How was Batman's Name Cleared?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
r-a-beecroft — 10 years ago(August 27, 2015 06:33 PM)
The only evidence that Batman did not commit the murders was the word of the Joker, who only tells Arthur, who he then drives to the brink of insanity right afterward (besides, the Joker's word is not usually reliable anyway). There are no other witnesses, no photographic evidence of the Phantasm, nothing. If Arthur recovered from his bout with the Joker, could he publicly declare Batman's innocence? Hard to do without revealing his involvement with the Joker and the mob. And yet the batsignal goes on at the end, so the police clearly trust Batman again (unless they were trying to lure him again and Batman was actually fleeing the scene).
If I've missed anything, feel free to say. -
ultimatenexus — 10 years ago(October 16, 2015 05:18 PM)
There was no evidence Batman committed those murders, either (of course). They were just the prejudiced ramblings of a bitter councilman. Plus, who's going to dish out a warrant for Batman's arrest now that Arthur's in the crazy house? Who's going to testify? The mobsters who saw a shadow in a mist cloud? Even if Batman doesn't hand over Arthur's involvement in Andrea's father's death, an encounter with the Joker like that would not be pegged as a random encounter, and it would be questioned by anyone with half a brain. Who else would go after Batman now? Mayor Hill? Gordon?
Bullock
?
Maybe I sound too arrogant in this explanation. Sorry about that. All I'm saying is that after everything that went on, and the fact that he's a vigilante to begin with, AND the fact that he doesn't kill, I doubt Batman would need to do anything major to clear his name.
"Welcome to the middle of nowhere-
-the center of everywhere." -
Ace_Sax — 10 years ago(December 22, 2015 08:52 PM)
This is explained in the novelization. In the novel, the man on the cruise ship who tries to hit on Andrea at the end has a much bigger role in the story. He was a Gotham City photographer who deduced that the Phantasm was targeting members of the Valestra mob and was able to obtain photographic evidence of the Phantasm at the scene of one of the murders. This, in effect, was enough for Gordon to exonerate Batman.
The scene we see him in at the end where he's looking all smug was after he sold the photos for a ton of money and was living it up. He never discovers the Phantasm's identity and bumping into Andrea was sheer coincidence. -
Milk_Tray_Guy — 9 years ago(August 11, 2016 06:23 PM)
In the novel, the man on the cruise ship who tries to hit on Andrea at the end has a much bigger role in the story. He was a Gotham City photographer who deduced that the Phantasm was targeting members of the Valestra mob and was able to obtain photographic evidence of the Phantasm at the scene of one of the murders. This, in effect, was enough for Gordon to exonerate Batman.
The scene we see him in at the end where he's looking all smug was after he sold the photos for a ton of money and was living it up. He never discovers the Phantasm's identity and bumping into Andrea was sheer coincidence.
That's actually a nice touch! I like that.
All for a box of chocolates -