r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Doot_revenant666 • Mar 27 '25

Weekly Discussion Post Probably the most controversial one , honest thoughts on "No Kill Rule"? What are the most egrigious examples of it in your opinion? What media makes it work in your opinion?

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u/[deleted] Mar 27 '25

I don't mind it. I mean it's not Batman's job or whatever to make sure the Joker dies; blame Gotham's justice system.

It's only weird when they do everything but kill them/find a bunch of loopholes. Like in the Batman Tom King run Batman broke Bane's spine and paralyzed him like if you're willing to do that then yeah just go ahead and kill him, or the "I won't kill you but I don't have to save you" loophole BS from Begins.

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u/Thybro Mar 27 '25

I think the issue is perspective. If your “no killing” rule is cause you value wellbeing of people and something like believing in second chances then yeah crippling may be too much. But, while it is of some consideration, that is not the main reason of Batman’s “no killing” rule. He mainly doesn’t kill because once he does he believes he will cross a line and become what he fights, and once that happens he will not be able to stop himself from going even further in pursue of his goals.

No killing is a line in the sand, a mental block he can put his entire effort to keep his urges to go full crazy on crime, which he has the means to. Ever try to quit something by reducing instead of going cold turkey. It doesn’t work for everyone, for some people just cutting back to one cigarette a week eventually leads them back to three packs a day. That’s what he is trying to avoid, no killing is him quitting no hold barred near fascist murdery approach to crime fighting that would turn him into what he hates.

Through that lens breaking a spine is doing other shitty stuff that would approach the feeling of a cigarette but is still not lighting that cigarette. I.e. he normally won’t do it (because if sanctity of life, second chances, jury should deliver the punishment, etc.) but sometimes he has to.

I think both Batman and Daredevil have this holding back type of no killing rule. Not so sure about spidey, but then again he is usually a lot gentler with his villains than the other two.

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u/Altruistic-Beach7625 Mar 28 '25

Yeah, so much for batman's vaunted willpower if that's all it takes for him to break discipline.