“No, [Dent] would’ve told the truth,” said Eckhart. “That’s the great thing about Harvey Dent. Despite whatever is going on, he’s a truth-teller and he’s a moral center.” Dent may have understood Batman and Gordon’s motivations to make the optimistic politician a symbol for good, but Eckhart is certain that his character would have insisted on accepting the consequences openly, saying, “I believe Harvey would not approve of Two-Face or the lie that was told.”
Eckhart believes traces of Dent’s commitment to honesty and truth-telling even extend slightly into the Two-Face persona. As a politician, Dent was openly anti-corruption and exposed. As a villain, he is honest about everything, from his disfiguration to his identity. Eckhart explained, “Superheroes are behind masks and capes, et cetera. Well, what about the superheroes that aren’t hiding behind a mask? What about the superheroes that stay true to themselves and to the greater good — without any superpowers? Where are they? And that’s what’s exciting about Harvey Dent, especially in a town like Gotham where everybody’s corrupt.”
However, Eckhart still draws a distinction between Dent and Two-Face, saying, “Now when he becomes Two-Face, he is [hiding behind something]. But Harvey Dent was out there fighting for every man and woman, for truth and justice, and he put himself on the line. But having done so, he got bit, and he was forever changed.”
