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A78_2015AbstractArterJ
Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to take an academic look at the reasons why Batman does not kill
his deadly arch-nemesis, the Joker, despite his many opportunities to do so. The project looked at
the question from various perspectives, including canon (in-story), criminal justice, psychology,
and philosophy. The research looked at all different versions of the Caped Crusader, from his
first appearance in comic books to the 1960s TV show to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight
Trilogy, with a focus on canon comic books. While this is a question that does not have one
perfect answer, it does provide a great opportunity to examine one item from unique vantage
points in order to both gain further knowledge ofthe subject at hand (Batman'S refusal to kill the
Joker) and real-world applications of other topics (such as vigilantism, the philosophical Trolley
Problem, etc.). Batman will not kill the Joker for a number of reasons, and this paper examined
each of them fully.
Honors College
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306