The Dark Knight was a gloriously dark movie that explored evil and what it can do to the human condition. The internet reviews of Heath Ledger's performance set a high bar, and he certainly fulfilled and perhaps even exceeded expectations. His performance did not, however, outshine fantastic deliveries from Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and, though to a slightly lesser extent, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Batman, as the movie discusses, is the hero that Gotham, a deeply troubled city, deserves, not that one that it needs. The sacrifices that he is willing to make exemplify "hero," even if he isn't willing to see it.