Why Alfred And Bruce's Relationship Is So Different In The Batman
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Batman
Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth's relationship is strained in The Batman, making it different from every other on-screen appearance of the two so far. This younger Bruce makes snide remarks towards his mentor and Alfred disapproves of his action as Batman, thinking he could do more good as billionaire Bruce Wayne. Matt Reeves crafts this relationship to be intentionally fraught and takes special inspiration from one particular Batman comic book.
As Bruce has only been Batman for around two years by the start of The Batman, he and Alfred are still struggling to agree on his best course of action. While Alfred supports Bruce by helping him work out the answers to the Riddler's clues, he also wills Bruce to care about his other life and legacy as a Wayne, not just as a Dark Knight. It is also revealed that Alfred was the one who trained Bruce in martial arts. Ultimately, the two reconcile after Alfred is nearly killed by the Riddler, and he reveals the truth about Bruce's father's criminal endeavors.
Related: Nolan Forgot Gotham, But The Batman Fixes His Mistake
The relationship between Bruce and Alfred inThe Batman is the perfect fit for the dank, gritty Gotham that Reeves creates. It makes sense that Alfred would train Bruce, rather than Ra's al Ghul like in The Dark Knight trilogy. A trip to another country to train for several years would be seen as a frivolous waste of time for this Bruce. Furthermore, this grim interpretation of Gotham City is the ideal place to explore the story of a Bruce who has not learned to balance his two lives. As a result, he and Alfred's relationship is far more fractured, symbolically representing how broken Gotham is.
The Batman is also clearly
Read more on screenrant.com
