Since his debut in 1940, the Joker has evolved to become Batman’s most iconic foe in the DC universe. That’s saying something since Batman features a massive roster of villains, but the Joker has been a thorn in his side for decades. However, another villain has risen in the ranks over time: Bane.
Where some villains are mostly throwaway threats, Bane has been a consistent danger to Gotham even after his famous Knightfall storyline. Both villains find ways to push Batman to his limits in very different ways, which earns them both the potential title of an ultimate nemesis.
Joker:
He Is The Anti-Batman
Think about it, Batman is a tactician, a world-class detective, and his whole gimmick is being stoic and hiding in the shadows wearing a dark suit. Joker on the other hand is the total opposite: he’s a clown who is loud, bombastic in personality, wears the brightest colors, and commits random crimes for the fun of it.
They are two sides of a coin, which is why they make perfect enemies. Batman loves and respects his Bat-Family while the Joker abuses Harley Quinn in a toxic relationship and is willing to kill his henchmen for the smallest mistakes. It’s like the old saying goes: opposites attract.
Turned Superman Into A Villain For Batman
Seeing how Batman almost always gets the upper hand, Joker decided to take things to the extreme and create the ultimate joke that would destroy Batman. This complicated plan included attaching a device to a pregnant Lois Lane then using Scarecrow’s toxin to make Superman see Doomsday.
Superman ends up killing his own wife and unborn son and when their hearts stopped, the device triggered a nuclear bomb that wiped Metropolis off the face of the Earth. Superman spiraled into madness and turned into Earth’s greatest villain in what became the Injustice universe, making Batman have to fight his once-best friend.
Wants Batman To Break His Rule
As mentioned, Joker likes to push Batman’s buttons and it’s through this that Joker tests Batman’s patience. Joker is very much aware of Batman’s one rule: he will not kill unless absolutely no choice is involved. Joker does everything in his power to make Batman want to kill him.
Batman even states that not a day goes by that he doesn’t think about killing Joker. However, Batman is always determined with one quest: Joker cannot win in any situation. As a result, no matter what evils Joker dispatches, Batman will never kill him because that would make the Joker win, making their rivalry even more complex and twisted.
Enjoys Batman’s Company
There is no denying that Batman and Joker are mortal enemies who will probably be at war until they are both dead. However, Joker has a strange fascination with Batman to the point that he himself doesn’t want to kill Batman either: he’s too much fun.
Joker has openly admitted that he enjoys the banter, the times they are together in a room for interrogation, and when they are fighting. It’s not entirely one-sided either, as some stories have tackled the idea that, in the end, Joker is the only one who really understands Batman and vice versa.
Attacks Batman Through The Bat-Family
Pain is not just physical, and Joker thrives on the emotional pain he creates by hurting people. That is no different with Batman, especially since he knows that he won’t kill him. This has led to him hurting those Batman has taken under his wing: wounding Dick Grayson, killing Jason Todd, and paralyzing Barbara Gordon.
It’s sadistic, it’s twisted, and it’s pure evil, which is why it can be frustrating that Batman does not kill the Joker. Though some forgive Bruce such as Barbara, Jason on the other hand grew cold and vengeful, thus transforming from Robin to the Red Hood.
Bane:
Master Strategist
Bane is actually one of many DC characters who are smarter than they look. He looks like he should be the oversized henchman working for the genius mastermind. Instead, Bane is the perfect combination of brain and muscle. He doesn’t just fight blindly, throwing punches like a caveman.
Batman and Bane are two masters of martial arts and can think ten moves ahead. This is why Batman can struggle against Bane even before the villain injects himself with the Venom drug that turns him into a metahuman.
Took Over Gotham City
Joker seeks chaos and destruction, so control over Gotham City is not always a goal for him. Bane on the other hand views himself as the world’s greatest monarch and has, in fact, conquered Gotham more than once.
Whether it’s the Forever Evil storyline or the more recent City Of Bane. Bane’s quest for power and obsession with destroying Batman had led to him taking over the Dark Knight’s city almost out of spite. Fortunately, though he is a terrifying leader, he is not the best leader, which can lead to his downfall.
They Both Achieved Peak Human Status
Batman and Bane share a similarity: their pain and loss gave them endless willpower. Bruce Wayne’s loss of his parents sent him on a mission to become the perfect human in both body and mind in order to fight for Gotham.
Bane was raised inside prison after losing his mother as a baby. He gained a superiority complex and fought his entire life to be better than everyone around him, pushing his body to the limits. It was through extensive training that he achieved his massive physique; the Venom was simply a bonus to which he became addicted.
Literally Broke Batman
Not many villains can say they actually beat Batman in combat, let alone destroy Batman as Bane has. In the iconic Knightfall storyline, Bane was the villain that famously lifted Batman into the air then slammed him down on his knees, thus breaking Batman’s spine. This began a long-running rivalry between Batman and Bane.
It has been the defining moment of their rivalry, with Bane always willing to taunt Batman over the time he “broke the Bat.” It left Batman paralyzed and forced to have a replacement in the form of Azrael. However, Batman recovered and nearly paid Bane back with the same injury in the City Of Bane story.
Killed Alfred In Cold Blood
There are many ways to push Batman over the edge, and one of them is harming Alfred Pennyworth, the father figure who raised him as Thomas and Martha died. So, imagine what killing Alfred would do to Batman. That was what Tom King presented to fans during the City Of Bane storyline.
As a show of power and spitefulness towards Batman, Bane attacked Wayne Manor and snapped the neck of Alfred. This made Batman’s quest to stop Bane more personal than any other villain, even more than anything the Joker ever committed.
