The impact of making decisions is heavily emphasized in the DC Extended Universe. Viewpoints that turn out to be wrong can have massive repercussions while taking the correct stance can be the turning point for the story. Batman has been responsible for a number of events in the series, with his opinions about these matters varying in many ways.
He’s been absolutely on target about things at times, only to be completely in the wrong about others. As deduction is an intrinsic part of his personality, Batman has come to conclusions about matters that he’s been resolute to see through. These have turned out both in favor of his argument and against it, so it’s worth checking out where he got these things right or wrong.
Wrong: Believing Superman Was Bad Simply Because He Had Powers
Batman’s entire conflict with Superman was a result of his paranoia over the latter’s status as a Kryptonian. He argued that Superman would become bad simply because there was a small chance of him sharing the mentality that Zod had.
As he found out, Superman was nothing like Zod and never had any intentions to take over either. Batman had made an enemy out of the Man of Steel when he should have sought him as his ally. Eventually, he came to acknowledge how much of a mistake in judgment he had made.
Right: That Lois Is Superman's Moral Com
Batman knew that Superman needed someone to keep him mentally grounded and correctly deduced this to be Lois. He realized that she was his moral com, which proved to be the turning point in Justice League after the resurrected Superman became his old self again upon seeing Lois.
In the film’s original release, Batman had specifically planned for Lois to be present upon Superman’s return, seeing it as his trump card to avoid Superman’s wrath. Due to his visions of the future, Batman again correctly realized that Lois’ survival is the key.
Wrong: To Goad Diana Into Taking Up The Leadership Role
In the original cut of Justice League, Batman wanted Wonder Woman to take on the role of the league’s leader but saw her reluctance. To spurn her into action, he decided to mock her love for Steve, which caused her to attack him.
While she eventually saw what he meant to do, Bruce was still in the wrong since he attempted to manipulate Diana to do what he wanted. After all, he undermined Steve’s sacrifice and made it appear as if Diana’s mourning of her lover was to satisfy her own ego.
Right: To Resurrect Superman
The rest of the League was against the idea of bringing Superman back due to the uncertainty surrounding his resurrection. However, Batman made a bold claim that there was “no us without him,” saying that the Justice League would only be complete with Superman in it.
As it happened, it was only after Superman’s arrival that the team was able to beat Steppenwolf as the Man of Steel proved to be the most powerful member of the team. Despite the chance of things going very wrong, Batman’s belief that Superman would save the day proved to be the case.
Wrong: That Robin Could Take On Joker By Himself
Zack Snyder’s Justice League brought the revelation that the Joker had only killed Robin because Batman had sent his apprentice to him. He had assumed that Robin could infiltrate Joker’s position to presumably capture the villain.
Unfortunately, Batman was gravely mistaken in this regard as the Joker not only caught on to this plan but ended up killing Robin. This turned into Batman’s greatest regret as his mistake in sending Robin to his doom haunted him for the rest of his life.
Right: That Deadshot's Weak Spot Is His Daughter
In the DCEU, Batman took down one of his seasoned villains in Deadshot, not through battle but by his wits. After a tip from Amanda Waller of Deadshot’s whereabouts, Batman ambushed the criminal in an alley.
He specifically chose this moment to capture Deadshot, knowing he would never retaliate when his daughter was present. Batman’s plan worked to perfection as Deadshot did indeed come quietly when he realized he was putting his daughter in harm’s way. Batman ended up winning without needing to put up a fight.
Wrong: To Use Himself As Bait Against Steppenwolf's Forces
Batman figured there were too many parademons for the League to tackle the threat of Steppenwolf and decide to use himself as bait for Steppenwolf to direct his attention toward. However, this wasn’t the right plan since the League ended up helping him anyway, alerting Steppenwolf of their position.
Although he meant to aid the heroes in their quest to defeat the villain, Batman’s move ended up making things more difficult as the Justice League lost its element of surprise. It was also wrong since his death would have left the team without its co-founder.
Right: That The Flash Was Inherently A Superhero
Upon being recruited by Bruce, Barry claimed he wasn’t much of a hero and only used his powers because they were convenient. Part of his story arc was to realize that he was “the best of the best,” which was possible due to Bruce placing his faith in him.
He did so by instructing The Flash to save the hostages that Steppenwolf had been holding captive, following which The Flash saw that he really could do heroic things. Batman was right in thinking that saving even one life would ignite the spirit of a hero within The Flash.
Wrong: Letting Joker Live After He Killed Robin
The death of Robin changed Batman for the worse as he took to using lethal means in his vigilante activities. And yet, he didn’t kill the person who had taken Robin’s life, with Batman letting the Joker after breaking his teeth and capturing Harley Quinn.
He was wrong to do so since he lived with regret following this and made his intentions to kill the Joker clear in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Since the Clown Prince of Crime continued his criminal activities anyway, Batman letting him live was basically him enabling the Joker to maintain his villainous persona.
Right: To Be Wary Of The Knightmare Future
Batman’s role as the leader of the insurgency against Superman in the Knightmare future is comics. Within the DCEU, he’s been wary of the possibility of this timeline coming to , which was one of his motivations to battle Superman.
While he was wrong to try and kill the Man of Steel, Batman is right in remaining cautious over the matter of what’s to come. It was due to this that he accepted the allegiance of the Martian Manhunter and created the Justice League, both of which are for the benefit of the world's protection.
