Early Threat Explains Why Batman Originally Refused to Trust Superman
Superman and Batman have one of the best friendships in the DC Universe, but that wasn’t always the case. Batman is notoriously suspicious. When a man seemingly made of steel appears out of nowhere without any supervision or countermeasures, it’s no surprise that Batman becomes a little paranoid. However, this paranoia ultimately led Batman to test Superman’s idea of murder by sending the Joker to Metropolis. When Bruce Wayne’s parents were shot in front of him in Crime Alley, he immediately vowed to fight crime in any way possible. He also vowed that no matter what, he would never inflict on anyone the same suffering he went through. This was the start of Batman’s infamous no-killing rule: no matter how bad the criminal was, Batman would not kill them. This is a rule that not only Batman follows, but he also holds everyone he works with to it as well. When the planet Krypton exploded, Superman’s parents sent him to Earth, where he was taken care of by Martha and Jonathan Kent. Superman grew up in a loving home with caring parents and never suffered any significant trauma in his childhood. As such, while Superman avoids killing, he doesn’t have any hard-set rules against it — and that is a major problem for Batman.
Batman Tests Superman’s Moral Limits
In “The Adventures of Superman” 14 by Max Landis, Jock, Lee Loughridge, and Wes Abbott, the friendship between Batman and Superman nearly falls apart. After the Joker appears in Metropolis, Superman quickly defuses the bomb and captures the Clown Prince. When dealing with the Joker, Superman doesn’t give him any leeway. Superman not only insults the Joker mercilessly, but also refuses to take him seriously. Even when the Joker exclaims that he has become more dangerous and found a way to hurt Superman, Clark laughs it off and points out how stupid the Joker sounds. Superman would not let Joker go and threatened to kill him if he returned to Metropolis.
The Joker could not have left Gotham and gotten to Metropolis without Batman knowing. Superman accuses Bruce of such and is right. Batman intentionally allowed the Joker to go to Metropolis to see Superman’s stance on no-killing. Since Superman openly threatened to kill the Joker, Batman considers this a failed test and thus believes that the Man of Steel can’t be trusted with his power. Superman, however, retorts that the Joker is dangerous, and he’s only growing more dangerous. One cannot indulge the Joker’s madness; the only way to deal with him is to shut his act down and remind him there will be harsh consequences for his actions. Batman doesn’t agree, and after a heated exchange, the two go their separate ways, with Superman promising to kill the Joker if he encounters him again.
Superman Does Not Like Being Tested
Superman and Batman’s relationship eventually got back on track, but there’s no doubt that this conflict is one of the reasons Batman began stockpiling Kryptonite and other anti-cryptocurrency supplies. In other worlds, such as the world of Injustice, as soon as Superman kills the Joker, the Kryptonians attempt to take over the world. The Joker and Superman’s first meeting is the reason Batman doesn’t trust the Man of Steel – and maybe he’s right.