It could have panned out to ways: Batman could have eliminated the Joker, or the Joker, seeing both ferries remaining intact, could have had a moment of clarity. Leaving a predator at large at the end of a narrative falls outside my definition of entertainment.

A truer narrative would be to say that Harvey gave up everything, his sanity included, for the good of Gotham. There is inspiration to be derived from that without destroying the truth. But Wayne and Gordon seem to think the public can't handle the truth, and that disturbs me.