Batman just made an unexpected character proud and it gets emotional

DC’s greatest heroes and darkest villains are confronting their greatest fears in the Knight Terrors event. Batman, however, may have found a surprising respite from someone very important to him. 

The following contains spoilers for Batman: Knight Terrors #2

The line-wide DC Comics event Knight Terrors has already left fans with some memorable moments. Be it Black Adam forcing Mary Marvel to watch as he kills the Shazam Family or the Joker’s absolute misery after the Dark Knight dies from a slip-and-fall accident, fans will surely be talking about the event for years to come. 

Unlike the other characters, Batman is well aware that he is in a nightmare and is trying to take back control. Unfortunately, Deadman has possession of Batman’s body, and it’s keeping him in the dream. 

Knight Terrors: Batman #2 sees the Dark Knight forced to face his fears as Insomnia, the God of Nightmares forces him to relive his past. In the process of facing these fears, though, Bruce learns he’s made someone proud: himself. 

Batman makes a young Bruce Wayne proud of him

While trying to escape his dreams, Batman comes across a chained, black door which Insomnia believes is where knowledge about the Nightmare Stone is hidden. However, after Insomnia is banished, Batman reveals it’s something much more precious. 

Behind the door is Bruce’s memory of the night his parents died, where he sees himself as a young boy weeping over his parents’ bodies. Uneasy and unsure, Batman wonders if he let himself down as he looks down at the version of himself. 

Instead, he offers the young Bruce the comfort of where his life will go. He tells him that while he’ll live in the shadows alone, he’ll eventually have “friends you can’t imagine” and “children who will make you into a better man.”

Knight Terrors: Batman #2 – Bruce Wayne tells Batman he’s proud of him.

The young Bruce Wayne tells Batman he’s proud of him for all he’s accomplished, and the two seemingly find a sort of bitter peace about their tragedy. At that moment, though, Batman seemingly awakens from the nightmare. 

It’s a landmark moment for Batman, a character who has long bounced back and forth between embracing the tragedy of his past and being so deeply stuck in it that he can never move forward. Having Batman come to terms with his life and the young Bruce express pride in his actions is a huge step forward for the character. Fans have taken note, too, expressing how much they enjoyed the moment between Batman and Bruce. 

How this change impacts Batman beyond the Knight Terrors event remains to be seen, as regular publication of Batman and Detective Comics resumes in September. The next chapter in this story, Knight Terrors #2, releases on August 9th.