The Dark Knight - Characters & Cast

To inspire hope and rid Gotham of the organized crime and corruption that led to his parents' murder. He is motivated by a strict moral code and the desire to prove that the people of Gotham can be saved without compromising their principles. He also longs for a personal life free from the burden of being Batman.

Batman begins the film hoping his crusade is temporary, seeking an end to his vigilante career so Bruce Wayne can have a life with Rachel Dawes. He sees Harvey Dent as Gotham's true, legitimate hero who can succeed where Batman cannot. The Joker's reign of terror forces Batman to confront the limits of his one rule (no killing) and push his moral and technological boundaries, such as using a city-wide surveillance system. His arc culminates in a profound act of self-sacrifice, where he relinquishes his own reputation and becomes a pariah to save Gotham's soul, embracing his role as the city's silent guardian, the 'Dark Knight.'

His motivation is purely philosophical and anarchic. As Alfred explains, he is a man who '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.' He wants to prove that society's rules are a 'bad joke' and that chaos is the true state of nature by pushing Gotham to the brink of self-destruction.

The Joker is a static character who experiences no development or change; as Christopher Nolan states, he has no arc. He is presented as an absolute force of nature, an 'agent of chaos' who serves as a catalyst for the arcs of other characters. He simply exists to challenge and dismantle the established order, test the morality of others, and prove his nihilistic worldview that deep down, everyone is as ugly as he is. His victory isn't in escaping, but in corrupting Harvey Dent, Gotham's 'White Knight.'

Initially, his motivation is a fervent belief in the law and a desire to clean up Gotham's streets to make it a safe place to live with Rachel. After his transformation, his sole motivation is revenge, enacted through what he sees as the only real justice: chance. He targets those he blames for Rachel's death—the corrupt cops and the mob—but his grief and nihilism ultimately lead him to threaten Gordon's family.

Harvey Dent's arc is the central tragedy of the film. He starts as Gotham's courageous and idealistic District Attorney, the 'White Knight' who can fight crime within the bounds of the law. He is the symbol of hope that Bruce Wayne believes can replace Batman. However, after the Joker orchestrates Rachel's death and his own disfigurement, Dent's faith in the fairness of the justice system is shattered. Manipulated by the Joker in the hospital, he abandons his principles and embraces a new identity, Two-Face, letting a scarred coin dictate his vengeful actions, thus fulfilling his own adage: 'You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.'