Chapter 150: The Dark Knight Rises
"Oh my god!"
That was Mia's first reaction.
She covered her mouth with both hands, staring wide-eyed at Jake in complete shock. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," Jake nodded, switching the car to autopilot mode.
He pressed a button on the seat and reclined it, giving himself more room to explain properly.
"I'm actually a traveler between dimensions. I was passing through this world when I saw you, and I decided to stop my journey..."
He wasn't lying. Aside from Mia, there really hadn't been any other compelling reason for him to visit the movie world of The Princess Diaries.
The long journey through various movie worlds hadn't changed Jake's original intentions.
To travel, explore, and occasionally acquire some valuable treasures along the way.
For example: immortality, immense wealth, and interesting superpowers.
He'd already achieved immense wealth, and half of immortality was complete—he had the ability to live indefinitely, and now all he needed was eternal youth.
Superpowers were also part of his plans moving forward.
He wasn't static in his goals; if anything, he'd grown more ambitious over time.
However, one thing would never change: he had no intention of losing his girlfriend.
When he and Mia were facing a potential relationship crisis due to his frequent absences, he'd decided to come clean. She was going to find out eventually anyway, so telling her now versus later made little practical difference.
When he told Mia that he could actually travel between different worlds and was a dimensional traveler, she maintained that adorable expression of covering her mouth with wide eyes—a look of pure astonishment that lasted for several long moments.
"This reality isn't just one singular space," he began explaining carefully. "There are countless parallel universes out there."
"In different parallel dimensions, we all exist playing different roles, living different lives."
"Each of us lives our own existence in each world, without directly affecting the others."
"Each dimension exists in parallel—like two branches running side by side, never touching or intersecting."
"However, I accidentally obtained the ability to cross between these dimensions and successfully learned to travel between different worlds."
"These worlds are fascinating. Some have superpowers and advanced technology, some are just like our ordinary world, and some exist in ancient times or far in the future."
"Like the New York in 1943 that you mentioned?" Mia asked at exactly the right moment.
"Exactly," he nodded. "Some worlds cleverly incorporate elements from certain movies, comics, and stories. For example, in that 1943 timeline I just visited, I actually met Captain America."
"Oh my god!" She covered her mouth again, clearly finding this revelation difficult to fully process. However, her eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement about the whole concept of time and dimensional travel.
Jake didn't hold back and told Mia everything he reasonably could. As he'd expected, this girl—with her inherently adventurous nature—showed no fear or hesitation, only excitement and wonder.
"You took Matilda to other worlds?" she asked suddenly, having picked up on the fact that the young girl seemed to know more than she should.
"Actually, Matilda herself comes from another dimension..."
This revelation brought out Mia's playful, demanding side for the first time. She insisted that Jake take her to another world immediately, and her request was rather specific:
She wanted to see if there was another version of herself in a different universe.
Jake quickly made a decision, choosing a movie world he'd previously been desperate to enter but had recently felt more ambivalent about visiting.
It was the Dark Knight trilogy—Christopher Nolan's Batman film series.
Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman was just as compelling as his performance in Equilibrium, and for many years, Bale had been the definitive Batman in Jake's mind.
The reason he'd previously wanted to enter this world was because one of his favorite characters—Catwoman, played by Anne Hathaway—appeared in the final film of the trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises.
If it weren't for the technical limitations and risks of entering certain movie worlds, he would have visited this universe long ago.
However, the difficulty of winning over Catwoman would be worlds apart from courting the initially awkward Mia Thermopolis.
If he'd entered this world back then without proper preparation, trying to flirt with Catwoman would have resulted in a severe beating—possibly with broken bones.
Winning her over with simple masculine charm and persistence was virtually impossible. Perhaps only someone as complex and charismatic as Batman himself could truly capture her heart.
"When you travel through dimensions, you'll experience intense dizziness and disorientation," Jake warned Mia seriously. "It gets better after a few trips. So, are you ready for this?"
"Yes," Mia nodded with determination, her eyes brimming with undisguised excitement and anticipation.
She never imagined she'd actually be able to travel to a world with Batman in it—it felt like an impossible dream coming true!
The Dark Knight trilogy is Christopher Nolan's biographical film series about Batman, not integrated into any larger DC cinematic universe. Even stripped of the iconic black suit, pointed cowl, and flowing cape, this version of Batman could be considered a vigilante operating in the shadows—a detective and fighter rather than a superhero.
It could be described as a crime thriller with added psychological depth and realistic action.
The first two films primarily tell the story of Batman fighting evil—detailing how Bruce Wayne acquired his abilities and equipment, and how in the second film he encountered his most formidable opponent ever: the Joker. Batman was outmaneuvered by the Joker's superior cunning and ultimately forced to accept public disgrace to protect Gotham's hope.
The plot is intense, fast-paced, and full of moral complexity, making it a modern classic not to be missed.
The third film, The Dark Knight Rises, serves as the epic conclusion to the trilogy.
Eight years have passed since Batman vanished into the night after taking the blame for Harvey Dent's crimes. Overnight, he transformed from Gotham's hero into a hunted fugitive.
Due to Harvey Dent's manufactured legacy as a fallen hero, the vigilante known as the "Dark Knight"—while silently enduring the accusations and condemnation—sacrificed everything he and Commissioner Jim Gordon had worked for to give Gotham a "better future."
Built on that lie, under the oppressive enforcement of the Dent Act, Gotham City's organized crime was finally and completely crushed.
However, everything changes when a cunning and agile cat burglar known as "Catwoman" suddenly arrives in the city, turning the underworld upside down. She clearly harbors secret, mysterious motives.
But even more dangerous than Selina Kyle is the appearance of Bane—a masked terrorist plotting a catastrophic attack on Gotham City. This forces Bruce Wayne to emerge from his self-imposed exile and don the cowl and cape once more.
Yet even with all his training and resources, Batman may be no match for Bane's raw power and tactical brilliance, and both he and the city that forged him may be heading toward destruction.
On this very day, a distinctive black vintage car suddenly materialized on the streets of Gotham City.
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