Batman: Year One

Bruce Wayne returns home after 12 years of training abroad, bringing a wealth of martial arts, science, and detective know-how back to Gotham. He contemplates waging a war on crime from the shadows, hinting at the birth of a masked crusade. This renewed presence sets the tone for Gotham's fight between corruption and vigilantism.

James Gordon moves to Gotham with his pregnant wife Barbara after a transfer from Chicago. They swiftly become acquainted with the corruption and violence plaguing the city. Gordon's early days reveal a police force under pressure and compromised by figures like Detective Flass.

Gordon witnesses Detective Flass assaulting a teen for fun, exposing the corruption within the police. The brutal display confirms the depth of Gotham's rot. Gordon resolves to pursue reform despite the risks.

In a surveillance operation in the East End, Holly Robinson propositions a disguised Wayne. He is drawn into a brawl with her pimp and several prostitutes, including Selina Kyle. A police car careens off the road, flips, and Bruce escapes, dragging the officers to safety.

Bruce reaches Wayne Manor badly wounded and seeks guidance for his war on crime. As he sits before his father's bust, a bat crashes through a window and perches on the bust, crystallizing his resolve to become Batman. The symbol of the bat inspires his new identity.

Gordon pursues reform while Loeb's orders escalate the conflict. Flass threatens Gordon's pregnant wife, prompting Gordon to confront him. He tracks Flass down, humiliates him, and leaves him naked and handcuffed in the snow.

Batman makes his first direct strikes against criminals, starting with a bold assault on a group of thieves. He then targets Flass during a bribery scheme, signaling his willingness to go after corrupt officers. News of his actions begins to reshape Gotham's underworld and politics.

Batman disrupts a dinner party attended by Falcone and other crime bosses. Loeb orders Gordon to bring Batman in by any means necessary, turning Batman into the primary target for the police. The city braces for a high-stakes confrontation.

Detective Harvey Dent becomes Batman's ally, recognizing their shared goal of cleansing the city. The partnership signals a new phase in the fight against crime and corruption. Dent's involvement helps Batman push back against Falcone's network.

Batman disarms a gun-happy SWAT team and traps them in a basement, but Branden climbs out through a collapsed chimney to join the gunfight. Loeb bombs the abandoned building to flush Batman into the fortified basement. Batman escapes amid the chaos using a device to attract the bats from his cave.

Selina Kyle, after witnessing Batman in action, dons a costume of her own and begins life as a costumed thief. Her early alliance with Batman helps shape the shifting dynamics of Gotham's vigilantism. The duo's presence complicates the power balance among criminals and law enforcement.

Gordon has a brief affair with Detective Essen, complicating his marriage. He confesses the affair to Barbara after investigating Wayne's connection to Batman. The revelations heighten the personal stakes as the city hurtles toward greater danger.

Gordon spots Johnny Vitti and his thugs holding his family hostage, forcing a drastic confrontation. In the ensuing chase, Gordon loses his glasses, and Bruce Wayne arrives on a motorcycle to help. Vitti and Gordon Jr. plunge off a bridge, but Batman saves the baby by leaping over the railing, and Gordon realizes he has faced Batman face to face, though Bruce is allowed to go because he is nearly blind without his glasses.

Gordon and Barbara begin marriage counseling as Gotham braces for new dangers. He ends with a monologue about Flass and a growing threat to the Gotham reservoir, naming the mysterious Joker in the process. On a rooftop, Gordon waits for a trusted ally, hoping Batman will answer the call as Gotham stands between order and anarchy.