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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is now playing in theaters, a true cinematic epic that is already breaking records left and right after just a few days. Starring Matt Damon as the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, Nolan's take on the 3,000-year-old story is extremely compelling, while also highlighting a core truth about the character's legacy, which very much includes Batman.
When asked by Screen Rant's Liam Crowley about elements from his past movies injected into his version of The Odyssey, Nolan confirmed that pieces and parallels from several of his past films are present, including The Dark Knight trilogy.
Seeing as how Homer's original poem is one of our earliest and most pervasive stories from the ancient world, Nolan highlighted just how much of the epic serves as "foundational text" for so many stories that have come after. As such, it's pretty fun to see how Batman in the modern era fits into that equation, particularly Nolan's version.
Nolan's Odysseus And Batman Are The Same Hero Archetype: The Cunning Survivor
While we know Batman was directly inspired by classic pulp heroes like the Scarlet Pimpernel and Zorro, the character's fundamental roots arguably reach much further to the ancient world with Odysseus. After all, the King of Ithaca represents one of fiction's earliest examples of the "cunning survivor" heroic archetype, using their intelligence and wit as a primary weapon.
Unlike Achilles or Superman, known for their great strength and extraordinary power, Odysseus and Batman were mere mortals. Odysseus succeeds by out-thinking his enemies, defeating monsters like the Cyclops through deception and bringing about the fall of Troy with his idea to build the famous Trojan Horse (for better or for worse). Of course, Batman relies on the same methods and philosophy in our modern-day mythology of superheroes. Although it was Sean Bean's Odysseus who said in 2004's Troy that "fear is a useful tool", the sentiment very much applies to any version of Homer's hero and Batman across the board.
Disguises and misdirection are crucial for Odysseus to stay one step ahead, and the similarities to Batman become even stronger when Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca. Rather than immediately announcing himself, Odysseus chooses to conceal his identity, allowing him to observe his enemies and prepare for the perfect opportunity to reclaim his home. In many of the same ways, both men are two of fiction's most legendary heroes, meaning Odysseus could very much be considered the original Dark Knight by a few thousand years.
The Dark Knight Rises Is Essentially Batman's Odyssey
To be even more specific, Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises absolutely shares the strongest parallels with his version of The Odyssey.
Like Odysseus, Bruce Wayne begins the story physically and emotionally broken after years separated from the identity and role that once defined him. Both heroes endure long absences from home and who they're meant to be, suffering through trials that eventually lead toward rebuilding themselves.
Their homecomings also unfold in strikingly similar ways. Odysseus returns to an Ithaca overrun by the suitors, while Bruce finds Gotham under Bane's total control. In very similar fashion, they both observe and assess while regaining strength, reconnect with trusted allies, and carefully prepare to reclaim what was taken.
There are also smaller character moments that echo as well, like Bruce's hospital conversation with Commissioner Gordon serving as a peak mirror to Odysseus' secret reunion with Eumaeus. Ultimately, each story culminates with these legendary warriors reclaiming both their homes and identities, while also stepping aside for the next generation to come forward (Telamachus and John Blake/Robin). Also... they both get to be with Anne Hathaway by the ending of both The Odysseyand Dark Knight Rises).
More than 3,000 years separate Odysseus and Batman, but they remain cut from the same cloth, with the King of Ithaca serving as a foundational inspiration for the same archetype DC's Dark Knight would come to embody (and Nolan's versions of both are particularly awesome).
Lastly, let's all just appreciate this moment from the animated Justice League series where Batman shares the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops with Jon Stewart's Green Lantern:
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is now playing in theaters.
