The Dark Knight Rises’ 10th Anniversary: 10 Best Quotes

The final installment of the Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year in 2022. The reception to the movie was mixed. While many fans loved it, others were left feeling disappointed by the ending of a beloved franchise.

Whatever side one may fall on, no one can deny that the movie had some brilliant dialogue, like every Christopher Nolan movie. The movie introduced one of the biggest supervillains to Batman in Bane, who not only was immensely powerful but had a way with words too. Many of his quotes, along with dialogue from other characters, make for some of the best lines in the movie.

The Hopeless Hope

“Every Man Who Has Ventured Here Over The Centuries Has Looked Up To The Light And Imagined Climbing To Freedom.”

When Bane breaks Batman, he leaves him in the Pit, which is known as the “worst hell on earth.” Bruce asks Bane why is he leaving him here instead of simply killing him. Bane tells him that he wants to break his soul because, in this place, he will have hope that he can get out. However, he will try and fail every time because no one is able to do so.

The dialogue denotes that Bane not only has strength but is also one of the smartest characters in TheDark Knight trilogy. He knows that breaking Bruce’s soul is a bigger punishment for him than breaking his body.

The Symbol Of Evil

“No One Cared Who I Was Until I Put On The Mask.”

The first scene of the film is arguably one of the best scenes in modern cinema for fans, in which the audience is introduced to the villain, Bane. His strange mask is the first thing that viewers notice about him.

But it is not just a mask, but a symbol of who he is. Just like Batman’s mask is a symbol and holds a lot of power, similarly Bane tells that his mask made him who he is. People are terrified of him because of his mask and it representation of evil.

A Thief’s Advice

“Never Steal Anything From Someone You Can’t Outrun, Kid.”

Selina Kyle is a notorious thief in the film, but that doesn’t make her an unlikeable character. In a city like Gotham, where most of the rich have gained wealth using unscrupulous ways, Selina stealing doesn’t feel like the worst thing. She is an anti-hero that many fans found interesting.

In the latter half of the movie, she saves a kid from a gang and gives him a piece of important advice. In the scene, she shows that she has the potential to be a hero, which is later ignited by Bruce Wayne.

A Welcomed Moment Of Levity

“And Yes, Mr. Wayne, It Does Come In Black.”

In the overall dark atmosphere of The Dark Knight Rises, Mr. Fox provides some much-needed amusement. He throws a playful jab at Bruce Wayne/Batman’s wardrobe preferences.

Lucius Fox introduces Bruce to the flying automobiles that were originally built for the military. Bruce is impressed and Mr. Fox knows that his next question will be whether it comes in black. It is a callback to the Batman Begins scene when Bruce asks for all his gadgets to be black.

Reminding Batman Of His Sacrifices

“Save Yourself. You Don’t Owe These People Anymore, You’ve Given Them Everything.”

Bruce Wayne has mostly led a sad and alone life and has dedicated all of himself to saving Gotham city. At the end of this movie, he plans to put his life at stake for Gotham city yet again.

This is when Selina advises him to save himself and run away with her. She reminds him that he has already sacrificed everything for the people of this city who never thanked him and so, he doesn’t need to do more. It is a great way to summarise the character of Bruce Wayne in all three movies.

Heartwarming Identity Reveal

“A Hero Can Be Anyone. Even A Man Doing Something As Simple And Reassuring As Putting A Coat Around A Little Boy’s Shoulder To Let Him Know That The World Hadn’t Ended.”

The last time Gordon and Batman interact, it is an amazing scene that pays homage to the origins of Batman in Batman Begins. Gordon was the one who comforted Bruce Wayne as a kid after his parents were killed in the first movie.

So, when Batman is saying goodbye to Gordon at the end of The Dark Knight Rises, he makes sure to do it not as Batman, but as Bruce Wayne. It is also a subtle way to reveal his identity to one of his closest friends, which became Bruce’s final line in The Dark Knight trilogy.

Riling The Masses

“Gotham Is Yours. None Shall Interfere, Do As You Please!”

One of the most memorable things about The Dark Knight Rises is Bane’s oratory skills. His eloquent speeches in the film always seemed to serve their purpose. They scared the rich and middle class of the city and provoked the criminals and working class.

After breaking into Blackgate prison and freeing the criminals, Bane riles them up using powerful words to cause riots throughout the city. He is successful in doing so, as the criminals blame the rich for destroying their lives.

Bruce Wayne Deserves More Than Gotham

“I Never Wanted You To Come Back To Gotham. I Always Knew There Was Nothing Here For You, Except Pain And Tragedy. And I Wanted Something More For You Than That. I Still Do.”

Alfred is a loyal and faithful caretaker of the Wayne family. After the demise of his parents, Alfred has pretty much taken care of Bruce like he was his own child and he genuinely cares about him. Thus, in this movie, Alfred gets honest with Bruce and asks him to look out for himself for once.

Alfred tells him that he never really wanted Bruce to go back to Gotham because the city has only given him trauma. He tells him that he still wishes for Bruce to get out of the city and find happiness. Interestingly, at the end of the film, Bruce fulfills his wishes and builds a happy life and relationship with Selina Kyle aka Catwoman outside of Gotham City.

Batman’s Legacy

“The Idea Was To Be A Symbol. Batman Could Be Anybody, That Was The Point.”

Bruce Wayne hinted at retirement and possibly passing on the mantel to John Blake. He conveys, through this line, that he does not own Batman and Batman isn’t a person, rather he is a symbol of justice and hope.

Bruce described here what it means to be Batman and the line resonates deeply with every Batman fan, not just a fan of The Dark Knight Trilogy. The quote surmises the character of Batman, and what makes him different from many other superheroes.

A Superior Adversary

“You Think Darkness Is Your Ally. You’ve Merely Adapted The Dark. I Was Born In It, Molded By It.”

The quote portrays why Bane was a fitting adversary for the Caped Crusader. They both have an affinity towards darkness, but as Bane describes here, he has endured much more darkness in his life compared to Bruce Wayne/Batman.

While Bruce has simply donned the darkness when he adopted the persona of Batman, Bane shares an intimacy with the darkness that Bruce can hardly fathom. He has dwelled in dire and dark circumstances all his life and so he is able to best Batman in his own territory, the darkness.

About The Author

Sakcham Tiwari
(64 Articles Published)

An avid fangirl of books, TV shows, and movies at her core, Sakcham is a content writer with an MA in Digital Publishing from Oxford Brookes University. When she is not working, she can be found reading fanfiction or scrolling through Twitter.

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