40in40 – Batman Returns
“I’m not finished yet… and you’re not finished with me.”
There’s the name we’re given, and then there’s the name we’re meant to make for ourselves. Our destiny is to discover and fulfill that fated name. It’s there, waiting to be made, often requiring hard work and sometimes even requiring the sacrifice of our given name. For the length of this novel, we slowly say goodbye to Bruce Wayne and witness the vehement return of Batman. The transformation is frightening, but undeniably gripping, and when we finally see Batman embrace his destiny, we are at his corner, rooting him on. “You’re not finished yet!”
We all have a powerful destiny. It exists and unfolds whether we help it or not. But when we choose to take on that challenge, we have the potential to become heroes, like Batman and our favorite Fate Assassin, Amelie. Another great hero from the Batman universe is the butler, Alfred Pennyworth. He takes full ownership of his destiny, tending to “Master Bruce” (not Batman, mind you). All throughout Batman’s injuries and struggles, Alfred is there to serve the Bruce Wayne under the mask. Knowing all well the futility of his efforts, that his master is slowly dying and his services will no longer be needed, Alfred continues to fight the good fight, continues to fulfill his destiny. Not until Bruce Wayne passes away does Alfred finally relinquish his duties, with his own death.
And those are the conditions of this constant battle with Destiny: you can’t ever win unless you completely give yourself up. It’s a matter of fighting for the sake of fighting, and being able to proclaim that you’re not going down. Destiny’s never gonna let up, but we’re not finished…
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Tags: alfred, amelie, batman, bruce wayne, destiny
is this now 40 in 40 years?