gaze.
ALFRED
Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They’ll hate you for it, but that’s the point of Batman … He can be the outcast. He can make the choice no one else can face. The right choice.
Wayne shakes his head.
WAYNE
Today I’ve found out what Batman can’t do. He can’t endure this. (Rueful smile.) Today you get to say ‘I told you so’.
ALFRED
Today, I don’t want to. (Beat.) Although I did bloody tell you.
Wayne sinks the Batsuit, Alfred closes the incinerator.
They head for the lift.
ALFRED
I suppose they’ll lock me up as well. Your accomplice.
WAYNE
Accomplice? I’m going to tell them the whole thing was your idea.
They power down, leaving the Bat-Bunker in darkness.
SCENE OMITTED 150
INT. PRESS ROOM, SUPERIOR COURT – DAY 151
A capacity crowd of Reporters, Cops and Public. Dent is at the podium. Wayne sits in the crowd.
dent
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming. I’ve called this press conference for two reasons. Firstly, to assure the citizens of Gotham that everything that can be done over the Joker killings is being done. Secondly,
because the Batman has offered to turn himself in –
The crowd reacts.
HECKLER
So where is he?!
DENT
But first. Let’s consider the situation: should we give in to this terrorist’s demands? Do we really think that –
REPORTER
You’d rather protect an outlaw vigilante than the lives of citizens?!
The crowd noisily assents. Dent calmly motions quiet.
DENT
The Batman is an outlaw …
INT. WAYNE PENTHOUSE – CONTINUOUS 152
Rachel is watching the press conference on TV.
DENT
(o.s.)
But that’s not why we’re demanding he turn himself in. We’re doing it because we’re scared. We’ve been happy to let Batman clean up our streets for us until now –
INT. PRESS ROOM, SUPERIOR COURT – CONTINUOUS 153
HECKLER
Things are worse than ever!
Wayne looks at the Heckler. At the angry crowd. Dent leans over the podium. Impassioned.
DENT
Yes. They are. But the night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming. (The crowd quiets.) One day, the Batman will have to answer for the laws he’s broken – but to us, not to this madman.
The crowd seems moved by his words. Then, a chant –
COP HECKLER
NO MORE DEAD COPS!!
Appreciative noise.
REPORTER
WHERE IS THE BATMAN?
People take up the chant. Dent has lost them. He knows it.
DENT
So be it. (Turns to Officers.) Take the Batman into custody.
At this, a hush descends. Wayne is sitting towards the back.
Hungry eyes scan the room. Wayne starts to rise … Dent offers his own wrists to the Officers.
DENT
I am the Batman.
A beat. Wayne stares.
INT. WAYNE PENTHOUSE – CONTINUOUS 154
Rachel stares as Dent is arrested on TV. Appalled.
INT. WAYNE PENTHOUSE – DAY 155
Rachel comes up to Alfred. Upset.
RACHEL
Why is he letting Harvey do this, Alfred?
ALFRED
I don’t know. He went down to the press conference –
RACHEL
And just stood by?!
ALFRED
Perhaps both Bruce and Mr. Dent believe that Batman stands for something more important than a terrorist’s whims, Miss Dawes, even if everyone hates him for it. That’s the sacrifice he’s making – to not be a hero. To be something more.
RACHEL
Well, you’re right about one thing – letting Harvey take the fall is not heroic.
Rachel holds out an envelope.
You know Bruce best, Alfred … Give it to him when the time is right.
ALFRED
How will I know?
RACHEL
It’s not sealed.
Alfred takes the envelope. Rachel gives him a kiss.
Goodbye, Alfred.
ALFRED
Goodbye, Rachel.
INT. CELL, MCU – EVENING 156
A Detective unlocks the cell and lets Rachel inside.
DENT
I’m sorry, I didn’t have time to talk this through with you.
RACHEL
Don’t offer yourself as bait, Harvey.
DENT
They’re transferring me to Central Holding. This is the Joker’s chance, and when he attacks, Batman will take him down.
RACHEL
No. This is too dangerous –
The Detective knocks. Dent rises.
EXT. COURTYARD MCU – EVENING 157
Detectives stare at Dent as he is led, shackled, to the waiting convoy. Stephens begins clapping – a handful join in, but most remain silent. Rachel follows him to the back of an armored vehicle.
RACHEL
He’s using you as bait – but he doesn’t know if he can get the Joker. He’s failed so far.
DENT
How do you know what he’s thinking?
RACHEL
(beat)
I just do, okay? Harvey, this isn’t just about you, what about all the people counting on you to turn this city around? Tell everyone the truth –
Dent kisses her. Pulls out his lucky coin.
DENT
Heads I go through with it.
RACHEL
This is your life … You don’t leave something like this to chance …
Dent tosses it at her – Rachel catches it. Looks. Heads.
DENT
(sincere)
I’m not.
She turns it over: it is double-headed. She looks up – the doors close on his smile. She shakes her head. Torn.
RACHEL
You make your own luck.
As SWATs file into the back of the support vehicles –
ACTING COMMISSIONER
We get this guy to County and he’s their problem. The streets along your route will be cleared. The convoy stops for no reason …
INT. ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 158
A SWAT with a shotgun climbs into the cab. Pulls on his mask. Looks over at the Driver, who’s already wearing his.
SHOTGUN SWAT
Hope you’ve got some moves.
EXT. TENTH AVENUE, DOWNTOWN – CONTINUOUS 159
The convoy rockets past a roadblock.
INT. ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 160
The SWATs are staring at Dent, fascinated. He smiles.
EXT. INTERSECTION – CONTINUOUS 161
An Officer holding up traffic. A truck pulls up.
OFFICER
You wait like everybody else, pal.
A shotgun blast sends the Officer flying. A second blast illuminates the shooter’s face: the Joker.
INT. LEAD PATROL CAR, CONVOY – CONTINUOUS 162
The SWAT behind the wheel of the lead black-and-white slows as he sees something burning in the intersection ahead.
EXT. AVENUE – CONTINUOUS 163
Overhead, a police helicopter checks the route, hovering above a burning fire truck, blocking the road.
INT. ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 164
The Driver is all business. The radio crackles.
RADIO
All units, be advised. All units will exit down Cheviot West and proceed north on Lower Fifth Avenue.
SHOTGUN SWAT
Lower Fifth? We’ll be like ducks in a barrel down there.
EXT. SURFACE STREETS – CONTINUOUS 165
The convoy disappears down the exit ramp.
EXT. LOWER FIFTH AVENUE – NIGHT 166
The convoy rolls through the subterranean streets. A garbage truck pulls up behind and casually swipes the rear vehicles of the convoy off the road …
INT. ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 167
SHOTGUN SWAT
Get us out of here!
The Driver nails the gas.
EXT. LOWER FIFTH – CONTINUOUS 167A
The garbage truck pushes hard on the armored car, ramming its rear bumper, forcing it forward.
SCENE OMITTED 168
INT. ARMORED CAR – NIGHT 169
The Driver watches the truck fill his rear-view. Shotgun SWAT picks up the radio.
SHOTGUN SWAT
We’ve got company back here –
EXT. LOWER FIFTH AVENUE – NIGHT 170
A second truck smashes into the SWAT van at the head of the convoy, smashing it through the concrete barriers and into the river. The truck is branded ‘LAUGHTER’ but an ‘S’ has been spayed at the front to make ‘SLAUGHTER’ with ‘HA, HA, HA’ all over the side …
The Joker’s truck dodges between the support columns and into the oncoming lane – pulls alongside the armored car.
The Driver looks over. The cargo door on the truck slides open. Inside, the Joker, holding a machine gun.
The armored car locks up its brakes, but the garbage truc
k pushes it forward as the Joker fires – bullets slamming into the side of the vehicle.
INT. REAR CABIN, ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 170A
Dent is calm as the SWATs flinch from the bullet indentations.
INT. UP FRONT, ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 170B
Shotgun SWAT stares at the Joker.
INT. REAR TRAILER OF TRUCK – NIGHT 171
The Joker drops his machine gun and picks up an RPG. He stops – sees something up ahead, racing towards the second truck – the Batmobile. The Joker stares, fascinated, as –
EXT. LOWER FIFTH – CONTINUOUS 172
The Batmobile plows straight into the second truck – the low-profile car sending the truck up into the concrete ceiling. The Batmobile carries on through, as the truck disintegrates.
INT. TRUCK – NIGHT 173
The Joker looks back to the Batmobile, amused.
JOKER’S THUG
Is that him?
THE JOKER
Anyone could be driving that thing – stay on Dent.
The Joker lines up his RPG and prepares to fire.
INT. ARMORED CAR – CONTINUOUS 173A
Shotgun SWAT’s eyes go wide at the Joker’s weapon. The Driver jams the brakes.
SCENE OMITTED 174
EXT. LOWER FIFTH – CONTINUOUS 174A
The armored car crashes back against the garbage truck, braking, scraping, slowing just enough. The RPG slams into the squad car in front of them and explodes – the armored car bursts through the fireball and continues.
SCENE OMITTED 175
EXT. LOWER FIFTH – CONTINUOUS 175A