The infamous “Martha” scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may have divided moviegoers, but The Batman features a more effective Martha moment. During their battle in the 2016 crossover, Superman urges Batman to “save Martha.” At first, it seems the mere coincidence of the two heroes’ mothers sharing the same name is the sticking point. However, according to Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder, Superman’s mention of Martha’s name brings Batman to realize he is becoming what he’s fighting against and that which he hates. A common criticism is that the moment feels rushed and required a more substantive reason to bring the climactic battle to an end. Despite the rationale from Snyder, the execution of the scene something to be desired.
The Batman reveals one of the darker secrets of the Wayne-Arkham family’s past, specifically regarding Batman/Bruce Wayne’s mother, Martha Arkham. In the movie, the Riddler releases a viral video that shows that a journalist intended to expose the fact that Martha’s mother killed Martha’s father before committing suicide. Then the Arkham family used their power and influence to cover up the situation as just an accident. A young Martha witnessed the tragic event, and the trauma led her to end up committed to a mental hospital. Her husband, Thomas Wayne, who was running for political office at the time, went through extreme measures to silence the journalist from exposing Martha’s secret to the public.
The Batman‘s Arkham twist with Bruce Wayne’s mother is a far better instance of a “Martha moment” than the one in Batman v Superman. While the moment in the earlier movie is set up to be a means to reel back an over-the-line and experienced Batman, The revelation of Martha’s past in The Batman could be critical to the foundation of the Caped Crusader. The trauma of Bruce’s parents was foundational to his identity as Batman. With this new Martha revelation, it could be reasoned that Bruce’s mental condition may be hereditary. Like his mother, Bruce probably just needed a similarly shocking and traumatic event to trigger his mental condition.
In addition to affecting Bruce’s mental state, The Batman‘s Martha reveal could set up Bruce Wayne in The Batman 2 in how he helps Gotham. Robert Pattinson’s Bruce is confronted earlier in the movie by the new Gotham mayor, Bella Reál, and she suggests that he could be doing far more for the city. By learning of his own mother’s mental condition and experience in a mental institution, it could be the case that The Batman‘s Bruce Wayne will become more philanthropic. He could be the reason why Arkham State Hospital is reformed into Arkham Asylum to honor his mother’s legacy.
If learning about Martha’s past could affect Bruce’s view of Gotham, it could also alter Batman’s view of crime-fighting. Batman v Superman‘s Martha moment causes the Caped Crusader to realize that he was turning into the same sort of murderous criminal who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. The Batman, however, could utilize its Martha moment to have Batman empathize with Gotham’s worst criminals. Batman could shift his belief in rehabilitation rather than going on a killing spree or sending the criminals to an ordinary prison. Batman could relate his mother’s situation to other people who live with mental illness. This could be one of the reasons why Batman has constant run-ins with his same rogue gallery. More notably, Bruce’s knowledge about Martha could impact his future relationship with the Joker. Rather than killing the Joker, Batman may feel bad for him and continue the cat and mouse game by sending him back to Arkham.
Opinions could shift in the future when comparing the two Martha scenes, but right now, The Batman‘s version seems to carry the most potential weight. There is an Arkham Asylum spinoff happening from the movie’s director, Matt Reeves. It’s unconfirmed as of now whether Pattinson’s Batman will appear. Nonetheless, with Batman’s core identity rooted in his parents’ murder, there’s no denying that the truth about Martha will weigh heavily on Bruce one way or another.
