Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction so suggestions welcome. I do not own any characters from the Batman/DC Universe; however, the plot is 100% my own.
PART ONE: THE NIGHT FALLS
CAPTION: PRESENT DAY
EXT. GOTHAM CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING ROOFTOP, SUNSET – JAMES "JIM" GORDON stands on the roof top, looking down at the city below. At almost 70 years of age, he is now old and weary. He has put on weight but maintained his muscle. He is a big, intimidating man. His thick brown trench coat waves in the icy wind and he is huddled up with his arms crossed.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Everything changed the day Batman died.
Close up of Gordon. His face is worn. His skin looks like leather. His signature mustache is big, bushy and white, with slight yellow stains around the mouth from smoking too many cigars. His facial hair is ungroomed, consistent with his wiry white hair and eyebrows. He looks tired; like someone who has fought to survive their entire life. He stares through the light blue-tinted lens of his wireframe glasses, down at the city below.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Gotham's soul died along with him.
Behind Gordon we can now see the Bat Signal lamp, seemingly still intact, facing away from us positioned up toward the sky. It is old and rusty; clearly not used in decades. Gordon turns his head slightly and looks at it from the corner of his eye.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
*sigh* I used to come here looking for a sign of hope.
The view switches to the opposite angle; showing the Bat Signal at the forefront of the panel, with Gordon standing behind. The glass cover of the lamp has been shattered and the face of it is covered with large words, spray painted in red, which read "BURN IN HELL BATS!"
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Now I tend to come here when I fear all hope is lost.
CAPTION: 22 YEARS AGO
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS, NIGHT – The ground is covered with snow and sprinkled with grey ash and scattered pieces of
smoldering debris. In the middle of the panel we see one of Batman's signature weapons, a Batarang, lying beside a single yellow flower.
Upon closer inspection, we can see that the flower is a plastic novelty squirt flower. Something we'd associate with Batman's greatest foe, The Joker.
GORDON (NARRATES):
As it was always written I suppose, Batman's death was at the hands of The Joker.
CUT TO: INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – We see the Bat Cave in all its glory. Gigantic vehicles sit on platforms and half-finished gadgets are scattered around the huge warehouse space. In the back corner of the cave, amidst the darkness, there is a bright glow. We can faintly see a figure sitting in front of a wall of computer screens.
GORDON (NARRATES):
My daughter, Barbara, was working with Batman that night.
We zoom in to see the back of a woman in front of a computer desk. The various computer screens show different views of the same building, along with some blueprint maps, thermo-vision and other spy tools.
We switch views to see her from the front, BARBARA GORDON. She has cropped red hair, thick black-rimmed glasses, and looks to be in her early 20s. She is wearing a headset.
GORDON (NARRATES):
She started working with him shortly after the original Boy Wonder disappeared. She was Batman's eyes and ears. Called herself Oracle.
Zoom in of Barbara's face. She is in shock at what she is seeing on the monitor. Her eyes are glassy. A single tear streams down.
GORDON (NARRATES):
She watched it all unfold.
EXT. OLD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, NIGHT – An old industrial building. Huge. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere, on the outskirts of Gotham. The cityscape is glowing far in the distance. The night is dark, and snow falls heavy. There is a faint light coming from inside the building.
GORDON (NARRATES):
Batman and Barbara had been given word that Joker was planning a meeting with some of Gotham's biggest underworld figures.
INT. OLD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AIR VENTS, NIGHT – We get our first glimpse of BATMAN in all his iconic glory, crawling through some air vents. He is talking to Barbara in his headset.
BATMAN (WHISPER):
Oracle, I'm in the vent above the main room. What's going on down there?
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is in the Bat Cave, sitting in front of a huge panel of screens. Each of the screens is displaying something different. Blueprints of the building Batman is inside.
BARBARA:
Good job. You're directly above them. Unfortunately, there are no security cameras in the room, so I don't have eyes apart from thermal vision.
INT. OLD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AIR VENTS, NIGHT – Close up of Batman's face.
BATMAN (WHISPER):
How many?
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara looks intently at the screen, trying to decipher what she is looking at.
BARBARA:
I count thirteen in the room, including Joker. There's twelve seated in a circle and one in the middle addressing them.
We see the monitor she is looking at; the heated map shows twelve glowing orange figures sitting evenly around the room and one glowing green in the center.
BARBARA:
It looks like a clock.
Switch to Barbara's face, as she looks over the monitors. Puzzled.
BARBARA:
Their limbs don't seem to be bound, so they're not being held hostage.
INT. OLD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AIR VENTS, NIGHT – Batman scratches his chin, thinking for a moment.
BATMAN:
So, our Intel was correct. It seems to be a meeting of some sort.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara speaks into her headset.
BARBARA:
You should still be careful Batman. It's the Joker after all, something always smells funny.
INT. OLD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AIR VENTS. NIGHT – Batman pulls a small black ball from his utility belt. He clicks a button on the belt and two small wings spring out the sides of the ball.
BATMAN:
Oracle, I'm sending a Batcam down through the vent, I want you to take a closer look inside the room before I enter.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – The tiny Batcam flies through a hole in the vent.
The Batcam magnetically fixes itself to the roof, as though it's a bat taking perch, hanging upside down. A tiny camera is visible from the bottom. We can hear Joker talking to the group below.
JOKER:
I guess you're all wondering why you were selected to be here.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is looking at one of the monitors labelled "BATCAM 1". We can faintly see JOKER, with green hair, dressed in a purple suit, standing in the middle of the room. Men in nice suits are sitting patiently around him.
BARBARA:
OK, I've got eyes in the room. That's definitely Joker in the middle. I'll try and ID the others.
We get a closer look at the computer monitor, and see Joker addressing the men in the room.
JOKER (VOICE):
As you know by now, we don't want to see what happens if one of you gets cold feet.
A red highlighted message flashes up on the screen, which says "12 ID MATCHES FOUND".
BARBARA:
That didn't take long. Looks like we've got a star- studded line-up.
A long list of mug shots and police reports appear on the screen, surrounding the live video from the basement.
BARBARA:
This isn't just any old get-together Batman. He's got every kingpin in Gotham down there.
We see a couple of the mug shots up close.
BARBARA:
We're looking at Beretti, Bertinelli, Cassemento, Panessa, Mickey Sulliven...
The next panel shows more of the mug shots on the list.
BARBARA:
Lew Moxon, Inzerillo, The Russian, Big Lou, Vasily Kosov...
INT. ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AIR VENTS, NIGHT – Batman is listening to his earpiece.
BARBARA (OVER RADIO):
He's even got Warren White and Carmine Falcone down there.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara holds the microphone of her headpiece closer to her mouth.
BARBARA:
This is even bigger than we thought.
Batman snarls angrily.
BATMAN:
I'd better see what they're up to before it's too late.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Joker is addressing the group.
JOKER:
Whatever happens, just let me do all the talking...
Batman explodes from the air vent in the roof, using his cape to glide down. Joker doesn't seem too surprised.
BATMAN:
All of you, freeze!
In one swoop, Batman pins Joker down. Joker is now laughing to himself.
JOKER:
Oh no Bats, you just ruined your own surprise party!
Batman cocks his fist back, ready to hit Joker. He holds Joker against the floor with his forearm. It looks painful, but Joker is still smiling.
BATMAN:
What are you all doing here?
Close up of Joker's face. He looks sheepish.
JOKER:
I told you, I was planning a big surprise just for you.
His expression turns completely. His eyes are bulging wide and ferocious.
JOKER:
But now you've gone and RUINED IT!
Batman is not intimidated by Joker's anger. Instead he calmly talks into his radio.
BATMAN:
Oracle, call the police and tell them who's here.
Batman points to the other men in the room, trying to deter them from attacking him. Surprisingly though, they are all still seated, perfectly still. They all have their hands resting on their knees. They look nervous.
BATMAN:
The rest of you stay where you are. Don't try anything stupid.
Joker looks around the room.
JOKER:
Don't worry about them. They won't move an inch.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is looking at the security camera footage.
Switch to Barbara's face. She looks puzzled.
BARBARA:
Something's wrong Batman. These men would usually fight… or at least run.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman points to CARMINE
FALCONE, one of the men sitting in front of him. Carmine is wearing an expensive pinstripe suit, dark purple with a lighter purple shirt. He has black slicked-back hair with streaks of grey and a thin moustache.
BATMAN:
Falcone, TALK!
Joker talks on Falcone's behalf.
JOKER:
They're your surprise gift.
Batman punches Joker hard in the mouth. It splits his lip.
BATMAN:
Explain yourself! What have you got planned?
Joker is bleeding from the mouth; he is excited by the pain. He looks thrilled that Batman is starting to get heated.
JOKER:
Why so angry? I've done you a favor. I brought them all together just for you.
Batman lifts Joker up by the scruff of his shirt. Their noses are touching. Joker finds the whole thing humorous.
BATMAN:
Tell me what you've got planned.
Joker looks embarrassed, as though he's been caught out.
JOKER:
OK, I'll tell you. But you're ruining the surprise.
Joker's face turns again, from sheepish to sinister.
JOKER:
You might want your little friend to take a look underneath us.
Batman talks into his headset.
BATMAN:
Oracle, can you see what he's talking about?
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is fiddling with keyboards and computers.
BARBARA:
I'm on it but I've got limited options. I'll try using the sonar from the Batmobile above you.
Close up of Barbara's face. She stands at her desk, shocked by what she can see.
BARBARA:
Batman, you need to get out of there NOW!
We can see the computer monitor in front of Barbara. The sonar view is blue and white, very grainy but enough to make out what is on the screen. We can clearly see huge drums of liquid, wired up directly under each of the men seated around the room.
BARBARA:
It's their seats; it looks like they're all wired to blow. There are enough explosives beneath each one to clear a two-mile radius.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman slams Joker's head back down against the ground. Hard.
BATMAN:
You madman, you're going to kill them all.
Joker is offended.
JOKER:
I thought you'd be happy. I'm about to free Gotham of all this greedy scum.
Batman holds Joker up by his shirt again.
BATMAN:
How do I deactivate the bombs?
Close up of Joker's face. He is starting to enjoy himself.
JOKER:
This is the fun part…
We finally get a view from under Carmine Falcone's chair. The seat is resting on top of a make-shift lever, which acts as the trigger for the bomb.
JOKER:
I've rigged each of these chairs to blow the second someone moves, hence why they're not running for their lives right now.
There is a close up of the bomb wired underneath the chair. We can see a timer reads "5:24". The chair beside that reads "6:24" then "7:24" and so on.
JOKER:
As you can see, I've set them all to detonate one minute apart. So if you start now, you might get around the entire room in time.
Joker lies back on the floor and raises his hands suggestively.
JOKER:
You could choose to save them all if you wanted...
Joker grabs Batman around the neck and pulls his face up to meet. His eyes are fiery again.
JOKER:
Or you could let them all BLOW TO SMITHEREENS!
As Batman is considering his options, Joker is reaching down and pulling something out of his pocket.
He keeps talking to Batman, looking at him in the face, trying to distract him from noticing.
JOKER:
Better hurry Bats. The clock's ticking.
Close up of Joker's pocket. He has pulled out a small flick- blade with a red-wooden handle. He flicks the knife open.
SFX:
CLICK!
Joker looks at Batman dead in the eye.
JOKER:
One more thing...
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is looking at Batman and Joker in the main monitor. She can see what is happening.
BARBARA:
Batman! Look out!
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – View from above, Batman is hovering over Joker. Joker stabs Batman in the back, right in the kidney area. His face is over Batman's shoulder and he is smiling like a madman.
JOKER:
Just to make it a challenge, you will be slowly bleeding out while you're moving. You may not even get to the last bomb before you pass out.
Joker pushes Batman off of him; he is still smiling as his plan comes to fruition. Batman falls to the ground in pain.
Joker starts laughing out loud and dancing around.
JOKER:
He he he! Ha ha ha! Hoo hoo!
Joker stands over Batman; his face is still bloody and bruised.
JOKER:
I told you it was a good surprise.
Joker starts to walk away. Batman is still struggling to stand. He is clearly in pain.
JOKER:
You had better get moving if you want to save them.
The men surrounding the room start to yell and panic.
MOB:
GET UP BAT! HURRY UP AND SAVE US!
Batman can't lift himself. He crouches on the ground and talks into his headset.
BATMAN:
Oracle, are you there?
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara is sitting at her desk. She is panicking.
BARBARA:
Batman, are you OK? Do you want me to come and get you? Should I call my dad?
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman looks at one of his hands, covered in blood, it is pitch black.
BATMAN:
Joker has punctured my right kidney. The blood is black, that's bad. I won't be able to slow it down. There isn't much time.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara brings up a new monitor. It is a map of the city. On the adjacent screen we can see a heart monitor, it is labelled "Health Scan" and it is in a critical state.
BARBARA:
You need to get out of there and to a doctor. The closest hospital is 15 minutes away.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman looks around the room at the men sitting on their chairs. They are starting to get aggravated.
MOB:
Batman, what are you waiting for? Don't just sit there. Do something!
Batman is now barely on his knees, holding himself up with one arm and his wound with the other.
BATMAN:
Oracle, how much time do I have before the first detonator goes?
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara looks over the monitors.
BARBARA:
The first timer is down to 3:27. You won't be able to get around the room, not in your state. You need to get out now. Save yourself!
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman looks up; Joker is now standing above him at the top of the stairs, smiling proudly. He is grinning with pleasure, watching Batman struggling to cope.
JOKER:
Tick tock Bats. Time's running out!
Close up of Batman. His head is turned away from Joker, trying to ignore him and think for a second about his next move.
We can still see Joker in the background, on top of the stairs looking over Batman's shoulder, looking down and laughing.
Batman snarls in anger.
After thinking for a moment, Batman's head drops; he's no longer angry. It's clear he has accepted his fate. He knows what he must do.
BATMAN:
Oracle, I need you to do me a favor.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Close up of Barbara, she is concerned but waiting with anticipation to hear the new plan.
BARBARA:
Anything you need Batman. What is it?
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman looks calm now; ready to make his move.
BATMAN:
I need… I need you to contact Alfred. Tell him to initiate Nightfall.
INT. BAT CAVE, NIGHT – Barbara looks confused. She is looking through an instruction guide.
BARBARA:
Nightfall? What is that? I don't have it on file.
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT, NIGHT – Batman lifts himself to his feet. He is struggling to move. He has two fingers on his headset.
BATMAN:
Oracle, I want to thank you for all your help. This city owes you a great debt.
INT. BAT CAVE – Barbara is starting to panic. Her eyes are wide and glassy.
BARBARA:
What are you talking about? I don't understand. What's Nightfall?
Batman fiddles with his earpiece, trying to remove it.
BATMAN:
Goodbye Oracle.
INT. BAT CAVE – Barbara stands at her desk, touching the screen – literally trying to reach out to Batman now that she realizes what he is doing.
BARBARA:
Batman, wait! Don't do this!
INT. WAREHOUSE BASEMENT – Batman has already pulled out his earpiece. He looks down at the ground.
Upstairs, Joker looks and his watch.
JOKER:
Boohoo for you. Well, it's time for me to leave this party Bats. I hope you have an absolute BLAST!
Batman's face turns into a scowl again, he is angry.
Without looking up, he shoots his grapple gun towards the Joker.
SFX:
BANG!
The grappling hook shoots and wraps around Joker's ankle. Joker is taken by surprise.
Batman yanks the grappling cable and pulls Joker down from the stairs, crashing him through the wooden railing.
BATMAN:
I think you'd better stick around Joker. You're the life of the party after all.
Batman reels Joker in and slams him against the ground. Joker is now laughing hysterically.
JOKER:
I didn't think you cared!
Batman starts to hit Joker in the face, harder and harder. He is mad. Madder than we've ever seen him.
His eyes are fiery, and he is frothing at the mouth – as though years of anger towards Joker are finally coming to surface.
BATMAN:
I'm not going to let you win this time Joker.
Batman is hovering over Joker in the middle of the room, smashing his face. The men around the outside of the room are now silent. They all have the same sickening realization.
Batman holds Joker up by the scruff of his shirt one more time. They are face to face. Joker's face is a bloody mess. He still has a slight smile under the swelling and bleeding.
BATMAN:
Not so funny now is it Joker?
Joker starts laughing to himself again.
JOKER:
Of course it is Bats. You think you're preventing me from winning but this is all part of the plan.
Batman looks defeated, sad that it has come to this. He is still holding Joker tightly by the scruff of his neck. Joker uses all his strength to lift himself up to Batman's face and stares into his eyes.
JOKER:
Don't you see? I finally got you to break that silly code.
From the top we get a close up of Joker's face looking up over Batman's shoulder. His face is a bloody mess. He whispers into Batman's ear.
JOKER:
That's the punchline. You're finally just like me.
The timer underneath Carmine Falcone hits 00:00.
SFX:
Beep, beep
Falcone is white like a ghost and scared of what's next. Joker and Batman are in the center of the room, face to face, ignoring everyone & everything around them. All the other men look at one another, they are all scared, some of them are crying.
EXT. OLD INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, NIGHT – The entire building blows in a grand explosion. The cloud is gigantic. There is no chance of anyone surviving.
SFX:
BOOOOOOM!
GORDON (NARRATES):
And that's how it happened. That was the end of the Dark Knight.
INT. BAT CAVE – Barbara is crying, alone at her computer desk.
GORDON (NARRATES):
No one saw it coming. Not even Barbara.
CAPTION: PRESENT DAY
CUT TO PRESENT: EXT. GCPD ROOF TOP, SUNSET – Gordon is still standing alone. Wide shot. Present day.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
No one really knows why Batman chose to end it the way he did. From what Barbara told me, he definitely had enough time to save himself.
Close up of Gordon's face.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Maybe he thought there was a chance Joker was bluffing.
Gordon clenches his fist.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Personally, I think he finally had enough. I believe he sacrificed himself to rid the city of Joker's wrath. Once and for all.
Close up of Gordon's face. His anger fades as he reflects on the positive of the situation.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Plus, he also got to take out half of Gotham's underworld in the process.
Zoom out. Gordon reaches into the inside pocket of his trench- coat.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
It was the kind of sacrifice only a true hero could make. And our city was better off because of it.
Zoom out. Gordon, now with a cigar in his mouth, tilts his head down to strike a match.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
But good things never last.
Gordon holds the match up to his cigar and lights it. Puffs of smoke come out from the sides of his mouth.
GORDON (THOUGHT):
Not in this city.