#fun fact most of the time when I start posting about various NML plot points

[havendance]

Look, I love Two Face’s tacky half and half robe that he sleeps in in the Going Downtown story in NML, but Batman going out of his way to save Two Face from a gangland execution is still a beat that irks me. The thing is, I can justify it. I can fit it into my understanding of Bruce’s character, but still.

Bruce goes out of his way to save Two Face from being summarily executed by the Street Demons because he knows, I suppose. Because it is not justice and he is sworn to his code. He has his line in the sand. He would do it for anyone, while at the same time Two Face slaughtered his people in his takeover of Bat Territory. Two Face has this certain privilege in spite of it in that Bruce is aware of him. And once he is aware of him, he must act.

He saves the man who murdered his people and Two Face gets away and he has to fight his way out with Robin at his back. And because of this Bane destroys the hall of records. He can’t act to stop him. He is bound by something greater than himself. Actually wait, I’m finding this compelling now.

I guess the thing is, in execution it just feels so arbitrary. None of this is articulated. We don’t dwell on Bruce and Bruce’s reasons. We never articulate this dilemma—what goes through his head as he goes to help the man who is at once both one of his greatest enemies and who once used to be one of his closest allies—in fact we don’t see into Bruce’s mind at all. It just happens. The story is more preoccupied with how badass Bane is (it is written by Chuck Dixon). It feels more like they rescue two face because someone needs to so we can keep selling comics about him.