That's right. The typical Batman appearing in the game is actually Bruce.
It's not because he had a sudden impulse and is ready to become Batman again. It's because, after extensive exploration, comprehensive consideration, meticulous thought, and careful planning, Bruce has discovered an entirely new path. Between becoming Batman and becoming Batman's enemy, he chose—to play Batman.
He used to be Batman and found out that being Batman is really tough. Later, he became Batman's "enemy," and realized dealing with Batman is even more challenging.
Handling just one is already enough; now in the Multiverse, there's a whole bunch. Confronting them directly is truly futile. Since neither path works, he can only choose to stay in the middle, which means not being Batman but pretending to be Batman.
This perfectly solves the first two problems. By not being Batman, he won't deal with Batman's challenges—being tired, facing numerous troubles, and being hindered in various ways. By not being Batman's enemy, he won't have to figure out how to deal with those invincible beings that are impossible to confront.
Pretending to be Batman comes with additional benefits. That is, he can enjoy the perks of being Batman, like blending into Batman's world, getting intelligence from Batman, and listening to Batman's opinions. He can also enjoy the benefits of being Batman's enemy, because although he's not Batman, he can mingle among them. Won't all the villains have to lift him up?
Actually, others have walked this path before; in fact, some are walking it now, such as Night Owl. Night Owl really isn't Batman; he's an independent character. There are more than one Night Owl in the Multiverse. Technically, he should be categorized separately in the Battleworld, but he forcibly squeezes into the Batman group, becoming one of them.
But Night Owl is Thomas Wayne, not Bruce Wayne, which means he can't really integrate into Batman's group.
In various comics, many have chosen to act as Batman, the most famous being Hush. He's obsessed with becoming Batman, doing everything he can to steal Bruce Wayne's life, even as Batman. Unfortunately, his appearance comes from plastic surgery, full of flaws, so his portrayal is unsuccessful.
Clayface certainly did it too. As a renowned master of imitation, becoming Batman is inevitable. He can use his ability to perfectly recreate Batman's appearance. However, his slightly lower intelligence means he can't replicate Batman's wisdom, so he gets exposed.
As you can see, all these people have various shortcomings, be it identity, appearance, or capability. But ultimately, it's because those who aren't Batman can't imitate Batman perfectly.
Those who can't become Batman have no way to perfectly mimic Batman. And those who can become Batman all go on to be Batman, so there's no need to mimic.
Bruce is the only one who slipped through the net. He's the only one who can become Batman but chooses not to, which means his imitation of Batman will be flawless.
Because he is Batman himself, he can become Batman. How could someone like that not resemble Batman when pretending to be Batman?
No one can even claim he is imitating. Because he possesses all the attributes of Batman and dons the bat suit again, acting under Batman's identity, and in his cosmos, he's the only one doing so, making him the universe's indisputable, authentic, singular Batman.
As the saying goes, when the false becomes true, the true also becomes false. Where there was none, something emerges; when there's something, it becomes none again. It's through comprehending this mystery that Bruce discovered an unparalleled path, choosing to be a pseudo-Batman after having been Batman and not being Batman.
It's a brand-new path because, don't be fooled by those bizarre Batman of the Dark Universe, like the Mad Laugh; they may look increasingly unlike Batman, but they indeed are Batman, even the Mad Laugh.
But Bruce truly isn't. It's not just lip service about not being Batman anymore, nor is it the world still needs him; rather, he has voluntarily given it up. He completely doesn't want to be, and Gotham doesn't need him anymore. He's even discarded the backstory of Batman's orphaned parents, proving he genuinely isn't Batman anymore.
Therefore, even if he dons the bat suit again and does what Batman does, it's simply an act.
Arrogant can pretty much guess his motivation. Simply put, if you can't beat them, join them. After realizing how difficult dealing with the Batmen was, he made a high-speed turnaround, donned a cape, and merged among them.
But because he knows there is no risk of him reverting back to being Batman, Arrogant isn't too worried. His biggest worry now is Bruce, damn it, is going to write a thesis again.
Arrogant is genuinely regretful that Doctor Manhattan didn't just pound Brainiac to death with a punch. He's excellent at positioning his base, with Bruce's base conveniently in the West District, meaning the final boss he has to face is the one in Gotham University's Psychology Department. To enter the Psychology Department's building, a thesis is required, and if he can't come up with one, he's going to come looking for him again!
Ever since Bruce graduated, Arrogant hasn't had such a moment of blindness in a long time. He originally joined the game to escape grading assignments; who knew that after joining the game, he still had to grade assignments, and they were those ancient students' assignments? Is there no justice?
Arrogant knows this is Brainiac retaliating for throwing things into the lake. He even suspects Brainiac intentionally took a punch from Doctor Manhattan to have sufficient reason to act like an artificial fool, avoiding his beratings—a truly evil A.I.
Arrogant sighed again. He's not performing; he's genuinely troubled. The current issue is, those who might pass the test probably can't fight, and those who can fight can't pass the test. Brainiac truly is a genius game designer, his thinking 300 years ahead of the industry. Even if you let the several members of the Battleworld design department take turns, they wouldn't come up with such abstract levels. It has to be artificial intelligence.
"I think I can give it a try." Bruce maintains his Batman demeanor as much as possible because exiting the role and re-entering involves some delay, so he says as calmly as possible, "I'm at least a graduate."
When this sentence is delivered in Batman's tone, it creates an uncanny valley effect, leaving Arrogant feeling a bit dizzy from the 3D effect.
Arrogant opened his mouth and said, "I don't think this boss is so strong that Batman has to intervene. The Robins in other districts need more help, don't you think?"
"No way." Bruce shook his head and said, "The West District has the fewest people."
"Isn't it the North District?"
"There are other players in the North District," Bruce said, "but indeed, in the West District, it's just the two of us. And I heard from Brainiac that you can't get in. Gordon and Ethan probably can't either. How are we supposed to defeat this leader?"
"Tim and Harley are trying," Arrogant said. "They have a chance of making it through; if it doesn't work out, go find Jenna."
"Having Jenna ghostwrite for them? That's academic misconduct."
Arrogant sneered, "How did I graduate? How did you graduate?"
Bruce was speechless. Shiller definitely didn't graduate normally; he didn't even sincerely write a thesis back then, relying on other methods instead. To be frank, psychology is a subject that depends on figuring out people to graduate. The methods don't matter as long as you get the right results, which hardly qualifies as academic misconduct, since psychology is the study of humans after all.
If Jenna could use empathy to ghostwrite two papers that satisfy Shiller, it not only counts as graduation but deserves an outstanding graduate award, like a blessing from the Zĭwēi Star.
"So what's the exam about?" Bruce asked. "There has to be a theme, right?"
"Personality theory," Arrogant sighed.
Bruce paused for a moment, "You know, this might be the one most likely to pass."
Arrogant looked up at him, and Bruce said, "I've tried to split off different personality traits, though not very successfully, but it's somewhat researched."
"Go on," Arrogant said. Not that he genuinely believed Bruce's hopefulness, he was just mentally preparing for the nonsense he'd likely encounter in the subsequent thesis.
"I've attempted to split into different versions of myself—kind, aggressive, more rational..." Bruce said, "But later found that it doesn't aid my mental state; I haven't gained much insight, so gradually I've stopped maintaining it."
"However, after interacting with other Batmen from the Multiverse, I realized that societies formed by different personalities are quite like societies formed by different isotopes. It's almost like... how to put it, a reflection?"
"Sometimes, I have the illusion that the other Batmen are one of my personalities, or they're fragments of me from the past, doing things I once did or might do in another worldline of choices."
"They're just similar to me, or maybe we are the same person. Kind, aggressive, more rational, resembling the society I created with split personality traits back in the day, even the way things are discussed is the same."
"Our thoughts are very similar, and even the memory banks of our past are basically shared. Although there are differences in character, a person inherently has many facets, doesn't he?"
"Are they me? In what way do they act as me? Are they different personality traits in the same Tower of Thought, or different screws in the same society? I used to think there was a distinction, but now it seems there might not be."
Bruce paused again before saying, "When I resumed being Batman, I knew some of them noticed, yet they didn't care. Like 'one doesn't have to like every part of themselves, but can only strive to accept'."
"I don't know where the bottom line of this strange social inclusiveness lies. Night Owl? Mad Laugh?"
Unlike Bruce's somewhat perplexed emotions, Arrogant's eyes became brighter as he listened. Truly, you could search high and low without finding it, only to stumble upon it unexpectedly. Why say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles, even work brings its own epiphanies.
Of course, this can't be considered the Psychoanalysis Method, but merely insights from personality theory derived from actual feelings, but it's enough for the thesis!
With just one sentence, Arrogant resolved Bruce's confusion: "They accept you not because they're inclusive, but because they simply can't expose you. They can't prove you're not Batman, at least not until you do something out of line."
Bruce realized, "True. Batman judges only by actions, even if it's Mad Laugh putting on a reformed appearance, they won't act rashly, merely choosing to wait for him to show his vulnerabilities."
Saying this, Bruce started rolling up his sleeves, "I definitely have to do a good job as Batman. Gotham, your Dark Knight is back!"
"Don't rush back to Gotham," Arrogant stopped him, "Go to the exam and deal with that leader first."
Then Arrogant sighed, "I truly don't understand why other me's are so lucky, even leaders in a game don't have to endure the torment of your thesis..."
"Look at it positively, Professor," Bruce stood up and put on his Batman mask again, "At least it saves you from pushing an empty wheelchair uphill like Sisyphus once more."
"And yet, you'd rather run back and forth on the hill than sit in the wheelchair even once," Arrogant stood up too, sighing one last time today, "Go ahead, Batman."
"No, Professor, there's no Batman here."