By jasper Riddles in the Shadow: The Batman’s Labyrinth of Clues
Far from straying from the well-trodden path of traditional superhero cinema, The Batman instead gravitates ever closer to the atmospheric depths of film noir and the intricate mechanics of detective stories. Numerous esteemed critics have drawn parallels to the chilling narratives of Zodiac and Seven, highlighting the film’s thematic and stylistic kinship with these dark classics. Notably, the Riddler’s character finds a chilling inspiration in the historical Zodiac Killer, a phantom who also operated under the cloak of night, concealed by a hood, and taunted authorities with cryptic ciphers left at each crime scene – a case that remains hauntingly unsolved to this day.
The dynamic between the enigmatic Riddler and the brooding Batman unfolds as a high-stakes game of intellect, a battle waged through perplexing enigmas. At every grim tableau of his crimes, the Riddler leaves behind a sealed envelope addressed to the Batman, each containing a riddle that serves a dual purpose: a sinister premonition of his next act of violence and a breadcrumb leading to the unearthing of Gotham City’s deep-seated corruption.
In the initial acts of the film, the caped crusader, a veritable master of deduction, appears almost infallible. Upon hearing the Riddler’s cryptic pronouncements, Batman swiftly deciphers their meaning, his efficiency in solving these deadly puzzles seemingly unmatched. This streak of deductive brilliance, however, grinds to a halt with the emergence of a particularly vexing riddle: “you are el rata alada.”
This grammatically flawed Spanish phrase, which translates to “you are the winged rat,” initially leads Batman down a misleading path. His first interpretation centers on “Penguin,” or “the Penguin,” a notorious figure in Gotham’s underworld. Interestingly, Tim Burton’s Batman Returns features a moment where the Penguin himself refers to Batman as a “winged rat,” a verbal jab that underscores the ambiguity of the phrase. In that earlier cinematic encounter, after a hard-fought capture, the Penguin cleverly exploits Batman’s misinterpretation to orchestrate his escape.
Driven by this initial, yet ultimately incorrect, line of reasoning, Batman briefly considers another avian interpretation: “pigeon.” In the grim lexicon of the Gotham City Police Department, “pigeon” serves as a slang term for a police informant, a potential link to the unfolding corruption. However, this avenue of investigation also proves to be a dead end. It is not until Batman’s own investigative trajectory begins to intersect with Selina Kyle’s (Catwoman) vengeful pursuit that the true meaning of the riddle begins to dawn. He finally realizes that the Riddler’s “La Rata Alada” is not a literal description of a creature, but rather a pointed reference to “La Rata Alada” – the Falcon. This revelation casts a stark light on Carmine Falcone, the Penguin’s seemingly untouchable boss and the true puppet master orchestrating the city’s shadowy underworld. The surname “Falcone” itself, rich with symbolic weight, can indeed be interpreted as “falcon,” the majestic bird of prey.