The new film ‘The Batman’ appears to take inspiration from ‘Batman: Earth One,’ a graphic novel that reimagines Martha Wayne’s origins.
TV & Movies The new film The Batman delves into Martha’s family history. Batman has always had a strong moral compass. How could he not, growing up as the son of Martha and Thomas Wayne? His mother was a generous philanthropist, and his father was a kindhearted doctor who dreamed of becoming the mayor that Gotham so desperately needed. Or at least, so we thought: In The Batman, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) discovers that his late parents weren’t exactly who he believed they were. Bruce Wayne was only a child when his parents were murdered. The family had been out together when a mugger approached them, demanding Martha’s pearl necklace and then violently shooting both of the Waynes in front of Bruce. In the aftermath of this trauma, Bruce found an unconventional way to make use of his family’s money: turning himself into a masked vigilante sworn to protect the people of Gotham. He wanted to avenge his parents, to carry on their legacy of charity. But in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the Wayne family legacy gets a grim retelling. As the Riddler (Paul Dano) terrorizes Gotham, Bruce Wayne discovers the truth about his mother, and the lengths his father went to protect her family secrets. Drawing from the DC graphic novel Batman: Earth One, The Batman shines a new light on Martha Wayne. Below, a full breakdown of Martha Wayne’s troubled past, and more on how the Wayne family history informs The Batman.
