Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Alfred Pennyworth

Bruce doesn't have a father anymore—that's kind of the whole point of dressing up like a bat—but he certainly has a father figure. Alfred does all the things you'd hope a loving parent would do, including stitching up wounds and figuring out where to buy all the cool toys.

But more importantly, he lends his wisdom and perspective to Bruce when needed: helping him look at problems in a different way and explore tactics he might not have considered. His story about the bandit in Burma is a good example: showing Bruce that the Joker might not be an ordinary criminal and therefore might not follow ordinary motives. That's the job of a good mentor, and like any mentor, Alfred ultimately has to step aside and let Bruce make the final call himself.

Lucius Fox

Lucius isn't a father figure like Alfred is. He's more of a partner in crime, with his finger on all the resources Wayne Enterprises has to offer and the engineering skills to put them to good use on Batman's behalf. That kind of makes him a sidekick figure, like Robin if Robin just crunched numbers and built incredibly menacing armored assault vehicles.

But when things hit the fan, Lucius takes on a role similar to Alfred's: providing Bruce with wisdom and advice to help him stay the course. "This is too much power for one person," he tells Batman about the cellphone tracking device old Bats has set up, and his ethical problems with it extend so far that he's willing to quit Wayne Enterprises rather than indulge it. His principled stand helps remind Bruce where the line between right and wrong is, providing a moral compass to match Alfred's tactical compass. Not even Batman can do it alone. Luckily, he's got guys like Lucius to help keep him centered.