Batman | The Dark Knight

Five years… he hadn’t been here for five years, and yet reading this newspaper felt as if he’d never left. He sat in a small café, had barely touched his coffee, and let his gaze drift over an article that finally caught his attention. Different names, different faces… but deep down, it was still the same story. He gave a fleeting smile, even though there was really nothing to smile about. “The heart of this city will probably always be poisoned…” he muttered, shaking his head. “No matter how much you cut out… something always remains somewhere.” He lowered the newspaper slightly and looked out the window at the street. Back then, he’d truly believed he’d done enough to be able to leave... maybe he’d just wanted to believe that. “And if you rip it all out… what’s left then?”

FIVE YEARS LATER GOTHAM