The rule isn’t ‘do not kill’ because he thinks that killing is never justified, but because if he...

The rule isn’t ‘do not kill’ because he thinks that killing is never justified, but because if he, as an individual person, ever took a life, he wouldn’t stop.

Batman is insane, even by his own world's standards he's fucking bonkers.

I like that one. There is also an old argument that his villains are all insane so cannot be held accountable for their actions.

That is a bad way to write the character, it makes him just a murderer with principles. It completely changes the motivation behind why he does what he does. I like to think he considers himself no higher an authority than a police officer, which; especially outside the law, does not give him the right to choose who dies or deal death.

The only reason this is a problem is because they keep reusing the same villains, it should really just be ignored

But you're allowed to read the character however you please

You're not a bastion of mental stability when it's stated in-universe that one of the primary reasons Batman has the Bat-family is because if he didn't have them to act as a moral compass, he'd probably go completely off the deep end.

killing is bad and batman isn't a bad guy

(cont.)... and start raping his villains.

His father was a catholic doctor, he went to a catholic private school, he studied under eastern hippie masters in asia, grew up among people that worshiped life. Saw his parents die when he was a kid...

literally everything about his past screams that he shouldnt kill. Batman's code is a martial artist Hippocratic Oath.

Stop being retarded.

This is basically it honestly

I think Batman tells himself that if he ever started he'd never stop because it makes him feel like an edgy badass. What he tells people is that he cant take a life because he's a vigilante, and outside the law. if he ever killed anyone, The police would be obligated to stop him, it would undermine his entire mission and possibly give the criminals he helped put in prison grounds for appeal. It would also put his friend Gordon in a very awkward position as he's defended Batman for years. So Batman can never kill.

I think that the truth of is, while the vigilante not being able to kill angle is true, the real reason Batman will not kill is because the death of his parents created a need to keep people alive in his psyche. Batman will go out of his way to save life, again, and again, and again even if they do not deserve it. he gets INFURIATED when anyone kills. Or at least he used to, I dont know if that's remained consistent. Sure, Zod, doomsday, and Darkseid are exceptions buy Batman is incapable of taking a life. I believe that he has to force himself to be willing to do it. he says it would be too damn easy, but I dont think that's true. I think that he's made a mental block in his head where any death he blames himself for the same way he blames himself for the death of his parents. It's why he didnt take another robin for YEARS after Jason died and became total recluse.

I actually really like how you've reigned in all aspects of the explanation for him not killing into one cohesive MO, I agree with the second paragraph but don't find the first one necessary personally although it does work. I equate Spider-Man and Batman's "no-kill-rules" almost 1:1, an important aspect of which that people neglect about both is that they will literally go out of their way to prevent death whenever it is in their ability to do so, and will go to great lengths to save anyone no matter who it is.

This is why they are the greatest superheroes. (Superman is equal BUT lacks the element of self-sacrifice that comes from putting his own life on the line every time he puts away even a purse-snatching thug like SM/BM)

>it would undermine his entire mission and possibly give the criminals he helped put in prison grounds for appeal

Pretty much everything he does would give every single thug he's beaten the shit out of a free pass, especially since everything he does to fight them is also illegal as hell.

As I see it, he doesn't kill because in his heart of hearts, he wants the GCPD to be able to do their job well enough that Batman's no longer necessary. Vigilantism is a crime, but it's a crime the police can afford to turn a blind eye to, when it comes to the kinds of criminals only Batman can deal with. If he crossed the line and started executing criminals, the GCPD wouldn't be able to skirt the law anymore. They'd have to dedicate valuable time and resources to bringing him in.

Or maybe they wouldn't. Sometimes the Punisher is written as having the silent endorsement of the NYPD because they believe that the people he kills are scumbags who deserve it. It's very possible that certain parts of the GCPD might feel similarly, especially considering we're not talking about your average pushers and pimps, but mass-murdering super-criminals (some of whom only exist because of Batman in the first place). But not everyone would go along with it. It'd create more problems than it would solve.

I don't think Batman wants that. He started doing what he does because the criminal justice system in Gotham was broken, he knows he can't fix it by acting like a lone gunslinger who shoots to kill based on his own judgment calls. He'll fight the battles they can't, but once these crazies are off the streets and in the system, Batman has to trust that Gotham's criminal justice system has improved enough that it can keep them there.

It isn't his fault they can't. The endless nature of Batman's story means he can't be allowed to succeed to any degree, and by association, the GCPD can't be allowed to improve to the point that Batman's no longer needed. No matter his code, he's doomed to fail from the start.

>It's why he didnt take another robin for YEARS after Jason died
Tim came in only a few months after the fact.

This.

Tim showed up kind of quickly after Jason died actually.

...

I can't believe you faggots are still wracking your tiny minds trying to understand batman's motivations. As if he was a real person, a historical figure. Do you really need it spelled out for you?

The real reason batman doesn't kill the joker is pic related.

Batman is who he is because someone killed his parents. With a gun. That's a trauma that is deeply rooted from such a young age that he has grown up and has come up with every excuse as to not do it.

And you know what? That's fine.

Fuck the people that think he should kill Joker, that's not his job. Heroes shouldn't be forced to kill their enemies because the justice system can't keep them in check.

Batman's also a vigilante and the police only tolerate and work with him because they need him and because they know he won't cross the line.

Why is he three heads wide in this picture?

I know a lot of Sup Forums hates that stance but I really think it suits batman