Original artwork, not a still
You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
— The Dark Knight ‧ 2008
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is Dent's own epitaph, said before he knows it. Heroism in this story is a position you can hold only briefly, and the line sets up the film's tragedy: the city's white knight is broken, and Batman accepts the villain's mask so Gotham can keep its hero. Fans quote it as a warning about power, fame and burnout well beyond Batman.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Dark KnightShow the scene
In The Dark Knight (2008), district attorney Harvey Dent, police lieutenant Jim Gordon and Batman are working together to break the mob's hold on Gotham. Over dinner with Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes, Dent debates how much power a city should give a lone protector, and delivers this line. Screenwriter Jonathan Nolan considered it the most important dialogue in the script, and it came late in development. Dent then becomes the proof: after the Joker's scheme takes Rachel from him, he turns into the violent vigilante Two-Face.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: The Dark Knight (film)Development; Filming (Criterion Restaurant dinner); Plot and CastReference checked
- Wikiquote: The Dark Knight (film)Harvey Dent/Two-FaceReference checked
Context reviewed
