Bane - Bat-May

[@ChannelAwesome]

What did everyone think of Bane? Watch Bat-May 2021 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/emmqnJWMl8aXerc Watch Bat-May 2020 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmfPamd9jsR8oNU Follow Walter on Twitter - twitter.com/Awesome_Walter

[@kilroywashere513]

I liked it, and I have the comic book bane appeared in that you mentioned in your video, and so does my cofounder👍🏻👍🏻💯.

[@pika_dusk]

I don't think overdosing works like that... How does the venom manage to go through his circulatory system so quickly?

[@justmoonwithamustache]

Fun Fact: Bruce Timm admitted that he hated Bane. He said that he was "pissed at seeing this nobody come out of nowhere and beat Batman". So in his anger he made this episode

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

That would explain why Bane looks especially pathetic after Batman beats him. While Bane does need the venom to get super strength, he's still a massive and terrifying looking guy. But after Batman beats him here, he looks like a chubby loser anyone oculd beat.

[@Avenger85438]

It does him credit that he was still willing to portray him as a formidable threat until then. Shows a lot of restraint and maturity. While it can be cathartic to see someone you hate get clobbered its classier to avoid going overboard. Otherwise you risk it coming across as mean spirited or edgy like those Marshal Law books.

[@robchuk4136]

I get this. I've heard Bane described as a gimmick villain out-of-nowhere to defeat the hero, similar to Doomsday for Superman, and for those of us who followed this in the 90s, it's hard to deny.

[@DeltaAssaultGaming]

He also thought Batman should go and sleep with Batgirl.

[@milkiassamuel780]

@@robchuk4136 I think the difference between Bane and Doomsday is that Doomsday was primarily used as a plot device to kill Superman in order to get people more hooked on the comics. In contrast, Bane felt like a built-up antagonist, that used tactical methods to display how vulnerable Batman can be, as well as fleshing Bane out as a character, which we never really got for Doomsday until later on. Although I do understand why Bruce Timm and some people may find the character to be unnecessary and seen as a gimmick villain, I personally think the character is fascinating and felt a lot more fleshed out than Doomsday, with a much more significant built-up presence to deliver one of the most brutal moments in Batman's comic history.

[@Jackie-McCann]

“He trashed my car, Alfred. Between a couple of guys, that’s _real_ personal.” That line makes me laugh every time.

[@baki484]

Favorite episode in the series. Especially the OD scene.

[@postersandstuff]

@@baki484 RIP Bane aka Henry Silva......ive got his autograph , very rare as last 20 yrs or so he was pretty much impossible thru mail

[@baki484]

@@postersandstuff nice

[@AkuTenshiiZero]

Man, that whole sequence of Bane overdosing on Venom is one of those things that was _way_ too intense for a children's cartoon, but I still love that BTAS pushed the limits with stuff like that.

[@toysvilltvstudios2.072]

And new nightmares are born! O.O

[@circa81]

censor standards are wierd. Batman can't get a little bloody cut but that whole Bane sequence is fine?

[@ig1119]

Right i remember watching this episode with my younger sister. She covered her face at this part.

[@thegladve]

even if it does feel like it belonged on Rin and Stimpy

[@ianfortuna9385]

Sometimes you got to scare kids into behaving

[@Godzillakingofkaiju1]

The one problem I had is that Bane's appearance sparked the trend of "Bane being some lackey" when in the comics, he's a lethal villain in and of himself. I think the YJ and Arkham Origins incarnations are the closest we're ever gonna get to a truly faithful depiction of Bane.

[@mdalsted]

It seems Bruce Timm was unhappy about Batman being beaten by someone who seemingly came out of nowhere, hence Bane's lesser depiction toward the end of the episode. Still, gotta give the man credit, he still made sure Bane was established as a threat; he didn't go overboard with his dislike of the character.

[@pinedragon5398]

True but young justice still did him dirty

[@wjzav1971]

@@mdalsted Yeah, I'm not too impressed with this show's version of Bane either. He lacks the epicness and gravitas he should have. And honestly, I disagree with Bruce Timm. It makes total sense that Batman would be beaten by someone who comes out of nowhere and catches him with his pants down.

[@spencermalley10]

TDKR Bane was not a lackey, He was an equal partner.

[@fynnthefox9078]

In my take of Bane, I actually plan on him being a vigilante who wants to help Batman and earns his trust. Only to betray him and break him. Also, he doesn't have the venom until later when he takes over Gotham, after he turns it into a no man's land.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

To this day, seeing Bane getting over pumped with Venom was one of the most shocking and horrifying I've seen in BTAS ! It felt like something straight outta Ren & Stimpy, and made me wonder " Is this guy gonna die?!"

[@thevine2010]

The implementation of Killer Croc is also brilliant. He used to be a wrestler as well so he would recognize Bane's accent and style of fighting. Yes, he is portrayed as an idiot in TAS but he will take a better path for himself once it is presented.

[@sonikku956]

Batman thinks he's an idiot, but Croc is fairly smart in the show

[@xyalpzttt]

@@sonikku956 you’re perfectly right. Croc is of course not a genius like the Riddler but he is certainly not an idiot. In the first episode where he appears « Vendetta », he is very clever, imagines a plan to put Harvey Bullock in jail and makes Batman believe Bullock is really the culprit for a moment (It’s only on the middle of the story that Batman discovers the truth ).The only one man who always knew that Bullock was innocent was the commissioner Gordon.

[@METALARMS1002]

@@xyalpzttt Oh but you all seem to forget Crocs greatest strategy of THROWING A ROCK at Batman...A HEAVY ROCK

[@tehdipstick]

@@sonikku956 I'm not sure Batman himself thinks Croc's an idiot, but his portrayal of him in "Almost Got 'Im" definitely has him play into how the other rogues perceive him as an idiot.

[@solblackguy]

Croc was never portrayed as an idiot directly outside of "Almost Got Im" which is a major exception. Even when I was a kid, I always saw him as street smart and highly manipulative.

[@theretrobro3826]

The Title Card is honestly one of the most iconic and stylistic in the DCAU. So simplistic in its design but days so much about the character and what they're capable of.

[@thEannoyingE]

The title cards if this show, except the redesign, deserves their own book.

[@edwardgaines6561]

Worthy of a Drew Struzan movie poster! At the very least they should make an artbook.

[@BonitoJoe111]

Bane scared me as a kid. Not because he was intimidating, but because I kept fearing what type of scary things could go wrong with his venom tubes Him nearly EXPLODING would've absolutely traumatized me as a kid

[@titanguy7316]

Batman and Robin version gave me nightmares for a while as a kid. I have to pity myself now, because the movie as a whole deserves ridicule. Seems ridiculous that a nine-year-old could get frightened by a green monotone balloon man, essentially.

[@MMTrigger]

@@titanguy7316 I knew enough about Knightfall to be worried when Bane showed up. I don't think he and Batman even had a 1 on 1 fight.

[@Mate397]

I mean he did end up as a vegetable from using the stuff too much, as seen in Batman Beyond when Terry checks on Bane when a version of Venom begins to spread in his school.

[@nathancruz9172]

Those steroids are very deadly to our entire bodies in real life.

[@KaiserUnique]

The Batman Beyond episode with the “slappers” fucked me up for the same reason

[@MRDRK1]

One of the best lines in the whole series: Batman: "He trashed my car, Alfred. Between a couple of guys, that's real personal."

[@Magnero]

Batman saying the truest truth.

[@arthurboriathetrueking999]

Never mess with a man’s car

[@jinpei05]

Alfred: You seem to have a ding in your door, sir. Batman: He trashed my car, Alfred. Between a couple of guys, that's real personal. Alfred : Nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humor in the face of adversity. Alfred's roasting on point once again

[@jamesadamsfl]

Batman: So, who wants to kill me? Alfred: That line is forming around the block.

[@shainewhite2781]

Henry Silva did an impressive job voicing Bane in this episode.

[@gregorykeithmorris3970]

Agreed, he and Hector Elizondo made Bane sound incredibly cool.

[@seanchukwuezi3079]

I think his voice in the new batman adventures is better his potrayl is more serious and calm cunning than a Mexican stereotype.

[@jdtroup198683]

You got remember Henry Silvia always has been best villain voice I remember him from Steven Segal movie where he played a drug lord

[@MyGuyJustinH]

I agree 👍

[@reginaroadie]

I remember as a kid seeing this episode and the image of Bane going all bug eyed at the end of the episode scaring the crap out of me. Glad to see that image still does. Another great example of when kids shows weren’t afraid to traumatized their target audience.

[@justavivi3386]

I wonder how many children had nightmares after THAT Bane's face. Show for kids, everybody.

[@ShinMajin]

This grown adult might have nightmares from seeing it again.

[@kildaver]

Mental scars and nightmare fuel build character!

[@Bulbasaur617]

Bane, the "Bane" of Batman's crime fighting career. I agreed I wish this episode or another one of his appearances was a two parter. Maybe make it somewhat similar to Knightfall. Still this is a great episode featuring him.

[@wjzav1971]

I disagree. I think this episode came short in showing how lethal he is and the end where he was shoved into Thorne's office as some chubby dude made him a joke. Word is that Bruce Timm didn't like Bane or that Batman would be defeated by some guy out of nowhere.

[@TheComicRelief9001]

I remember even as a kid I could tell that Bane was going to be a different type of villain just from the title card. His crazy face still haunts my nightmares

[@claytonrios1]

Surprisingly he works better without the Tom Hardy voice. Unless we're talking about the Harley Quinn show. He's hilarious in that.

[@666slateran666]

Surprisingly? Most people dogged on his accent immediately and it hasn't aged well, about as bad as batmans own voice in the trilogy. Somehow the movies are great despite the crap performances.

[@motor4X4kombat]

I AM CUTTING THIS CARD... blades are dull .... I WILL BEND IT

[@liviolangella2777]

Blow Up On The Ground, You Stupid Office Chair!

[@TeamCap623]

@@666slateran666 Sorry buddy but I will not tolerate ANYONE saying that the performances in those movies were crap those were some of the best versions of those characters to date... P.S. I'm only half serious/joking so please don't take what I said TOO seriously.

[@666slateran666]

@@TeamCap623 lol it's especially jarring when comparing the regular sounding new batman. I don't even know how they would try to depict bane if they tried.

[@Dhampir101980]

Say what you will about them changing The design of Bane’s mask, but having more of his facial features and expressions be clearly visible definitely helped to improve the intensity of his overdose scene. I don’t think it would have worked nearly as well with his original mask at all. His new adventures design was an abomination though. Just no… there he looks like a rejected cenobite from the hellraiser franchise.

[@inediblegrobb7524]

I actually thought Bane was one of the show's big missteps. Most of the episode was good: Bane was smart, threatening, he got in the viewers head convincing us he was more than Batman could handle. He could have been as good as Ra's al Ghul or the Joker. Then Batman beat him, revealing that the venom device attached to his head was a glaring weakness. After that Batman held the beaten, maskless Bane up before Thorne. I could never take Bane seriously as a threat after that. It didn't help that every subsequent appearance of Bane he was just muscle with an ego.

[@Godzillakingofkaiju1]

Even more so, if you remember in the comics, Bane is a lethal villain in and of himself.

[@Commanderziff]

That's basically Bane's career in the comics. He was cool ONCE, and he's never managed to quite climb back to that initial high. I've often heard him compared to Doomsday, he was created to be a big strong thing that decimated the hero. Once he had served that purpose, they weren't sure what to do with him.

[@wjzav1971]

Agreed. Bane's incarnation in this show was pretty weak. Clayface, Mad Hatter or Mr Freeze were fare more challening foes.

[@jinpei05]

Congratulations, you've discovered why Bane sucks!

[@joshinthesauce4636]

@@Commanderziff He killed Alfred in the comics so that’s something

[@ryiin]

The fight between killer crock is nearly straight out of the comic.

[@timothylewis2527]

I always loved those characters from the 90s like Bane, Doomsday, Onslaught, etc. Things always felt like they were about to change forever when this new insurmountable threat would arise.

[@DeltaAssaultGaming]

Too bad Bane and Doomsday were done so poorly in the AU

[@louisduarte8763]

Holy crap, that Bane meltdown sequence still freaks me out.

[@Greenscyth22]

5:53 One of my favorite parts. I always laughed when she took off her heels to dive in and fight Robin.

[@calebray1834]

That overdose scene scared the hell out of me as a kid. I thought I blocked this from my memory but seeing it again came right back.

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

It's kind of funny that Bane, despite being one of Batman's most intimidating enemies only ever got one episode where he was the main villain. Then again with that easily breakable venom system it's not that surprising.

[@1krani]

I like that Young Justice did away with his venom tubes and still had him as a match for Batman.

[@dredskl]

Which sucks because the point of bane is that he’s Batman’s equal, the venom just makes up for his lack of gadgets

[@wjzav1971]

Bane came really short in this episode.

[@williamcrowe2576]

Denis O'Neil's novelization of the Knightfall saga was also making the rounds at the time, I think.

[@psychodeviant8903]

I loved this episode as a kid. I was on the edge of my seat when Bane lifted Batman above his head and extended his knee and I remember thinking "Holy crap, is he really going to break his back." It didn't happen and I understand why it (obviously) didn't but I definitely was nervous for awhile. I appreciated the nod to the scene from the comic if nothing else. Bane felt like a threat in this episode in the way pretty much no other villain on the show did.

[@therenegade1096]

Bane getting a Venom overdose is definitely one of the best scenes in the series

[@Commanderziff]

Robin's fight with Candace does always give me a laugh. For most of the "fight" he appears to be losing...

[@MJosephB]

Thank you! I always loved this moment. For all his training, Dick clearly doesn’t know the art of catfighting, lol. Though he adapted quickly.

[@wjzav1971]

Well, Candace was kind a hot, so maybe he held back intentionally to prolonge the fight and be close to her longer....

[@JStryker47]

I'm surprised the animator actually took the time to draw all ten of her toenails too, even though her bare feet are only briefly seen, for a couple quick frames. Talk about dedication.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

One of those legendary nightmare fuel episodes of the show. Due to a different format it wouldn't be possible to do justice to the Knightfall plotline, which took place across dozens of issues originally intended to be the final bow for Bruce Wayne as Batman, and as a result Bane's primary selling point as 'The man who broke the Bat' is diminished. Still, it didn't stop him from being threatening in Arkham Origins. More than just being smart and strong enough to challenge Batman, the most iconic Bane thing for me is a guy who looks like the Hulk yet talks extremely formally, even poetically.

[@toysvilltvstudios2.072]

BTAS: We have alot of spooky moments. This episode: Hold my beer.

[@pinoyjona]

Minus the lips and nose, DCAU/TAS Bane is one of my favorite versions of him outside the comic. He is so much more interesting in the show and happy he’s shown to be highly intelligent and tactical than just appearing as a brute.

[@davidesterley3163]

I would like to see an animated adaptation of "Knightfall" into a movie, possibly a multipart story but I dread how DC would handle it

[@BoUrnNe26]

I've been wanting that for years. And you're right. I hope if they ever do that story, they won't make ridiculous changes to it.

[@wjzav1971]

Actually, DC has shown something of a golden hand with their animated features. Its the life-actions stuff they more often than not muck up.

[@BoUrnNe26]

@@wjzav1971 For the most part you are correct but they have had some misses in the DCAU...though their latest The Long Halloween was a great adaptation imo.

[@anarky1765]

They handled Flashpoint and The Death of Superman pretty well

[@blackpanthro]

Very much should have been a 2-part episode considering how long and iconic Bane's story became.

[@R.J.Godzilla81]

Favorite line of the episode, “He wrecked my car Alfred, between a couple of guys, that’s real personal” (LOL)

[@n.b.eskerata1678]

Bane--"I am invincible!" Batman--"You're a loony."

[@alexiaNBC]

Bane is my favorite Batman villain from the comics. Just the way he studied Batman, learned his identity then planned out how to tire him out mentally and physically made him very intimidating in the Knightfall comics. I felt this episode remains the closest they stayed true to the source material (with the exception of Arkham Origins) but would've prefered they did a two parter to flesh him out more like you said.

[@milkiassamuel780]

Bane is one of my all-time favourite comic book villains as he is truly relentless. I quite liked how this episode depicted Bane. However, I do wish we could've seen more of Bane in the animated series and that perhaps it would've been better for this episode to be a two-parter to truly show more of Bane as an intimidating presence for characters. Although I do like this take on the character, my favourite depiction of Bane is The Arkham Origins Bane which felt intelligent, cunning and terrifying every day, even destroying the Batcave, uncovering Batman's identity and almost killing Alfred.

[@BlazerK1914]

My favorite versions of Bane were from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Batman Arkham Origins’.

[@wjzav1971]

He was a freaking beast in Origin. When I first fought him and dodged his Venom Charge and he simply steered to still hit me I was like 0_o

[@isaacgleeth3609]

No love for his appearance in the Harley Quinn show?

[@dannysummers4591]

he was great in Origins, felt like a blend of the TDKR version and the comics, just too bad he became a dumb brute at the end like he was in Arkham Asylum.

[@toysvilltvstudios2.072]

OMG! That Venom overdosing scene! I've never seen this episode until now. So glad I didn't watch when I was smaller. I would be scarred for life! Watching it now....Yep, That scared me. O.O (The heartbeat and his screams just made it even more scarier!)

[@StillTheVoid]

The venom sequence has to be one of the most intense moments I have ever seen. I interpret it as an anti-drug episode about the dangers of steroids when I was 5. Henry Silva was known for playing both main anatagonists with Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris. RIP.

[@Josh-ez5hf]

The entire Nightfall storyline could've been a whole season. That comic is such a sprawling epic

[@octo-generaljones8691]

When I first saw Bane in the show beat the crap out of killer croc with little effort, I knew right then and there that this guy was a threat that couldn’t possibly be taken lightly.

[@derekrinaldi6652]

The scene at the end where Bane is OD'ing always reminded me of the "gasping for air on Mars" look from Total Recall. The bulging, veiny eyes, and extreme facial expansion was definitely referential.

[@keijijohnson9754]

0:46 - Huh. They even took the time to actually write an actual article in there too; it’s not just a page full of lines and illegible scribbles. Quite a nice attention of detail there.

[@josejuanandrade4439]

"You can't do this to me! I am invencible... i - am - Bane ! "I'm Batman!"

[@jakehardin7520]

I am very thankful that this episode was my introduction to Bane.

[@batboythecool]

bane is seriously underrated. wish more batman media had this version of him

[@Jerricola2]

Funny enough despite all its problems, I really loved how Bane was handled in Batman Arkham Origins. I thought it was a pretty good representation, at least up until they turn him into that hulking juggernaut with brain damage.

[@CougarLeonII]

Fun fact, when I saw this episode as a kid the Bane Overloading scenes scared the crap out of me. Much later, I watched it again and laughed as there's a cartoony pop when his eye pieces dislodge from his mask, followed by a slight deflating noise after Batman yanks out the tube.

[@js5869]

I love the one where superman is impersonating Batman and fights Bane. That’s one of the best moments in the whole series where the bad guys think they crushed Batman and he just gets up. “That’s not possible”. It just adds to the “legend” of Batman.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

This episode( primarily near the end) and more is where Bane takes a nosedive. He is usually a serious threat in comics...but when it comes to animation...he's a joke. Though I do love him in Harley Quinn. He's awesome!

[@maldon3659]

Y'know I'm surprised that Thorne was willing to work with Bane again in Mystery Of The Batwoman

[@Ahkmedren]

I remember watchin' this when it aired. Like others, the scene where Bane's getting overloaded has like- burned into my brain. It was extremely graphic compared to other cartoons at that time, but MAN it was done so well like that. It needed to be that intense. Hooh. Love this Bat-May series =w=

[@grapeshot]

It's crazy what happens to Bane by the time we get the Batman Beyond. A straight futuristic crackhead.

[@duhdeedee]

Bruce Timm REALLY didn't like Bane.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

Realistic though. Venom is x100 more powerful than real-life steroids, naturally the long-term side effects would be just as horrible. He's lucky to be alive... or maybe not lucky.

[@potsdam28]

@@WhiteFangofWar In the comics he occasionally stopped using it

[@gabrieldjatienza6971]

Henry Silva's Bane voice is superior to Tom Hardy's version.

[@darthroden]

6:30 Looks like what happened in Total Recall (1990) when someone was exposed to the surface of Mars without a suit.

[@FabledHeroes3351]

I really wish they’d adapt the *Knightfall* story into at least a two part animated movie

[@wstine79]

I surprised not many of the other interpretations of BANE focused on his need for the Venom serum.

[@christopheredwards788]

A great episode. Seeing Bane near exploding was shocking and scary. Still is.

[@Zacman1123]

Oh boy. Been waiting for this one.

[@Gojiro7]

Personally I think the best version of Bane was the one in Young Justice, he's of course strong like he always is, but he's as smart as he's supposed to be like in the comics, my favorite example of this comes from him shielding his thoughts from Miss Martian mind reading powers by Bane mentally rattling off Baseball statistics in Spanish......backwards, that is the most comic book thing I have ever heard, I freakin love it XD

[@videocrowsnest5251]

Who knew Bane was into baseball to the point he had enough statistics to use like that too? It's interesting to think of the implications of him having such a regular old hobby. Though, can you imagine Bane taking a day off to play baseball? Or attending a game? Probably would have his own private box seats, but the mere idea of Bane just having a normal seat amidst the crowd to tune into some baseball is oddly whimsical...especially if you think about the random people sitting next to him trying not to be too scared by the towering man with a few too many rumors about em and his activities.

[@Gojiro7]

@@videocrowsnest5251 hey, if Jack Nicholson can take time out to be at Lakers games then i'm sure Bane can probably be into watching Baseball games while he works out or going to ones in his home country for business meet ups

[@aRBy125]

No mention for the best exchange in the episode. Bane: Beg for mercy! SCREAM MY NAAAAAME! Batman: ...Never! 😄

[@Deadwolf27]

I think one thing that really works in this episodes favor is Bane doesn't show up for a long time in the series. At this point we've seen Batman overcome a lot so when some guy shows up to beat down croc (who we have seen really overpower Batman a lot) and smash the batmobile it's like oh damn. This guy is on another level. I also feel the same way about Marvel's Venom and I wish things like Spider-Gwen or the animated shows held off longer to really emphasize the unique threat they bring.

[@WhitieWu]

I still cherish the excitement I felt when they realized that the damage done to their Batmobile was made by bare hands. That said...those finger indents indicated that Bane would be much, MUCH bigger than he actually is and it kinda bummed me out that he didn't get that huge. Oh well, still an awesome episode.

[@RejectedHeroesMedia]

sad that bat may is almost over 😢😢😢😢

[@tarhoontop6772]

Cover for this episode is just epic. Might be my favorite one in a whole series

[@Bluesit32]

The heartbeat during the overdose scene illustrates what the real danger Bane is facing. His heart is pumping harder and faster as it swells in size, but the circulatory system its connected to doesn't. Bane was very fortunate to survive that fight. You'd think Batman would cut the tube instead of jamming the valve open.

[@TheEagleWithNoName]

I like this version of Bane, he’s smart calculated and know what’s he’s doing. Kinda like Arkham Origins version of the character

[@Anthyrion]

Yeah, the Characters in the Arkham Games were really good interpreted and i really like the Killer Croc in the games. He looks way more intimidating than the Cartoon Version

[@alexiaNBC]

Yeah, Arkham Origins had him down pat

[@princeblackelf4265]

The Origins version kind of had to be told because it explains why he's pretty stupid in the rest of the games despite the fact that Bane is supposed to be as smart as he is strong

[@aidanhever3369]

I wish the media will give a proper interpretation of Bane, especially his character design. Over the years, he has always been depicted as a muscular lackey rather than a criminal mastermind with a ridiculous-looking mask.

[@wjzav1971]

I thought the Arkham Origins video game made him quite threatening in his own right.

[@aidanhever3369]

@@wjzav1971 True, but I still hate his mask and the green veins in his muscles and eyes.

[@HououMinamino]

I have medical trauma due to health issues that I have had since I was a baby, so what happened to Bane absolutely terrified me as a kid--I hate IVs even though I have to get infusion treatments, and the idea of anything going wrong with them is still a scary thought for me. It was definitely a good deterrent against drugs!

[@langbo9999]

You know someone Is not to be undressed when an enemy like Killer Croc is warning you.

[@michaelbyrne5606]

6:31 😂 Know it’s framed as a horrific moment, but when Bane overloads in the last few, I straight up wonder if the animators intentionally channeled that Bob Clampett Looney energy into his wild take. 👀

[@titanguy7316]

Bane in Dark Knight Rises worked for me. While he didn't have the Venom and worked for Talia instead of being his own threat, Bane was still both a physical intimidating presence as well as a great mastermind who's able to trick both Batman and Gotham into doing what he wants.

[@RockySamson]

I feel like the best part of Bane’s defeat in this episode is how it demystifies him. Not only is he taken out in the traditional unmasking of a luchador, but without his mask, he’s just an unremarkable man. I wished that element to Bane’s character was played with more in other interpretations.

[@wjzav1971]

But Bane IS a remarkable man. He literally grew up in a cutthroat prison where he honed his skills and steeled his body from childhood onwards. And even without the Venom, he is an incredibly strong and lethal warrior. The whole demystification works with someone like Scarecrow where he can induce your worst nightmares but under that mask is just a scrawny sad little man. Or Riddler where he is just an arrogant twat with an inferiority complex. But Bane is supposed to be remarkable and imposing.

[@RockySamson]

I guess what I’m getting at is that Bane carries himself in such an egotistical way that seeing him knocked down and unmasked humanizes him in such a deflating and satisfying manner.

[@timothylewis2527]

Remember watching this and calling my cousin and saying "THEY'RE DOING KNIGHTFALL!!" 😂😂

[@SuperGodzilla2]

i always felt that this should have been a two parter

[@TheCreepypro]

one of my favorite episodes just cause it introduced me to my favorite batman villain

[@Next0gen0]

I actually gotta give them credit for deciding to show Bane's Whole face as opposed to a Mask. It would have been easier on the animation budget, but it would have made his final venom scene much less memorable.

[@crimsonvoid1595]

Bane’s full reaction to overuse of Venom is shown in Batman Beyond.

[@antonmasters8626]

This episode was my introduction of Bane and later I got a copy of Knightfall and saw how badass he really can be breaking Bats. Good episode but wish it was a 2 parter instead it seemed kind of wrapped up too soon

[@kildaver]

At the end, Batman basically said, "next time, send your 'A' game, bitch!", and just strode off.

[@alasiadarthe001actual9]

Bane’s face while ODing needs to be a meme template. I love how looney tunes it looks.

[@piehead678]

My professor at my university is Mitch Brian. Cool dude and very insightful in his film knowledge.

[@pacoramon9468]

It's both the smart and "dumb muscleman" version of Bane. In this cartoon they always defeat him by cutting his Venom cable.

[@Wimplo86]

I remember always quoting that part as a kid “You can’t do this to me!!! I AM BAAANE!!!”

[@jlev1028]

I agree with Walter that this should've been a two-parter since Bane clearly didn't get enough time to impose himself as a special threat. This is why I've been thinking of a rewrite over the past few days. Let's call this a fanscription: What if the Bane episode was based on Knightfall? Part I The episode starts off the same as it does in the official version, but when Thorne meets Bane, he laughs him off. "What sort of joke is this, Candice? I need an assassin, not a two-bit wrestler. Get him out of my sight!" As his men aim their guns at Bane, the masked man chuckles, activates his gauntlets, and roids up, tearing his suit to reveal a black leotard, blue pants, and a white belt. He then knocks away two goons and, offscreen, crushes the skull of the third one. Bane then offers his services, promising to break Batman in exchange for a briefcase of diamonds. Thorne replies, "So what? You're stronger than ten men, apparently? Batman has fought people like you before." Bane retorts, "Ah, but he's never faced anyone who's matched both his wits and brawn, has he?" He then explains his plan: free the inmates from Arkham, observe the Caped Crusader fight them night after night, and as soon as he's exhausted his last energies, take him down by surprise. Thorne then asks, "If you've thought of this already, why haven't you done so?" only for Bane to answer that he needs Thorne's resources as well as information regarding Arkham's location in order to carry out his plan. Thorne tells him what he needs to know and then sends him what he asked: men and weapons. The scene cuts to Bane and three of Thorne's goons on a hill above Arkham. He has one drive a supply truck to Arkham, throw knock-out gas at security guards, and then steal their uniforms. He has another carry a bazooka and aim it at the right spot. And he has the third wear a walkie-talkie so he could hear instructions from the other end. As the disguised goons walk through Arkham, one is ordered to head to the administrator's office to not only knock him out with chloroform before he could sound the alarm but also activate the unlock button for every room in the asylum. They succeed as the inmates are freed, overwhelming the guards and running out of the asylum. To escape both the inmates and the guards, the goons travel on a zipline thrown by Bane and carried by his strong grip. Just as the last of the insane and deranged escape, Bane orders the last goon to fire his bazooka at a precise angle so all witnesses are killed and all evidence pointing to Thorne or Bane's involvement is wiped out. They then escape in the supply truck. The scene cuts to Batman and Robin hearing the radio broadcast over Arkham's destruction and then walking to the Batcomputer which shows all the wanted villains scrambled throughout the city. The latter asks who could've committed a plan like that in such a precise way while the former says it doesn't matter and that he's just going to have to go nights without sleep in order to recapture as many of his rogues as he can. Robin then asks, "Which one do you want to go after first?" and Batman points to Killer Croc's picture on the monitor. The scene cuts to the Dynamic Duo confronting him in the sewers after they notice him removing his empty grey jumpsuit next to an open manhole. Thanks to the many times he's confronted Batman, Croc learned to adapt and used subterfuge to take out the Boy Wonder and overwhelm the Dark Knight. Bane watches on from a platform above and contemplates interfering before realizing it would be unsportsmanlike. If Batman died, he was "never a real challenger". Fortunately, the Dark Knight gets a second wind and KOs Croc, resulting in Bane leaving satisfied and promising to make his presence known at the end. After waking up, Robin jokingly remarks, "One down, fifty more to go. Where to next?" The scene cuts to a montage of Batman confronting Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Joker, Two Face, Riddler, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Ventriloquist & Scarface all while looking increasingly tired each time and Bane observing from an unknown location. At last, after more than a week of nonstop crimefighting, Batman is lying on a chair in the Batcave, sweating and breathing hard. Robin comes over and says, "Well, that's all of them. Since Arkham is slowly getting rebuilt, the criminals are being transferred to Stonegate in the meantime. Shouldn't you be getting some rest? It's not healthy, Bruce." Alfred agrees, saying, "Master Dick is right. A good night's sleep is imperative, sir. You don't want to be drowsy for tomorrow's breakfast." Batman replies, "I understand. This is the most stressful I've been since putting on the cape and cowl. Now that all this over, I do deserve sleep, a deep one." Unfortunately, such optimism is tarnished by a phone call. Expecting the commissioner on the other end, Batman instead hears Bane's voice. The latter admits that he was responsible for the "liberation" of Arkham and challenges the hero to a death match in Gotham Constructions. If he refuses within an hour, Bane will execute his hostage which, when he puts on the phone, cries for help. Bane adds another warning: "Don't bother to bring any allies with you. If I see a pig or your little errand boy anywhere, this woman will die!" Despite Robin arguing that it's a trap, and Batman will be mentally and physically unprepared to fight the mysterious caller, his mentor counters, "I have no choice. I can't let someone die from my inactions." And when the Boy Wonder tries to stop him, Batman throws bolas from his utility around Robin's torso and turns off every vehicle except the Batmobile with his car keys to prevent his ward from going after him. The Dark Knight finally arrives at the construction site and frees the tied-up woman with a bag over her head, but she's revealed to be Candice, now girlfriend of Bane. She calls him a sucker before Bane ambushes his opponent. Bane explains his ruse and talks about how he came an ocean away not simply for money but to prove himself ruler of Gotham City. The Caped Crusader notices his accent and asks if he's Santa Priscan, to which Bane answers, "Yes." "The rumors must be true. You are the World's Greatest Detective." Batman then asks if he's an operative, a mercenary, or a terrorist to which Bane denies those descriptions and simply calls himself "a survivor". Bane then tells his story: Born in Pena Duro to a mother imprisoned for protesting the dictatorship, he grew up having to strengthen both his mind and body to survive the prison's conditions. One day, he was selected as a test subject for Project Gilgamesh in order to create an elite super soldier, being the strongest of the inmates and more than capable of surviving the process compared to previous subjects. While the experiment was a success, Bane refused to follow orders, killed the doctors, overran the prison, and led a revolution to topple the dictatorship before becoming an assassin for the highest bidder. When asked what Batman has to do with his past, Bane explains that, for years, he's been haunted by a bat monster in his dreams and hopes to find peace by eliminating Gotham's symbol. He then says that with Batman's weakened state, he might not need Venom to crush him, though he wants to demonstrate its potency. Bane pumps himself up to the Masked Manhunter's horror and throws the first punch, which is dodged. However, Batman's counters miss every time, ending with him being smacked to the side. He then tries to use every gadget, from batarangs to bolas, only resulting in them being crushed in Bane's palms. Even flash grenades don't do much but hurt his eyes, which triggers him into picking up an iron bar and slamming it against Batman in anger. With only one gadget left, Batman tries to grapple to a nearby ledge, only for Bane to grab his leg and slam him back down. The Dark Knight cannot move so he tries one last thing: activate the Batmobile so it could ram into Bane at 100 MPH, but Bane predicts that move and has Candice throw a sticky bomb that blows up the car. Walking up to the crawling Batman, Bane tells him, "I've watched you ever since your fight with Croc. Every move you have ever made is predictable. I am your intellectual superior! I am your physical superior!" Then he quotes the iconic "You are beaten. Beg for mercy. Scream my name!" with the fallen hero replying with a faint but defiant "Never...to scum like you." Satisfied with the answer, Bane picks up his opponent's limp body and declares, "Tonight, Gotham's light dims. The Bat is broken!" Instantly, he slams his knee into Batman's back, resulting in the sound of a spine being shattered and the scream of eternal pain. His crippled body is then thrown from Bane's hands, and the victor says, "You may ask for death, but I will not give it to you. You will instead live with your humiliation, your legend destroyed, and your city falling to my heels." Bane looks at his girlfriend and states, "I have done what your employer has not, mi amora. We will celebrate by taking over his empire and ruling Gotham together." They hold hands, and the episode ends with the camera lowering to reveal Batman squirming and convulsing in pain.

[@sonikku956]

I have a strong feeling that if this episode was animated by TMS, Bane's drug induced meltdown would have bumped up the rating from TV-Y7 to TV-PG back then.

[@StillTheVoid]

This show among many others had a strong influence in the formation of the parental guidance system 25 years ago next month.

[@Phantom.Gaming64]

It was a such a letdown that when Batman & Robin movie by Joel Schumacher came out, they basically made Bane a thug for Poison Ivy, with no signs of that high intelligence that Bane from the comics was known for. This live-action version of Bane makes him look like a brain-dead idiot who barely can talk sentences and just groans through the movie. He was just all muscle and no brains. I wasn't aware that steroids somehow reduces your IQ to level of 20.

[@wstine79]

It was hilarious to see BANE get bear up by Superman dressed as Batman

[@johnrussellpelt9091]

I admit I was never really all that impressed with Bane; he seemed like a remodel of another Batman's-polar-opposute villain, the KGBeast, right down to his appearance. If the creative staff at the time had worked more to emphasize a Doc-Savage-but-evil element to him that was present when he first appeared, things would be different. But as it is, I can see how he wound up just dumb muscle for Poison Ivy.

[@robswords3151]

Amazing no fans complained about this look yet they complained about his Batman & Robin look which looked like it was inspired by this wimpy look.Heck Arkham Asylum and City have said he's pretty small without Venom and nobody's ever complained.

[@Powherkrangunch]

I don't know if you're a Ninja turtles fan or not but it might interest you to know they pulled off a direct copy of the Bane and Batman epic battle scene with Shredder and Raphael! it appears in the Season 3 conclusion. I highly recommend checking out the 2003 turtles series if you haven't seen it dude! This was definitely one of my favorite episodes!

[@Elfos64]

Bane getting overloaded like that probably had something to do with the state we see him in as of Batman Beyond where he needs a constant stream of venom injection or else he like wastes away.

[@Brasswatchman]

6:04 The knowledge that Knightfall was going on around this time lent the episode a kind of tension that's hard to replicate in the present day.

[@brianrebmann5398]

very good video. I enjoyed your analysis. This is a good episode. Thanks for a great video

[@Riako]

The scene of bane being full of his drug was one of the most terrifying memories I ever had. I was watching it with my mom when it happened and we were so scared that his head was going to explode that I remember her grabbing me and covering my face. Such an intense scene.

[@251to502]

As frightening as the premise of Bane physically breaking Batman was, it was also funny to me. Very brilliant how you ended this with Bane’s scream near the end of the episode.

[@jamesbounds]

This is the closest we get to a pro wrestling episode on the Batman the animated series. Batman and Bane land a lot of wrestling moves on each other on the final battle.

[@darthcinema4262]

I wasn't a fan of Bane in this show. He wasn't very threatening and he didn't even break Batman. I definitely loved him more in the Arkham games, Dark Knight Rises, and the Harley Quinn show.

[@DeltaAssaultGaming]

Agreed. Bane was a complete chump. Nothing like how he was in Knightfall.