DC HERO AT MARVEL

Aldrich Killian.

This guy is the villain in Iron Man 3, the creator of the Extremis virus, and the founder of Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM).

Killian was originally a die-hard fan of Tony Stark but was snubbed by Tony unpleasant personality at a party.

In despair, he considered jumping off a building to end his life, but the fireworks above caught his eye, sparking a desire for revenge. He decided to pursue his research independently.

After twenty years of relentless effort, Killian never forgot the humiliation he suffered back then.

He went from having nothing to achieving fame and success, earning countless accolades and respect, but he never reclaimed the dignity that Tony had crushed two decades ago.

Looking at the Extremis virus he had named himself, Killian believed he finally had the means for revenge.

Years of experiences had not only twisted his mind but also inflated his ambitions.

He didn't just want revenge he wanted to perfect the virus, control the U.S. government, and become a king in the real world.

A true king!

To achieve this, he set his sights on one individual.

The first step in his plan was to win over this person: Vice President Rodriguez.

Rodriguez daughter had lost her right leg in an accident, and Killian Extremis virus had the capability to regenerate limbs.

This was the perfect leverage for Killian to recruit Rodriguez.

However, just as Killian was preparing to approach Rodriguez, Wayne Enterprises, newly established, dealt him a heavy blow.

A press conference—limb regeneration technology!

Its effects overlapped entirely with those of the Extremis virus. Although limb regeneration technology couldn't transform people into superhumans, its realization undoubtedly caught Killian off guard.

The emergence of limb regeneration technology caused Killian to lose his bargaining chip to recruit Rodriguez.

But for Killian, finding a new target wasn't as simple. He couldn't find anyone more suitable.

Or rather, he could find others, but Killian was unwilling.

Who else could provide a shortcut like the vice president?

No one!

Thus, there was only one solution left:

Sabotage Wayne Enterprises' development, tarnish the limb regeneration technology, and destroy the public trust in it.

As for how to accomplish that, that was another matter entirely.

"Batman…"

Killian had not forgotten that the Wayne Company was backed by the Jameson family.

Rumor had it that young Jameson, also known as Anton, had a deep connection with Batman.

The fact that the company was named "Wayne Enterprises" was likely tied to the Batman lurking behind the scenes.

"Even with Batman backing them, it won't change the outcome."

Killian pondered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the TV as the press conference was wrapping up. A cold smile tugged at the corners of his mouth:

"Destroying a technology is far easier than creating one!"

A few days later.

The premiere of Batman second film, The Dark Knight, took place as scheduled.

Anton attended the premiere.

In just a few short days, Wayne Enterprises' operations had gone even more smoothly than he had anticipated.

The moment the limb regeneration technology became available for online reservations on Wayne Enterprises' official website, the company received countless applications from disabled individuals worldwide, all eager to become the first group of patients to be cured.

Many left messages saying they would risk potential side effects just to regain full physical health, even waiving liability for Wayne Enterprises.

Of course, there were no side effects!

But with such a flood of orders pouring in, Jonah Jameson was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, fully entering his workaholic mode.

Judging by the way things were going, it seemed he was determined to make up for the year of wasted time during his sabbatical now that Wayne Enterprises had been established.

Not that Anton minded. The old man was enjoying himself, so Anton was happy to let him have at it.

After all, when it came to the actual management and operations of the company, Anton was utterly clueless.

Truth be told, even for DC Studios, a company Anton himself had founded, he was rarely involved in its management. His assistant, Betty, was the one handling most of the work behind the scenes.

As the top decision-maker, Anton focused solely on maintaining strict control over the company direction.

After all, in some sense, the ultimate goal of founding DC Studios wasn't even to generate profit but to create fan value.

Profit was merely a natural byproduct and a win-win outcome along the way.

Lost in thought, Anton snapped back to reality.

At this moment, his car had reached the start of the red carpet. He stepped out and greeted the nearby media and fans of Batman.

Under the expectant gazes of numerous entertainment journalists, Hollywood insiders, fans lucky enough to attend the premiere, and others, Anton walked down the red carpet, gave interviews, and made his way into the theater.

Moments later.

The movie finally began.

Agent Coulson, who had quietly slipped onto the red carpet, sat inconspicuously in a corner, wearing a hat and curiously watching the screen.

As for Tony, who had been invited and arrived with a flamboyant air, he sat boldly in the front row with his driver, assistant, Happy Hogan, and Pepper Potts beside him.

Anton seat was only a few spots away from Tony.

The two exchanged glances but didn't interact.

In fact, Anton noticed a faint, subtle difference on Tony neck.

A slightly darkened mark revealed signs of palladium poisoning.

For Tony to still be in the mood to attend a movie under such circumstances was indeed unexpected for Anton.

All he could think was only Tony Stark could pull that off.

The movie begins.

A group of masked men appears on the big screen, catching everyone attention.

With a few brief exchanges, the audience learns that these are robbers, and the only one whose identity is mentioned is called the Joker, the mastermind behind the heist.

To the other robbers, he just a guy reaping the benefits without doing any work.

In other words, the Joker is not among them.

The robbery proceeds smoothly.

Daring to plan a heist on a mob bank subtly hints at the Joker madness.

During the lockpicking process:

"Where the guy disabling the alarms?"

"The boss said once he done, I should take him out! Fewer people to split the money with, right?"

"Funny, he told me the same thing about you!"

"What? No! No!"

Bang!

An ally turns on another!

Bag after bag of money is carried to the front door.

The robber who had just killed one of his partners now points his gun at the only remaining accomplice.

"I bet the Joker told you that after loading the money, you should kill me! Fewer people to split with, right?"

"No, no, no, he told me to kill the bus driver."

"Bus? What bus driver?"

Bang!

Before the words even finished, a school bus crashes through the bank front door, sending the talking robber flying. Blood pours from his head, and his breathing grows faint.

"Looks like that guy done for. Time to go!"

"What about the others?"

The bus driver hops out, glancing around in confusion, entirely unfazed by having just killed a teammate.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The remaining robber doesn't hesitate, opening fire and killing the bus driver.

Looking at the driver corpse, he shrugs.

As if to say:

"They were just like you."

With that, the last remaining robber picks up the final bag of money and loads it into the bus, ready to leave.

"You think you're so smart?"

"The guy who hired you all is going to make sure you end up just like them..."

The voice comes from the bank manager, a man in his fifties, lying on the ground.

Despite his injuries, he sneers coldly at the last robber, showing no concern for his own perilous situation.

"In the old days, bad guys had principles—honor, respect..."

"Look at you. What principles do you have?"

"What the hell principles do you have?!"

The furious shout echoed through the bank lobby.

Hearing this, the robber glanced at the man curled up on the ground. With a calm demeanor, he strolled over, crouched in front of him, and looked him straight in the eye, speaking slowly:

"My principle is that whatever doesn't kill you makes you..."

"...stranger!"

He removed his mask, revealing disheveled green hair falling around his ears and a face painted like a circus clown.

His pale skin was accentuated by bright red lipstick smeared across his mouth, with deep, knife-carved scars extending from the corners.

The Joker!

He was the Joker!

...

Everyone watching the big screen was slightly taken aback.

The twist was intriguing.

In just a few minutes, the story had perfectly established an evil, cold-blooded character.

The audience quickly realized that this Joker was likely the main villain Batman would face in The Dark Knight.

But so far, the Joker didn't seem to have any extraordinary abilities!

Compared to the villain in the previous film, Batman mentor, Ra al Ghul, the Joker, apart from being more cunning and treacherous, didn't seem capable of posing any significant threat to Batman...

Which led some to think, perhaps the Joker wasn't the ultimate villain Batman would face!

Maybe he was just a minor antagonist!

The thought flickered briefly.

The movie continued.

At long last, Batman made his appearance. In a drug deal bust, he descended like a god of war, driving the Batmobile and sweeping away the criminals.

During the chaos, he even encountered two impostors dressed as Batman.

However, there were no comedic moments in this sequence.

The audience vaguely felt this might be a setup for later plot developments.

The scene shifted.

Commissioner Gordon appeared at the mob bank that had been robbed, entering the vault.

After exchanging a few words with his assistant, Batman emerged from the shadows beside them.

Gordon dismissed his assistant and showed Batman a photo of the Joker.

"Him again?"

Batman voice was low. "Who else?"

"A bunch of thugs."

As they spoke, another character appeared—Gotham newly appointed District Attorney.

This guy didn't seem easy to deal with.

Soon, the audience was introduced to the DA: Harvey Dent.

He was in a relationship with Batman childhood friend, Rachel.

Harvey frequently praised Batman, even expressing a desire to take over the responsibility from him.

The plot unfolded slowly.

Although the Joker didn't appear in these scenes, the audience began to realize that he was likely the central figure of this film...

Perhaps, the Joker was indeed the ultimate villain Batman would face.

But how could a man without any superpowers become Batman nemesis?

Recently, the public had been bombarded by a series of major events, cultivating a heightened wariness of superpowers, while overlooking the darkness of the human psyche.

Anton wasn't in any hurry to watch the movie.

As the film producer, investor, and even its screenwriter, he knew the story better than anyone.

At this moment, he observed the captivated expressions of the audience around him and smiled faintly.

The police and the District Attorney tracked the marked bills and shut down the bank, only to find themselves mocked and played.

At a mob boss gathering, the Joker reappears.

The mob money launderer flees to Hong Kong, prompting Batman, Gordon, and Harvey Dent to decide on capturing him there.

Equipped with new gadgets, Batman leaps from a skyscraper.

The glider wings unfurl, allowing him to soar around the buildings like a real bat.

A daring move.

Although Tony Stark found these scenes somewhat amateurish, he gradually realized that the Batman in this film—and even in the previous one—was portraying the character transformation. This wasn't the nearly omnipotent Batman he had encountered in reality.

So, what was the film reflecting?

The birth of Batman?

The origins of his philosophy?

Tony furrowed his brow and continued watching.

Onscreen, the Joker coerces a mob boss into submission.

At the same time, his schemes targeting Batman begin to unfold.

The earlier setups pay off—a man impersonating Batman is found dead, his body hanging at the entrance of a building, denied peace even in death.

Simultaneously, a video surfaces online.

"...You think Batman is making Gotham better?"

"Look, this is Batman masterpiece!"

"Batman must unmask and turn himself in. If he doesn't, people will die every day. I always keep my word... hahaha!"

The Joker laughter sent a chill down the audience spines.

They finally understood the true terror of the Joker.

He was a deeply twisted individual who held no regard for order or social morality—a complete madman.

Faced with such insanity, what choice would Batman make?

At a political fundraising event hosted by Bruce Wayne for the newly appointed District Attorney, Harvey Dent, the Joker crashes the party, presenting himself as the perfect example of chaos before Gotham so-called elite.

Things spiral further out of control.

Under the Joker leadership, Gotham criminals unite, pushing Batman closer to his breaking point.

The film central theme begins to emerge.

In the story, brute force is deliberately weakened.

Some people exist solely to turn the world into a living hell.

The Joker is such a person.

He a unique villain, uninterested in logical pursuits like money, driven only by amusement—the purest form of evil.

Bribery, threats, reasoning, negotiation—none of it works.

The Joker does it all for fun.

Batman presence made him feel like he'd found the ultimate playmate.

In the movie, Harvey offers himself as bait to catch the Joker.

He succeeds!

The Joker is apprehended through the combined efforts of the police and Batman.

Cheers erupt.

Gotham plunges into celebration.

Watching this, the audience couldn't shake the feeling that the jubilation might be premature.

And they were right.

That night.

Gordon receives a call.

Harvey is missing!

He immediately heads to the station to confront the Joker, with Batman arriving at the same time.

This is what the audience had been eagerly anticipating...

The direct confrontation between Batman and the Joker!

"You wanted to see me, so here I am!"

Batman slams his fist onto the table in front of the Joker, asserting dominance with a warning.

"I was curious to see what you'd do—you didn't disappoint me... Batman, five people died because of you, and now you've pinned the blame on Harvey Dent. Even for someone like me, that a bit too cold-blooded!"

The Joker rambles on, only to be impatiently interrupted by Batman.

"Where Harvey?"

"There no turning back now. You've changed everything!"

The Joker bursts into manic laughter, exuding madness:

"You make me complete, Batman!"