By: Chris Resnick

Sometimes we just need our heads in the clouds. Clear the minds, clear the noise, and just be… this is what CW&FT at a Glance brings. A little time to clear everything, read some, and think forever. As a creative writer to be, I always am thinking of all the above. I have decided to share these thoughts here for all… not to convince, not to change, but just to open the minds to the little thoughts that may run through day to day. Enjoy!

Lets start with something nice and easy… I am a big movie watcher. I have a wide array of likes. You will soon find out I am obsessed with Christmas everything (year round from time to time). However, when it comes to movies, I like Action, Mystery, Comedy, some Thriller, Romance, Drama, and of course… Christmas themed. One of my favorite movies, I would say top 3, is the Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan. Not just for the cinematic excellence but for the portrayal of Joker by Heath Ledger. Iconic is an understatement. I recently watched Christopher Nolan’s third installment and could not keep my mind off of one thing throughout the whole movie. “And here we go…”

Christopher Nolan is a genius when it comes to the movie realm. One of his overlooked talents is his extreme genius of casting. Bringing on actors that just engulf the screen with their portrayal of their said characters. We cannot deny this with Ledger as Joker, Christian Bale as Batman, and/or Tom Hardy as Bane. But, I am more fond of the one character that caught my eye… one that did not have a mask or war paint as in the big three I mentioned. I began my focus on John Blake when watching The Dark Knight Rises. While Joseph Gordan Levitt is a great actor in his own respect, when in a movie with all of these other amazing actors, one cannot be remiss to admit they did not think his role would be just as powerful. One scene made the epiphany rise in my mind. I thought to myself… “if Nolan thought this and made his decision for Joseph Gordan Levitt then he is a genius.” When John Blake is explaining to Bruce Wayne how he knows he is the batman and how he learned to hide behind the smile, the Fan Theory began to boil…

Look at Heath Ledger, not as the Joker just as the man in real life. Tragic ending to an amazing career cut short. But his physical features caught so many people’s attention. Now look at Joseph Gordon Levitt… honestly they could be mistaken for brothers. This is where the stretch of the imagination turns into what could be the biggest twist in movie history…

So, The Dark Knight Rises looks at the demise of Gotham at the hands of Bane. (Really late spoiler alert) It also looks at how Batman saves Gotham with the help of Fox, Gordon, Selina Kyle, and of course John Blake. As the bomb goes off over the water the theory grew more and more… a few scenes later we see Blake walking into an office to retrieve what was left to him in “Bruce Wayne’s Will.” As he exits there is a little nod to the fans as he reveals his real name to be Robin. We see everyone having their happy ending and Blake following coordinates to what is Batman/Wayne’s hidden layer. Fans are left with the notion that Blake is now either taking over or making his new Batman style identity. Some say he would have been Robin, some other fans say he takes over as Batman, and a few say he could resemble Nightwing. However, I have a completely different take of the future that Joseph Gordon Levitt would portray…

Lets jump back to the main point… does Joseph Gordon Levitt and Heath Ledger look eerily similar? Yes, and I believe Nolan understood this. Imagine in a world of Gotham… 8 years prior to the Dark Knight Rises we see Heath Ledger’s Joker hung upside down by an ankle laughing as SWAT come in. Then nothing… 8 years and nothing. What if (FAN THEORY TIME!)… what if he did escape. Imagine a world where during the chaos of everything as Harvey Dent laid dead, Batman was on the run, Gordon knew this coverup was a bad idea, everyone in Gotham needed a “Dark Knight” all at the same time the Joker got away. Another cover up would be needed. There is no way the city of Gotham could survive thinking he was still out there. Alas, the Joker was… but he had a plan, even if he always said he did not. Imagine a world where Joker is free… Oh what would he do, Chaos!?! No, he actually has a plan (read that with Heath Ledger’s Joker voice and it is even more powerful).

Step 1 of the Joker Plan – hide in plain sight… how? Well he still has the power of persuasion and fear. He convinces a doctor to fix his scars. Is that possible? Plastic surgery is a lot of money? What happens when he goes under? The Joker is not dumb, he stock piled some of that money prior to burning it all. Local anesthesia while enduring four separate sessions. Once again, the Joker has a plan, years in the making.

Step 2 of the Joker Plan – Infiltrate Batman/Bruce Wayne’s closest Confidant, Jim Gordon… how? Become what Jim Gordon reveres – a strong willed cop who wants to be on the right side of the law, even if it means bucking the system from time to time. Now he has 8 years prior to Bane coming into play with Gotham. The Joker does not have a time line but he knows that this is inevitable that someone will try and hit Gotham. Working his way through the academy, becoming a cop, and always keeping an eye on Gordon. Years go by and the Joker is working his way through just as Gordon would want to hear about. Yes, he is bucking the system a bit, but he is keeping on the straight and narrow. Year after year, the Joker is building a reputation of a Gordon style of cop… then comes year 8… Bane.

Step 3 of the Joker Plan – Everything is going to plan for the Joker, he has now become the right hand man to Gordon and Batman/Bruce Wayne. Hiding in plain sight while doing it. Gordon is hell bent to save his city, just like Batman. The Joker is able to do what is needed to do what he never could. He could not beat the Batman or Gordon. So what is the plan?? Join them without even knowing. Batman saves the City of Gotham from Bane and he leaves to live a life he never had. Gordon is back at the helm of Gotham as they start to rebuild. Where is the Joker? the Joker realized the only way to win is to become batman. He realized it is not the chaos that wins the day but it is the hero. So while he was wrapping his head around the idea of Joker-Batman, Joker-Batman, Joker-Batman… he created John Blake. Joker is John Blake… he finally beat the Batman. Retired and living a new life, Batman hands the “keys to Gotham” to the Joker. At the same time Gordon believes that John Blake will be the next best thing. So while he says does he “look like a guy with a plan?” He actually is the master planner… Nolan is a genius if this was his mindset. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Heath Ledger were the two most important casts made for the Batman Triliogy.