Batman: Arkham Knight 100% Knightfall Protocol Completion Ending
As the video begins, Batman removes his mask as he approaches the Bat-signal. He then summons the Batwing and has it return him to Wayne Manor. Outside the estate, we see GCN reporter Vicki Vale on the scene, breaking the latest news.
As Bruce Wayne walks into his mansion, Alfred asks him one last time if he’s sure that he wants to do this. And of course, Bruce Wayne confirms, reminding Alfred that it’s the only way to protect the people. We then see the entire mansion explode, controlled demolition style, with the flames rising up into the air to form the image of a burning bat symbol. This is where the regular ending stops.
In the extended Batman: Arkham Knight 100% completion true ending, we pick up with Jim Gordon smoking a pipe and giving a monologue, talking about how criminals need something to be afraid of in order to be defeated. He receives a text from Tim Drake (Robin) saying, “Don’t forget the ring,” implying that he is marrying Barbara and that the reason we see Jim all gussied up in that adorable bow-tie is because he’s on the way to the wedding.
The scene then closes in on what’s obviously a re-enactment of the murder scenario of Bruce Wayne’s parents that he witnessed as a boy. However, this time the horrible scene is not of the Wayne family. It’s more of a deja vu than a re-enactment. As far as we’re shown, the scene is a symbolic portrayal of that horrible night being experienced by some other unlucky Gotham family. It’s all too familiar but at the last second, the thugs see a Batman on the rooftops.
They mock him at first, letting him know they no longer fear the old symbol of the now presumed to be dead hero. This is the point at which everyone loses their minds. Suddenly, pillars of black smoke begin to emerge from Batman as he levitates into the midair. The darkness explodes into a gigantic black bat symbol composed of hundreds of individual bats, glistening boldly against red-orange flames which eerily resemble the glow of the Scarecrow’s fear toxin scenes.
This is where we all ask,“Was the man on the rooftops Bruce Wayne or Not?” Similar to the ending of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, it’s a difficult question to answer whether or not the man you are seeing at the end is indeed Bruce Wayne or not. There will perhaps never be a “true” answer unless Rocksteady decides to reveal one. So for now, let’s do the best speculating that we can.