He was the hero we deserve, as well as the one we need right now (and always). He’s Miles, a 5-year-old boy whose Make-A-Wish request to spend the day fighting crime as Batman captivated San Francisco and – thanks to the social-media powers of the Internet – the world. You probably won’t be able to tell me a more heartwarming story this year. I followed every step of Miles’ miraculous journey on Twitter that day. Thankfully, his courageous mission lives on.
The above trailer was shared by Jezebel, and was created by "a fan" who envisioned Miles’ accomplishments through the lens of Christopher Nolan’s bleak Bat trilogy. We get brief shots of young Miles in "action" as the Bat, foiling The Riddler and saving a damsel in distress. We get just enough footage to see the incredibly bright smile on the little boy’s face. Amazing.
Of course, the Batkid’s adventures through the Bay area inspired so many amazing posters, GIFs and memes. This is a map of his big day.
This is a mock "front page" newspaper celebrating his victories.
Here’s President Barack Obama wishing Batkid good luck!
Here’s Ben Affleck’s ringing endorsement of young Miles:
And, of course, here’s Christian Bale gushing about the heroics of the Batkid.
Needless to say, it was a story that captivated us … and continues to inspire many of us. It might have cost a pretty penny to pull off, but I’m willing to bet all of us reading this would gladly pay twice that to bring such happiness to a deserving child.
