A significantly reimagined version Bane was a main antagonist in The Dark Knight Rises, but these changes ruined much of what made him such a compelling foe for Batman in the comics. Batman has one of the most iconic rogues’ galleries in the superhero genre, and although Bane is a rather recent addition, having debuted in the 90s, he quickly solidified himself as one of Batman’s most dangerous enemies when he bested the Dark Knight, breaking his spine over his knee. Bane’s leadership and motivation for besting Batman in the comics were changed in The Dark Knight Rises, removing much of his appeal from the comics.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Bane was created for the Batman: Knightfall storyline in the 1990s as a villain who could best the physically and mentally. Bane was raised in a hellish Santa Prisca prison, Peña Duro, serving the life sentence in place of his father. Bane’s brilliant mind, astounding physical strength, and relentless spirit not only helped him survive but made him Peña Duro’s most feared inmate. This led him to become an unwilling test subject for Venom, an experimental drug that gave its users superhuman strength. With his newfound strength, Bane escaped Peña Duro.

The DC Comics version of Bane became obsessed with Gotham City in general and Batman in particular, and he resolved to defeat the ordinary man who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the god-like Justice League members. Seeing Gotham City as a larger-scale equivalent to Peña Duro, Bane sought to establish his strength in the fear-ruled city by breaking Batman’s mind, body, and spirit. The Dark Knight Rises reworked Bane’s origin, making him a trained member of Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Shadows whose motivation is to destroy Gotham for its decadence and corruption, finishing his late leader’s work. In an act 3 plot twist, the film also makes him the second-in-command of al Ghul’s daughter, Talia. While the film version of Bane was a compelling villain, his new motivation ruined what made him so distinctive in the comics.

Rather than being born in the corrupt prison of Peña Duro, The Dark Knight Rises made Bane an inmate of “the Pit,” and rather than becoming the prison’s most formidable member, he received his training from the League of Shadows for protecting Talia and helping her escape. Revenge on Batman for defeating Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins (coupled with the Dark Knight being the biggest obstacle for the League’s plans) was part of Bane’s motivation, but he primarily sought to finish what Ra’s started and help Talia. This removed the agency, leadership, and fascinating obsession with Batman that Bane had in the comics, reducing his comic counterpart’s compellingly simple motivation.

Although Bane’s rewrites ruined his villainous appeal from the comics, he was still a compelling villain in the film. Bane was not completely lacking agency, as he worked alongside Talia and even disobeyed her at one point (opting to kill Batman instead of letting Talia’s bomb atomize him). Bane’s upbringing in the Pit motivated him to look after Talia, who was also born a captive, thus making them kindred spirits. Bane’s famous physical triumph over Batman from Knightfall was also replicated in The Dark Knight Rises, though Bane did far less damage to Batman’s spine.

See also  Deadpool Gets The Perfect New Sidekick in Marvel Comics

For those familiar with the comic version of Bane, the cinematic iteration seen in The Dark Knight Rises likely felt like a significant downgrade, especially following the Talia al Ghul twist. For those who aren’t as knowledgeable about the source material, Tom Hardy’s Bane was a perfectly menacing and sympathetic villain who physically bested Batman in a way that no other villain did in the Nolan trilogy. While The Dark Knight Rises removed much of what made Bane such a memorable comic villain, it still created a threatening and layered antagonist for the film.

The Batman Streaming Release Date Is Earlier Than Expected

About The Author


David Miller
(618 Articles Published)

David Miller is a staff writer for Screen Rant, indie comic writer, and life-long lover of all things Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. He was born and raised in New York and has a degree in English from Rider University. He relates to Peter Parker maybe a little too much.

More From David Miller