I’ve faced some of Gotham’s worst criminals. I’ve taken on The Joker, Bane, and the entire corrupt system that allows them to thrive. But none of that prepared me for handling the legal nightmare of being an executor.

Rachel Dawes trusted me with her estate. I wish she hadn’t. Not because I don’t want to honor her wishes, but because this process is exhausting.

What Being an Executor Actually Means

I thought it would be simple—distribute her assets, make sure everything goes where she wanted, and move on. I was wrong. The legal system, like Gotham itself, is slow, inefficient, and designed to make life harder than it needs to be.

Here’s what I’ve had to deal with:

1. Probate Court: The Bureaucratic Joker

Rachel had a will. A clear, legally binding document. That should’ve made things simple. It didn’t.

• Probate court still had to get involved.

• Every asset had to be cataloged, valued, and processed.

• Even though no one contested the will, I still had to file mountains of paperwork.

And Gotham’s courts move at the speed of a glacier.

2. Paying Off Debts (Because the Government Comes First)

Before I could distribute anything, I had to:

✔ Settle outstanding debts.

✔ Make sure taxes were paid.

✔ Deal with final expenses.

The government doesn’t care who you were. They want their cut first. Even after death, Rachel owed taxes. Because, of course, she did.

3. Distributing Assets (And Handling the Emotional Fallout)

Rachel didn’t have much, but what she had meant something. I had to:

• Ensure personal belongings went to the right people.

• Handle charitable donations she specified.

• Make sure her estate was closed properly.

I’ve seen the worst of humanity, but nothing prepares you for family and friends fighting over sentimental items. Luckily, in Rachel’s case, there weren’t disputes—but if there had been, it would’ve dragged out even longer.

Tax Considerations That Made This Worse

• Estate tax wasn’t an issue (her estate wasn’t large enough to trigger it).

• Final income taxes had to be filed.

• Any investment gains or real estate holdings required separate filings.

And since I had to act as a fiduciary, I was personally responsible for making sure nothing was misfiled.

Final Thoughts

Rachel trusted me with this responsibility, and I honored it. But if anyone ever asks me to do this again? I’m saying no.

Being an executor is thankless, exhausting, and full of legal traps. If you care about the people handling your estate after you’re gone, get a trust, keep your records organized, and make their job as easy as possible.

Because if I, with unlimited resources and a team of lawyers, found this miserable… imagine what it’s like for everyone else.