People act as though Supes said “Martha”, and Batman immediately threw down the spear and pulled him into a bro hug. He didn’t. The name shocked him enough to let the curiosity slow him down. He didn’t magically connect with him over the shared Mother’s name, it just stopped him momentarily and then he continued in his attempt to kill Superman.
It was Lois Lane embracing Superman and telling Batman that Martha is his mother that made Batman stop completely. Because here was a human woman essentially throwing herself in front of the spear to save the man she loved. Suddenly Superman wasn’t an alien monster, threatening this world, he was a man, a human being with human connections. He was a man who, in his dying moments only wanted to save his mother. Just like Bruce’s father wanted to in his last moments, and just like Bruce himself was powerless to do.
Now, call me crazy, but I didn’t have to overthink that. I felt that the subtext of this plot device was pretty clear. Movies are supposed to have subtext. Not everything gets explained in excruciating detail like an episode of Doctor Who.
The reason I shared this picture is not because I criticise the “end of the line” scene in Winter Soldier, because I don’t, I fucking adore that movie. But, I shared it, because if nobody has a problem with a heavily brainwashed assassin suddenly sobering up and remembering who he is over an emotional, personal connection, then why do so many people have a problem with an enraged, irrational Batman suddenly sobering up and realising the error of his ways over an emotional, personal connection?
