In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Christian Bale explains something that we never thought needed explaining: the (seemingly) clear-cut ending of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. The final chapter, The Dark Knight Rises, closes with Alfred (Michael Caine) sitting down at a European cafe, where he's startled to spot Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) at a nearby table. As Uproxx notes, the scene is reminscent of a dream Alfred describes earlier in the film. Most sane members of the audience would interpret these closing moments as depicting reality—that Bruce had found peace and was living happily ever after. But many mom's-basement types proposed that the final scene was a dream, that Bruce was dead, and that Alfred was nothing but a delirious, sad old man. Bale, who stars as Moses in Ridley Scott's new biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, out today, cleared everything up to EW. Listen and read below.

https://soundcloud.com/ewradio/christian-bale-interprets-the-ending-of-the-dark-knight-rises

"[Alfred] was content with me being alive and left because that was always the life he wanted for him. I find it very interesting and with most films, I tend to say, 'It's what the audience thinks it is.' My personal opinion? No, it was not a dream. That was for real and he was just delighted that finally he had freed himself from the privilege, but ultimately the burden, of being Bruce Wayne."

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

[H/T: Uproxx

John Hendrickson Deputy Editor John Hendrickson is the Deputy Editor of Esquire.com, where he oversees the site's 24/7 news operation as well as all politics coverage.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io