Bane appears in The Batman, voiced by Joaquim de Almeida (in "Traction"), Ron Perlman (in "Team Penguin"), and Clancy Brown (in "The Batman/Superman Story").[1][2][3] This version is a South American mercenary whose Venom-enhanced form possesses red skin.
Bane appears in Young Justice, voiced by Danny Trejo.[3] This version is an associate of the Light. In his most notable appearances, he clashes with the Kobra cult over the production of his Venom drug, eventually breaks his addiction to it, and allows the Light to conduct business on Santa Prisca.
Bane appears in the fifth seasonofGotham, portrayed by Shane West.[4] This version is Eduardo Dorrance, Jim Gordon's former army friend who became a prisoner of war and incarcerated at Pena Duro. He was eventually freed by Nyssa al Ghul, who enlists him to help her kill Bruce Wayne to avenge her father Ra's al Ghul and destroy Gotham. In the present, Dorrance leads the military group "Delta Force" to seemingly help Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) in their war against Gotham City's criminal element after the city is rendered a "No Man's Land".[4] While confronting Gordon, Dorrance is impaled on a pipe before Nyssa finds him, rehabilitates him, and gives him armor and a respirator with help from Hugo Strange. Rechristening himself as "Bane", Dorrance takes control of the military and joins forces with Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma to battle the GCPD until Gordon and his allies talk the military out of following Dorrance and arrest him and Delta Force instead.
A robotic duplicate of Bane appears in the Justice League Action episode "System Failure".
An amalgamated incarnation of Bane appears in Harley Quinn, voiced again by James Adomian.[3] This version resembles his comic counterpart, is more dimwitted than most incarnations, obsessed with destroying anyone or anything that antagonizes him for any reason by blowing them up, has an origin story and speaks in a manner similar to The Dark Knight Rises incarnation, and appears as a mistreated member of the Legion of Doom in the first and fourth seasons and founding member of the Injustice League in the second season. In the aforementioned second season, following the Joker destroying Gotham City, Bane helps the League divide the ruins between them, though they mistreat him too. After Harley Quinn and Commissioner Gordon dismantle the League, Bane questions his life choices and attends therapy in the third season.
Bane appears in the DC Super Hero Girls episode "#AcceptNoSubstitute", voiced by Eric Lopez. He assumes the alias of Diego Dorrance and becomes an art teacher at Metropolis High School to steal chemicals from its science lab to boost his strength.
DC Animated Universe
Bane as depicted in Batman: The Animated Series (left) and subsequent appearances (right)
Bane appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Henry Silva.[6] Prior to his inclusion, the producers of Batman: The Animated Series were reluctant to use the character as they felt his comic incarnation was too gimmicky.[6]
Bane first appears in a self-titled episode of Batman: The Animated Series, with Silva sporting a strong Latin American accent. This version is a former inmate of a Cuban prison containing the most dangerous convicts ever captured. While imprisoned, Bane was chosen as a test subject for the government project "Gilgamesh" to create super-soldiers with the drug Venom. Though the experiment was a success, Bane used his newfound superhuman abilities to escape and become a professional assassin.
Afear toxin-induced dream world incarnation of Bane appears in The New Batman Adventures episode "Over the Edge", with Silva sporting an American accent. For this series, Bane wears an all-black outfit while his traditional luchador mask has been traded for a black gimp mask.
Bane makes a non-speaking appearance in the Batman Beyond episode "The Winning Edge". By 2039, Bane's use of Venom has left him frail, comatose, and reliant on an oxygen tank and regular Venom infusions. Taking advantage of this, his physician Jackson Chappell uses his Venom to create illegal steroid patches called "slappers".[7]
An original incarnation of Bane named Antonio Diego appears in Batman & Robin (1997), portrayed by Robert Swenson and Michael Reid MacKay respectively. This version is an incarcerated serial killer who was transformed into the unintelligent Bane by Dr. Jason Woodrue before serving as an assistant to Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze. This portrayal of Bane was one of many aspects of the film that received negative criticism from fans and critics alike.[8]
The Dark Knight Rises
Bane appears in The Dark Knight Rises, portrayed by Tom Hardy.[9][10][11] Intending to portray the character as "more menacing" than the aforementioned Batman & Robin incarnation, Hardy gained 14 kilograms (31 lb) of muscle for the role,[12][13] increasing his weight to 90 kilograms (200 lb).[12] Prior to the film's release, Bane's voice received criticism for being unintelligible due to his mask. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Christopher Nolan said "I think when people see the film, things will come into focus. Bane is very complex and very interesting and when people see the finished film people will be very entertained by him."[14] "We wanted a very physical monster. We wanted more of the Darth Vader, if you like, and that was very important in the story dynamics."[15] Hardy himself also commented on the voice in another interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying "It’s a risk, because we could be laughed at—or it could be very fresh and exciting", and that『The audience mustn’t be too concerned about the mumbly voice... As the film progresses, I think you’ll be able to tune to its setting.』Hardy says the voice he developed had several influences, including Bane's intellect, Caribbean heritage,[16] and in particular, bare-knuckle fighter Bartley Gorman.[17][18]
Bane has been described as having "the physicality of a silverback gorilla"[19][20] and is shown to have superhuman levels of strength in certain instances throughout the film, such as punching holes in limestone pillars, ripping his wrists out of handcuffs, easily breaking a soldier's neck with one hand, lifting Batman's armored body by the throat with a single outstretched arm, and cracking his impact-resistant cowl.[21] Hardy describes Bane's fighting style as "Brutal. He's a big dude who's incredibly clinical, in the fact that he has a result-based and oriented fighting style. It's not about fighting. It's about carnage. The style is heavy-handed, heavy-footed, it's nasty. Anything from small-joint manipulation to crushing skulls, crushing rib cages, stamping on shins and knees and necks."[22]
Bane is involved with the League of Shadows and is posing as the self-proclaimed leader of a revolution against the rich and the corrupt, who he contends are oppressing "the people", and keeping them subservient with "myths of opportunity". Political theorist and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek sees Bane's revolutionary charade as fighting "structural injustice", while likening the ruse to a modern-day Che Guevara who is counter-intuitively driven to violence out of a sense of love.[23] Others have compared Bane to a "high-tech Robespierre on steroids", a melded triad of Lenin, bin Laden and Steve Austin set on fomenting "proletarian retribution", and "the one thing that's worse than the second film's raving anarchist: a demagogue."[24][25] For his part, Nolan has said that his draft for the script was inspired by Charles Dickens' 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities, centered around the French Revolution.[26] This homage to Dickens' story is briefly illustrated by having Bane finger knitparacord (incidentally a real-life habit of Hardy's) in one scene of the film, symbolizing the Reign of Terror-based character Madame Defarge from the book.[26]
While little information is given about Bane's backstory, he is said to have been born and raised in a centuries-old foreign penitentiary known as "the Pit",[27][28] where he spent most of his life incarcerated as a prisoner. Additionally, he was a friend and guardian to Talia al Ghul, whose mother, the daughter of a local warlord, was banished to the Pit by her father and later killed by inmates.[29] Bane also sustained severe injuries after being attacked by the other inmates, which were exacerbated by a doctor's failed attempts to treat him. This gave him chronic pain, which is lessened with a mask that provides him with a constant stream of analgesic gas.[30] Subsequently, Bane was rescued and recruited by Talia's father, Ra's al Ghul, into the League of Shadows, though Ra's eventually excommunicated him for being a reminder of the prison that his wife, Talia's mother, was left to die in. After Ra's' death during the events of Batman Begins, however, Bane rejoined the League as its new leader alongside Talia. Arriving in Gotham, Bane steals weapons from Wayne Enterprises and breaks Batman's back, before leaving him in the Pit. He is later defeated during a riot between Gotham citizens and the League when Catwoman kills him with the Batpod's rockets.
Bane appears in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants, voiced again by Carlos Alazraqui.[3] After being freed from Arkham Asylum by the Penguin and Mr. Freeze, they use his Venom-infused blood to create a growth concoction. Bane subsequently uses it to grow to a giant size and fight a similarly mutated Killer Croc before being defeated by Batman and reverted to normal.
Bane appears in The Lego Batman Movie, voiced by Doug Benson.[3] This version's design is a combination of his comics counterpart and Tom Hardy's portrayal.
Bane appears as a playable character in Lego Batman: The Videogame, voiced by Fred Tatasciore. In addition to his traditional abilities, this version possesses immunity to toxins and serves as a lieutenant to the Penguin, only to be betrayed by him and eventually incarcerated in Arkham Asylum.[34]
Bane appears as a playable character and boss in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Steve Blum.[35][3] Additionally, The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane appears as a playable DLC character.
Bane appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by JB Blanc. Additionally, The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane appears as a playable DLC character.
Bane appears as a playable character and boss in Lego Dimensions, voiced again by Steve Blum.
Bane appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by JB Blanc.
Batman: Arkham
Bane appears in the Batman: Arkham franchise, voiced by Fred Tatasciore in Arkham Asylum and Arkham City and by JB Blanc in Arkham Origins.[3]
First appearing as a boss in Batman: Arkham Asylum, this version is used as a test subject by Dr. Penelope Young to create a more powerful version of his Venom formula called "Titan" to help patients survive strenuous procedures. Having been drained of his Venom as a result, Bane is subsequently left weakened and emaciated until the Joker remotely infuses him with Venom to fight Batman. His strength restored, Bane nearly kills the Dark Knight until the latter summons his Batmobile to ram Bane into the nearby river. In a post-credits scene, Bane emerges from the river and clutches onto a floating Titan crate.
As of Batman: Arkham City, Bane was incarcerated in the eponymous city prison. In the side mission "Fragile Alliance", Bane enlists Batman's help in finding and destroying 12 Titan canisters that had been brought to Arkham City.[36] After Batman destroys half of the canisters and helps Bane fight off TYGER guards and other inmates, Bane reveals he intends to use his half of the canisters to strengthen himself. He attempts to kill Batman, only to be trapped in a defunct elevator before Batman destroys the remaining canisters.
A young Bane appears as a boss and playable character in Batman: Arkham Origins. During this time, he operated as an intelligent yet Venom-addicted mercenary, contract killer, and head of a militia who has had prior history with Batman. Additionally, Bane's design is a composite of his comic book design and that of The Dark Knight Rises incarnation.[citation needed] After being hired by the Joker to kill Batman, Bane deduces the latter's secret identity and takes advantage of Batman's fight with Firefly to attack the Batcave, grievously injuring Alfred Pennyworth in the process. Bane later reluctantly joins forces with the Joker to take over Blackgate Penitentiary and force Batman to kill either one of them. Using the Electrocutioner's shock gloves, Batman stops and restarts Bane's heart. Enraged by this, Bane injects himself with a new strain of Venom called TN-1, turning himself into a hulking monster, only to be defeated by Batman once more. Suffering brain damage that erases his memory of Batman's identity, he is subsequently arrested by the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD).
A young Bane makes a non-speaking cameo appearanceinBatman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. Three months after the events of Arkham Origins, Bane was incarcerated at Blackgate until Amanda Waller hires Catwoman to break him out. The latter manipulates Batman into helping her achieve her goal until Batman eventually defeats her and Bane and leaves them for the GCPD.
Bane appears as a boss and unlockable playable character in DC Universe Online, voiced by Jason Liebrecht.[3] This version runs a Venom drug ring in Gotham City from his Cape Carmine Lighthouse hideout and is assisted by various henchmen, some of whom utilize Venom.
Bane, based on The Dark Knight Rises incarnation, appears in the tie-in mobile game of the same name, voiced by Michael Los.[3] This version sports a shaved head and wields a shoulder-holstered handgun.
Bane appears as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore. Additionally, an alternate reality incarnation who joined High Councilor Superman's Regime appears as well.
The Injustice incarnation of Bane appears as a playable character in Injustice 2, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore. Following the Regime's downfall, Bane joined Gorilla Grodd's Society.
Bane appears in Batman: The Enemy Within, voiced again by JB Blanc.[3] This version is a member of the Pact and close friend of fellow member the Riddler who sports tattoos, facial hair, and initially uses a syringe gun to inject himself with Venom. Additionally, he joined the group in the hopes of using the LOTUS virus to cure his addiction to Venom. If the player's choices lead to the Joker becoming a vigilante, Bane will receive a new strain of Venom and a tube system.
Bane appears in DC Battle Arena, voiced by Kamran Nikhad.[3]
Merchandise
The DCAU incarnation of Bane, based on his Batman: The Animated Series design, received a figure in Kenner Products' tie-in toyline.[40]
The Batman & Robin and Legends of the Dark Knight incarnations of Bane received figures in Kenner's respective tie-in toylines.[41]
Bane received two figures from DC Direct, with one based on his appearance in Batman: Knightfall and one in the "Secret Files & Origins" series.[42]
Bane received two figure variants in Mattel's D.C. Superheroes line.[42]
Bane received a mini-figure in Lego's Bat-Tank building set as part of two-pack with the Riddler.[43]
The DCAU incarnation of Bane received several figures in Mattel's Justice League Unlimited toyline as part of a Matty Collector-exclusive four-pack as well as a Build-a-Figure in the DC Universe Classics line.
The Batman incarnation of Bane received a figure in Mattel's tie-in toyline.
The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane received several figures from Hot Toys and Mattel as well as vinyl figures by POP Heroes and bobble heads by NECA and Wacky Wobbler.[44][45][46][47]
The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane received a mini-figure from Lego in 2012.
The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane received a Play Arts Kai figure from Square Enix.
Bane received several figures in multiple HeroClix sets, with two being dedicated to The Dark Knight Rises and Batman: Arkham Origins incarnations.
The Batman: Arkham incarnation of Bane, based on his designs in Arkham Asylum and Arkham Origins, received several figures from DC Collectibles.
The New Batman Adventures incarnation of Bane received a figure from DC Collectibles.
The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane received a MAFEX figure in Medicom Toy's The Dark Knight Trilogy line.
Miscellaneous
Bane appears in the radio adaptation of Batman: Knightfall, voiced by Peter Marinker.
The Dark Knight Rises incarnation of Bane is parodied in the South Park episode "Insecurity".
The Injustice incarnation of Bane appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five, in which he aligns himself with Superman's Regime to gain a position of power. Superman is initially suspicious of Bane until the latter helps him and Wonder Woman subdue Doomsday. Despite his allies disagreeing with him, Superman agrees to let Bane join.
Bane appears in Batman '66 #33. This version is a professional luchador and the dictator of Skull City, Mexico whose Venom is derived from an Aztec artifact called the Crystal Skull. After the Riddler steals the Crystal Skull, Bane allies himself with the former before challenging Batman to a wrestling match. He seemingly breaks the Dark Knight's back, but Batman reveals he hid a Batarang behind his back to prevent this. During their subsequent rematch, Batman defeats Bane and allows him to be apprehended by Skull City's luchadores, freeing the city.[49]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqr"Bane Voices (Batman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 26, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
^McWeeny, Drew (August 27, 2012). "Our second look at 'The Dark Knight Rises' digs into the bad and the ugly". Hitfix. Retrieved December 19, 2012. The Joker tells constant lies about himself and his backstory, and Nolan tells one big lie about the origin of Bane. That lie is designed to hide the film's biggest reveal, and we do eventually learn the truth about Bane. It seems fitting that in the one flashback where Nolan tells the full truth about Bane's identity, we finally catch that single glimpse of Tom Hardy's face.
^Game Informer features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "LEGO Batman: Character Gallery", Game Informer 186 (October 2008): 93.
