Point of View is all based on our beliefs. What you believe will censor your eye’s perception to match those same beliefs. What’s the point of us expressing our P.O.V.? I would like to say that it is because we want what we perceived to be understood and not looked at as the wrong option or even worse, not even an option.
In this episode of Batman: The Animated Series we are into a story about how Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, and a rookie blew an investigation that the department spent months preparing for and had $2 Million in Cash Blew up in 5 Minutes of the cop’s arrival. Bullock starts off by telling his P.O.V. of what happened from the night to defend his case.
Bullock states that since his backup showed up late he went into the crime scene alone to scope out what was going on. Bullock says that as he was waiting he saw the Batman go into the scene and since he didn’t want him to ruin it he went in also. While he fought off the robbers he was currently cornered in the warehouse that was now blazing on fire. Coughing up smoke, Bullock is luckily rescued by The Batman and carried off to safer grounds. Because of Bullock’s hatred for Batman, he tells the story to make it still seem as if he saved Batman from robbing the place and even carried the two out of the burning building even though we see it differently.
Next, the Rookie tells his side to defend the fact that they weren’t late to the scene as Bullock says. The Rookie tells the story of how when he and his partner Montoya got there, Bullock was already down on the ground and there were two robbers coming out of a near window. He was told to pursue them while Officer Montoya went inside to check for the others. He says the suspects vanished when he got to the ally only to be confronted by a speeding Car coming directly towards him. The rookie made a bolt for it running in the opposite direction to save his life. As he falls, the Batman swoops in throwing some sparks that caused the speeding car to crash. The Batman jumps on the assailant and whispers something to him causing the man to scream out “Dock” in a very scared voice.
After the confusion in the first two stories not lining up, Officer Montoya gives her P.O.V. of what happened at the crime scene. She states that as like the Rookie said, on arrival Bullock was down and there were assailants still inside so she entered the building. While scanning the building she comes across the criminal and hears them speaking the name “Hathcock” and an explosion happens as the fire spreads in the building. After losing her gun, Officer Montoya is saved by The Batman after he saved officer Bullock. As Montoya tries to handcuff the criminals the place begins to come down and Batman pushes her out of the way to now be buried alive under the rubbish.
After everyone gets suspended by the commissioner until they figure out what really happened, Montoya rides the train home trying to crack the code of the words “Dock” and “Hathcock” when she catches a glimpse of Gotham Docks and begins to piece all the information together. When she arrives, Montoya and Batman team up to save the day. Cracking the case allows the Commissioner to reinstate the 3 cops based on Montoya’s act.
What this episode teaches us is the importance of understanding. No matter the P.O.V. each was all needed to gain a full understanding of what truly happened and how it all plays a part in each other rather than one being the only story that could be true. We all live in multiple universes we’ve created based on our beliefs, but that doesn’t mean our perspective is the only one that matters. Before learning your beliefs, at one time you listened to other people’s perspectives to gain more information to help you judge what to believe, that’s not a trait you should cut off once you feel you have an understanding now. We can always grow to learn more and listening rather than debating on wrong or right will bring us more understanding than these petty debates could ever bring us. Take today to grow and try to be more understanding of one another rather than passing on judgment. We all live our lives wrong in someone’s P.O.V. so why take the time to force your beliefs down someone else’s throat when you could grow a deeper understanding by just being open.
-BruceG