Batman V Superman: A War Of Words

Author's Note: The following is a short conversation I imagined that Batman would have with Superman, near the end of the war they've been fighting against each other. This story is the result of boredom and excitement, and took me about 20 minutes to write. I had just finished reading 'The Killing Joke' graphic novel by Alan Moore, which contains a phenomenal battle of words between Batman and the Joker. That inspired me to write this one.

This story is not related to the 'Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice' storyline, so no spoilers here obviously. I haven't even seen the movie yet, since it's only March 22 right now and it doesn't come out for another 3 days. But as a lifelong fan of Batman, Superman, and movies in general - this is the my most anticipated film of 2016. And for me, above anything else, this story is about Man Vs God. So here is what I wrote - out of love for both characters. Hope you like it.

- B v S -

Superman: Stop it, Bruce. It’s over.

Batman: Have you reached your breaking point, Clark? Are you going to kill me now?

Location: Metropolis. The Daily Planet’s rooftop.

The city lies in ruins, as Superman stands over Batman, after having crushed his armor. Batman lies on the ground, sitting up on his arm - the one that isn’t broken. This building is all that remains standing in the city for a half-mile radius.

Superman: Your kind sees death as an end. For me, it isn’t.

Batman: (spits blood out of his mouth) How so?

Superman: Because I am - to you - the equivalent of a God.

Batman: So killing me is not a question of morality? 

Superman: No. I have none.

Batman: Then how do you justify my death at your hands? The death of all these people?

Superman: Your body is made of cells, Bruce. Dying atoms. You’ve been dying since the day you were born. What I do you to, will only end the process quicker.

Batman: And what of my choice? To live? To survive?

Superman: It amuses me, when humans believe to have a choice in their fate. Your breath isn’t a choice. It’s a consequence of your existence. Your death shall be one too.

Batman: This fight of ours, that we’ve been at for the last year, why do you think I was the only one on this planet willing to take a stand against you?

Superman: You were a formidable adversary, Bruce. I respect you, and your resilience. You might be the only one here who really understood me. But you didn't fight me to win. Because you wish to die a hero’s death. I gave you a purpose. An impossible mission. One you knew you would fail at. You can’t change my fate, Bruce. I don’t have one.

Batman: All I know is that if this (gestures to Superman) is what God is, then I don't want it anywhere near my planet. We don't need you, Clark.

Superman: Then how am I here? How did we reach this moment?

Batman: Must be our fate, I suppose, Hah. (Laughs a tired, painful laugh)

Superman looks over of what remains of Metropolis.

Superman: Look what you made me do, Bruce. Lois is dead. Thousands are dead.

Batman: You had a choice, Clark. You could have left. I begged you to leave us alone. You could have chosen to end this at any moment and left. If you were capable of compassion. Of sanity. But you aren't. You're not better than us, Clark. You're worse. 

Superman: Save your words, Bruce. I'm done being angry. 

Batman: I used to think you and I had something in common, Clark. We were both orphans. We lost our parents at a young age. But I was wrong. I admit that. You're not an orphan. You're an abandoned, unloved child who just happens to have undeserving powers...

Superman kicks Batman in the face.

Superman: (calm and angry, somehow) Do you know how time works, Bruce? Of course you don’t. Let me tell you a Kryptonian secret. You humans see time linearly - in fact, you don’t see it at all. To you time is just something that happens. You have no control over it.

Superman turns to face Batman.

Superman: But I...I see the machine. I see how it works, how time passes from one moment to another. And you want to know the real secret? I can use it. Time to me, is like that Batmobile to you. It’s a weapon. I chose to ignore it at first. I just wanted to live a normal, peaceful human life - for a while. I would marry Lois, father children. Grow my kind in yours. Then one day, when I got bored with it all, I would go someplace else. You see, while humans don’t have choices, I do. So I chose to be your hero. I thought it would be fun. I’m immortal, so why not spend a few decades fixing all your problems? I wanted a taste of this false-‘free will’ you pride yourselves on. So I chose. But then you people kept on needing my help. You depended on it. Your kind will always need saving, Bruce. Your problems will never end - because you are the problem. And now I’m tired. And angry. So you must end.

Batman: You’re mad, Clark.

Superman: Kal-El. That is who I am. Clark is just the disguise I no longer need. You're the one who is mad, Bruce. Dressing up like a bat to make people fear you. But I'm not afraid of you. (pauses) Time to die, Bruce. 

Batman slyly checks something on his arm unit, and although gravely injured, stands as strong as can be, and faces Superman.

Batman: I accepted my mortality a long time ago. I will die, Clark, but not before putting an end to you. 

Superman: (laughs a god-like laugh) And how will you do that? Look at you. You’re as dead as this city. Haven’t you been listening? I can kill you a hundred times before you even hit the ground. I’ve played your game. This war is over.

Superman hovers above Batman, ready to strike.

Batman: But you forgot one thing, Clark.

Superman: And what is that?

Batman: God or not, I'm smarter than you.

Batman presses a button on his arm unit. Suddenly, a human-sized pod appears out of nowhere and engulfs Superman. He is trapped, and can’t move. He struggles, uses his strength, his heat vision, but it is of no avail. Then, he realizes the nature of the pod he’s in.

Superman: What have you done, Bruce?

Batman: Oh, you recognize this pod, Kal-El? It’s the one you were sent to Earth in from Krypton. The one that was meant to keep you safe. Perhaps from us. But now it works for me. And it will keep us safe from you. I found it in your Fortress of Solitude. I think I'll call it my 'winter-Batcave' now. It needed about five minutes to arrive on this location, which was agonizing to live through while listening to your godly-bullshit.

Batman walks over to Superman, who stares back at him through the pod's transparent screen.

Superman: (struggling, angry) Bruce, listen to me, release me now, and I will spare you. You don’t know what you do.

Batman: Oh, that I do. I re-engineered it a bit, took me over a year, but now I control it’s locking mechanism. And - you’ll find this funny - having the human, dying mind that I do, I deleted all the code that would open it. Even I have almost forgotten how it works. So when I die, it’ll die with me. And while you can’t die, you’ll never escape this. You will continue to exist, forever, away from us, and away from this planet.

Superman: You can’t defeat me, Bruce. Time is on my side. I will find a way out of this. 

Batman: See that’s where you are wrong, Clark. Even time works for me now. This wasn’t a war. It was an expensive distraction. One you brought up on yourself when you chose to make decisions for us. This war was never about winning, it was about survival.

Superman: I am going to smile as I destroy this planet. You thought I was angry now, you haven’t seen me angry yet!

Batman: You really are a God, Clark. But that isn’t your fault, I guess. You didn’t choose to be a God. Our Sun gifted you your powers. Powers that no one deserves. And I don’t know if arrogance is native to Kryptonians, or you picked it up in your time on our planet, but it became you. You might be a God, but you’re no hero. You’re no savior. And we don’t need your sort of justice on Earth. We’ve survived you, Clark. Your time on our planet is over.

Superman continues struggling. 

Superman: YOU puny human being. Do you know what I am capable of?! Do you have any idea of what I can DO?! I am going to KILL you - and everyone on this planet - NOW!!!

Superman uses his SUPERFLARE ability - the one equivalent to the energy created by a nuclear bomb (google it, it's real-ish). Imagine a nuclear bomb going off, but when it does, the effects of it remains contained in the pod due to it's indestructibility. After a few seconds, when it's over, there is a clicking sound, and the pod lights up.

Superman: HAHAHA! I have to give to you to, Bruce. You are smart. But you have no idea how powerful I am. And now when this thing opens, I'm going to crush your skull. 

Batman: I was hoping you would use the 'superflare', Clark. Counting on it, in fact. See, while I had figured out the pod’s locking mechanism, and its flight mode, I still didn't have enough power to send you to the nearest burning star. But thanks to your predictable actions, the pod is now fully charged. Enough to get you to the Sun, where it will continue to charge the pod - and keep you alive - until the Sun dies out. Your godly-powers will now be responsible for your fate.

Superman is quiet as he realizes that the war has ended.

Batman: Time is now my weapon, Clark. Anything you wish to say, before you go mad in that box for the next five billion years?

Superman: Bruce, I...

Batman presses the button again, and the pod ejects and flies into the Sun.

Batman: Godspeed, Superman.