This is a basic Batman origin story, but it's my spin on it. It's basically a combination of Year One and Zero Year. It has some quotes from Batman (1989), Batman Begins, and Batman: Arkham Origins. Hope you enjoy!
I was just sitting here in my study, waiting for an idea. My name is Bruce Wayne and I have a crisis. I'm a billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, whatever. I live in my mansion in Gotham City. The only person besides me who lives in my home is my faithful butler Alfred. He is more than a butler really. He is a friend and a father figure. He was there for me when my parents died.
I was 8 years old when it happened. Me and my parents were walking home after we saw a movie. It was 10:47 PM. We were just on our way home when we see this man coming up to us. The only thing that I remembered what he looked like were his icy blue eyes. His eyes showed no emotion. Anyway, he came up to us and showed us his gun. "Give me your wallet", he said to my dad, "and the pearls around the lady's neck." My dad tried to protect me and my mom. "Leave us alone.", he said. The man then shot my dad dead. My mom screamed and the man shot her dead. Then he looked at me. His eyes that had no emotion before now showed fear and regret. Then he ran away. I got over the shock and I cried.
That night I made a promise to myself. I promised to avenge my parents' death by spending the rest of my life fighting crime, bringing criminals to justice, and to protect innocent people from tragedies similar to what happened to me.
When I was old enough to travel on my own, I went to travel the world to get my body and mind to it's physical and mental potential. This included weightlifting, gymnastics, parkour, computing to mastering all fighting styles, escape artistry, and detective skills. After 10 years, I finally returned home. There is a cave under the mansion. That will be my lair. There, I made a utility belt. It will have everything I need, from a taser and a grappling hook to lockpicks and smoke pellets. But I will not carry a gun, since it was a gun that killed my parents. Nor will I kill or else I would be no better than the criminals that I fight.
Now, I had the training, the secret hideout, and the gear. But something was missing. I need a persona, a disguise. The question is, what will it look like? Well, criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot. So it would have to be something elemental, something terrifying, something that would put fear into their cold, black hearts. I couldn't think of anything good and just when I was about to give up, a big, black, demonic-looking bat crashes through the window, flies it's way down, and lands right in front of me, where it looks at me with it's red, beady eyes, baring it's fangs, and squeaking. "That's it', I said, "I'll become a bat."
Five men are robbing a electronic store in the middle of the night. One of the men hears a noise coming from the darkest corner of the store. As he goes over to investigate, he gets pulled in by an unseen force, lets out a small shriek, and then nothing. One of the other men looks over to see what happened. "Are you ok, Mike?", he says. All of a sudden, a small, dark object (batarang) gets thrown out of the darkness, hits the man in the forehead, and knocks him out cold. The other three men look up. They see a tall, dark figure come out of the darkness. The figure looks like it has pointy ears (the cowl), has a pair of big black wings (the cape), and a bat-like shape on it's chest. It stares at the men with white pupil-less eyes and looks like it is daring the men to try and fight it. Two of the men do. They run right at it, trying to take it down but the figure knocks them out cold with one punch each. The last man runs out of the store but he doesn't get really far when he gets knocked down. The figure comes up to him, grabs him by the collar of his shirt, and holds him up to it's face. "Don't kill me, please.", the man screams. "I won't kill you. I want you to tell all your friends about me.", the figure says in a deep growly voice. "What the hell are you?!", the man says. "Im Batman.", the figure says and and he knocks the man out cold with a punch. A homeless guy was watching the whole thing. "Nice coat.", says Batman and he "flies" away (really uses his BatClaw). "Thanks.", the homeless guy says.
GCPD Detective Jim Gordon is sitting at his desk reading a newspaper when his partner Detective Harvey Bullock comes up to him. "Hay Jim-bo, did you hear the news?", said Harvey. "What news, Harv?", said Jim. "Commisioner Loeb is going to retire and he is going to pick a successor to take his place. Hay, maybe he will pick you. You are the best cop this city's ever seen.", said Harvey. "Thanks, but I don't think so, Harvey. Loeb is just going to pick someone as corrupt as he is, like Flass for example.", said Jim. Most of the GCPD are corrupt. They would rather arrest and beat up innocent civilians than protect and serve them. Jim and Harvey are two of the few who are not corrupt. "Hey, you never know Jim.", said Harvey. "Detective Gordon, please come to my office.", They heard Loeb's voice coming from his office. "Well, speaking of the devil.", Harvey said. "Wish me luck, Harv.", said Jim.
When Jim walked in there, Loeb was sitting at his desk, smoking a cigar, and doing paperwork. "You wanted to see me, sir?", said Jim. "Sit down, detective.", said Loeb. When Jim sat down, Loeb began. "You probably heard about this vigilante situation." "Yes sir, I have.", Jim said. "Well, I want you find this "Batman" and I want him arrested. "Sir, with all due respect, crime has decreased since he showed up on the scene and he doesn't even use lethal force, he gives criminals to us.", said Gordon, "He even took down Falcone's and Maroni's gangs, two of the three major gangs in Gotham, in just two weeks. Besides, he isn't a threat to the public, unlike the Red Hood Gang." "I don't care what he does. He is embarrassing the GCPD. Go out there and do your job, Gordon!", yelled Loeb. Jim got up and left without another word.
When Jim left Loeb's office, he see's Harvey standing outside the doorway. "Well, that went well for you.", Harvey said. "Yeah, I had a great time. Now, let's go after the Red Hood Gang.", said Jim. "But didn't Loeb said to…", began Harvey. "Screw what Loeb said!" answered Jim, "The Red Hood Gang is a threat to the public, Batman isn't." "Ok, fine.", said Harvey, "Let's give the Red Hood Gang a open can of whoop-ass." "Hell yeah.", said Jim.
Jim and Harvey show up at an old abandoned warehouse by Gotham Harbor, one of the many hang out places of the Red Hood Gang. When they entered the building, they began looking for signs that the gang were there recently. After 5 to 10 minutes of searching, Harvey was about to call it a day. "Jim, did you find anything yet?", said Harvey. "Not yet.", answered Jim. "Well, maybe we could leave and come back tomorrow.", said Harvey. Then they heard a voice from behind them. "Well, look what we have here. Ain't it a couple of GCPD cops.", the voice said. Jim and Harvey turned around and they see five men. The men were wearing leather jackets and jeans. They were holding knives in their hands. But what really stood out was that they were wearing red ski masks over their faces. They were members of the Red Hood Gang.
Jim and Harvey were unprepared for such a confrontation. The only things they brought with them are tasers and their fists. They were good fighters, but the two of them knew that they only have a small chance of fighting off five men who have knives.
"Well fellas, what do you suggest we do to them?", said the Red Hood member that was the first one to speak. "Let's slice em and dice em.", said a second member. "That's an excellent idea. Let's slice em and dice em so well, that even their own mothers won't recognize them." "Not on my watch.", said a deep voice coming from above them. Then, a dark figure comes down and lands right between Jim and Harvey and the members of the Red Hood Gang. It was the Batman.
"Get him!", said one of the Red Hood members and four of the men charged. Batman was ready and he grabbed the first man by the shoulders and head-butted him out cold. Then he kicked the second man in the face and also knocked him out cold. When the third man ran up to him, Batman punched him in the gut and did an uppercut which knocked him out. Just then, the fourth man came in and with his knife, stabbed Batman in his left upper arm. Batman only hissed in pain, tore the knife out, and he knocked the man out with a punch. Batman then took his attention to the the last Red Hood. The Red Hood member tried to make a run for it, but Batman throws a batarang at him and knocks him down. The man tries to get up again, but Batman knocks him back down. Then, Batman picks the man up, holds him by the collar up to his face, and pins him against one of the walls of the warehouse. "Where are the bombs going to be planted?!", Batman shouts in a deep, growly voice. "I swear to God, I don't know what your talking about!", the man screams. "Swear to me!", Batman yells and he knees the man in the groin. "I'm going to ask you one more time and you better give me the right answer or I am going to break every bone in your body! Where is the gang going to plant the bombs?!", Batman shouts. The man whimpers and whispers something that only Batman hears. "Thank you for your cooperation.", says Batman and he knocks the man out with a punch. Batman then turns and looks at Jim and Harvey. "They're all yours, Gordon and Bullock.", he says and using the smoke pellets and his BatClaw, Batman disappears into the night.
Jim and Harvey stood still in shock of what they just saw. Harvey was the first one to speak. "Holy crap! That was the most badass thing that I have ever seen in my entire life!, said Harvey and then he asked "Jim, could that have been another cop?" "I don't think so, Harvey. No cop that I know of can move and fight like that.", answered Jim. "Then, how did he know our names?", asked Harvey. "I have no idea.", answered Jim, "Well, let's get these guys to Blackgate."
Bruce Wayne's arm is being patched up by his butler Alfred in the Bat Cave, the lair of the Batman. Before Alfred became a butler, he served in the British Armed Forces as a doctor, which is very helpful. "Master Bruce, I believe this is the 10th injury that I patched up this month.", says Alfred. "I lost count, Alfred.", says Bruce. "Well, I think you should upgrade your suit so we can prevent fewer injuries in the future, sir.", says Alfred, "So, have you figured out where the Red Hood Gang is going to plant explosives?" "Ace Chemicals Factory.", says Bruce. "Alfred, can I ask you something?" "Anything, Master Bruce.", answers Alfred. "Do you think that I should stop being Batman? I mean, I rely on a suit, gadgets, and my fighting skills to make Gotham a better place, but what if that's not enough? What if Gotham can't be saved?" "Master Bruce, you need to realize that you are not a man on an island. A man's greatest strength doesn't come from his brain or his brawn, but from his allies. Surely, there is someone out there that shares your beliefs. But that's the whole point of Batman. He makes the one choice that no one else can make. The right choice.", says Alfred. "Your right, Alfred.", said Bruce. "And I think I know the man who could help me out." Who, Master Bruce?", says Alfred. "Detective Jim Gordon.", says Bruce.
Jim Gordon is smoking a cigarette on the balcony of his apartment. He lives there with his wife Sara and his two children, Barbara and James Gordon Jr. As Jim keeps smoking his cigarette, he notices a piece of paper taped to the rim of the balcony. When he picks it up, he realizes that it is a letter. It reads:
Dear Jim,
Meet me at Ace Chemicals tomorrow night and be prepared for a fight. I need help defeating the Red Hood Gang. Bring Harvey Bullock if you want. I might need all the help you can get.
From,
The Batman
"Jim, Honey, time for dinner!", Jim heard his wife say. "Coming, Sweety!", Jim says as he throws away his cigarette. Then he shoves the letter into his pocket and goes inside.
The Red Hood Gang are planting bombs in Ace Chemicals. "I want some of the explosives over there.", says the leader of the Red Hood Gang, pointing to the right side of the factory. The Red Hood leader is dressed differently from the rest of the Red Hood gang. He's wearing a tuxedo and instead of wearing a simple red ski mask, he is wearing what looks like a combination between a mask and a helmet that's red in color. Only his eyes and his chin are shown. "Remember boys, tomorrow, this place will go ka-boom!", says the leader. "Not gonna happen.", a voice says and Batman drops down from above and lands on his feet. "Nice entrance", says the Red Hood leader, "but have you ever thought of coming through the door?" "The game's over, Mr. Red Hood.", says Batman. "Don't you know how to count?", said the Red Hood leader, "There is 20 of us and only 1 of you." But Batman just smirked and said, "Good thing that I came prepared." All of a sudden, one of the factory's doors gets kicked open and Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock and a few more cops come in, guns blazing. "GCPD! Put your hands in the air!", shouts Jim. "Uh-oh, looks like I've been bamboozled.", says the Red Hood leader and he runs up the factory stairs and onto the cat drops so he can make a getaway. "Oh no you don't!", shouts Batman as he runs after him while the GCPD takes care of the rest of the Red Hood Gang. As the Red Hood leader runs to get away, he screeches to a halt when Batman comes out of the shadows and lands in front of him. "Nice try.", says Batman. "Don't hurt me, please!", says the Red Hood leader as he backs into a rusted railing on the katdrop. "If you come quietly, I won't have to.", says Batman as he stalks towards the Red Hood. All of a sudden, the railing breaks and the Red Hood loses his balance and starts to fall off the balcony. Batman tries to grab him but he misses. So the Red Hood leader falls into a vat of chemicals below, lands in it with a splash, sinks to the bottom, and he is never seen again.
Jim Gordon is standing on the roof of Ace Chemicals, watching the action from below. He sees his fellow officers cuffing members of the Red Hood Gang and putting them into the cop cars. Suddenly, he hears a voice behind him. "Thanks for the help.", the voice says. Jim turns around and he see's Batman coming up from the shadows. "Your welcome.", says Jim. "I tried to help him…", began Batman. "I know.", says Jim, "You know, we have a lot in common. We both want to see justice and less corruption. We both want Gotham to be a safer place." Batman just nods and says, "I guess we do. Can we trust each other?" "Yeah, we can." says Jim. Then Batman was about to go away when Jim Gordon asks, "Wait. Why do you do what you do?" "Because I made a promise.", says Batman. "When we met before, I never said thank you.", says Jim. "You never have to.", says Batman and he turns around and he runs and jumps of the building and lands into a black vehicle that looks like a cross between a race car and a tank. The vehicle will later be known as the Batmobile. "I got to get me one of those.", says Jim Gordon to himself as the vehicle drives away into the night.
The next day, Jim Gordon was asked by Commissioner Loeb to come to his office. When Jim entered, Loeb is sitting at his desk doing his paperwork while smoking a cigar. "You wanted to see me, sir?", said Jim. "Sit down, detective.", Loeb said. When Jim sat down, Loeb began. "So, I've heard you were part of the Red Hood Gang bust last night?" "Yes sir, I was.", answered Jim. "Good, 3 down, 1 to go.", said Loeb. Jim Gordon was confused. "Sir, all of the 3 major gangs are taken care of. There isn't 1 more." "I'm not talking about a gang, Gordon!", said Loeb, "Im talking about the Batman. I want him arrested for interfering with the law." Jim finally heard enough and he snapped. "He is not a criminal! If anything he is improving the law, not breaking it. That is a man I respect. I'd rather trust him of watching my back than almost the entire GCPD." Then Jim stopped when he realized what he just said. "Way to go, Jim.", he thought to himself, "What a nice way to get yourself fired." But Loeb just stood there, just gazing at Jim Gordon. Then he spoke. "You know something, Gordon. This is the first time someone has stood up to me. I have never been talked to like that…" Jim Gordon had nervous look on his face. "...and I respect that.", Loeb finished. Jim looked up at Loeb with a confused look on his face. "You heard that I am going to retire and that I have to pick somebody to take my place, right?", Loeb asked. "Yes sir, I have.", Jim said. "Well, I'm going to pick you, Gordon.", Loeb said. Jim was shocked. "Really sir?", he asked. "Yes.", said Loeb, "You're just what this city needs. Someone who has the guts to stand up to crime." "Sir, I don't know what to say.", said Jim. "Then don't say anything.", said Loeb, "Now get out of my office." Jim walked out of there without a word. But he walked out of there with a smirk on his face. There's going to be a new day in the GCPD.
In the Batcave, Bruce Wayne is sitting at the Bat Computer, looking for any signs that any crime that the GCPD can't handle on their own. Alfred comes up beside him. "Nice work exposing the Red Hood Gang, sir.", he says. Bruce Wayne looks up at Alfred and gives him a small smile. "Thank you, Alfred. But I wish I was able to get their leader." Alfred just looks at his master and says, "Sir, sometimes a man makes a mistake, but the most important thing he can do is learn from it and not to make sure it happens again in the future." "Thanks for the advice, Alfred.", says Bruce. "Now, what do you want me to make you for dinner, ser?", Alfred asked. "Hold that thought, Alfred.", Bruce Wayne says as a breaking news report appears on the Batcomputer. When Bruce Wayne clicks on it, live feed from the news is shown. It shows reporter Vicki Vale standing in front of a diner. "Im standing here live in front of Pauli's Diner where it was the scene of a bizarre Incident happen. The staff and customers inside were just having a normal day when all of a sudden, a orange-colored gas came out of the vents, as passersbys observed, and seemingly caused the occupants inside to scream and have panic attacks. The victims were carried away to the hospital. The GCPD are trying to figure out what the gas is and where it came from." All of a sudden, the feed became white noise and after 10 seconds, the white noise dissipates and the screen becomes clear again. But the person in the screen was no reporter. It was a figure surrounded by a black background. The figure looked like a man wearing a scarecrow costume. But he was wearing what looks a cross between a ski mask and haz-mask that is tan in color. "People of Gotham.", the figure says in a medium-pitch voice, "What happened at the diner was all because of me. It was my fear gas that affected those people. It causes people to see their greatest fears. I am Doctor Jonathan Crane, but all of you can call me the Scarecrow. You all have 24 hours to evacuate the city or I will release my fear gas all over Gotham City and then the city will be filled with all your deepest and darkest fears. This is your only warning." Then the feed goes back into white noise and the news comes back on the screen. Bruce Wayne and Alfred just look at each other with anxious looks on their faces. "Well, this is going to be a long night for you, sir.", Alfred says. "Yeah, looks like it is", says Bruce Wayne as he gets out of his chair. Then, he puts on his batsuit and goes to the Batmobile. "Sir, be careful out there.", says Alfred. "I'll try.", says Bruce Wayne and he gets into the Batmobile and drives out of the Batcave. "He wants fear?", Batman thinks to himself as he drives to Gotham City, "I'll show him fear."