Top Batman Fan Theories That Will Blow Your Socks Off

Batman has been a major figure in comic book history for over 80 years, yet still, his full origin, his villains, and even those closest to him remain somewhat of a mystery to the audience. It is human nature that we will often create explanations for ourselves when none are available. Sometimes, we do it just to keep things interesting.

1. Batman murdered the Joker.

Batman has one rule, and it’s one that he hasn’t broken in all his history, but fan theories speculated that The Killing Joke might have been the end of Batman’s lifelong commitment to himself. In the last panels, after the Joker has shamelessly tortured Jim and Barbara Gordon and pushed Batman nearly over the edge, we see the edges of Batman’s sanity begin to collapse. He starts to laugh hysterically with the Joker. In the next panel, we see Batman’s hands resting near Joker’s throat, and in the final two panels, the laughter is cut off.

2. Robin is the contingency plan for Batman.

I’ve always wondered what exactly the purpose was for endangering the life of a child by bringing him along on a sadistic murderer field trip every night, but what if training all the Robins held another motive?

It’s been well documented that Batman has a contingency plan for every member of the Justice League if they ever went rogue, but what would happen if Batman ever did? Who knows Batman better as a whole, all his gadgets, fighting techniques, secrets, and weaknesses, better than Robin?

3. Bruce Wayne died at the end of The Dark Knight Rises

To every common Batman fan, it certainly looked like Bruce Wayne was all fine and dandy at the end of The Dark Knight Rises, sitting at the cafe that Alfred spoke about earlier in the movie. However, Alfred said he imagined seeing Bruce sitting across the table. What if he’s just imagining this encounter now?

In fact, Alfred is pretty calm after seeing his surrogate son who he thought was dead. And even though Batman is the greatest detective, how on Earth would he know what restaurant in Florence, what time, and what table to sit at? Seems a bit far-fetched.

4. The villains in Batman: The Animated Series are all pieces of Batman’s fractured psyche.

Going down the list of all major villains in the series, each has a logical role. Mr. Freeze is Batman’s cold heart, which explains why Bruce struggles to hold a relationship. The Penguin is the intoxicating power of the Wayne fortune. Two-Face is the constant push and pull of Bruce and Batman. The Joker reflects the insanity of Batman’s new world.

5. Bruce Wayne is a patient in Arkham, and all his villains are doctors and orderlies who work there.

No one can deny that Bruce is at least a tad bit crazy, but what if witnessing his parent’s murder actually pushed him off the edge of insanity? It wouldn’t be hard to imagine that Bruce’s entire double life as Batman was a figment of his fractured mind. Poison Ivy is the nurse that sedates him when he gets out of control. Two-Face is an abusive orderly who acts nice when doctors are around, but is abusive behind their backs. Riddler is a therapist who asks questions that he has a hard time answering. Mad Hatter is a hypnotherapist who Bruce is convinced is trying to brainwash him. “Dr. Joe Car” and “Harleen Quinzel” both see Bruce as their top patient, and they fight to bring him back to sanity, but Batman swears to protect Gotham from the crazed Joker and Harley Quinn.

Batman’s story may remain largely a mystery for the rest of history, but fans have never been short of a few theories to spark the imagination.