Bane (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
occupygotham) wrote2013-01-30 10:36 am
occupygotham) wrote2013-01-30 10:36 am
Entry tags:
app for ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
tushanshu; complete
Player Information:
Name: Nym
Age: 23
Contact: rockswithewoks @ plurk
Game Cast: Peeta Mellark,howherolls
Character Information:
Name: Bane
Canon: The Dark Knight Rises / DC Films
Canon Point: End of the movie
Age: Tricky. Based on the flashbacks, one would assume Bane is at least into his 50s, however he looks to be in his thirties. Good thug living?
Reference: Here!
Setting:
GOTHAM
The majority of Bane's canon takes place in Gotham, a fictional modern-day city comparable to Chicago (but slightly more advanced in technology). Gotham is a city that has garnered the attention of extremists multiple times due to both its decadent and corrupted life style. In the first movie, Gotham is a prosperous city that takes a sudden economic downturn. The reason for this is due to the interference of the League of Shadows (more on them later), who sabotage the city's affluence in order to spawn criminals (after all, all men are criminals when hungry) and make Gotham collapse under its own decay. The League's initial attack on Gotham almost succeeds, but is crippled by the intervention of Thomas Wayne's philanthropic pursuits. The Wayne family is arguably the most powerful and wealthy family within Gotham, and the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne by a mugger turns them into martyrs among Gotham's elite, spurring the wealthy to make some contributions to the poor. This creates a "limping" state of Gotham. The city is not completely overrun by a mindless state of criminals but it is under the heavy influence of he mob and other organized crime syndicates, where nearly everyone is "dirty", not excepting Gotham's police force. The city is not destroyed, but it is struggling.
The leader of the League, Ra's al Ghul, makes it his mission to ensure Gotham's collapse, and to restore balance to theforce universe. He orchestrates a very convoluted plan to poison the citizens of Gotham with fear gas by...making water vaporize with an oversized microwave that only vaporized about a block at a time (why this didn't vaporize a crap load of other things- skin/blood for instance - is a mystery to me still, but. Comic Book Science ). Thomas Wayne's son, Bruce Wayne aka the goddamn Batman, puts a stop to Ra's plan, and Gotham turns back into the shit bucket it was (though a sliiiightly better shit bucket. there's now, like, two good lawyers + Jim Gordon around). Gotham undergoes some mayhem caused by the Joker, and eventually the Dark Knight gets the boot from the public, because oops, now the two good lawyers are dead.
Fast forward eight years, and Gotham seems to have finally reached something close to stability. While crime is still a very strong presence in Gotham, the repercussions of the Harvey Dent Act ( a law that came about after one of the two good lawyers was killed, presumably by the Batman in a fit of bat-rage. The reality is that the good lawyer had half of his face burned off and went on a vengeful rampage, making those he deemed responsible for his girlfriend's asplosion flip a coin to determine their survival. I guess you could say he had...probable cause ye~ah) has put many of the crooks behind bars. But while crime is at an all-time low for Gotham, the distribution of wealth has caused a sharp rift in economic class levels (thanks, Ra's), and there's discontent growing between the poor and the elite of Gotham. It in no way sounds like a Tale of Two Cities.
When Bane rolls onto the scene, he first attacks Gotham's stock market. Then their police force. Then he releases all of the prisoners from Blackgate prison after revealing the fraudulence of Harvey Dent. He creates upheaval and strife, and with the threat of a nuclear bomb about to go off at anytime, Gotham goes buckwild under it. Kangaroo courts are formed, the rich are forced out of their homes at best and executed at worst. The elite undergo false trials that are just for "sentencing" a death or exile punishment. What's left of the police force is forced into hiding to survive. This still in no way sounds like a Tale of Two Cities. With Batman out of the picture, Bane and his men run Gotham into an anarchist state with a mob mentality, and times are getting harsh. While Bane claims the power of the city rests in the citizens' hands, it is definitely clear from the patrolling armored tanks and men armed with M-16s that Bane is the one calling the shots.
GOTHAM: THE BATMAN
Before the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne was a child of privilege and no small amount of naivety. Raised in the wealthy sector of Gotham, and separated from the crime that infected its streets, Bruce grew up in a happy home with loving parents. The only mar on his childhood was the time he fell into a cavern while playing with his close friend Rachel, and was stuck there surrounded by bats. The fear of the bats left an impression on Bruce, to say the least.
After the death of his parents by a mugger, Bruce Wayne's happy bubble shattered. Though his father, Thomas Wayne, was a pacifist, his death led to Bruce considering more drastic measures. After a failed attempt to kill his parents' murderer during his trial, Bruce seeks justice by confronting the mobster behind the mugger. When Bruce meets with Marcone, the man leaves him with a singular impression: to fight crime, he needs to understand the criminal. And since he's Bruce Wayne, golden boy of Gotham, the desperation to criminals is beyond his reach. Trying to find resolution and avenge his parents' death, and to stop injustice within Gotham, Bruce sheds his identity and disappears into the underworld. He becomes in league with criminals, committing "crimes" against his own company so not to lose perspective. Eventually, Bruce's affiliation with the crooks leads him to prison, where he is discovered by Henri Ducard, aka Ra's al Ghul (though the latter identity is not revealed to Bruce at the time).
Henri Ducard introduces Bruce to the League of Shadows, a covert operation / ninja academy with the goal of restoring balance and trying to achieve what is, in their eyes, true justice. There, Bruce learns another powerful lesson: immortality through symbolism, and the power of theatricality and deception. Bruce is trained in the ways of the League, and it is there that the philosophy of the Batman is created. Ducard says that the symbol must outrank the man, that the idea must be carried on beyond the restrictions of the individual person- that way, when one man fails, the legacy and ideology continues on. Bruce excelled in his studies, to the point where Henri Ducard was seriously considering him as a successor. However, when it came time for Bruce to pass his final initiation - executing a criminal with no trial - he turned against the League and opened up a can of Bat Whoop Ass, burning down their base and killing the man he had believed to be Ra's al Ghul (again, Henri Ducard kept his alterego secret).
Taking the idea of the symbol, Bruce returned to Gotham to correct the wrongs of the city, and he embraced the theatricality of disguise. He created the alterego of the Batman to stand for Gotham taking back the city against the crime, as a symbol of justice where there was none. He chose the icon of the Bat because of the incident when he was a child, and to him, bats represented fear. Bruce, with the creation of the Batman, sought to put fear into the criminals of Gotham.
Bruce used Batman to fight crime, donning the disguise at night and dealing out vigilante justice. As Gotham had a severely dirty police force, these actions were not exactly met with approval. The Gotham police force deemed him a vigilante, and ordered his arrest for taking the law outside of his own hands. Despite this threat, Bruce continued to serve the symbol of the Batman, to do the fighting that the people of Gotham couldn't do without repercussions. After his victorious fight against the Scarecrow and the returned Ra's, the Batman began to inspire the people of Gotham to take up his mantle. Several Joe Schmoes started copycatting the Batman's costume, going out to fight against criminals and, for the large part, not being all that successful. Batman did his best to discourage them, since they were not trained in Supreme Butt Kicking like he was, but ultimately they continued until the arrival of the Joker.
The Joker's arrival threw a curveball into the Batman's public image, as did the increased popularity of Harvey Dent- the "white knight" of Gotham. Dent was a district attorney and prosecutor, who was a public figure that did not fear the wrath of the mob. Once the Joker blew up his girlfriend and half of his face, however, that public image of pure pureness was at risk of shattering when Dent decided to go on a probability-fueled revenge spree. When Dent threatened the son of Commissioner Gordon, Batman's ally, Batman was forced to take him out. In order to preserve the image of Dent, Batman decided to take credit for all of Dent's murders,so that Gotham may once again have a symbol of light. Because of this, the Batman became outlawed and despised by Gotham, and Bruce retired into obscurity.
By the time of Bane's entrance into Gotham, the Batman has been out of commission for eight years. Dent's legacy instead gives Gotham hope, and the passing of the Dent Act has seemingly eliminated the need for a masked crusader.
Bane's arrival and general mayhem, however, force Bruce back into the cowl. Though still fighting for the safety of Gotham, the majority of the people living there view the Batman as a criminal, murderer, and all-around bad guy despite what he's done for them.
THE PIT
As The Dark Knight Rises is interspersed with Bane and SPOILER Talia's SPOILER backstories, some of the setting takes place in flashbacks to The Pit. The Pit is where Bane spent the majority (if not all) of his young life. A prison in the middle of the desert, the Pit is a place where the condemned go to die and tear each other apart. It's a literal hole deep in the ground, with one singular, open skylight at the top. The open light is meant to drive the prisoners mad, as it is a source of hope that no one can attempt to reach. That open light is an inspiration to most of Bane's life, as he draws on the idea of hope as a poison several times in his plot to overthrow Gotham. In the past, the Pit was home to the most cutthroat of prisoners, but during the events of the movie the Pit has been transformed from a prison of ruthless assholes to Bane's personal jailhouse. When SPOILER Talia SPOILER and Bruce are able to climb out of the Pit, it is seen as a spiritual "rising", of overcoming the fear of death and the limits of physicality. Bane, himself, was never to climb out, but was liberated after SPOILER Talia SPOILER sent her father and the League to liberate him and exact vengeance on the rest of the prisoners. The Pit has had a tremendous impact on Bane's philosophy and life, as he says to Batman "Oh, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING! " His time there was simply...the pits.
THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS
The League of Shadows is a secret organization that seeks to restore balance to theforce world by basically destroying opulent or corrupted cities. It was under the control of Ra's al Ghul until his death, and was basically Ninja Academy with added Opium Trips. Bane was introduced to the League by SPOILER Talia SPOILER after she found her father, and was trained in their ways. The League relies heavily on "theatricality and deception", and is a big proponent of the Symbol or Cause outweighing the individual man. Bruce Wayne was also trained by the League, and that's why we have the Batman instead of Bruce Wayne Doing Stuff With Gadgets. Bane, despite being excommunicated by the League, still adheres to the philosophy. To him, the symbolism of the "fires" of liberation is his cause, as is his loyalty to SPOILER Talia SPOILER who he saw as the one source of innocence during his imprisonment (said "innocence is willing to explode millions of people with a nuke, so that just shows Bane's conceptualization of purity and goodness might be the slightest bit warped) and is the one person he loves. The takeover of Gotham by Bane and SPOILER Talia SPOILER is orchestrated so she can fulfill her father's legacy. And her father had a mega hate-on for Gotham.
Personality:
The heart of Bane's character stems from the fact that he is a man who is not overly concerned or fearful of dying. Implied to be born in prison, or at least, incarcerated for the majority of his young life, Bane self-defines himself as a creature of darkness. He is a revolutionary by his own design, and adheres to the philosophy of the League of Shadows in that there is a balance to the universe that must be preserved. Intelligent and manipulative, Bane has managed to become a prominent source of fear for Gotham, including its underbelly. The brutal and clinical aspects of his mind are often at odds with the theatricality he brings to his mannerisms and oration.
Bane is a man of the revolution. Being placed on the lower levels of society for his entire life has led to him to have a disdain of the "Man" type figure and the elites of a community. He envisions "liberation" as a more anarchist state, where the masses of the poor rise up in a more anarchistic state of being. He often refers to such actions as "the fire", with the social upheaval being a demonstration of the "fire rising". Since Bane is more concerned with his state of spiritual being than the physical, he does not hold much stock in the life of men as long as it's aiming for a higher purpose. This is no doubt a reflection of his time at the League of Shadows, who place more value on the symbol over the man, and state that the symbol is a way to create immortality. He is determined to see his radical views come to life, and his zeal and conviction have inspired many others to do the same. A clear example of this in canon is when Bane orders one of his men to stay behind on the crashing plane, so that the correct number of bodies would be among the wreckage. The man asks if this will help start the fire, and when Bane replies yes there is nothing but calm acceptance to the follower. Such is Bane's mentality, life is something that doesn't matter in the face of change, revolution, and liberation. Because of his philosophy, Bane also has a clear hatred of material value. He does not find the power of money seductive, and does not believe in a class structure as a source of command. The dependency of those who value the material is a source of intense scorn from Bane, no doubt one of the reasons why his first act of political upheaval is to screw with Gotham's pocketbooks by damaging their stock market. As Alfred said in the last movie, "Some men just want to watch the world burn". This adage clearly also applies to Bane, who does not care about the loss of life or order so long as the message makes its way to the surface.
Outwardly, Bane's mannerisms are at odds with his brutish appearance. His speech patterns are typically jovial if not affable, and he does not adhere to the stereotypical brawn archetype. When he converses with people, he is typically cordial and polite, even to his enemies. Often, he also demonstrates a witty sense of humor. This is possibly because he is constantly sedated by anesthesia, and therefore the slightest bit high at all times, but it is also likely that his personality is one that is mostly calm and slow to anger. Bane is unique in that he has a very level head and a pragmatic approach to his plans. He does not fly off the handle or lose himself to fits of temper- in fact, very few things tend to unsettle him or make him lose composure. Often Bane is the master of the room in all sense of the word, he is poised and has a commanding presence. It's clear that everything he does has a measured, calculated aspect to it, and he is someone that will think before leaping. Bane usually has a good judge of character as well, he knows how to understand the people he interacts with, and can quickly determine the right buttons to push. Often Bane positions himself as the controlling presence in a situation, and has no problem assuming leadership or dominating other personalities.
The assertiveness of Bane's personality more often then not leads to ruthlessness in his actions. Bane is a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty- killing someone means little to him, so long as it serves his higher purpose. When he has a goal, Bane sees the clear line between what he wants accomplished and what must be done to achieve it. The pragmatics of his actions also speak to his A to B mentality, a good example being when Talia wanted Bane to hold Batman until he could feel the fires of the nuclear bomb in a typical Bond-villain moment. Once she leaves, however, Bane declares that Batman will "Just have to imagine the fire" and goes to kill him immediately and quickly. While dripping with theatricality in his methods, Bane carries out his plans quickly and effectively when the situation calls for it, and does not fail due to the dramatics of villainy. Another example of this is when a man says he'll die before he talks. Bane has no problem telling the man "I'm on your schedule, Captain" before snapping his neck. He does not trifle with things when they may cause him delay. Bane is a guy who has his mind solely on the mission, and will not have anything interfere with it.
However, there are a few weaknesses to Bane's determined armor. Though he does not fear death, it is clear he fears pain, as evidenced with his last fight against Batman. During the altercation, Batman damages Bane's mask, and his intensity drastically shifts, the damage facilitating a berzerker-esque rage within Bane that makes him fight more desperately. His concern over his anesthesia is also demonstrated by SPOILER Talia SPOILER making a point to fix the mechanisms of his mask even when they are both about to (if all goes to plan) get blown to smithereens by a nuke. His fear of pain is also associated with his jaded view of hope, the injuries he sustained in the Pit no doubt contributing to that. Bane expresses the value of soul a few times with Batman, emphasizing that the death of spirit is far worse than the death of the body. Bane's philosophy of the spirit being more important than the body becomes his own undoing since, rather than killing Batman outright, he seeks to destroy his spirit first by poisoning it with the ray of hope in the Pit. Hope, to Bane, is another of his weaknesses, as he states that the light is nothing but blinding to him. His preoccupation is focused on the strength of his soul, and by extension his cause.
Another weakness, of sorts, to Bane is SPOILER Talia SPOILER. As she was a child born in the prison, Bane saw her as the one ray of innocence in his life. His protective nature of her while they were in the prison demonstrates his conviction to his own ideology, Bane believes in the triumph of the oppressed against their oppressors. He cares for Talia as a child, aiding her escape with the Warden forgets to lock the door to her mother's cell and incites a riot of the prisoners. His loyalty to Talia does not waver, even after he has been horribly marred by the other prisoners and excommunicated from the League of Shadows by her father. As Talia states, "His only crime was that he loved me". The dedication that Bane gives to Talia is extreme, he is willing to be blown up with the whole of Gotham just so she can fulfill the legacy of her father.Bane also appears to have a softer side in regards to children, possibly because they are the weak and "innocent", as evidenced by him delaying the explosion of the football field until the boy singing the national anthem was removed from the blast sight, and commentating on his "lovely voice"
Upon arrival at Tu Shanshu, Bane will more than likely be accepting of his fate. While not a religious man, Bane seems to have a loose sense of spirituality and would not be too shocked at the existence of the state between dreaming, death, and life. Knowing that he has been killed, his first goal will be to discover the fate of Gotham and Talia. To do this, Bane will keep to anonymity and the shadows, patiently reading the network and determining his next ten steps. The existence of the Emperor, as well as the Kedan's evasiveness to most of the outsiders' questions, is something that is going to irritate Bane, to say the least. The gangs of Tu Shanshu will also be something Bane will want to intervene with, if only to encourage a more anarchist state. He won't be content with blind submission to the Emperor, and will probably start to find ways to create a more revolutionary mentality among those being brought to the turtle (his success is definitely not guaranteed in this ).
Appearance:
Freaking scary.
Abilities:
Bane has no supernatural abilities to speak of, though he is an extremely skilled fighter. Raised in a prison, Bane initially learned a rough, uncultivated fighting style in order to survive. This was honed and expanded through his training with The League of Shadows, an organization of assassins and terrorists. Bane is extremely adept at close-range, hand to hand combat and he uses a brutish and heavy style of fighting. As his actor stated, Bane's fighting style is rooted in "carnage". He seeks to destroy when fighting, and in the film he is shown breaking necks, spines, and other bones with nothing but his bare hands.
Mentally, Bane is a cunning strategist bordering on the genius. He knows how to manipulate situations to his advantage, and has a profound understanding of human psychology that he exploits to his benefit. His discussions with Dr. Pavel indicate a basic understanding of nuclear physics, and it's clear that he hones his mind as well as his muscles. He has successfully organized revolution not only in Gotham, but an unnamed West African country as well.
His biggest limitation is his mask. After helping Talia escape the Pit, Bane was brutally injured and left to rot. Though he didn't die, he was subject to extreme injuries that no doubt went necrotic. The injuries never healed correctly, and as such Bane is in a state of unbearable pain unless he has his mask on. The mask gives Bane regular doses of anesthesia that are directly supplied to his body through his breathing. If the mask is broken or removed for a long period of time, it is likely that Bane will succumb to the pain and be incapacitated by it.
Along with his talents, Bane is skilled in theatricality and deception. A man of the performance, Bane knows how to rile up a crowd and inspire loyalty. His men demonstrate the conviction that Bane has inspired within them, as they are shown to have no protest when Bane has them placed in dangerous situations or orders their deaths. He is a gifted orator as well, as he is shown riling up the people of Gotham when he releases the criminals from Blackgate prison.
Inventory:
- his clothes:
--a military grade armored vest and utility belt
--military pants and boots
--long sleeved sweater
--Vive le Revolution coat, pictured here
-his mask
-a few extra canisters of his anesthesia
Suite: I think the Metal or Fire sector would be a good fit for Bane:
Metal: The complete uniformity and utilitarian style of the sector will make Bane feel right at home. This is a guy that lived in Gotham's sewers for at least a few months, so it's clear that this isn't a guy who needs the finer things in life to feel at home. Having a militaristic style himself, Bane would be comfortable in the metal sector and also use the residents' dislike of outsiders to his advantage in keeping to himself.
Fire: The fire sector would be a good fit because Bane loves fire metaphors it houses the more "elite" lifestyle. The elite is a big enemy for Bane, and it would give him a good source of inspiration against The Man Emperor. Also, the presence of organized crime is also something that would appeal to Bane.
One level housing would be preferable, mainly because Bane's first reaction would be to kill people to keep his presence on the turtle under wraps until he got a better lay of the land
In-Character Samples:
Third Person:
The piece of yarn wound easily around his finger, a pleasant and understated shade of blue. Eyebrows furrowed, Bane brought a needle upwards, delicately moving the loop of yarn from finger to needle before securing its place on the half-finished scarf with a measured pull. A completed purl stitch was nothing to be shameful of, though it was easy enough to lament the progress he had made with the remaining pattern. Scarves were simple enough, but the constant interruption was something that was beginning to tire the man. Running a city into the ground did, unfortunately, not leave him with much time for the extracurricular.
Still. The court proceedings of dear Dr. Crane were giving him so much needed refocusing time.
"Death, or exile?"
Unintelligible sobbing from the criminals provided an almost soothing background noise, and Bane completed another row.
"Please, my family-!"
Perhaps a fisherman's knot would integrate nicely. The scarf was unfortunately in danger of looking utterly commercial.
"Death. Or exile?"
"PLEASE-!"
Yes. It would be simple enough.
"Death it is." The sound of Crane's gavel echoed throughout the courthouse, "Next!"
Heartbroken sobs matched nicely with the sounds of the needle's clacking. Almost a symphony, in a way, were Bane feeling more...poetic at the moment.
"Brother."
Bane sighed, and for the first time in the day where seventeen socialites had been condemned to death, looked up from his needlework. One of his soldiers stood above him. "Yes, comrade?"
"One of Marcone's men escaped their holding cells."
That wouldn't do. All must be made example of, or the example did not serve its purpose. Bane tightened another loop around his finger, "I see. And who was on guard duty at the time?"
"I was."
"Very well," he transferred the loop to the needle. "You are responsible for finding this man, and once he is brought to justice, I will kill you for your ineptitude."
The man bowed his head, "Yes, Brother."
"Though, seeing as the opportunity was squandered by you before-" Bane took the needle not housing the half completed scarf and took advantage of his comrade's lowered head. The needle pushed cleanly through the man's eye when enough force was applied to it, and to the soldier's credit he did not utter a gasp of pain as it was shoved to his brain. There was an advantage to knitting with 19mm needles, it seemed, for the loss of this man's life would serve as an inspiration to the others in completing their duty to the fire more competently.
As the man slumped forward, his blood spilled over the blue yarn card. Bane looked to his half-finished work and sighed. Perhaps Barsad's scarf would have to be red, instead. A pity."Dear comrade," Bane turned to a soldier nearby, "Kindly dispose of our Brother and then find the stray dog, if you would."
Network:
[ text, anonymous. Upon arriving, Bane has kept to himself, patiently reading through past entries on the network and evaluating his current situation. he has seen more questions raised then answers after his research ]
It would seem that the state between death, dreaming and life has more to be desired. The reason for our continued presence remains a mystery as we play the role of docile prisoners to this...Emperor. While others may seek contentment in their cage under the guise of routine and monotony, I must question one simple thing:
Tell me, fellow occupants, how long are we to be kept in the dark?
Surely none of the Kedan's guests were aware of the creatures lurking beneath the shadowed depths of Tu Vishan. A small, inconsequential thing, perhaps, to those who no longer have the fear of death instilled upon them, but the opportunity to prepare for such onslaughts was stolenfrom us. We are all strangers in a strange land, fellow outsiders, and it seems as if the Kedan are more than happy to maintain that relationship. A relationship that leaves us in a state of inaction.
Citizens, for that is what we should rightfully call ourselves here, it is time to find our voice.
[ a separate text message is sent out anonymously: ]
I seek the services of a medical professional- preferably one with a hand in anesthesia. Chemists, would also be welcomed.
Name: Nym
Age: 23
Contact: rockswithewoks @ plurk
Game Cast: Peeta Mellark,
howherollsCharacter Information:
Name: Bane
Canon: The Dark Knight Rises / DC Films
Canon Point: End of the movie
Age: Tricky. Based on the flashbacks, one would assume Bane is at least into his 50s, however he looks to be in his thirties. Good thug living?
Reference: Here!
Setting:
GOTHAM
The majority of Bane's canon takes place in Gotham, a fictional modern-day city comparable to Chicago (but slightly more advanced in technology). Gotham is a city that has garnered the attention of extremists multiple times due to both its decadent and corrupted life style. In the first movie, Gotham is a prosperous city that takes a sudden economic downturn. The reason for this is due to the interference of the League of Shadows (more on them later), who sabotage the city's affluence in order to spawn criminals (after all, all men are criminals when hungry) and make Gotham collapse under its own decay. The League's initial attack on Gotham almost succeeds, but is crippled by the intervention of Thomas Wayne's philanthropic pursuits. The Wayne family is arguably the most powerful and wealthy family within Gotham, and the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne by a mugger turns them into martyrs among Gotham's elite, spurring the wealthy to make some contributions to the poor. This creates a "limping" state of Gotham. The city is not completely overrun by a mindless state of criminals but it is under the heavy influence of he mob and other organized crime syndicates, where nearly everyone is "dirty", not excepting Gotham's police force. The city is not destroyed, but it is struggling.
The leader of the League, Ra's al Ghul, makes it his mission to ensure Gotham's collapse, and to restore balance to the
Fast forward eight years, and Gotham seems to have finally reached something close to stability. While crime is still a very strong presence in Gotham, the repercussions of the Harvey Dent Act ( a law that came about after one of the two good lawyers was killed, presumably by the Batman in a fit of bat-rage. The reality is that the good lawyer had half of his face burned off and went on a vengeful rampage, making those he deemed responsible for his girlfriend's asplosion flip a coin to determine their survival. I guess you could say he had...probable cause ye~ah) has put many of the crooks behind bars. But while crime is at an all-time low for Gotham, the distribution of wealth has caused a sharp rift in economic class levels (thanks, Ra's), and there's discontent growing between the poor and the elite of Gotham. It in no way sounds like a Tale of Two Cities.
When Bane rolls onto the scene, he first attacks Gotham's stock market. Then their police force. Then he releases all of the prisoners from Blackgate prison after revealing the fraudulence of Harvey Dent. He creates upheaval and strife, and with the threat of a nuclear bomb about to go off at anytime, Gotham goes buckwild under it. Kangaroo courts are formed, the rich are forced out of their homes at best and executed at worst. The elite undergo false trials that are just for "sentencing" a death or exile punishment. What's left of the police force is forced into hiding to survive. This still in no way sounds like a Tale of Two Cities. With Batman out of the picture, Bane and his men run Gotham into an anarchist state with a mob mentality, and times are getting harsh. While Bane claims the power of the city rests in the citizens' hands, it is definitely clear from the patrolling armored tanks and men armed with M-16s that Bane is the one calling the shots.
GOTHAM: THE BATMAN
Before the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne was a child of privilege and no small amount of naivety. Raised in the wealthy sector of Gotham, and separated from the crime that infected its streets, Bruce grew up in a happy home with loving parents. The only mar on his childhood was the time he fell into a cavern while playing with his close friend Rachel, and was stuck there surrounded by bats. The fear of the bats left an impression on Bruce, to say the least.
After the death of his parents by a mugger, Bruce Wayne's happy bubble shattered. Though his father, Thomas Wayne, was a pacifist, his death led to Bruce considering more drastic measures. After a failed attempt to kill his parents' murderer during his trial, Bruce seeks justice by confronting the mobster behind the mugger. When Bruce meets with Marcone, the man leaves him with a singular impression: to fight crime, he needs to understand the criminal. And since he's Bruce Wayne, golden boy of Gotham, the desperation to criminals is beyond his reach. Trying to find resolution and avenge his parents' death, and to stop injustice within Gotham, Bruce sheds his identity and disappears into the underworld. He becomes in league with criminals, committing "crimes" against his own company so not to lose perspective. Eventually, Bruce's affiliation with the crooks leads him to prison, where he is discovered by Henri Ducard, aka Ra's al Ghul (though the latter identity is not revealed to Bruce at the time).
Henri Ducard introduces Bruce to the League of Shadows, a covert operation / ninja academy with the goal of restoring balance and trying to achieve what is, in their eyes, true justice. There, Bruce learns another powerful lesson: immortality through symbolism, and the power of theatricality and deception. Bruce is trained in the ways of the League, and it is there that the philosophy of the Batman is created. Ducard says that the symbol must outrank the man, that the idea must be carried on beyond the restrictions of the individual person- that way, when one man fails, the legacy and ideology continues on. Bruce excelled in his studies, to the point where Henri Ducard was seriously considering him as a successor. However, when it came time for Bruce to pass his final initiation - executing a criminal with no trial - he turned against the League and opened up a can of Bat Whoop Ass, burning down their base and killing the man he had believed to be Ra's al Ghul (again, Henri Ducard kept his alterego secret).
Taking the idea of the symbol, Bruce returned to Gotham to correct the wrongs of the city, and he embraced the theatricality of disguise. He created the alterego of the Batman to stand for Gotham taking back the city against the crime, as a symbol of justice where there was none. He chose the icon of the Bat because of the incident when he was a child, and to him, bats represented fear. Bruce, with the creation of the Batman, sought to put fear into the criminals of Gotham.
Bruce used Batman to fight crime, donning the disguise at night and dealing out vigilante justice. As Gotham had a severely dirty police force, these actions were not exactly met with approval. The Gotham police force deemed him a vigilante, and ordered his arrest for taking the law outside of his own hands. Despite this threat, Bruce continued to serve the symbol of the Batman, to do the fighting that the people of Gotham couldn't do without repercussions. After his victorious fight against the Scarecrow and the returned Ra's, the Batman began to inspire the people of Gotham to take up his mantle. Several Joe Schmoes started copycatting the Batman's costume, going out to fight against criminals and, for the large part, not being all that successful. Batman did his best to discourage them, since they were not trained in Supreme Butt Kicking like he was, but ultimately they continued until the arrival of the Joker.
The Joker's arrival threw a curveball into the Batman's public image, as did the increased popularity of Harvey Dent- the "white knight" of Gotham. Dent was a district attorney and prosecutor, who was a public figure that did not fear the wrath of the mob. Once the Joker blew up his girlfriend and half of his face, however, that public image of pure pureness was at risk of shattering when Dent decided to go on a probability-fueled revenge spree. When Dent threatened the son of Commissioner Gordon, Batman's ally, Batman was forced to take him out. In order to preserve the image of Dent, Batman decided to take credit for all of Dent's murders,so that Gotham may once again have a symbol of light. Because of this, the Batman became outlawed and despised by Gotham, and Bruce retired into obscurity.
By the time of Bane's entrance into Gotham, the Batman has been out of commission for eight years. Dent's legacy instead gives Gotham hope, and the passing of the Dent Act has seemingly eliminated the need for a masked crusader.
Bane's arrival and general mayhem, however, force Bruce back into the cowl. Though still fighting for the safety of Gotham, the majority of the people living there view the Batman as a criminal, murderer, and all-around bad guy despite what he's done for them.
THE PIT
As The Dark Knight Rises is interspersed with Bane and SPOILER Talia's SPOILER backstories, some of the setting takes place in flashbacks to The Pit. The Pit is where Bane spent the majority (if not all) of his young life. A prison in the middle of the desert, the Pit is a place where the condemned go to die and tear each other apart. It's a literal hole deep in the ground, with one singular, open skylight at the top. The open light is meant to drive the prisoners mad, as it is a source of hope that no one can attempt to reach. That open light is an inspiration to most of Bane's life, as he draws on the idea of hope as a poison several times in his plot to overthrow Gotham. In the past, the Pit was home to the most cutthroat of prisoners, but during the events of the movie the Pit has been transformed from a prison of ruthless assholes to Bane's personal jailhouse. When SPOILER Talia SPOILER and Bruce are able to climb out of the Pit, it is seen as a spiritual "rising", of overcoming the fear of death and the limits of physicality. Bane, himself, was never to climb out, but was liberated after SPOILER Talia SPOILER sent her father and the League to liberate him and exact vengeance on the rest of the prisoners. The Pit has had a tremendous impact on Bane's philosophy and life, as he says to Batman "Oh, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING! " His time there was simply...the pits.
THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS
The League of Shadows is a secret organization that seeks to restore balance to the
Personality:
The heart of Bane's character stems from the fact that he is a man who is not overly concerned or fearful of dying. Implied to be born in prison, or at least, incarcerated for the majority of his young life, Bane self-defines himself as a creature of darkness. He is a revolutionary by his own design, and adheres to the philosophy of the League of Shadows in that there is a balance to the universe that must be preserved. Intelligent and manipulative, Bane has managed to become a prominent source of fear for Gotham, including its underbelly. The brutal and clinical aspects of his mind are often at odds with the theatricality he brings to his mannerisms and oration.
Bane is a man of the revolution. Being placed on the lower levels of society for his entire life has led to him to have a disdain of the "Man" type figure and the elites of a community. He envisions "liberation" as a more anarchist state, where the masses of the poor rise up in a more anarchistic state of being. He often refers to such actions as "the fire", with the social upheaval being a demonstration of the "fire rising". Since Bane is more concerned with his state of spiritual being than the physical, he does not hold much stock in the life of men as long as it's aiming for a higher purpose. This is no doubt a reflection of his time at the League of Shadows, who place more value on the symbol over the man, and state that the symbol is a way to create immortality. He is determined to see his radical views come to life, and his zeal and conviction have inspired many others to do the same. A clear example of this in canon is when Bane orders one of his men to stay behind on the crashing plane, so that the correct number of bodies would be among the wreckage. The man asks if this will help start the fire, and when Bane replies yes there is nothing but calm acceptance to the follower. Such is Bane's mentality, life is something that doesn't matter in the face of change, revolution, and liberation. Because of his philosophy, Bane also has a clear hatred of material value. He does not find the power of money seductive, and does not believe in a class structure as a source of command. The dependency of those who value the material is a source of intense scorn from Bane, no doubt one of the reasons why his first act of political upheaval is to screw with Gotham's pocketbooks by damaging their stock market. As Alfred said in the last movie, "Some men just want to watch the world burn". This adage clearly also applies to Bane, who does not care about the loss of life or order so long as the message makes its way to the surface.
Outwardly, Bane's mannerisms are at odds with his brutish appearance. His speech patterns are typically jovial if not affable, and he does not adhere to the stereotypical brawn archetype. When he converses with people, he is typically cordial and polite, even to his enemies. Often, he also demonstrates a witty sense of humor. This is possibly because he is constantly sedated by anesthesia, and therefore the slightest bit high at all times, but it is also likely that his personality is one that is mostly calm and slow to anger. Bane is unique in that he has a very level head and a pragmatic approach to his plans. He does not fly off the handle or lose himself to fits of temper- in fact, very few things tend to unsettle him or make him lose composure. Often Bane is the master of the room in all sense of the word, he is poised and has a commanding presence. It's clear that everything he does has a measured, calculated aspect to it, and he is someone that will think before leaping. Bane usually has a good judge of character as well, he knows how to understand the people he interacts with, and can quickly determine the right buttons to push. Often Bane positions himself as the controlling presence in a situation, and has no problem assuming leadership or dominating other personalities.
The assertiveness of Bane's personality more often then not leads to ruthlessness in his actions. Bane is a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty- killing someone means little to him, so long as it serves his higher purpose. When he has a goal, Bane sees the clear line between what he wants accomplished and what must be done to achieve it. The pragmatics of his actions also speak to his A to B mentality, a good example being when Talia wanted Bane to hold Batman until he could feel the fires of the nuclear bomb in a typical Bond-villain moment. Once she leaves, however, Bane declares that Batman will "Just have to imagine the fire" and goes to kill him immediately and quickly. While dripping with theatricality in his methods, Bane carries out his plans quickly and effectively when the situation calls for it, and does not fail due to the dramatics of villainy. Another example of this is when a man says he'll die before he talks. Bane has no problem telling the man "I'm on your schedule, Captain" before snapping his neck. He does not trifle with things when they may cause him delay. Bane is a guy who has his mind solely on the mission, and will not have anything interfere with it.
However, there are a few weaknesses to Bane's determined armor. Though he does not fear death, it is clear he fears pain, as evidenced with his last fight against Batman. During the altercation, Batman damages Bane's mask, and his intensity drastically shifts, the damage facilitating a berzerker-esque rage within Bane that makes him fight more desperately. His concern over his anesthesia is also demonstrated by SPOILER Talia SPOILER making a point to fix the mechanisms of his mask even when they are both about to (if all goes to plan) get blown to smithereens by a nuke. His fear of pain is also associated with his jaded view of hope, the injuries he sustained in the Pit no doubt contributing to that. Bane expresses the value of soul a few times with Batman, emphasizing that the death of spirit is far worse than the death of the body. Bane's philosophy of the spirit being more important than the body becomes his own undoing since, rather than killing Batman outright, he seeks to destroy his spirit first by poisoning it with the ray of hope in the Pit. Hope, to Bane, is another of his weaknesses, as he states that the light is nothing but blinding to him. His preoccupation is focused on the strength of his soul, and by extension his cause.
Another weakness, of sorts, to Bane is SPOILER Talia SPOILER. As she was a child born in the prison, Bane saw her as the one ray of innocence in his life. His protective nature of her while they were in the prison demonstrates his conviction to his own ideology, Bane believes in the triumph of the oppressed against their oppressors. He cares for Talia as a child, aiding her escape with the Warden forgets to lock the door to her mother's cell and incites a riot of the prisoners. His loyalty to Talia does not waver, even after he has been horribly marred by the other prisoners and excommunicated from the League of Shadows by her father. As Talia states, "His only crime was that he loved me". The dedication that Bane gives to Talia is extreme, he is willing to be blown up with the whole of Gotham just so she can fulfill the legacy of her father.Bane also appears to have a softer side in regards to children, possibly because they are the weak and "innocent", as evidenced by him delaying the explosion of the football field until the boy singing the national anthem was removed from the blast sight, and commentating on his "lovely voice"
Upon arrival at Tu Shanshu, Bane will more than likely be accepting of his fate. While not a religious man, Bane seems to have a loose sense of spirituality and would not be too shocked at the existence of the state between dreaming, death, and life. Knowing that he has been killed, his first goal will be to discover the fate of Gotham and Talia. To do this, Bane will keep to anonymity and the shadows, patiently reading the network and determining his next ten steps. The existence of the Emperor, as well as the Kedan's evasiveness to most of the outsiders' questions, is something that is going to irritate Bane, to say the least. The gangs of Tu Shanshu will also be something Bane will want to intervene with, if only to encourage a more anarchist state. He won't be content with blind submission to the Emperor, and will probably start to find ways to create a more revolutionary mentality among those being brought to the turtle (his success is definitely not guaranteed in this ).
Appearance:
Freaking scary.
Abilities:
Bane has no supernatural abilities to speak of, though he is an extremely skilled fighter. Raised in a prison, Bane initially learned a rough, uncultivated fighting style in order to survive. This was honed and expanded through his training with The League of Shadows, an organization of assassins and terrorists. Bane is extremely adept at close-range, hand to hand combat and he uses a brutish and heavy style of fighting. As his actor stated, Bane's fighting style is rooted in "carnage". He seeks to destroy when fighting, and in the film he is shown breaking necks, spines, and other bones with nothing but his bare hands.
Mentally, Bane is a cunning strategist bordering on the genius. He knows how to manipulate situations to his advantage, and has a profound understanding of human psychology that he exploits to his benefit. His discussions with Dr. Pavel indicate a basic understanding of nuclear physics, and it's clear that he hones his mind as well as his muscles. He has successfully organized revolution not only in Gotham, but an unnamed West African country as well.
His biggest limitation is his mask. After helping Talia escape the Pit, Bane was brutally injured and left to rot. Though he didn't die, he was subject to extreme injuries that no doubt went necrotic. The injuries never healed correctly, and as such Bane is in a state of unbearable pain unless he has his mask on. The mask gives Bane regular doses of anesthesia that are directly supplied to his body through his breathing. If the mask is broken or removed for a long period of time, it is likely that Bane will succumb to the pain and be incapacitated by it.
Along with his talents, Bane is skilled in theatricality and deception. A man of the performance, Bane knows how to rile up a crowd and inspire loyalty. His men demonstrate the conviction that Bane has inspired within them, as they are shown to have no protest when Bane has them placed in dangerous situations or orders their deaths. He is a gifted orator as well, as he is shown riling up the people of Gotham when he releases the criminals from Blackgate prison.
Inventory:
- his clothes:
--a military grade armored vest and utility belt
--military pants and boots
--long sleeved sweater
--Vive le Revolution coat, pictured here
-his mask
-a few extra canisters of his anesthesia
Suite: I think the Metal or Fire sector would be a good fit for Bane:
Metal: The complete uniformity and utilitarian style of the sector will make Bane feel right at home. This is a guy that lived in Gotham's sewers for at least a few months, so it's clear that this isn't a guy who needs the finer things in life to feel at home. Having a militaristic style himself, Bane would be comfortable in the metal sector and also use the residents' dislike of outsiders to his advantage in keeping to himself.
Fire: The fire sector would be a good fit because
One level housing would be preferable, mainly because Bane's first reaction would be to kill people to keep his presence on the turtle under wraps until he got a better lay of the land
In-Character Samples:
Third Person:
The piece of yarn wound easily around his finger, a pleasant and understated shade of blue. Eyebrows furrowed, Bane brought a needle upwards, delicately moving the loop of yarn from finger to needle before securing its place on the half-finished scarf with a measured pull. A completed purl stitch was nothing to be shameful of, though it was easy enough to lament the progress he had made with the remaining pattern. Scarves were simple enough, but the constant interruption was something that was beginning to tire the man. Running a city into the ground did, unfortunately, not leave him with much time for the extracurricular.
Still. The court proceedings of dear Dr. Crane were giving him so much needed refocusing time.
"Death, or exile?"
Unintelligible sobbing from the criminals provided an almost soothing background noise, and Bane completed another row.
"Please, my family-!"
Perhaps a fisherman's knot would integrate nicely. The scarf was unfortunately in danger of looking utterly commercial.
"Death. Or exile?"
"PLEASE-!"
Yes. It would be simple enough.
"Death it is." The sound of Crane's gavel echoed throughout the courthouse, "Next!"
Heartbroken sobs matched nicely with the sounds of the needle's clacking. Almost a symphony, in a way, were Bane feeling more...poetic at the moment.
"Brother."
Bane sighed, and for the first time in the day where seventeen socialites had been condemned to death, looked up from his needlework. One of his soldiers stood above him. "Yes, comrade?"
"One of Marcone's men escaped their holding cells."
That wouldn't do. All must be made example of, or the example did not serve its purpose. Bane tightened another loop around his finger, "I see. And who was on guard duty at the time?"
"I was."
"Very well," he transferred the loop to the needle. "You are responsible for finding this man, and once he is brought to justice, I will kill you for your ineptitude."
The man bowed his head, "Yes, Brother."
"Though, seeing as the opportunity was squandered by you before-" Bane took the needle not housing the half completed scarf and took advantage of his comrade's lowered head. The needle pushed cleanly through the man's eye when enough force was applied to it, and to the soldier's credit he did not utter a gasp of pain as it was shoved to his brain. There was an advantage to knitting with 19mm needles, it seemed, for the loss of this man's life would serve as an inspiration to the others in completing their duty to the fire more competently.
As the man slumped forward, his blood spilled over the blue yarn card. Bane looked to his half-finished work and sighed. Perhaps Barsad's scarf would have to be red, instead. A pity."Dear comrade," Bane turned to a soldier nearby, "Kindly dispose of our Brother and then find the stray dog, if you would."
Network:
[ text, anonymous. Upon arriving, Bane has kept to himself, patiently reading through past entries on the network and evaluating his current situation. he has seen more questions raised then answers after his research ]
It would seem that the state between death, dreaming and life has more to be desired. The reason for our continued presence remains a mystery as we play the role of docile prisoners to this...Emperor. While others may seek contentment in their cage under the guise of routine and monotony, I must question one simple thing:
Tell me, fellow occupants, how long are we to be kept in the dark?
Surely none of the Kedan's guests were aware of the creatures lurking beneath the shadowed depths of Tu Vishan. A small, inconsequential thing, perhaps, to those who no longer have the fear of death instilled upon them, but the opportunity to prepare for such onslaughts was stolenfrom us. We are all strangers in a strange land, fellow outsiders, and it seems as if the Kedan are more than happy to maintain that relationship. A relationship that leaves us in a state of inaction.
Citizens, for that is what we should rightfully call ourselves here, it is time to find our voice.
[ a separate text message is sent out anonymously: ]
I seek the services of a medical professional- preferably one with a hand in anesthesia. Chemists, would also be welcomed.