Categories > Movies > Batman Begins

Spiraling Down

by birgitriddle 1 review

Jonathan Crane's descent into madness.

Category: Batman Begins - Rating: PG - Genres: Angst - Published: 2006-07-14 - Updated: 2006-07-15 - 507 words - Complete

1Insightful
"Everyone has a shadow aspect, a part of your unconscious that is composed of what one refuses to acknowledge in oneself."

"So do you have one?"

"As I've said, everyone has one."

----

Jonathan Crane often thought about that conversation these days. Even back then he was more familiar with his shadow than he ever wanted to be and now his shadow is his constant companion.

His shadow even has a name.

Scarecrow is what it calls itself and it is everything that Jonathan is not.

Jonathan is timid, logical and ruled by his fears.

Scarecrow is aggressive, irrational and is the master of his fears.

He struggles with his shadow everyday and sometimes the shadow wins. And every little battle it wins destroys a part of the restraints Jonathan uses to control himself.

Scarecrow used to be controllable, but the years of irregular sleep habits, poor nutrition, and stress had taken a toll on Jonathan's mental barriers and health.

It was inevitable that Jonathan would someday snap.

----

"It's nothing to worry about."

"Well, see a doctor anyways. I'm worried about you."

"I'll think about it."

"Now about you restricting access to the basement le-"

"Don't worry about it. Trust me."

----

Sleep to Jonathan now means nightmares and waking up in a cold sweat.

Fear of being discovered has set in, reawakening the paranoia in Jonathan that he had thought gone.

You can't trust anyone.

He becomes more and more easily irritated and the rest of the doctors wonder what had become of the soft spoken and calm psychiatrist they first several years ago.

Some of the nurses who had seen many head psychiatrists come and go, merely shake their heads and know that he'd be leaving soon.

And all this time, Jonathan loses more and more battles to the shadow and he stops telling himself the lies he hid behind.

After all, Scarecrow is only doing what Jonathan has wanted to do all this time. To wield the same power over others that others have had over him. The pretense of being a decent person had to be kept up of course, but as time goes on Jonathan gives into the darker desires that Scarecrow represents.

When the catalyst happens, the break will completely destroy Doctor Jonathan Crane.

----

"What's 'scarecrow'?"

"Patients suffering delusional episodes often focus their paranoia onto an external tormentor, usually one conforming to Jungian archetypes...In this case, a scarecrow."

----

After Batman grabbed the back of his hair, Doctor Crane became a victim of his own fear toxin as the dark vigilante turned the aerosol spray back on him.

It was too much in too little time for Crane to last long. Already weak from weeks and months of stress, the overwhelming amount of fear he felt and the things he saw made him /snap/.

----

"Doctor Crane isn't here right now. If you'd to make an appointment..."

----

Author's Note: The last two speaking sections use quotes from the Batman Begins movie and also the concept of the shadow aspect is part of Jungian psychology.
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