WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Warner Bros.’ Justice League, in theaters now.
Ben Affleck's casting as the DC Extended Universe's Batman brought with it a lot of criticism, much of it based on how much he polarized fans with his portrayal of Matt Murdock, the title character in Jon Favreau's Daredevil. Director Zack Snyder didn't let that faze him, however, as he roped Affleck in to stand against Henry Cavill's Man of Steel in 2015's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in what was a bitter and very aggressive spin on the Dark Knight. Affleck's Batman was seasoned and weathered, a la Frank Miller's typical approach to the character, and had Superman dead-set in his crosshairs as a liability that needed to be taken out for the safety of all mankind.
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However, despite their differences and eventual showdown, Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday reignited Bruce Wayne's sense of hope, a rekindled brightness complemented by the inspiration of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. By the end of that movie, he wanted to restart the age of heroes by forming a coalition to fight an impending invasion, one which he foresaw in the "Knightmare" sequence in BvS and which a crazed Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) confirmed while incarcerated. This assembly of heroes is what drives Snyder's Justice League, with Steppenwolf's assault on Earth confirming that what Bruce feared all this time was actually coming to pass.
Many fans remained cynical as to how Snyder would follow up his depiction of the Caped Crusader, and whether Affleck would phone in his performance given that he seemed disillusioned with the DCEU after BvS came in for criticism. However, despite Snyder's divisive interpretation of Bruce and the constant dark cloud looming over Affleck's future in the role, everyone involved powered through, with Justice League coming full-circle to illustrate just why Batman belongs on the team, and more so, why he can now be seen as a beacon of light in a more hopeful cinematic universe.
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Simply put, Batman belongs on the League because, as Wonder Woman made abundantly clear, he's their true leader. He's highly familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of everyone -- he assembled the roster, after all -- and knows how to strategize when they head out into the field. This is seen in the movie's finale where he sends the superpowered heroes to fight Steppenwolf knowing that he'd be of no physical use in that tussle, a lesson he learned when he fought alongside Superman and Wonder Woman against Doomsday.
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This reemphasizes how strong Batman's military and tactical acumen are, instincts also seen in how he initially rounds up Parademons, eventually learning that they feed on fear. He shows off his famed detective skills here as he learns how to harness the Parademons' addiction to certain sound frequencies and use it against them. At this juncture, it's safe to say that while Cyborg may be the central informational processor of the team, Batman is the true brains of the operation.
What also justifies Batman as a key component of the League is his humanity. Some may view it as his weakness, especially in the scene where Wonder Woman sees him bruised and battered, and he admits he may not be able to don the cowl for much longer. However, not having powers like the Flash or Aquaman, not being a god like Diana, and not being a war machine like Cyborg, all give Bruce that extra bit of instinct to survive, which he transposes to his team's strategy.
He confesses in the movie that he rediscovered this humanity through Superman's sacrifice, even telling Alfred at one point that he doesn't have to recognize the world for what it's become, he just "has to save it." Bruce's humanity is further compounded by him actually joking about how his body can't take anymore damage, and also with several other quips about the ensemble he's surrounded himself with -- from teasing the geeky Barry Allen that his superpower is being rich, to verbally jousting with the iron-willed Aquaman about being able to "talk to fish."
What also makes Batman stand out is how ambitious he is when it comes to finding a trump card to tackle Steppenwolf. After learning more about the Mother Boxes, Bruce deduces that with their ability to replicate genetic material, one can be used to revive Superman. He and Cyborg then use a Box as a defibrillator and against the concerns of Aquaman and Wonder Woman, they bring Superman back to life.
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Seeing Batman this vulnerable is quite rare, but he makes it very clear that they need Superman and any chance they have of resurrecting him, they have to take. It's a bold move, similar to decisions we've seen him take over the years in comics, and it ends up being the game-changer. Of course, it almost backfires as Superman nearly kills the League in a fit of madness, but as usual, Batman has a contingency plan. The old Batman would probably have unleashed a Kryptonite arsenal, but this time around, it's a softer solution, as he has Lois Lane brought to the scene to calm Clark down and remind him of his true path as Superman.
All in all, as a man among gods, Batman really manages to prove his worth in this movie. He's had his faith in people restored, he's more optimistic and well, he trusts more. All of these combine to produce a Dark Knight who no longer prides himself on brain and brawn, but on his heart, which in essence, is the true mark of a hero.
In theaters now, director Zack Snyder’s Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jason Mamoa as Aquaman, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, J.K Simmons as Commissioner Gordon and Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.