Spearhead of Christopher Nolan The black Knight The trilogy remains one of the most accepted superhero ventures of the recent era. It has been hugely praised by fans of the franchise for various elements time and time again. Christian Bale’s depiction of the Caped Crusader has received a cult following. The filmmaking techniques Nolan used seemed grounded, grand, and expansive. Overall, compared to some DCEU or even MCU attempts, the results did well.
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However, fans have recently pointed out a major flaw in the highly acclaimed The black Knight trilogy. On Twitter, people seemed disappointed with the whitewashing of specific villains. While these incredible villains have been praised for following a compelling character arc, many seem wary of the implications of such “heavy whitewashing.” Others have gone so far as to call the Oscar-winning director’s premise a “racist” and “ignorant.”
Did the Dark Knight Trilogy clear its villains?
Well, what is whitewashing? According to a definition by Merriam-Webster, the whitewashing process in the media is simply “to alter (something) in a way that promotes, features, or addresses white people.” Simply put, in the context of the Nolan-directed trilogy, bleaching refers to an alteration caused by the placement of white performers in roles canonically based on non-white characters (fictional or not).
In the Twitter thread, people gave the example of Ra’s al Ghul and Bane – two notable villains from the Nolan-Batman pantheon. The birth of the demon and the resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul represents an East Asian ethnicity of the character. However, in Batman Annual Number 26 and mentioned later in Batman and Robin Vol. 2, an eastern Roman origin has been emphasized. Needless to mention, his characterization hinges on anything but a white identity.
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Similarly, Bane, who made his mark in the third installment of the trilogy, The black Knight rides, is of Métis descent. He was born to a British father and a Latina mother. However, in the Nolanverse, he is portrayed by English actor Tom Hardy. Therefore, in the strict sense of what whitewashing means, these two cases have angered fans who have now developed a resounding distaste for The black Knight trilogy.
Fans’ problem with the trilogy
It wouldn’t be the first time the director of the remarkable effort has been accused of whitewashing his films. Several articles on the Internet explain how the Creation alum is notoriously known for his lack of representation in the overall lineup of his work. Some have argued, however, that such alleged tendencies exhibited by Christopher Nolan are a thing of the past and that in recent years he has shown and portrayed inclusivity in the premise of his films.
However, for DC fans, the Nolanverse has suddenly taken on an unfamiliar identity. Taking to Twitter, thousands of fans explained how not to get a “Genuine Bane” looked like a mockery. Stripping these characters of their canonical origins really upset fans. While some have come forward to defend the trilogy with counter-arguments, most seem to agree with the original user who pointed out the flaw.
Looked:
Since I’m Latino, I don’t get sucked a fucking flail.
— yehu (@comicyehu) September 29, 2022
Even considering the idea that “Ra’s Al Ghul” was just a title, no one can tell me why Bane isn’t Latino.
— Gonza González (@gonzaegonza91) September 29, 2022
Yeah, the bleaching was bad, but I’m sure Nolan had no racist intentions, he probably didn’t think of that. I could be wrong of course
– Hakim (@hakim43vg) September 29, 2022
Read also: Why Christopher Nolan never made The Dark Knight 4
Some people here need to check their privilege. The bleaching in this trilogy is absolutely racist.
— Artemis (@Artemis_66_) September 29, 2022
I really enjoyed Hardy Bane, but yeah, there’s too much bleaching in this trilogy. not technically the same level of bleaching but they even had a UK guy playing Falcone 💀
— Green Lantern by John Stewart (@LanternJS) September 29, 2022
That’s the only example of shutouts I ever cared about, plagues supposed to be a damn luchador
— Kibadude (@kibadude1) September 29, 2022
Some under the wire pointed out that instead of resorting to calling the director racist, it should be acknowledged that the casting was likely done with the merit of the actors involved in mind. Others claimed that the casting choices may have just been the result of a pure business decision. However, most seem to be skeptical of the company, calling out the director for his laundering decisions.
It’s important to remember exactly why inclusivity and representation is (or should be) an important part of mainstream media. As more and more fans argue for a specific Bane in the comics, it would be interesting to see whether or not audiences are rewarded for it in future adaptations.
The black Knight trilogy is available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: Twitter
