- Joined
- Dec 25, 2017
Having a lame love interest ain't that much of a problem. Vicky was that and somehow it complemented Batman's story in the first movie and she served a part in it. Catwoman moved the plot along the Penguin and Chase served for Batman to question his mission, which he also did for Robin. In The Batman, Catwoman is a choice he didn't take because, as she said, he already chose Gotham.And Rachel is such a non-entity she can be replaced by a much older actress and no one cares. Mask of the Phantasm was a better love story than Batman Begins and accomplishes more as an origin story too.
But Rachel was not only his main motivation to be Batman, she was the reason he became Batman (she was the one taking him to the bad areas the first time to show him how bad things were) and she was the reason he wanted to stop being Batman. When she died, he gave up being Batman for good. Not even the Joker has that much power over Bruce.
People complain now about bossy women, but Rachel was one of the first examples. Vicky, Selina, Chase, all were competent women Batman respected aside his interest for them, but Rachel was there to teach Batman how to be Batman.