Vicki Vale (Burtonverse)

Victoria "Vicki" Vale is the deuteragonist of the 1989 superhero film, Batman. She is the love interest of billionare playboy Bruce Wayne.

She was portrayed by Kim Basinger.

History
Vicki Vale was a photographer who rose to prominence in the journalistic community due to her coverage of the violent uprisings in Corto Maltese. Upon arriving in Gotham City, she got a job working at the Gotham Globe, where she was partnered with the plucky, yet ambitious Alexander Knox. Unlike Vale, Knox had earned himself the derision of his peers because of his obsession with an urban legend known as the "Bat-Man". Vicki was the only reporter to believe Knox's stories, citing "I like... bats". In fact, it was Knox's investigation into the alleged Batman sightings that first drew her to Gotham City.

Vale and Knox were invited to attend a charity function hosted by Bruce Wayne at his palatial Wayne Manor estate. Wayne and Vale developed a romantic interest in one another and he invited her back to the mansion for a romantic, yet awkward, dinner. The two became involved with one, though Vale had no idea that Wayne was actually the Batman that Knox spoke of.

Though Vale was attracted to Wayne, she still found him to be a man of great mystery. She began keeping tabs on him and followed Wayne as he visited the sight where his parents were murdered so many years ago.

Vicki was present when gangster-gone-psychopath Jack Napier, aka, the Joker perpetuated a gun fight against rival mobsters on the steps of City Hall. The Joker became infatuated with Vicki and did some research on her. Learning that Vale was responsible for taking so many gruesome photographs of the Corto Maltese massacre enticed him even more. He tricked Vicki into meeting him at the Flugelheim Museum. After killing all of the museum patrons with his patented Smylex gas, he engaged in a macabre courtship with the startled photographer. The Batman arrived on the scene and rescued Vicki. He brought her back to the Batcave where the two began researching the Joker's exploits. He gave Vicki an envelope detailing the nature of the Joker's Smylex poison and told her to take it to the press. Batman quickly realized that he had made a mistake in bringing her to his headquarters, so he rendered her unconscious with some knockout gas and brought her to her apartment.

Later, Batman visited Vicki's apartment as Bruce Wayne. He wanted to tell her the truth about his dual identity, but could not find the words. Moments later, the Joker appeared, ready to rekindle his affection for Vale. Bruce baited the Joker into attacking him, allowing Vicki time to escape.

Vicki submitted the news that Batman had given her to the Gotham Globe, but continued with her private investigation into the life of Bruce Wayne. She found records chronicling the murder of Bruce's parents on Park Row.

Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, realized that Bruce needed someone in his life to keep him grounded. Recognizing Bruce's fondness for Vale, he elected to invite her into the Batcave, thus exposing Bruce's secret identity. Vicki was not bothered by this revelation and understood why Bruce led such a mysterious double life.

Vicki Vale was present when Batman had his final confrontation with the Joker at the Gotham Cathedral. The Joker nearly killed both of them, by knocking them over the ledge of one of the parapets, but the Batman caught Vicki just in time, preventing her from falling to her doom. The Joker however, was not so lucky. While trying to escape, he became entangled in a helicopter rope ladder and fell to his death.

Following the Joker incident, the relationship between Wayne and Vale deteriorated. Although no longer together, there is no reason to suspect that Vicki ever betrayed Bruce's secret identity.

Trivia

 * Sean Young was originally cast as Vicki before being forced to bow out due to a horseback riding related injury. Ironically, the horseback riding scene was removed from Batman when Kim Basinger joined the production.
 * This version of the character is exclusive to the continuity of the Burtonverse film series and is an adaptation of Vicki Vale. The original character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane and first appeared in Batman #49.