Bane's origin story is established in the story "Vengeance of Bane". He was born in the fictional Caribbean Republic of Santa Prisca, in a prison called Peña Duro. His father, Edmund Dorrance (better known as King Snake), had been a revolutionary mercenary who had escaped Santa Prisca's court system. The corrupt government, however, decreed that his young son would serve out the man's life sentence, and thus Bane's childhood and early adult life were spent in the amoral penitentiary environment.[2][4]
Though he was imprisoned, his natural abilities allowed him to develop extraordinary skills within the prison's walls. He read as many books as he could get his hands on, built up his body in the prison's gym, and learned to fight in the merciless school of prison life. Because of the cultural and supposed geographical location of Santa Prisca, Bane knew how to speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin. Despite his circumstances, he found teachers of various sorts during his incarceration, ranging from hardened convicts to an elderly Jesuit priest, under whose tutelage he apparently received a classical education. Bane murdered this priest upon his return to Santa Prisca years later. He committed his first murder at the age of eight, stabbing a criminal who wanted to use him to gain information about the prison.[4] During his years in prison, Bane carried a teddy bear he calls Osito, whom he considered his only friend.[5] It is revealed that Osito has a hole in his back to hold a knife that Bane used to defend himself.[6]
Bane would be haunted, in his dreams, by a bat. He ultimately established himself as the "king" of Peña Duro prison. The prison's controllers took note and eventually forced him to become a test subject for a mysterious drug known as Venom,[4] which had killed all other subjects; the drug was administered by a doctor who bore a passing resemblance to another Batman foe, Hugo Strange. Later, in Vengeance of Bane II the very same doctor encountered Bane again in Gotham and it is confirmed that it is not Hugo Strange, who, at that point in Batman continuity, was a crazed psychologist and not a surgeon.[4] The Peña Duro prison Venom experiment nearly killed Bane at first, but he survived and found that the drug vastly increases his physical strength, although he needs to take it every 12 hours (via a system of tubes pumped directly into his brain) or he will suffer debilitating side-effects.[2][4]
Bane breaks Batman's back in asplash page from Batman #497 (July 1993). Art by Jim Aparo. This particular image was recreated inThe Dark Knight Rises.
During the Knightfall storyline, Bane escapes Peña Duro, along with several accomplices based on the Fabulous Five (his minions Trogg, Zombie, and Bird, all of whom are named after 1960s rock bands — The Troggs, The Zombies, and The Byrds — and were designed to mimic three of Doc Savage's assistantsMonk, Ham, and Renny).[2][4] His ambition turns to destroying Batman, about whom he had heard stories while an inmate. Gotham fascinates Bane because, like Peña Duro, fear rules Gotham - but it is the fear of the Batman. Bane is convinced that Batman is the demonic bat which haunted his dreams since childhood. Therefore, Bane believes fate placed Batman on a collision course with him.[2][4]
Aware that a direct assault on Batman would be foolish, Bane instead destroys the walls of Arkham Asylum—allowing its deranged inmates (including theJoker, Two-Face, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, the Ventriloquist, Firefly, Poison Ivy, Cornelius Stirk, Film Freak and Victor Zsasz) to escape into Gotham City. Consequently, Batman is forced to recapture the escapees, a mission that takes him three months. Having run himself to exhaustion in the process of completing this mission, Batman returns to Wayne Manor where he finds Bane waiting for him (having previously determined his secret identity). After a brief explanation of his obsession to destroy him, Bane attacks Batman, first in the manor and soon the two tumble into the Batcave below where Bane continues his assault on the detective, toying with him throughout. Bane delivers the final blow by raising the Batman up and throwing him down upon his knee, breaking his back and leaving him a paraplegic. Bane thus becomes the only man to have "Broken the Bat".[2][4][7] This iconic moment is befallen in The Dark Knight Rises and alluded to numerous times in the DCAU cartoons.[8][9][10]
While Bane establishes himself as the new ruler of Gotham's criminal underworld, Bruce Wayne passes the mantle of Batman to Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael. As the "new" Batman, however, Jean-Paul grows increasingly violent and ruthless, allowing the villain Abattoir to fall to his death. Valley also refuses to recognize Robin as his partner. Despite Bruce Wayne's strict orders that Valley avoid Bane, he disregards those commands and foolishly attempts to confront Bane in his home; with the villain now living in luxury high above Gotham in a penthouse suite. Even with a set of high-tech, heavy metal gauntlets Valley added to the Batsuit, Bane triumphs in the fight and nearly hands Valley his execution. Despite besting Valley, Bane sustained deep lacerations in the battle and lost much blood. Hunted by law enforcement, it was impossible for Bane to admit himself to a hospital despite his worsening condition. Thus, Bane's solution was to increase his Venom intake to temporarily block the pain and buy himself time to defeat this new Batman. Humiliated, Valley returned to the Batcave where he built an advanced combat suit of metal, in place of the traditional Batman uniform, with many chambers within the suit that fired razor-sharp weapons. Reduced to little more than a wounded animal fleeing for survival, Bane fights valiantly against a Batman that overmatches him. Weakened and desperate, Bane's defeat is ensured when Valley severs the tubes that pump Venom into his bloodstream, causing severe withdrawal. With Commissioner Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock, and Robin watching in horror as this new Batman tortures a defeated Bane; Bane asks for mercy at the hands of Valley when he asks to be killed. Despite his programming as a youngster to prepare him for his role as an Azrael, the "Knightfall" arc ends as Valley denies his innate urge to kill Bane.[2][4]
Though he was imprisoned, his natural abilities allowed him to develop extraordinary skills within the prison's walls. He read as many books as he could get his hands on, built up his body in the prison's gym, and learned to fight in the merciless school of prison life. Because of the cultural and supposed geographical location of Santa Prisca, Bane knew how to speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin. Despite his circumstances, he found teachers of various sorts during his incarceration, ranging from hardened convicts to an elderly Jesuit priest, under whose tutelage he apparently received a classical education. Bane murdered this priest upon his return to Santa Prisca years later. He committed his first murder at the age of eight, stabbing a criminal who wanted to use him to gain information about the prison.[4] During his years in prison, Bane carried a teddy bear he calls Osito, whom he considered his only friend.[5] It is revealed that Osito has a hole in his back to hold a knife that Bane used to defend himself.[6]
Bane would be haunted, in his dreams, by a bat. He ultimately established himself as the "king" of Peña Duro prison. The prison's controllers took note and eventually forced him to become a test subject for a mysterious drug known as Venom,[4] which had killed all other subjects; the drug was administered by a doctor who bore a passing resemblance to another Batman foe, Hugo Strange. Later, in Vengeance of Bane II the very same doctor encountered Bane again in Gotham and it is confirmed that it is not Hugo Strange, who, at that point in Batman continuity, was a crazed psychologist and not a surgeon.[4] The Peña Duro prison Venom experiment nearly killed Bane at first, but he survived and found that the drug vastly increases his physical strength, although he needs to take it every 12 hours (via a system of tubes pumped directly into his brain) or he will suffer debilitating side-effects.[2][4]
Bane breaks Batman's back in asplash page from Batman #497 (July 1993). Art by Jim Aparo. This particular image was recreated inThe Dark Knight Rises.
During the Knightfall storyline, Bane escapes Peña Duro, along with several accomplices based on the Fabulous Five (his minions Trogg, Zombie, and Bird, all of whom are named after 1960s rock bands — The Troggs, The Zombies, and The Byrds — and were designed to mimic three of Doc Savage's assistantsMonk, Ham, and Renny).[2][4] His ambition turns to destroying Batman, about whom he had heard stories while an inmate. Gotham fascinates Bane because, like Peña Duro, fear rules Gotham - but it is the fear of the Batman. Bane is convinced that Batman is the demonic bat which haunted his dreams since childhood. Therefore, Bane believes fate placed Batman on a collision course with him.[2][4]
Aware that a direct assault on Batman would be foolish, Bane instead destroys the walls of Arkham Asylum—allowing its deranged inmates (including theJoker, Two-Face, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, the Ventriloquist, Firefly, Poison Ivy, Cornelius Stirk, Film Freak and Victor Zsasz) to escape into Gotham City. Consequently, Batman is forced to recapture the escapees, a mission that takes him three months. Having run himself to exhaustion in the process of completing this mission, Batman returns to Wayne Manor where he finds Bane waiting for him (having previously determined his secret identity). After a brief explanation of his obsession to destroy him, Bane attacks Batman, first in the manor and soon the two tumble into the Batcave below where Bane continues his assault on the detective, toying with him throughout. Bane delivers the final blow by raising the Batman up and throwing him down upon his knee, breaking his back and leaving him a paraplegic. Bane thus becomes the only man to have "Broken the Bat".[2][4][7] This iconic moment is befallen in The Dark Knight Rises and alluded to numerous times in the DCAU cartoons.[8][9][10]
While Bane establishes himself as the new ruler of Gotham's criminal underworld, Bruce Wayne passes the mantle of Batman to Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael. As the "new" Batman, however, Jean-Paul grows increasingly violent and ruthless, allowing the villain Abattoir to fall to his death. Valley also refuses to recognize Robin as his partner. Despite Bruce Wayne's strict orders that Valley avoid Bane, he disregards those commands and foolishly attempts to confront Bane in his home; with the villain now living in luxury high above Gotham in a penthouse suite. Even with a set of high-tech, heavy metal gauntlets Valley added to the Batsuit, Bane triumphs in the fight and nearly hands Valley his execution. Despite besting Valley, Bane sustained deep lacerations in the battle and lost much blood. Hunted by law enforcement, it was impossible for Bane to admit himself to a hospital despite his worsening condition. Thus, Bane's solution was to increase his Venom intake to temporarily block the pain and buy himself time to defeat this new Batman. Humiliated, Valley returned to the Batcave where he built an advanced combat suit of metal, in place of the traditional Batman uniform, with many chambers within the suit that fired razor-sharp weapons. Reduced to little more than a wounded animal fleeing for survival, Bane fights valiantly against a Batman that overmatches him. Weakened and desperate, Bane's defeat is ensured when Valley severs the tubes that pump Venom into his bloodstream, causing severe withdrawal. With Commissioner Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock, and Robin watching in horror as this new Batman tortures a defeated Bane; Bane asks for mercy at the hands of Valley when he asks to be killed. Despite his programming as a youngster to prepare him for his role as an Azrael, the "Knightfall" arc ends as Valley denies his innate urge to kill Bane.[2][4]
The character's origin was in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 (January 1993), and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes. He is often credited for being the only villain to have "Broken The Bat". IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Bane as #34.[1]
Bane was portrayed as a minor villain by Robert Swenson in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, directed by Joel Schumacher, and he was portrayed by Tom Hardy as the main antagonist in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises.
Bane was portrayed as a minor villain by Robert Swenson in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, directed by Joel Schumacher, and he was portrayed by Tom Hardy as the main antagonist in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises.
Originally intended as a "dark mirror" of the highly disciplined and multi-skilled pulp hero Doc Savage, Bane spends his childhood in the hellish prison of Pena Duro on the corrupt South American island nation of Santa Prisca. He develops super strength through a forced experiment involving the drug Venom. Although his dependency on Venom is an immense weakness, Bane has been one of Batman's most intelligent and physically powerful foes. He is best known for breaking Batman's back in the "Knightfall" story arc.
Although primarily a villain, Bane is a complex character and has worked to take down drug lords. Despite their history, he has sometimes had Batman's financial backing and direct assistance.
Bane has appeared in some other media adaptations of Batman, including Batman: The Animated Series, its sequels and spin-offs and its successor The Batman. Pro-wrestler Jeep Swenson played him in the 1997 film Batman & Robin. He returned to the silver screen in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises, portrayed by Tom Hardy, which has several influences from the Knightfall story arc. In many adaptations; he is more simplistic and thug-like than his comic book counterpart
Although primarily a villain, Bane is a complex character and has worked to take down drug lords. Despite their history, he has sometimes had Batman's financial backing and direct assistance.
Bane has appeared in some other media adaptations of Batman, including Batman: The Animated Series, its sequels and spin-offs and its successor The Batman. Pro-wrestler Jeep Swenson played him in the 1997 film Batman & Robin. He returned to the silver screen in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises, portrayed by Tom Hardy, which has several influences from the Knightfall story arc. In many adaptations; he is more simplistic and thug-like than his comic book counterpart
The Man who Broke the Bat Bane after breaking Batman's back.
Years later, Bane escapes Peña Duro, along with several accomplices (his friends Trogg, Zombie and Bird, all of whom are named after 1960s rock bands: The Troggs, The Zombies, and The Byrds, and were designed to mimic three of Doc Savage's assistants Monk, Ham, and Renny). His ambition turns to destroying Batman, whom he had heard tales of while serving his sentence. He is fascinated with Gotham City, as, like the prison, it is a place where fear rules: in this case, fear of Batman. Bane is convinced that the demonic bat that haunted his dreams since childhood is a representation of the Batman.
Aware that a direct assault on Batman would be foolish, Bane destroys the walls of Arkham Asylum, allowing its deranged inmates (including the Joker,Two-Face, the Scarecrow, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Mad Hatter, The Ventriloquist, Firefly, The Cavalier and Victor Zsasz, as well as minor villainFilm Freak, who Bane almost killed for spying on him afterward) to escape into Gotham City, where Batman spends three months rounding them up. Running himself to exhaustion, Batman returns to Wayne Manor, where Bane awaits him. He fights Batman in the Batcave, defeats him, and delivers the coup de grâce: he breaks Batman's back and leaves him paraplegic, thereby having been the only man to have "Broken the Bat".
Years later, Bane escapes Peña Duro, along with several accomplices (his friends Trogg, Zombie and Bird, all of whom are named after 1960s rock bands: The Troggs, The Zombies, and The Byrds, and were designed to mimic three of Doc Savage's assistants Monk, Ham, and Renny). His ambition turns to destroying Batman, whom he had heard tales of while serving his sentence. He is fascinated with Gotham City, as, like the prison, it is a place where fear rules: in this case, fear of Batman. Bane is convinced that the demonic bat that haunted his dreams since childhood is a representation of the Batman.
Aware that a direct assault on Batman would be foolish, Bane destroys the walls of Arkham Asylum, allowing its deranged inmates (including the Joker,Two-Face, the Scarecrow, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Mad Hatter, The Ventriloquist, Firefly, The Cavalier and Victor Zsasz, as well as minor villainFilm Freak, who Bane almost killed for spying on him afterward) to escape into Gotham City, where Batman spends three months rounding them up. Running himself to exhaustion, Batman returns to Wayne Manor, where Bane awaits him. He fights Batman in the Batcave, defeats him, and delivers the coup de grâce: he breaks Batman's back and leaves him paraplegic, thereby having been the only man to have "Broken the Bat".