Here is my ending scene, I've posted it before a while ago. It may refere a bit to your B scenario with the exceptance that Batman hasn't thrown his cap away entirely, it is still there if he'll need it, but not in the near future. There are some mistakes in spelling, and the title would be now THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.
And here we go!
It is morning, days after the events. Commissioner Gordon is just arriving at the Wayne manor as the first beams of sunlight tear the morning fog and light the sky.
The car stopped, Gordon slowly steps out. He is alone. His memory suddenly starts to reproduce flashbacks of the time he first met Bruce. It was when his parents died. He was just a boy then. He thinks to himself. A lot has happened since.
Today is his first time visiting the Wayne residence. As he is approaching the entrance he can not comprehend the greatness of the building. To his surprise door opens before he could ring the bell. It was Alfred Pennyworth, a personal butler. Did not know people still have them.
“Commissioner Gordon? What brings you so far out of the city? ”
“Work, Mr. Pennyworth. Is Mr. Wayne here? ”
Alfred gestures the way through the corridor on the right from the main stairway “He is breakfasting in the gardens. …right through there, the first door on the left. You can not miss it.” Minding his own business he disappears behind the corner.
The house has large ceilings, windows, doors… everything is on grand scale. Gordon walks through the corridor gazing at its enormous walls covered with portraits of the Wayne family. His memory once again jumps back through time to the night when they traced down Joe Chill, the lunatic murderer of one of Gotham’s most exemplary citizens. Gordon remembers the events as if it was yesterday.
Few hours went by since the killings. It was already late, but he and his partner were still driving through the city. Rain was poring, when they were called in about a suspicious male in a diner down town. As they arrived to the front of that small restaurant, he could immediately identify the man seating at the window. He fit the profile. Long coat, slouching body, and an empty yet scared look in his eyes… He was just seating there steering at the table and in his hand, he was holding Martha’s pearl necklace.
All the sudden, as he arrives to the atrium he becomes aware of the present. On the left he sees the glassed doors that lead out into the gardens at the back of the house. He could see Bruce from far away sitting at a small table, riding newspaper and sipping coffee. He slowly approaches trying to figure out who is the man behind the table, set to be one of the richest and most influential people in the world. He wonders if that is still the same boy from that night, seating in commissioner’s office… I guess not. Judging by his reputation that boy is gone. He is nothing like his parents.
With the back of his eye Bruce notices Gordon coming nearer. He looks up, “Commissioner Gordon, Gotham’s legend according to some newspapers.”
“Wouldn’t know about that, Mr. Wayne” Gordon seems to be slightly embarrassed.
Bruce is trying to figure out what brings Gordon here, “Long time no see.” Commissioner was the last man Bruce expected to get a visit from.
“Yeah, well I was just wondering if you even remember me from that night when your parents…” Gordon realizes the sensitivity of the subject.
Bruce looks down at the newspaper trying to avoid the answer, “Barely… you have to understand the circumstances weren’t exactly… memory worthy.”
Gordon tries to apologize, “I understand. I didn’t want to bring up those memories. ”
“That’s all right. Pleas, take a seat. What can I do for you?” Bruce cuts to the case.
Gordon slowly takes a seat trying to make himself comfortable, “There is something on my mind. Although Reese’s case is closed, yet something is still bothering me.” He seems to get Bruce’s attention as he gets defensive, “The company gave the official statement about that…”
Gordon not getting distracted continues, “Reese must have got the information from inside the firm. Maybe he found some irregularities, some old files, perhaps he sow something… Anyway, I guess since he was murdered before the trial, we might never know. ”
Bruce fills uncomfortable about the direction this conversation is going and ignores Gordon by sinking into his work. He puts the newspaper aside and starts to go through some balance sheets. Pretending to work, he leaves Gordon to continue.
“Wayne’s Enterprise was building weapon prototypes for the army, Applied Sciences if I’m not mistaken. All those sophisticated gadgets he has… I don’t think it was a coincidence that one of your employees discovered his identity.”
Bruce starts to smile sarcastically as he sees what Gordon is implying, “I hope you aren’t trying to say Batman is one of my employees? It would have been even impossible to remove any objects without someone noticing. And as for the Applied Sciences nothing has been produced there in years. That department has been a dead end long before I took over the company. You are fishing on dry land commissioner.”
“Maybe… yet something doesn’t seem to fit the story. You have renewed the military contract. Why?”
Bruce tries to sound smart, “Good business, commissioner. Military always is. I recommend Mr. Fox for more information. He is in charge of the Telecommunication department.”
The answer seems to put aside some of Gordon’s suspicion about the involvement of Wayne Enterprises. Always looking for a way to make more money, this people strictly mean business. Gordon looks around the property. It is a park not a garden. Kings and queens have lived like this. He thinks of Bruce, the boy billionaire sitting across the table. There is no way a man like that would risk it all by jumping around the rooftops, putting his life on the line. He probably doesn’t even see through his piles of money at the street across, the real world. The struggle every citizen must go through every day. Who can blame him?
Bruce is going over some numbers, looking overtaken with work, as commissioner slowly stands up preparing to leave, “Well then Mr. Wayne, I’ve already taken much of your time. I’ll see myself out.”
Bruce looks at him and puts away his work, “Wait, I’ll walk you to your car. This way.” He gestures direction through the backyard behind the mansion. A path surrounded by trees and statues of some Greek god like figures lead the way to the right wing of the Wayne manor. They have not spoken for a few moments when Bruce tries to find out Gordon’s stand on the Batman situation, “So, what’s the deal with your knight going rough? I hear he killed that Roman Sionis guy.
“It’s complicated. Looks like, he is loosing himself inside his monster. I mean, it’s not like Sionis didn’t have his hands covered in blood, but…” Gordon stops as if he forgot what he is trying to say.
“He’s a vigilante; it’s a surprise he managed to stay straight till now. Yet what can you expect from a man wearing tights? ”
Sensing a sarcastic attitude Gordon takes defense, “I don’t know. All I can say is that I made this decision, when I didn’t stop him. I still don’t know if it was right or not and that thought is hunting me every day. Anyway, tights or no tights, he has started something. With his help we did something we otherwise never would. We exposed corruption, got close enough to the mob to take them out, with his help we have arrested half of the crooks in the city… There were some setbacks along the way of course. Attracting mad psychopaths to the city was one of them, yet Batman has also inspired good among people. He showed us to stand up against unrighteousness and gave us hope that justice will eventually come and with it a new dawn will arise upon Gotham city.”
Gordon pauses when he finally sees his car parked just around the corner. Bruce stays quiet as if his thoughts are somewhere else. They are getting near the front of the house, when Gordon whishes to explain, “He broke his one rule and if he’s smart he’ll stay in the shadows for now. I mean who knows, with things the way they are, there might be no need for him to return.”
Relieved to be able to share some thoughts that were scratching inside his head, Gordon tries to find his car keys. Bruce is looking almost amusingly at commissioner walking ahead, going through his pockets, “It sounds like you have no intentions to arrest him?”
Felling like nothing has left to hide, Gordon lays it all out, “Officially he is still a criminal, but personally, I’d just like to thank the guy.
Finding his keys he tries to unlock the door, when a silent yet assuring voice slowly moves near from behind. “Well I’m sure you’ll never have to.”
Gordon looks up, as if a sudden revelation crossed his mind. The words are still echoing in his ears. You’ll never have to… those words so familiar, I’ve heard them before. Suddenly there is no doubt on his mind. He sees it clearly now. It was there all the time, if I only bothered to notice. The man who has it all, a young boy that lost everything… became Batman. I was wrong. He is like his parents. You couldn’t expect anything less than a father’s son, fulfilling his family’s legacy by becoming a true …
…LEGEND OF GOTHAM
The End
)
). Therefore, it must be someone new or Gordon (well, it could be...)
