Batman & Gordon

The relationship between James Gordon and Batman is a very important one in the Batman universe, and so it is important that Batman: Year One highlights just how this comes to be. Both men learn a lot throughout the story, perhaps even from one another's example. Batman learns how crucial forward-planning is, a trait that is a integral to almost all interpretation of the Dark Knight. Gordon learns moral flexibility - whilst initially rigid in his thinking, his encounters with Flass, daliance with Essen and alliance with Batman teach him that not everything can be seen in terms of black and white or good and evil. Especially not in Gotham. His relationship with Essen, in particular, helps him to gain the level of empathy he needs to be able to fight crime as a policeman in the Gotham City.

It's easy enough to put Batman's improvement as a crime fighter onto a chart of some kind, but how do you quantify this improvement? Is it that he learns the need for prior preparation? Is it in the loss of naiveté? Is it his ability to win fights?

More difficult than that is charting the evolution of Gordon's rigid ethical code as he develops an appreciation of moral 'greyness' and the dangers of moral absolutes.

Complete this chart:

The fact that this scene is so carefully crafted is another signpost of just how similar Batman & Gordon are. In fact they both put their own lives on the line to save this woman. Look at the way the two protagonists are facing each other, as though they're going to meet in the middle, perhaps?

How would you describe each character in regards to these traits:

Another good point to consider: is Gordon's willingness to risk his life saving a hostage (unarmed) any different to Bruce Wayne's first foray into the red light district? Why? What other parallels in their behaviours can you draw?

What occurs between these two scenes that make Gordon change his mind on Batman? He changes from driven hunter to willing ally. Why?

(It's more than just the saving of the baby, by the way)