If You're A Batman Geek, You Need To Take This Dark Knight Quiz!
- by Patrick Deslauriers
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Released back in 2008, The Dark Knight infused Batman with dark, serious storylines and turned his dilemmas into full-fledged moral and philosophical quandaries. Where Christopher Nolan's previous instalment, Batman Begins, had begun to present Batman and his hometown of Gotham City in a new, more grim light, The Dark Knight took that same premise and cranked it up to eleven. Batman was no longer someone far removed from our reality; he lived in the same modern and often unpleasant world as the audience he catered to and he, like us, faced uncertain choices and difficult challenges every day. He did what he thought was right for the people of Gotham, no matter how much they hated or loved him for it.
Though the entirety of The Dark Knight endures as thoughtful, epic, and masterfully crafted (it would have to be to maintain its ranking as IMDb's #4-rated film of all time), no aspect of the film stands out so vividly in one's memory as Heath Ledger's magnum opus performance as the Joker. Allowing himself to be completely consumed by the role, Ledger created a version of the character that was, like Batman himself, decidedly more modern and gritty. However, Ledger's Joker was much more than that. He was equal parts terrifying and humorous and came across as an individual who, despite his madness, seemed to be entirely in tune with the natural chaos of the world. In any case, Ledger's performance commanded attention, so much so that the audience was both unwilling and afraid to look away. His tremendous efforts were recognized with a posthumous Oscar, but that same recognition felt hollow and bittersweet without him.
Nine years after the film's release, this quiz challenges Dark Knight fans to remember the film in all its glory. Epic moments, key conversations, minute details...it's all included here. Be the hero Gotham needs you to be, and venture forth.
Including the Joker, how many clowns are involved in the bank heist?
The beginning of the film wastes no time in getting the action going, starting with a robbery of Gotham National Bank. In this sequence, the robbers masked as clowns, infiltrated the bank in highly coordinated fashion, and murdered each other to reduce the number of shares as they complete their respective tasks. Though some of the clowns discuss their boss, the Joker, and the rumours surrounding him, they remain totally unaware that he's among them. Ultimately, his clever planning leads to him escaping with all the loot.
What vehicle makes an entrance at the end of the heist?
Intelligently, one of the Joker's last remaining henchmen during the heist realizes he's probably been ordered to die and preemptively threatens the Joker. However, the Joker insists that he's meant to kill the driver of a certain vehicle, which confuses the clown threatening him. Right on cue, said vehicle bursts through the wall of the bank, scattering stone and dust and conveniently killing the now-enlightened henchman. The Joker, a man of his word, then does, in fact, kill the driver of the vehicle and escapes along with the stolen money.
According to Gordon, why is Batman not answering the signal a good thing?
Soon after the bank heist, we're treated to a scene on the roof of the GCPD, where Gordon and several of his coworkers await Batman's arrival. Having presumably been standing there waiting by the bat signal for quite some time, one detective points out that Batman probably won't be showing up. Jim Gordon isn't dismayed, though, and has a smile on his face when he says to the detective that Batman not showing up is actually a good thing. According to him, it's a sign that...
What villain from the previous film appears briefly in The Dark Knight?
After the GCPD roof scene, we transition over to a parking garage, where a shady deal is going down between a villain - who appeared in Batman Begins - and some members of the local mob. The two parties aren't pleased with each other and exchange some harsh words. Some Batman copycats seize the opportunity to attack the criminals and chaos ensues. At last the real Batman shows up, preceded by the Batmobile, and puts a stop to both the criminals and the copycats.
Encountering what foe prompts Bruce to ask for a new batsuit?
After his run-in with the nasty folks at the parking garage, Bruce is forced to stitch his own wounds and, as usual, "makes a bloody mess," as Alfred so nicely puts it. Frustrated and embarrassed, Bruce expresses his desire for a new batsuit to Alfred. Later, after his meeting with the Wayne Enterprises board, Bruce makes a point of speaking to Lucius about it, having made some sketches for the new design. Not much later in the film, Lucius delivers on the new suit, and Bruce seems visibly pleased.
What three targets does the Joker name with the DNA on his calling card?
Soon after the mass arrest, the Joker cleverly issues threats against three significant Gothamites by placing their DNA on one of his calling cards. Gordon, who is briefed on this by his fellow detective Ramirez, immediately rushes to meet with one of the targets. Though he arrives in time, warns the person in question, and secures their office, the Joker still manages to kill them with a poisoned bottle of liquor that he knew they would reach for when having a rough day.
What flattering title does Gordon use to refer to Dent?
Right off the bat in their first meeting, Harvey Dent, Gotham's new District Attorney, and Gordon butt heads. Dent is annoyed that Gordon has been running a secret operation against the mob without his knowledge, and demands to be briefed on the matter. Gordon, tight-lipped as always, insists that he needs Dent to sign off on multiple warrants despite divulging very little to him about the operation. Dent, even more frustrated, voices his displeasure with Gordon's secrecy, but the two agree to collaborate in the end. Near the end of the meeting, Gordon pays Dent a compliment, dubbing him an iconic title that emphasizes his honesty and legitimacy.
Alfred tells Bruce a story about a bandit from what country?
After watching the Joker for a while, Bruce is unable to figure out what drives his nemesis. Alfred promptly jumps in with a poignant story from his past about a jewel thief who practiced his trade solely to sow chaos in the world, so much so that he simply gave the stolen gems away. Bruce, having never encountered such a person, is at a loss. Seeking further guidance, Bruce asks Alfred how they caught the forest-dwelling bandit, to which Alfred ominously replies, "We burned the forest down."
What does the Joker suggest to solve the mob's problems?
During their group meeting near the beginning of the film, the mob contact Lau and make plans to deal with the GCPD crackdown on their funds. In the middle of their discussion, the Joker crashes the party and marks Lau as an untrustworthy "squealer." Furious at the Joker for having made away with their money, the mob threaten him vehemently, but he remains unfazed. He calls the mob cowards but claims to understand the source of their fear. He then offers a simple solution, which he claims will solve all their problems.
What bounty does Gambol set on the Joker's head?
When the Joker shows up in the middle of their meeting, no member of the mob is as thoroughly pissed off as Gambol. Livid, the mob boss immediately threatens the Joker, hurls numerous insults in his direction, and puts a sizable bounty on his head. The Joker exploits this in a later scene, playing dead and getting some henchmen to bring him to Gambol so that he can torture and kill him. With Gambol out of the way, the Joker then runs some quick "tryouts" to recruit one of Gambol's former employees.
What iconic line does Dent say during the restaurant scene?
While out on the town in a beautiful restaurant, Dent and Rachel's date night is crashed by Bruce and his date Natasha, who just so happen to be dining in the same establishment. After putting some tables together, the two couples spend the evening discussing the state of Gotham and how Batman figures into it. Dent makes a lamenting, somewhat grim prediction, which ends up being one of his most iconic lines in the film and resonates strongly with Bruce.
What's Bruce's real motive for the Wayne-Lau joint venture?
After the meeting between the Wayne board and Lau at Wayne Enterprises, Bruce talks with Lucius Fox about a potential new batsuit and the suspicious growth rate of Lau's company. Though Lucius initially plans to make Bruce aware of Lau's shadiness, it turns out that he's already done his homework and is fully aware of what he's getting into. Now that both men are on the same page, Bruce clarifies that he had an ulterior motive going into the corporate deal.
What old-school extraction system does Lucius propose?
Once Lucius is aware of Bruce's plans to infiltrate Lau's company in Hong Kong, the two start brainstorming about the minutiae of the operation. One of the main sticking points is the means of extraction, which Bruce is determined to make as rapid as possible, ideally getting on a plane without it ever needing to land. Lucius, visibly entertained by this possibility, racks his brain for a means of achieving it. He suggests an old tech from the 60s and offers to look into it on Bruce's behalf.
What member of Gordon's family does Two-Face threaten?
If there's one thing everyone can agree on about Two-Face, it's that he really doesn't mess around when it comes to exacting revenge. After being inspired by the Joker, Dent's alter ego takes full control and makes his rounds confronting all the crooked people responsible for Rachel's death. When he, at last, makes his way to Gordon, Two-Face takes an even more personal approach, selecting the member of Gordon's family he cares most about and forcing Gordon to tell them that everything will be okay, even though nothing could be further from the truth. Thus, Gordon is forced to live the same agony that Dent experienced in the last moments of Rachel's life.
Why does Lucius bring a second phone to Hong Kong?
Though we don't see Lucius and Bruce discuss everything about their Hong Kong venture, some elaborate planning clearly went into the whole affair. The first scene in Hong Kong features Lucius, not Bruce, and involves him having a one-on-one meeting with Lau and "accidentally" wasting his time. While the meeting is taking place, Lucius has left his phone at the security desk, or so we think. He ends up walking in with two on his person, leaving one at the desk for specific, high-tech purposes.
How many different stories does the Joker tell about his scars?
The Joker's scars are clearly visible, grisly, and mysterious, and as such, they're a subject of intrigue for both viewers and the characters in the film. What's even more mysterious, though, is that the Joker tells different stories about how he got his scars to different people, meaning that he actively works to destabilize attempts to give him a concrete past. This conceptualization of the Joker as a nameless, unidentifiable "agent of chaos" is maintained throughout the film, and for that reason, he's all the more terrifying.
Despite all his coin flips, why does Dent claim he makes his own luck?
Even before his grisly transformation into Two-Face, Dent really, really loves his coin flips. He seemingly leaves a lot of his decisions up to chance and is confident (cocky?) enough to forge ahead in the case of either outcome. When Dent shows up to his first court case, he flips to see whether he or Rachel will lead, and at one point in the film, he mentions that a coin flip decided whether or not he'd go on a date with Rachel in the first place. As the film progresses, though, we discover that both Dent and his coin are not quite as they appear.
In what scene does the Joker appear with no makeup?
The Joker's smeared, garish makeup is an iconic look that he maintains for the entirety of the film save for one scene. He usually makes a point of being seen and making a spectacle of himself, but in this instance, he realizes that stealth and blending in are his main priorities, which leads him to wash his face for a change. His choice nearly pays off, as his plan is executed to near perfection and a high-ranking Gothamite is just barely spared from certain death.
What does the GCPD find in the Joker's pockets?
Remember that notion of the Joker being more of an unknowable force than a person? That's driven home all the more when he's at last arrested and brought in by none other than James Gordon, who, it turns out, has a knack for resurrection. The GCPD do their best to find some identifying piece of information about the Joker, but dental records, fingerprints, and other official documents all come up short. To further emphasize this point, only a few things are found in the madman's pockets...
What phrase is written on the truck during the Dent escort scene?
During the press conference that Batman urges him to call, Dent confesses to being the Batman and is promptly taken into custody. Later that day, the GCPD arrange for an escort armed to the teeth to transport Dent across town to a more secure spot. Sure enough, the Joker shows up in a circus-themed truck and attacks the caravan with guns of increasing size. Though Batman gives it his all, he's ultimately bested by the Joker, and the day is only saved when Gordon returns from the dead to stop the madman. (Note: this question includes the graffiti additions made to the phrase by the Joker.)
What's the final outcome of the Joker's "social experiment"?
Pretty much every character in this film seems to enjoy debating morality and philosophy, and the Joker is certainly no exception. His "social experiment" with the two ferries full of passengers near the end of the film is intended to prove that, given the necessary push, anyone can be corrupted and incited to murder, and it's for this same reason that he spurs Dent's transformation into Two-Face. For the Joker, order and goodness have no place in a world where chaos should reign supreme, and he is determined to prove it at any cost.
According to Alfred, what is the point of Batman?
During one of their many profound conversations in Bruce's secret bunker, Alfred and Bruce discuss Batman's role with respect to Gotham. Though many people in the film, such as Bruce, Gordon, and Dent, all believe that Batman stands for something greater than himself, Alfred's view is somewhat different. For him, Batman exists primarily for one purpose, a purpose that sets him apart from everyone else in Gotham in that he is not bound by law, money, or a job description, and he is able to carry out this purpose specifically because he is set apart from everyone else.
According to Gordon, what quality do Batman and Dent have in common?
Near the beginning of the film, Batman meets with Gordon in the vault of Gotham National Bank to discuss their plans for tracing the money with irradiated bills. Batman, as usual, shows up unannounced and without warning, and Gordon asks his fellow detective to step out so the two can have a private word. During their conversation, Gordon also tells Batman about Harvey Dent, the new hotshot DA, and suggests that the two men aren't so different as they have a certain quality in common.
After Lau agrees to cooperate, how many criminals are arrested at once?
Once Lau has been abducted by Batman and brought back safely to Gotham, the GCPD is at last free to question him. As the Joker predicted, Lau squeals and gives up all of his clients in the city, most of whom work for the mob. This leads Dent, Gordon, and the rest of the GCPD to perform a mass arrest and bring in tons of criminals at once, as all of their guilt is legally implicated. Though, as Dent says later, this massive ruckus doesn't catch the biggest fish, it manages to put away a lot of the mid- and low-level criminals.
What password is used to destroy the sonar surveillance machine?
Of all the controversial things Batman does, Lucius Fox apparently draws the line at using the latest in sonar technology to spy on the entirety of Gotham. This despite the fact that he enabled Batman's kidnapping of an established businessman from another country in a clear breach of international sovereignty. In any case, Lucius isn't happy when he finds out what Bruce has been building down in Wayne Enterprises' R&D department, and he clearly states that he'll resign should the device continue to exist at the company. Foreseeing this, Batman gives Lucius a password which will destroy the machine as soon as he's finished with it.