One of my favorite things about Batman: the Animated Series is just how deeply committed to mercy and rehabilitation Bruce Wayne is in it.
"It doesn't have to be that way"
"You don't wanna do this"
"I can help you"
"Please, listen to me, this isn't you"
I'm serious, if I had a nickel every time he says a variation of this, I would finance a new season or two. He never raises his hand before first extending it, as Wonder Woman would put it.
And he gets results, too. Harley Quinn is rehabilitated, even if she relapses once or twice. Kirk Langstrom is fully cured of the Man-Bat and becomes an ally. Harvey Dent receives treatment and gets a chance to take his life back. Even in the Arkham Asylum, Bruce regularly visits the inmates, and when they're mistreated, he goes out of his way to stop it.
And when we're forced to witness so many of these versions of Batman where he's basically the Punisher without guns, this feels very refreshing.
