Batman Fan Theory Suggests Who the Bat-Signal Is Really For

Batman has an array of gadgets and vehicles at his disposal in the war on crime. But, many have wondered about the Bat-Signal and how it functions in the hero's universe. One fan on Reddit has a theory on the true purpose of the iconic spotlight. Now, this isn't the first time someone has dug into what the psychology behind the Bat-Signal is. The fan ponders if the true intention of the signal is more of a deterrent than an actual summoning device. Basically, there's so much crime in Gotham that there's no way the hero can get around to thwarting every single incident in the city. But, that spotlight absolutely deters some small-time criminals from even thinking about it. Viewers saw this effect in the Christopher Nolan Batman films as a couple of the crooks turned tail and ran when they saw that symbol shining in the sky. In that way, just turning it on is a threat that would actually help the police officers out in a way without Batman having to immediately be in the same part of the city.

Batman Day happened earlier this year, and the Bat-Signal played a huge part. The Batman's director, Matt Reeves tweeted out a picture of the celebration in London with the signal projected on the side of a building. People were wondering if this was some sort of hint at first. Fans are going to have to wait for more information on The Batman. Robert Pattinson will be playing the hero, in a selection that shook up the fanbase. But, the actor is already focusing in and learning as much as he can about the role. He told Variety about his first experience wearing the Batsuit. Clothes might not make the man, but getting into that suit is a full team effort.

[Batman] The bat-signal is meant for criminals, not batman. from r/FanTheories

"It's maybe the craziest thing I've ever done in terms of movie stuff," Pattinson mentioned in the interview. "I put it on. I remember saying to Matt [Reeves], 'It does feel quite transformative!' He was like, 'I would hope it does! You're literally in the Batsuit.'"

Bale and Affleck have mentioned it before during their stints behind the cowl, but Pattinson noted how you "feel very powerful immediately," when you have the entire costume assembled.

"And it's pretty astonishing, something that is incredibly difficult to get into, so the ritual of getting into it is pretty humiliating," Pattinson said. "You've got five people trying to shove you into something. Once you've got it on, it's like, 'Yeah, I feel strong, I feel tough, even though I had to have someone squeezing my butt cheeks into the legs.'"