Zack Snyder's Take On Batman's No-Kill Rule Destroyed By DC Writer Grant Morrison
Zack Snyder ignoring Batman's no-kill rule is arguably the filmmaker's most controversial decision when it comes to his stewardship of the now-retired DC Extended Universe (DCEU). For longtime fans of The Dark Knight, the character's strict adherence to his non-lethal creed is such a critical aspect of his identity that Snyder's iteration in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" served as a jarring departure. Over the years, the "300" director has often pushed back against this part of "Batman" mythos and given his reasoning for taking his Caped Crusader down that road. In turn, this has led to other prominent creatives joining the debate.
Writing on their personal newsletter Xanaduum, prolific comic book writer Grant Morrison — known for classics like "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth" and "Batman Incorporated" — has given their input on this debate. "I was reading how film director Zack Snyder thinks Batman should kill as part of the character's self-imposed mission to stop crime," Morrison wrote. "[I]f Batman killed his enemies, he'd be the Joker, and Commissioner Gordon would have to lock him up!" Aside from the legal practicalities of why Batman doesn't take out his villains "Peacemaker" style, Morrison also gave some fascinating insight into Bruce Wayne's psyche. "That Batman puts himself in danger every night but steadfastly refuses to murder is an essential element of the character's magnificent, horrendous, childlike psychosis." Morrison further noted how the character's code is "fundamental to [Batman's] grandeur as a fictional adventure hero! Is this not obvious?"
On social media, many fans appeared to rally behind Morrison's sentiment.
Many fans prefer their Batman not crossing into killing territory
On Reddit, several fans supported Morrison's idea that Batman was a character better served when he does not cross that line into "Punisher" territory. "That's the entire point of the character. He makes the choice not to kill because that would make him no better than the criminals. It's wild that Snyder doesn't understand this," u/RealBatuRem wrote. While some fans did offer some pushback that they don't think Batman killing villains is literally equal to the worst things the Joker has ever done, they still maintained that it strays too far from the character's core identity. "Don't entirely agree with Morrison here. But I agree that if Batman killed his enemies, he would not be the same hero," one Redditor wrote. Another fan echoed this sentiment. "A fundamental part of the character of Batman is being presented with the unwinnable situation and finding an answer without just killing everyone."
Overall, the idea on whether everyone's favorite Dark Knight should kill or not will forever be the ultimate debate for comic book fans. However, it should be noted that Zack Snyder's take on the character isn't the only cinematic Batman that has killed. Tim Burton took some violent creative licenses during his iconic run with the Caped Crusader. Christopher Nolan did too. Meanwhile, in the comic books, the DC hero is not always a saint, especially during his earliest adventures. For further proof, just check out every time Batman has broken his biggest rule.