Warning: Contains MAJOR Spoilers from Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2!The latest outing for DC Comics' famed Caped Crusader may have found the right way for Batman to break his "no killing" rule. Batman is a character who doesn't abide by many laws. He knows that in order to clean up crime, sometimes rules need to be broken which has resulted in him finding unique ways to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. However, there is one strict directive that he has abided by for decades: he doesn't kill. Naturally though, DC has attempted numerous times to push the boundaries of Batman's one rule in an interesting exploration of his morality. Perhaps the most iconic attempt at this was in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight where Batman had no choice but to push the murderous Two-Face to his death in order to save Commissioner Gordon's son. However, it appears the comics have now found the perfect way to test Batman's limits.
In what may be DC's wildest team-up to date, Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo depicts the Dark Knight working with the Joker to find Harley Quinn and Commissioner Gordon. Both have been kidnaped by a mysterious figure, and it's up to the reluctant allies to find them before something happens to them. Unsurprisingly though, Batman doesn't trust the Joker despite his secret mission to save him, and at one point in the story, he leaves him tied in the Batcave with headphones and a blindfold on to make sure he doesn't figure out where his secret hideout is. In the meantime, he explores a mysterious text sent to the Joker to meet him at Wayne Recycling Plant. There, he comes face-to-face with his ultimate test.
Marc Silvestri's Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2 ends with Batman finding a trap eerily similar to the Jigsaw Killer's traps in the popular Saw franchise. A husband and wife named William and Lisa Grey are dangled over an industrial shredder. The ground is littered with documents about the two that the Joker was supposed to read through. Based on the information present, he would then have to decide who would live and who would die. When Batman learns that the killer will instead just kill both and their young son since the Joker couldn't show up, he offers to take his place, leaving him in a difficult situation. He only has fifteen minutes to decide who to choose, and there's not much room for him to craft some kind of valiant last-minute rescue to make sure both survive. Essentially, Batman has undoubtedly found himself in a situation where he must break his one rule.
Batman Faces His Biggest Predicament Since He Became a Vigilante
Unfortunately, this is where issue two of the exciting Black Label series ends, so readers are going to have to wait until the third entry in the series drops to find out Batman's choice. Still, it's fascinating to see Batman facing such a choice. He's basically taking up his own version of the Trolley Problem where he realizes that if he doesn't kill one member of this family, all three will die instead. His morality is being pushed to its breaking point. Plus, since he's likely had no time to prepare due to not even knowing what the mysterious killer had in store for Joker, fifteen minutes might not be enough time for him to make a heroic move. He's being watched at every corner, and if he makes one wrong choice, both husband and wife could meet a gruesome fate.
Readers will be able to see how Batman responds to this test on his morals on January 10th, 2023 when Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 releases. Until then, the anticipation is sure to entice many comic fans. This could be the moment where everyone's favorite DC Comics hero could break his one rule, and if Batman had to make an exception at some point, this elaborate Saw-like trap is the perfect way to do it.
Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2 is available now from DC Comics!