Bane was an admirable foe inThe Dark Knight Rises, pushing Batman to his absolute limits with his sheer strength, but it was the way his mask actually works that made theDCvillain even more impressive. The final installment ofThe Dark Knighttrilogyhad a lot of expectations to live up to, especially in the villain department, as the late Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker inThe Dark Knightis arguably the greatest comic book movie performance of all time. This is where Bane comes in, one of the most physically imposing Batman villains around.
Tom Hardy played Bane inThe Dark Knight Rises, complete witha unique voice perfectly suited for the characterthat was muffled by a mask he never took off. Even thoughThe Dark Knighttrilogy was going for a “realistic” take on the Batman mythos,one of Bane’s defining characteristics is the mask he wears.The Dark Knight Risesdoes an admirable job explaining why he does in the film, but it was Christopher Nolan’s added explanation of the mask that highlights just how impressive Bane was.
The Dark Knight Rises' Bane Mask Explanation Proves He’s Even Stronger Than He Seems
Towards the end ofThe Dark Knight Rises, it was revealed that Bane was attacked by a group of prisoners while trying to help Talia al Ghul escape captivity. Bane was so badly injured thathe had to wear a maskto keep the pain at bay. It wasn’t explicitly said how the mask works, but director Christopher Nolan explained thatthe mask dispensed a steady dose of anestheticthat keeps his pain at a tolerable threshold. This idea makes Bane even more formidable.
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During a pivotal moment in the film, Bane and Batman come face-to-face. Bane overwhelms Bruce with sheer power and breaks Batman’s back over his knee. It was the first time that Bruce found himself physically outmatched. Knowing that Bane was getting a constant stream of anesthetic during it is even more wild. He is essentially sedated to a certain point, which should hinder his strength to some degree, andhe was still able to easily best the Dark Knight.
Bane’s Power Twist Makes The Dark Knight Rises Even More Interesting
This explanation adds another layer of complexity to Bane as a character and toThe Dark Knight Risesas a whole. Along with being very strong, Bane is also incredibly intelligent in the film, proving to be one step ahead of Batman at virtually every turn. Being able to help orchestrate such a complex plan while not necessarily being “all the way there” is a testament to how good of a villain Bane is throughout.
While it doesn’t necessarily make him stronger, it allows him to take more damage and pain.
In a way, it also parallels how Bane uses Venom in the comics to gain strength. In the film, he used the anesthetic in a similar way to Venom, and while it doesn’t necessarily make him stronger, it allowed him to take more damage and pain in more ways than he most likely would have been able to withstand without the sedation. Alongside his natural power,the anesthetic is his true strength.
Despite straying heavily from the comics, Bane was a worthy adversary for Batman to face inThe Dark Knight Rises. He pushed Bruce Wayne to his limits, literally breaking him before attempting to break Gotham. Doing all of that while essentially being sedated makes his feats even more impressive, and Nolan’s way of incorporating Bane’s iconic mask into a “realistic” setting was an inspired move, and a fantastic villain choice to end the trilogy.
The Dark Knight Rises
Cast
The Dark Knight Rises follows Batman as he returns to Gotham City eight years after the death of Harvey Dent. Now pursued by law enforcement, he faces new challenges from Selina Kyle and Bane, a formidable terrorist leader who threatens the city’s safety, compelling Batman to defend a city that sees him as a foe.
