History Heartwarming / TheDarkKnight

*** Also, at the end when Batman willingly decides to take the blame for the murders Dent committed. Standing over the body, he turns the head so that only the undamaged right side of Dent's face is visible.

* In the climax (that is to say, [[EndingFatigue the second one]]), when both ferries choose to spare the other. After watching the Joker's nigh-unstoppable killing spree for the past two hours, seeing his HumansAreBastards view proven wrong is a real thrill. Two kickers is first off, when even the businessman who tries to insist on killing the criminals finally realises he just can't do it himself and nobody else will either, and then the moment when the ScaryBlackMan took the detonator, saying "I'm gonna do what you should have done ten minutes ago," and then ''throws it out the window,'' then sits down again. And none of the other prisoners even protest. RousseauWasRight indeed.

*** Also, at the end when Batman willingly decides to be the hero Gotham deserves, and the villain it needs.

* A meta-fictional example is when Creator/HeathLedger was awarded a posthumous UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "outstanding actor in a supporting role". His family, including his father Kim, went onstage to accept the statuette on his behalf. Kim said that Ledger's young daughter Mathilda would inherit the Oscar when she turns 18. Not a dry eye in the whole [[Creator/EastmanKodak Kodak]] theatre.
** A well-circulated narrative that went around between Ledger's death and the film coming out was that Ledger "lost" himself in The Joker, that MethodActing as The Joker eventually led to his demise. While it was true Ledger holed himself up in a motel for a few weeks to circle in on nailing on the character, everyone who worked on the movie spoke the world of Ledger as a person and co-worker, and there's footage of him mingling with the crew and skateboarding on set. Michael Jai White, who as Gambol worked in two scenes with Ledger, said Heath easily slipped in and out of the Joker depending if the cameras were rolling.
** ''The Dark Knight Rises'' doing a [[MomentOfSilence silent treatment]] of The Joker. No recasts, no bus crashes, not even a throwaway line acknowledging Gotham's triumph over him - so as to not diminish Heath Ledger's memory.

* Bruce Wayne's speech to Harvey Dent. At first it seemed like he was trying to humiliate the poor guy in a hazing manner, as expected from his RichIdiotWithNoDayJob persona. However, it soon turns into a sincere speech expressing his faith in Harvey Dent being the symbol of hope Gotham needs, as if the little boy who lost his parents just dug himself out of that persona to give him personal thanks for restoring his faith in the justice system.

--->'''Son:''' Why's he running, Dad?\\

*** Also, at the end when Batman :willingly decides to be the hero Gotham deserves, and the villain it needs.

--->'''Son:''' Why's he running Dad?\\

--> '''Bruce:''' No, I meant every word.

** A well-circulated narrative that went around between Ledger's death and the film coming out was that Ledger "lost" himself in The Joker that MethodActing as The Joker eventually led to his demise. While it was true Ledger holed himself up in a motel for a few weeks to circle in on nailing on the character, everyone who worked on the movie spoke the world of Ledger as a person and co-worker, and there's footage of him mingling with the crew and skateboarding on set. Michael Jai White, who as Gambol worked in two scenes with Ledger, said Heath easily slipped in and out of the Joker depending if the cameras were rolling.

* In the climax (that is to say, [[EndingFatigue the second one]]), when [[spoiler:both ferries choose to spare the other. After watching the Joker's nigh-unstoppable killing spree for the past two hours, seeing his HumansAreBastards view proven wrong is a real thrill]]. Two kickers is first off, when [[spoiler:even the businessman who tries to insist on killing the criminals finally realises he just can't do it himself and nobody else will either,]] and then the moment when [[spoiler:the ScaryBlackMan took the detonator, saying "I'm gonna do what you should have done ten minutes ago," and then ''throws it out the window,'' then sits down again. And none of the other prisoners even protest]]. RousseauWasRight indeed.
** Made even better by [[spoiler:the disappointment on The Joker's face when he realizes he was wrong.]]
** [[spoiler:The Joker's view gets ''doubly'' proven wrong when Batman [[SaveTheVillain spares his life instead of letting him fall]]]]. The disappointed look on Joker's face at this is priceless.

*** [[spoiler:Jim Gordon reuniting with his wife]] after he was presumed dead.
*** Also, at the end when Batman [[spoiler:willingly decides to be the hero Gotham deserves, and the villain it needs]].

* In the climax (that is to say, [[EndingFatigue the second one]]), when [[spoiler:both ferries choose to spare the other. After watching the Joker's nigh-unstoppable killing spree for the past two hours, seeing his HumansAreBastards view proven wrong is a real thrill]]. Two kickers is first off, when [[spoiler:even the businessman who tries to insist on killing the criminals finally realises he just can't do it himself and nobody else will either,]] and then the moment when [[spoiler:the ScaryBlackMan took the detonator, saying "I'm gonna do what you should have done ten minutes ago," and then ''throws it out the window,'' then sits down again. And none of the other prisoners even protest]].

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