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Changed line(s) 471 (click to see context) from:
* XanatosSpeedChess: Batman has to play an ''insane'' game in the film's final minutes. [[spoiler:DisguisedHostageGambit with multiple SWAT teams bursting in all over the place. Batman has to quickly incapacitate SWAT teams so they don't kill the Hostages-disguised-as-Joker-thugs, and take out the real Joker thugs at the same time. There are also police Snipers targetting the disguised hostages. He ends up having to use his grapple hook in creative ways to knock over hostages to get them out of line of site while at the same time getting to floors he needs to be on, blow the floor up beneath swat teams and thugs with his bomb launcher, and use the SWAT teams' own grapple ropes to tie them together and then suspend them over the side of the building.]] All this thought up and implemented on the fly within a time span of two minutes.
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* XanatosSpeedChess: Batman has to play an ''insane'' game in the film's final minutes. [[spoiler:DisguisedHostageGambit with multiple SWAT teams bursting in all over the place. Batman has to quickly incapacitate SWAT teams so they don't kill the Hostages-disguised-as-Joker-thugs, and take out the real Joker thugs at the same time. There are also police Snipers targetting the disguised hostages. He ends up having to use his grapple hook in creative ways to knock over hostages to get them out of line of site sight while at the same time getting to floors he needs to be on, blow the floor up beneath swat SWAT teams and thugs with his bomb launcher, and use the SWAT teams' own grapple ropes to tie them together and then suspend them over the side of the building.]] All this thought up and implemented on the fly within a time span of two minutes.
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Changed line(s) 163 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Joker:''' Heh heh, poor choice of words.
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--> '''Joker:''' Heh heh, Very poor choice of words.
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Changed line(s) 477,479 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Joker (to the organized crime community)''': Look, I know why you choose to have your little group therapy sessions in broad daylight...
-->'''Joker (to Batman)''': You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmm?
--> '''Joker (to Batman)''': Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny?
-->'''Joker (to Batman)''': You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmm?
--> '''Joker (to Batman)''': Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny?
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-->'''Joker (to the organized crime community)''': community):''' Look, I know why you choose to have your little group therapy sessions in broad daylight...
-->'''Joker (toBatman)''': the organized crime community):''' Soon little Gambol here won't be able to get a nickel for his grandma.
-->'''Joker (to Batman):''' You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmm?
--> '''Joker (toBatman)''': Batman):''' Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny?
-->'''Joker (to
-->'''Joker (to Batman):''' You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmm?
--> '''Joker (to
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In case someone isn\'t aware of the Fridge Brilliance there
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** Dogs are a symbol for the Joker. He's the "dog chasing cars" and the ultimate cynic. At first, the Chechen mobster has dogs on a leash -- to deal with Batman -- but by the end the dogs are turned against their former master in the same way the Joker overthrew the mobsters' control. Also, there's probably some Cerberus thing you could take from the three dogs.
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** Dogs are a symbol for the Joker. He's the "dog chasing cars" and the ultimate cynic.cynic[[hottip:*:the word derives from Ancient Greek κυνικÏŒς (kynikos), meaning "dog-like"]]. At first, the Chechen mobster has dogs on a leash -- to deal with Batman -- but by the end the dogs are turned against their former master in the same way the Joker overthrew the mobsters' control. Also, there's probably some Cerberus thing you could take from the three dogs.
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* TheAce: Harvey Dent. [[spoiler:[[BrokenAce At first.]]]] Rifftrax said it best after he punches a witness who pulls a gun on him, unloads the gun, states the model and manufacturer before placing the weapon in front of the man who wanted him dead, essentially tells him to try harder next time, and then says he's not finished with the witness:
to:
* TheAce: Harvey Dent. [[spoiler:[[BrokenAce At first.]]]] Rifftrax {{Rifftrax}} said it best after he punches a witness who pulls a gun on him, unloads the gun, states the model and manufacturer before placing the weapon in front of the man who wanted him dead, essentially tells him to try harder next time, and then says he's not finished with the witness:
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Changed line(s) 181 (click to see context) from:
** Maroni gets the good heads on that one, however. [[spoiler: Dent then remarks that [[ExactWords he didn't say anything about the driver's chances]].]]
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** Maroni [[spoiler:Maroni gets the good heads on that one, however. [[spoiler: one. Dent then remarks that [[ExactWords he didn't say anything about the driver's chances]].]]
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** Maroni gets the good heads on that one, however. [[spoiler: Dent then remarks that [[ExactWords he didn't say anything about the driver's chances]].]]
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-->'''Joker:''' ''(to Rachel)'' [[YouGotSpunk A little fight in you, I ''like'' that.]]\\
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-->'''Joker:''' ''(to Rachel)'' [[YouGotSpunk A little fight in you, I ''like'' like that.]]\\
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* PhysicalScarsPsychologicalScars: The Joker subverts this since his different stories about how he got his physical "scars" (which are apparently supposed to be a metaphor for his mental scars) contradict each other, implying in turn that he's probably not being truthful about his mental scars either. Harvey Dent, however, plays it straight because his face was burned in the same incident that [[spoiler:killed his girlfriend, Rachel Dawes]].
to:
* PhysicalScarsPsychologicalScars: The Joker subverts this since his different stories about how he and [[spoiler: Harvey Dent]]. Though where the Joker got his physical "scars" (which are apparently supposed to be a metaphor for his mental scars) contradict each other, implying in turn that he's probably not being truthful about his mental scars either. Harvey Dent, however, plays it straight because his face was burned in the same incident that [[spoiler:killed his girlfriend, Rachel Dawes]].is anyone's guess...
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Shortened overlong example.
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* BigShutUp: When Dent, [[FaceHeelTurn now Two-Face]], interrogates [[CorruptCop Michael Wuertz]] and he tries to bullshit his way out of it, his response is this, full of pure vitriol and downright offense that he would so insult his intelligence.
to:
* BigShutUp: When Dent, [[FaceHeelTurn now Two-Face]], interrogates [[CorruptCop Michael Wuertz]] and he tries to bullshit his way out of it, his response is this, full of pure vitriol and downright offense that he would so insult his intelligence.this.
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The pause in the delivery of the line is much more minor than an ellipsis would suggest.
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->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men... just want to watch the world burn.''
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->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men... men just want to watch the world burn.''
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Changed line(s) 7,8 (click to see context) from:
The second entry in ChristopherNolan's Film/DarkKnightSaga.
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The second entry in ChristopherNolan's Film/DarkKnightSaga.
Film/TheDarkKnightSaga.
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Changed line(s) 76 (click to see context) from:
* CardCarryingVillain: Played with. Although TheJoker never calls himself "evil" or "a villain", he styles himself an "Agent of Chaos", describes all his heinous acts with a grin & smile, and intentionally positions himself as a {{foil}} to the heroic Batman and Dent.
to:
* CardCarryingVillain: Played with. Although TheJoker never calls himself "evil" or "a villain", he styles himself an "Agent of Chaos", describes all his heinous acts with a grin & smile, and intentionally positions himself as a {{foil}} to the heroic Batman and Dent. Also, he actually has a card.
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** Also subverted with Rachel, since knowing Bruce's identity has little to nothing to do with the circumstances of her demise.
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not subverted if it never works.
Deleted line(s) 419 (click to see context) :
* TortureAlwaysWorks: Subverted by the Joker during Batman's interrogation: "You have ''nothing''! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!". Subverted throughout the film, really. The good guys repeatedly use torture to try and get information. At no point does it ever get any of them what they want.
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Changed line(s) 419 (click to see context) from:
* TortureAlwaysWorks: Subverted by the Joker during Batman's interrogation: "You have ''nothing''! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"
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* TortureAlwaysWorks: Subverted by the Joker during Batman's interrogation: "You have ''nothing''! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"strength!". Subverted throughout the film, really. The good guys repeatedly use torture to try and get information. At no point does it ever get any of them what they want.
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--> '''Batman:''' Let her go!
--> '''Joker:''' Heh heh, poor choice of words.
--> '''Joker:''' Heh heh, poor choice of words.
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** Scarecrow does this as well: He only told the Chechen that the drug he sells (strongly implied to be the Fear toxin from the previous film) takes people places. He never said whether these places were places that the user actually wanted to go to. The Chechen was evidentially not amused by this statement.
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The second entry in ChristopherNolan's Film/DarkKnightSaga.
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** The delay was planned for, but the explosions were very real and they only had one chance to shoot the scene.
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** If he's wealthy enough to own the company that maintains the city's cell towers, he can have them push out an automatic software update for all cell phones in the city. An update that just happens to turn them into surveillance devices.
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* BigShutUp: When Dent, [[FaceHeelTurn now Two-Face]], interrogates [[CorruptCop Michael Wuertz]] and he tries to bullshit his way out of it, his response is this, full of pure vitriol and downright offense that he would so insult his intelligence.
-->'''Dent[=/=]Two-Face''': Who picked up Rachel, Wuertz?\\
'''Wuertz''': [[BlatantLies M-must've been Maroni's men]]...\\
'''Dent[=/=]Two-Face''': ''SHUT UP!''
-->'''Dent[=/=]Two-Face''': Who picked up Rachel, Wuertz?\\
'''Wuertz''': [[BlatantLies M-must've been Maroni's men]]...\\
'''Dent[=/=]Two-Face''': ''SHUT UP!''
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Changed line(s) 2,4 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:296:"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."]]
->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men...just want to watch the world burn.''
->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men...just want to watch the world burn.''
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[[caption-width-right:296:"You either die a hero hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."]]
->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men... just want to watch the world burn.''
->''Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men... just want to watch the world burn.''
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The Dark Knight, not A Dark Knight.
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[[caption-width-right:296:"He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector..."]]
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** Dent also pulled this off once as well. See FalseReassurance.
Changed line(s) 168 (click to see context) from:
* FalseReassurance: [[spoiler:When Maroni tries to barter the identity of the other [[TheMole Mole]] in Gordon's unit for his life, Two-Face says it couldn't hurt Maroni's chances. This suggests Dent might actually show some mercy, until it turns out the mobster's survival is based on a 50-50 coin toss.]]
to:
* FalseReassurance: [[spoiler:When Maroni tries to barter the identity of the other [[TheMole Mole]] in Gordon's unit for his life, Two-Face says it couldn't hurt Maroni's chances. This suggests Dent might actually show some mercy, until it turns out the mobster's survival [[ExactWords is based on a 50-50 coin toss.toss]].]]
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Added example
Changed line(s) 469 (click to see context) from:
* YourMom: The Joker used this insult about Gambol's grandmom to make him pissed.
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* YourMom: The Joker used this insult about Gambol's grandmom to make him pissed. Also doubles as a [[FunnyMoments Crowning Moment Of Funny]]:
--> If we don't deal with this ''now''.....soon, (motions to Gambol) little...uh, ''Gambol'' here won't be able to get a nickel for his grandma.
--> If we don't deal with this ''now''.....soon, (motions to Gambol) little...uh, ''Gambol'' here won't be able to get a nickel for his grandma.
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[[quoteright:296:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Batman_TDK_poster_3647.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:296:"He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector..."]]
[[caption-width-right:296:"He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector..."]]
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Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
[[redirect:Film/TheDarkKnightSaga]]
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-->-- '''Alfred Pennyworth'''
A year after the events of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Batman and his allies -- Police Lieutenant James Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent -- achieve real success in taking down Gotham's organized crime when they start to hit them where it hurts: their money. The various mob leaders become so afraid of Batman that when [[TheJoker a scarred psychopath]] [[MonsterClown in clown makeup]] shows up and offers to kill Batman, they hire him...but once backed by the mob, he decides that rubbing out Batman isn't good enough. The Joker aims to destroy Gotham City from the inside out, and part of his "plan" involves attempts to corrupt the city's heroes -- Batman and Harvey Dent -- and make their lives hell until they snap...
''The Dark Knight'' received a overwhelmingly positive critical reception as a serious drama (unique for a comic book movie), thanks in large part to the ''tour de force'' performances of the cast (including the late Heath Ledger's well-regarded performance as The Joker). The film holds the record for the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time in the United States (behind ''Film/TheAvengers'', ''Film/{{Titanic}}'', and ''Film/{{Avatar}}'') and the twelfth-highest worldwide; it also became the first comic book film to win an acting AcademyAward when the late Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance as The Joker.
The title of this film -- ''The Dark Knight'' -- marks the first time a Batman film has not featured the character's name in the title.
----
!Provides examples of:
* TheAce: Harvey Dent. [[spoiler:[[BrokenAce At first.]]]] Rifftrax said it best after he punches a witness who pulls a gun on him, unloads the gun, states the model and manufacturer before placing the weapon in front of the man who wanted him dead, essentially tells him to try harder next time, and then says he's not finished with the witness:
-->"All right, five-minute 'Tell Dent how awesome he is' recess."
* AllThereInTheManual: The novel clears up a few details about Dark Knight, such as Dent's KnightTemplar tendencies. Bruce doesn't believe Dent could have a skeleton-free closet, and investigates. Turns out his dad was a cop who abused his mother, and whenever the police were called, they'd look the other way. Eventually, Dad killed Mom while Harvey was away at school. This gave Harvey an understandable dislike of dirty cops. Bruce eventually realizes he's been digging so hard because he's jealous. Etc.
* AluminumChristmasTrees: You'd be forgiven for assuming that the Skyhook device Batman uses in Hong Kong a) was never made and b) wouldn't work if it was. In fact, it was and it did.
** Additionally, Two-Face not having any problems with his now-lidless eye. But then take a look at [[http://chasenoface.blogspot.com/ Chase No-Face]], a cat who lost his nose and eyelids in a car accident, and lives a normal life still while needing only a dash of eyedrops twice a day and a dark room to sleep in.
* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Played straight when Batman dives out the window of a fifty story building to save Rachel. [[spoiler: Then {{Inverted}} when The Joker gives Batman a SadisticChoice where he only had time to save Rachel or Harvey. Batman ''thought'' he was saving the girl, but [[ILied the Joker lied about which hostage was at which address.]]]]
* AmericanAccents: TheJoker has a Chicago accent, as do several of the GCPD, especially Wuertz.
* AnalogyBackfire: When talking about Batman's necessity:
-->'''Harvey:''' When the Republic was threatened, the Romans appointed one man to protect them until the danger had passed. It wasn't considered an honor, it was considered a public service.\\
'''Rachel:''' Harvey, the last man they did that with was called [[Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar Caesar]], and he never gave up his power.
** [[InvertedTrope Caesar appointed himself dictator. The others before him usually saved Rome from whatever was happening, resigning soon afterwards]].
* AngryGuardDog: Batman is attacked by an angry pack twice, and both times has difficulty fending them off.
* AnyoneCanDie: ''The Dark Knight'' plays this for all it's worth with the death of [[spoiler: Rachel.]]
* AppropriatedAppellation: [[spoiler: Two-Face]].
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: When Harvey comments about how the ancient Romans would appoint a dictator in times of crisis, Rachel claims that Caesar never gave up the title. This is not accurate, as Julius Caesar was ''given'' the title of "Dictator for Life" by the Senate ''after'' he had more or less conquered Rome in a civil war. Despite his assassination, Julius never had to "give up" his position. Also Rome's transformation into an Empire may have been the best thing for it at the time.
* ArtShift: Of a sort. [[WordOfGod Christopher Nolan]] stated in an interview that as opposed to the gritty grimy look of ''Batman Begins'', ''The Dark Knight'' would be slightly... cleaner, so to speak.
** ''The Dark Knight'' was largely missing ''Batman Begins''' classic Gotham deco-influenced skyscrapers. It's also a lot less crowded and a bit brighter in ''The Dark Knight''.
* AsLongAsItSoundsForeign: All of the Asian characters in Hong Kong speak flawless Chinese... in the wrong dialect. The standard dialect used in Hong Kong is Cantonese, whereas the characters all speak Mandarin. However, it's possible that they were simply from Mainland China, wherein the dominant language is Mandarin.
* AxCrazy: The Joker is the living embodiment of this trope.
* {{Badass}}: Aside from the obvious, special mention goes to Harvey Dent. A witness pulls a gun on him from the witness stand, and without missing a beat, Dent disarms him, decks him and recommends he buy his weapons American next time he wants to assassinate the DA.
* BadCopIncompetentCop: Discussed. Even with Jim Gordon in charge, the Major Crimes Unit is still made up of mostly corrupt cops. But when Harvey Dent calls the lieutenant on this, Gordon points out that if he refused to work with such cops, he'd be working alone. This eventually comes back to haunt both of them, as [[spoiler: Wuertz and Ramirez turn out to both be on Maroni's payroll and eventually kidnap Harvey and Rachel]].
* BadGuysPlayPool: One of Gotham's major gangsters is seen playing pool before [[spoiler:[[EvilVersusEvil Joker comes in and murders him]].]]
* BadassBystander: In one of the opening sequence's best gags, the mob bank manager sitting in the background while the Joker's goons rob his bank takes off his glasses, picks up a SawedOffShotgun, and starts kicking ass.
* BadBoss: TheJoker will make you kill your friends with a broken pool cue as an "initiation", stick a cell-phone triggered bomb in your stomach, or just burn you alive on a giant pile of money if he think's it'll be fun.
* BaldOfAwesome: [[spoiler:Ginty, the Good Prisoner]] in the ferry boat scene.
* BallroomBlitz: The Joker breaks into Bruce's fundraiser for Harvey Dent.
* BankRobbery: Opens with one.
* BatmanGambit: Pulled off more frequently and effectively by The Joker than Batman himself.
* BeautyToBeast: Harvey Dent.
* BerserkButton: Joker always gets a lot more serious when someone calls him a "freak" or "crazy." This is somewhat ironic given the [[TheMadHatter character's usual sentiment]] in other media.
-->'''Joker''': Tell your men they work for me now.
-->'''Chechen''': [[FunetikAksent Dey won't work for a fuh-reak]].
-->'''Joker''': "Fuh-reek?" Why don't we [[DisproportionateRetribution cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches]]? And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog ''really'' is.
** For Bruce, it's any indication Rachel is in danger. When Joker reveals he has not only Harvey hostage, but Rachel too, Batman completely snaps. Bruce proceeds to smash the clown's head straight into a glass window, and then keeps punching him in the face while screaming "[[MemeticMutation WHERE ARE THEY?]]"
* BilingualBonus: Bruce Wayne drives a Lamborghini Murcielago... [[StealthPun Murcielago being spanish for "Bat"]].
--> '''Alfred:''' [[LampshadeHanging Much more subtle.]]
* {{Blackmail}}: Subverted when an accountant stumbles onto Bruce's secret:
-->'''Reese:''' I want... ten million dollars a year, for the rest of my life.
-->'''Lucius Fox:''' Let me get this straight. You think that your client - one of the wealthiest, most influential men in the world - is secretly a vigilante, who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands... and your plan is to ''blackmail'' this person? [''{{Beat}}''] Good luck.
-->'''Reese:''' [''clears throat''] ... keep that....
* BlatantLies: Joker is fond of these, from lying about the locations of his victims, to fake origin stories, his WeaponOfChoice... FridgeLogic dictates that even his spiel about not making plans can't be true.
* BlondGuysAreEvil: Subverted with Harvey Dent. [[spoiler:Then double subverted.]]
* BloodlessCarnage: Despite the brutality, there is very little blood. This may have been one of the factors that led to such a dark movie being rated PG-13.
* BluntYes: When TheJoker is confronted by mobsters on his past theft from them.
-->'''Gambol:''' You think you can steal from us and just walk away?
-->'''Joker:''' [[BluntYes Yeah.]]
* BombThrowingAnarchist: One of the Joker's prefered methods of destruction, blowing up city officials, police cars and hospitals.
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: A very brief, wordless example. When Gordon observes of the Joker that there was "nothing in his pockets but knives and lint", we see someone laying out an improbable number of knives on a table. The last is a potato peeler, which the handler briefly double-takes at.
* BrokenPedestal: When Harvey Dent imprisons 549 criminals at once in a RICO case, the mayor warns him that he has to be very careful not to slip up, or everything will be undone. The Joker spends the rest of the movie trying to bring this about, while Batman tries to stop it. Eventually [[spoiler:the pedestal ''is'' broken when Harvey loses Rachel, half his face, and eventually his mind. He goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge in which he kills five people, two of them cops. At the end, Batman decides to take the blame for Harvey's crimes, so that [[ThePowerOfLegacy his prosecution and image can be upheld]].]]
* BusFullOfInnocents
* CallBack: Bruce's slide down the glass to save Rachel almost exactly re-creates his slide down the mountain to save Ducard.
* TheCameo: US Senator Patrick Leahy shows up (the avowed lifelong fan's ''third'' [[BatmanTheAnimatedSeries such]] [[Film/BatmanAndRobin appearance]] to date) and says to the Joker "we're not intimidated by thugs." Now ''that'' is a campaign platform.
* CanonImmigrant: The Batbunker. Introduced here as the replacement for the Batcave, it's a big white military-style installation built under a Wayne skyscraper. It eventually made its way to the comics when Bruce Wayne was temporarily killed off and replaced by Dick Grayson: Dick decided he wanted his HQ to be in the heart of the city instead of a mansion on a hill, so he moves into a bunker inspired by the film. He keeps using this base even after Bruce returns.
** This is especially appropriate since the original Batcave is also a canon immigrant. It was introduced in the black and white Batman serials of the 1930's (mostly as a way to save money by re-using an already available cave set the studio had sitting around.)
* CardCarryingVillain: Played with. Although TheJoker never calls himself "evil" or "a villain", he styles himself an "Agent of Chaos", describes all his heinous acts with a grin & smile, and intentionally positions himself as a {{foil}} to the heroic Batman and Dent.
* ChaosIsEvil: TheJoker, an unrepentant [[TheSociopath sociopath]], likes to style himself as an "Agent of Chaos".
* CheapCostume: {{Averted}} by the Joker.
-->'''Gordon''': Clothing is custom, no labels....
** And [[DefiedTrope defied]].
--->'''Joker''': Oh, and by the way, the suit, it wasn't cheap. You oughta know, you bought it.
** Played straight with the amateur Batmen at the start of the film.
--->'''Copycat''': What gives you the right? What's the difference between you and me?
--->'''Batman''': [[DeadpanSnarker I'm not wearing hockey pads.]]
* ChekhovsGun: The spring-loaded spikes fitted on Batman's gauntlets.
* ChekhovsGunman: Wuertz and Ramirez.
* ChewingTheScenery: The Chechen. '''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis MY DOGS! ARE! HONG-RAY!]]'''
* ChokeHolds: Bruce Wayne does this to Harvey Dent in order to hide the DA from Joker.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: When Lau is captured by the police, he gives them the names of all his mob clients as a means of avoiding his own incarceration and stealing all the criminals money for himself. Later in the movie, when Lau is freed from his jail cell by the Joker, he quickly gives up the location of the money to avoid being killed... [[KillItWithFire only for the Joker to burn him alive anyway]].
** There's also how Joker constantly and shamelessly murders his own allies, though it's hardly surprising given his [[ForTheEvulz mission statement]].
* CombatSadomasochist: The Joker loves to inflict pain and suffering, but also seems to like being at the receiving end, particularly in the scene where he is beaten up by Batman.
-->'''Joker''': Look at you go!
* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: [[spoiler: The name "Two-Face" is only uttered once, when Harvey remembers that cops used to call him "Harvey Two-Face" when he worked for internal affairs]].
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Done intentionally by Lucius Fox:
-->'''Bruce Wayne''': Sonar. [[AreYouPonderingWhatImPondering Just like a...]]
-->'''Lucius Fox''': [[ImpliedAnswer Like a submarine, Mr. Wayne. Like a submarine]].
* CoolBike: The Batpod. Apparently the center part where the rider sits is gyro-stabilized, as it's always upright. Batman catches up with the Joker by taking some [[ExcuseMeComingThrough major shortcuts]] in the chase sequence, and re-emerges into Joker's view by tumbling out of an alley... while still staying upright. Batman can even drive it up a wall, flip over backwards, and it'll spin around and keep Bats' ears pointing upward.
* TheCorrupter: The Joker spends most of the film trying to get both Batman and Harvey Dent to give into their base desires and murder everyone in their way. [[spoiler:Dent eventually gives in.]]
* CrazyPrepared: The Joker actually gives Batman a run for his money, at least when it comes to the "crazy" part: He has pockets full of knives, grenades attached to strings lining his coat, and detenators to strategically placed giant bombs all over town.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: Discussed.
-->'''Joker:''' Kill you? I don’t want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, you... you ''complete me''.
* DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:Rachel.]]
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: The Joker. He suspected that Batman would [[TakingAThirdOption try to rescue Dent and Rachel at the same time]] by using his alliance with Gordon, so he [[spoiler: switched the addresses. Batman ends up saving Dent instead.]] A simpler explanation is that it was his crazy way of taking the SadisticChoice up another order of magnitude - no matter Batman's decision, [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption failure was the only option.]]
** Joker knew that he'd go to save Rachel, and that's why he switched the addresses. It's obvious, really; he's already jumped out a window to save her once. Joker's also counting on Batman being the only one fast enough to save either of them.
* DeadlineNews: Mike Engel and his crew tempt fate by [[spoiler:going to Gotham General Hospital to cover the evacuations. They wind up hostages of the Joker. They all get rescued unharmed at the end but they still become the story they were reporting on.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Alfred Pennyworth dials up the snarkiness in comparison to the first film.
-->'''Alfred:''' You can swap not sleeping in a penthouse for not sleeping in a mansion.
** but Lucius Fox is still the most obvious example.
--->'''Lucius''': I must say, compared to your ''usual'' requests, jumping out of an airplane is pretty straightforward.\\
'''Bruce''': What about getting back in the plane?\\
'''Lucius''': ... I'd recommend a good travel agent.\\
'''Bruce''': Without it landing.\\
'''Lucius''': ... now that's more like it, Mr. Wayne.
** Joker meanwhile fills in for Crane as the main villainous snarker:
--->''(After Batman has slammed Joker's head into a table)''\\
'''Joker''': Never start with the head, the victim gets all fuzzy. He can't feel the next blow if... \\
''(Batman smashes his hand, and Joker doesn't react)''\\
'''Joker''': See?
** Bruce Wayne himself also qualifies.
---> '''Alfred''': I suppose they'll haul me away too, as your accomplice.
---> '''Bruce''': Accomplice? I'm going to tell them the whole thing was your idea.
** And though he's only in the film for a few minutes, Crane gets in a few good ones too:
---> '''Scarecrow''': I said my compound would take you places. I never said they'd be places you wanted to ''go''.
*** A few minutes later:
---> '''Copycat:''' We were just trying to help...
---> '''Batman:''' I don't need any help!
---> '''Crane:''' Not ''my'' diagnosis.
* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:Harvey Dent accuses Gordon of this for not getting rid of all the possibly corrupt officers in the Gotham Police Department.]]
** The Mob's decision to hire the Joker, [[EvilIsNotAToy which comes back to bite them later on.]]
* DeathBySecretIdentity: Subverted. Coleman Reese learns Bruce's identity, but ''doesn't'' end up dead despite the Joker's best efforts. Reese does however decide to keep his mouth shut for good after Bruce saves his life.
* DelayedExplosion: When The Joker [[spoiler: attempts to demolish Gotham General Hospital.]]
** The rumor is that Ledger didn't know that there would be a delay in the explosions. So, never breaking character, he pulls a CrowningMomentOfFunny by smacking the remote and flicking the detonator about half a dozen times. And rushes away [[OhCrap when the explosions resume]].
* DiabolusExNihilo: The Joker comes out of nowhere. Even the stories he tells about his past [[MultipleChoicePast completely contradict each other]].
* DisguisedHostageGambit: [[spoiler:The Joker pulls this in the finale with the people he kidnapped from the hospital, dressing them up as his henchmen while the real henchmen disguise themselves as doctors. This forces Batman to stop the SWAT team from making a fatal mistake.]]
* DisneyVillainDeath: The Joker [[spoiler:almost suffers this, but is saved by Batman.]] Bonus points for adding maniacal laughter to the fall. Done a few minutes later to [[spoiler:Harvey Dent.]]
* DoesntLikeGuns: Batman. Also, while the Joker certainly isn't averse to using guns, he [[KnifeNut prefers knives]] because he thinks guns are too quick, and he would [[LovesTheSoundOfScreaming much prefer to savour all the little emotions]].
* DragonInChief: The Joker offers to work as TheDragon for the mob to take out Batman, but he really wants to use their resources to bring chaos to the streets and become Batman's archenemy. In fact, he believes Gotham deserves a far better class of criminal than the mob... which is why later on he [[DragonAscendant violently takes over]].
* DramaticIrony: Dent [[spoiler:believes that the police and Batman decided to save him instead of Rachel, when in reality, the Joker set it up such that they'd be saving the person they hadn't intended to save]].
** Bruce's comments at the fundraiser also count for those familiar with Two-Face from the comics.
--->'''Bruce''': Look at this face. [[AnalogyBackfire This is the face of Gotham's bright future]].
* DrinkingOnDuty: This is how [[spoiler:Commissioner Loeb dies, after the Joker spiked his liquor with acid.]]
* EmptyPromise: Rachel gives one to Harvey.
-->[[spoiler:'''Rachel''': It's okay, Harvey. It's all right. Listen... some- ''(BOOM)'']]
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Or grandmamas, in Gambol's case.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Maroni tells Gordon where to find the Joker because he feels [[spoiler:killing Rachel]] was "too much".
** When the Joker and his mooks rob a bank, the banker who just watched the gang [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder shooting each other so they'd get more money for themselves]]) points out the apparent decline in the standards local evil holds itself to.
-->'''Banker''': Criminals in this town used to believe in things: honour, respect. Look at [[TheJoker you]], what do you believe in?
** The Joker mockingly uses this on Batman, after Batman uses Harvey as bait in his place.
-->'''Joker:''' Even for a guy like me, that's cold.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: [[spoiler:Dent]] threatens to kill Maroni's wife as revenge.
* EveryScarHasAStory: The Joker, as he tells multiple differing accounts about how he got his.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: And that is why [[spoiler:the Joker's "social experiment" fails.]]
* EvilerThanThou: The Joker constantly berates small-time crooks and [[TheMafia mobsters]] for being petty and shallow enough to care only about profit while ignoring the [[ForTheEvulz loftier ideals]] [[CompleteMonster of Evil]]:
-->'''Joker:''' All you care about is ''money''. This town deserves a better class of criminal, and I'm gonna give it to them.
* EvilIsNotAToy: The mob was content with using the Joker to advance their own interest. That is until he decides he doesn't want to work with them anymore and starts doing worse to them than Batman ever did.
* EvilIsStylish: The Joker loves elaborate [[Main/TheSadisticChoice sadistic choices]], playing cards (both as his business card and signature at some of his killings), and dropping clues about his next targets. [[spoiler:After he fails to kill Harvey Dent, he puts nametags on two men he killed reading "Harvey" and "Dent" the next night to taunt him. He's also immediately impressed by Harvey's very villainous Heads-or-Tails gimmick.]]
* EvilLaugh: The Joker both plays this straight and deliberately mocks it. Which is why he's the Joker. He even gets someone to read one off cue cards in the DeadlineNews scene.
* ExactlyWhatIAimedAt: Joker thinks Batman missed during the standoff between the Batpod and Joker's semi-truck when Batman drives away. Then the tow cable Batman attached to the front of the truck flips the whole thing 180 degrees stright up and over.
* ExactWords: A peril both of working with and of confronting the Joker.
* ExcuseMeComingThrough: People run to get out of Batman's way when he drives the Batcycle through a mall.
* {{Expy}}: Detective Wuertz was originally going to be Detective Harvey Bullock, a long-time member of the Batman supporting cast from the comics, and Detective Ramirez was going to be Detective Renee Montoya, who was created for ''[[BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Batman: The Animated Series]]'' and was then [[CanonImmigrant introduced into the comics]]. The producers decided to recreate them as original characters because of what happens in the third act, which did not match the character of the characters as previously established. This is clearest in ''Batman: Gotham Knight'', an animated anthology film that bridged ''Batman Begins'' and ''The Dark Knight'', which introduced Ramirez and featured her partnered with Montoya's comic-book partner [[GothamCentral Crispus Allen]].
* EyeScream: The Joker's "disappering pencil trick".
-->'''Joker:''' How about a magic trick?
-->''[sticks a pencil into the table, point first]''
-->'''Joker:''' I'm gonna make this pencil disappear.
-->''[slams approaching mook onto the eraser end, killing him]''
-->'''Joker:''' TADAA! it's... ah, it's gone.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Harvey Dent --> Two-Face.]]
* FakingTheDead:
** Gordon's apparent demise.
** Then at the end, Batman pulls this when [[spoiler:Dent shoots him. He waits until Gordon's son is about to get shot, and then tackles him.]]
* FallenHero: Harvey Dent.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Specifically, the brutal subversion of the FinalSpeech. ''The Dark Knight'' is rated PG-13, probably because Nolan puts the killing blows off-screen. There's also [[BloodlessCarnage surprisingly little blood]] in the film. Nevertheless, the amount of sheer menace the movie manages to wring out of its rating makes it arguably more terrifying than many R-rated {{Gorn}}-fests.
* FalseReassurance: [[spoiler:When Maroni tries to barter the identity of the other [[TheMole Mole]] in Gordon's unit for his life, Two-Face says it couldn't hurt Maroni's chances. This suggests Dent might actually show some mercy, until it turns out the mobster's survival is based on a 50-50 coin toss.]]
* FalseRoulette: Harvey Dent interrogates one of the Joker's henchmen this way. The revolver is fully loaded, but he's using a two-headed coin, so there's no risk. Not that the henchman or Batman know this, causing Batman to call a WhatTheHellHero when he arrives.
-->'''Batman''': You'd leave a man's life to ''chance''?
-->'''Harvey''': Not exactly.
* FastRoping: The Gotham SWAT team employs this trope to raid the Joker's HQ. Batman comes by later and when he realizes that [[spoiler:the hostages and captors have switched clothes,]] he uses the same rappel lines they used to to tie them up and knock them out.
* {{Fiction 500}}: Bruce not only uses his massive wealth to fund all his activities as Batman, he somehow manages to turn every cell phone in Gotham into a surveillance device by throwing money at the problem.
* FinalSpeech: Brutally subverted with [[spoiler:Rachel]], who is KilledMidSentence.
* FingerprintingAir: Batman pulls a fingerprint from a computer reconstruction of a bullet that had been shot into a wall. Also an example of ArtisticLicensePhysics, as there's no way a fingerprint can survive the explosive heat of the bullet being fired, being run against the rifling of the gun barrel, or the scratches from entering a brick wall. Further, a real bullet wouldn't have fragmented, but pancaked, distorting any pattern beyond usability.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: Detective Ramirez admits early in the film that her mother is checking into the hospital.]]
** [[spoiler: Harvey mention early in the movie that "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain", foreshadowing both his and Batman's eventual fates.]]
* ForTheEvulz: The Joker's motive, in a rare believable straight example.
* FreudianExcuse: Mocked by the Joker, who gives [[MultipleChoicePast conflicting accounts]] of how he got his [[GlasgowGrin scars]] depending on who he's talking to. In the end, the Joker has no reason for what he does, he simply ''is''.
** [[spoiler:Ramirez went dirty because she needed money for her mother's hospital bills.]]
** [[spoiler:Dent loses his fiance and half his face before he goes on murder spree to punish those involved with her death]].
* FromNobodyToNightmare: The Joker, who goes from no one, to a [[NotSoHarmless bank robber]], to the most feared man in all of Gotham
* GambitRoulette: The entirety of Joker's plan. He even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this, saying that he has no plan and that he's just doing things to see what happens.
-->'''Joker:''' You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!
* GatlingGood: Bruce Wayne conducts a ballistics test using a gatling gun.
* GenericEthnicCrimeGang: Besides TheMafia, Gotham has a black mafia (led by Gambol) and a Chechen [[TheMafiya mafiya]] (led by, well, The Chechen). They seem to have [[VillainTeamUp reconciled their differences]] in order to [[EnemyMine stop Batman from ruining their business]].
** At the very least, Maroni and the Chechen seem to be friends regardless of the situation. They shake hands at the gang meeting, and later they're shown having lunch together.
* GenreSavvy: Detective Stephens, the cop in charge of watching the Joker. He refuses to play along with the Joker's HannibalLecture, telling him: "I know the difference between punks who need to be taught a little lesson in manners, and the freaks like you who [[TooKinkyToTorture would just enjoy it]]." [[spoiler:When he ends up [[DoubleSubversion falling for it anyway]] (because the Joker's just that good) and is held hostage at knifepoint, he says to the other officers: "It's my own damn fault, just ''shoot''!"]]
* GenreShift: ''The Dark Knight'' has much more in common with crime dramas and {{thriller}}s than with straight-up superhero films, and it abandons the elements of adventure and mysticism that ''BatmanBegins'' used heavily.
* GetIntoJailFree: The Joker does this in order to kidnap Lau and make him reveal the location of the mobs' money.
* GilliganCut: One happens when Bruce is planning his trip to China to capture Lau.
-->'''Bruce Wayne:''' Did you think of an alibi?
-->'''Alfred Pennyworth:''' Oh yes.
-->''[Cuts to Rachel and Dent arriving at the opera only to find the box office shuttered; on the ticket window is a newspaper article about Bruce making off with the entire Russian ballet]''
* GlasgowGrin: TheJoker.
* GodzillaThreshold: Lampshaded by Alfred.
-->'''Bruce''': I knew the mob wouldn't go down without a fight, but this is different. They crossed the line.
-->'''Alfred''': You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand.
* GoodCopBadCop: The Joker accurately predicts that Gordon intends to use a form of this interrogation technique. However, [[spoiler: he's caught off guard by discovering that the bad cop is Batman ...even though he still doesn't talk until he wants to.]]
* GoodIsNotDumb: Batman is portrayed as such; most of the plot revolves around the Joker trying to get Batman to break his moral code and prove that, deep down, everybody is just like him and that [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids Batman's idealism is misplaced]].
* GoombaStomp: In this case, Batman does it to a ''van''.
* GoryDiscretionShot: When the Joker kills Gambol. From a shot of the the Joker holding a knife in Gambol's cheek, we get a split-second cut to a henchman's horrified expression, then a shot from the other side of the room as the Joker drops Gambol.
** Actually averted with Joker's [[EyeScream disappearing pencil trick]], as we get to see the whole thing, albiet a [[BloodlessCarnage bloodless PG-13 version]].
* GroinAttack: How Rachel avoids having a smile put on her face by the Joker. Disturbingly, the Joker [[TooKinkyToTorture chuckles in response]].
* GuileHero: Harvey Dent because of his political status and indirect, mostly non-violent means. [[spoiler:Continues even after he goes on a killing spree, as he consistently manages to use misdirection and quick thinking to get to his targets.]]
* HamToHamCombat: Between the Joker and Batman throughout the entire movie.
* HeartbrokenBadass: Bruce Wayne after [[spoiler: Rachel's death]].
* HellishCopter: A police chopper participating in an EscortMission [[spoiler: Gets clotheslined by the Joker's {{Mooks}} using harpoon launchers and highrises.]]
* HeroInsurance: Batman doesn't have it, but Gordon does: [[spoiler:The chase sequence results in a very high bodycount among the police escorts (see HellishCopter for instance), but they do arrest the Joker at the end of it, so Gordon gets promoted to commisioner. And he isn't even demoted back once it turns out the Joker planned to get arrested and breaks out.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: [[spoiler:Batman himself]] at the end of the movie.
* HeroicWannabe: A gang of doughy vigilantes with bat-costumes and guns. [[spoiler: One ends up a victim of The Joker]].
* HeyYouHaymaker
-->'''Joker''': (after Rachel [[GroinAttack kicks]] him) [[YouGotSpunk A little fight in you. I like that]].
-->'''Batman''': (just off-screen) Then you're gonna love me. *PUNCH*
* HighAltitudeInterrogation: Double Subverted. Maroni points out the second-story isn't nearly high enough for him to be afraid of dying if dropped. Batman says he knows, then drops Maroni of the fire escape, [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique fracturing both Maroni's legs]].
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: TheJoker feeds the Chechen gangster to [[RightHandAttackDog his own dogs]]. Fortunately, this happens offscreen.]]
* HollywoodLaw: Local district attorneys cannot charge [=RICO=] offenses. Not even the local US Attorneys can, it has to come directly from the Department of Justice. Dent's mass-trial would also count, but the movie points out that he doesn't expect it to succeed and it's only proceeding because of his local stature.
* HopeSpot: An InUniverse one for [[spoiler:Harvey; he's lying in a hospital bed recovering from a bomb blast, convinced that Rachel is dead. Then he finds the lucky coin he gave her the last time he saw her alive, left by the side of his bed. He turns it over... the other side's been charred by an explosion.]]
* HotChickInABadassSuit: Rachel (MaggieGyllenhaal) while interrogating a guy. Looks like she should be carrying a rapier.
* TheHyena: The Joker
* IAmSpartacus: When the Joker threatens to keep killing people until Batman unmasks and turns himself in, [[spoiler: Harvey Dent makes a public confession that ''he'' is Batman and surrenders to the police.]]
* [[ImNotAHeroIm I'm Not a Hero, I'm]]: whatever Gotham needs me to be.
* IndyPloy: The Joker claims to be doing this, no matter how unlikely that may seem.
-->'''Joker:''' Do I really look like a guy with a plan?
* IronicEcho: Not as frequent as it was in ''Batman Begins'', but there are some considerably impactful ones here.
** "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
** "I am sure a businessman of your stature would understand." Repeated within the same scene.
** "I make my own luck" is echoed with "you make your own luck."
** Harvey's fundraiser is [[UpToEleven absolutely loaded with them]], subtle though they may seem. Both Bruce and the Joker enter the party announcing that they're only just in time; both immediately ask "Where is Harvey Dent?" upon arriving; both spill champagne out of a glass, and so on and so forth.
* {{Irony}}: Commissioner Loeb telling Lieutenant Gordon "You're unlikely to discover this for yourself" about what being a police commissioner is like. Even people who didn't know Gordon would be Commissioner [[spoiler: after Loeb's death]] were reasonably assured he would eventually follow a similar career path to the comics.
* ItGotWorse: It ''starts'' with [[spoiler:the DA and his assistant/fiancee kidnapped and strapped to time bombs]] and just goes downhill from there.
* IWillShowYouX: During an argument between a witness on the stand and Harvey Dent:
-->'''Dent''': I have a sworn statement from you that [points to Maroni] this man is the head of the Falcone crime family.
-->'''Witness''': Maroni? He's a fall guy. I'm the brains of the organization!
-->'''Dent''' (to judge): Your honour, permission to treat the witness as hostile?
-->'''Judge''': Permission granted.
-->'''Witness''': Hostile? I'll show you hostile!
-->[[spoiler:''Witness pulls out a gun and tries to fire it. The gun jams.'']]
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Used multiple times. Interestingly, it's never really effective.
** When Batman beats up the Joker. Even discussed, as the Joker criticizes Batman's technique ''while Batman is beating him''.
** Batman also ''throws Maroni off a roof'', breaking both his legs, in order to get information. It still doesn't work, as the mob boss doesn't really know anything about The Joker anyway, and even if he did, he is ''far'' more scared of The Joker than Batman.
-->'''Batman:''' He must have friends!
-->'''Salvatore Maroni:''' [incredulous] Friends? Have you *met* this guy? ... No one's gonna tell you nothin'. They're wise to your act. You got rules. The Joker, he's got no rules. No one's gonna cross him to you.
** Dent also makes use of FalseRoulette to get info out of one of the Joker's mooks. The man cracks quickly, but as it turns out has no information on the Joker's location either.
* JokerImmunity: Played ''straight'' here, despite being DarkerAndEdgier than the [[Film/{{Batman}} previous film series]], which killed him off. Of course, HeathLedger's passing then caused the Joker to become a BrotherChuck.
* KansasCityShuffle: When TheJoker threatens to kill the mayor, both Batman and the police assume that the only way the Joker could succeed is by using a shooter in the buildings overlooking the funeral; the police set up officers to watch the windows, while Batman takes [[FingerprintingAir "fingerprints" off a shattered bullet]] to track one of the Joker's mooks to his home address near the funeral. [[spoiler:It turns out that the Joker and his gang were all disguised as a the ceremonial honor guard giving the 10 gun salute. While the police were watching the windows and Batman was looking through the mook's apartment, Joker was standing with a loaded rifle mere feet from the mayor. Gordon luckily is GenreSavvy enough to [[SpannerInTheWorks jump in front of the mayor with a bullet proof vest on]].]]
* KarmaHoudini: Arguably [[spoiler: Anna Ramirez]]--[[WhatHappenedToTheMouse whose fate remains unresolved]] after being knocked out by Two-Face.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Joker gets Dent's face burned and his girlfriend killed. He then shows up to Dent's hospital bed to say "Hey, it's your own damn fault for thinking there's such a thing as Order in the first place" to add insult to injury.]]
* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler:Rachel Dawes]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Rachel''': It's okay, Harvey. It's all right. Listen... some- ''(BOOM)'']]
** Also occurs in the opening sequence.
--->'''Mook:''' Bus driver?! What bus dri- ''(SMASH)''
* KnifeNut: Though he's perfectly willing to use guns and pretty much anything else if necessary, Joker's WeaponOfChoice is knives. He even explains why:
-->'''Joker''': Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can’t savor all of the little... emotions. You see, In their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I knew your friends better than you ever did... Would you like to know which of them were cowards?
* LargeHam: ChristianBale (Bruce Wayne had to be a ham, but he does it as Batman as well.) and HeathLedger's Joker.
** The Chechen too. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis My dogs! Are! Hungry!]]
* LaughablyEvil: Again, the Joker.
* LetMeTellYouAStory: Bruce Wayne is trying to figure out TheJoker's motivations. Alfred tells him this:
-->'''Alfred:''' A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anyone who had traded with him. One day I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing the stones away.
-->'''Bruce:''' Then why steal them?
-->'''Alfred:''' Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. [[ForTheEvulz Some men just want to watch the world burn.]]
* LoveCannotOvercome: Rachel doesn't want the problems of being Bruce's love interest until he's done being Batman.
* LoveMakesYouEvil: Sort of... [[spoiler:Harvey Dent losing his girlfriend is the key ingredient in driving him to madness.]]
* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: TheJoker...
-->'''Joker:''' Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the little... emotions.
* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: The Joker pulls an extreme version of this on [[spoiler: Harvey Dent.]]
* MindRape: Of all the Joker's acts of callous villainy and casual disregard for human dignity, none is worse than his [[spoiler: turning of Harvey Dent into a vengeful monster by warping his mind during his vulnerable time of grief over Rachel's death.]]
* MisplacedRetribution: Harvey doesn't just give his 50-50 execution judgement to everyone involved in destroying his life, [[spoiler:He goes after Gordon, and plans to kill Gordon's ''son'' to show the cop how it feels to lose the thing you love most.]]
* MoneyToBurn: After taking half of mob's savings as payment for his services, Joker stacks all of it up, puts Lau on top, and then lights the whole thing on fire.
-->'''Joker:''' See, I'm a guy of simple tastes: I enjoy dynamite, and gunpowder... and gasoline! And you know the thing that they have in common? ''They're cheap!''
* MonsterClown: Joker, obviously.
* MorallyBankruptBanker: Lau, the Chinese banker for the mob.
* MultipleChoicePast: In a nod to the comics like TropeNamer ''TheKillingJoke'', Joker gives multiple conflicting tragic back stories about how he came to be.
-->'''Joker:''' You wanna know how I got these scars?
* MyCard: The Joker. It's [[CaptainObvious a joker card]].
* NearVillainVictory: The only thing that keeps TheJoker from winning is Batman's decision to take the heat for the murders Harvey, safegaurding Harvey's image and [[ThePowerOfLegacy the stability of Gotham with it]].
** And Batman's [[ChekhovsGun projectile scallops.]]
* NeverBeAHero: Lampshaded with the Batman copycats.
-->'''Copycat:''' What gives you the right? What's the difference between you and me?
-->'''Batman:''' I'm not wearing hockey pads.
* NeverTrustATrailer: Pre-release material presented the Bat-Pod as one of Batman's newly developed toys. [[spoiler:It's actually the Tumbler's emergency ejection system.]]
* NietzscheWannabe: [[spoiler:Two-Face]], with his talk of random chance being the only true morality in the world. The Joker would be a NietzscheWannabe, except that wouldn't nearly ''begin'' to encompass his craziness.
-->'''Joker:''' I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... ''stranger''.
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: The last fight between Joker and Batman, with Joker using dogs, construction equipment and crowbars to beat the Dark Knight into the ground.
* NotSoHarmless: The Joker. Though aware of his crimes, at first Batman and the authorities just see him as "one man", and focus on bringing down the mob. The mobsters, for their part, regard him as "a nobody" as well...
* NWordPrivileges: The Joker can call himself and Batman "freaks", but [[BerserkButton if anybody else tries it]]...
* OminousWalk: Subverted: The Joker starts one of these after Batman loses at chicken, then starts to jauntily skip after a few seconds.
* OmnicidalManiac: The Joker.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: The Joker, if "nickname" is a good word for it.
* OrbitalShot: The shots involving Joker and Rachel's confrontation keep rotating around the two to add to the scene's tension.
-->'''Joker''': Oh, you look nervous. Is it the scars? Want to know how I got them?
* TheOtherDarrin: Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes in ''Dark Knight'', replacing Katie Holmes from ''Begins''.
* TheParagon: Harvey Dent. This makes him the target of everybody.
* ThePenIsMightier: "How about a magic trick?"
* PetTheDog: Chechen pets his dogs, early in the movie, while calling them his "little princes." [[spoiler:This makes it all the more disturbing when, later in the movie, Joker decides to have the Chechen cut up and fed to those dogs, [[DisproportionateRetribution for calling him a freak]].]]
* PhonyNewscast: There are newscasts during the film reporting on the Joker and the Batman; in the DVD extras you're treated to 4 fake in-depth newscasts about Gotham.
* PineappleSurprise: The Joker threatens to pull the pins on an entire jacket of grenades to escape the mobsters meeting with Lau.
* PhysicalScarsPsychologicalScars: The Joker subverts this since his different stories about how he got his physical "scars" (which are apparently supposed to be a metaphor for his mental scars) contradict each other, implying in turn that he's probably not being truthful about his mental scars either. Harvey Dent, however, plays it straight because his face was burned in the same incident that [[spoiler:killed his girlfriend, Rachel Dawes]].
* PlayingAgainstType: The casting of HeathLedger as TheJoker raised quite a few eyebrows as he had never played a major villainous role like this before, let alone a psychotic murderer. He defied all expectations giving the most powerful and remembered performance in the film.
* PlotImmunity: [[spoiler:Jim Gordon and his fake death scheme.]]
* ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Harvey Dent's fall from grace.
* PoserHating: Batman does ''not'' find imitation flattering. Especially if the imitators dressing like him are using lethal force.
* ThePowerOfLegacy: At the end of the film, after Harvey Dent's [[spoiler:death, Batman tells Gordon to tell the police force that it was Batman, not Harvey, who was responsible for Harvey's murders, so that Harvey does not lose his white knight reputation.]]
* PreAssKickingOneLiner: During the fundraising party for Harvey Dent:
-->'''Joker:''' ''(to Rachel)'' [[YouGotSpunk A little fight in you, I ''like'' that.]]\\
'''Batman:''' [[DynamicEntry Then you're gonna love me.]]
* PrecisionFStrike:
** In the opening, if you listen carefully, you can hear Grumpy say "what the fuck?" after he is shot in the shoulder.
** It's not a terribly obvious one, but after Batman fails to hit him with the Batpod, the Joker mouths the f-word. Blink and you'll miss it.
** Later in the same scene, [[spoiler:Gordon says "we got you, you son of a bitch" when he (temporarily) captures the Joker.]]
* PreemptiveDeclaration:
-->'''Joker:''' No no no, I kill the bus driver.
** later:
--->'''Joker:''' You know how I got these scars?\\
'''Batman:''' No, but I know how you got ''these''! ''(launches his spring loaded scallops at Joker's face)''
* ProductPlacement: A lot. One notable case is Bruce Wayne's driving a Lamborghini Murcielago. Also a BilingualBonus StealthPun: ''murciélago'' is Spanish for ''bat''.
* PsychoForHire: The Joker, with the emphasis on "psycho", since he doesn't really stay in the employ of the mob for long. He's definitely in it for the psycho part, though.
--> '''Joker''': If you're good at something, never do it for free.
* PsychopathicManchild: Just as an accountant was about to give in to one of Joker's earlier threats (reveal the identity of Batman or people die) he goes on TV to announce that he changed his mind, that he decides that a world without Batman would be too [[ForTheEvulz boring]], and that if said accountant was not killed in less than an hour, that he would blow up a hospital.
* PsychoStrings: On the soundtrack the Joker's one-note theme is made mostly of these. (One note? You have to listen to it to understand.)
** The theme's feel could be compared to a swarm of wasps from hell trapped inside your brain and buzzing around for an exit. Or the screeching drone of an oncoming train. It still wouldn't do it justice.
** Hint: Listen to it with headphones or surround-sound.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: "Why. So. Serious?"
** From the same speech: "Not. One. Bit."
** "LOOK! AT! ME!"
* PutTheLaughterInSlaughter: The TropeNamer.
* RankUp: Jim Gordon is promoted to Commissioner in the movie.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: It is possible that the ending of ''TDK'' was setting up Joker to return in the ''Rises'' (he doesn't die, he [[LampshadeHanging says they'll be doing this forever]], etc)... but then [[ActorExistenceFailure Heath Ledger died]]. It's since been confirmed Joker won't be in ''Rises'', and a lot of people suspect the lack of Joker in ''Rises'' was not part of the original plan.
* RecklessGunUsage: TheJoker ignores all gun-handling rules, but being ''the Joker'', he probably doesn't care at all if he accidentally shoots someone. Or himself, for that matter. He'd probably think it was ''hilarious''. In fact, there is a scene where he stumbles and accidentally sprays a burst of S&W M76 fire in a random direction.
** Harvey Dent is flipping a two-headed coin so he won't ''purposely'' shoot someone he was interrogating, but he was still pressing a loaded gun to that man's head. But, again, [[spoiler:this is Harvey Two-Face we're talking about.]]
* RecursiveAdaptation: Elements of Ledger's Joker were incorporated into the comics, most notably the scars. There may have been an abortive attempt to make him closer still, with someone drawing a line at killing Harley.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:[[EvenEvilHasStandards Even Maroni has had enough of all this and gives the cops the Joker's location.]] [[LaserGuidedKarma Two-Face finds him soon afterwards.]]]]
* RetiredBadass: Alfred apparently did some military spec-ops work some time before being Bruce's butler, providing him with anecdotal experience concerning the Joker's MO.
** The story also goes to hint at a rather [[BewareTheNiceOnes dark side]] to the generally pleasant and amiable sophisticate:
--->'''Bruce''': Alfred, the bandit, did you ever catch him?
--->'''Alfred''': Oh, yes.
--->'''Bruce''': How?
--->'''[[{{Determinator}} Alfred]]''': [[KillItWithFire We burned the forest down]].
* RightBehindMe: "Don't tell me it's Wayne. The guy's a complete [[CurseCutShort f--]]"
* RightHandAttackDog: The Chechen owns a pack of them. [[spoiler:After TheJoker apparently [[HoistByHisOwnPetard feeds The Chechen to his own dogs]], he adopts the pooches and uses them against Batman in the final showdown]].
* RousseauWasRight: Batman's belief and part of how he eventually triumphs over the Joker in the finale: neither of the boats in Joker's "social experiment" are willing to blow the other one up, buying Batman the time he needed to neutralize the Joker's own detonators.
* RuleOfCool[=/=]RuleOfScary: [[spoiler:Despite having half of his face burned off, Harvey Dent doesn't seem to have much trouble speaking, and his facial motions are apparently unaffected]].
* RuleOfThree: The Joker's third "scar story" is subverted by Batman.
** Subverted... by Batman. Played straight... by the movie itself. And [[DoubleSubversion double subverted]]... due to both. We never hear Joker's third story but Batman giving him scars makes the movie itself a third story. As a result somehow manages to fit all three.
--->'''Joker:''' You know how I got these scars?
--->'''Batman:''' No, but I know how you got ''these''.
--->(Batman launches his gauntlet spikes point-blank into Joker's face)
* TheSadisticChoice: Joker has several in ''The Dark Knight''. So much so that Roger Ebert interprets this concept as one of Joker's main themes.
-->'''Ebert''': The Joker is more than a villain. He’s a Mephistopheles whose actions are fiendishly designed to pose moral dilemmas for his enemies.
** It seems notable that the messenger of chaos is the one with the most elaborate 'plans'.
* SavedForTheSequel: [[spoiler:Surprisingly averted with Two-Face. He's KilledOffForReal less than half an hour after he gets his iconic scars]].
* ScareChord: The Joker's leitmotif.
* ScaryBlackMan: Gambol.
** Even scarier is Ginty, the prisoner on the ferry who [[spoiler:acts like he'll blow up the other boat for the guards, only to throw the detonator out the window once they give it to him.]]
* ScheherezadeGambit: Variant when [[spoiler:TheJoker is captured by the police. Using only his words, he manipulates a police officer into attacking him, then takes the officer hostage.]]
* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Salvatore Maroni as he's dropped from the second floor by Batman.
* ShouldHaveThoughtOfThatBeforeX:
-->'''Maroni''': This madness... it's just too much.
-->'''Gordon''': You should have thought of that before you let that clown out of the box.
* ShoutOut: "[[ToTellTheTruth Will the real Batman please stand up?]]"
** Possibly also a reference to [[TheMusical that musical]] [[VaporWare they never made.]]
** William Fichtner as the banker with the shotgun in the opening heist was an intentional CastingGag by Nolan, who built the sequence as an homage to ''{{Heat}}''.
** The Joker's goons don clown masks during the opening scene as a reference to Stanley Kubrick's heist film ''Film/TheKilling''.
*** Joker's mask is also the same as the one the character uses in ''The Joker's Wild'', his very first appearance in the 60's series.
**** It and the other somber clown masks, all worn by the Joker's thugs with otherwise normal street clothes, invoke the image his henchman from the [[BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Animated Series]] episode ''The Last Laugh''.
* ShownTheirWork: The SWATTeam's tactics when entering the building the Joker's minions have occupied are based on real-life SWAT procedure: the officers approach the suspects with weapons at the ready and identify themselves, demanding that the suspects surrender and put their weapons down. Until the suspects present a threat to either the officers or innocents, they have to hold fire. More than one reviewer [[RealityIsUnrealistic questioned why SWAT wasn't opening fire, not realizing that this was how they really operate.]]
* ShutUpHannibal: Batman to the Joker.
-->'''Batman''': What were you trying to prove? That deep down, everyone's as ugly as you? You're ''alone''!
* ShutUpKiss: Harvey to Rachael, after his press conference.
* SmashTheSymbol [[spoiler:In the montage showing the consequences of Batman taking the blame for Harvey Dent's murders, Gordon is shown smashing the bat-signal he put together at the end of ''Begins''. Subverted, in that Gordon doesn't hate Batman at all, but is just in on the cover-up to protect Harvey's [[ThePowerOfLegacy legacy]].]]
* SmugSnake: Salvatore Maroni.
* SpannerInTheWorks: The Joker is a self-proclaimed " Agent of Chaos" - he really doesn't plan, he just sizes up his enemies' plans and attacks the weak point that causes the most chaos.
-->'''TheJoker''': I just did what I do best — I took your little plan, and I ''turned it on itself''.
* TheSpook: Both Batman and The Joker.
* StealthPun: The Joker blocks a stretch of road with a vehicle on fire. [[spoiler:[[VisualPun It's a fire truck.]]]] Just another way the Joker CrossesTheLineTwice.
** By the end of the second act, the Batmobile had lost a wheel (the Batpod), and the Joker got away.
** During the trip to China:
--->'''Lucius Fox''': It emits a high-frequency pulse for mapping an environment and records a response time.\\
'''Bruce Wayne''': Sonar. Just like a...\\
'''Lucius Fox''': Like a submarine, Mr. Wayne. [[DeadpanSnarker Like a submarine]].
** The [[spoiler:final dilemma Joker presents is similar to the Prisoner's Dilemma. One of the parties in the dilemma is a ferry full of convicts]].
** Bruce Wayne drives a Lamborghini Murcielago... [[BilingualBonus Murcielago is Spanish for "Bat".]]
* StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: A major theme of the Joker's actions in this movie.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: One of the main criticisms of the film, besides Batman's voice, [[spoiler:is Rachel's unceremonious death at the end of the second act]].
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Rachel, though not in the first few minutes.]]
* SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands: The [[spoiler:Bat-Cell-Phone-Sonar machine]].
* TakeAThirdOption: Sadistically subverted with [[spoiler:Rachel and Harvey]]. Played straight during [[spoiler:the Prisoner's Dilemma in the film's climax.]]
* TakingTheBullet: Jim Gordon does this for the mayor. Later it's combined with CarFu when the Batmobile takes a rocket propelled grenade for Harvey Dent's paddy wagon.
** And when Bruce Wayne uses the Lamborghini to block a pickup truck from smashing the police SUV.
* TechnicalPacifist: Batman won't outright kill anyone, but he has no qualms dropping a man from a fire escape because he ''probably'' won't die from the fall.
* TemptingFate: "He's going to need something a lot bigger than that to get through this truck!" Cue the freaking ''rocket launcher''.
---> '''Policeman:''' "Wha...! Is that a ''bazooka??''"
** "''Some two-bit whack-job. Wears a cheap purple suit and make-up. He's not the problem. He's a nobody''". [[NotSoHarmless Hohoho if they only knew back then...]]
** "''My dogs are hungry! [[CostumeCopyCat Pity there is only one of you...]]''"
* TerroristWithoutACause: TheJoker is about as pure of an example as you can find.
* ThinkNothingOfIt: After [[spoiler:Batman saves Gordon's son]]
-->'''Gordon:''' Thank you.
-->'''Batman:''' You don't have to thank me.
-->'''Gordon:''' Yes, I do.
* ThroatLight
* ThrowItIn: Joker's clapping after [[spoiler:Jim Gordon is promoted to Comissioner]]. As well as the Joker [[spoiler:having trouble with the explosives at the hospital not going off]]. According to Christopher Nolan, Ledger knew something had gone wrong, but he didn't want to ruin the take by going out of character unless Nolan called "cut," so he improvised the repeated button-presses until the effects guys got the charges to fire.
** The rumor is that he didn't know the main explosions was going to be delayed so that he'd have a chance to get away on the bus before they started.
** A lot of the Joker's mannerisms were developed when Heath Ledger was getting his makeup done, and would scrunch up his face to create different textures for the makeup. The creepy way in which the Joker sucks on his cheeks was one of these.
* TitleDrop: [[spoiler:The final words spoken are the movie's title, at the end of Commissioner Gordon's monologue.]]
* TooKinkyToTorture: The Joker. Detective Stephens, who's in charge of watching him, even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it:
-->'''Stephens''': I'm a twenty year man. And I know the difference between punks who need to be taught a little lesson in manners, and the freaks like you who would just enjoy it.
* TortureAlwaysWorks: Subverted by the Joker during Batman's interrogation: "You have ''nothing''! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"
* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: Many people knew [[spoiler:Gordon wasn't KilledOffForReal]] because of the Joker's trailer line of [[spoiler:"Good eeeevening, ''Commissioner''." Gordon hadn't yet been made commissioner at the time of his supposed 'death'.]]
** To be fair you never see him actually saying it to Gordon but still.
*** [[spoiler:You do. Right when Gordon enters the interrogation room after the Joker's been captured.]]
** Also, we see Gordon smash the Bat-Signal in the final trailer, something that hadn't happened at that time in the film.
** Although it wasn't exactly guaranteed, it was pretty doubtful that [[PlotImmunity Gordon was going to die before he became Commisioner.]]
* TraumaCongaLine: Harvey Dent loses [[spoiler:the love of his life and half of his face in one day]]. It doesn't take much for The Joker to [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope push him over the edge]] after that.
* {{Troll}}: What TheJoker will resort to when his target has no other obvious flaw [[MindRape he can utilize to get inside their heads.]]
* TwoHeadedCoin: Played straight by Harvey; brutally {{subverted}} when [[spoiler:he becomes Two-Face and the coin gets marked on one side]].
* UnderTheTruck: Not a chase scene, since the Joker is coming at Batman head on in a truck, while Batman races towards him on the Batpod. However Batman fires two tow cables that hit the truck and then proceeds to weave in and out between the wheels of the trailer to tie it up. Because the Batpod is built low to the ground and the truck is quite high off the ground, he doesn't need to slide, just drive normally.
* TheUnfettered: The Joker.
* UnflinchingWalk: [[spoiler:Lucius Fox]].
** Played for laughs with the Joker when he [[spoiler:blows up the Gotham General Hospital]]. He starts walking away without looking back, only to notice the explosions have stopped. Joker turns around and starts fiddling with the detanator, but nothing happens. He fiddles with the detonator some more, until he's startled by a ''huge'' explosion. Joker then resumes walking away without looking back...only now he's walking much faster than before.
*** Director Nolan praised Ledger for him doing it so well.
* UnhandThemVillain: The Joker does this to Rachel when Batman tells him to let her go. She happens to be hanging halfway out a window.
-->'''Joker''': Very poor choice of words!
* UnreliableNarrator: The Joker, naturally.
* UnwantedRescue: [[spoiler: Harvey]]. "NO! NOT ME! WHY ARE YOU COMING FOR ME?!" Doubly so, [[spoiler:as Batman also wanted to save Rachel over Harvey. The Joker's just a bitch like that.]].
* ViewersAreMorons[=/=]ViewersAreGoldfish: One would assume that a room full of cops and lawyers knows what RICO is.
** When two corpses are discovered whose last names are Harvey and Dent, respectively, Ramirez has to remind us that one characters' name is Harvey Dent and that the dead guys' names are supposed to allude to him.
* VillainousBreakdown: The Joker has an understated version of this at the end of ''The Dark Knight'', in contrast to his usual over-the-top theatrics: [[spoiler:when the people of Gotham refuse to play his game and reveal themselves to have a core of decency, and it looks like his ultra-nihilistic view of the world might be wrong after all, he goes very, very still...]]
** When a guy named The Joker suddenly becomes very sullen and grumpy...
* VillainTeamUp: Joker and Two-Face... [[PlayingWithATrope ssssssssorta.]] [[spoiler:Harvey hates Joker with a passion, but Joker ''is'' the one who pushes Two-Face into villainy, and Joker uses Two-Face to sow extra chaos and divert the Gotham PD's attention long enough to set up his next major "social experiment".]]
* WhamEpisode: The end of the second act, which ''starts'' with [[spoiler:Harvey and Rachel getting kidnapped and ends with Rachel's death.]] ''None'' of the protagonists emerge unscathed.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic: There seems to be a subtle theme about dogs in The Dark Knight. Seriously. Go back and watch it again, looking out for references to, and appearances by, dogs. The meaning behind them is debatable, but it can't be coincidence.
** Dogs are a symbol for the Joker. He's the "dog chasing cars" and the ultimate cynic. At first, the Chechen mobster has dogs on a leash -- to deal with Batman -- but by the end the dogs are turned against their former master in the same way the Joker overthrew the mobsters' control. Also, there's probably some Cerberus thing you could take from the three dogs.
** Look at The Joker leaning his head out of the police car's window after his escape.
** The Joker is symbolic in another way: he's almost more an anarchic, chaotic force of destruction than a man, and exemplifies the theme of ''corruption''. You see it throughout the movie, how he seeps like a poison into every corrupt and dark underside of Gotham, undermining order, twisting Harvey Dent's righteous anger into something evil, and undermining Batman's confidence in what he's doing.
** Go to the next step: The Joker's very identity is symbolic. In a game of cards, the Joker is often a wild card: it becomes precisely what you need it to be to further your agenda, but of itself, it has no face value or significance; it just upsets the other players' agendas by coming seemingly out of nowhere. Thus...the Joker's multiple-choice history and his lack of real identity.
** "It'll stand up to a cat." If I have to explain this...
** For a more straightforward example, when Rachel and Harvey are kidnapped [[spoiler:the lights in the warehouse where Harvey is held are on, whereas Rachel's are switched off. Could also qualify as Foreshadowing, but only by a few seconds.]]
* WhatTheHellHero: Pulled by Batman when [[spoiler:Harvey Dent attempts to interrogate one of the Joker's men using a revolver and his coin.]]
-->'''Batman''': You'd leave a man's life to ''chance''?!
** Dent's reaction to Batman bursting in to rescue him could be considered this, since he wanted Rachel and not himself to be saved.
--->'''Dent''': NO! NO! NOT ME! WHY ARE COMING FOR ME?!
** Also pulled by ''the Joker'', of all people.
--->'''Joker''': I wanted to see what you'd do, and you didn't disappoint. You let five people die. Then, you let Dent take your place. Even to a guy like me, that's ''cold''.
** The 'hero' part might be debatable, but Harvey does this to [[spoiler:Detective Ramirez, when he confronts her for delivering Rachel to the Joker.]]
--->[[spoiler:'''Ramirez:''']] I didn't know what they were...
--->'''Dent''': You didn't know what they were gonna do? You're the second cop to say that to me. What, ''exactly'', did you think they were going to do?
** Also a inverted version is pulled by the ScaryBlackMan on the ferry during the finale, when he asks the Warden for the detenator to the other boat.
--->'''Ginty:''' Give it to me, and I'll do what you should have done ten minutes ago.
--->[[spoiler:''(takes the detonator and chucks it out the window.)'']]
** Gordon's wife's reaction to his [[FakingTheDead faking his death]]. He offers up a small excuse about how it was for her protection, but she still smacks him.
** Lucius makes it clear that he is ''not happy'' with Batman's plan to [[spoiler:use sonarised mobile phones to eavesdrop on the entire city and track down the Joker.]]
* WheresTheKaboom: Well, more "Where's the Rest of the Kaboom? Clickclickclick''{{ohcrap}}''"
* WhyAmITicking: Joker orchestrates a prison break with a cell-phone bomb, which is sewn inside the body of one of his mooks.
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Why doesn't the Joker just shoot Batman? Because [[spoiler:he doesn't ''want'' to. Batman's just too much fun!]]
** [[JokerImmunity And why doesn't anyone shoot the Joker?]] Because the good guys know that IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim, and when the bad guys are in the same room as him [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy he's covered in Dead Man Switch grenades.]]
* TheWindyCity: The film was shot on location in Chicago with many of the city's distinctive streets making an appearance.
* WouldHitAGirl: Two-Face knocked Anna Ramirez into unconsciousness, after his coin spares her life.
* XanatosSpeedChess: Batman has to play an ''insane'' game in the film's final minutes. [[spoiler:DisguisedHostageGambit with multiple SWAT teams bursting in all over the place. Batman has to quickly incapacitate SWAT teams so they don't kill the Hostages-disguised-as-Joker-thugs, and take out the real Joker thugs at the same time. There are also police Snipers targetting the disguised hostages. He ends up having to use his grapple hook in creative ways to knock over hostages to get them out of line of site while at the same time getting to floors he needs to be on, blow the floor up beneath swat teams and thugs with his bomb launcher, and use the SWAT teams' own grapple ropes to tie them together and then suspend them over the side of the building.]] All this thought up and implemented on the fly within a time span of two minutes.
* XMustNotWin: Where X in this case refers to TheJoker. It's such a major driving force for the good guys, especially for Batman, that at the end of the movie, [[spoiler:Batman takes the fall for Dent's murders partly out of refusal to give Joker the satisfaction of wrecking Gotham.]]
* YouDidTheRightThing: [[spoiler:In the dilemma that two ferries leaving Gotham to avoid the Joker's supposed takeover, one filled with prisoners and the other with innocent civilians, have the detonator to blow up the opposite ferry under a time limit where the penalty of indecision would be them both blowing up;]] Ginty, the prisoner among many prisoners on the prisoner ferry, after demanding that the detonator to the civilian ferry be handed over to him, instead of detonating it primarily to save his own life, [[spoiler: he instead throws it out an open window into the water at the expense that the prisoner ferry could not blow up the civilian ferry, and that it could be blown up instead. This shows that he probably believes the lives of the prisoners, including him, is not worth choosing over the lives of innocent civilians.]]
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Pulled in the opening sequence of ''Dark Knight'', as the Joker manipulates his goons into killing each other one by one due to their greed. In the end, he walks away with the whole haul, without having to share the $68 million with his five henchmen... and only needing to kill ''one'' of the five himself.
* [[YoureInsane You're Insane!]]: "No. No, I'm not."
* YourLittleDismissiveDiminutive: This version of TheJoker uses a LOT of these.
-->'''Joker (to the organized crime community)''': Look, I know why you choose to have your little group therapy sessions in broad daylight...
-->'''Joker (to Batman)''': You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmm?
--> '''Joker (to Batman)''': Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny?
--> '''Joker (to Harvey Dent):''' They're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. ''(Referring to the police and the organized crime community alike.)''
--> '''Joker (to Harvey Dent):''' I just took your little plan and I turned it on itself.
* YourMom: The Joker used this insult about Gambol's grandmom to make him pissed.
* ZeroApprovalGambit: The ending.
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