Christopher Nolan helped reshape what audiences thought a superhero movie could be with his massively popular and acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy. Over three movies, Nolan told what many consider to be a definitive Batman story set in a grounded and realistic world.
The trilogy was a fascinating look at the legacy of the Batman character and his fight against crime. It also took a look at the concept of heroes, the villains they face, and those who fit somewhere in the middle. Looking at the main characters of the trilogy, they are a fascinating range of good and evil.
Joker
It makes sense that the most memorable villain of the trilogy is also the most villainous character in the trilogy. This version of Joker is a terrifying agent of chaos who acts as a terrorist within Gotham, almost bringing the whole city to its knees.
What makes him worse than the other villains of the trilogy is his motivation. Joker doesn't actually want anything like money or power. He just wants to watch the world burn. The horror he inflicts is merely entertainment for him and that is truly scary.
Bane
While Joker was quite effective in terrorizing Gotham, the physically intimidating Bane successfully took the entire city hostage. He brings in an army and executes a pretty ambitious plan that involves trapping the entire police force, freeing countless prisoners, and breaking Batman's back.
He does all of this to torture Batman and make him watch his city fall apart, then plans to destroy it with a nuclear weapon. While this does seem like a plan even grander than Joker's schemes, the fact that Bane is actually just a lackey for someone else makes him somewhat less evil.
Ra's Al Ghul
Ra's Al Ghul is the mysterious leader of the League of Shadows, an ancient organization that seeks to bring justice to the world. He helps train Bruce Wayne and puts him on the path to becoming a warrior.
However, Bruce eventually learns that Ra's Al Ghul's idea of justice is by way of destruction. He plans to destroy Gotham City as a way of wiping its corruption from the Earth. He becomes the antithesis to Batman's more noble path of crime-fighting.
Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow
While Scarecrow was never the main villain in any of the movies, he is the only villain to appear in all three movies. When first introduced, he is a corrupt psychiatrist who experiments on his patients using his fear toxin.
As the trilogy continues, it becomes clear that Crane is not just some greedy madman, but someone who actually enjoys being a criminal. He continues to find ways to remain part of the criminal underworld even if he doesn't make much of an impact.
Harvey Dent
Harvey Dent could be considered the main character of The Dark Knight and certainly the trilogy's most tragic figure. He is introduced as Gotham's new district attorney who honestly wants to do good and clean up the city.
Dent's righteous mission makes him the perfect target for Joker, who seeks to knock him off his heroic path and show that even someone like Dent can become the villain. Following the death of Rachel Dawes, Dent becomes a vengeful murderer who overshadows the good he previously did.
Selina Kyle
Selina Kyle is the perfect character who walks the line hero and a villain. She is a master thief who has no problems breaking the law even if she is looking to escape this life. She is also willing to betray Batman and give him up to Bane to serve her own interests.
However, Kyle also shows that she has a heroic side and is eventually willing to partner up with Batman in order to stop Bane and save Gotham.
Lucius Fox
Lucius Fox is one of Bruce Wayne's closest and most valued allies. He helps Bruce with all his gadgets used for crime-fighting and even accompanies him on a mission to China.
Although he sees Batman as a force of good, he is also not afraid to voice his displeasure over some of his tactics. When Batman wants to use an invasive surveillance device to find Joker, Fox tells him it is wrong and threatens to quit if this device remains.
Alfred
Out of all of Batman's allies, Alfred is the most important. He has known Bruce his whole life and is the first person Bruce trusts with his plan of becoming Batman. Alfred is a loyal man who will do anything to help Bruce.
He is also the voice of reason that Bruce often needs. He knows when Bruce is going down the wrong path and always gives him the advice that helps him make the right decision, even if Bruce doesn't realize it right away.
Rachel Dawes
Rachel is another person Bruce has known his whole life and helps him to become the hero he needs to be. While Bruce is consumed by vengeance following the murder of his parents, Rachel is the one who steers him away from a dark path.
As assistant district attorney, she is one of the few people in Gotham who is willing to put her life on the line to fight against corruption when no one else will. She was a crusader long before Batman showed up.
John Blake
John Blake is introduced in The Dark Knight Rises as a young Gotham cop who seeks to help those in need. He is especially concerned with helping the young orphans of the town and dedicates his time to their organization.
When Bane takes over Gotham, Blake is one of the few cops who are still around to fight back. Despite being outnumbered and in constant danger, Blake never backs down. Bruce even chooses Blake as the next Batman when he retires.
Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon is first introduced as a young cop who offers comfort and kindness to Bruce following the death of his parents. Even as Gotham declines in the years that follow, Gordon never loses his good nature.
He becomes one of the only good cops in the city and continuously puts his life on the line to save the people of Gotham. He is as much a savior of Gotham as Batman is, but he does so without a mask.
Bruce Wayne / Batman
There are few people in the world who are not aware of Batman as a hero. However, Nolan's trilogy takes a new look at the character and his journey as a hero.
Though he makes mistakes along the way and starts from a place of pure vengeance, Bruce eventually becomes a noble hero. He is also willing to be seen as the villain in order to save Gotham and even comes close to sacrificing himself to save the day.