When it comes to reprehensible brainiac , the casual superhero eccentric might not straightaway recall of the hulkingBatmanvillain known only asBane — but they should . Since 1993’sBatman : Vengeance of Bane#1 , the   luchador - inspired kingpin has been jibe not only fists with Batman , but wits as well . Though physically impose ( especially when juiced up on his A-one - steroid spite ) , Bane ’s outstanding plus in “ break off Batman ” in the classic superhero taleKnightfallwas his mind , not his gargantuan biceps .

Rebirth - eraBatmanwriter Tom Kingmade Bane the main opposer for his   series , launched as   one of the publisher ’s biggest flagship comic book titles at the time , and King has focus heavy on the tiptop - criminal ’s genius mind over his pulsating guns . Ashis 85 - issues ofBatmanwrap upat the end of 2019 , it might be difficult for casual fan to follow the clever ( and occasionally convoluted ) plot position out in King ’s mega - story discharge where Bane actually manage to break out Batman … a second time . So to help take account each step , we ’re breaking down Bane ’s slow burning master plan to once again bring the Bat to his knee , a plan that promises to leave the Dark Knight forever changed in the DC Universe — or at least until its next crowing reboot .

Batman vs Bane, Round One

In King ’s story , Bane ’s effort to put down Batman began not long afterKnightfallended . WhileDC ’s current Rebirth continuityis more wibbly - wobbly than it has been in decennary , the events inKnightfallare referenced repeatedly by both Bane and Batman , suggesting that while sure moments in the story were retconned , the legal age of it remains inviolate ( and due to mirthful book time , can only have beenso long ago ) . To bring down the Bat the first time , Bane lay military blockade toArkham Asylum , resign many of its notorious prisoners . have sex that the Caped Crusader ’s pride would force him to retake the inmate single - handedly , Bane but wait for Batman to tire himself out and then foregather the costume vigilante in his own home where he proceed to pose the holy hell out of him .

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The titanic affright in a tank top could have killed Bruce Wayne that night , but elect to plainly break his back over his knee in a fabled risible venire that was accommodate into the filmThe Dark Knight Rises .    To quote Bane inThe broken in Bat , “ I could kill you … But death would only terminate your suffering — and hush your shame . Instead , I will simply … divulge YOU ! ” And so he did . But just like inThe Dark Knight jump , theDark Knight did n’t remain rugged for very long . undiscouraged , Bane decided that his next attempt to “ give way the Bat ” would require more than simply outwear down his trunk — he would have to wear down his heart and mind as well .

Comic book art: batman by arkham asylum

Bane vs Batman: The Rebirth

So began the seeds of Bane ’s patch to cease Bruce Wayne ’s war on criminal offence once and for all . To achieve this , Bane build a team of some of Batman ’s high visibility rascal including sadistic psychologist Hugo Strange , superior computer programmer the Riddler , oddball mobster the Ventriloquist , theemotion - manipulating Psycho - Pirate , and even Catwoman ’s own BFF Holly Robinson . He also needed an ally strong enough to keep the Justice League from interpose with his feud with Batman , finally deciding to create his own ( good manners of an highly uncommon form of meta - venom ) . This interlingual rendition of his steroid would give its user metahuman powers comparable to Superman ’s , but at a very high cost to the person ’s lifespan . Bane create and later sold his superintendent - blood serum to a dyad of sibling , Claire and Henry Clover , and thus the “ Hero ” Gotham andGotham Girlwere conduct .

With Bane ’s team ( mostly ) formed , he send out Hugo Strange to give Batman his ownKobayashi Marustyle “ no profits scenario ” in the form of a downed rider carpenter’s plane ; an easy save for Superman , but for Batman the test nearly vote out him . The Dark Knight is saved by Gotham and Gotham Girl , but the substance Bane wanted to subliminally convey was clear — life is short , so you well get busy living . Batman attempted to rail the superintendent - siblings until Strange used Psycho - Pirate to drive the duad mad . Gotham die out in the result massacre , but not before hold out most of the Justice League and leaving his babe with wicked emotional scratch .

Batman vs Bane, Round Two (The Wedding)

This first part of Bane ’s design forced Batman to form his ownSuicide Squadcomprised of several super - criminals , including Catwoman and the Ventriloquist , to engage the musculus - constipate baddie in his prison house stronghold in Santa Prisca . Bruce manage to recapture Psycho - Pirate ( in an attempt to save Gotham Girl from a sprightliness of insanity ) , but this top Bane to follow Batman back to Gotham as vengeance for trespassing on his supreme land . The two struggle in a mirror interpretation of their fight inKnightfall , with Bane pummeling his way through Arkham ’s yardbird population and Batman finishing the big brute at the ending of his journey . With Bane ( pretending to be ) kill , Batman comes to realise he does n’t desire to die alone and that he want to pursue a romantic partnership with Catwoman .

This is where Bane infract Batman ’s spirit . at long last accepting their mutual feel for each other , the Dark Knight popped the question to his cherished femme fatale inBatman#24 . With Bruce Wayne ’s affection moderate , Bane ( while still in Arkham ) hand over a burst of blows to their kinship by sending Joker ( under the influence of Psycho - Pirate ) tokill Catwoman , Booster Gold ( under the advice of his reprogrammed golem pal , Skeets ) to show Bruce a world without Batman , and Holly Robinson ( Selina ’s Maid of Honor ) to intimate to her ally that take in her fiancé well-chosen might in reality rob the world of Batman . In the end , Bruce is left waiting on a rooftop for a St. Brigid that never comesinBatman # 50 .

Batman vs Bruce (Thanks To Bane)

Getting brook up on your wedding day would be spirit - breaking enough , but when Batman ’s former sidekick Dick Grayson attempted to cheer up his wise man , Bane sent Russian bravo KGBeast toshoot Batman ’s old chum in the straits . With his fiancée survive and his foster Word in a comatoseness , Batman quickly spiraled down a path of violence and anger , die as far as punching his buddy Commissioner Gordon in the boldness and nearly killing Mr. Freeze for a crime he did n’t give . With his life break out , Batman isolate himself from his mate and friends .

At this point in the level , Bane could likely just walk into Wayne Manor , kick Batman in the stomach , and call it a day . But for Bane , this is n’t just about beat the world ’s cool superhero in a combat ; he ’s painting a full on chef-d’oeuvre of pain and the Dark Knight is his canvass . After ruin Batman ’s love life , the butch mastermind then moved on to break Batman ’s intellect .

Flashpoint Batman Begins Bane’s Breakdown

With the help ofBatman ’s founder from the Flashpoint Universe , Thomas Wayne , Bane turned Bruce ’s mind into a piñata that he biff with psychoactive drugs , subliminal messages , and good old fashioned gaslighting . Over time , even Bruce began to question his sanity , which is only made that much more fragile when his dead don , an alternative - Earth Batman , repeatedly torments and belittles him into hanging up the cape and cowl forever . Though the elder Wayne was not in the beginning in Bane ’s plot to break Batman , Thomas Wayne join the luchador after an brush with his boy inthe Batman / Flash crossover eventThe Button . Believing that playing the function of Batman was destroy his son , Thomas exhort Bruce to give up his war on offense . When that did n’t exercise , he hold back call for nicely .

Knowing Bane had little stake in actually wipe out the Caped Crusader , Thomas agree to serve him “ break Bruce of his Batman addiction . ” By humiliating Batman and deplumate him down so thoroughly , Thomas hoped his son ’s heroic red at the hands of Bane would be the last flush - in - the - seat he needed to sink down and live a normal life free of masquerade party , capes , and sempiternal bloodletting .

With Batman ’s spirit and nous already broken , stop Batman ’s body was easy . Clearly feel a shiver of nostalgia , Bane recreated his original fight with Batman in Wayne Manor and concludes it with the same , back - breaking climax . Satisfied with his victory , Bane then convinced the President of the United States to keep both the military machine and the Justice League out of Gotham with the help of his fellow Rogues as well as Gotham Girl , whom at this point has beaten the chrome out of the JL ’s sullen slugger , Captain Atom .

Comic book art: Batman faces the four Robins: Nightwing Dick Grayson, Red Hood Jason Todd, Red Robin Tim Drake, and Robin Damian Wayne.

The City of Bane Begins…

One might think America would n’t fend for one of its major cities come down under first-rate villain occupation , but this is Gotham — the one city in the populace whose only domesticated export is crime . It ’s no dandy loss , many people conclude . Gotham was already a cesspool of evil to begin with — does it really count that Bane is execute the metropolis likeKhal Drogo ? Can anyone really tell the remainder ?

Tom King ’s foot race onBatmanhas only a few more issues to go until its conclusion . At this point Batman has had to endure his son taking a fastball to the noggin , his fiancée dumping him at the altar , his forefather beating him senseless in a hole in the desert , and having his brain scrambled like a test depicted object in a CIA nous control experiment . And none of this is arguably the worst matter Batman will face by the end ofCity of Banesince his loving and fast Samuel Butler , Alfred Pennyworth was murdered by Banein part 3 of the saga .

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How Batman will respond to the word ( if indeed Alfred is dead ) is anyone ’s guess . But even though January 2020 solicitation from DC already showBatmanon hisnext gilded risky venture , it is unmortgaged that Tom King planned to impart his mark for good on the Caped Crusader ’s mind , consistence , and spirit . And nibble the only bad guy smart enough to “ discover the Bat ” as the bighearted villain for this mega saga was the ripe mode to get that difficult task done .

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