The Monomyth Theory in Batman Begins

Joseph Campbell's theory of the monomyth, explained in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, suggests that there is a universal way of storytelling ingrained in the human brain. This theory proposes that myths from different cultures will bear similarities due to this shared internal plot. In general, humans have a natural inclination to narrate stories as a hero's journey with an underlying theme. Upon analysis, it can be observed that most books, TV shows, and movies follow the monomyth structure.

The 2005 film Batman Begins exemplifies this pattern through a series of events that ultimately revolve around the theme of confronting one's darkest fears. The journey commences with a call to adventure, where the hero receives news of a disturbance and embarks on a mission to restore balance to the world. In Batman Begins, this call to adventure is depicted through flashbacks showing the murder of Bruce's parents and the subsequent killing of their murderer following his appeal.

The movie depicts two events that happen years apart but are shown quickly one after the other.

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The murder of Bruce's parents leads to his initial hatred for Gotham's criminals. The second part of his calling occurs when the murderer of his parents is killed. It is important to note that Bruce would have shot the killer himself, but a hit man executed him to prevent him from revealing his employer's identity. Initially, this has little impact on the story, but it later provides insight into Bruce's character. After the killer's death, Bruce tries to confront the Falcone crime boss who ordered the hit, asserting that he is not afraid.

The boss derides him and his parents' death, throwing him out. This incident redirects Bruce's anger, which was initially focused solely on the thief who killed his parents, into a broader hatred for crime. While exploring the dark and dangerous parts of Gotham City, Bruce witnesses the devastating consequences of crime and the grim state of the city. At face value, this may not resemble a traditional call to adventure; however, it serves as a means for Bruce to become more attuned to his surroundings.

From a narrative perspective, these events function as a means to solicit assistance, similar to a simple call for help. Bruce embarks on a crusade against crime. Accordingly, the specifics of the call may differ from others, but this is essentially insignificant as long as the consequences remain unchanged. As Bruce embarks on his "quest" to comprehend and eradicate crime, he journeys to China where he is apprehended while associating with the very criminals he seeks to understand. During his captivity, an enigmatic group known as the league of shadows contacts him. As part of their initiation, he is tasked with scaling a mountain to retrieve a small blue flower, which he must then present at the temple. The league trains Bruce in hand-to-hand combat and the mastery of his deepest fears. Eventually, it is revealed that the blue flower is a vital ingredient in a hallucinogenic substance that triggers one's most profound fears.

In Batman Begins, the first threshold crossing is not a physical passage into a new land, but rather an internal shift that changes the world for the reformed character. This shift is similar to the time Jonah spends trapped inside the belly of the whale in the book of Jonah. Bruce's time in the temple becomes a defining moment for him. He undergoes physical and mental combat training, but this is just the surface of his transformation. Beyond that, Bruce learns to control and utilize his fear. The blue flower represents his fear and serves as a key to his inception. This scene illustrates how fear unlocked Bruce's abilities to fight crime symbolically through the flower. Another significant event during Bruce's temple stay, prior to fully crossing the first threshold, is his meeting with Henri Ducard. The Hero Cycle typically encompasses multiple elements, but myths often only incorporate a majority of its key points.

One common role found in stories across cultures is that of the mentor, which is particularly prevalent in more developed narratives. Whether portrayed as Morpheus or Yoda, the mentor serves as a device to enhance the crossing of the threshold and the transformation of the protagonist. Henri Ducard serves as a defining mentor figure when he invites Bruce to become his apprentice. Prior to this, Bruce is strong but lacking guidance. Henri becomes the person who trains him in the temple and leads him across the threshold. While Henri's role in the overall plot evolves beyond that of a simple mentor, during this threshold section of the narrative he assumes the role of Bruce's teacher. Towards the end of Bruce's time at the temple, he is tasked with executing a criminal and then leading a group of men against the people of Gotham, his home city. He is informed that Gotham is beyond saving and must be destroyed due to its becoming a breeding ground for criminals.

He chooses to disagree and abandon the league of shadows, causing the destruction of their temple. Bruce manages to rescue Henri before he plunges off a cliff and takes him to a mountain village for healing. Subsequently, he heads back to Gotham with a steadfast determination to combat crime and rescue the city. This part of the story marks a significant turning point and strengthens his mental transformation with a physical one. While the primary change occurs within Bruce himself, he has been absent from the city for a span of seven years. Thus, upon his return, Gotham has undergone substantial changes compared to how it was when he left. From a physical perspective, he has departed from his home to reach the temple and returned to his actual home. However, in terms of the narrative, it can be seen as him leaving his home, crossing the temple's threshold, and embarking on a journey to an entirely unfamiliar place. Once Bruce is back in Gotham, he delves into the well where he fell as a child. It was during this fall that he was attacked by bats, resulting in his profound fear of them. As he explores the hole where the bats emerged from, he discovers a vast cavern teeming with bats.

Here is where he establishes his base for battling crime and creates the “bat cave” to store his equipment for his personal transformation into Batman, which the story revolves around. It showcases the theme of confronting fears entirely. Initially, he physically represents his fear by becoming Batman. The suit itself conceals his identity, safeguarding the people he cares for from harm when he fights crime. Moreover, his greatest fear also becomes the only thing that enables him to combat the crime he despises. Additionally, not only does he embody fear, but the birthplace of his last line of defense for his loved ones is also the birthplace of his original terror. The creation of Batman further reinforces Bruce's change as he crosses the initial threshold; he becomes a different individual, in some respects even more so. In large portions of the remaining narrative, he is only glimpsed as he defeats his enemies one by one.

Even though you catch only occasional glimpses of him, Bruce is still always in his bat costume. The focus of the story is on the antagonists rather than the usual portrayal of Batman, allowing for an interesting exploration of how he affects these individuals. After facing his fear, Bruce gains the ability to instill fear in his enemies as Batman. Like a hero venturing into an unfamiliar world after crossing their first threshold, Bruce will be aided by various "helpers" and face multiple challenges. This concept is exemplified in the well-known myth of Hercules and his twelve labors, where he receives assistance from external sources for many of the tasks.

Batman's tasks may seem overwhelming at first glance, but upon closer examination, they can be broken down into three battles, each occurring in a simple chronological order. Initially, he confronts Falcone, the city's crime boss, in a swift clash. Next, he takes on Scarecrow, who is Falcone's superior. Lastly, there is an unidentified boss above Scarecrow whom Batman has yet to face. This sequential progression follows a clear pattern of Boss, Boss's Boss, and Boss's Boss's Boss, culminating in his ultimate trial. Alongside Batman during each of these trials are three main helpers, conveniently assigned to aid him accordingly. The initial trial commences immediately after Batman's inception. The Falcone family is engaged in trafficking drugs through the Harbor, prompting Batman to intervene. The scene unfolds with Falcone's henchmen inspecting containers within the shipment. One of them leans closer to examine a dark container only to be abruptly pulled inside and silenced before he can raise an alarm. As the other men search for their missing comrade, the lights suddenly explode above them, shrouding the surroundings in darkness.

The gangsters witness a silver, bat-shaped knife falling to the ground. One of them, visibly scared, walks to the end of the hallway and turns back to inform his partner that the coast is clear. Just then, he sees a swift black blur collide with him, lifting him off the ground. Eventually, he reaches an unstable state, screaming for Batman to show up, until Batman slowly emerges from behind. The camera goes dark right after you hear the words "I'm here." Later, the police, primarily represented by Detective Gordon, arrive at the scene. They find Falcone tied up to a spotlight with rags attached to his arms, projecting the silhouette of a bat onto the misty night. This sequence occurs much earlier than the climax and whether there's victory or defeat will not significantly impact the rest of the plot. Its primary purpose is to demonstrate how Batman has embraced fear and how it has affected him.

In his previous life, he encountered Falcone and experienced fear. During this time, Falcone ridiculed and humiliated him, ultimately casting him out onto the streets. However, he has since moved on from this ordeal and now embraces his fears. The inclusion of this particular scene by the director serves to highlight the positive transformation Bruce undergoes as he confronts his fears through the creation of Batman. What Bruce could never confront head-on, Batman effortlessly destroys. Moving forward in his journey to restore peace to the city, Batman faces his next challenge: Scarecrow. This signifies his progression as he takes on increasingly formidable criminals. The scene unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner for a hero's trial, commencing with a classic "Damsel in Distress" scenario in which Rachel, Bruce's love interest, falls victim to Scarecrow's attack and poison. Batman is then tasked with rescuing Rachel and defeating Scarecrow.

The scarecrow's confrontation is especially significant because he possesses a neurotoxin that induces intense fear, which is a weaponized version of the blue flower that served as a key in Bruce's journey. The movie portrays a literal representation of its central theme of facing one's fears. This fight serves as an intermediate stage between Falcone's swift defeat and Batman's ultimate challenge. Despite having limited time, Batman manages to rescue Rachel but suffers severe injuries in the process. This showcases his progression as he faces more difficulties while taking on greater responsibility for saving the city. The ultimate trial that Batman must confront before restoring the city involves his former mentor, Henri Ducard, who now leads the league of shadows and seeks to destroy the city, benefiting from the increasing crime rates within. The final struggle commences with Bruce hosting a birthday party at his residence and being confronted by Henri and his soldiers.

Henri says "justice is balance, you burned my home now I burn down yours" as the league burns down his house. Bruce is left to die but is saved by Alfred, who brings him to the bat cave. Bruce transforms into Batman and heads out to stop the league of shadows. Meanwhile, the league is spreading the neurotoxin through the train system while Gotham is consumed by fear. Batman boards the train and faces off against Henri Ducard, his former master, in a final battle. The fight concludes when another helper destroys the train tracks, causing the train to crash and kill Henri. Batman chooses not to kill Ducard and flies away before the crash, tying in the overall theme of justice and displaying his supreme ordeal.

The story explores the theme of confronting one's fears, which is particularly emphasized in this section. Bruce learns from the league that he must make his enemies feel his fear and become what he fears in order to combat fear. Prior to Henri's destruction of Wayne Manor with fire, he tells Bruce that his compassion is a weakness that his enemies do not possess. Bruce responds, stating that this is why compassion is so important as it sets them apart. The ultimate challenge, combined with these earlier concepts, conveys the main message of the story: one must confront their fears, but should never allow themselves to become their fear. This idea is further emphasized when Bruce refrains from killing Henri, opting instead to let him die. Though the outcome would have been the same had Batman killed him, this symbolic act signifies that Batman will always remain superior to the criminals he battles against.

The text reveals the progression and character development observed in the Hero cycle. Bruce has undergone significant changes since his initial attempts at avenging his father's murder. As a character, he has successfully completed an internal journey, emerging as a much wiser and just individual. Throughout the Hero's trials, external assistance is often received. Bruce's journey is aided by three primary characters: Alfred Pennyworth, his personal butler; Lucius Fox; and Detective Gordon, the leader of Wayne Enterprise's military technology division. Despite lacking a biological relationship with Bruce, Alfred assumes a fatherly role in the story due to his close friendship with Bruce's late father. Alfred takes care of Bruce, fulfilling parental responsibilities such as providing guidance and preparing meals.

At the beginning of the movie, a young Bruce falls down a well and his father climbs down to save him. Once they are both safe, his father tells him, "And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." Towards the end of the film, Bruce is rescued from a burning fire at Wayne Manor and Alfred says, "Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." This event highlights how Alfred has taken on a paternal role in Bruce's life, as he parallels his biological father's act of saving him from the well. Lucius Fox is another figure who aids Bruce in his Hero journey by providing him with necessary equipment for his fights. Although he is not directly involved in Bruce's trials, he fulfills the role of a helper.

In the famous mythical tale of King Arthur and Excalibur, Fox plays a role similar to The Lady of the Lake, who acted as a helper. The Lady of the Lake gave Excalibur to Arthur, enabling him to easily defeat his enemies. Similarly, Fox never directly fought for Batman like other helpers, but he did provide him with his suit, allowing him to conceal himself and fight enemies that would otherwise be impossible if he were out in the open. Detective Gordon serves as another main helper, actively assisting Batman in actual trials. He informs Batman of the whereabouts of criminals and destroys train tracks during Batman's ultimate ordeal. After completing his supreme ordeal and returning from the brink of death, a hero would typically receive atonement as a reward for his journey.

Across various forms of media, this can be depicted as a gain or attainment of a new role, the rescue of one's love, or a supernatural ascent to divinity. Bruce's ultimate reward is his ascension to divinity, but not in a purely religious sense. The story concludes with a scene in front of a newly constructed "Bat signal," which is meant to summon Batman if he is needed again. Gordon presents Batman with a new criminal to apprehend and, following some dialogue, the camera shifts, revealing Batman soaring into the night. This scene demonstrates how, from a biblical perspective, Batman has not truly become "divine," but rather has become a symbol for the city. Prior to embarking on his hero's journey, he did not even exist, and even upon his initial creation, his identity was never seen as a legitimate force against criminals like the police.

Thus, when the Batman story concludes with him being perceived as a legitimate cause, it becomes apparent how his successful completion of his ultimate challenge has led to his transformation into more than just an individual. To the city of Gotham, he becomes a legend. Bruce Wayne, like countless other heroes before him, answers his call to adventure, crosses the first threshold, trains with his mentor, enters a new world, undergoes numerous trials, receives assistance from helpers, overcomes his greatest ordeal, returns to his home world, and achieves redemption. Each step he takes is reflected by numerous characters across different cultures throughout history. Whether the hero takes the form of Luke Skywalker or Jesus Christ, the innate way of presenting a story in human minds generates these resemblances of the same hero throughout time.