The bane of Batman’s existence.
Batman and the many villains beleaguering Gotham City have some fantastic lines in the comics, TV shows and movies – but some of the best belong to Bane.
And as such, we’ll be looking at the best Bane quotes from the world of Batman.
We’ll specifically be looking at Tom Hardy’s depiction of Bane in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, the final instalment of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
Though there’s only been the one live-action portrayal of Bane, many have donned the mask and cape, so be sure to check out all the Batman actors and see who we at RadioTimes.com think did it best.
But with so many Batmen, there’s a lot of films, and if you’re stuck with where to begin, we’ve got how to watch the Batman movies in order, as well as where to watch them.
That list will gain another addition sometime down the road, when the Robert Pattinson-helmed The Batman Part II comes to cinemas in the not-so-distant future.
But time is the bane of all of us, so let’s get cracking (Batman’s back) and get to the best Bane quotes!
The best Bane quotes from Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises
Below are what we think are the 15 best Bane quotes from The Dark Knight Rises – but let’s not stand on ceremony here, dear reader. Read on!
- “Oh, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn’t see the light until I was already a man. And by then, it was nothing to me but blinding.” – Bane to Batman in the Dark Knight Rises as he mocks him for assuming the darkness protects him from harm. Bane grew up in Santa Monica prison in eternal darkness and knows far more about it than Bruce Wayne would.
- “The shadows betray you because they belong to me.” – A follow-up from the previous quote with Bane highlighting Batman’s naivety.
- “Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you.” – Bane is pointing out that having stopped the Joker and the Scarecrow, Batman has become complacent – and Bane is exploiting this weakness.
- “No one cared who I was until I put on the mask.” – This highlights the parallels between Bane and Batman. The masks are how they identify, and they are more themselves when they wear them as they seek to define themselves in the wake of their difficult childhoods after losing their respective parents.
- “It would be extremely painful… For you.” – Bane possesses extreme strength but also a sharp tongue, which he brilliantly employs to warn a CIA operative of the dire consequences should he try and remove his mask.
- “Theatricality and deception – powerful agents to the uninitiated. But we are initiated, aren’t we, Bruce? Members of the League of Shadows.” – Batman’s skills and tactics might work on lesser criminals, but not a fellow alumnus of darkness like Bane. He is able to match and exceed Wayne’s physical prowess and tricks of the trade and takes great pleasure in confronting Batman with the sobering fact.
- “The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests, and cast out into the cold world that we know and endure.” – Much of Bane’s bitterness and quest for vengeance is driven by the sordid and unfair beginnings he had. Though Bruce Wayne lost his parents too, he arguably had a much better time of it than Bane, as his fortune protected him from the harsh realities of life.
- “I am necessary evil.” – Bane seeks to root out the corruption that plagues Gotham by any means necessary, even if that means the complete destruction of the city.
- “Let’s not stand on ceremony here… Mr Wayne.” – To remind Batman that he is one step ahead of him, he addresses him by name, revealing he is aware of his true identity – something Batman works tireless to keep secret.
- “Now is not the time for fear… That comes later.” – During the aeroplane heist to snatch Doctor Pavel from the CIA, Bane demonstrates his meticulous planning by employing some dramatic irony, as he knows exactly what fate awaits Pavel and Gotham City itself.
- “Do you feel in charge?” – Further highlighting his disdain for the wealthy elite, Bane belittles Daggett (who believes Bane is helping him to absorb Bruce Wayne’s company) by placing a gentle hand on his shoulder to strike fear after he rags on Bane and his assistant. This isn’t an empty threat, however, as Daggett soon finds out.
- “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.” – Just before introducing Daggett to his own mortality, Daggett mentions Bane by name – only for him to suddenly show up with more dramatic irony in tow as, like the devil himself, Bane makes Daggett pay for his perceived sins.
- “When Gotham is ashes, then you have my permission to die.” – Bane paints himself as a patient man who suffered more than his fair share, and is keen to eke out every last moment of pain and misery from his enemies – a fate he intends for Bruce Wayne, as Bane wants him to witness the destruction of his cherished city before he kills him.
- “You don’t fear death, you welcome it. Your punishment must be more severe.” – Before the last quote, Bruce Wayne pleads for Bane to kill him, but Bane knows this would be an easy way out for him – a luxury he isn’t going to afford his mortal enemy.
- “Really, then why are you people here?” – This is in response to a stock broker who pleads with Bane by saying, ‘This is a stock exchange, there’s no money you can steal,’ which further highlights his disgust at the corruption of the elite.
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