30 Sec Answer: Bane was born in the Peña Duro prison in Santa Prisca and grew up under very difficult conditions. Through a combination of his natural physical strength, intelligence, and training from Ra’s al Ghul, Bane was able to become one of Batman’s most formidable foes.
Introduction
Since his debut in 1993, Bane has been a fan-favorite villain in the Batman universe. As one of Batman’s greatest adversaries, he has taken on many forms and had several different origins throughout the years. In this article we’ll explore how Bane came to be and the events that shaped him into the iconic villain we know today.
Early Life
Bane was born in the harsh and unforgiving environment of Peña Duro prison in Santa Prisca. His mother died shortly after his birth and his father, Edmund Dorrance (also known as King Snake), abandoned him shortly thereafter. He was raised by inmates who taught him to be ruthless and cunning in order to survive. He eventually rose through the ranks and became one of the prison’s most feared inmates at a young age.
Escaping Prison
At the age of eight, Bane escaped from Peña Duro prison with only his wits and physical prowess to aid him. He quickly discovered an underground network of criminals that took him in and taught him their ways. During this time he honed his skills as a fighter and developed an affinity for chemistry which would come into play later in his life. After some time with these criminals, Bane returned to Gotham City where he encountered both Batman and Ra’s Al Ghul.
Meeting Ra’s Al Ghul
Ra’s al Ghul saw potential in Bane and offered him an opportunity to train with the League of Assassins, offering Bane much needed purpose. While with the League, Bane trained extensively in martial arts, hand-to-hand combat, strategy, infiltration, assassination techniques, and more – turning himself into a veritable human weapon. It was during this time that he also gained access to powerful drugs that increased his already formidable physical strength even further.
The Rise of Venom
To increase his abilities even more than what training alone could provide, Bane began experimenting with a steroid called “Venom” which allowed him to reach peak levels of strength but also left him addicted to it over time. By combining Venom with various other chemical compounds he had experimented with while living among criminals early on in his life, he created an even stronger version of the drug called "Super Venom" which caused hallucinations and led to further instability in his mental state.
Master Planner
It wasn’t long before Bane realized that he was not only strong enough to take on Batman physically but also smart enough to outwit him intellectually. With this realization, he set out to make a plan that would bring down both Bruce Wayne/Batman and Gotham City itself: The Under Siege plan. This plan involved breaking into Arkham Asylum where he released all its inmates and shut off power supply within Gotham City boundaries so as to cause mass chaos amongst citizens.
Final Showdown With Batman
The confrontation between Batman and Bane finally came when they faced off atop Wayne Tower; however despite being at peak performance due to Super Venom usage and having defeated Batman once already prior to this battle – Bane still fell short thanks largely due to Alfred Pennyworth sabotaging the Venom tubes feeding into his body mid fight . After defeating Bane yet again , Batman locked away until finally taking responsibility for his actions when sent back to Santa Prisca by Amanda Waller.
Final Fate
Bane ultimately returns from Santa Prisca as a changed man determined never use Venom again though unfortunately is unable escape death when confronting Doctor Hurt . It’s currently unknown whether or not he survived past this event however given how much he had grown since becoming an assassin at Ra’s al Ghuls side it would seem unlikely that Death can keep such a powerful figure contained forever…