Warning: Spoilers for Batman and Robin #13One of Bane. The man has broken the Bat more than a few times and in more than one way. They have a varied history that only continues to get darker and darker; finally, one of them is putting a stop to their rivalry, and it isn't Batman. Bane stops all the violence and its defeat, agreeing that Batman should drag him back to Gotham in chains for all the horrible things he's done through the years.

In a preview for Batman and Robin #13 by Joshua Williamson, Juan Ferreyra, and Steve Wands, Batman, Robin, and Bane are all trapped on Dinosaur Island and need to work together to find a way to escape. Tensions rise high, however, and it doesn't seem like there will ever be an end to their rivalry - until Bane steps in, that is.

In one of the more surprising moments of his character, Bane decides to stop fighting. He its defeat by Batman not after being pummeled into submission like times past, but in full autonomy of body and mind. Bane decides that the only way to pay for his sins is to do penance for all the wrong he has done against the Dark Knight and his family.

Batman Was the First Villain to Break the Bat

Batman's Rivalry with Bane Goes Back For Years

Batman and Bane have a very serious history. The character was first introduced in the Knightfall storyline, which was a defining moment for the Dark Knight. While every other Gotham villain was focused on tricking Batman or outsmarting him, Bane barreled into Gotham and broke Batman's back in a way he almost didn't recover from. Ever since then, Bane has been a serious thorn in Bruce Wayne's side and the ever present threat that he is the only man to ever defeat the Bat.

But Batman didn't quit, and he got his rematch. Years down the road, in Tom King and Mikel Janín's Batman run, Batman lifted the colossal figure of Bane in the same way once done to him and broke the man's back across his knee, nearly sending him spiraling into a madness in the depths of Arkham Asylum, a place a villain like Bane never quite belonged. It's not just fists and the breaking of backs in their history, however - Bane did something to the Bat-Family that not even the Joker was able to do.

Bane Also Broke the Bat-Family - Psychologically

Robin Was Forced to Watch Alfred's Death

Batman isn't the only one with a major history with Bane. While Jason Todd has history with the Joker, Damian Wayne has more trauma induced from Bane. The villain didn't break Robin the way he had broken the Bat, but instead decided to break him in a much more psychological way. In a moment that shocked fans like no other, Bane snapped Alfred's neck and permanently killed the beloved butler of Batman lore - right in front of a boy who loved him, Damian Wayne.

Bane broke the very spine of the Bat-Family in a way from which they still have never recovered.

Bane broke the very spine of the Bat-Family in a way from which they still haven't recovered. While Batman bounced back from his own break stronger than before, the ripples of Alfred's death are still continuing to this day. Robin, personally, has never forgiven Bane. Alfred's death affected Batman more than he lets on, but Robin was sitting there, helplessly, while it happened. It was worse than any physical trauma Bane could have inflicted.

Bane Has Been the Bane of the Bat-Family Long Enough

The Biggest Gotham Villains Seeks Redemption

With these acts, it's no wonder Bane is seeking absolution and forgiveness. He is not a mentally-helpless character like the other villains in Arkham Aslyum. He's completely cognizant of his actions and their consequences, and it seems the blood on his hands cannot be washed away. It is time for Bane to face what he has done. Bane has been nightmare fuel for the Bat-Family for long enough. As his own daughter, Vengeance, points a gun at Batman's son, some sort of recognition sets in.

The legacy of their children is the only thing bringing Batman and Bane together in peace.

The legacy of their children is the only thing bringing Batman and Bane together in peace. Bane has hurt Batman's son, and Batman will hurt Bane's daughter. The only way to escape this violence is to put down their weapons. But Bane knows that can't happen without punishment. After all, it's not just a war between the two of them - he's the villain of the story, and he knows it. He has no delusions like the Joker. Bane seeks peace, and the only way to peace is through penance.

Bane's Heart Breaks in Newest Surprise for His Character

Will the Bat-Family Forgive Him For All His Wrongs?

In the end, Bane's back is not broken, just softened. The big villain comes down to size and its his defeat, not after being bloodied and brutalized, but in the simplicity and calmness of his own faculties. Bane has done more than enough to terrorize Batman and Robin, and he knows he must pay for it. Bane cannot fix all the breaking, but he can start by mending it.

Batman and Robin #13 is available September 11th, 2024 from DC Comics!