WARNING: This article contains major SPOILERS for The Batman (2022).
DC Universe shows and movies always have hard-hitting characters that have no issues with fighting for survival. The Batman features a dark take on Gotham City, with Robert Pattinson’s superhero prowling the city outright looking for fights as a way of channeling his inner darkness.
The cast also includes the likes of Selina Kyle, The Riddler, and the mob, all of whom had to do battle at various points as well. Although The Batman didn’t have too many fight scenes since the movie relied on the fear factor more, there’s enough to go on to ascertain which character is on top of the food chain should they be required to come to blows.
Gil Colson
District Attorney Gil Colson won’t be one of the sequel after he got himself blown up during this movie. Colson turned out to be corrupt and in with the mob, for which he was abducted by The Riddler and brutally killed off.
Colson had no fighting skills since he was easily apprehended, and also possessed no fighting spirit because he chose to perish instead of ratting out Carmine Falcone. Colson was ultimately an example of the weakness in Gotham’s justice system and had no chance in a fight against anyone.
Penguin
Colin Farrell’s performance as the Penguin was a standout The Batman, who looked and sounded unrecognizable. Penguin was depicted as a mid-level crime boss in this depiction, where he had minimal skills and no real fighting ability.
Penguin was content with fleeing rather than facing off against any threat (as seen when he engaged in a chase against Batman with the latter in pursuit). However, given that Penguin appeared to be of considerable size and was confrontational in mentality, he would have fought if push came to shove.
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred has traditionally been a former military man and special agent, with secret skills that make him a deadly individual. The Batman’s version wasn’t shown in such a way, however, and Alfred appeared to be primarily the caretaker of Wayne Manor more than anything else.
Still, he had quick perceptive skills, as Alfred was able to escape from The Riddler’s explosive. It’s more than likely that he still has the past his other counterparts do, and Alfred’s bravery is what provides the implication that he’s a fighter. Judging by his personality, there’s little doubt that he would have taken part in a conflict if he had to do battle against anyone to protect the Waynes.
The Riddler
Among the many The Batman's Riddler, audiences learned that he didn’t have physical gifts and his mental toughness was his asset. Still, he was a large man in general and overpowered the men he targeted in person (which attests to his strength).
The Riddler’s tactical ability can also be channeled into his fighting prowess since he never got himself in a position to be beaten down. The Riddler would have easily lost against thugs or Batman in a straight-up fight, though, so he can’t truly be considered a capable combatant.
James Gordon
James Gordon is usually a man of authority, who doesn’t engage in fighting encounters and The Batman’s version stayed true to this aspect. Gordon was more of a detective in the movie, although it was clear that he had no problem with fighting if it came down to it.
He was able to overpower Penguin when he interrogated the latter, doing the same when he arrested Carmine Falcone. Even though he wasn’t shown actually doing battle, Gordon’s confidence with the idea of fighting and his strength is enough to suggest that he wouldn’t fair too badly in combat.
Carmine Falcone
For an older mobster who didn’t generally get his hands dirty, Carmine Falcone was surprisingly good at fighting. He personally eliminated Selina’s friend (and possible love interest) without much trouble and later engaged in a battle with his anti-hero, whom he shockingly managed to overpower.
Falcone would have even eliminated Selina if Batman didn’t interfere, going a long way in cementing the fact that he was someone not to be taken lightly. Like most mobsters, his fighting style was to brawl his way through power movies and they did him very well until Batman took him down.
Selina Kyle
Selina Kyle’s exchanges with the protagonist brought in some of The Batman, which was faithful to the character’s penchant for one-liners (as seen in the comics). Like the source material, Selina was also a capable fighter who even had Batman on the ropes.
She was ultimately beaten by the Dark Knight, but Selina put up a good effort initially that had Batman take a moment to understand her style. Selina did lose to Carmine Falcone, but that was only because she was ambushed. Selina also took on other mooks in encounters that she won, which establishes her fighting prowess.
Batman
The Dark Knight was the fighter with the most finesse in the movie, rarely getting into trouble with the many thugs he encountered. Although he might be the least adept in fighting when compared to other Batmen, Pattinson’s version was still the apex predator in this universe’s Gotham City.
Batman was shown to be capable of taking down numerous men at the same time, even taking them on without the element of surprise. He blended the Batsuit’s invulnerability with a set of combat styles that saw him counter Selina Kyle’s agility. His strength was such that he only needed to get his hands on his opponent to effectively defeat them.
