Should Batman (or any superhero, for that matter) kill?

[Username taken]

Superheroes shouldn't kill.

The problem now is that writers have made villains more and more murderous over the years.

When the no-kill code was in full effect, the villains didn't generally have the body count they have nowadays.

The Joker for example now routinely embarks on mass murders, it doesn't make any sense anymore that no one will kill the guy to stop him.

[Kieran_Frost]

It's comics, we can suspend disbelief that they manage to save the day without resorting to it. Because death has no meaning anyway, so the villain will just be back to kill more again. In many ways locking them up is the safer bet, at-least you know where they are then.

[Catlady in training]

I think it's a moot question, because it will never happen. Writers love Joker and DC would not kill him off permanently, even though he's been already used to death (pun intended).

[Ready Eddie]

Bane begged for the murciélago to kill him but he refused.

[Alan2099]

If no other options exist, yes.

Granted, this wouldn't even be a debate if writers would stop increasing the villain body count.

This is the real problem.

Generally, people like to see the villains punished for their misdeeds, and the bigger the misdeed, the bigger the punishment. If somebody is going around slaughtering the innocent, there's a visceral feeling deep in people that want that character to die.

Joker basically gets the kind of punishment reserved for the simple bank robber style villains. It's rare when he gets any kind of punishment that feels satisfying.

[TheRay]

I just think psychologically it makes more sense to have a no-kill policy. Heroes can’t decide who they want to save anymore than they can decide who lives and dies. They also have a lot to think about that taking lives might just push them over the edge.

[GOLGO 13]

Save the good villains for that sweet Hollywood movie/tv/cartoon properties.

[TheRay]

Unfortunately, I don't think the villain body count needs to be a factor here. One life is too many, so I don't feel like making it higher should change anything.

[Agent Z]

I just think psychologically it makes more sense to have a no-kill policy. Heroes can’t decide who they want to save anymore than they can decide who lives and dies. They also have a lot to think about that taking lives might just push them over the edge.

If killing someone, even once, pushes you over the edge, there was already something seriously wrong with you to begin with.

Taking a life isn't something to be done lightly, but it's not a guaranteed fall to the dark side either.

[Agent Z]

Unfortunately, I don't think the villain body count needs to be a factor here. One life is too many, so I don't feel like making it higher should change anything.

It means that villain doesn't kill more people, so yes, it does change things.

[TheRay]

In the meta sense, sure, you can write any outcome you want for any hero. There's always a way to justify it so that the character remains the same and/or is not really affected by it.
So, it really depends on the type of story you want to tell, but that feels like the cop out answer to me.

[achilles]

I think as a rule, heroes shouldn't kill. Actually, though, now that I think about it, it's more of a guideline, to be followed whenever possible. Or at Christmas. Or if it's convenient, or they happen to feel like it at the time.

Didn't seem to be a problem for the MCU, I noticed. Every single one of them waded through the blood of their enemies. Besides, we all know what the best thing is, Conan taught us all that. Or have I been getting the wrong lessons from movies and comic books?

[achilles]

I think my bigger issue with Batman is when he used guns ...

Did he not use big enough guns? I hate it when you show up for a gunfight and bring the wrong gun, but then that happens to all of us as kids.

[TheRay]

A lot of times they use it to lay out a debate between heroes or the debate in general or they'll have it be something that hangs over the heroes' head. There are a lot of people who argue that The Punisher does not qualify as a hero precisely because he does kill, even though he only kills criminals or those he deems problematic.

[achilles]

I think a better question is how do they NOT kill? You can't tell me that Hakwman or Hawkgirl for example, bashing people in the face with a big metal mace wouldn't kill them. Or some of Batman's punches or kicks. It's going to happen.