Batman is Jesus (spoiler altert!)

You heard it here first, folks. Batman, as portrayed in the Dark Knight, is a Christ figure. Admittedly this kind of operates under the assumption that everyone who makes a sacrifice in a movie is a Christ figure. In the same way that people say: if something seems like its about sex, then it probably is. If someone could be a Christ figure, they probably are.

But let us examine the evidence more closely: First, Batman makes a sacrifice. He takes the blame for the murders committed by Harvey Dent (as Two Face) so that people can continue to see Harvey Dent as a hero. Sacrifice = first big step to Christ figure-dom.

Second, Batman's sacrifice makes him an anti-hero, hero. Third, he does this for the redemption of Gotham. He realizes that the important string of mafioso prosecutions started by Harvey Dent will not continue if people learn that Harvey Dent became Two Face and tried to murder an innocent family. So Batman takes the blame for the murders, making himself an outcast so that Gotham can redeem itself. Similarly, Jesus underwent prosecution, i.e. Crucifixation by the Roman authorities (or Jews if you're talking to Mel Gibson, et al) in order to redeem humanity. Jesus was shunned and turned upon by his disciples and Judea generally. Batman, in similar form, convinces Gordon, his close ally, to make him into a pariah. Granted, Jesus perhaps did not specifically ask his disciples to betray him, but, in the Last Supper, he did acknowledge that the betrayal was a necessary step in achieving humanity's salvation.

Oh, and Gotham represents humanity. I think the movie pulls few punches about this. The mafiosos might represent the Pharisees, but that's a stretch, and it doesn't really pan out.

The Joker is the Devil. In the same way that Jesus is forced to stare Satan in the face and resist his temptation, remaining sinless, Batman is at times tempted by the Joker's id-filled lure. The Joker almost convinces Batman in the interrogation room that he should join the dark side because society views him as expendable. Then Batman, somewhat in contrast to Jesus, starts bashing the Joker's head against glass.

Parallel to Christ turning over the tables in the temple perhaps? Perhaps not.

That may be discussed in Batman is Jesus II: Cruise Control.

At the end of the day, Batman isn't just a Christ figure because he makes a sacrifice, but more specifically because he lets himself become a pariah for the redemption of humanity (as played by Gotham City).