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Wow, I have been on vacation in the country for awhile, didn't have relaible internet. SPOILERS 1) Cat Woman did want to leave her life of crime. She gave indication she felt trapped in her life of crime. She said the following “Once you do what you have to do, they won't let you do what you want to" The way in which she said this gave me the impression that she was not satisfied with her life of crime even though throughout the movie she did claim that she was "doing what she had to do", that is acting based on pragmatism, even in order to escape the consequences on her past pragmatism. With this in mind I think her arc is very clear. 2) Bane, did not seem to represent egaltarianism.The Leauge of Shadows was an organization of ninjas. Ninjas in reality were mostly peasants who killed feuadal lords in secret to preserve their way of life. They did this by disguise and appearing to be things or people that they weren't, this is also how batman fights. So we are looking at a society of people with east asian medievalist values. Honestly if you watch the first movie you will understand this. They have a concept of justice, but one based in eastern-paganism rather than humanism/individualism. Bane was also rejected from the the leauge of shadows for being a broken monster of a man who lived in a prison all of his life. He was too crazy. The only thing he cared about was a little girl in that prison. Although the film never states this it seems he saw something in the girl that was of value and chose to protect her, even at his own cost. The girl escaped from the pit and he didn't get out until he was rescued. Even then he was still fundementally broken and crazy, but still attatched to this woman. Bane to me represents base altruism. 3) The pit was the most important symbol in the whole movie. At first we are convinced that Batman was weaker than Bane because Bane escaped from the pit. However it was revealed that he did not, he was rescued, the girl escaped. She escaped because she was probably going to be raped to death by prisoners, and wanted to live. In order to escape, Batman had to find a reason to live, not a way to die. Metaphorically the pit was the fact that his symbol of justice that he had built was torn down in the second movie. Batman didn't represent justice anymore, but villainy. He sacraficed his reputation in order to preserve the good of society (in his mind). Later in the movie this has really bad consequences actually.The love of his life died, and it turned out she didn't even love him back. He lost a lot of his money and was crippled. All of his values were crushed. He was basically coasting without any purpose in life. At the beginning of the movie, even though Bane has a death wish, he is purposeful and driven, and strong. Batman is physically weaker and has no real reason to fight beyond duty.He will get himself killed. Alfred tries to explain this to him but he won't listen. Late though when Batman reaffirms his sense of purpose and his will to live, he is stronger than bane because a full selfishman against a full altruist always wins. Bane and the girl want to die in order to fufill someone elses wishes and get revenge. Batman "doesn't want to die while my city burns". Metaphorically Batman got out of the pit by burning the image of batman into the eyes of everyone, faking his death, and continuing to live a personal life in a foreign country while exploring new (hotter) romantic options. He rebuilt his symbol of justice (Batman), corrected the mistakes of the second movie (all the lies), and got over his dead-not-girlfriend. To me it seems the movie was about how people who value their own life can defeat those who worship death.

The carefully chosen name of the girl's so-called band makes for great headlines and visual gags.