Effect of Final Bruce/Batman Episode 5 Choice on Season 2?
So at the end of Episode 5 we have a final big choice as to whether to attend Gordon's meeting as Bruce Wayne or as Batman and influence matters. It seems like as Bruce the influence is a far greater one since we can promise to use Waynetech to help fund either the GCPD or Arkham Asylum, meaning that we can either have a better police force for Gotham or a (hopefully) more secure and well looked after Arkham. Where as with Batman we just seem to be able to influence the 'message' Gordon gives to the people from Batman... I can't recall all the choices but I simply told me to say that Batman was watching over Gotham.
Also the target of the assassination changes to either Bruce or Gordon, depending on who is in attendance, and the Joker's final words about either Bruce or Batman.
So I'm curious what this might mean for a Season 2, whether it's simply some line dialogue or maybe a definitive change in the case of the Bruce choice - the GCPD more effective with dealing with criminals and utilising Wayne Tech, or evident signs at Arkham that things are improving there.
Comments
I think it'll matter in a typical Telltale fashion - few dialogue changes here and there, but that's about it. That is if there even will be a second season.
I saw it as deciding whether you were more Batman or Bruce Wayne. Another thing I'm hoping is what the choice meant is who is John Doe's nemesis, Bruce Wayne or Batman? One or the other makes an impression on him. Personally I hope he proves to be more interested in Bruce Wayne as I find their relationship really interesting.
I dont think anything super major will come from it. Maybe if you went as Batman the news will start calling Batman just Batman instead of "The Vigilante Batman." Same with Arkham and the police, I dont think anything super major will happen.
That would be interesting. Given how if you go as Bruce he has only briefly seen Batman at the Asylum, not exactly enough time to determine if he's as interested in the Batman as he is Bruce. And I could see him toying with Bruce's parents and his past like Vicki was trying to do. So you could well be right.
It would appear that Joker has some sort of obsession with Batman. When he sees him he says how its an honor to meet him. And look how happy is he is!
While I don't expect it to have drastic changes on the story, I think some minor details would be cool. Like if there's a stronger police force it'd be cool to see them with better equipment and armor. Maybe make them look similar to Harvey Dent's enforcers.
I thought it was a way to decide who you considered the real face and who you considered the mask. For me it was Bruce being the real face. But it would be nice to see how my money and time has improved Arkham.
I went as Bruce Wayne because you need people with the kind of influence and power he delivers to bring about real change, and my Bruce Wayne is a moral gray but compassionate individual that would do what it takes, which is why I chose to make a better Arkham Asylum. Because let's just face it we already know the future of Arkham Asylum and what it will become, and improving on it with better mental health treatment(and better staff) would create less problems for Batman. Plus I need a facility to help Harvey deal with the Two-face persona and keep it in check or else he'll take over again
And with the Joker, I want to play in both sides wit my personas. As Bruce Wayne I can try to be an okay guy with the Joker so he can see me in a positive light, and as Batman I can be his enemy and try to exploit whatever opportunities I can
Alfred explicitly suggests that Bruce look at the choice before him and either do what he felt would appeal more to the public, or go as who he feels he truly is, along the train of thought where one persona is the true mask. I feel that I looked at this strangely with a mindset where both the Batman and the Bruce Wayne personas are equally masks and equally legitimate facets of my Bruce. I wanted to channel the real Bruce Wayne into the Bruce Wayne persona and speak honestly to the public. I guess you could say that I took off the Bruce Wayne mask while being Bruce Wayne, if that makes sense at all.
So, I feel that it is likely that the choice was in some way a means to decide which persona more accurately represents who Bruce Wayne really is. I kind of have a more intermediate thought on that, along with viewing the Bat mask as more or less a symbol, holding a different meaning for different characters. Eh, but enough about that.
I would really like if there were subtle differences though. The news, whether it be articles or actual broadcasts, was a good tool for world building. Perhaps they could use this in some form to make small nods towards a better police force/asylum? If we were to revisit the asylum, maybe there could be dialogue options that point towards things being more optimistic, and apply a similar tide with the police. Maybe displays of negligence at Arkham could be downplayed or not ouwardly expressed, while the police can be seen with better equipment or something along those lines. I'm not sure how much could be done for a double determinant choice, so I expect the dialogue/news to be more likely than larger, tangible variations.
It's not the Joker if he's not obsessed with Batman to some degree.
Though if he knows Batman and Bruce Wayne are one in the same, as he's hinted towards, him having a fixation on Bruce is basically the same thing.
If attending as batman, does joker in the end say 'see you soon Batman'? Or something else?
He sees Batman on the screen instead and says "Oh boy, it's gonna be tough to top that! But I'll give it a shot..."
Were there effects from Batman choices in season 1?
In late parts of the season? Absolutely. But who knows how much will carry over into potential future seasons